Reading 5A Strepsiades happens to be lamenting because he ows much money. For the son, being horse-mad, always taks a lot of money. Now the son happens to be sleeping deeply, and sleep does not hold the father.
- Alas, alas. O god Zeus. The length of the night, it is long. And day doesn't come yet. Look here, the son is sleeping deeply and doesn't stop sleeping. Oh dear, unhappy me. But deep sleep does not hold me yet. And I am the sleepless unfortunate. And being sleepless heavy debts worry me. FOr I owe much money because of this son here, and owing the creditors pursue me and always exact their due. But still I am sleepless, and perplexed. And yesterday I was sleepless, nearly all of the nights. For the best time I was sleeping. But when I was sleeping, then in my dreams the creditors were pursuing me and exacting their due because of my son. And being in perplexity no-one saved me, but evry night I was fleeing from these creditors, and this son here was always taking much money, being horse-mad. And moreover, sleeping, the young man dreams of horses. Oh dear. Who is responsible? The woman is responsible, I know that well. For she was always taking the boy and talking about horses. And therefore the boy was always listening and learning about horses. And you, just as you are, sleeping deeply. For the debts, you know well, make my head turn around (spin?). Oh dear. For we never stopped you, and me and the woman are always arguing about the boys. For we always kept arguing. But O Zeus god, why do you make the marriages so bitter? For the woman always makes my life bitter. But how sweet was the country life! And how bitter the marriage. For my woman happens to come from the city, and being from the city, she began to cause all the expenses. Then and now this expense was ruining me. And still now it ruins (me).  ¶ 2:24 AM