Peace　and　draw　her　out　of　this　pit；　before　some　other　pestle
  prevents　us。　Come；　labourers；　merchants；　workmen；　artisans；　strangers；
  whether　you　be　domiciled　or　not；　islanders；　come　here；　Greeks　of　all
  countries；　come　hurrying　here　with　picks　and　levers　and　ropes！　This　is
  the　moment　to　drain　a　cup　in　honour　of　the　Good　Genius。
  （The　CHORUS　enters；　it　consists　of　labourers　and　farmers　from
  various　Greek　states。）
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Come　hither　all！　quick；　to　the　rescue！　All　peoples　of　Greece；
  now　is　the　time　or　never；　for　you　to　help　each　other。　You　see
  yourselves　freed　from　battles　and　all　their　horrors　of　bloodshed。
  The　day　hateful　to　Lamachus　has　come。　（To　TRYGAEUS）　Come　then；　what
  must　be　done？　Give　your　orders；　direct　us；　for　or　swear　to　work　this
  day　without　ceasing；　until　with　the　help　of　our　levers　and　our　engines
  we　have　drawn　back　into　light　the　greatest　of　all　goddesses；　her　to
  whom　the　olive　is　so　dear。
  TRYGAEUS
  Silence！　if　War　should　hear　your　shouts　of　joy　he　would　bound
  forth　from　his　retreat　in　fury。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Such　a　decree　overwhelms　us　with　joy；　how　different　to　the
  edict；　which　bade　us　muster　with　provisions　for　three　days。
  TRYGAEUS
  Let　us　beware　lest　the　cursed　Cerberus　prevent　us　even　from　the
  nethermost　bell　from　delivering　the　goddess　by　his　furious　howling；
  just　as　he　did　when　on　earth。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Once　we　have　hold　of　her；　none　in　the　world　will　be　able　to　take
  her　from　us。　Huzza！　huzza！
  TRYGAEUS
  You　will　work　my　death　if　you　don't　subdue　your　shouts。　War　will
  come　running　out　and　trample　everything　beneath　his　feet。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Well　then！　Let　him　confound；　let　him　trample；　let　him　overturn
  everything！　We　cannot　help　giving　vent　to　our　joy。
  TRYGAEUS
  Oh！　cruel　fate！　My　friends！　in　the　name　of　the　gods；　what
  possesses　you？　Your　dancing　will　wreck　the　success　of　a　fine
  undertaking。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  It's　not　I　who　want　to　dance；　it's　my　legs　that　bound　with
  delight。
  TRYGAEUS
  Enough；　please；　cease　your　gambols。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  There！　That's　all。
  TRYGAEUS
  You　say　so；　and　nevertheless　you　go　on。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Yet　one　more　figure　and　it's　done。
  TRYGAEUS
  Well；　just　this　one；　then　you　must　dance　no　more。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  No；　no　more　dancing；　if　we　can　help　you。
  TRYGAEUS
  But　look；　you　are　not　stopping　even　now。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  By　Zeus；　I　am　only　throwing　up　my　right　leg；　that's　all。
  TRYGAEUS
  Come；　I　grant　you　that；　but　pray；　annoy　me　no　further。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Ah！　the　left　leg　too　will　have　its　fling；　well；　that's　its
  right。　I　am　so　happy；　so　delighted　at　not　having　to　carry　my　buckler
  any　more。　I　fart　for　joy　and　I　laugh　more　than　if　I　had　cast　my　old
  age；　as　a　serpent　does　its　skin。
  TRYGAEUS
  No；　it's　not　time　for　joy　yet；　for　you　are　not　sure　of　success。
  But　when　you　have　got　the　goddess；　then　rejoice；　shout　and　laugh；
  thenceforward　you　will　be　able　to　sail　or　stay　at　home；　to　make　love
  or　sleep；　to　attend　festivals　and　processions；　to　play　at　cottabos；
  live　like　true　Sybarites　and　to　shout；　Io；　io！
  CHORUS　（singing）
  Ah！　God　grant　we　may　see　the　blessed　day。　I　have　suffered　so　much；
  have　so　oft　slept　with　Phormio　on　hard　beds。　You　will　no　longer　find
  me　a　bitter　and　angry　judge。。。。
  TRYGAEUS　（singing）
  Nor；　naturally；　hard　in　your　ways；　as　heretofore。
  CHORUS　（singing）
  。。。。but　turned　indulgent　and　grown　younger　by　twenty　years　through
  happiness。　We　have　been　killing　ourselves　long　enough；　tiring
  ourselves　out　with　going　to　the　Lyceum　and　returning　laden　with
  spear　and　buckler。…But　what　can　we　do　to　please　you？　Come；　speak；
  for　'tis　a　good　Fate　that　has　named　you　our　leader。
  TRYGAEUS
  How　shall　we　set　about　removing　these　stones？
  HERMES　（who　has　just　returned）
  Rash　reprobate；　what　do　you　propose　doing？
  TRYGAEUS
  Nothing　bad；　as　Cillicon　said。
  HERMES
  You　are　undone；　you　wretch。
  TRYGAEUS
  Yes；　if　the　lot　had　to　decide　my　life；　for　Hermes　would　know　how
  to　turn　the　chance。
  HERMES
  You　are　lost；　you　are　dead。
  TRYGAEUS
  On　what　day？
  HERMES
  This　instant。
  TRYGAEUS
