The plot is briefly as follows: Strepsiades,
a wealthy country gentleman, has been brought to penury
and deeply involved in debt by the extravagance and
horsy tastes of his son Phidippides. Having heard
of the wonderful new art of argument, the royal road
to success in litigation, discovered by the Sophists,
he hopes that, if only he can enter the ‘Phrontisterion,’
or Thinking-Shop, of Socrates, he will learn how to
turn the tables on his creditors and avoid paying the
debts which are dragging him down. He joins the
school accordingly, but is found too old and stupid
to profit by the lessons. So his son Phidippides
is substituted as a more promising pupil. The
latter takes to the new learning like a duck to water,
and soon shows what progress he has made by beating
his father and demonstrating that he is justified by
all laws, divine and human, in what he is doing.
This opens the old man’s eyes, who sets fire
to the ‘Phrontisterion,’ and the play ends
in a great conflagration of this home of humbug.
* * * *
*
THE CLOUDS
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
STREPSIADES.
PHIDIPPIDES.
SERVANT OF STREPSIADES.
SOCRATES.
DISCIPLES OF SOCRATES.
JUST DISCOURSE.
UNJUST DISCOURSE.
PASIAS, a Money-lender.
PASIAS’ WITNESS.
AMYNIAS, another Money-lender.
CHAEREPHON.
CHORUS OF CLOUDS.
SCENE: A sleeping-room in Strepsiades’
house; then in front of Socrates’ house.
* * * *
*
THE CLOUDS
STREPSIADES.[470] Great gods! will these nights never
end? will daylight never come? I heard the cock
crow long ago and my slaves are snoring still!
Ah! ’twas not so formerly. Curses on the
War! has it not done me ills enough? Now I may
not even chastise my own slaves.[471] Again there’s
this brave lad, who never wakes the whole long night,
but, wrapped in his five coverlets, farts away to
his heart’s content. Come! let me nestle
in well and snore too, if it be possible ... oh! misery,
’tis vain to think of sleep with all these expenses,
this stable, these debts, which are devouring me,
thanks to this fine cavalier, who only knows how to
look after his long locks, to show himself off in his
chariot and to dream of horses! And I, I am nearly
dead, when I see the moon bringing the third decade
in her train[472] and my liability falling due....
Slave! light the lamp and bring me my tablets.
Who are all my creditors? Let me see and reckon
up the interest. What is it I owe? ... Twelve
minae to Pasias.... What! twelve minae to Pasias?
... Why did I borrow these? Ah! I know!
’Twas to buy that thoroughbred, which cost me
so dear.[473] How I should have prized the stone that
had blinded him!
PHIDIPPIDES (in his sleep). That’s
not fair, Philo! Drive your chariot straight,[474]
I say.
