LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Nor　I；　until　now。　This　accounts　for　her　beauty；　if　she　is
  related　to　him。　There　are　so　many　things　that　escape　us。
  HERMES
  Then；　when　the　towns　subject　to　you　saw　that　you　were　angered
  one　against　the　other　and　were　showing　each　other　your　teeth　like
  dogs；　they　hatched　a　thousand　plots　to　pay　you　no　more　dues　and　gained
  over　the　chief　citizens　of　Sparta　at　the　price　of　gold。　They；　being　as
  shamelessly　greedy　as　they　were　faithless　in　diplomacy；　chased　off
  Peace　with　ignominy　to　let　loose　War。　Though　this　was　profitable　to
  them；　it　was　the　ruin　of　the　husbandmen；　who　were　innocent　of　all
  blame；　for；　in　revenge；　your　galleys　went　out　to　devour　their　figs。
  TRYGAEUS
  And　with　justice　too；　did　they　not　break　down　my　black　fig　tree；
  which　I　had　planted　and　dunged　with　my　own　hands？
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Yes；　by　Zeus！　yes；　that　was　well　done；　the　wretches　broke　a
  chest　for　me　with　stones；　which　held　six　medimni　of　corn。
  HERMES
  Then　the　rural　labourers　flocked　into　the　city　and　let
  themselves　be　bought　over　like　the　others。　Not　having　even　a
  grape…stone　to　munch　and　longing　after　their　figs；　they　looked　towards
  the　demagogues。　These　well　knew　that　the　poor　were　driven　to　extremity
  and　lacked　even　bread；　but　they　nevertheless　drove　away　the　Goddess；
  each　time　she　reappeared　in　answer　to　the　wish　of　the　country；　with
  their　loud　shrieks　that　were　as　sharp　as　pitchforks；　furthermore；　they
  attacked　the　well…filled　purses　of　the　richest　among　our　allies　on　the
  pretence　that　they　belonged　to　Brasidas'　party。　And　then　you　would
  tear　the　poor　accused　wretch　to　pieces　with　your　teeth；　for　the
  city；　all　pale　with　hunger　and　cowed　with　terror；　gladly　snapped　up
  any　calumny　that　was　thrown　it　to　devour。　So　the　strangers；　seeing
  what　terrible　blows　the　informers　dealt；　sealed　their　lips　with
  gold。　They　grew　rich；　while　you；　alas！　you　could　only　see　that
  Greece　was　going　to　ruin。　It　was　the　tanner　who　was　the　author　of
  all　this　woe。
  TRYGAEUS
  Enough　said；　Hermes　leave　that　man　in　Hades；　whither　he　has
  gone；　be　no　longer　belongs　to　us；　but　rather　to　you。　That　he　was　a
  cheat；　a　braggart；　a　calumniator　when　alive；　why；　nothing　could　be
  truer；　but　anything　you　might　say　now　would　be　an　insult　to　one　of
  your　own　folk。
  （To　PEACE）　Oh！　venerated　Goddess！　why　art　thou　silent？
  HERMES
  And　how　could　she　speak　to　the　spectators？　She　is　too　angry　at　all
  that　they　have　made　her　suffer。
  TRYGAEUS
  At　least　let　her　speak　a　little　to　you；　Hermes。
  HERMES
  Tell　me；　my　dear；　what　are　your　feelings　with　regard　to　them？
  Come；　you　relentless　foe　of　all　bucklers；　speak；　I　am　listening　to
  you。　（PEACE　whispers　into　HERMES'　ear。）　Is　that　your　grievance　against
  them？　Yes；　yes；　I　understand。　Hearken；　you　folk；　this　is　her
  complaint。　She　says；　that　after　the　affair　of　Pylos　she　came　to　you
