beard of Pronomus, without being noticed. And yet, before this, he was a woman. But now, you see, be has the chief power in the state. On this account, by the coming day,[1] let us venture on so great an enterprise, if by[2] any means we be able to seize upon the administration of the state, so as to do the state some good. For now we neither sail[3] nor row.
7th Wom. Why, how can[4] an effeminate conclave of women harangue the people?
Prax. Nay, rather, by far the best, I ween. For they say, that as many of the youths also as most resemble women, are the most skilful in speaking. Now we have this by chance.[5]
7th Wom. I know not: the want of experience is a sad thing.[6]
Prax. Therefore we have assembled here on purpose,[7] so that we might practise beforehand what we must say there. You cannot be too quick[8] in tying on your beard; and the others, as many as have practised speaking.
8th Wom. But who of us, my friend, does not know how to speak?
- ↑ See note on Thesm. 870.
- ↑ See note on Ran. 1460.
- ↑ "A Greek proverb runs, 'Money makes the rudder act and the wind blow.'" Droysen.
- ↑ "Wie kann der Frauen 'Schaamverhüllte Weiblichkeit'
Zum Volke reden." Droysen. Cf. Krüger, Gr. Gr. §53, 7, 3. - ↑ "Und eben das ist uns der Schickung nach Beruf." Droysen.
- ↑ See note on Aves, 451.
- ↑ "And for this very reason are we met,
To rehearse before we speak in downright earnest." Smith. - ↑ "The formula οὐκ ἃν φθάνοις is peculiar, e. gr. περαίνων, Plato (Phæd. 100), λέγων (Symp. 185), "Say forthwith." Perhaps originally a question, 'Will you not sooner say?' (than do something else); but afterwards so much obliterated by usage, that, unmindful of its origin, they said after the external analogy of this formula also οὐκ ἃν φθάνοιμι, οὐκ ἃν φθάνοι, in the sense, 'I will, he will certainly,' &c., therefore synonymous with φθάνοιμι ἃν, φθάνοι ἃν." Krüger. Cf Plut. 485, 874, 1133. Eur. Heracl. 721. Iph. T. 244.
had been the author of the diminution of the comic honorarium (Ran. 367), and, later, of the increase of the Heliastic fee (Plut. 176, and vs. 184, infra). How Agyrrhius, who did not resemble women merely in beardlessness, comes by the great beard of the flute-player Pronomus, I know not." Droysen. Plato, the comic poet, says of him,
λαβοῦ, λαβοῦ τῆς χειρὸς ὡς τάχιστά μου·
μέλλω στρατηγὸν χειροτονεῖν Ἀγύῤῥιον.
