Aristophanes, Plutus
Eugene O'Neill, Jr., Ed.

Interlude of dancing by the Chorus.
An Old Woman enters, dressed as a young girl and trying to walk in a youthful and alluring manner. She carries a plate of food.

Old Woman
coyly
My dear old men, [960] am I near the house where the new god lives, or have I missed the road?

Leader of the Chorus
You are at his door, my pretty little maid, who question us so sweetly.

Old Woman
Then I will summon someone in the house.

Chremylus
[965] No need. I am here myself. But what brings you here?

Old Woman
Ah! a cruel, unjust fate! My dear friend, this god has made life unbearable to me through ceasing to be blind.

Chremylus
[970] What does this mean? Can you be a female informer?

Old Woman
Most certainly not.

Chremylus
Have you drunk up your money then?

Old Woman
You are mocking me! No! I am being devoured with a consuming fire.

Chremylus
Then tell me what is consuming you so fiercely.

Old Woman
[975] Listen! I loved a young man, who was poor, but so handsome, so well-built, so honest! He readily gave way to all I desired and acquitted himself so well! I, for my part, refused him nothing.

Chremylus
[980] And what did he generally ask of you?

Old Woman
Very little; he bore himself towards me with astonishing discretion! perchance twenty drachmae for a cloak or eight for footwear; sometimes he begged me to buy tunics for his sisters [985] or a little mantle for his mother; at times he needed four bushels of corn.

Chremylus
That's very little, in truth; I admire his modesty.

Old Woman
And it wasn't as a reward for his complacency [990] that he ever asked me for anything, but as a matter of pure friendship; a cloak I had given would remind him from whom he had got it.

Chremylus
It was a fellow who loved you madly.

Old Woman
But it's no longer so, for the faithless wretch has sadly altered! [995] I had sent him this cake with the sweetmeats you see here on this dish and let him know that I would visit him in the evening ...

Chremylus
Well?

Old Woman
He sent me back my presents and added this tart to them, [1000] on condition that I never set foot in his house again. Besides, he sent me this message, “Once upon a time the Milesians were brave.”