  unbidden　to　bring　you　a　basket　full　of　truces　and　that　you　thrice
  repulsed　her　by　your　votes　in　the　assembly。
  TRYGAEUS
  Yes；　we　did　wrong；　but　forgive　us；　for　our　mind　was　then
  entirely　absorbed　in　leather。
  HERMES
  Listen　again　to　what　she　has　just　asked　me。　Who　was　her　greatest
  foe　here？　and　furthermore；　had　she　a　friend　who　exerted　himself　to　put
  an　end　to　the　fighting？
  TRYGAEUS
  Her　most　devoted　friend　was　Cleonymus；　it　is　undisputed。
  HERMES
  How　then　did　Cleonymus　behave　in　fights？
  TRYGAEUS
  Oh！　the　bravest　of　warriors！　Only　he　was　not　born　of　the　father　he
  claims；　he　showed　it　quick　enough　in　the　army　by　throwing　away　his
  weapons。
  HERMES
  There　is　yet　another　question　she　has　just　put　to　me。　Who　rules
  now　in　the　rostrum？
  TRYGAEUS
  It's　Hyperbolus　who　now　holds　empire　on　the　Pnyx。　（To　PEACE）
  What　now？　you　turn　away　your　head！
  HERMES
  She　is　vexed；　that　the　people　should　give　themselves　a　wretch　of
  that　kind　for　their　chief。
  TRYGAEUS
  Oh！　we　shall　not　employ　him　again；　but　the　people；　seeing
  themselves　without　a　leader；　took　him　haphazard；　just　as　a　man；　who　is
  naked；　springs　upon　the　first　cloak　he　sees。
  HERMES
  She　asks；　what　will　be　the　result　of　such　a　choice　by　the　city？
  TRYGAEUS
  We　shall　be　more　far…seeing　in　consequence。
  HERMES
  And　why？
  TRYGAEUS
  Because　he　is　a　lamp…maker。　Formerly　we　only　directed　our
  busines　by　groping　in　the　dark；　now　we　shall　only　deliberate　by
  lamplight。
  HERMES
  Oh！　oh！　what　questions　she　does　order　me　to　put　to　you！
  TRYGAEUS
  What　are　they？
  HERMES
  She　wants　to　have　news　of　a　whole　heap　of　old…fashioned　things　she
  left　here。　First　of　all；　how　is　Sophocles？
  TRYGAEUS
  Very　well；　but　something　very　strange　has　happened　to　him。
  HERMES
  What　then？
  TRYGAEUS
  He　has　turned　from　Sophocles　into　Simonides。
  HERMES
  Into　Simonides？　How　so？
  TRYGAEUS
  Because；　though　old　and　broken…down　as　he　is；　he　would　put　to
  sea　on　a　hurdle　to　gain　an　obolus。
  HERMES
  And　wise　Cratinus；　is　he　still　alive？
  TRYGAEUS
  He　died　about　the　time　of　the　Laconian　invasion。
  HERMES
  How？
  TRYGAEUS
  Of　a　swoon。　He　could　not　bear　the　shock　of　seeing　one　of　his　casks
  full　of　wine　broken。　Ah！　what　a　number　of　other　misfortunes　our　city
  has　suffered！　So；　dearest　mistress；　nothing　can　now　separate　us　from
  thee。
  HERMES
  If　that　be　so；　receive　Opora　here　for　a　wife；　take　her　to　the
  country；　live　with　her；　and　grow　fine　grapes　together。
  TRYGAEUS　（to　OPORA）
  Come；　my　dear　one；　come　and　accept　my　kisses。　（To　HERMES）　Tell　me；
  Hermes；　my　master；　do　you　think　it　would　hurt　me　to　love　her　a　little；
  after　so　long　an　abstinence？
  HERMES
  No；　not　if　you　swallow　a　potion　of　penny…royal　afterwards。　But
  hasten　to　lead　Theoria　to　the　Senate；　that　was　where　she　lodged
  before。
  TRYGAEUS
  Oh！　fortunate　Senate！　Thanks　to　Theoria；　what　soups　you　will
