"Why do the Greeks puff and buzz?"

The penultimate strophe of Romanos the Melodist's hymn On Pentecost is a scintillating display of contempt for the ancient poets and philosophers. The final three strophes of this Byzantine kontakion are quoted hereunder and the Greek text of the penultimate is also included so that the puns which are lost in translation can be seen. The English translation is by Archimandrite Ephrem Lash and the Greek text is from the edition of Romanos' hymns edited by José Grosdidier de Matons (SC 283).

16
Now those who before were fishermen have become skilled speakers. Now those who once 
stood by the shores of lakes are orators, and clear ones. 
Those who previously used to mend their nets 
now unravel the webs of orators and make them worthless with simpler utterances. 
For they speak one Word, instead of many, they proclaim one God, not many. 
The One as the one they worship, a Father beyond understanding, 
a Son consubstantial and inseparable, and like to them
             the All-Holy Spirit.

17
Was it not then given them to overcome all through the tongues they speak?
And why do the fools outside strive for victory?
Why do the Greeks puff and buzz?
Why are they deceived by Aratos the thrice accursed? Why err like wandering planets to Plato? 
Why do they love the debilitated Demosthenes? 
Why do they not consider Homer a chimera? 
Why do they go on about Pythagoras, who were better muzzled?
Why do they not run believing to those whom has appeared
the All-Holy Spirit?

Οὐκοῦν ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς    πάντων περιγενέσθαι    δι’ ὧν λαλοῦσι γλωσσῶν;
   Καὶ τί φιλονεικοῦσιν    οἱ ἔξω ληροῦντες;
Τί φυσῶσι καὶ βομβεύουσιν    οἱ Ἕλληνες;
   Τί φαντάζονται πρὸς Ἄρατον    τὸν τρισκατάρατον; 
      Τί πλανῶνται πρὸς Πλάτωνα;
Τί Δημοσθένην στέργουσι τὸν  ἀσθενῆ;
   Τί μὴ νοοῦσιν Ὅμηρον    ὄνειρον ἀργόν;
Τί Πυθαγόραν θρυλλοῦσι    τὸν δικαίως φιμωθέντα;
   Τί δὲ μὴ προστρέχουσι    πιστεύοντες    οἷς ἐνεφανίσθη
      τὸ πανάγιον πνεῦμα;

18
Brothers, let us sing the praise of the tongues of the disciples because, not with elegant words, 
but with the divine power they caught all mortals in their nets, 
because they took up his Cross like a rod, 
because they used words again as lines and fished the world, 
because they had the Word as a sharp hook, 
because the flesh of the Master of all things became for them a bait, not hunting to bring death,
but drawing out to life those who honour and glorify
             the All-Holy Spirit.
 

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