CHORUS First a Captain, then a Colonel, till from nothing he of late Has become a tawny cock-horse, yea a pillar of the State!
PEISTHETAERUS Well, here we are. By Zeus, I never saw In all my life a sight more laughable.
EUELPIDES What are you laughing at?
PEISTHETAERUS At your flight-feathers. I’ll tell you what you’re like, your wings and you, Just like a gander, sketched by some cheap-Jack.
EUELPIDES And you, a blackbird, with a bowl-cropped noddle.
PEISTHETAERUS These shafts of ridicule are winged by nought But our own plumes, as Aeschylus would say.
CHORUS What’s the next step?
PEISTHETAERUS First we must give the city Some grand big name: and then we’ll sacrifice To the high Gods,
EUELPIDES That’s my opinion also.
CHORUS Then let’s consider what the name shall be.
PEISTHETAERUS What think you of that grand Laconian name, Sparta?
EUELPIDES What! Sparta for my city? No. I wouldn’t use esparto for my pallet, Not if I’d cords; by Heracles, not I.
PEISTHETAERUS How shall we name it then?
CHORUS Invent some fine Magniloquent name, drawn from these upper spaces And clouds,
PEISTHETAERUS What think you of Cloudcuckoobury?
CHORUS Good! Good! You have found a good big name, and no mistake.
EUELPIDES Is this the great Cloudcuckoobury town Where all the wealth of Aeschines lies hid, And all Theagenes’s?
PEISTHETAERUS Best of all,
PEISTHETAERUS This is the plain of Phlegra, where the Gods Outshot the giants at the game of Brag.
EUELPIDES A glistering sort of a city! Who shall be Its guardian God? For whom shall we weave the Peplus?
PEISTHETAERUS Why not retain Athene, City-keeper?
EUELPIDES And how can that be a well-ordered State, Where she, a woman born, a Goddess, stands Full-armed, and Cleisthenes assumes a spindle?
PEISTHETAERUS And who shall hold the citadel’s Storkade?
CHORUS A bird of ours, one of the Persian breed,
EUELPIDES Everywhere noted as the War-god’s own Armipotent cockerel.
EUELPIDES O, Prince Cockerel? Yes! He’s just the God to perch upon the rocks.
PEISTHETAERUS Now, comrade, get you up into the air, And lend a hand to those that build the wall. Bring up the rubble; strip, and mix the mortar; Run up the ladder with the hod; fall off; Station the sentinels; conceal the fire; Round with the alarum bell; go fast asleep; And send two heralds, one to heaven above, And one to earth below; and let them come From thence, for me.
EUELPIDES And you, remaining here, Be hanged—for me!
PEISTHETAERUS Go where I send you, comrade, Without your help there, nothing will be done. But I, to sacrifice to these new Gods, Must call the priest to regulate the show. Boy! Boy! take up the basket and the laver.
CHORUS I’m with you, you’ll find me quite willing: I highly approve of your killing A lambkin, to win us the favour divine, Mid holy processionals, stately and fine. Up high, up high, let the Pythian cry, The Pythian cry to the God be sent; Let Chaeris play the accompaniment.
PEISTHETAERUS O stop that puffing! Heracles, what’s this? Faith, I’ve seen many a sight, but never yet A mouth-band-wearing raven! Now then, priest,— To the new Gods commence the sacrifice.
PRIEST I’ll do your bidding. Where’s the basket-bearer? Let us pray
Cite This Text