CARIO
  Money；　he　has　so　much　of　it。
  CHREMYLUS
  And　who　gives　it　to　him？
  CARIO　　（pointing　to　Plutus）
  This　fellow。
  CHREMYLUS
  If　sacrifices　are　offered　to　him；　is　not　Plutus　their　cause？
  CARIO
  Undoubtedly；　for　it's　wealth　that　all　demand　and　clamour　most
  loudly　for。
  CHREMYLUS
  Thus　it's　Plutus　who　is　the　fount　of　all　the　honours　rendered　to
  Zeus；　whose　worship　he　can　wither　up　at　the　root；　if　it　so　pleases
  him。
  PLUTUS
  And　how　so？
  CHREMYLUS
  Not　an　ox；　nor　a　cake；　nor　indeed　anything　at　all　could　be
  offered；　if　you　did　not　wish　it。
  PLUTUS
  Why？
  CHREMYLUS
  Why？　but　what　means　are　there　to　buy　anything　if　you　are　not　there
  to　give　the　money？　Hence　if　Zeus　should　cause　you　any　trouble；　you
  will　destroy　his　power　without　other　help。
  PLUTUS
  So　it's　because　of　me　that　sacrifices　are　offered　to　him？
  CHREMYLUS
  Most　assuredly。　Whatever　is　dazzling；　beautiful　or　charming　in　the
  eyes　of　mankind；　comes　from　you。　Does　not　everything　depend　on　wealth？
  CARIO
  I　myself　was　bought　for　a　few　coins；　if　I'm　a　slave；　it's　only
  because　I　was　not　rich。
  CHREMYLUS
  And　what　of　the　Corinthian　whores？　If　a　poor　man　offers　them
  proposals；　they　do　not　listen；　but　if　it　be　a　rich　one；　instantly　they
  turn　their　arses　to　him。
  CARIO
  It's　the　same　with　the　lads；　they　care　not　for　love；　to　them　money
  means　everything。
  CHREMYLUS
  You　speak　of　male　whores；　yet　some　of　them　are　honest；　and　it's
  not　money　they　ask　of　their　patrons。
  CARIO
  What　then？
  CHREMYLUS
  A　fine　horse；　a　pack　of　hounds。
  CARIO
  Yes；　they　would　blush　to　ask　for　money　and　cleverly　disguise　their
  shame。
  CHREMYLUS
  It　is　in　you　that　every　art；　all　human　inventions；　have　had
  their　origin；　it　is　through　you　that　one　man　sits　cutting　leather　in
  his　shop。
  CARIO
  That　another　fashions　iron　or　wood。
  CHREMYLUS
  That　yet　another　chases　the　gold　he　has　received　from　you。
  CARIO
  That　one　is　a　fuller。
  CHREMYLUS
  That　the　other　washes　wool。
  CARIO
  That　this　one　is　a　tanner。
  CHREMYLUS
  And　that　other　sells　onions。
  CARIO
  And　if　the　adulterer；　caught　red…handed；　is　depilated；　it's　on
  account　of　you。
  PLUTUS
  Oh！　great　gods！　I　knew　naught　of　all　this！
  CARIO　　（to　CHREMYLUS）
  Is　it　not　he　who　lends　the　Great　King　all　his　pride？　Is　it　not
  he　who　draws　the　citizens　to　the　Assembly？
  CHREMYLUS
  And　tell　me；　is　it　not　you　who　equip　the　triremes？
  CARIO
  And　who　feed　our　mercenaries　at　Corinth？　Are　not　you　the　cause
  of　Pamphilus'　sufferings？
  CHREMYLUS
  And　of　the　needle…seller's　with　Pamphilus？
  CARIO
  It　is　not　because　of　you　that　Agyrrhius　farts　so　loudly？
  CHREMYLUS
  And　that　Philepsius　rolls　off　his　fables？　That　troops　are　sent
  to　succour　the　Egyptians？　And　that　Lais　is　kept　by　Philonides？
  CARIO
  That　the　tower　of　Timotheus。。。
  CHREMYLUS
  。。。（To　CARIO）　　May　it　fall　upon　your　head！　　（To　PLUTUS）　　In　short；
