- The play opens with Strepsiades up super early in the morning, kvetching. It seems there's quite a bit bothering him. First, there's a war going on that's getting him down/fouling up his life (because he's not allowed to whip his slaves during wartime).
- Also, Strepsiades's son is giving him problems. It seems that Pheidippides's fondness for horses and horse racing (which Pops is financing) has sent Strepsiades into a mountain of debt. As he talks, Pheidippides is sleeping in front of him. From his sleep-talking, you can tell that P is pretty obsessed with horse racing, as his dad says.
- When Pheidippides wakes up to his father's ranting, Strepsiades accuses him directly of ruining him financially. Pheidippides just wants to go back to bed.
- Meanwhile, the Slave announces that the lamp is out of oil, and Strepsiades threatens to beat him for lighting the "thirsty" lamp.
- Also, Strepsiades talks about his wife and how they decided to name Pheidippides.
- It seems that Strepsiades has been up all night. Jeez, he must be stressed.
- Strepsiades tells his son that he wants him to go to a nearby place called the "Thinkery" to learn how to effectively argue their way out of their debts so that Strepsiades never has to pay them. However, Pheidippides doesn't have a super high opinion of the Thinkery (he calls them "charlatans" and "pasty-faces"), so he's not keen on the idea.
- When Pheidippides refuses, Strepsiades threatens to kick him out and cut him off. Pheidippides says he's fine with that—and that he'll just go get horses from his "godlike uncle Megacles."