2–1
PLUTO
He himself often leads them up the garden path with great skill, and has hopes of his own. In fact, though he always looks “close to death’s dark vale”, Editors have emended to θανόντι, having failed to see that this is a parody of Odyssey, XI, 608. Cf. following dialogue, c. 4. ἀεὶ τεθνήξεσθαι δοκῶν. he’s a lot healthier than the young men. But they’ve already divided up his property amongst themselves and batten on it, thinking a life of bliss is already theirs. So, let him cast off his old age like Iolaus, Cf. Euripides, Heraclidae, 850 ff. and grow young again, and let them leave behind the wealth they dreamed of, and in the midst of their hopes come here forthwith, dying the sorry death they deserve.
HERMES
Don’t worry, Pluto. I’ll start fetching them for you now, one after the other. There are seven of them, I think.
PLUTO
Drag them down, and he’ll change from old age to the prime of youth, and attend each of the funerals.
TERPSION
Is this just, Pluto? Me to die at thirty, and old Thucritus, already over ninety, to go on living?
PLUTO
Perfectly just, Terpsion; he lives on without praying for the death of any of his friends, but you spent all your time plotting against him and waiting for his possessions.
TERPSION
Well, oughtn’t an old man like him, who can no longer make use of his wealth, to depart from life and make way for young men?
