are　fattened　on　the　public　funds；　they　conceive　a　hatred　for
  justice；　plan　intrigues　against　the　people　and　attack　the　democracy。
  CHREMYLUS
  That　is　absolutely　true；　although　your　tongue　is　very　vile。　But　it
  matters　not；　so　don't　put　on　those　triumphant　airs；　you　shall　not　be
  punished　any　the　less　for　having　tried　to　persuade　me　that　poverty
  is　worth　more　than　wealth。
  POVERTY
  Not　being　able　to　refute　my　arguments；　you　chatter　at　random　and
  exert　yourself　to　no　purpose。
  CHREMYLUS
  Then　tell　me　this；　why　does　all　mankind　flee　from　you？
  POVERTY
  Because　I　make　them　better。　Children　do　the　very　same；　they　flee
  from　the　wise　counsels　of　their　fathers。　So　difficult　is　it　to　see
  one's　true　interest。
  CHREMYLUS
  Will　you　say　that　Zeus　cannot　discern　what　is　best？　Well；　he　takes
  Plutus　to　himself。。。
  BLEPSIDEMUS
  。。。and　banishes　Poverty　to　the　earth。
  POVERTY
  Ah　me！　how　purblind　you　are；　you　old　fellows　of　the　days　of
  Cronus！　Why；　Zeus　is　poor；　and　I　will　clearly　prove　it　to　you。　In
  the　Olympic　games；　which　he　founded；　and　to　which　he　convokes　the
  whole　of　Greece　every　four　years；　why　does　he　only　crown　the
  victorious　athletes　with　wild　olive？　If　he　were　rich　he　would　give
  them　gold。
  CHREMYLUS
  That's　the　way　he　shows　that　he　clings　to　his　wealth；　he　is
  sparing　with　it；　won't　part　with　any　portion　of　it；　only　bestows
  baubles　on　the　victors　and　keeps　his　money　for　himself。
  POVERTY
  But　wealth　coupled　to　such　sordid　greed　is　yet　more　shameful
  than　poverty。
  CHREMYLUS
  May　Zeus　destroy　you；　both　you　and　your　chaplet　of　wild　olive！
  POVERTY
  Thus　you　dare　to　maintain　that　Poverty　is　not　the　fount　of　all
  blessings！
  CHREMYLUS
  Ask　Hecate　whether　it　is　better　to　be　rich　or　starving；　she　will
  tell　you　that　the　rich　send　her　a　meal　every　month　and　that　the　poor
  make　it　disappear　before　it　is　even　served。　But　go　and　hang　yourself
  and　don't　breathe　another　syllable。　I　will　not　be　convinced　against　my
  will。
  POVERTY
  〃Oh！　citizens　of　Argos！　do　you　hear　what　he　says？〃
  CHREMYLUS
  Invoke　Pauson；　your　boon　companion；　rather。
  POVERTY
  Alas！　what　is　to　become　of　me？
  CHREMYLUS
  Get　you　gone；　be　off　quick　and　a　pleasant　journey　to　you。
  POVERTY
  But　where　shall　I　go？
  CHREMYLUS
  To　gaol；　but　hurry　up；　let　us　put　an　end　to　this。
  POVERTY　　（as　she　departs）
  One　day　you　will　recall　me。
  CHREMYLUS
  Then　you　can　return；　but　disappear　for　the　present。　I　prefer　to　be
  rich；　you　are　free　to　knock　your　head　against　the　walls　in　your　rage。
  BLEPSIDEMUS
  And　I　too　welcome　wealth。　I　want；　when　I　leave　the　bath　all
  perfumed　with　essences；　to　feast　bravely　with　my　wife　and　children　and
  to　fart　in　the　faces　of　toilers　and　Poverty。
  CHREMYLUS
  So　that　hussy　has　gone　at　last！　But　let　us　make　haste　to　put
  Plutus　to　bed　in　the　Temple　of　Asclepius。
  BLEPSIDEMUS
  Let　us　make　haste；　else　some　bothering　fellow　may　again　come　to
