Not　before　knocking　at　mine　first。
  YOUNG　MAN　（haughtily）
  For　the　moment　I　really　have　no　need　for　old　leather。
  FIRST　OLD　WOMAN
  I　know　that　you　love　me；　perhaps　you　are　surprised　to　find　me　at
  the　door。　But　come；　let　me　kiss　you。
  YOUNG　MAN　（pulling　back；　sarcastically）
  No；　no；　my　dear；　I　am　afraid　of　your　lover。
  FIRST　OLD　WOMAN
  Of　whom？
  YOUNG　MAN
  The　most　gifted　of　painters。
  FIRST　OLD　WOMAN
  And　who　is　he？
  YOUNG　MAN
  The　artist　who　paints　the　little　bottles　on　coffins。　But　get　you
  indoors；　lest　he　should　find　you　at　the　door。
  FIRST　OLD　WOMAN
  I　know　what　you　want。
  YOUNG　MAN
  I　can　say　as　much　of　you。
  FIRST　OLD　WOMAN　（hanging　on　to　him）
  By　Aphrodite；　who　has　granted　me　this　good　chance；　I　won't　let　you
  go。
  YOUNG　MAN
  You　are　drivelling；　you　little　old　hag。
  FIRST　OLD　WOMAN
  Rubbish！　I　am　going　to　lead　you　to　my　couch。
  YOUNG　MAN
  What　need　for　buying　hooks？　I　will　let　her　down　to　the　bottom　of
  the　well　and　pull　up　the　buckets　with　her　old　carcase；　for　she's
  crooked　enough　for　that。
  FIRST　OLD　WOMAN
  A　truce　to　your　jeering；　poor　boy；　and　follow　me。
  YOUNG　MAN
  Nothing　compels　me　to　do　so；　unless　you　have　paid　the　levy　of　five
  hundredths　for　me。
  FIRST　OLD　WOMAN
  Look；　by　Aphrodite；　there　is　nothing　that　delights　me　as　much　as
  sleeping　with　a　lad　of　your　years。
  YOUNG　MAN
  And　I　abhor　such　as　you；　and　I　will　never；　never　consent。
  FIRST　OLD　WOMAN
  But；　by　Zeus；　here　is　something　will　force　you　to　it。
  （She　shows　him　a　document。）
  YOUNG　MAN
  What's　that？
  FIRST　OLD　WOMAN
  A　decree；　which　orders　you　to　enter　my　house。
  YOUNG　MAN
  Read　it　out　then；　and　let's　hear。
  FIRST　OLD　WOMAN
  Listen。　〃The　women　have　decreed　that　if　a　young　man　desires　a
  young　girl；　he　can　only　lay　her　after　having　satisfied　an　old　woman；
  and　if　he　refuses　and　goes　to　seek　the　maiden；　the　old　women　are
  authorized　to　seize　him　and　drag　him　in。〃
  YOUNG　MAN
  Alas！　I　shall　become　a　Procrustes。
  FIRST　OLD　WOMAN
  Obey　the　law。
  YOUNG　MAN
  But　if　a　fellow…citizen；　a　friend；　came　to　pay　my　ransom？
  FIRST　OLD　WOMAN
  No　man　may　dispose　of　anything　above　a　medimnus。
  YOUNG　MAN
  But　may　I　not　enter　an　excuse？
  FIRST　OLD　WOMAN
  There's　no　evasion。
  YOUNG　MAN
  I　shall　declare　myself　a　merchant　and　so　escape　service。
  FIRST　OLD　WOMAN
  Beware　what　you　do！
  YOUNG　MAN
  Well！　what　is　to　be　done？
  FIRST　OLD　WOMAN
  Follow　me。
  YOUNG　MAN
  Is　it　absolutely　necessary？
  FIRST　OLD　WOMAN
  Yes；　as　surely　as　if　Diomedes　had　commanded　it。
  YOUNG　MAN
  Well　then；　first　spread　out　a　layer　of　origanum　upon　four　pieces
  of　wood；　bind　fillets　round　your　head；　bring　phials　of　scent　and　place
  a　bowl　filled　with　lustral　water　before　your　door。
  FIRST　OLD　WOMAN
  Will　you　buy　a　chaplet　for　me　too？
