Peace 1316–1357: The wedding procession

Aristophanes, Peace 1316–1357: Exodos: the wedding procession

The Chorus say that they will carry their farm tools home once they have feasted and driven Hyperbolus out, and pray for harvests and plenty. Trygaeus calls on his bride to come out among the fields, and the Chorus and Semichoruses sing the wedding hymn to Hymen and Hymenaeus. Trygaeus leads the company away to the feast and offers them bridecakes.

1316–1328

1316εὐφημεῖν χρὴ καὶ τὴν νύμφην ἔξω τινὰ δεῦρο κομίζειν
δᾷδάς τε φέρειν, καὶ πάντα λεὼν συγχαίρειν κἀπιχορεύειν.
καὶ τὰ σκεύη πάλιν ἐς τὸν ἀγρὸν νυνὶ χρὴ πάντα κομίζειν
ὀρχησαμένους καὶ σπείσαντας καὶ Ὑπέρβολον ἐξελάσαντας,
1320κἀπευξαμένους τοῖσι θεοῖσιν
διδόναι πλοῦτον τοῖς Ἕλλησιν,
κριθάς τε ποιεῖν ἡμᾶς πολλὰς
πάντας ὁμοίως οἶνόν τε πολύν,
σῦκά τε τρώγειν,
1325τάς τε γυναῖκας τίκτειν ἡμῖν,
καὶ τἀγαθὰ πάνθʼ ὅσʼ ἀπωλέσαμεν
συλλέξασθαι πάλιν ἐξ ἀρχῆς,
λῆξαί τʼ αἴθωνα σίδηρον.

CHORUS We’ll carry the husbandry implements back our own little homesteads about, When we’ve had our ovation, and poured our libation, and hunted Hyperbolus out. But first we’ll pray to the Gods that they May with rich success the Hellenes bless, And that every field may its harvest yield, And our garners shine with the corn and wine, While our figs in plenty and peace we eat, And our wives are blest with an increase sweet; And we gather back in abundant store The many blessings we lost before; And the fiery steel—be it known no more.

TRYGAEUS Come then, come, my bride, Midst the free green fields with me Sweetly, sweet, abide. Hymen, Hymenaeus O! Hymen, Hymenaeus O!

1329–1351

Τρυγαῖος 1329δεῦρʼ ὦ γύναι εἰς ἀγρόν, 1330χὤπως μετʼ ἐμοῦ καλὴ καλῶς κατακείσει. Ὑμὴν Ὑμέναιʼ ὦ. Ἡμιχόριον Β ὦ τρὶς μάκαρ ὡς δικαίως τἀγαθὰ νῦν ἔχεις. Ἡμιχόριον Α 1335Ὑμὴν Ὑμέναιʼ ὦ. Ἡμιχόριον Β Ὑμὴν Ὑμέναιʼ ὦ. Ἡμιχόριον Α τί δράσομεν αὐτήν; Ἡμιχόριον Β τί δράσομεν αὐτήν; Ἡμιχόριον Α τρυγήσομεν αὐτήν, Ἡμιχόριον Β τρυγήσομεν αὐτήν. Ἡμιχόριον Α 1340ἀλλʼ ἀράμενοι φέρωμεν οἱ προτεταγμένοι τὸν νυμφίον ὦνδρες. Ἡμιχόριον Β Ὑμὴν Ὑμέναιʼ ὦ, Ὑμὴν Ὑμέναιʼ ὦ, Τρυγαῖος οἰκήσετε γοῦν καλῶς 1345οὐ πράγματʼ ἔχοντες, ἀλλὰ συκολογοῦντες. Ἡμιχόριον Β Ὑμὴν Ὑμέναιʼ ὦ, Ἡμιχόριον Α Ὑμὴν Ὑμέναιʼ ὦ. Ἡμιχόριον Β τοῦ μὲν μέγα καὶ παχύ. Ἡμιχόριον Α 1350τῆς δʼ ἡδὺ τὸ σῦκον. Τρυγαῖος φήσεις γʼ ὅταν ἐσθίῃς

CHORUS Happy, happy, happy you, And you well deserve it too. Hymen, Hymenaeus O! Hymen, Hymenaeus O!

SEMICHORUS What shall with the bride be done, What be done with Harvesthome?

SEMICHORUS She shall yield him, one by one, All the joys of Harvest-home.

SEMICHORUS Ye to whom the task belongs Raise the happy bridegroom, raise Bear him on with goodly songs, Bear him on with nuptial lays. Hymen, Hymenaeus O! Hymen, Hymenaeus O!

SEMICHORUS Go and dwell in peace: Not a care your lives impair, Watch your figs increase. Hymen, Hymenaeus O! Hymen, Hymenaeus O!

SEMICHORUS He is stout and big.

SEMICHORUS She a sweeter fig.

TRYGAEUS So you all will think When you feast and drink.

CHORUS Hymen, Hymenaeus O! Hymen, Hymenaeus O!

1352–1357

Τρυγαῖος 1352οἶνόν τε πίῃς πολύν. Χορός Ὑμὴν Ὑμέναιʼ ὦ, Ὑμὴν Ὑμέναιʼ ὦ. Τρυγαῖος 1355ὦ χαίρετε χαίρετʼ ἄνδρες, κἂν ξυνέπησθέ μοι πλακοῦντας ἔδεσθε.

TRYGAEUS Away, away, good day, good day; Follow me, sirs, if ye will, And of bridecakes eat your fill.

English translation by Benjamin Bickley Rogers (1913). Original text: Greek text: F. W. Hall and W. M. Geldart (eds.), Aristophanis Comoediae, Oxford Classical Texts, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1906-1907, as digitised by Perseus. English: Benjamin Bickley Rogers, The Peace of Aristophanes, London: George Bell and Sons, 1913.

Greek text and translation from the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University, Greek: CC BY-SA 4.0 (Perseus Digital Library); translation public domain (Rogers). Introductions, summaries and notes © GreekMythology.com.

Aristophanes, Peace 1316–1357: Exodos: the wedding procession

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