Page:Comedies of Aristophanes (Hickie 1853) vol1.djvu/183

1204—1230.

on account of our good fortune.—"O happy Strepsiades! how wise you are yourself, and how excellent is the son whom you are rearing!" my friends and fellow-tribesmen will say of me, envying me, when you prove victorious in arguing causes.—But first I wish to lead you in and entertain you. [Exeunt Strepsiades and Phidippides.]

. (entering with his summons-witness). Then, ought a man to throw away any part of his own property? Never! but it were better then at once to put away blushes, rather than now to have trouble; since I am now dragging you to be a witness, for the sake of my own money; and further, in addition to this, I shall become an enemy to my fellow-tribesman. But never, while I live, will I disgrace my country, but will summon Strepsiades—

. (from within). Who's there? [Enter Strepsiades.]

. For the Old and New.

. I call you to witness, that he has named it for two days. For what matter do you summon me?

. For the twelve minæ, which you received when you were buying the dapple-grey horse.

. A horse?—Do you not hear? I, whom you all know to hate horsemanship!

. And, by Jupiter, you swore by the gods too, that you would repay it.

. Aye, by Jove! for then my Phidippides did not yet know the irrefragable argument.

. And do you now intend, on this account, to deny the debt?