plutus-第6章
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INFORMER
I assume the title； when it serves me。
JUST MAN
Do you ply any trade？
INFORMER
No； most assuredly not！
JUST MAN
Then how do you live； if you do nothing？
INFORMER
I superintend public and private business。
JUST MAN
You do？ And by what right； pray？
INFORMER
Because it pleases me to do so。
JUST MAN
Like a thief you sneak yourself in where you have no business。 You
are hated by all and you claim to be an honest man。
INFORMER
What； you fool？ I have not the right to dedicate myself entirely
to my country's service？
JUST MAN
Is the country served by vile intrigue？
INFORMER
It is served by watching that the established law is observed…by
allowing no one to violate it。
JUST MAN
That's the duty of the tribunals； they are established to that
end。
INFORMER
And who is the prosecutor before the dicasts？
JUST MAN
Whoever wishes to be。
INFORMER
Well then； it is I who choose to be prosecutor； and thus all
public affairs fall within my province。
JUST MAN
I pity Athens for being in such vile clutches。 But would you not
prefer to live quietly and free from all care and anxiety？
INFORMER
To do nothing is to live an animal's life。
JUST MAN
Thus you will not change your mode of life？
INFORMER
No； though they gave me Plutus himself and the silphium of Battus。
CARIO （to the INFORMER）
Come； quick； off with your cloak。
（The INFORMER does not move。）
JUST MAN
Hi！ friend！ it's you they are speaking to。
CARIO
Off with your shoes。
（The INFORMER still remains motionless。）
JUST MAN
I say； all this is addressed to you。
INFORMER （defiantly）
Very well！ let one of you come near me； if he dares。
CARIO
I dare。
（He strips the INFORMER of his cloak and shoes。
The witness runs away。）
INFORMER
Alas！ I am robbed of my clothes in full daylight。
CARIO
That's what comes of meddling with other folk's business and
living at their expense。
INFORMER （over his shoulder to the departing witness）
You see what is happening； I call you to witness。
CARIO （laughing）
Look how the witness whom you brought is taking to his heels。
INFORMER
Great gods！ I am all alone and they assault me。
CARIO
Shout away！
INFORMER
Oh！ woe； woe is me！
CARIO
Give me that old ragged cloak； that I may dress out the informer。
JUST MAN
No； no； I have dedicated it to Plutus。
CARIO
And where would your offering be better bestowed than on the
shoulders of a rascal and a thief？ To Plutus fine； rich cloaks
should be given。
JUST MAN
And what then shall be done with these shoes？ Tell me。
CARIO
I will nail them to his brow as gifts are nailed to the trunks
of the wild olive。
INFORMER
I'm off； for you are the strongest； I own。 But if I find someone
to join me； let him be as weak as he will； I will summon this god； who
thinks himself so strong； before the court this very day； and denounce
him as manifestly guilty of overturning the democracy by his will
alone and without the consent of the Senate or the Assembly。
JUST MAN
Now that you are rigged out from head to foot with my old clothes；
hasten to the bath and stand there in the front row to warm yourself
better； that's the place I formerly had。
CARIO
Ah！ the bath…man would grab you by the balls and fling you through
the door； he would only need to see you to appraise you at your true
value。。。。 But let us go in； friend； that you may address your
thanksgivings to the god。
（Interlude of dancing by the CHORUS。）
（An OLD WOMAN enters；
dressed as a young girl and trying to walk
in a youthful and alluring manner。 She carries a plate of food。）
OLD WOMAN （coyly）
My dear old men； am I near the house where the new god lives； or
have I missed the road？
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
You are at his door； my pretty little maid； who question us so
sweetly。
OLD WOMAN
Then I will summon someone in the house。
CHREMYLUS
No need。 I am here myself。 But what brings you here？
OLD WOMAN
Ah！ a cruel； unjust fate！ My dear friend； this god has made life
unbearable to me through ceasing to be blind。
CHREMYLUS
What does this mean？ Can you be a female informer？
OLD WOMAN
Most certainly not。
CHREMYLUS
Have you drunk up your money then？
OLD WOMAN
You are mocking me！ No！ I am being devoured with a consuming fire。
CHREMYLUS
Then tell me what is consuming you so fiercely。
OLD WOMAN
Listen！ I loved a young man； who was poor； but so handsome； so
well…built； so honest！ He readily gave way to all I desired and
acquitted himself so well！ I； for my part； refused him nothing。
CHREMYLUS
And what did he generally ask of you？
OLD WOMAN
Very little； he bore himself towards me with astonishing
discretion！ perchance twenty drachmae for a cloak or eight for
footwear； sometimes he begged me to buy tunics for his sisters or a
little mantle for his mother： at times he needed four bushels of corn。
CHREMYLUS