  YOUNG　MAN
  Yes；　if　you　outlast　the　tapers；　for　I　expect　to　see　you　fall
  down　dead　as　you　go　in。
  YOUNG　GIRL　（running　out　of　her　house）
  Where　are　you　dragging　this　unfortunate　man　to？
  FIRST　OLD　WOMAN
  To　my　own　bed。
  YOUNG　GIRL
  That's　not　right。　A　young　fellow　like　him　is　not　of　the　age　to
  suit　you。　You　ought　to　be　his　mother　rather　than　his　wife。　With
  these　laws　in　force；　the　earth　will　be　filled　with　Oedipuses。
  （She　takes　him　away　with　her。）
  FIRST　OLD　WOMAN
  Oh！　you　cursed　pest！　it's　envy　that　makes　you　say　this；　but　I　will
  be　revenged。
  （She　goes　back　into　her　house。）
  YOUNG　MAN
  By　Zeus　the　Deliverer；　what　a　service　you　have　done　me；　by　freeing
  me　of　this　old　wretch！　with　what　ardour　I　will　show　you　my　gratitude
  in　a　substantial　form！
  （Just　as　he　begins　to　go　in　with　the　YOUNG　GIRL　an　even　older　and
  uglier　woman　enters。）
  SECOND　OLD　WOMAN
  Hi！　you　there！　where　are　you　taking　that　young　man　to；　in　defiance
  of　the　law？　The　decree　ordains　that　he　must　first　sleep　with　me。
  YOUNG　MAN
  Oh！　what　a　misfortune！　Where　does　this　hag　come　from？　She's　a　more
  frightful　monster　than　the　other　even。
  SECOND　OLD　WOMAN
  Come　here。
  （She　takes　him　by　the　arm。）
  YOUNG　MAN　（to　the　YOUNG　GIRL）
  Oh！　I　beg　you；　don't　let　me　be　led　off　by　her！
  SECOND　OLD　WOMAN
  It's　not　I　but　the　law　that　leads　you　off。
  YOUNG　MAN
  No；　it's　not　the　law；　but　an　Empusa　with　a　body　covered　with
  blemishes　and　blotches。
  SECOND　OLD　WOMAN
  Follow　me；　my　handsome　little　friend；　come　along　quickly　without
  any　more　ado。
  YOUNG　MAN
  Oh！　let　me　go　to　the　can　first；　so　that　I　may　gather　my　wits
  somewhat。　Else　I　should　be　so　terrified　that　you　would　see　me
  letting　out　something　yellow。
  SECOND　OLD　WOMAN
  Never　mind！　you　can　crap；　if　you　want；　in　my　house。
  YOUNG　MAN
  More　than　I　want　to；　I'm　afraid；　but　I　offer　you　two　good
  securities。
  SECOND　OLD　WOMAN
  I　don't　require　them。
  （A　THIRD　OLD　WOMAN；　the　ugliest　yet；　now　appears。）
  THIRD　OLD　WOMAN
  Hi！　friend；　where　are　you　off　to　with　that　woman？
  YOUNG　MAN
  I　am　not　going　with　her；　but　am　being　dragged　by　force。　Oh！
  whoever　you　are；　may　heaven　bless　you　for　having　had　pity　on　me　in
  my　dire　misfortune。　（Turns　round　and　sees　the　THIRD　OLD　WOMAN。）　Oh
  Heracles！　oh　Pan！　oh　Corybantes！　oh　Dioscuri！　Why；　she　is　still　more
  awful！　Oh！　what　a　monster！　great　gods！　Are　you　an　ape　plastered　with
  white　lead；　or　the　ghost　of　some　old　hag　returned　from　the　dark
  borderlands　of　death？
  THIRD　OLD　WOMAN　（taking　his　other　arm）
  No　jesting！　Follow　me。
  SECOND　OLD　WOMAN
  No；　come　this　way。
  THIRD　OLD　WOMAN
  I　will　never　let　you　go。
  SECOND　OLD　WOMAN
  Nor　will　I。
  YOUNG　MAN
  But　you　will　rend　me　asunder；　you　cursed　wretches。
  SECOND　OLD　WOMAN
