POVERTY
  Indeed？　And　have　you　not　done　me　the　most　deadly　injury　by　seeking
  to　banish　me　from　every　country？
  CHREMYLUS
  Why；　have　you　not　got　the　Barathrum　left？　But　who　are　you？
  Answer　me　quickly！
  POVERTY
  I　am　one　that　will　punish　you　this　very　day　for　having　wanted　to
  make　me　disappear　from　here。
  BLEPSIDEMUS
  Might　it　be　the　tavern…keeper　in　my　neighbourhood；　who　is　always
  cheating　me　in　measure？
  POVERTY
  I　am　Poverty；　who　have　lived　with　you　for　so　many　years。
  BLEPSIDEMUS
  Oh！　great　Apollo！　oh；　ye　gods！　whither　shall　I　fly？
  （He　starts　to　run　away。）
  CHREMYLUS
  Here！　what　are　you　doing！　You　coward！　Are　going　to　leave　me　here？
  BLEPSIDEMUS　　（still　running）
  Not　I。
  CHREMYLUS
  Stop　then！　Are　two　men　to　run　away　from　one　woman？
  BLEPSIDEMUS
  But；　you　wretch；　it's　Poverty；　the　most　fearful　monster　that
  ever　drew　breath。
  CHREMYLUS
  Stay　where　you　are；　I　beg　of　you。
  BLEPSIDEMUS
  No　no！　a　thousand　times；　no！
  CHREMYLUS
  Could　we　do　anything　worse　than　leave　the　god　in　the　lurch　and　fly
  before　this　woman　without　so　much　as　ever　offering　to　fight？
  BLEPSIDEMUS
  But　what　weapons　have　we？　Are　we　in　a　condition　to　show　fight？
  Where　is　the　breastplate；　the　buckler；　that　this　wretch　has　not
  pawned？
  CHREMYLUS
  Be　at　ease。　Plutus　will　readily　triumph　over　her　threats　unaided。
  POVERTY
  Dare　you　reply；　you　scoundrels；　you　who　are　caught　red…handed　at
  the　most　horrible　crime？
  CHREMYLUS
  As　for　you；　you　cursed　jade；　you　pursue　me　with　your　abuse；　though
  I　have　never　done　you　the　slightest　harm。
  POVERTY
  Do　you　think　it　is　doing　me　no　harm　to　restore　Plutus　to　the　use
  of　his　eyes？
  CHREMYLUS
  Is　this　doing　you　harm；　that　we　shower　blessings　on　all　men？
  POVERTY
  And　what　do　you　think　will　ensure　their　happiness？
  CHREMYLUS
  Ah！　first　of　all　we　shall　drive　you　out　of　Greece。
  POVERTY
  Drive　me　out？　Could　you　do　mankind　a　greater　harm？
  CHREMYLUS
  Yes…if　I　gave　up　my　intention　to　deliver　them　from　you。
  POVERTY
  Well；　let　us　discuss　this　point　first。　I　propose　to　show　that　I　am
  the　sole　cause　of　all　your　blessings；　and　that　your　safety　depends
  on　me　alone。　If　I　don't　succeed；　then　do　what　you　like　to　me。
  CHREMYLUS
  How　dare　you　talk　like　this；　you　impudent　hussy？
  POVERTY
  Agree　to　hear　me　and　I　think　it　will　be　very　easy　for　me　to
  prove　that　you　are　entirely　on　the　wrong　road；　when　you　want　to　make
  the　just　men　wealthy。
  BLEPSIDEMUS
  Oh！　cudgel　and　rope's　end；　come　to　my　help！
  POVERTY
  Why　such　wrath　and　these　shouts；　before　you　hear　my　arguments？
  BLEPSIDEMUS
  But　who　could　listen　to　such　words　without　exclaiming？
  POVERTY
  Any　man　of　sense。
  CHREMYLUS
  But　if　you　lose　your　case；　what　punishment　will　you　submit　to？
  POVERTY
  Choose　what　you　will。
  CHREMYLUS
  That's　all　right。
  POVERTY
  You　shall　suffer　the　same　if　you　are　beaten！
  CHREMYLUS