That's very little； in truth； I admire his modesty。
OLD WOMAN
And it wasn't as a reward for his complacency that he ever asked
me for anything； but as a matter of pure friendship； a cloak I had
given would remind him from whom he had got it。
CHREMYLUS
It was a fellow who loved you madly。
OLD WOMAN
But it's no longer so； for the faithless wretch has sadly altered！
I had sent him this cake with the sweetmeats you see here on this dish
and let him know that I would visit him in the evening。。。
CHREMYLUS
Well？
OLD WOMAN
He sent me back my presents and added this tart to them； on
condition that I never set foot in his house again。 Besides； he sent
me this message； 〃Once upon a time the Milesians were brave。〃
CHREMYLUS
An honest lad； indeed What do you expect？ When poor； he would
devour anything； now he is rich； he no longer cares for lentils。
OLD WOMAN
Formerly he came to me every day。
CHREMYLUS
To see if you were being buried？
OLD WOMAN
No！ he longed to hear the sound of my voice。
CHREMYLUS （aside）
And to carry off some present。
OLD WOMAN
If I was downcast； he would call me his little duck or his
little dove in a most tender manner。。。
CHREMYLUS （aside）
And then would ask for the money to buy a pair of sandals。
OLD WOMAN
When I was at the Mysteries of Eleusis in a carriage； someone made
eyes at me； he was so jealous that he beat me the whole of that day。
CHREMYLUS （aside）
That was because he liked to feed alone。
OLD WOMAN
He told me I had very beautiful hands。
CHREMYLUS （aside）
Aye； no doubt； when they handed him twenty drachmae。
OLD WOMAN
That my whole body breathed a sweet perfume。
CHREMYLUS （aside）
Yes； like enough； if you poured him out Thasian wine。
OLD WOMAN
That my glance was gentle and charming。
CHREMYLUS （aside）
He was no fool。 He knew how to drag drachmae from a sex…starved
old woman。
OLD WOMAN
Ah！ the god has done very； very wrong； saying he would support the
victims of injustice。
CHREMYLUS
Well； what should he do？ Speak； and it shall be done。
OLD WOMAN
Compel him； whom I have loaded with benefits； to repay them in his
turn； if not； he does not merit the least of the god's favours。
CHREMYLUS
And did he not do this every night？
OLD WOMAN
He swore he would never leave me； as long as I lived。
CHREMYLUS
Aye； right but he thinks you are no longer alive。
OLD WOMAN
Ah！ friend； I am pining away with grief。
CHREMYLUS （aside）
You are rotting away； it seems to me。
OLD WOMAN
I have grown so thin； I could slip through a ring。
CHREMYLUS
Yes； if it were as large as the hoop of a sieve。
（A young man enters；
wearing a garland on his head
and carrying a torch in his hand。）
OLD WOMAN
But here is the youth； the cause of my complaint； he looks as
though he were going to a； festival。
CHREMYLUS
Yes； if his chaplet and his torch are any guides。
YOUTH （to the OLD WOMAN； With cool politeness）
Greeting to you。
OLD WOMAN （in a puzzled tone）
What was that he said？
YOUTH
My ancient old dear； you have grown white very quickly； by heaven！
OLD WOMAN
Oh！ what an insult！
CHREMYLUS
It is a long time； then； since he saw you？
OLD WOMAN
A long time？ My god！ he was with me yesterday。
CHREMYLUS
It must be； then； that； unlike other people； he sees more
clearly when he's drunk。
OLD WOMAN
No； but I have always known him for an insolent fellow。
YOUTH
Oh！ divine Posidon！ Oh； ye gods of old age！ what wrinkles she
has on her face！ （He holds his torch close to her； in order to
inspect her more closely。）
OLD WOMAN
Oh！ oh！ keep your distance with that torch。
CHREMYLUS （aside）
It's just as well； if a single spark were to reach her； she
would catch fire like an old olive branch。
YOUTH
I propose to have a game with you。
OLD WOMAN （eagerly）
Where； naughty boy？
YOUTH
Here。 Take some nuts in your hand。
OLD WOMAN
What game is this？
YOUTH
Let's play at guessing how many 。。。 teeth you have。
CHREMYLUS
Ah！ I'll tell you； she's got three； or perhaps four。
YOUTH
Pay up； you've lost！ she has only one single grinder。
OLD WOMAN
You wretch！ you're not in your right senses。 Do you insult me thus
before this crowd？
YOUTH
I am washing you thoroughly； that's doing you a service。
CHREMYLUS
No； no！ as she is there； she can still deceive； but if this
white…lead is washed off； her wrinkles will come out plainly。
OLD WOMAN
You are only an old fool！
YOUTH
Ah！ he is playing the gallant； he is playing with your tits； and
thinks I do not see it。
OLD WOMAN （to CHREMYLUS）
Oh！ no； by Aphrodite； don't do that； you naughty jealous fellow。
CHREMYLUS
Oh！ most certainly not； by Hecate！ Verily and indeed I would
need to be mad！ But； young man； I cannot forgive you； if you cast
off this beautiful child。
YOUTH
Why； I adore her。
CHREMYLUS
But nevertheless she accuses you。。。
YOUTH
Accuses me of what？
CHREMYLUS
。。。of having told her insolently； 〃Once upon a time the
Milesians were brave。〃
YOUTH