  interrupt　us。
  CREMYLUS　　（loudly）
  Cario；　bring　the　coverlets　and　all　that　I　have　got　ready　from
  the　house；　let　us　conduct　the　god　to　the　temple；　taking　care　to
  observe　all　the　proper　rites。
  （CARIO　comes　out　of　the　house　with　a
  bundle　under　one　arm　and　leading　PLUTUS　with　the　other。
  CHREMYLUS　and　BLEPSIDEMUS　join　him　and　all　four　of　them　depart。）
  （Interlude　of　dancing　by　the　CHORUS。）
  CARIO
  Oh！　you　old　fellows；　who　used　to　dip　out　the　broth　served　to　the
  poor　at　the　festival　of　Theseus　with　little　pieces　of　bread　hollowed
  like　a　spoon；　how　worthy　of　envy　is　your　fate！　How　happy　you　are；　both
  you　and　all　just　men！
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  My　good　fellow；　what　has　happened　to　your　friends？　You　seem　the
  bearer　of　good　tidings。
  CARIO
  What　joy…for　my　master　and　even　more　for　Plutus！　The　god　has
  regained　his　sight；　his　eyes　sparkle　with　the　greatest　brilliancy；
  thanks　to　the　benevolent　care　of　Asclepius。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Oh！　what　transports　of　joy！　oh！　what　shouts　of　gladness！
  CARIO
  Aye！　one　is　compelled　to　rejoice；　whether　one　will　or　not。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  I　will　sing　to　the　honour　of　Asclepius；　the　son　of　illustrious
  Zeus；　with　a　resounding　voice；　he　is　the　beneficent　star　which　men
  adore。
  CHREMYLUS'　WIFE　　（coming　out　of　the　house）
  What　mean　these　shouts？　Is　there　good　news？　With　what　impatience
  have　I　been　waiting　in　the　house；　and　for　so　long　too！
  CARIO
  Quick！　quick；　some　wine；　mistress。　And　drink　some　yourself；
  （aside）　　it's　much　to　your　taste。　I　bring　you　all　blessings　in　a　lump。
  WIFE
  Where　are　they？
  CARIO
  In　my　words；　as　you　are　going　to　see。
  WIFE
  Have　done　with　trifling！　come；　speak。
  CARIO
  Listen；　I　am　going　to　tell　you　everything　from　the　feet　to　the
  head。
  WIFE
  Oh！　don't　throw　anything　at　my　head。
  CARIO
  Not　even　the　happiness　that　has　come　to　you？
  WIFE
  No；　no；　nothing　。。。　to　annoy　me。
  CARIO
  Having　arrived　near　to　the　temple　with　our　patient；　then　so
  unfortunate；　but　now　at　the　apex　of　happiness；　of　blessedness；　we
  first　led　him　down　to　the　sea　to　purify　him。
  WIFE
  Ah！　what　a　singular　pleasure　for　an　old　man　to　bathe　in　the　cold
  seawater！
  CARIO　　（in　the　manner　of　the　tragic　messenger）
  Then　we　repaired　to　the　temple　of　the　god。　Once　the　wafers　and　the
  various　offerings　had　been　consecrated　upon　the　altar；　and　the　cake　of
  wheaten…meal　had　been　banded　over　to　the　devouring　Hephaestus；　we　made
  Plutus　lie　on　a　couch　according　to　the　rite；　and　each　of　us　prepared
  himself　a　bed　of　leaves。
  WIFE
  Had　any　other　folk　come　to　beseech　the　deity？
  CARIO
  Yes。　Firstly；　Neoclides；　who　is　blind；　but　steals　much　better　than
  those　who　see　clearly；　then　many　others　attacked　by　complaints　of
  all　kinds。　The　lights　were　put　out　and　the　priest　enjoined　us　to
