CLEON
  I　denounce　this　fellow；　he　has　had　tasty　stews　exported　from
  Athens　for　the　Spartan　fleet。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  And　I　denounce　him；　he　runs　into　the　Prytaneum　with　an　empty　belly
  and　comes　out　with　it　full。
  DEMOSTHENES
  And　by　Zeus！　he　carries　off　bread；　meat；　and　fish；　which　is
  forbidden。　Pericles　himself　never　had　this　right。
  （A　screaming　match　now　ensues；　each　line　more　raucous　than　the
  last。　The　rapidity　of　the　dialogue　likewise　increases。）
  CLEON
  You　are　travelling　the　right　road　to　get　killed。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  I'll　bawl　three　times　as　loud　as　you。
  CLEON
  I　will　deafen　you　with　my　yells。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  And　I　you　with　my　bellowing。
  CLEON
  I　shall　calumniate　you；　if　you　become　a　Strategus。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  Dog；　I　will　lay　your　back　open　with　the　lash。
  CLEON
  I　will　make　you　drop　your　arrogance；
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  I　will　baffle　your　machinations。
  CLEON
  Dare　to　look　me　in　the　face！
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  I　too　was　brought　up　in　the　market…place。
  CLEON
  I　will　cut　you　to　shreds　if　you　whisper　a　word。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  If　you　open　your　mouth；　I'll　shut　it　with　shit。
  CLEON
  I　admit　I'm　a　thief；　that's　more　than　you　do。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  By　our　Hermes　of　the　market…place；　if　caught　in　the　act；　why；　I
  perjure　myself　before　those　who　saw　me。
  CLEON
  These　are　my　own　special　tricks。　I　will　denounce　you　to　the
  Prytanes　as　the　owner　of　sacred　tripe；　that　has　not　paid　tithe。
  CHORUS　（singing）
  Oh！　you　scoundrel！　you　impudent　bawler！　everything　is　filled
  with　your　daring；　all　Attica；　the　Assembly；　the　Treasury；　the　decrees；
  the　tribunals。　As　a　furious　torrent　you　have　overthrown　our　city；　your
  outcries　have　deafened　Athens　and；　posted　upon　a　high　rock；　you　have
  lain　in　wait　for　the　tribute　moneys　as　the　fisherman　does　for　the
  tunny…fish。
  CLEON　（somewhat　less　loudly）
  I　know　your　tricks；　it's　an　old　plot　resoled。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  If　you　know　naught　of　soling；　I　understand　nothing　of　sausages；
  you；　who　cut　bad　leather　on　the　slant　to　make　it　look　stout　and
  deceive　the　country　yokels。　They　had　not　worn　it　a　day　before　it　had
  stretched　some　two　spans。
  DEMOSTHENES
  That's　the　very　trick　he　played　on　me；　both　my　neighbours　and　my
  friends　laughed　heartily　at　me；　and　before　I　reached　Pergasae　I　was
  swimming　in　my　shoes。
  CHORUS　（singing）
  Have　you　not　always　shown　that　blatant　impudence；　which　is　the
  sole　strength　of　our　orators？　You　push　it　so　far；　that　you；　the　head
  of　the　State；　dare　to　milk　the　purses　of　the　opulent　aliens　and；　at
  sight　of　you；　the　son　of　Hippodamus　melts　into　tears。　But　here　is
  another　man　who　gives　me　pleasure；　for　he　is　a　much　greater　rascal
  than　you；　he　will　overthrow　you；　'tis　easy　to　see；　that　he　will　beat
  you　in　roguery；　in　brazenness　and　in　clever　turns。　Come；　you；　who　have
  been　brought　up　among　the　class　which　to…day　gives　us　all　our　great
  men；　show　us　that　a　liberal　education　is　mere　tomfoolery。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  Just　hear　what　sort　of　fellow　that　fine　citizen　is。
  CLEON
  Will　you　not　let　me　speak？
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  Assuredly　not；　for　I　too　am　an　awful　rascal。
  DEMOSTHENES
  If　he　does　not　give　in　at　that；　tell　him　your　parents　were　awful
  rascals　too。
  CLEON
  Once　more；　will　you　let　me　speak？
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  No；　by　Zeus！
  CLEON
  Yes；　by　Zeus；　you　shall！
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  No；　by　Posidon！　We　will　fight　first　to　see　who　shall　speak　first。
  CLEON
  I　will　die　sooner。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  I　will　not　let　you。。。。
  DEMOSTHENES
  Let　him；　in　the　name　of　the　gods；　let　him　die。
  CLEON
  What　makes　you　so　bold　as　to　dare　to　speak　to　my　face？
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  Because　I　know　both　how　to　speak　and　how　to　cook。
  CLEON
  Hah！　the　fine　speaker！　Truly；　if　some　business　matter　fell　your
  way；　you　would　know　thoroughly　well　how　to　attack　it；　to　carve　it　up
  alive！　Shall　I　tell　you　what　has　happened　to　you？　Like　so　many　others；
  you　have　gained　some　petty　lawsuit　against　some　alien。　Did　you　drink
  enough　water　to　inspire　you？　Did　you　mutter　over　the　thing
  sufficiently　through　the　night；　spout　it　along　the　street；　recite　it
  to　all　you　met？　Have　you　bored　your　friends　enough　with　it？　And　for
  this　you　deem　yourself　an　orator。　You　poor　fool！
