thrash　him　with　my　torch。
  EURIPIDES
  〃Do　you　propose　to　prevent　me　from　taking　my　wife；　the　daughter　of
  Tyndareus；　to　Sparta？〃
  SECOND　WOMAN
  You　seem　to　me　to　be　a　cunning　rascal　too；　you　are　in　collusion
  with　this　man；　and　it　wasn't　for　nothing　that　you　kept　babbling
  about　Egypt。　But　the　hour　for　punishment　has　come；　here　is　the
  Magistrate　with　his　Scythian。
  EURIPIDES
  This　is　getting　awkward。　Let　me　hide　myself。
  MNESILOCHUS
  And　what　is　to　become　of　me；　poor　unfortunate　man　that　I　am？
  EURIPIDES
  Don't　worry。　I　shall　never　abandon　you；　as　long　as　I　draw　breath
  and　one　of　my　numberless　artifices　remains　untried。
  MNESILOCHUS
  The　fish　has　not　bitten　this　time。
  （A　MAGISTRATE　enters；　accompanied　by　a　Scythian　policeman。）
  MAGISTRATE
  Is　this　the　rascal　Clisthenes　told　us　about？　Why　are　you　trying　to
  make　yourself　so　small？　Officer；　arrest　him；　fasten　him　to　the　post；
  then　take　up　your　position　there　and　keep　guard　over　him。　Let　none
  approach　him。　A　sound　lash　with　your　whip　for　him　who　attempts　to
  break　the　order。
  SECOND　WOMAN
  Excellent；　for　just　now　a　rogue　almost　took　him　from　me。
  MNESILOCHUS
  Magistrate；　in　the　name　of　that　hand　which　you　know　so　well　how　to
  bend　when　money　is　placed　in　it；　grant　me　a　slight　favour　before　I
  die。
  MAGISTRATE
  What　favour？
  MNESILOCHUS
  Order　the　archer　to　strip　me　before　lashing　me　to　the　post；　the
  crows；　when　they　make　their　meal　on　the　poor　old　man；　would　laugh
  too　much　at　this　robe　and　head…dress；
  MAGISTRATE
  It　is　in　that　gear　that　you　must　be　exposed　by　order　of　the
  Senate；　so　that　your　crime　may　be　patent　to　the　passers…by。
  （He　departs。）
  MNESILOCHUS　（as　the　SCYTHIAN　seizes　him）
  Oh！　cursed　robe；　the　cause　of　all　my　misfortune！　My　last　hope　is
  thus　destroyed！
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Let　us　now　devote　ourselves　to　the　sports　which　the　women　are
  accustomed　to　celebrate　here；　when　time　has　again　brought　round　the
  mighty　Mysteries　of　the　great　goddesses；　the　sacred　days　which
  Pauson　himself　honours　by　fasting　and　would　wish　feast　to　succeed
  feast；　that　he　might　keep　them　all　holy。　Spring　forward　with　a　light
  step；　whirling　in　mazy　circles；　let　your　hands　interlace；　let　the
  eager　and　rapid　dancers　sway　to　the　music　and　glance　on　every　side
  as　they　move。
  CHORUS　（singing）
  Let　the　chorus　sing　likewise　and　praise　the　Olympian　gods　in　their
  pious　transport。　It's　wrong　to　suppose　that；　because　I　am　a　woman
  and　in　this　temple；　I　am　going　to　speak　ill　of　men；　but　since　we
  want　something　fresh；　we　are　going　through　the　rhythmic　steps　of　the
  round　dance　for　the　first　time。
  Start　off　while　you　sing　to　the　god　of　the　lyre　and　to　the
  chaste　goddess　armed　with　the　bow。　Hail　I　thou　god　who　flingest　thy
  darts　so　far；　grant　us　the　victory！　The　homage　of　our　song　is　also　due
