CHORUS
Gorgeous robes and golden trinkets, Shawls and mantles rich and rare, I will lend to all who need them, Lend for youths to wear, Or if any comrade’s daughter Would the Basket bear. One and all I here invite you, Freely of my goods partake, Nought is sealed so well, but boldly Ye the seals may break, And of all that lurks behind them,
CHORUS Quick partition make. Only, if you find the treasures, Only, if the stores you spy, You must have, I tell you plainly, Keener sight than I. Is THERE any man among you, With a lot of children small, With a crowd of hungry servants, Starving in his hall? I have wheat to spare in plenty, I will feed them all. Loaves, a quart apiece, I’ll give them, Come along, whoever will, Bring your bags, and bring your wallets For my slave to fill; Manes, he’s the boy to pack them Tight and tighter still. Only you must keep your distance, Only you must needs take care, Only—don’t approach my doorway, Ware the watch-dog, ware!
IDLER Open the door there, ho!
PORTER Be off, you rascal!
IDLER What, won’t you stir? I’ve half a mind to roast you All with this torch. No, that’s a vulgar trick. I won’t do that. Still if the audience wish it, To please their tastes we’ll undertake the task.
SECOND IDLER And we, with you, will undertake the task.
PORTER Hang you, be off! what are you at? you’ll catch it.
FIRST ATHENIAN Come, come, begone; that these Laconians here, The banquet ended, may depart in peace.
SECOND ATHENIAN Well, if I ever saw a feast like this! What cheery fellows those Laconians were, And we were wondrous witty in our cups.
FIRST ATHENIAN Ay, ay, ’tis when we’re sober, we’re so daft. Now if the State would take a friend’s advice, ’Twould make its envoys always all get drunk. When we go dry to Sparta, all our aim Is just to see what mischief we can do. We don’t hear aught they say; and we infer A heap of things they never said at all. Then we bring home all sorts of differing tales. Now everything gives pleasure: if a man, When he should sing Cleitagora, strike up With Telamon’s song, we’d clap him on the back, And say ’twas excellent; ay, and swear it too.
PORTER Why, bless the fellows, here they come again, Crowding along. Be off, you scoundrels, will you?
IDLER By Zeus, we must: the guests are coming out.
LACONIAN O lovey mine, tak’ up the pipes an’ blaw. An’ I’se jist dance an’ sing a canty sang Anent the Athanians an’ our ainsells too.
ATHENIAN Ay, by the Powers, take up the pipes and blow. Eh, but I dearly love to see you dance.
LACONIAN Stir, Memory, stir the chiels Wi that auld sang o’ thine, Whilk kens what we an’ Attics did In the gran’ fechts lang syne. At Artemisium They A’ resolute an’ strang Rushed daurly to the fray, Hurtlin’ like Gudes amang The timmered ships, an’ put the Medes to rout. An’ Us Leonidas led out Like gruesome boars, I ween, Whettin’ our tuskies keen. Muckle around the chaps was the whitefreath gleamin’, Muckle adoon the legs was the white freath streamin’, For a’ unnumbered as the sands Were they, thae Persian bands. O Artemis, the pure, the chaste, The virgin Queller o’ the beasties, O come wi’ power an’ come wi’ haste, An’ come to join our friendly feasties. Come wi’ thy stoutest tether, To knit our sauls thegither, An’ gie us Peace in store, An’ Luve for evermore. Far hence, far hence depart The tod’s deceitfu’ heart! O virgin huntress, pure an’ chaste, O come wi’ power, an’ come wi’ haste.
LYSISTRATA There, all is settled, all arranged at last. Now, take your ladies; you, Laconians, those,
ATHENIAN And you, take these; then standing side by side, Each by his partner, lead your dances out In grateful honour to the Gods, and O Be sure you nevermore offend again.
CHORUS Now for the Chorus, the Graces, the minstrelsy. Call upon Artemis, queen of the glade; Call on her brother, the Lord of festivity, Holy and gentle one, mighty to aid. Call upon Bacchus, afire with his Maenades; Call upon Zeus, in the lightning arrayed; Call on his queen, ever blessed, adorable; Call on the holy, infallible Witnesses, Call them to witness the peace and the harmony, This which divine Aphrodite has made. Allala! Lallala! Lallala, Lallala! Whoop for victory, Lallalalae! Evoi! Evoi! Lallala, Lallala! Evae! Evae! Lallalalae. Our excellent new song is done; Do you, Laconian, give us one.
LACONIAN Leave Taygety, an’ quickly Hither, Muse Laconian, come. Hymn the Gude o’ braw Amyclae, Hymn Athana, Brassin-dome. Hymn the Tyndarids, for ever Sportin’ by Eurotas river. Noo then, noo the step begin,
CHORUS OF SPARTANS
Twirlin’ licht the fleecy skin; Sae we’se join our blithesome voices, Praisin’ Sparta, loud an’ lang, Sparta wha of auld rejoices In the Choral dance an’ sang. O to watch her bonnie dochters Sport alang Eurotas’ waters! Winsome feet for ever plyin’, Fleet as fillies, wild an’ gay, Winsome tresses tossin’, flyin’, As o’ Bacchanals at play. Leda’s dochter, on before us, Pure an’ sprety, guides the Chorus. Onward go, Whilst your eager hand represses A’ the glory o’ your tresses; Whilst your eager foot is springin’ Like the roe; Whilst your eager voice is singin’ Praise to Her in might excellin’ Goddess o’ the Brassin Dwellin’.
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