  I'm　the　one　he　must　go　with　according　to　the　law。
  THIRD　OLD　WOMAN
  Not　if　an　uglier　old　woman　than　yourself　appears。
  YOUNG　MAN
  But　if　you　kill　me　at　the　outset；　how　shall　I　afterwards　go　to
  find　this　beautiful　girl　of　mine？
  THIRD　OLD　WOMAN
  That's　your　problem。　But　begin　by　obeying。
  YOUNG　MAN
  Of　which　one　must　I　rid　myself　first？
  THIRD　OLD　WOMAN
  Don't　you　know？　Come　here。
  YOUNG　MAN
  Then　let　the　other　one　release　me。
  SECOND　OLD　WOMAN
  Come　to　my　house。
  YOUNG　MAN
  If　this　dame　will　let　me　go。
  THIRD　OLD　WOMAN
  No；　by　all　the　gods；　I'll　not　let　you　go。
  SECOND　OLD　WOMAN
  Nor　will　I。
  YOUNG　MAN
  You　would　make　very　bad　boatwomen。
  SECOND　OLD　WOMAN
  Why？
  YOUNG　MAN
  Because　you　would　tear　your　passengers　to　pieces　in　dragging
  them　on　board。
  THIRD　OLD　WOMAN
  Then　come　along；　do；　and　hold　your　tongue。
  SECOND　OLD　WOMAN
  No；　by　Zeus；　come　with　me。
  YOUNG　MAN
  It's　clearly　a　case　for　the　decree　of　Cannonus；　I　must　cut
  myself　in　two　in　order　to　lay　you　both。　But　how　am　I　to　work　two
  oars　at　once？
  THIRD　OLD　WOMAN
  Easily　enough；　you　have　only　to　eat　a　full　pot　of　onions。
  YOUNG　MAN
  Oh！　great　gods！　here　I　am　close　to　the　door　and　being　dragged　in！
  SECOND　OLD　WOMAN　（to　THIRD　OLD　WOMAN）
  You　will　gain　nothing　by　this；　for　I　shall　rush　into　your　house
  with　you。
  YOUNG　MAN
  Oh；　no！　no！　to　suffer　a　single　misfortune　than　two。
  THIRD　OLD　WOMAN
  Ah！　by　Hecate；　whether　you　wish　it　or　not。
  YOUNG　MAN
  What　a　fate　is　mine；　that　I　must　make　love　to　such　a　stinking
  harridan　the　whole　night　through　and　all　day；　then；　when　I　am　rid　of
  her；　I　have　still　to　tackle　a　brick…coloured　hag！　Am　I　not　truly
  unfortunate？　Ah！　by　Zeus　the　Deliverer；　under　what　fatal　star　must　I
  have　been　born；　that　I　must　sail　in　company　with　such　monsters！　But　if
  my　bark　sinks　in　the　sewer　of　these　strumpets；　may　I　be　buried　at
  the　very　threshold　of　the　door；　let　this　hag　be　stood　upright　on　my
  grave；　let　her　be　coated　alive　with　pitch　and　her　legs　covered　with
  molten　lead　up　to　the　ankles；　and　let　her　be　set　alight　as　a　funeral
  lamp。
  （The　YOUNG　MAN　is　dragged　off　by　the　two　OLD　WOMEN；　one　on　each
  arm。）
  （Interlude　of　dancing　by　the　CHORUS。）
  A　SERVANT…MAID　To　PRAXAGORA　（she　comes　from　the　banquet）
  What　happiness　is　the　people's！　what　joy　is　mine；　and　above　all
  that　of　my　mistress！　Happy　are　ye；　who　form　choruses　before　our　house！
  Happy　are　ye；　both　neighbours　and　fellow…citizens！　Happy　am　I
  myself！　I　am　but　a　servant；　and　yet　I　have　poured　on　my　hair　the
  most　exquisite　essences。　Let　thanks　be　rendered　to　thee；　Oh；　Zeus！　But
  a　still　more　delicious　aroma　is　that　of　the　wine　of　Thasos；　its
  sweet　bouquet　delights　the　drinker　for　a　long　time；　whereas　the　others
  lose　their　bloom　and　vanish