would　shake　off　the　dust；　deny　his　mishap　and　begin　the　struggle　anew。
  Not　one　of　these　generals　of　old　time　would　have　asked　Cleaenetus　to
  be　fed　at　the　cost　of　the　State；　but　our　present　men　refuse　to
  fight；　unless　they　get　the　honours　of　the　Prytaneum　and　precedence
  in　their　seats。　As　for　us；　we　place　our　valour　gratuitously　at　the
  service　of　Athens　and　of　her　gods；　our　only　hope　is　that；　should　peace
  ever　put　a　term　te　our　toils；　you　will　not　grudge　us　our　long；　scented
  hair　nor　our　delicate　care　for　our　toilet。
  SECOND　SEMI…CHORUS　（singing）
  Oh！　Pallas；　guardian　of　Athens；　you；　who　reign　over　the　most　pious
  city；　the　most　powerful；　the　richest　in　warriors　and　in　poets；
  hasten　to　my　call；　bringing　in　your　train　our　faithful　ally　in　all　our
  expeditions　and　combats；　Victory；　who　smiles　on　our　choruses　and
  fights　with　us　against　our　rivals。　Oh！　goddess！　manifest　yourself　to
  our　sight；　this　day　more　than　ever　we　deserve　that　you　should　ensure
  our　triumph。
  LEADER　OF　SECOND　SEMI…CHORUS
  We　will　sing　likewise　the　exploits　of　our　steeds！　they　are
  worthy　of　our　praises；　in　what　invasions；　what　fights　have　I　not
  seen　them　helping　us！　But　especially　admirable　were　they；　when　they
  bravely　leapt　upon　the　galleys；　taking　nothing　with　them　but　a
  coarse　wine；　some　cloves　of　garlic　and　onions；　despite　this；　they
  nevertheless　seized　the　sweeps　just　like　men；　curved　their　backs
  over　the　thwarts　and　shouted；　〃Hippapai！　Give　way！　Come；　all　pull
  together！　Come；　come！　How！　Samphoras！　Are　you　not　rowing？〃　They　rushed
  down　upon　the　coast　of　Corinth；　and　the　youngest　hollowed　out　beds
  in　the　sand　with　their　hoofs　or　went　to　fetch　coverings；　instead　of
  luzern；　they　had　no　food　but　crabs；　which　they　caught　on　the　strand
  and　even　in　the　sea；　so　that　Theorus　causes　a　Corinthian　crab　to
  say；　〃'Tis　a　cruel　fate；　oh　Posidon　neither　my　deep　hiding…places；
  whether　on　land　or　at　sea；　can　help　me　to　escape　the　Knights。〃
  （The　SAUSAGE…SELLER　returns。）
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Welcome；　oh；　dearest　and　bravest　of　men！　How　distracted　I　have
  been　during　your　absence！　But　here　you　are　back；　safe　and　sound。
  Tell　us　about　the　fight　you　have　had。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  The　important　thing　is　that　I　have　beaten　the　Senate。
  CHORUS　（singing）
  All　glory　to　you！　Let　us　burst　into　shouts　of　joy！　You　speak　well；
  but　your　deeds　are　even　better。　Come；　tell　me　everything　in　detail；
  what　a　long　journey　would　I　not　be　ready　to　take　to　hear　your　tale！
  Come；　dear　friend；　speak　with　full　confidence　to　your　admirers。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  The　story　is　worth　hearing。　Listen！　From　here　I　rushed　straight　to
  the　Senate；　right　in　the　track　of　this　man；　he　was　already　letting
  loose　the　storm；　unchaining　the　lightning；　crushing　the　Knights
  beneath　huge　mountains　of　calumnies　heaped　together　and　having　all　the
  air　of　truth；　he　called　you　conspirators　and　his　lies　caught　root　like
  weeds　in　every　mind；　dark　were　the　looks　on　every　side　and　brows
