TRYGAEUS
Aye, go your way, for here come out the boys, Those whom the guests have brought us; suppose They’re going to practise what they’re going to sing. Come and stand here by me, my boy, and then Let’s hear you practise what you mean to sing.
FIRST BOY “Sing of the younger blood, whose deeds”—
TRYGAEUS Plague take you, be quiet Singing of deeds of blood: and that, you unfortunate ill-starred Wretch, in the time of Peace; you’re a shameful and ignorant blockhead,
FIRST BOY “Slowly the hosts approached, till at length with a shock of encounter Shield was dashed upon shield, and round-bossed buckler on buckler.”
TRYGAEUS Buckler? you’d better be still: how dare you be talking of bucklers?
FIRST BOY “Rose the rattle of war commingled with groans of the dying.”
TRYGAEUS Groans of the dying? by great Dionysus, I’ll make you repent it Singing of groans of the dying, especially such as are round-bossed.
FIRST BOY What, then, what shall I sing? you, tell me the songs you delight in.
TRYGAEUS “Then on the flesh of beeves they feasted;” something of that sort. “Then a repast they served, and whatever is best for a banquet.”
FIRST BOY “Then on the flesh of beeves they feasted, aweary of fighting; Then from the yoke they loosed the reeking necks of the horses.”
TRYGAEUS Good: they were tired of war, and so they feasted: nay Sing on, O sing, how they were tired and feasted.
FIRST BOY “Quickly, refreshed, they called for the casques.”
TRYGAEUS Casks? gladly, I warrant.
FIRST BOY “Out from the towers they poured, and the roar of battle ascended,”
TRYGAEUS Perdition seize you, boy, your wars and all! You sing of nought but battles: who’s your father?
FIRST BOY Whose? mine?
TRYGAEUS Yes, yours, by Zeus!
FIRST BOY Why, Lamachus,
TRYGAEUS Ugh, out upon it! Truly I marveled, and thought to myself as I heard your performance, This is the son of some hacker, and thwacker, and sacker of cities, Get to the spearmen, sing to them: begone. Here, here, I want Cleonymus’s son. You, sing before we enter: sure I am You won’t sing wars: you’ve too discreet a father.
SECOND BOY “Ah! some Saian is vaunting the targe, which I in the bushes Sadly, a blameless shield, left as I fled from the field.”
TRYGAEUS Tell me, you pretty baboon, are you making a mock of your father?
SECOND BOY “Nay, but my LIFE I preserved,”
TRYGAEUS But you shamed the parents who gave it. Well go we in, for sure I am that you,
TRYGAEUS Being your father’s son, will nevermore Forget the song you sang about the shield. Now then ’tis right, my jolly rogues, that you should, here remaining, Munch, crunch, and bite with all your might, no empty vessels draining With manly zeal attack the meal, And saw and gnaw with either jaw, there’s no advantage really In having white and polished teeth unless you use them freely.
CHORUS O aye, we know: we won’t be slow; but thanks for thus reminding.
TRYGAEUS Set to, set to: you starving crew: you won’t be always finding Such dishes rare of cake and hare An easy prey in open day thus wandering unprotected. Set to, set to: or soon you’ll rue a splendid chance neglected.
Cite This Text