  to　Here；　the　goddess　of　marriage；　who　interests　herself　in　every
  chorus　and　guards　the　approach　to　the　nuptial　couch。　I　also　pray
  Hermes；　the　god　of　the　shepherds；　and　Pan　and　the　beloved　Graces　to
  bestow　a　benevolent　smile　upon　our　songs。
  Let　us　lead　off　anew；　let　us　double　our　zeal　during　our　solemn
  days；　and　especially　let　us　observe　a　close　fast；　let　us　form　fresh
  measures　that　keep　good　time；　and　may　our　songs　resound　to　the　very
  heavens。　Do　thou；　oh　divine　Bacchus；　who　art　crowned　with　ivy；
  direct　our　chorus；　'tis　to　thee　that　both　my　hymns　and　my　dances　are
  dedicated；　oh；　Evius；　oh；　Bromius；　oh；　thou　son　of　Semeld；　oh；
  Bacchus；　who　delightest　to　mingle　with　the　dear　choruses　of　the　nymphs
  upon　the　mountains；　and　who　repeatest；　while　dancing　with　them；　the
  sacred　hymn；　Euios；　Euios；　Euoi！　Echo；　the　nymph　of　Cithaeron；　returns
  thy　words；　which　resound　beneath　the　dark　vaults　of　the　thick
  foliage　and　in　the　midst　of　the　rocks　of　the　forest；　the　ivy　enlaces
  thy　brow　with　its　tendrils　charged　with　flowers。
  SCYTHIAN　（he　speaks　with　a　heavy　foreign　accent）
  You　shall　stay　here　in　the　open　air　to　wail。
  MNESILOCHUS
  Archer；　I　adjure　you。
  SCYTHIAN
  You're　wasting　your　breath。
  MNESILOCHUS
  Loosen　the　wedge　a　little。
  SCYTHIAN
  Aye；　certainly。
  MNESILOCHUS
  Oh　by　the　gods！　why；　you　are　driving　it　in　tighter。
  SCYTHIAN
  Is　that　enough？
  MNESILOCHUS
  Oh！　Oh！　Ow！　Ow！　May　the　plague　take　you！
  SCYTHIAN
  Silence！　you　cursed　old　wretch！　I　am　going　to　get　a　mat　to　lie
  upon；　so　as　to　watch　you　close　at　hand　at　my　ease。
  MNESILOCHUS
  Ah！　what　exquisite　pleasures　Euripides　is　securing　for　me！　But；
  oh；　ye　gods！　oh；　Zeus　the　Deliverer；　all　is　not　yet　lost！　I　don't
  believe　him　the　man　to　break　his　word；　I　just　caught　sight　of　him
  appearing　in　the　form　of　Perseus；　and　he　told　me　with　a　mysterious
  sign　to　turn　myself　into　Andromeda。　And　in　truth　am　I　not　really
  bound？　It's　certain；　then；　that　be　is　coming　to　my　rescue；　for
  otherwise　he　would　not　have　steered　his　flight　this　way。
  （As　Andromeda；　singing）
  Oh　Nymphs；　ye　virgins　who　are　so　dear　to　me；　how　am　I　to
  approach　him？　how　can　I　escape　the　sight　of　this　Scythian？　And　Echo；
  thou　who　reignest　in　the　inmost　recesses　of　the　caves；　oh！　favour　my
  cause　and　permit　me　to　approach　my　spouse。　A　pitiless　ruffian　has
  chained　up　the　most　unfortunate　of　mortal　maids。　Alas！　I　bad　barely
  escaped　the　filthy　claws　of　an　old　fury；　when　another　mischance
  overtook　me！　This　Scythian　does　not　take　his　eye　off　me　and　he　has
  exposed　me　as　food　for　the　crows。　Alas！　what　is　to　become　of　me；　alone
  here　and　without　friends！　I　am　not　seen　mingling　in　the　dances　nor
  in　the　games　of　my　companions；　but　heavily　loaded　with　fetters　I　am
  given　over　to　the　voracity　of　a　Glaucetes。　Sing　no　bridal　hymn　for　me；