  swallow　for　the　space　of　three　days！　how　you　will　devour　meats　and
  cooked　tripe！　Come；　farewell；　friend　Hermes！
  HERMES
  And　to　you　also；　my　dear　sir；　may　you　have　much　happiness；　and
  don't　forget　me。
  TRYGAEUS　（looking　around　for　his　dung…beetle）
  Come；　beetle；　home；　home；　and　let　us　fly　on　a　swift　wing。
  HERMES
  Oh！　he　is　no　longer　here。
  TRYGAEUS
  Where　has　he　gone　to　then？
  HERMES
  He　is　'harnessed　to　the　chariot　of　Zeus　and　bears　the
  thunderbolts。'
  TRYGAEUS
  But　where　will　the　poor　wretch　get　his　food？
  HERMES
  He　will　eat　Ganymede's　ambrosia。
  TRYGAEUS
  Very　well　then；　but　how　am　I　going　to　descend？
  HERMES
  Oh！　never　fear；　there　is　nothing　simpler；　place　yourself　beside
  the　goddess。
  TRYGAEUS
  Come；　my　pretty　maidens；　follow　me　quickly；　there　are　plenty　of
  men　waiting　for　you　with　their　tools　ready。
  （He　goes　out；　with　OPORA　and　THEORIA。）
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Farewell　and　good　luck　be　yours！　Let　us　begin　by　handing　over
  all　this　gear　to　the　care　of　our　servants；　for　no　place　is　less　safe
  than　a　theatre；　there　is　always　a　crowd　of　thieves　prowling　around　it；
  seeking　to　find　some　mischief　to　do。　Come；　keep　a　good　watch　over
  all　this。　As　for　ourselves；　let　us　explain　to　the　spectators　what　we
  have　in　our　minds；　the　purpose　of　our　play。
  （The　CHORUS　turns　and　faces　the　audience。）
  Undoubtedly　the　comic　poet　who　mounted　the　stage　to　praise　himself
  in　the　parabasis　would　deserve　to　be　handed　over　to　the　sticks　or
  the　beadles。　Nevertheless；　oh　Muse；　if　it　be　right　to　esteem　the
  most　honest　and　illustrious　of　our　comic　writers　at　his　proper
  value；　permit　our　poet　to　say　that　he　thinks　he　has　deserved　a
  glorious　renown。　First　of　all；　he　is　the　one　who　has　compelled　his
  rivals　no　longer　to　scoff　at　rags　or　to　war　with　lice；　and　as　for
  those　Heracleses；　always　chewing　and　ever　hungry；　he　was　the　first
  to　cover　them　with　ridicule　and　to　chase　them　from　the　stage；　he　has
  also　dismissed　that　slave；　whom　one　never　failed　to　set　weeping　before
  you；　so　that　his　comrade　might　have　the　chance　of　jeering　at　his
  stripes　and　might　ask；　〃Wretch；　what　has　happened　to　your　hide？　Has
  the　lash　rained　an　army　of　its　thongs　on　you　and　laid　your　back
  waste？〃　After　having　delivered　us　from　all　these　wearisome　ineptitudes
  and　these　low　buffooneries；　he　has　built　up　for　us　a　great　art；　like　a
  palace　with　high　towers；　constructed　of　fine　phrases；　great　thoughts
  and　of　jokes　not　common　on　the　streets。　Moreover　it's　not　obscure
  private　persons　or　women　that　he　stages　in　his　comedies；　but；　bold
  as　Heracles；　it's　the　very　greatest　whom　he　attacks；　undeterred　by　the
  fetid　stink　of　leather　or　the　threats　of　hearts　of　mud。　He　has　the
  right　to　say；　〃I　am　the　first　ever　dared　to　go　straight　for　that　beast
  with　the　sharp　teeth　and　the　terrible　eyes　that　flashed　lambent　fire
  like　those　of　Cynna；　surrounded　by　a　hundred　lewd　flatterers；