  Do　you　think　twenty　deaths　a　sufficiently　large　stake？
  BLEPSIDEMUS
  Good　enough　for　her；　but　for　us　two　would　suffice。
  POVERTY
  You　won't　escape；　for　is　there　indeed　a　single　valid　argument　to
  oppose　me　with？
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  To　beat　her　in　this　debate；　you　must　call　upon　all　your　wits。　Make
  no　allowances　and　show　no　weakness！
  CHREMYLUS
  It　is　right　that　the　good　should　be　happy；　that　the　wicked　and　the
  impious；　on　the　other　hand；　should　be　miserable；　that　is　a　truth；　I
  believe；　which　no　one　will　gainsay。　To　realize　this　condition　of
  things　is　a　proposal　as　great　as　it　is　noble　and　useful　in　every
  respect；　and　we　have　found　a　means　of　attaining　the　object　of　our
  wishes。　If　Plutus　recovers　his　sight　and　ceases　from　wandering　about
  unseeing　and　at　random；　he　will　go　to　seek　the　just　men　and　never
  leave　them　again；　he　will　shun　the　perverse　and　ungodly；　so；　thanks　to
  him；　all　men　will　become　honest；　rich　and　pious。　Can　anything　better
  be　conceived　for　the　public　weal？
  BLEPSIDEMUS
  Of　a　certainty；　no！　I　bear　witness　to　that。　It　is　not　even
  necessary　she　should　reply。
  CHREMYLUS
  Does　it　not　seem　that　everything　is　extravagance　in　the　world；
  or　rather　madness；　when　you　watch　the　way　things　go？　A　crowd　of　rogues
  enjoy　blessings　they　have　won　by　sheer　injustice；　while　more　honest
  folks　are　miserable；　die　of　hunger；　and　spend　their　whole　lives　with
  you。　Now；　if　Plutus　became　clear…sighted　again　and　drove　out
  Poverty；　it　would　be　the　greatest　blessing　possible　for　the　human
  race。
  POVERTY
  Here　are　two　old　men；　whose　brains　are　easy　to　confuse；　who　assist
  each　other　to　talk　rubbish　and　drivel　to　their　hearts'　content。　But　if
  your　wishes　were　realized；　your　profit　would　be　great！　Let　Plutus
  recover　his　sight　and　divide　his　favours　out　equally　to　all；　and
  none　will　ply　either　trade　or　art　any　longer；　all　toil　would　be　done
  away　with。　Who　would　wish　to　hammer　iron；　build　ships；　sew；　turn；
  cut　up　leather；　bake　bricks；　bleach　linen；　tan　hides；　or　break　up
  the　soil　of　the　earth　with　the　plough　and　garner　the　gifts　of　Demeter；
  if　he　could　live　in　idleness　and　free　from　all　this　work？
  CHREMYLUS
  What　nonsense　all　this　is！　All　these　trades　which　you　just　mention
  will　be　plied　by　our　slaves。
  POVERTY
  Your　slaves！　And　by　what　means　will　these　slaves　be　got？
  CHREMYLUS
  We　will　buy　them。
  POVERTY
  But　first　say；　who　will　sell　them；　if　everyone　is　rich？
  CHREMYLUS
  Some　greedy　dealer　from　Thessaly…the　land　which　supplies　so　many。
  POVERTY
  But　if　your　system　is　applied；　there　won't　be　a　single
  slave…dealer　left。　What　rich　man　would　risk　his　life　to　devote　himself
  to　this　traffic？　You　will　have　to　toil；　to　dig　and　submit　yourself
  to　all　kinds　of　hard　labour；　so　that　your　life　would　be　more
  wretched　even　than　it　is　now。
  CHREMYLUS
  May　this　prediction　fall　upon　yourself！
  POVERTY
