flit thither during the night around the clepsydra. And through being accustomed[1] to hold the pebble, he gets up holding together his three fingers, as if offering frankincense at the New Moon. And, by Jove, if he should behold written any where on a door, "Pretty Demus,[2] son of Pyrilampes," he'd go and write close by the side of it, "Pretty Cemus."[3] And he said that the cock which used to crow at even, waked him late, having been prevailed upon, receiving money from those under acount. And immediately after supper he bawls for his slippers; and then, having gone there very early, he sleeps first, sticking to the column like a limpet. And through moroseness awarding to all the long line,[4] he enters his house like a bee, or a bumble-bee, having wax stuffed under his nails. And having feared he might sometime want for pebbles, he keeps a shingle within, in order that he may be able to act the dicast. In[5] such sort does he rave: and being admonished, he always acts the dicast the more. Him, therefore, we are guarding, having shut him in with bars, that he may not get out; for his son is grieved at his distemper. And at first he appeased him with words, and tried to persuade him not to wear the cloak, and not to go forth out of doors; but he used not to obey. Next he washed him and cleansed him. But he did not much heed it. After this he purified him by Corybantic rites. But he rushed out together with the kettle-drum, and rushed into the New Court,[6] and began to judicate. But when now he did not profit aught by these ceremonies, he sailed over to Ægina. And then he seized him, and made him lie down by night in the temple[7] of Æsculapius: but he appeared at early dawn at the bar. From that time we no
- ↑ On this position, see Krüger's Gr. Gr. § 68, 5, obs. 1, and the passages there cited.
- ↑ The beauty of Demus, the son of Pyrilampes, stands recorded in the pages of Plato. See his Gorgias. For the custom of thus writing up the beauties of the day, or other incidents of public attraction, vide Acharn. vs. 144.
- ↑ This was properly a funnel-shaped top to the voting urn, through which the votes were dropt into the κάδος.
- ↑ See Krüger, Gr. Gr. § 43, 3, obs. 3.
- ↑ Adapted from the Sthenobœa of Euripides. The same words are found also in the Electra of Sophocles.
- ↑ One of the ten civil courts at Athens. It was situated in the forum.
- ↑ See the Plutus, vss. 411, 621, 636, 640. Suet. in Vit. Claud. c. xxv.
