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INVOCATION OF THE CLOUDS, AND CHORUS.
FROM THE ΝΕΦΕΛΛΙ OF ARISTOPHANES.
Εὐφημεῖν χρὴ τὸν πρεσβύτην, καὶ τῆς εὐχῆς ὑπακούειν.
Ὦ δέσποτ᾽ ἄναξ, ἀμέτρητ᾽ Ἀὴρ, ὃς ἔχεις τὴν γῆν μετέωρον,
Λαμπρός τ' Αἰθῆρ, σεμναί τε θεαὶ Νεφέλαι βροντησικέραυνοι,
Ἄρθητε, φάνητ᾽, ὦ δέσποιναι, τῷ φροντιστῇ μετέωροι. κ.τ.λ.
(263-287.)
Ὦ δέσποτ᾽ ἄναξ, ἀμέτρητ᾽ Ἀὴρ, ὃς ἔχεις τὴν γῆν μετέωρον,
Λαμπρός τ' Αἰθῆρ, σεμναί τε θεαὶ Νεφέλαι βροντησικέραυνοι,
Ἄρθητε, φάνητ᾽, ὦ δέσποιναι, τῷ φροντιστῇ μετέωροι. κ.τ.λ.
(263-287.)
SOCRATES-STREPSIADES-CHORUS OF CLOUDS.
SOCRATES.
For the old man it is fit to check his noisy wit,
Till the high invocation is ended.———
Hear, Power Supreme, my prayer, Immeasurable Air,
In whom the clasped earth is suspended!
Thou Firmament of Light! and ye Clouds, in whose dim height
The thunder and lightning lie burning;
Clouds, whom I serve, aris! appear before our eyes,
Revealed to the lover of learning.
For the old man it is fit to check his noisy wit,
Till the high invocation is ended.———
Hear, Power Supreme, my prayer, Immeasurable Air,
In whom the clasped earth is suspended!
Thou Firmament of Light! and ye Clouds, in whose dim height
The thunder and lightning lie burning;
Clouds, whom I serve, aris! appear before our eyes,
Revealed to the lover of learning.
STREPSIADES.
No, not so fast, I pray! Vouchsafe ye Clouds, to stay
Till my head 'neath this cloak is wrapped over,
Or the rain will wet me through!———What a foolish thing to do,
Thus come out, with my head without cover!
No, not so fast, I pray! Vouchsafe ye Clouds, to stay
Till my head 'neath this cloak is wrapped over,
Or the rain will wet me through!———What a foolish thing to do,
Thus come out, with my head without cover!
SOCRATES.
Clouds, Goddesses of sky, whose glories are most high,
Now rise ye before this new-comer,
Whether on the sacred crest of Olympus' height ye rest,
Where the white snow is thawed by no summer;
Clouds, Goddesses of sky, whose glories are most high,
Now rise ye before this new-comer,
Whether on the sacred crest of Olympus' height ye rest,
Where the white snow is thawed by no summer;