with　her　own　hands。
  CLEON
  Hold；　here　is　a　piece　of　good　rich　cake。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  But　I　offer　you　an　entire　cake。
  CLEON
  But　you　cannot　offer　him　stewed　hare　as　I　do。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER　（aside）
  Ah！　great　gods！　stewed　hare！　where　shall　I　find　it？　Oh！　brain　of
  mine；　devise　some　trick！
  CLEON　（showing　him　the　hare）
  Do　you　see　this；　you　rogue？
  SAUSAGE…SELLER　（pretending　to　look　afar）
  A　fig　for　that！　Here　are　some　people　coming　to　seek　me。　They　are
  envoys；　bearing　sacks　bulging　with　money。
  CLEON
  （Hearing　money　mentioned　CLEON　turns　his　head；　and　the
  SAUSAGE…SELLER　seizes　the　opportunity　to　snatch　away　the　stewed　hare。）
  Where；　where；　I　say？
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  Bah！　What's　that　to　you？　Will　you　not　even　now　let　the　strangers
  alone？　Dear　Demos；　do　you　see　this　stewed　hare　which　I　bring　you？
  CLEON
  Ah！　rascal！　you　have　shamelessly　robbed　me。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  You　have　robbed　too；　you　robbed　the　Laconians　at　Pylos。
  DEMOS
  Please　tell　me；　how　did　you　get　the　idea　to　filch　it　from　him？
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  The　idea　comes　from　the　goddess；　the　theft　is　all　my　own。
  CLEON
  And　I　had　taken　such　trouble　to　catch　this　hare　and　I　was　the
  one　who　had　it　cooked。
  DEMOS　（to　CLEON）
  Get　you　gone！　My　thanks　are　only　for　him　who　served　it。
  CLEON
  Ah！　wretch！　you　have　beaten　me　in　impudence！
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  Well　then；　Demos；　say　now；　who　has　treated　you　best；　you　and
  your　stomach？　Decide！
  DEMOS
  How　shall　I　act　here　so　that　the　spectators　shall　approve　my
  judgment？
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  I　will　tell　you。　Without　saying　anything；　go　and　rummage　through
  my　basket；　and　then　through　the　Paphlagonian's；　and　see　what　is　in
  them；　that's　the　best　way　to　judge。
  DEMOS
  Let　us　see　then；　what　is　there　in　yours？
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  Why；　it's　empty；　dear　little　father；　I　have　brought　everything
  to　you。
  DEMOS
  This　is　a　basket　devoted　to　the　people。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  Now　hunt　through　the　Paphlagonian's。　（Pause；　as　Demos　does　so）
  Well？
  DEMOS
  Oh！　what　a　lot　of　good　things！　Why　it's　quite　full！　Oh！　what　a
  huge　great　part　of　this　cake　he　kept　for　himself！　He　had　only　cut
  off　the　least　little　tiny　piece　for　me。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  But　this　is　what　he　has　always　done。　Of　everything　he　took；　he
  only　gave　you　the　crumbs；　and　kept　the　bulk。
  DEMOS　（to　CLEON）
  Oh！　rascal！　was　this　the　way　you　robbed　me？　And　I　was　loading
  you　with　chaplets　and　gifts！
  CLEON
  I　robbed　for　the　public　weal。
  DEMOS　（to　CLEON）
  Give　me　back　that　crown；　I　shall　give　it　to　him。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  Return　it　quick；　quick；　you　gallows…bird。
  CLEON
  No；　for　the　Pythian　oracle　has　revealed　to　me　the　name　of　him
  who　shall　overthrow　me。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  And　that　name　was　mine；　nothing　can　be　clearer。