  Plutus；　it　is　through　you　that　everything　is　done；　you　must　realize
  that　you　are　the　sole　cause　both　of　good　and　evil。
  CARIO
  In　war；　it's　the　flag　under　which　you　serve　that　victory　favours。
  PLUTUS
  What！　I　can　do　so　many　things　by　myself　and　unaided？
  CHREMYLUS
  And　many　others　besides；　wherefore　men　are　never　tired　of　your
  gifts。　They　get　weary　of　all　else；…of　love。。。
  CARIO
  Bread。
  CHREMYLUS
  Music。
  CARIO
  Sweetmeats。
  CHREMYLUS
  Honours。
  CARIO
  Cakes。
  CHREMYLUS
  Battles。
  CARIO
  Figs。
  CHREMYLUS
  Ambition。
  CARIO
  Gruel。
  CHREMYLUS
  Military　advancement。
  CARIO
  Lentil　soup。
  CHREMYLUS
  But　of　you　they　never　tire。　If　a　man　has　thirteen　talents；　he
  has　all　the　greater　ardour　to　possess　sixteen；　if　that　wish　is
  achieved；　he　will　want　forty　or　will　complain　that　he　knows　not　how　to
  make　both　ends　meet。
  PLUTUS
  All　this；　I　suppose；　is　very　true；　there　is　but　one　point　that
  makes　me　feel　a　bit　uneasy。
  CHREMYLUS
  And　that　is？
  PLUTUS
  How　could　I　use　this　power；　which　you　say　I　have？
  CHREMYLUS
  Ah！　they　were　quite　right　who　said　there's　nothing　more　timorous
  than　Plutus
  PLUTUS
  No；　no；　it　was　a　thief　who　calumniated　me。　Having　broken　into　a
  house；　he　found　everything　locked　up　and　could　take　nothing；　so　he
  dubbed　my　prudence　fear。
  CHREMYLUS
  Don't　be　disturbed；　if　you　support　me　zealously；　I'll　make　you
  more　sharp…sighted　than　Lynceus。
  PLUTUS
  And　how　should　you　be　able　to　do　that；　you。　who　are　but　a　mortal？
  CHREMYLUS
  I　have　great　hope；　after　the　answer　Apollo　gave　me；　shaking　his
  sacred　laurels　the　while。
  PLUTUS
  Is　he　in　the　plot　then？
  CHREMYLUS
  Surely。
  PLUTUS
  Take　care　what　you　say。
  CHREMYLUS
  Never　fear；　friend；　for；　be　well　assured；　that　if　it　has　to　cost
  me　my　life；　I　will　carry　out　what　I　have　in　my　head。
  CARIO
  And　I　will　help　you；　if　you　permit　it。
  CHREMYLUS
  We　shall　have　many　other　helpers　as　well…all　the　worthy　folk　who
  are　wanting　for　bread。
  PLUTUS
  Ah！　they'll　prove　sorry　helpers。
  CHREMYLUS
  No；　not　so；　once　they've　grown　rich。　But　you；　Cario；　run　quick。。。
  CARIO
  Where？
  CHREMYLUS
  。。。to　call　my　comrades；　the　other　husbandmen　　（you'll　probably
  find　the　poor　fellows　toiling　away　in　the　fields）；　　that　each　of
  them　may　come　here　to　take　his　share　of　the　gifts　of　Plutus。
  CARIO
  I'm　off。　But　let　someone　come　from　the　house　to　take　this　morsel
  of　meat。
  CHREMYLUS
  I'll　see　to　that；　you　run　your　hardest。　As　for　you；　Plutus；　the
  most　excellent　of　all　the　gods；　come　in　here　with　me；　this　is　the
  house　you　must　fill　with　riches　to…day；　by　fair　means　or　foul。
  PLUTUS
  I　don't　at　all　like　going　into　other　folks'　houses　in　this　manner；
  I　have　never　got　any　good　from　it。　If　I　got　inside　a　miser's　house；
  straightway　he　would　bury　me　deep　underground；　if　some　honest　fellow
