81-89
Clouds 81-89 · By the god of horses81-89By the god of horses
Strepsiades asks his son for a kiss and a promise, and the son swears his love by the god of horses.
· · ·
Strepsiades
κύσον1
kýson
Kiss
με2
me
me
καὶ3
kaì
and
δὸς4
dòs
give
me
τὴν5
tḕn
your
τὴν6
tḕn
—
δεξιάν7
dexián
right
χεῖρα8
cheîra
hand
. Pheidippides
ἰδού9
idoú
There
. τί10
tí
What
ἔστιν11
éstin
is it
? Strepsiades
εἰπέ12
eipé
Tell
μοι13
moi
me
, φιλεῖς14
phileîs
do you love
ἐμέ15
emé
me
? Pheidippides
νὴ16
nḕ
Yes
τὸν17
tòn
—
Ποσειδῶ18🎭1
Poseidô
Poseidon
τουτονὶ19
toutonì
here
, τὸν20
tòn
—
ἵππιον21
híppion
god of horses
! Strepsiades
μὴ22
mḕ
Not
ʼμοί23
’moí
to me
γε24
ge
—
, μηδαμῶς25
mēdamôs
never
τοῦτον26
toûton
that one
, τὸν27
tòn
the
ἵππιον28
híppion
god of horses
! γὰρ29
gàr
For
οὗτος30
hoûtos
this
ὁ31
ho
—
θεὸς32
theòs
god
is
αἴτιός33
aítiós
to blame
μοι34
moi
for my
τῶν35
tôn
—
κακῶν36
kakôn
troubles
. ἀλλʼ37
all’
But
εἴπερ38
eíper
if
you
ὄντως39
óntōs
truly
φιλεῖς40
phileîs
love
μʼ41
m’
me
ἐκ42
ek
from
τῆς43
tês
the
καρδίας44
kardías
heart
, ὦ45
ô
—
παῖ46
paî
son
, πιθοῦ47
pithoû
do as I sayobey
. Pheidippides
τί48
tí
What
οὖν49
oûn
—
δῆτά50
dêtá
then
πίθωμαι51
píthōmai
shall I do
σοι52
soi
for you
? Strepsiades
ἔκστρεψον53🎭2
ékstrepson
Turn inside out
τοὺς54
toùs
—
σαυτοῦ55
sautoû
your
τρόπους56
trópous
ways
ὡς57
hōs
as
τάχιστα58
táchista
fast as you can
, καὶ59
kaì
and
ἐλθὼν60
elthṑn
go
and
μάνθανʼ61
mánthan’
learn
ἃν62
hàn
what
ἐγὼ63
egṑ
I
παραινέσω64
parainésō
advise
. Strepsiades
Kiss me and give me your right hand. Pheidippides
There. What is it? Strepsiades
Tell me, do you love me? Pheidippides
Yes, by Poseidon here, god of horses! Strepsiades
Not to me, never that one, the god of horses! For this god is to blame for my troubles. But if you truly love me from the heart, son, do as I say. Pheidippides
What then shall I do for you? Strepsiades
Turn inside out your ways as fast as you can, and go and learn what I advise. 🎭 The jokes here
1Swearing by the wrong god· stage gag Asked if he loves his father, the son swears by Poseidon Hippios, god of horses, the very god behind the family's ruin. His father nearly chokes: not him!
2Turn yourself inside out· name joke ἔκστρεψον, "turn inside out", was said of a dirty cloak turned to show its clean side, an ancient commentator explains. It is also Strepsiades' own verb, from the root of his name: the Twister asks his son to twist himself round.Source: ancient scholion on line 88, quoted in Starkie 1911
Strepsiades: Kiss me and give me your right hand. Pheidippides: There. What is it? Strepsiades: Tell me, do you love me? Pheidippides: Yes, by Poseidon here, god of horses! Strepsiades: Not to me, never that one, the god of horses! For this god is to blame for my troubles. But if you truly love me from the heart, son, do as I say. Pheidippides: What then shall I do for you? Strepsiades: Turn inside out your ways as fast as you can, and go and learn what I advise.
Interpretation
Strepsiades: Kiss me, and give me your right hand. Pheidippides: There. What is it? Strepsiades: Tell me, do you love me? Pheidippides: Yes, by Poseidon here, the god of horses! Strepsiades: No, not him, not the god of horses! That god is the cause of all my troubles. But if you really love me with all your heart, my boy, do as I say. Pheidippides: What do you want me to do? Strepsiades: Turn your ways inside out, as fast as you can, and go and learn what I tell you.
The father asks for a kiss and a handshake, the way you would before a solemn promise, and gets an oath by Poseidon Hippios, Poseidon of the horses. A statue of the god may have stood right there on stage, which is why the son says "this one". To Strepsiades it is like swearing by the bailiff.
Then he asks for the impossible: turn your habits inside out, the way you turn a dirty cloak to wear the clean side out. The verb is ekstrephein, twist out, from the same root as Strepsiades' own name.
90-99
Clouds 90-99 · The Thinkery90-99The Thinkery
Strepsiades points out a little house next door. Inside live the men who can teach anyone to win an argument.
· · ·
Pheidippides: Tell me then, what are you ordering? Strepsiades: And will you obey at all? Pheidippides: I will, by Dionysus! Strepsiades: Now look over here. Do you see that little door and the little house? Pheidippides: I see. So what is it really, father? Strepsiades: That is the Thinkery of wise souls. Men live in there who convince people by arguing that the sky is an oven-lid, and it is around us, and we are the coals. These men teach, if someone gives them money, how to win by arguing, both right and wrong.