  oh　women；　but　rather　the　hymn　of　captivity；　and　in　tears。　Ah！　how　I
  suffer！　great　gods！　how　I　suffer！　Alas！　alas！　and　through　my　own
  relatives　too！　My　misery　would　make　Tartarus　dissolve　into　tears！
  Alas！　in　my　terrible　distress；　I　implore　the　mortal　who　first　shaved
  me　and　depilated　me；　then　dressed　me　in　this　long　robe；　and　then
  sent　me　to　this　Temple　into　the　midst　of　the　women；　to　save　me。　Oh！
  thou　pitiless　Fate！　I　am　then　accursed；　great　gods！　Ah！　who　would
  not　be　moved　at　the　sight　of　the　appalling　tortures　under　which　I
  succumb？　Would　that　the　blazing　shaft　of　the　lightning　would
  wither。。。。　this　barbarian　for　me！　The　immortal　light　has　no　further
  charm　for　my　eyes　since　I　have　been　descending　the　shortest　path　to
  the　dead；　tied　up；　strangled；　and　maddened　with　pain。
  （In　the　following　scene　EURIPIDES；　from　off　stage；　impersonates
  Echo。）
  EURIPIDES
  Hail！　beloved　girl。　As　for　your　father；　Cepheus；　who　has　exposed
  you　in　this　guise；　may　the　gods　annihilate　him。
  MNESILOCHUS
  And　who　are　you　whom　my　misfortunes　have　moved　to　pity？
  EURIPIDES
  I　am　Echo；　the　nymph　who　repeats　all　she　hears。　It　was　I；　who　last
  year　lent　my　help　to　Euripides　in　this　very　place。　But；　my　child；　give
  yourself　up　to　the　sad　laments　that　belong　to　your　pitiful　condition。
  MNESILOCHUS
  And　you　will　repeat　them？
  EURIPIDES
  I　will　not　fail　you。　Begin。
  MNESILOCHUS　（singing）
  〃Oh！　thou　divine　Night！　how　slowly　thy　chariot　threads　its　way
  through　the　starry　vault；　across　the　sacred　realms　of　the　Air　and
  mighty　Olympus。〃
  EURIPIDES　（singing）
  Mighty　Olympus。
  MNESILOCHUS　（singing）
  〃Why　is　it　necessary　that　Andromeda　should　have　all　the　woes　for
  her　share？
  EURIPIDES　（singing）
  For　her　share。
  MNESILOCHUS　（speaking）
  〃Sad　death！
  EURIPIDES
  Sad　death！
  MNESILOCHUS
  You　weary　me；　old　babbler。
  EURIPIDES
  Old　babbler。
  MNESILOCHUS
  Oh！　you　are　too　unbearable。
  EURIPIDES
  Unbearable。
  MNESILOCHUS
  Friend；　let　me　talk　by　myself。　Do　please　let　me。　Come；　that's
  enough。
  EURIPIDES
  That's　enough。
  MNESILOCHUS
  Go　and　hang　yourself！
  EURIPIDES
  Go　and　hang　yourself！
  MNESILOCHUS
  What　a　plague！
  EURIPIDES
  What　a　plague！
  MNESILOCHUS
  Cursed　brute！
  EURIPIDES
  Cursed　brute！
  MNESILOCHUS
  Beware　of　blows！
  EURIPIDES
  Beware　of　blows！
  SCYTHIAN
  Hullo！　what　are　you　jabbering　about？
  EURIPIDES
  What　are　you　jabbering　about？
  SCYTHIAN
  I　shall　go　and　call　the　Magistrates。
  EURIPIDES
  I　shall　go　and　call　the　Magistrates。
  SCYTHIAN
  This　is　odd！
  EURIPIDES
  This　is　odd！
  SCYTHIAN
  Whence　comes　this　voice？
  EURIPIDES
  Whence　comes　this　voice？
  SCYTHIAN
  You　are　mad。
  EURIPIDES
  You　are　mad。
  SCYTHIAN
  Ah！　beware！
  EURIPIDES
  Ah！　beware！
  SCYTHIAN　（to　MNESILOCHUS）
  Are　you　mocking　me？
  EURIPIDES
  Are　you　mocking　me？
  MNESILOCHUS
  No；　it's　this　woman；　who　s