  But　I　have　not　provided　myself　with　flour　and　cheese　yet　to
  start　for　death。
  HERMES
  You　are　kneaded　and　ground　already；　I　tell　you。
  TRYGAEUS
  Hah！　I　have　not　yet　tasted　that　gentle　pleasure。
  HERMES
  Don't　you　know　that　Zeus　has　decreed　death　for　him　who　is　caught
  exhuming　Peace？
  TRYGAEUS
  What！　must　I　really　and　truly　die？
  HERMES
  You　must。
  TRYGAEUS
  Well　then；　lend　me　three　drachmae　to　buy　a　young　pig；　I　wish　to
  have　myself　initiated　before　I　die。
  HERMES
  Oh！　Zeus；　the　Thunderer！
  TRYGAEUS
  I　adjure　you　in　the　name　of　the　gods；　master；　don't　report　us！
  HERMES
  I　may　not；　I　cannot　keep　silent。
  TRYGAEUS
  In　the　name　of　the　meats　which　I　brought　you　so　good…naturedly。
  HERMES
  Why；　wretched　man；　Zeus　will　annihilate　me；　if　I　do　not　shout
  out　at　the　top　of　my　voice；　to　inform　him　what　you　are　plotting。
  TRYGAEUS
  Oh；　no！　don't　shout；　I　beg　you；　dear　little　Hermes。。。。　And　what
  are　you　doing；　comrades？　You　stand　there　as　though　you　were　stocks　and
  stones。　Wretched　men；　speak；　entreat　him　at　once；　otherwise　he　will　be
  shouting。
  CHORUS　（singing）
  Oh！　mighty　Hermes！　do　not　do　it；　no；　do　not　do　it！　If　ever　you
  have　eaten　some　young　pig；　sacrificed　by　us　on　your　altars；　with
  pleasure；　may　this　offering　not　be　without　value　in　your　sight　to…day。
  TRYGAEUS　（singing）
  Do　you　not　hear　them　wheedling　you；　mighty　god？
  CHORUS　（singing）
  Be　not　pitiless　toward　our　prayers；　permit　us　to　deliver　the
  goddess。　Oh！　the　most　human；　the　most　generous　of　the　gods；　be
  favourable　toward　us；　if　it　be　true　that　you　detest　the　haughty　crests
  and　proud　brows　of　Pisander；　we　shall　never　cease；　oh　master；　offering
  you　sacred　victims　and　solemn　prayers。
  TRYGAEUS
  Have　mercy；　mercy；　yourself　be　touched　by　their　words；　never　was
  your　worship　so　dear　to　them　as　to…day。　（Aside）　Really　they　are　the
  greatest　thieves　that　ever　were。　（To　HERMES）　And　I　shall　reveal　to　you
  a　great　and　terrible　plot　that　is　being　hatched　against　the　gods。
  HERMES
  Hah！　speak　and　perchance　I　shall　let　myself　be　softened。
  TRYGAEUS
  Know　then；　that　the　Moon　and　that　infamous　Sun　are　plotting
  against　you；　and　want　to　deliver　Greece　into　the　hands　of　the
  barbarians。
  HERMES
  What　for？
  TRYGAEUS
  Because　it　is　to　you　that　we　sacrifice；　whereas　the　barbarians
  worship　them；　hence　they　would　like　to　see　you　destroyed；　that　they
  alone　might　receive　the　offerings。
  HERMES
  Is　it　then　for　this　reason　that　these　untrustworthy　charioteers
  have　for　so　long　been　defrauding　us；　one　of　them　robbing　us　of
  daylight　and　the　other　nibbling　away　at　the　other's　disk？
  TRYGAES
  Yes；　certainly。　So　therefore；　Hermes；　my　friend；　help　us　with　your
  whole　heart　to　find　and　deliver　the　captive　and　we　will　celebrate
  the　great　Panathenaea　in　your　honour　as　well　as　all　the　festivals　of
  the　other　gods；　for　Hermes　shall　be　the　Mysteries。　the　Dipolia；　the
  Adonia；　everywhere　the　towns；　freed　from　their　miseries；　will
  sacrifice　to　Hermes　the　Liberator；　you　will　be　loaded　with　benefits　of
  every　kind；　and　to　start　with；　I　offer　you　this　cup　for　libations　as
  your　first　present。
  HERMES
  Ah！　how　golden　cups　do　influence　me！　Come；　friends。　get　to　work。
  To　the　pit　quickly；　pick　in　hand；　and　drag　away　the　stones。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  We　go；　but　you；　cleverest　of　all　the　gods；　supervise　our
  labours；　tell　us；　good　workman　as　you　are；　what　we　must　do；　we　shall
  obey　your　orders　with　alacrity。
  （They　begin　to　lift　the　stones。）
  TRYGAEUS
  Quick；　reach　me　your　cup；　and　let　us　preface　our　work　by
  addressing　prayers　to　the　gods。
  HERMES
  Libation！　Libation！　Silence！　Let　us　offer　our　libations　and　our
  prayers；　so　that　this　day　may　begin　an　era　of　unalloyed　happiness
  for　Greece　and　that　he　who　has　bravely　pulled　at　the　rope　with　us
  may　never　resume　his　buckler。
  TRYGAEUS
  Aye；　may　we　pass　our　lives　in　peace；　caressing　our　mistresses
  and　poking　the　fire。
  HERMES
  May　he　who　would　prefer　the　war；　oh　Dionysus。。。。
  TRYGAEUS
  Be　ever　drawing　barbed　arrows　out　of　his　elbows。
  HERMES
  If　there　be　a　citizen；　greedy　for　military　rank　and　honours；　who
  refuses；　oh；　divine　Peace！　to　restore　you　to　daylight。。。。
  TRYGAEUS
  May　he　behave　as　cowardly　as　Cleonymus　on　the　battlefield。
  HERMES
  If　a　lance…maker　or　a　dealer　in　shields　desires　war　for　the　sake
  of　better　trade。。。。
  TRYGAEUS
  May　he　be　taken　by　pirates　and　eat　nothing　but　barley。
  HERMES
  If　some　a