yourself　before　the　Assembly。〃
  WIFE
  What　a　wise　god　and　what　a　friend　to　our　city
  CARIO
  Thereupon　he　came　and　seated　himself　at　the　head　of　Plutus'　bed；
  took　a　perfectly　clean　rag　and　wiped　his　eyelids；　Panacea　covered
  his　head　and　face　with　a　purple　cloth；　while　the　god　whistled；　and　two
  enormous　snakes　came　rushing　from　the　sanctuary。
  WIFE
  Great　gods！
  CARIO
  They　slipped　gently　beneath　the　purple　cloth　and；　as　far　as　I
  could　judge；　licked　the　patient's　eyelids；　for；　in　less　time　than　even
  you　need；　mistress；　to　drain　down　ten　beakers　of　wine；　Plutus　rose　up；
  be　could　see。　I　clapped　my　hands　with　joy　and　awoke　my　master；　and　the
  god　immediately　disappeared　with　the　serpents　into　the　sanctuary。　As
  for　those　who　were　lying　near　Plutus；　you　can　imagine　that　they
  embraced　him　tenderly。　Dawn　broke　and　not　one　of　them　had　closed　an
  eye。　As　for　myself；　I　did　not　cease　thanking　the　god　who　had　so
  quickly　restored　to　Plutus　his　sight　and　had　made　Neoclides　blinder
  than　ever。
  WIFE
  Oh！　thou　great　Asclepius！　How　mighty　is　thy　power！　　（To　CARIO）
  But　tell　me；　where　is　Plutus　now？
  CARIO
  He　is　approaching；　escorted　by　an　immense　crowd。　The　rich；　whose
  wealth　is　ill…gotten；　are　knitting　their　brows　and　shooting　at　him
  looks　of　fierce　hate；　while　the　just　folk；　who　led　a　wretched
  existence；　embrace　him　and　grasp　his　hand　in　the　transport　of　their
  joy；　they　follow　in　his　wake；　their　heads　wreathed　with　garlands；
  laughing　and　blessing　their　deliverer；　the　old　men　make　the　earth
  resound　as　they　walk　together　keeping　time。　Come；　all　of　you；　all；
  down　to　the　very　least；　dance；　leap　and　form　yourselves　into　a　chorus；
  no　longer　do　you　risk　being　told；　when　you　go　home。　〃There　is　no
  meal　in　the　bag。〃
  WIFE
  And　I；　by　Hecate！　I　will　string　you　a　garland　of　cakes　for　the
  good　tidings　you　have　brought　me。
  CARIO
  Hurry；　make　haste　then；　our　friends　are　close　at　hand。
  WIFE
  I　will　go　indoors　to　fetch　some　gifts　of　welcome；　to　celebrate
  these　eyes　that　have　just　been　opened。
  （She　goes　back　into　the　house。）
  CARIO
  Meantime　I　am　going　forth　to　meet　them。
  （Exit）
  （Interlude　of　dancing　by　the　CHORUS。）
  PLUTUS
  I　adore　thee；　oh！　thou　divine　sun；　and　thee　I　greet；　thou　city；
  the　beloved　of　Pallas：　be　welcome；　thou　land　of　Cecrops；　which　hast
  received　me。　Alas！　what　manner　of　men　I　associated　with！　I　blush　to
  think　of　it。　While；　on　the　other　hand；　I　shunned　those　who　deserved　my
  friendship；　I　knew　neither　the　vices　of　the　ones　nor　the　virtues　of
  the　others。　A　two…fold　mistake；　and　in　both　cases　equally　fatal！　Ah！
  what　a　misfortune　was　mine！　But　I　want　to　change　everything；　and　in
  the　future　I　mean　to　prove　to　mankind　that；　if　I　gave　to　the　wicked；
  it　was　against　my　will。
  CHREMYLUS　　（to　the　wings）