  sleep；　especially　recommending　us　to　keep　silent　should　we　hear　any
  noise。　There　we　were　all　lying　down　quite　quietly。　I　could　not
  sleep；　I　was　thinking　of　a　certain　stew…pan　full　of　pap　placed　close
  to　an　old　woman　and　just　behind　her　head。　I　had　a　furious　longing　to
  slip　towards　that　side。　But　just　as　I　was　lifting　my　head；　I　noticed
  the　priest；　who　was　sweeping　off　both　the　cakes　and　the　figs　on　the
  sacred　table；　then　he　made　the　round　of　the　altars　and　sanctified
  the　cakes　that　remained；　by　stowing　them　away　in　a　bag。　I　therefore
  resolved　to　follow　such　a　pious　example　and　made　straight　for　the　pap。
  WIFE
  You　rogue！　and　had　you　no　fear　of　the　god？
  CARIO
  Aye；　indeed！　I　feared　that　the　god　with　his　crown　on　his　head
  might　have　been　near　the　stew…pan　before　me。　I　said　to　myself；　〃Like
  priest；　like　god。〃　On　hearing　the　noise　I　made　the　old　woman　put　out
  her　hand；　but　I　hissed　and　bit　it；　just　as　a　sacred　serpent　might　have
  done。　Quick　she　drew　back　her　hand；　slipped　down　into　the　bed　with　her
  head　beneath　the　coverlets　and　never　moved　again；　only　she　let　flee
  a　fart　in　her　fear　which　stank　worse　than　a　weasel。　As　for　myself；　I
  swallowed　a　goodly　portion　of　the　pap　and；　having　made　a　good　feed；
  went　back　to　bed。
  WIFE
  And　did　not　the　god　come？
  CARIO
  He　did　not　tarry；　and　when　he　was　near　us；　oh！　dear！　such　a　good
  joke　happened。　My　belly　was　quite　blown　up；　and　I　let　a　thunderous
  fart！
  WIFE
  Doubtless　the　god　pulled　a　wry　face？
  CARIO
  No；　but　Iaso　blushed　a　little　and　Panacea　turned　her　head　away；
  holding　her　nose；　my　farts　are　not　perfume。
  WIFE
  And　what　did　the　god　do？
  CARIO
  He　paid　not　the　slightest　heed。
  WIFE
  He　must　then　be　a　pretty　coarse　kind　of　god？
  CARIO
  I　don't　say　that；　but　he's　used　to　tasting　stools。
  WIFE
  Impudent　knave；　go　on　with　you！
  CARIO
  Then　I　hid　myself　in　my　bed　all　a…tremble。　Asclepius　did　the　round
  of　the　patients　and　examined　them　all　with　great　attention；　then　a
  slave　placed　beside　him　a　stone　mortar；　a　pestle　and　a　little　box。
  WIFE
  Of　stone？
  CARIO
  No；　not　of　stone。
  WIFE
  But　how　could　you　see　all　this；　you　arch…rascal；　when　you　say
  you　were　hiding　all　the　time？
  CARIO
  Why；　great　gods；　through　my　cloak；　for　it's　not　without　holes！
  He　first　prepared　an　ointment　for　Neoclides；　he　threw　three　heads　of
  Tenian　garlic　into　the　mortar；　pounded　them　with　an　admixture　of
  fig…tree　sap　and　lentisk；　moistened　the　whole　with　Sphettian
  vinegar；　and；　turning　back　the　patient's　eyelids；　applied　his　salve　to
  the　interior　of　the　eyes；　so　that　the　pain　might　be　more　excruciating。
  Neoclides　shrieked；　howled；　sprang　towards　the　foot　of　his　bed　and
  wanted　to　bolt；　but　the　god　laughed　and　said　to　him；　〃Keep　where　you
  are　with　your　salve；　by　doing　this　you　will　not　go　and　perjure
  yourself　before　the　Assembly。〃
  WIFE
  What　a　wise　god　and　what