Aristophanes Wealth

Aristophanes’ Ploutos is prefaced by six Arguments (Hypotheseis). The first two, and the sixth, outline the main plot: Chremylus, a just man, who has lived in poverty because of his just ways, goes to Apollo to ask about his son; shouldn’t he prompt him to turn to injustice, and thus become rich, as other rich men? The god advises him to follow the first man he encounters. The third Argument ends at this point with the words: ‘And in this way it goes on’ (kai ta loipa hȏsautȏs).

And so, Chremylus follows a blind old man, dirty and poorly clad. His servant is unhappy about this strange behaviour of his master, and when he learns that his master obeys the oracle, they decide to compel the blind old man to tell them who he is. When they learn that he is Ploutos, blinded by Zeus, they take him to Asclepius, and get his eyesight restored. With his eyesight restored, Ploutos gives wealth only to those, who are just. To get rich, all men turn to justice; Penia, the Poverty, is banished form the society in which Wealth regained his eyesight.

The Priest (hiereus) of Zeus the Saviour (tou sȏtȇros Dios) comes to Chremylus’ house, and says to Chremylus, who stands in front of it:

‘So I’ve myself a mind to cut the service

Of Zeus the Saviour now,

(ton oun Dia ton sȏtȇra k’autos moi dokȏ

chairein easas)

and settle here. (enthad’ autou katamenein.)

Chremylus replies:

Courage! God willing, all will yet be well.

(tharreiˑ kalȏs estai gar, ȇn theos thelȇi.)

For Zeus the Saviour is himself within,

(ho Zeus ho Sȏtȇr gar parestin enthade,)

Coming unasked. (automatos hȇkȏn.)

(1186-1190, translation B. Rogers)

Rogers comments on line 1189 (‘For Zeus the Saviour is himself within’):

‘We have already seen Hermes [the servant god of Zeus] deserting the Olympian Court for the superior attraction of Wealth; we have already heard of Zeus’ devotion to wealth, and we know that he is now starving.

***

Hermes says at 1113-1116:

Since Wealth began to see (aph’ hou gar ȇrxat’ ex archȇs blepein ho Ploutos) no laurel (ou daphnȇn), meal-cake (ou psaiston), victim (ouch hiereion), frankincense (ou libanȏton), has any man on any alter laid (oudeis hȇmin eti thuei tois theois) or aught beside (ouk all’ oude hen).’ (Tr. Rogers)

***

‘And in my judgement Chremylus means that the great Zeus himself has followed the example of Hermes; so that the Priest, thinking to desert his god for the purpose of entering into the service of Wealth, finds that his God has been beforehand with him, and is already himself snugly ensconced within.’

Rogers has got this wrong. He did not pay attention to the last scene, which immediately follows. With the words ‘O, excellent good news!’ (pant’ agatha toinun legeis) Priest wants to enter the house, but Chremylus stops him (alla perimene), for Plutus is to be reinstalled ‘where he used to sit before (houper proteron ȇn hidrumenos), Guarding the Treasury in Athene’s Temple' (ton opisthodomon aei phulattȏn tȇs theou).

Instead of running around and making rich those who are just, Plutus is going to sit at the door of the Athenian treasury, blind, as he was blind before, blinded by Zeus, as he was blinded by him in his youth.

***

Plutus did his best to prevent Chremylus from getting him cured: ‘For mercy’s sake, forbear (mȇdamȏs tout’ ergasȇi), I do not wish to see again (ou boulomai gar palin anablepsai).’ In an aside, Plutus says ‘Let Zeus but hear their follies, and I know he’ll pay me out’ (ho Zeus men oun oid’ hȏs ta toutȏn mȏr’, em’, ei puthoit’, an epitripseie). (116-120, tr. Rogers)

In his note, Rogers rephrases the aside of Plutus: ‘I am sure that Zeus, if he hears the folly these people talk, will make me suffer for it.’

***

That Plutus is to return to the Athenian treasury blind, as before, to sit there guarding it, becomes clear from the mini-scene that follows. Chremylus: ‘Call Wealth out, somebody (ton Plouton exȏ tis kalei).’ At that point the ‘Old Lady’ (Graus) enters the scene, coming out of the house: ‘And what am I to do (egȏ de ti poiȏ;)?’ Chremylus orders her to bring some pots on which Plutus is going to sit in the Treasury in Athene’s Temple. The Old Lady asks: ‘But what I came for (hȏn d’ hounek’ ȇlthon;)’? Chremylus replies: ‘Everything is right (panta soi pepraxetai).’The lad you love shall visit you to-night’ (hȇxei gar ho neaniskos hȏs s’ es hesperan). Old Lady: ‘O, if you pledge your honour that my boy (all’ ei ge mentoi nȇ Di’ enguai su moi) Will come to-night (hȇxein ekeinon hȏs em’), I’ll bear the pots with joy’ (oisȏ tas chutras), (Tr. Rogers)

The lad would come and spend the night with the old hag only if he became impoverished.

The scene between the Old Lady, Chremylus, and the lad, is Aristophanes at his best. The Old Lady tells Chremylus:

O, sad, my dear, and anguished is my lot,

pepontha deina kai paranom’, ȏ philtateˑ

For ever since this God began to see

aph’ hou gar ho theos houtos ȇrxato blepein

My life’s been not worth living; all through him.

abiȏton einai moi pepoiȇke ton bion.

(967-969)

Chremylus:

What kind of misery stings you? Tell me quick.

Oukoun ereis anusasa ton knismon tina;

Old Lady:

Then listen. I’d a lad that loved me well,

akoue nun. ȇn moi ti meirakion philon

Poor, but so handsome, and so fair to see,

Quite virtuous too; whatever I wished, he did

In such a nice and gentlemanly way;

penichron men, allȏs d’ euprosȏpon kai kalon

kai chrȇstonˑ ei gar tou deȇtheiȇn egȏ

hapant’ epoiei kosmiȏs moi kai kalȏs

And what he wanted, I in turn supplied.

egȏ d’ ekeinȏi g’ au ta panth’ hupȇretoun.

(974-979)

Chremylus:

A man prodigiously in love indeed!

legeis erȏnt’ anthrȏpon eknomiȏtata.

Old lady:

Aye, but the scamp’s quite other-minded now.

He’s altogether changed from what he was.

all’ ouchi nun eth’ ho bdeluros ton noun echei

ton auton, alla polu methestȇken panu.

(992-4)