The headword phrase quotes
Aristophanes,
Clouds 1129-30; comment from the
scholia to 1130 then follows. [alpha:
ka)\n e)n *ai)gu/ptw| tuxei=n w)\n ma=llon h)\ e)pei\ mh\ u(/ein dokei= au)to/qi, w(s *(hro/dotos. e)kei= ou)=n ei)=nai qelh/sei, e)/nqa mh\ blabh/setai e)k tw=n *nefelw=n, w(s porrwta/tw th=s patri/dos. h)\ w(s e)pi\ kata/ras: e)pei\ katara=tai. e)le/geto ga\r lh|steu/esqai h( *ai)guptos ("'to be in Egypt rather than': since he thinks that it does not rain on that spot, as
Herodotus [says]. Therefore, he will wish to be there, there he will not be harmed from the clouds, since [it is] as far away as possible from the fatherland. Or as [if] in reference to a curse, since it is cursed. For Egypt is said to be infested by robbers"). Beta:
w(s e)pi/ kata/ras, e)pei\ w(s lh|steuome/nh dieba/lleto h( *ai)/guptos. h)\ boulh/setai porrwta/tw ei)=nai, o(/pou au)to\n ou) bla/yei o( u(eto/s: e)pei\ e)n *ai)gu/ptw| dokei= mh\ u(/ein, w(/s fhsin *hro/dotos u(/sqhsan ga\r to/te ai( *qh=bai ou)dama\ pro/teron u(sqei=sai ("As [if] in reference to a curse, since Egypt used to be slandered as being infested with robbers. Or he will wish to be as far away as possible, where the rain will not harm him. Since in Egypt he thinks that it does not rain, as
Herodotus says: 'For then
Thebes↗ was rained upon, never having been rained upon before'").]
1An approximation of Herodotus 3.10.3; again at upsilon 677.