  Get　you　gone！　Oh！　what　a　lot　of　friends　spring　into　being　when　you
  are　fortunate！　They　dig　me　with　their　elbows　and　bruise　my　shins　to
  prove　their　affection。　Each　one　wants　to　greet　me。　What　a　crowd　of　old
  fellows　thronged　round　me　on　the　market…place！
  WIFE
  Oh！　thou；　who　art　dearest　of　all　to　me；　and　thou　too；　be
  welcome！　Allow　me；　Plutus；　to　shower　these　gifts　of　welcome　over　you
  in　due　accord　with　custom。
  PLUTUS
  No。　This　is　the　first　house　I　enter　after　having　regained　my
  sight；　I　shall　take　nothing　from　it；　for　it　is　my　place　rather　to
  give。
  WIFE
  Do　you　refuse　these　gifts？
  PLUTUS
  I　will　accept　them　at　your　fireside；　as　custom　requires。
  Besides；　we　shall　thus　avoid　a　ridiculous　scene；　it　is　not　meet　that
  the　poet　should　throw　dried　figs　and　dainties　to　the　spectators；　it　is
  a　vulgar　trick　to　make　them　laugh。
  WIFE
  You　are　right。　Look！　yonder's　Dexinicus；　who　was　already　getting
  to　his　feet　to　catch　the　figs　as　they　flew　past　him。
  （Interlude　of　dancing　by　the　CHORUS。）
  CARIO
  How　pleasant　it　is；　friends；　to　live　well；　especially　when　it
  costs　nothing！　What　a　deluge　of　blessings　flood　our　household；　and
  that　too　without　our　having　wronged　a　single　soul！　Ah！　what　a
  delightful　thing　is　wealth！　The　bin　is　full　of　white　flour　and　the
  wine…jars　run　over　with　fragrant　liquor；　all　the　chests　are　crammed
  with　gold　and　silver；　it　is　a　sight　to　see；　the　tank　is　full　of　oil；
  the　phials　with　perfumes；　and　the　garret　with　dried　figs。　Vinegar
  flasks；　plates；　stew…pots　and　all　the　platters　are　of　brass；　our
  rotten　old　wooden　trenchers　for　the　fish　have　to…day　become　dishes
  of　silver；　even　the　thunder…mug　is　of　ivory。　We　others；　the　slaves；　we
  play　at　odd　and　even　with　gold　pieces；　and　carry　luxury　so　far　that　we
  no　longer　wipe　our　arses　with　stones；　but　use　garlic　stalks　instead。
  My　master；　at　this　moment；　is　crowned　with　flowers　and　sacrificing　a
  pig；　a　goat　and　ram；　it's　the　smoke　that　has　driven　me　out；　for　I
  could　no　longer　endure　it；　it　hurt　my　eyes　so。
  （A　JUST　MAN　enters；　followed　by　a　small　slave…lad　who
  carries　a　thread…bare　cloak　and　a　pair　of　badly　worn　sandals。）
  JUST　MAN
  Come；　my　child；　come　with　me。　Let　us　go　and　find　the　god。
  CARIO
  Who's　this？
  JUST　MAN
  A　man　who　was　once　wretched；　but　now　is　happy。
  CARIO
  A　just　man　then？
  JUST　MAN
  That's　right。
  CARIO
  Well！　what　do　you　want？
  JUST　MAN
  I　come　to　thank　the　god　for　all　the　blessings　he　has　showered　on
  me。　My　father　had　left　me　a　fairly　decent　fortune；　and　I　helped
  those　of　my　friends　who　were　in　want；　it　was；　to　my　thinking；　the　most
  useful　thing　I　could　do　with　my　fortune。
  CARIO
  And　you　were　quickly　ruined？
  JUST　MAN
  Quite。
  CARIO
  And　since　then　you　have　been　living　in　misery？
  JUST　MAN
  Quite；　I　thought　I　could　count；　in　case　of　need；　upon　the
