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A disciple of Socrates on the flea

423 BCE, Athens (Theatre of Dionysus). A disciple of Socrates speaking, in Aristophanes’ play.

Where and when

423 BCEAthens (Theatre of Dionysus)

2,448 years ago

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Aristophanes

, Athens (Theatre of Dionysus)A disciple of Socrates speaking, in Aristophanes’ play

In plain words, ours

Socrates recently asked Chaerephon how many of its own feet a flea can jump, after one bit Chaerephon and leapt onto Socrates’ head.

Socrates lately asked Chaerephon about a flea, how many of its own feet it jumped; for after having bit the eyebrow of Chaerephon, it leaped away onto the head of Socrates.

Aristophanes, Clouds line 143Translated by William James Hickie (1853)Read the full passage (Aristophanes, Clouds line 143, opens scaife.perseus.org)

What was going on, our summary

In Aristophanes' play, the old countryman Strepsiades knocks at the door of Socrates' thinking-shop, hoping to be taught. A student inside scolds him for making an idea miscarry, then shares one of the school's secrets.

Checked claim by claim against: the passage around the quote.

Related moments

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Just before and after

The text around the quote, word for word from the same translation.

Show the passageHide the passage

Exit Phidippides.

Strepsiades: Though fallen, still I will not lie prostrate: but having prayed to the gods, I will go myself to the thinking-shop and get taught. How, then, being an old man, shall I learn the subtleties of refined disquisitions? I must go. Why thus do I loiter and not knock at the door? Knocks at the door. Boy! Little boy!

Disciple: (from within). Go to the devil! Who it is that knocked at the door?

Strepsiades: Strepsiades, the son of Phidon, of Cicynna.

Disciple: You are a stupid fellow, by Jove! who have kicked against the door so very carelessly, and have caused the miscarriage of an idea which I had conceived.

Strepsiades: Pardon me; for I dwell afar in the country. But tell me the thing which has been made to miscarry.

Disciple: It is not lawful to mention it, except to disciples.

Strepsiades: Tell it, then, to me without fear; for I here am come as a disciple to the thinking-shop.

Disciple: I will tell you; but you must regard these as mysteries.

The quote: Disciple: Socrates lately asked Chaerephon about a flea, how many of its own feet it jumped; for after having bit the eyebrow of Chaerephon, it leaped away onto the head of Socrates.

Strepsiades: How then did he measure this?

Disciple: Most cleverly. He melted some wax; and then took the flea and dipped its feet in the wax; and then a pair of Persian slippers stuck to it when cooled. Having gently loosened these, he measured back the distance.

Strepsiades: O King Jupiter! What subtlety of thought!

Disciple: What then would you say if you heard another contrivance of Socrates?

Strepsiades: Of what kind? Tell me, I beseech you!

Disciple: Chaerephon the Sphettian asked him whether he thought gnats buzzed through the mouth or the breech.

Strepsiades: What, then, did he say about the gnat?

Aristophanes, Clouds lines 124–159Translated by William James Hickie (1853)Read the full passage (opens scaife.perseus.org)

When, and whose words

Date
423 BCE. Clouds was first staged in 423 BCE; the text that survives is a partial revision Aristophanes made a few years later, which was never staged.
Whose words
A disciple of Socrates speaking, in Aristophanes’ play.
How this post was checked
  • The plain-words line was read against the quote alone by a second, independent pass, which found it adds no claim the quote does not make (2026-10-03).
  • Each claim in the summary was checked by an independent pass against only the material it cites.
  • The quote itself is checked by the build: word for word, once, at the cited section of the stored translation.

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