Œuvres
Aristophane citations célèbres
Les Nuées
Δικαιόπολις.
Mή μοι φθονήσητ᾽ ἄνδρες οἱ θεώμενοι,
εἰ πτωχὸς ὢν ἔπειτ᾽ ἐν Ἀθηναίοις λέγειν
μέλλω περὶ τῆς πόλεως, τρυγῳδίαν ποιῶν.
τὸ γὰρ δίκαιον οἶδε καὶ τρυγῳδία.
ἐγὼ δὲ λέξω δεινὰ μὲν δίκαια δέ.
grc
Justinet (Dicaiopolis).
Les Acharniens
“Refrain du Chœur des grenouilles du Styx.”
Brékékékex, coax, coax !
βρεκεκεκὲξ κοὰξ κοάξ
grc
Les Grenouilles
Aristophane: Citations en anglais
Fictional attribution in the movie The Emperor's Club (2002), given by Kevin Kline (as William Hundert); also attributed to Diogenes, without sources; no published occurrences of this statement prior to the movie have been located in any of the Aristophanes Plays or Fragments. <br class="br">Misattributed <br class="br">Source: IMDb, "Memorable quotes for The Emperor's Club" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0283530/quotes, Internet Movie Database, www.imdb.com <br class="br">Source: Two pages attributing it to Diogenes: http://www.prohibitionists.org/Background/Party_Platform/quickquotes/QQ-education.htm http://www.ryanbalton.com/funstuff/forb_seniorquotes.htm
“By words the mind is winged.”
Aristophanés The Birds
Birds (414 BC) <br class="br">Contexte: Informer: My friend, I am asking you for wings, not for words.<br>Pisthetaerus: It's just my words that gives you wings.<br>Informer: And how can you give a man wings with your words?<br>Pisthetaerus: They all start this way. [... ]<br>Informer: So that words give wings?<br>Pisthetaerus: Undoubtedly; words give wings to the mind and make a man soar to heaven. Thus I hope that my wise words will give you wings to fly to some less degrading trade.<br>(tr. O'Neill 1938, Perseus http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Aristoph.+Birds+1436)
“Lamachus: Ah! the Generals! they are numerous, but not good for much!”
Aristophanés Les Acharniens
tr. Athen. 1912, vol. 1, Perseus http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Aristoph.+Ach.+1078 <br class="br">Acharnians, line 1078 <br class="br">Acharnians (425 BC)
Aristophanés The Knights
tr. O'Neill 1938, Perseus http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Aristoph.+Kn.+191 <br class="br">Knights, line 191-193 <br class="br">Knights (424 BC)
Aristophanés Les Nuées
tr. Hickie 1853, vol. 1, Perseus http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Aristoph.+Cl.+1041 <br class="br">Clouds (423 BC)
Aristophanés Les Nuées
tr. Athen. 1912, vol. 1, p. 361 http://books.google.com/books?id=9vpxAAAAIAAJ&q=%22To+invoke+solely+the+weaker+arguments+and+yet+triumph+is+a+talent+worth+more+than+a+hundred+thousand+drachmae%22 <br class="br">Clouds, line 1041-1042 <br class="br">Clouds (423 BC)
“Times change. The vices of your age are stylish today.”
Aristophanés Les Nuées
William Arrowsmith (tr.) after Aristophanes, in Clouds, line 914 (our emphasis, citing 909-914)<br>This apocryphal line is found quoted only from the Arrowsmith translation. <br class="br">Misattributed <br class="br">Contexte: [909] Philosophy: Why, you Precocious Pederast! You Palpable Pervert!<br>[910] Sophistry: Pelt me with roses!<br>[910] Philosophy: You Toadstool! O Cesspool!<br>[911] Sophistry: Wreath my hairs with lilies!<br>[911] Philosophy: Why, you Parricide!<br>[912] Sophistry: Shower me with gold! Look, don't you see I welcome your abuse?<br>[913] Philosophy: Welcome it, monster? In my day we would have cringed with shame.<br>[914] Sophistry: Whereas now we're flattered. Times change. The vices of your age are stylish today.<br>(heavily rewritten and embellished tr. Arrowsmith 1962, p. 70 http://books.google.com/books?id=UNlxAAAAIAAJ&q;=%22Times+change.+The+vices+of+your+age+are+stylish+today%22)
“I pained folk but little and caused them much amusement; my conscience rebuked me for nothing.”
Aristophanés Peace
Peace, line 762-773 (our emphasis on 764)<br>Aristophanes was bald. <br class="br">Peace (421 BC) <br class="br">Contexte: Chorus [speaking for Aristophanes]: Yet I have not been seen frequenting the wrestling school intoxicated with success and trying to seduce young boys; but I took all my theatrical gear and returned straight home. I pained folk but little and caused them much amusement; my conscience rebuked me for nothing. Hence both grown men and youths should be on my side and I likewise invite the bald to give me their votes; for, if I triumph, everyone will say, both at table and at festivals, “Carry this to the bald man, give these cakes to the bald one, do not grudge the poet whose talent shines as bright as his own bare skull the share he deserves.”<br>(tr. O'Neill 1938, Perseus http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Aristoph.+Peace+762)
“Epops: A man may learn wisdom even from a foe.”