  friends　whose　property　I　had　helped；　but　they　turned　their　backs
  upon　me　and　pretended　not　to　see　me。
  CARIO
  They　laughed　at　you；　that's　obvious。
  JUST　MAN
  Quite。　With　my　empty　coffers；　I　had　no　more　friends。　But　my　lot
  has　changed；　and　so　I　come　to　the　god　to　make　him　the　acts　of
  gratitude　that　are　his　due。
  CARIO
  But　why　are　you　bringing　this　old　cloak；　which　your　slave　is
  carrying！　Tell　me。
  JUST　MAN
  I　wish　to　dedicate　it　to　the　god。
  CARIO
  Were　you　initiated　into　the　Great　Mysteries　in　that　cloak？
  JUST　MAN
  No；　but　I　shivered　in　it　for　thirteen　years。
  CARIO
  And　this　footwear？
  JUST　MAN
  These　also　are　my　winter　companions。
  CARIO
  And　you　wish　to　dedicate　them　too？
  JUST　MAN
  Certainly。
  CARIO
  Fine　presents　to　offer　to　the　god！
  （An　INFORMER　enters；　followed　by　a　witness。）
  INFORMER　　（before　he　sees　CARIO）
  Alas！　alas！　I　am　a　lost　man。　Ah！　thrice；　four；　five；　twelve　times；
  or　rather　ten　thousand　times　unhappy　fate！　Why；　why　must　fortune
  deal　me　such　rough　blows？
  CARIO
  Oh；　Apollo；　my　tutelary！　oh！　ye　favourable　gods！　what　has
  overtaken　this　man？
  INFORMER　　（to　CARIO）
  Ah！　am　I　not　deserving　of　pity？　I　have　lost　everything；　this
  cursed　god　has　stripped　me　bare。　Ah！　if　there　be　justice　in　heaven；　he
  shall　be　struck　blind　again；
  JUST　MAN
  I　think　I　know　what's　the　matter。　If　this　man　is　unfortunate；　it's
  because　he's　of　little　account　and　small　honesty；　and　indeed　he
  looks　it　too。
  CARIO
  Then；　by　Zeus！　his　plight　is　but　just。
  INFORMER
  He　promised　that　if　he　recovered　his　sight；　he　would　enrich　us　all
  unaided；　whereas　he　has　ruined　more　than　one。
  CARIO
  But　whom　has　he　thus　ill…used？
  INFORMER
  Me。
  CARIO
  You　were　doubtless　a　villainous　thief　then。
  INFORMER
  No；　it　is　rather　you　yourselves　who　were　such　wretches；　I　am
  certain　you　have　got　my　money。
  CARIO
  Ha！　by　Demeter！　an　informer！　What　impudence！　He's　ravenously
  hungry；　that's　certain。
  INFORMER
  You　shall　follow　me　this　very　instant　to　the　market…place；　where
  the　torture　of　the　wheel　shall　force　the　confession　of　your　misdeeds
  from　you。
  CARIO　　（with　a　threatening　gesture）
  Watch　out；　now！
  JUST　MAN
  By　Zeus　the　Deliverer；　what　gratitude　all　Greeks　owe　to　Plutus；　if
  he　destroys　these　vile　informers！
  INFORMER
  You　are　laughing　at　me。　Well；　then　I　denounce　you　as　their
  accomplice。　Where　did　you　steal　that　new　cloak　from？　Yesterday　I　saw
  you　with　one　utterly　worn　out。
  JUST　MAN
  I　fear　you　not；　thanks　to　this　ring；　for　which　I　paid　Eudemus　a
  drachma。
  CARIO
  Ah！　there's　no　ring　to　preserve　you　from　the　informer's　bite。
  INFORMER
  The　insolent　wretches！　But；　my　fine　jokers；　you　have　not　told　me
  what　you　are　up　to　here。　Nothing　good；　I'm　sure　of　that。
  CARIO
  Nothing　of　any　good　for　you；　be　sure　of　that。
  INFORMER