can't see them.

     Soc. By the entrance.

     [Enter Chorus]

     Strep. Now at length with difficulty I just see them.

     Soc. Now at length you assuredly see them, unless you
     have your eyes running pumpkins.

     Strep. Yes, by Jupiter! O highly honoured Clouds, for
     now they cover all things.

     Soc. Did you not, however, know, nor yet consider, these
     to be goddesses?

     Strep. No, by Jupiter! But I thought them to be mist,
     and dew, and smoke.

     Soc. For you do not know, by Jupiter! that these feed
     very many sophists, Thurian soothsayers, practisers of
     medicine, lazy-long-haired-onyx-ring-wearers,
     song-twisters for the cyclic dances, and meteorological
     quacks. They feed idle people who do nothing, because
     such men celebrate them in verse.

     Strep. For this reason, then, they introduced into their
     verses "the dreadful impetuosity of the moist,
     whirling-bright clouds"; and the "curls of
     hundred-headed Typho"; and the "hard-blowing tempests";
     and then "aerial, moist"; "crooked-clawed birds,
     floating in air"; and "the showers of rain from dewy
     Clouds". And then, in return for these, they swallow
     "slices of great, fine mullets, and bird's-flesh of
     thrushes."

     Soc. Is it not just, however, that they should have
     their reward, on account of these?

     Strep. Tell me, pray, if they are really clouds, what
     ails them, that they resemble mortal women? For they are
     not such.

     Soc. Pray, of what nature are they?

     Strep. I do not clearly know: at  any rate they resemble
     spread-out fleeces, and not women, by Jupiter! Not a
     bit; for these have noses.

     Soc. Answer, then, whatever I ask you.

     Strep. Then say quickly what you wish.

     Soc. Have you ever, when you; looked up, seen a cloud
     like to a centaur, or a panther, or a wolf, or a bull?

     Strep. By Jupiter, have I! But what of that?

     Soc. They become all things, whatever they please. And
     then if they see a person with long hair, a wild one of
     these hairy fellows, like the son of Xenophantes, in
     derision of his folly, they liken themselves to
     centaurs.

     Strep. Why, what, if they should see Simon,  a plunderer
     of the public property, what do they do?

     Soc. They suddenly become wolves, showing up his
     disposition.

     Strep. For this reason, then, for this reason, when they
     yesterday saw Cleonymus the recreant, on this account
     they became stags, because they saw this most cowardly
     fellow.

     Soc. And now too, because they saw Clisthenes, you
     observe, on this account they became women.

     Strep. Hail therefore, O mistresses! And now, if ever ye
     did to any other, to me also utter a voice reaching to
     heaven, O all-powerful queens.

     Cho. Hail, O ancient veteran, hunter after learned
     speeches! And thou, O priest of most subtle trifles!
     Tell us what you require? For we would not hearken to
     any other of the recent meteorological sophists, except
     to Prodicus;  to him, on account of his wisdom and
     intelligence; and to you, because you walk proudly in
     the streets, and cast your eyes askance, and endure many
     hardships with bare feet, and in reliance upon us
     lookest supercilious.

     Strep. O Earth, what a voice! How holy and dignified and
     wondrous!

     Soc. For, in fact, these alone are goddesses; and all
     the rest is nonsense.

     Strep. But come, by the Earth, is not Jupiter, the
     Olympian, a god?

     Soc. What Jupiter? Do not trifle. There is no Jupiter.

     Strep. What do you say? Who rains then? For first of all
     explain this to me.

     Soc. These to be sure. I will teach you it by powerful
     evidence. Come, where have you ever seen him raining at
     any time without Clouds? And yet he ought to rain in
     fine weather, and these be absent.

     Strep. By Apollo, of a truth you have rightly confirmed
     this by your present argument. And yet, before this, I
     really thought that Jupiter caused the rain. But tell me
     who is it that thunders. This makes me tremble.

     Soc. These, as they roll, thunder.

     Strep. In what way? you all-daring man!

     Soc. When they are full of much water, and are compelled
     to be borne along, being necessarily precipitated when
     full of rain, then they fall heavily upon each other and
     burst and clap.

     Strep. Who is it that compels them to borne along? Is it
     not Jupiter?

     Soc. By no means, but aethereal Vortex.

     Strep. Vortex? It had escaped my notice that Jupiter did
     not exist, and that Vortex now reigned in his stead. But
     you have taught me nothing as yet concerning the clap
     and the thunder.

     Soc. Have you not heard me, that I said that the Clouds,
     when full of moisture, dash against each other and clap
     by reason of their density?

     Strep. Come, how am I to believe this?

     Soc. I'll teach you from your own case. Were you ever,
     after being stuffed with broth at the Panathenaic
     festival,  then disturbed in your belly, and did a
     tumult suddenly rumble through it?

     Strep. Yes, by Apollo! And immediately the little broth
     plays the mischief with me, and is disturbed and rumbles
     like thunder, and grumbles dreadfully: at first gently
     pappax, pappax; and then it adds papa-pappax; and
     finally, it thunders downright papapappax, as they do.

     Soc. Consider, therefore, how you have trumpeted from a
     little belly so small; and how is it not probable that
     this air, being boundless, should thunder so loudly?

     Strep. For this reason, therefore, the two names also
     Trump and Thunder, are similar to each other. But teach
     me this, whence comes the thunderbolt blazing with fire,
     and burns us to ashes when it smites us, and singes
     those who survive. For indeed Jupiter evidently hurls
     this at the perjured.

     Soc. Why, how then, you foolish person, and savouring of
     the dark ages and antediluvian, if his manner is to
     smite the perjured, does he not blast Simon, and
     Cleonymus, and Theorus? And yet they are very perjured.
     But he smites his own temple, and Sunium the promontory
     of Athens, and the tall oaks. Wherefore, for indeed an
     oak does not commit perjury.

     Strep. I do not know; but you seem to speak well. For
     what, pray, is the thunderbolt?

     Soc. When a dry wind, having been raised aloft, is
     inclosed in these Clouds, it inflates them within, like
     a bladder; and then, of necessity, having burst them, it
     rushes out with vehemence by reason of its density,
     setting fire to itself through its rushing and
     impetuosity.

     Strep. By Jupiter, of a truth I once experienced this