  among　his　friends　came　to　ask　him　for　the　smallest　coin；　he　would　deny
  ever　having　seen　me。　Then　if　I　went　to　a　fool's　house；　he　would
  sacrifice　in　dicing　and　wenching；　and　very　soon　I　should　be　completely
  stripped　and　pitched　out　of　doors。
  CHREMYLUS
  That's　because　you　have　never　met　a　man　who　knew　how　to　avoid
  the　two　extremes；　moderation　is　the　strong　point　in　my　character。　I
  love　saving　as　much　as　anybody；　and　I　know　how　to　spend；　when　it's
  needed。　But　let　us　go　in；　I　want　to　make　you　known　to　my　wife　and　to
  my　only　son；　whom　I　love　most　of　all　after　yourself。
  PLUTUS
  I'm　quite　sure　of　that。
  CHREMYLUS
  Why　should　I　hide　the　truth　from　you？
  （They　enter　CHREMYLUS'　house。）
  CARIO　　（to　the　CHORUS；　which　has　followed　him　in）
  Come；　you　active　workers；　who；　like　my　master；　eat　nothing　but
  garlic　and　the　poorest　food；　you　who　are　his　friends　and　his
  neighbours；　hasten　your　steps；　hurry　yourselves；　there's　not　a
  moment　to　lose；　this　is　the　critical　hour；　when　your　presence　and　your
  support　are　needed　by　him。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Why；　don't　you　see　we　are　speeding　as　fast　as　men　can；　who　are
  already　enfeebled　by　age？　But　do　you　deem　it　fitting　to　make　us　run
  like　this　before　ever　telling　us　why　your　master　has　called　us？
  CARIO
  I've　grown　hoarse　with　the　telling；　but　you　won't　listen。　My
  master　is　going　to　drag　you　all　out　of　the　stupid；　sapless　life　you
  are　leading　and　ensure　you；　one　full　of　all　delights。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  And　how　is　he　going　to　manage　that？
  CARIO
  My　poor　friends；　he　has　brought　with　him　a　disgusting　old
  fellow；　all　bent　and　wrinkled；　with　a　most　pitiful　appearance；　bald
  and　toothless；　upon　my　word；　I　even　believe　he　is　circumcised　like
  some　vile　barbarian。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  This　news　is　worth　its　weight　in　gold！　What　are　you　saying？　Repeat
  it　to　me；　no　doubt　it　means　he　is　bringing　back　a　heap　of　wealth。
  CARIO
  No；　but　a　heap　of　all　the　infirmities　attendant　on　old　age。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  If　you　are　tricking　us；　you　shall　pay　us　for　it。　Beware　of　our
  sticks！
  CARIO
  Do　you　deem　me　so　brazen　as　all　that；　and　my　words　mere　lies？
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  What　serious　airs　the　rascal　puts　on！　Look！　his　legs　are　already
  shrieking；　〃oh！　oh！〃　They　are　asking　for　the　shackles　and　wedges。
  CARIO
  It's　in　the　tomb　that　it's　your　lot　to　judge。　Why　don't　you　go
  there？　Charon　has　given　you　your　ticket。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Plague　take　you！　you　cursed　rascal；　who　rail　at　us　and　have　not
  even　the　heart　to　tell　us　why　your　master　has　made　us　come。　We　were
  pressed　for　time　and　tired　out；　yet　we　came　with　all　haste；　and　in　our
  hurry　we　have　passed　by　lots　of　wild　onions　without　even　gathering
  t