him　neither　wine　nor　any　harvest　at　all！　Our　terrible　slings　will
  mow　down　his　young　olive　plants　and　his　vines。　If　he　is　making　bricks；
  it　will　rain；　and　our　round　hailstones　will　break　the　tiles　of　his
  roof。　If　he　himself　marries　or　any　of　his　relations　or　friends；　we
  shall　cause　rain　to　fall　the　whole　night　long。　Verily；　he　would　prefer
  to　live　in　Egypt　than　to　have　given　this　iniquitous　verdict。
  STREPSIADES　（coming　out　again）
  Another　four；　three；　two　days；　then　the　eve；　then　the　day；　the
  fatal　day　of　payment！　I　tremble；　I　quake；　I　shudder；　for　it's　the
  day　of　the　old　moon　and　the　new。　Then　all　my　creditors　take　the
  oath；　pay　their　deposits；　I　swear　my　downfall　and　my　ruin。　As　for
  me；　I　beseech　them　to　be　reasonable；　to　be　just；　〃My　friend；　do　not
  demand　this　sum；　wait　a　little　for　this　other　and　give　me　time　for
  this　third　one。〃　Then　they　will　pretend　that　at　this　rate　they　will
  never　be　repaid；　will　accuse　me　of　bad　faith　and　will　threaten　me　with
  the　law。　Well　then；　let　them　sue　me！　I　care　nothing　for　that；　if
  only　Phidippides　has　learnt　to　speak　fluently。　I　am　going　to　find　out；
  I'll　knock　at　the　door　of　the　school。　（He　knocks。）。。。。　Ho！　slave；
  slave！
  SOCRATES　（coming　out）
  Welcome！　Strepsiades！
  STREPSIADES
  Welcome！　Socrates！　But　first　take　this　sack　（offers　him　a　sack
  of　flour）；　it　is　right　to　reward　the　master　with　some　present。　And
  my　son；　whom　you　took　off　lately；　has　he　learnt　this　famous　reasoning？
  Tell　me。
  SOCRATES
  He　has　learnt　it。
  STREPSIADES
  Wonderful！　Oh！　divine　Knavery！
  SOCRATES
  You　will　win　just　as　many　causes　as　you　choose。
  STREPSIADES
  Even　if　I　have　borrowed　before　witnesses？
  SOCRATES
  So　much　the　better；　even　if　there　are　a　thousand　of　them！
  STREPSIADES　（bursting　into　song）
  Then　I　am　going　to　shout　with　all　my　might。　〃Woe　to　the　usurers；
  woe　to　their　capital　and　their　interest　and　their　compound　interest！
  You　shall　play　me　no　more　bad　turns。　My　son　is　being　taught　there；　his
  tongue　is　being　sharpened　into　a　double…edged　weapon；　he　is　my
  defender；　the　saviour　of　my　house；　the　ruin　of　my　foes！　His　poor
  father　was　crushed　down　with　misfortune　and　he　delivers　him。〃　Go　and
  call　him　to　me　quickly。　Oh！　my　child！　my　dear　little　one！　run
  forward　to　your　father's　voice！
  SOCRATES　（singing）
  Lo；　the　man　himself！
  STREPSIADES　（singing）
  Oh；　my　friend；　my　dearest　friend！
  SOCRATES　（singing）
  Take　your　son；　and　get　you　gone。
  STREPSIADES　（as　PHIDIPPIDES　appears）
  Oh；　my　son！　oh！　oh！　what　a　pleasure　to　see　your　pallor！　You　are
  ready　first　to　deny　and　then　to　contradict；　it's　as　clear　as　noon。
  What　a　child　of　your　country　you　are！　How　your　lips　quiver　with　the
  famous；　〃What　have　you　to　say　now？〃　How　well　you　know；　I　am　certain；
  to　put　on　the　look　of　a　victim；　when　it　is　you　who　are　making　both
