"[Not at home], he is at home, if you understand. -- How at home, when not at home? -- Indeed, old man. His mind is out collecting versicles and not at home, but he himself is propped up at home writing a tragedy." He is mocking Euripides as syllogistic, and providing the opposite of whatever he says. Such as, "the tongue swore, but the mind [was] unsworn."[1] And again [sc. one could interpret the passage]: he himself is inside, but his mind is gathering something from what is outside and and he is flying around. [This is] a Homeric way of speaking: for Homer distinguished souls from bodies when he said "many strong souls [he sent to Hades], but them he made spoils for the dogs."[2] So too Aristophanes, when he said "his mind [is] outside, but he himself is inside propped up writing a tragedy." That is, having his feet high. Or lying in an elevated position, or sitting.