  were　knitted。　When　I　saw　that　the　Senate　listened　to　him　favourably
  and　was　being　tricked　by　his　imposture　I　said　to　myself；　〃Come；　gods
  of　rascals　and　braggarts；　gods　of　all　fools；　and　toad…eaters；　and　thou
  too；　oh　market…place；　wherein　I　was　bred　from　my　earliest　days；　give
  me　unbridled　audacity；　an　untiring　chatter　and　a　shameless　voice。〃
  No　sooner　had　I　ended　this　prayer　than　a　pederast　farted　on　my
  right。　〃Hah！　a　good　omen；〃　said　I；　and　prostrated　myself；　then　I　burst
  open　the　door　by　a　vigorous　push　with　my　arse；　and；　opening　my　mouth
  to　the　utmost；　shouted；　〃Senators；　I　wanted　you　to　be　the　first　to
  hear　the　good　news；　since　the　war　broke　out；　I　have　never　seen
  anchovies　at　a　lower　price！〃　All　faces　brightened　at　once　and　I　was
  voted　a　chaplet　for　my　good　tidings；　and　I　added；　〃With　a　couple　of
  words　I　will　reveal　to　you　how　you　can　have　quantities　of　anchovies
  for　an　obol；　all　you　have　to　do　is　to　seize　on　all　the　dishes　the
  merchants　have。〃　With　mouths　gaping　with　admiration；　they　applauded
  me。　However；　the　Paphlagonian　winded　the　matter　and；　well　knowing
  the　sort　of　language　which　pleases　the　Senate　best；　said；　〃Friends；
  I　am　resolved　to　offer　one　hundred　oxen　to　the　goddess　in
  recognition　of　this　happy　event。〃　The　Senate　at　once　veered　to　his
  side。　So　when　I　saw　myself　defeated　by　this　ox　dung；　I　outbade　the
  fellow；　crying；　〃Two　hundred！〃　And　beyond　this　I　moved　that　a　vow　be
  made　to　Diana　of　a　thousand　goats　if　the　next　day　anchovies　should
  only　be　worth　an　obol　a　hundred。　And　the　Senate　looked　towards　me
  again。　The　other；　stunned　with　the　blow；　grew　delirious　in　his　speech；
  and　at　last　the　Prytanes　and　the　Scythians　dragged　him　out。　The
  Senators　then　stood　talking　noisily　about　the　anchovies。　Cleon；
  however；　begged　them　to　listen　to　the　Lacedaemonian　envoy；　who　had
  come　to　make　proposals　of　peace；　but　all　with　one　accord　cried
  〃Certainly　it's　not　the　moment　to　think　of　peace　now！　If　anchovies　are
  so　cheap；　what　need　have　we　of　peace？　Let　the　war　take　its　course！〃
  And　with　loud　shouts　they　demanded　that　the　Prytanes　should　close
  the　sitting　and　then　they　leapt　over　the　rails　in　all　directions。　As
  for　me；　I　slipped　away　to　buy　all　the　coriander　seed　and　leeks　there
  were　on　the　market　and　gave　it　to　them　gratis　as　seasoning　for　their
  anchovies。　It　was　marvellous！　They　loaded　me　with　praises　and
  caresses；　thus　I　conquered　the　Senate　with　an　obol's　worth　of　leeks；
  and　here　I　am。
  CHORUS　（singing）
  Bravo！　you　are　the　spoilt　child　of　Fortune。　Ah！　our　knave　has
  found　his　match　in　another；　who　has　far　better　tricks　in　his　sack；　a
  thousand　kinds　of　knaveries　and　of　wily　words。　But　the　fight　begins
  afresh；　take　care　not　to　weaken；　you　know　that　I　have　long　been　your
  most　faithful　ally。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  Ah！　ah！　here　comes　the　Paphlagonian！　One　would　say　it　was　a
  hurricane　lashing　the　sea　and　rolling　the　waves　before　it　in　its　fury。
  He　looks　as　if　he　wanted　to　swallow　me　up　alive！　Ye　gods！　what　an
  impudent　knave！
  CLEON　（as　he　rushes　in）
  To　my　aid；　my　beloved　lies！　I　am　going　to　destroy　you；　or　my