  victims　and　dupes！　And　what　a　truly　Attic　glance！　Come；　it's　for　you
  to　save　me；　seeing　it　is　you　who　have　ruined　me。
  PHIDIPPIDES
  What　is　it　you　fear　then？
  STREPSIADES
  The　day　of　the　old　and　the　new。
  PHIDIPPIDES
  Is　there　then　a　day　of　the　old　and　the　new？
  STREPSIADES
  The　day　on　which　they　threaten　to　pay　deposit　against　me。
  PHIDIPPIDES
  Then　so　much　the　worse　for　those　who　have　deposited！　for　it's
  not　possible　for　one　day　to　be　two。
  STREPSIADES
  What？
  PHIDIPPIDES
  Why；　undoubtedly；　unless　a　woman　can　be　both　old　and　young　at
  the　same　time。
  STREPSIADES
  But　so　runs　the　law。
  PHIDIPPIDES
  I　think　the　meaning　of　the　law　is　quite　misunderstood。
  STREPSIADES
  What　does　it　mean？
  PHIDIPPIDES
  Old　Solon　loved　the　people。
  STREPSIADES
  What　has　that　to　do　with　the　old　day　and　the　new？
  PHIDIPPIDES
  He　has　fixed　two　days　for　the　summons；　the　last　day　of　the　old
  moon　and　the　first　day　of　the　new；　but　the　deposits　must　only　be
  paid　on　the　first　day　of　the　new　moon。
  STREPSIADES
  And　why　did　he　also　name　the　last　day　of　the　old？
  PHIDIPPIDES
  So；　my　dear　sir；　that　the　debtors；　being　there　the　day　before；
  might　free　themselves　by　mutual　agreement；　or　that　else；　if　not；　the
  creditor　might　begin　his　action　on　the　morning　of　the　new　moon。
  STREPSIADES
  Why　then　do　the　magistrates　have　the　deposits　paid　on　the　last
  of　the　month　and　not　the　next　day？
  PHIDIPPIDES
  I　think　they　do　as　the　gluttons　do；　who　are　the　first　to　pounce
  upon　the　dishes。　Being　eager　to　carry　off　these　deposits；　they　have
  them　paid　in　a　day　too　soon。
  STREPSIADES
  Splendid！　（to　the　audience）　Ah！　you　poor　brutes；　who　serve　for
  food　to　us　clever　folk！　You　are　only　down　here　to　swell　the　number；
  true　blockheads；　sheep　for　shearing；　heap　of　empty　pots！　Hence　I
  will　sing　a　song　of　victory　for　my　son　and　myself。　〃Oh！　happy；
  Strepsiades！　what　cleverness　is　thine！　and　what　a　son　thou　hast　here！〃
  Thus　my　friends　and　my　neighbours　will　say；　jealous　at　seeing　me
  gain　all　my　suits。　But　come　in；　I　wish　to　regale　you　first。
  （They　both　go　in。　A　moment　later　a　creditor　arrives；　with　his
  witness。）
  PASIAS　（to　the　WITNESS）
  A　man　should　never　lend　a　single　obolus。　It　would　be　better　to　put
  on　a　brazen　face　at　the　outset　than　to　get　entangled　in　such
  matters。　I　want　to　see　my　money　again　and　I　bring　you　here　to…day　to
  attest　the　loan。　I　am　going　to　make　a　foe　of　a　neighbour；　but；　as　long
  as　I　live；　I　do　not　wish　my　country　to　have　to　blush　for　me。　Come；　I
  am　going　to　summon　Strepsiades。。。。
  STREPSIADES　（coming　out　of　his　house）
  Who　is　this？
  PASIAS
  。。。。for　the　old　day　and　the　new。
  STREPSIADES　（to　the　WITNESS）
  I　call　you　to　witness；　that　he　has　named　two　days。　What　do　you
  want　of　me？
  PASIAS
  I　claim　of　you　the　twelve　minae；　which　you　borrowed　from　me　to　buy