Aristophanés The Birds
tr. in Goldstein-Jackson 1983, p. 163 http://books.google.com/books?q=isbn%3A9780389203933+%22A+man+may+learn+wisdom+even+from+a+foe%22+Aristophanes <br class="br">Birds, line 375-382 (our emphasis on 375 and 378-379 and 382) <br class="br">Compare the later: "We can learn even from our enemies", Ovid, Metamorphoses, IV, 428. <br class="br">Birds (414 BC)
“The wise can often profit by the lessons of a foe,”
Aristophanés The Birds
Birds (414 BC) <br class="br">Contexte: Epops: The wise can often profit by the lessons of a foe, for caution is the mother of safety. It is just such a thing as one will not learn from a friend and which an enemy compels you to know. To begin with, it's the foe and not the friend that taught cities to build high walls, to equip long vessels of war; and it's this knowledge that protects our children, our slaves and our wealth.<br>Leader of the Chorus [leader]: Well then, I agree, let us first hear them, for that is best; one can even learn something in an enemy's school.<br>(tr. O'Neill 1938, Perseus http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Aristoph.+Birds+375)
“Come, bring hither quick a flagon of wine, that I may soak my brain and get an ingenious idea.”
Aristophanés The Knights
Knights, line 90-96 (our emphasis on 95-96) <br class="br">Knights (424 BC) <br class="br">Contexte: Demosthenes: Do you dare to accuse wine of clouding the reason? Quote me more marvellous effects than those of wine. Look! when a man drinks, he is rich, everything he touches succeeds, he gains lawsuits, is happy and helps his friends. Come, bring hither quick a flagon of wine, that I may soak my brain and get an ingenious idea.<br>(tr. O'Neill 1938, Perseus http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Aristoph.+Kn.+90)
“To win the people, always cook them some savoury that pleases them.”
Aristophanés The Knights
Source: The Knights
“Philokleon: Let each man exercise the art he knows.”
tr. Rogers 1909, p. 110 http://books.google.com/books?id=vptfAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Let+each+man+exercise+the+art+he+knows%22 <br class="br">Anonymous ancient proverb, quoted by Aristophanes in Wasps, line 1431 <br class="br">Also later found in Plato (Republic 4.423d, 4.433a-d) and Cicero (Tusc. I.18.41) <br class="br">Misattributed
Aristophanés The Knights
tr. O'Neill 1938, Perseus http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Aristoph.+Kn.+864 <br class="br">ὅπερ γὰρ οἱ τὰς ἐγχέλεις θηρώμενοι πέπονθας.<br>ὅταν μὲν ἡ λίμνη καταστῇ, λαμβάνουσιν οὐδέν·<br>ἐὰν δ᾽ ἄνω τε καὶ κάτω τὸν βόρβορον κυκῶσιν,<br>αἱροῦσι· καὶ σὺ λαμβάνεις, ἢν τὴν πόλιν ταράττῃς. <br class="br">Knights, line 864-867 <br class="br">Dialog aimed at the politician Cleon, symbolizing demagogues for the author. <br class="br">Knights (424 BC) <br class="br">Source: The Knights
“Æschylus: High thoughts must have high language.”
Aristophanés Les Grenouilles
rewritten and embellished tr. Fitts 1955, p. 108 http://books.google.com/books?id=CdZxAAAAIAAJ&q=%22High+thoughts+must+have+high+language%22 <br class="br">Frogs (405 BC) <br class="br">Source: Frogs and Other Plays
Aristophanés The Birds
Birds (414 BC) <br class="br">Contexte: Epops: You're mistaken: men of sense often learn from their enemies. Prudence is the best safeguard. This principle cannot be learned from a friend, but an enemy extorts it immediately. It is from their foes, not their friends, that cities learn the lesson of building high walls and ships of war. And this lesson saves their children, their homes, and their properties.<br>Chorus [leader]: It appears then that it will be better for us to hear what they have to say first; for one may learn something at times even from one's enemies.<br>(tr. Anon. 1812 rev. in Ramage 1864, p. 45 http://books.google.com/books?id=AoUCAAAAQAAJ&pg;=PA45)
Aristophanés The Birds
tr. O'Neill 1938, Perseus http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Aristoph.+Birds+941 <br class="br">Birds, line 941-947 (our emphasis on 947) <br class="br">Birds (414 BC)
tr. O'Neill 1938, Perseus http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Aristoph.+Eccl.+236 <br class="br">Ecclesiazusae, line 236-238 <br class="br">Ecclesiazusae (392 BC)
Aristophanés Les Nuées
tr. Athen. 1912, vol. 1, p. 359 http://books.google.com/books?id=9vpxAAAAIAAJ&q=%22Do+not+bandy+words+with+your+father%2C+nor+treat+him+as+a+dotard%2C+nor+reproach+the+old+man%2C+who+has+cherished+you%2C+with+his+age%22 <br class="br">Clouds, line 998-999 <br class="br">Clouds (423 BC)
Aristophanés The Knights
tr. O'Neill 1938, Perseus http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Aristoph.+Kn.+1274 <br class="br">Knights, line 1274-1275 <br class="br">Knights (424 BC)
Aristophanés Lysistrata
tr. Lindsay 1925, Perseus http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Aristoph.+Lys.+120 <br class="br">Lysistrata, line 120-121 & 124-127 <br class="br">Lysistrata (411 BC)
“Man is naturally deceitful ever, in every way! ”
Aristophanés The Birds
(tr. Hickie 1853, vol. 1, p. 326 http://books.google.com/books?id=Cm4NAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA326) <br class="br">Birds (414 BC) <br class="br">Variante: Man naturally is deceitful, ever indeed, and always, in every one thing.
Aristophanés Les Acharniens
tr. Athen. 1912, Perseus http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Aristoph.+Ach.+500 <br class="br">Acharnians, line 500-501 <br class="br">Acharnians (425 BC)
“Hierocles: You will never make the crab walk straight.”
Aristophanés Peace
tr. O'Neill 1938, Perseus http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Aristoph.+Peace+1083 <br class="br">Peace, line 1083 <br class="br">Peace (421 BC)