  name　is　lost。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  Oh！　how　he　diverts　me　with　his　threats　His　bluster　makes　me　laugh！
  And　I　dance　the　mothon　for　joy；　and　sing　at　the　top　of　my　voice；
  cuckoo！
  CLEON
  Ah！　by　Demeter！　if　I　do　not　kill　and　devour　you；　may　I　die！
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  If　you　do　not　devour　me？　and　I；　if　I　do　not　drink　your　blood　to
  the　last　drop；　and　then　burst　with　indigestion。
  CLEON
  I；　I　will　strangle　you；　I　swear　it　by　the　front　seat　which　Pylos
  gained　me。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  By　the　front　seat！　Ah！　Ah！　might　I　see　you　fall　into　the
  hindmost　seat！
  CLEON
  By　heaven！　I　will　put　you　to　the　torture。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  What　a　lively　wit！　Come；　what's　the　best　to　give　you　to　eat？
  What　do　you　prefer？　A　purse？
  CLEON
  I　will　tear　out　your　insides　with　my　nails。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  And　I　will　cut　off　your　victuals　at　the　Prytaneum。
  CLEON
  I　will　haul　you　before　Demos；　who　will　mete　out　justice　to　you。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  And　I　too　will　drag　you　before　him　and　belch　forth　more
  calumnies　than　you。　Why；　poor　fool；　he　does　not　believe　you；　whereas　I
  play　with　him　at　will。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  Is　then　Demos　your　property；　your　contemptible　creature？
  CLEON
  It's　because　I　know　the　dishes　that　please　him。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  And　these　are　little　mouthfuls；　which　you　serve　to　him　like　a
  clever　nurse。　You　chew　the　pieces　and　place　some　in　small　quantities
  in　his　mouth；　while　you　swallow　three　parts　yourself。
  CLEON
  Thanks　to　my　skill；　I　know　exactly　how　to　enlarge　or　contract　this
  gullet。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  My　arse　is　just　as　clever。
  CLEON
  Well；　my　friend；　you　tricked　me　at　the　Senate；　but　take　care！
  Let　us　go　before　Demos。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  That's　easily　done；　come；　let's　do　it　right　away。
  CLEON　（loudly）
  Oh；　Demos！　Come；　I　adjure　you　to　help　me；　my　father　I
  SAUSAGE…SELLER　（more　loudly）
  Come；　oh；　my　dear　little　Demos；　come　and　see　how　I　am　insulted。
  DEMOS　（coming　out　of　his　house　followed　by　DEMOSTHENES）
  What　a　hubhub！　To　the　Devil　with　you；　bawlers！　Alas！　my　olive
  branch；　which　they　have　torn　down！　Ah！　it's　you；　Paphlagonian。　And
  who；　pray；　has　been　maltreating　you？
  CLEON
  You　are　the　cause　of　this　man　and　these　young　people　having
  covered　me　with　blows。
  DEMOS
  And　why？
  CLEON
  Because　you　love　me　passionately；　Demos。
  DEMOS　（to　the　SAUSAGE…SELLER）
  And　you；　who　are　you？
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  His　rival。　For　many　a　long　year　have　I　loved　you；　have　I　wished　to
  do　you　honour；　I　and　a　crowd　of　other　men　of　means。　But　this　rascal
  here　has　prevented　us。　You　resemble　those　young　men　who　do　not　know
  where　to　choose　their　lovers；　you　repulse　honest　folks；　to　earn　your
  favours；　one　has　to　be　a　lamp…seller；　a　cobbler；　a　tanner　or　a
  currier。