  the　dapple…grey　horse。
  STREPSIADES
  A　horse！　do　you　hear　him？　I；　who　detest　horses；　as　is　well　known。
  PASIAS
  I　call　Zeus　to　witness；　that　you　swore　by　the　gods　to　return
  them　to　me。
  STREPSIADES
  Because　at　that　time；　by　Zeus！　Phidippides　did　not　yet　know　the
  irrefutable　argument。
  PASIAS
  Would　you　deny　the　debt　on　that　account？
  STREPSIADES
  If　not；　what　use　is　his　science　to　me？
  PASIAS
  Will　you　dare　to　swear　by　the　gods　that　you　owe　me　nothing？
  STREPSIADES
  By　which　gods？
  PASIAS
  By　Zeus；　Hermes　and　Posidon！
  STREPSIADES
  Why；　I　would　give　three　obols　for　the　pleasure　of　swearing　by
  them。
  PASIAS
  Woe　upon　you；　impudent　knave！
  STREPSIADES
  Oh！　what　a　fine　wine…skin　you　would　make　if　flayed！
  PASIAS
  Heaven！　he　jeers　at　me！
  STREPSIADES
  It　would　hold　six　gallons　easily。
  PASIAS
  By　great　Zeus！　by　all　the　gods！　you　shall　not　scoff　at　me　with
  impunity；
  STREPSIADES
  Ah！　how　you　amuse　me　with　your　gods！　how　ridiculous　it　seems　to
  a　sage　to　hear　Zeus　invoked。
  PASIAS
  Your　blasphemies　will　one　day　meet　their　reward。　But；　come；　will
  you　repay　me　my　money；　yes　or　no？　Answer　me；　that　I　may　go。
  STREPSIADES
  Wait　a　moment；　I　am　going　to　give　you　a　distinct　answer。　（He
  goes　indoors　and　returns　immediately　with　a　kneading…trough。）
  PASIAS　（to　the　WITNESS）
  What　do　you　think　he　will　do？　Do　you　think　he　will　pay？
  STREPSIADES
  Where　is　the　man　who　demands　money？　Tell　me；　what　is　this？
  PASIAS
  Him？　Why；　he　is　your　kneading…trough。
  STREPSIADES
  And　you　dare　to　demand　money　of　me；　when　you　are　so　ignorant？　I
  will　not　return　an　obolus　to　anyone　who　says　him　instead　of　her　for
  a　kneading…trough。
  PASIAS
  You　will　not　repay？
  STREPSIADES
  Not　if　I　know　it。　Come；　an　end　to　this；　pack　off　as　quick　as　you
  can。
  PASIAS
  I　go；　but；　may　I　die；　if　it　be　not　to　pay　my　deposit　for　a
  summons。
  （Exit）
  STREPSIADES
  Very　well！　It　will　be　so　much　more　loss　to　add　to　the　twelve
  minae。　But　truly　it　makes　me　sad；　for　I　do　pity　a　poor　simpleton　who
  says　him　for　a　kneading…trough
  （Another　creditor　arrives。）
  AMYNIAS
  Woe！　ah　woe　is　me！
  STREPSIADES
  Wait！　who　is　this　whining　fellow？　Can　it　be　one　of　the　gods　of
  Carcinus？
  AMYNIAS
  Do　you　want　to　know　who　I　am？　I　am　a　man　of　misfortune！
  STREPSIADES
  Get　on　your　way　then。
  AMYNIAS　（in　tragic　style）
  Oh！　cruel　god！　Oh　Fate；　who　hast　broken　the　wheels　of　my
  chariot！　Oh；　Pallas；　thou　hast　undone　me！
  STREPSIADES
  What　ill　has　Tlepolemus　done　you？
  AMYNIAS
  Instead　of　jeering　me；　friend；　make　your　son　return　me　the　money
  he　has　had　of　me；　I　am　already　unfortunate　enough。
  STREPSIADES
  What　money？
  AMYNIAS
  The　money　he　borrowed　of　me。
  STREPSIADES
  You　have　indeed　had　misfortune；　it　seems　to　me。
  AMYNIAS
  Yes；　by　the　gods！　I　have　been　thrown　from　a　chariot。
  S