Textus Originalis

Traduzione

(Chorus ?) “ Ye heard, ye heard, my comrades, Ο ! Our Nicias was taken in the very act !” (Pauper) “What! you? O crazy-witted folk ! You catch a man so good in sin of any sort ?” And the Cleon of Aristophanes blusteringly says :— “ J’ll bellow down the orators, and Nicias I’]] rattle.” And Phrynichus plainly hints at his lack of courage and his panic-stricken air in these verses :— ““ He was a right good citizen, and I know it well; He wouldn't cringe and creep as Nicias always does.” V. Since he was disposed to be thus cautious of public informers, he would neither dine with a fellow citizen, nor indulge in general interchange of views or familiar social intercourse ; indeed, he had no leisure for such pastimes, but when he was general, he remained at the War Department till night, and when he was councillor, he was first to reach and last to leave the council. And even if he had no public business to transact, he was inaccessible and hard to come at, keeping close at home with his doors bolted. His friends used to accost those who were in waiting at his door and beg them to be indulgent with Nicias, for he was even then engaged upon sundry urgent matters of public business. The man who most aided him in playing this rőle, and helped him to assume his costume of pompous