  You　will　not　be　able　to　sleep　in　a　bed；　for　no　more　will　ever　be
  manufactured；　nor　on　carpets；　for　who　would　weave　them；　if　he　had
  gold？　When　you　bring　a　young　bride　to　your　dwelling；　you　will　have
  no　essences　wherewith　to　perfume　her；　nor　rich　embroidered　cloaks　dyed
  with　dazzling　colours　in　which　to　clothe　her。　And　yet　what　is　the
  use　of　being　rich；　if　you　are　to　be　deprived　of　all　these
  enjoyments？　On　the　other　hand；　you　have　all　that　you　need　in
  abundance；　thanks　to　me；　to　the　artisan　I　am　like　a　severe　mistress；
  who　forces　him　by　need　and　poverty　to　seek　the　means　of　earning　his
  livelihood。
  CHREMYLUS
  And　what　good　thing　can　you　give　us；　unless　it　be　burns　in　the
  bath；　and　swarms　of　brats　and　old　women　who　cry　with　hunger；　and
  clouds　uncountable　of　lice；　gnats　and　flies；　which　hover　about　the
  wretch's　head；　trouble　him；　awake　him　and　say；　〃You　will　be　hungry；
  but　get　up！〃　Besides；　to　possess　a　rag　in　place　of　a　mantle；　a
  pallet　of　rushes　swarming　with　bugs；　that　do　not　let　you　close　your
  eyes；　for　a　bed；　a　rotten　piece　of　matting　for　a　coverlet；　a　big　stone
  for　a　pillow；　on　which　to　lay　your　head；　to　eat　mallow　roots　instead
  of　bread；　and　leaves　of　withered　radish　instead　of　cake；　to　have
  nothing　but　the　cover　of　a　broken　jug　for　a　stool；　the　stave　of　a
  cask；　and　broken　at　that；　for　a　kneading…trough；　that　is　the　life
  you　make　for　us！　Are　these　the　mighty　benefits　with　which　you
  pretend　to　load　mankind？
  POVERTY
  It's　not　my　life　that　you　describe；；　you　are　attacking　the
  existence　beggars　lead。
  CHREMYLUS
  Is　Beggary　not　Poverty's　sister？
  POVERTY
  Thrasybulus　and　Dionysius　are　one　and　the　same　according　to　you。
  No；　my　life　is　not　like　that　and　never　will　be。　The　beggar；　whom　you
  have　depicted　to　us；　never　possesses　anything。　The　poor　man　lives
  thriftily　and　attentive　to　his　work：　he　has　not　got　too　much；　but　he
  does　not　lack　what　he　really　needs。
  CHREMYLUS
  Oh！　what　a　happy　life；　by　Demeter！　to　live　sparingly；　to　toil
  incessantly　and　not　to　leave　enough　to　pay　for　a　tomb！
  POVERTY
  That's　it！　jest；　jeer；　and　never　talk　seriously！　But　what　you
  don't　know　is　this；　that　men　with　me　are　worth　more；　both　in　mind
  and　body；　than　with　Plutus。　With　him　they　are　gouty；　big…bellied；
  heavy　of　limb　and　scandalously　stout；　with　me　they　are　thin；
  wasp…waisted；　and　terrible　to　the　foe。
  CHREMYLUS
  No　doubt　it's　by　starving　them　that　you　give　them　that　waspish
  waist。
  POVERTY
  As　for　behaviour；　I　will　prove　to　you　that　modesty　dwells　with
  me　and　insolence　with　Plutus。
  CHREMYLUS
  Oh　the　sweet　modesty　of　stealing　and　burglary。
  POVERTY
  Look　at　the　orators　in　our　republics；　as　long　as　they　are　poor；
  both　state　and　people　can　only　praise　their　uprightness；　but　once　they
  are　fattened　on　the　public　funds；　they　conceive　a　hatred　for
  justice；　plan　intrigues　against　the　people　an