Athens　of　old；　which　now　doth　reappear　to　your　gaze；　admirable；　worthy
  of　the　songs　of　the　poets　and　the　home　of　the　illustrious　Demos。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Oh！　noble；　brilliant　Athens；　whose　brow　is　wreathed　with
  violets；　show　us　the　sovereign　master　of　this　land　and　of　all　Greece。
  （DEMOS　comes　from　his　house；　rejuvenated　and　joyous。）
  AGORACRITUS
  Lo！　here　he　is　coming　with　his　hair　held　in　place　with　a　golden
  band　and　in　all　the　glory　of　his　old…world　dress；　perfumed　with　myrrh；
  he　spreads　around　him　not　the　odour　of　lawsuits；　but　that　of　peace。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Hail！　King　of　Greece；　we　congratulate　you　upon　the　happiness　you
  enjoy；　it　is　worthy　of　this　city；　worthy　of　the　glory　of　Marathon。
  DEMOS
  Come；　Agoracritus；　come；　my　best　friend；　see　the　service　you
  have　done　me　by　freshening　me　up　on　your　stove。
  AGORACRITUS
  Ah！　if　you　but　remembered　what　you　were　formerly　and　what　you　did；
  you　would　for　a　certainty　believe　me　to　be　a　god。
  DEMOS
  But　what　did　I　do？　and　how　was　I　then？
  AGORACRITUS
  Firstly；　so　soon　as　ever　an　orator　declared　in　the　Assembly；
  〃Demos；　I　love　you　ardently；　it　is　I　alone　who　dream　of　you　and
  watch　over　your　interests〃；　at　such　an　exordium　you　would　look　like
  a　cock　flapping　his　wings　or　a　bull　tossing　his　horns。
  DEMOS
  What；　I？
  AGORACRITUS
  Then；　after　he　had　fooled　you　to　the　hilt；　he　would　go。
  DEMOS
  What！　they　would　treat　me　so；　and　I　never　saw　it？
  AGORACRITUS
  You　knew　only　how　to　open　and　close　your　ears　like　a　sunshade。
  DEMOS
  Was　I　then　so　stupid　and　such　a　dotard？
  AGORACRITUS
  Worse　than　that；　if　one　of　two　orators　proposed　to　equip　a　fleet
  for　war　and　the　other　suggested　the　use　of　the　same　sum　for　paying　out
  to　the　citizens；　it　was　the　latter　who　always　carried　the　day。　Well！
  you　droop　your　head！　Why　do　you　turn　away　your　face？
  DEMOS
  I　am　blushing　at　my　past　errors。
  AGORACRITUS
  Think　no　more　of　them；　it's　not　you　who　are　to　blame；　but　those
  who　cheated　you　in　this　sorry　fashion。　But；　come；　if　some　impudent
  lawyer　dared　to　say；　〃Dicasts；　you　shall　have　no　wheat　unless　you
  convict　this　accused　man！〃　what　would　you　do？　Tell　me。
  DEMOS
  I　would　have　him　removed　from　the　bar；　I　would　bind　Hyperbolus
  about　his　neck　like　a　stone　and　would　fling　him　into　the　Barathrum。
  AGORACRITUS
  Well　spoken！　but　what　other　measures　do　you　wish　to　take？
  DEMOS
  First；　as　soon　as　ever　a　fleet　returns　to　the　harbour；　I　shall　pay
  up　the　rowers　in　full。
  AGORACRITUS
  That　will　soothe　many　a　worn　and　chafed　bottom。
  DEMOS
  Further；　the　hoplite　enrolled　for　military　service　shall　not　get
  transferred　to　another　service　through　favour；　but　shall　stick　to　that
  given　him　at　the　outset。
  AGORACRITUS
  This　will　strike　the　buckler　of　Cleonymus　full　in　the　centre。
  DEMOS
  None　shall　ascend　the　rostrum；　unless　his　chin　is　bearded。
  AGORACRITUS
  What　then　will　become　of　Clisthenes　and　of　Strato？
  DEMOS
  I　wish　only　to　refer　to　those　youths　who　loll　about　the　perfume
  shops；　babbling　at　random；　〃What　a　clever　fellow　is　Phaeax！　How
  cleverly　he　escaped　death！　how　concise　and　convincing　is　his　style！
  what　phrases！　how　clear　and　to　the　point！　how　well　he　knows　how　to
  quell　an　interruption！
  AGORACRITUS
  I　thought　you　were　the　lover　of　those　fairies。
  DEMOS
  The　gods　forefend　it！　and　I　will　force　all　such　fellows　to　go
  hunting　instead　of　proposing　decrees。
  AGORACRITUS
  In　that　case；　accept　this　folding…stool；　and；　to　carry　it；　this
  well…grown；　big…balled　slave　lad。　Besides；　you　may　put　him　to　any
  other　purpose　you　please。
  DEMOS
  Oh！　I　am　happy　indeed　to　find　myself　as　I　was　of　old！
  AGORACRITUS
  Aye；　you　will　deem　yourself　happy；　when　I　have　handed　you　the
  truce　of　thirty　years。　Truce！　step　forward！
  （Enter　Truce；　in　the　form　of　a　beautiful　young　girl；　magnificently
  attired。）
  DEMOS
  Great　gods！　how　charming　she　is！　Can　I　do　with　her　as　I　wish？
  where　did　you　discover　her；　pray？
  AGORACRITUS
  That　Paphlagonian　had　kept　her　locked　up　in　his　house；　so　that　you
  might　not　enjoy　her。　As　for　myself；　I　give　her　to　you；　take　her　with
  you　into　the　country。
  DEMOS
  And　what　punishment　will　you　inflict　upon　this　Paphlagonian；　the
  cause　of　all　my　troubles？
  AGORACRITUS
  It　will　not　be　over…terrible。　I　condemn　him　to　follow　my　old
  trade；　posted　near　the　gates；　he　must　sell　sausages　of　asses'　and
  dogs'　meat：　perpetually　drunk；　he　will　exchange　foul　language　with
  prostitutes　and　will　drink　nothing　but　the　dirty　water　from　the　baths。
  DEMOS
  Well　conceived！　he　is　indeed　fit　to　wrangle　with　harlots　and
  bathmen；　as　for　you；　in　return　for　so　many　blessings；　I　invite　you
  to　take　the　place　at　the　Prytaneum　which　this　rogue　once　occupied。　Put
  on　his　frog…green　mantle　and　follow　me。　As　for　the　other；　let　them
  take　him　away；　let　him　go　sell　his　sausages　in　full　view　of　the
  foreigners；　whom　he　used　formerly　to　insult　so　wantonly。
  THE　END
  。