  CLEON
  Reply　and　I　shall　soon　see　whether　you　are　indeed　the　man　whom　the
  god　intended。　Firstly；　what　school　did　you　attend　when　a　child？
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  It　was　in　the　kitchens；　where　I　was　taught　with　cuffs　and　blows。
  CLEON
  What's　that　you　say？　（aside）　Ah！　this　is　truly　what　the　oracle
  said。
  （To　the　SAUSAGE…SELLER）　And　what　did　you　learn　from　the　master　of
  exercises？
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  I　learnt　to　take　a　false　oath　without　a　smile；　when　I　had　stolen
  something。
  CLEON　（frightened；　aside）
  Oh！　Phoebus　Apollo；　god　of　Lycia！　I　am　undone！　（To　the
  SAUSAGE…SELLER）　And　when　you　had　become　a　man；　what　trade　did　you
  follow？
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  I　sold　sausages　and　did　a　bit　of　fornication。
  CLEON　（in　consternation；　aside）
  Oh！　my　god！　I　am　a　lost　man！　Ah！　still　one　slender　hope　remains。
  （to　the　SAUSAGE…SELLER）　Tell　me；　was　it　on　the　market…place　or　near
  the　gates　that　you　sold　your　sausages？
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  Near　the　gates；　in　the　market　for　salted　goods。
  CLEON　（in　tragic　despair）
  Alas！　I　see　the　prophecy　of　the　god　is　verily　come　true。　Alas！
  roll　me　home。　I　am　a　miserable　ruined　man。　Farewell；　my　chaplet。
  'Tis　death　to　me　to　part　with　you。　So　you　are　to　belong　to　another；
  'tis　certain　he　cannot　be　a　greater　thief；　but　perhaps　he　may　be　a
  luckier　one。
  （He　gives　the　chaplet　to　the　SAUSAGE…SELLER。）
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  Oh！　Zeus；　protector　of　Greece！　'tis　to　you　I　owe　this　victory！
  DEMOSTHENES
  Hail！　illustrious　conqueror；　but　forget　not；　that　if　you　have
  become　a　great　man；　'tis　thanks　to　me；　I　ask　but　a　little　thing；
  appoint　me　secretary　of　the　law…court　in　the　room　of　Phanus。
  DEMOS　（to　the　SAUSAGE…SELLER）
  But　what　is　your　name　then？　Tell　me。
  SAUSAGE…SELLER
  My　name　is　Agoracritus；　because　I　have　always　lived　on　the
  marketplace　in　the　midst　of　lawsuits。
  DEMOS
  Well　then；　Agoracritus；　I　stand　by　you；　as　for　the　Paphlagonian；　I
  hand　him　over　to　your　mercy。
  AGORACRITUS
  Demos；　I　will　care　for　you　to　the　best　of　my　power；　and　all
  shall　admit　that　no　citizen　is　more　devoted　than　I　to　this　city　of
  simpletons。
  （They　all　enter　the　house　of　DEMOS。）
  CHORUS　（singing）
  What　fitter　theme　for　our　Muse；　at　the　close　as　at　the　beginning
  of　our　work；　than　this；　to　sing　the　hero　who　drives　his　swift　steeds
  down　the　arena？　Why　afflict　Lysistratus　with　our　satires　on　his
  poverty；　and　Thumantis；　who　has　not　so　much　as　a　lodging？　He　is
  dying　of　hunger　and　can　be　seen　at　Delphi；　his　face　bathed　in　tears；
  clinging　to　your　quiver；　oh；　Apollo　and　supplicating　you　to　take　him
  out　of　his　misery。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  An　insult　directed　at　the　wicked　is　not　to　be　censured；　on　the
  contrary；　the　honest　man；　if　he　has　sense；　can　only　applaud。　Him；　whom
  I　wish　to　brand　with　infamy；　is　little　known　himself；　he's　the　brother
  of　Arignotus。　I　regret　to　quote　this　name　which　is　so　dear　to　me；
