Tuesday, July 28, 2015

 

Competition in Demagoguery

Aristophanes, Knights 910-911 (tr. Jeffrey Henderson):
        PAPHLAGON
Blow your nose, Demos, and then wipe your hand on my head!
        SAUSAGE SELLER
No, on mine!
        PAPHLAGON
No, on mine!

        ΠΑΦΛΑΓΩΝ
ἀπομυξάμενος, ὦ Δῆμέ, μου πρὸς τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀποψῶ.
        ΑΛΛΑΝΤΟΠΩΛΗΣ
ἐμοῦ μὲν οὖν.
        ΠΑΦΛΑΓΩΝ
ἐμοῦ μὲν οὖν.
Aristophanes could be writing about the current crop of presidential candidates, of both political parties. Mutato nomine de te / fabula narratur (Horace, Satires 1.1.69-70).



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