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  And　what　do　you　drink　yourself　then；　to　be　able　all　alone　by
  yourself　to　dumbfound　and　stupefy　the　city　so　with　your　clamour？
  CLEON
  Can　you　match　me　with　a　rival？　Me？　When　I　have　devoured　a　good　hot
  tunny…fish　and　drunk　on　top　of　it　a　great　jar　of　unmixed　wine。　I　say
  〃to　Hell　with　the　generals　of　Pylos！〃
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  And　I；　when　I　have　bolted　the　tripe　of　an　ox　together　with　a　sow's
  belly　and　swallowed　the　broth　as　well；　I　am　fit；　though　slobbering
  with　grease；　to　bellow　louder　than　all　orators　and　to　terrify　Nicias。
  DEMOSTHENES
  I　admire　your　language　so　much；　the　only　thing　I　do　not　approve　is
  that　you　swallow　all　the　broth　yourself。
  CLEON
  Even　though　you　gorged　yourself　on　sea…dogs；　you　would　not　beat
  the　Milesians。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  Give　me　a　bullock's　breast　to　devour；　and　I　am　a　man　to　traffic　in
  mines。
  CLEON
  I　will　rush　into　the　Senate　and　set　them　all　by　the　ears。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  And　I　will　pull　out　your　arse　to　stuff　like　a　sausage。
  CLEON
  As　for　me；　I　will　seize　you　by　the　rump　and　hurl　you　head　foremost
  through　the　door。
  DEMOSTHENES
  By　Posidon；　only　after　you　have　thrown　me　there　first。
  CLEON
  （Beginning　another　crescendo　of　competitive　screeching）
  Beware　of　the　carcan！
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  I　denounce　you　for　cowardice。
  CLEON
  I　will　tan　your　hide。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  I　will　flay　you　and　make　a　thief's　pouch　with　the　skin。
  CLEON
  I　will　peg　you　out　on　the　ground。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  I　will　slice　you　into　mince…meat。
  CLEON
  I　will　tear　out　your　eyelashes。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  I　will　slit　your　gullet。
  DEMOSTHENES
  We　will　set　his　mouth　open　with　a　wooden　stick　as　the　cooks　do
  with　pigs；　we　will　tear　out　his　tongue；　and；　looking　down　his　gaping
  throat；　will　see　whether　his　inside　has　any　pimples。
  CHORUS　（singing）
  Thus　then　at　Athens　we　have　something　more　fiery　than　fire；　more
  impudent　than　impudence　itself！　'Tis　a　grave　matter；　come；　we　will
  push　and　jostle　him　without　mercy。　There；　you　grip　him　tightly　under
  the　arms；　if　he　gives　way　at　the　onset；　you　will　find　him　nothing
  but　a　craven；　I　know　my　man。
  DEMOSTHENES
  That　he　has　been　all　his　life　and　he　has　only　made　himself　a
  name　by　reaping　another's　harvest；　and　now　he　has　tied　up　the　ears
  he　gathered　over　there；　he　lets　them　dry　and　seeks　to　sell　them。
  CLEON
  I　do　not　fear　you　as　long　as　there　is　a　Senate　and　a　people
  which　stands　like　a　fool；　gaping　in　the　air。
  CHORUS　（singing）
  What　unparalleled　impudence！　'Tis　ever　the　same　brazen　front。　If　I
  don't　hate　you；　why；　I'm　ready　to　take　the　place　of　the　one　blanket
  Cratinus　wets；　I'll　offer　to　play　a　tragedy　by　Morsimus。　Oh！　you
  cheat！　who　turn　all　into　money；　who　flutter　from　one　extortion　to
  another；　may　you　disgorge　as　quickly　as　you　have　crammed　yourself！
  Then　only　would　I　sing；　〃Let　us　drink；　let　us　drink　to　this　happy
  event！〃　Then　even　the　son　of　Ulius；　the　old　wheat…fairy；　would　empty
  his　cup　with　transports　of　joy；　crying；　〃Io；　Paean！　Io；　Bacchus！〃
  CLEON
  By　Posidon！　You！　would　you　beat　me　in　impudence！　If　you　succeed；
  may　I　no　longer　have　my　share　of　the　victims　offered　to　Zeus　on　the
  city　altar。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  And　I；　I　swear　by　the　blows　that　have　so　oft　rained　upon　my
  shoulders　since　infancy；　and　by　the　knives　that　have　cut　me；　that　I
  will　show　more　effrontery　than　you；　as　sure　as　I　have　rounded　this
  fine　stomach　by　feeding　on　the　pieces　of　bread　that　had　cleansed　other
  folk's　greasy　fingers。
  CLEON
  On　pieces　of　bread；　like　a　dog！　Ah！　wretch！　you　have　the　nature　of
  a　dog　and　you　dare　to　fight　a　dog…headed　ape？
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  I　have　many　another　trick　in　my　sack；　memories　of　my　childhood's
  days。　I　used　to　linger　around　the　cooks　and　say　to　them；　〃Look；
  friends；　don't　you　see　a　swallow？　It's　the　herald　of　springtime。〃
  And　while　they　stood；　their　noses　in　the　air；　I　made　off　with　a
  piece　of　meat。
  CHORUS
  Oh！　most　clever　man！　How　well　thought　out！　You　did　as　the　eaters
  of　artichokes；　you　gathered　them　before　the　return　of　the　swallows。〃
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  They　could　make　nothing　of　it；　or；　if　they　suspected　a　trick；　I
  hid　the　meat　in　my　crotch　and　denied　the　thing　by　all　the　gods…so　that
  an　orator；　seeing　me　at　the　game；　cried；　〃This　child　will　get　on；　he
  has　the　mettle　that　makes　a　statesman。〃
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  He　argued　rightly；　to　steal；　perjure　yourself　and　make　your　ar