Pisthetaerus: By words the mind is winged. (tr. unknown, seen in Airpower Journal 1990, and in Macmillan Dictionary of Political Quotations 1993, Goo… - Aristophanes

By words the mind is winged.

However, in the view of many Athenians he had, in effect, stolen the credit from Demosthenes. This point is frequently mentioned in the play. Knights was awarded first prize in the drama competition at the Lenaea festival in 424 BC.

HERMES Meseems I can sniff a man. (HE PERCEIVES TRYGAEUS ASTRIDE HIS BEETLE.) Why, what plague is this? TRYGAEUS A horse-beetle. HERMES Oh! impudent, shameless rascal! oh! scoundrel! triple scoundrel! the greatest scoundrel in the world! how did you come here? Oh! scoundrel of all scoundrels! your name? Reply. TRYGAEUS Triple scoundrel. HERMES Your country? TRYGAEUS Triple scoundrel. HERMES Your father? TRYGAEUS My father? Triple scoundrel. HERMES By the Earth, you shall die, unless you tell me your name. TRYGAEUS I am Trygaeus of the Athmonian deme, a good vine-dresser, little addicted to quibbling and not at all an informer. HERMES Why do you come? TRYGAEUS I come to bring you this meat. HERMES Ah! my good friend, did you have a good journey? TRYGAEUS Glutton, be off! I no longer seem a triple scoundrel to you. Come, call Zeus. HERMES

You cannot teach a crab to walk straight.