  but　whoever　can　distinguish　black　from　white；　or　the　Orthian　mode　of
  music　from　others；　knows　the　virtues　of　Arignotus；　whom　his　brother；
  Ariphrades；　in　no　way　resembles。　He　gloats　in　vice；　is　not　merely　a
  dissolute　man　and　utterly　debauched…but　he　has　actually　invented　a　new
  form　of　vice；　for　he　pollutes　his　tongue　with　abominable　pleasures
  in　brothels；　befouling　all　of　his　body。　Whoever　is　not　horrified　at
  such　a　monster　shall　never　drink　from　the　same　cup　with　me。
  CHORUS　（singing）
  At　times　a　thought　weighs　on　me　at　night；　I　wonder　whence　comes
  this　fearful　voracity　of　Cleonymus。　'Tis　said　that　when　dining　with
  a　rich　host；　he　springs　at　the　dishes　with　the　gluttony　of　a　wild
  beast　and　never　leaves　the　bread…bin　until　his　host　seizes　him　round
  the　knees；　exclaiming；　〃Go；　go；　good　gentleman；　in　mercy　go；　and　spare
  my　poor　table！〃
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  It　is　said　that　the　triremes　assembled　in　council　and　that　the
  oldest　spoke　in　these　terms；　〃Are　you　ignorant；　my　sisters；　of　what　is
  plotting　in　Athens？　They　say　that　a　certain　Hyperbolus；　a　bad
  citizen　and　an　infamous　scoundrel；　asks　for　a　hundred　of　us　to　take
  them　to　sea　against　Carthage。〃　All　were　indignant；　and　one　of　them；　as
  yet　a　virgin；　cried；　〃May　god　forbid　that　I　should　ever　obey　him！　I
  would　prefer　to　grow　old　in　the　harbour　and　be　gnawed　by　worms。　No！　by
  the　gods　I　swear　it；　Nauphante；　daughter　of　Nauson；　shall　never　bend
  to　his　law；　that's　as　true　as　I　am　made　of　wood　and　pitch。　If　the
  Athenians　vote　for　the　proposal　of　Hyperbolus；　let　them！　we　will　hoist
  full　sail　and　seek　refuge　by　the　temple　of　Theseus　or　the　shrine　of
  the　Eumenides。　No！　he　shall　not　command　us！　No！　he　shall　not　play　with
  the　city　to　this　extent！　Let　him　sail　by　himself　for　Tartarus；　if　such
  please　him；　launching　the　boats　in　which　he　used　to　sell　his　lamps。〃
  （The　SAUSAGE…SELLER　comes　out　of　the　house　of　DEMOS；　splendidly
  robed。）
  AGORACRITUS　（solemnly）
  Maintain　a　holy　silence！　Keep　your　mouths　from　utterance！　call
  no　more　witnesses；　close　these　tribunals；　which　are　the　delight　of
  this　city；　and　gather　at　the　theatre　to　chant　the　Paean　of
  thanksgiving　to　the　gods　for　a　fresh　favour。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Oh！　torch　of　sacred　Athens；　saviour　of　the　Islands；　what　good
  tidings　are　we　to　celebrate　by　letting　the　blood　of　the　victims　flow
  in　our　marketplaces？
  AGORACRITUS
  I　have　freshened　Demos　up　somewhat　on　the　stove　and　have　turned
  his　ugliness　into　beauty。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  I　admire　your　invertive　genius；　but；　where　is　he？
  AGORACRITUS
  He　is　living　in　ancient　Athens；　the　city　of　the　garlands　of
  violets。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  How　I　should　like　to　see　him！　What　is　his　dress　like；　what　his
  manner？
  AGORACRITUS
  He　has　once　more　become　as　he　was　in　the　days　when　he　lived　with
  Aristides　and　Miltiades。　But　you　will　judge　for　yourselves；　for　I　hear
  the　vestibule　doors　opening。　Hail　with　your　shouts　of　gladness　the
  Athens　of　old；　which　now　doth　reappear　to　your　gaze；　admirable；　wo