SCYTHIAN Dere now bemoany to de ouder air.
MNESILOCHUS O, I entreat you.
SCYTHIAN Nod endread me zu.
MNESILOCHUS Slack it a little.
SCYTHIAN Dat is vat I does.
MNESILOCHUS O mercy! mercy! O, you drive it tighter.
SCYTHIAN Dighder zu wiss him?
MNESILOCHUS Miserable me! Out on you, villain.
SCYTHIAN Zilence, bad ole man. I’se fetch de mad, an’ vatch zu comfibly.
MNESILOCHUS These are the joys Euripides has brought me! O Gods! O Saviour Zeus! there’s yet a hope. Then he won’t fail me! Out he flashed as Perseus. I understand the signals, I’m to act The fair Andromeda in chains. Ah, well, Here are the chains, worse luck, wherewith to act her. He’ll come and succour me; he’s in the wings.
EURIPIDES Now to peep, now to creep Soft and slily through. Maidens, pretty maidens, Tell me what I am to do. Tell me how to glide By the Scythian Argus-eyed, And to steal away my bride. Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell. Echo, always lurking in the cavern and the dell.
MNESILOCHUS A cold unpitying heart had he Who bound me here in misery. Hardly escaped from mouldy dame, I’m caught and done for, just the same Lo, the Scythian guard beside me, Friendless, helpless, here he tied me; Soon upon these limbs of mine Shall the greedy ravens dine. Seest thou? not to me belong Youthful pleasures, dance and song, Never, never more shall I With my friends sweet law-suits try, But woven chains with many a link surround me, Till Glaucetes, that ravening whale, has found me. Home I nevermore shall see; Bridal songs are none for me, Nought but potent incantations; Sisters, raise your lamentations, Woe, woe, woeful me, Sorrow, and trouble, and misery. Weeping, weeping, endless weeping,
MNESILOCHUS Far from home and all I know, Praying him who wronged me so. O! O! Woe! woe! First with razor keen he hacks me, Next in yellow silk he packs me, Sends me then to dangerous dome, Where the women prowl and roam. O heavy Fate! O fatal blow! O woeful lot! and lots of woe! O, how they will chide me, and gibe, and deride me! And O that the flashing, and roaring, and dashing Red bolt of the thunder might smite me in sunder— The Scythian who lingers beside me! For where is the joy of the sunshine and glow To one who is lying, distracted and dying, With throat-cutting agonies riving him, driving him Down, down to the darkness below.
ECHO O welcome, daughter; but the Gods destroy Thy father Cepheus, who exposed thee thus.
MNESILOCHUS O, who art thou that mournest for my woes?
ECHO Echo, the vocal-mocking-bird of song, I who, last year, in these same lists contended, A faithful friend, beside Euripides. And now, my child, for thou must play thy part, Make dolorous wails.
MNESILOCHUS And you wail afterwards?
ECHO I’ll see to that; only begin at once.
MNESILOCHUS O’er dread Olympus, vast and far, In thy dark car Thou journeyest slowly Through Ether ridged with many a star.
ECHO With many a star.
MNESILOCHUS Why on Andromeda ever must flow Sorrow and woe?
ECHO Sorrow and woe?
MNESILOCHUS Heavy of fate.
ECHO Heavy of fate.
MNESILOCHUS Old woman, you’ll kill me, I know, with your prate.
ECHO Know with your prate.
MNESILOCHUS Why, how tiresome you are: you are going too far.
ECHO You are going too far.
MNESILOCHUS Good friend, if you kindly will leave me in peace, You’ll do me a favour, O prithee, cease.
ECHO Cease.
MNESILOCHUS O, go to the crows!
ECHO O, go to the crows!
MNESILOCHUS Why can’t you be still?
ECHO Why can’t you be still?
MNESILOCHUS (spitefully) Old gossip!
ECHO (spitefully) Old gossip!
MNESILOCHUS Lackaday!
ECHO Lackaday!
MNESILOCHUS And alas!
ECHO And alas!
SCYTHIAN O, vat does zu say?
ECHO O, vat does zu say?
SCYTHIAN I’se calls de police.
ECHO I’se calls de police.
SCYTHIAN Vat nosense is dis?
ECHO Vat nosense is dis?
SCYTHIAN Vy, vere is de voice?
ECHO Vy, vere is de voice?
SCYTHIAN (to Mn.) Vos id zu?
ECHO Vos id zu?
SCYTHIAN Zu’ll catch id.
ECHO Zu’ll catch id.
SCYTHIAN Does zu mocksh?
ECHO Does zu mocksh?
MNESILOCHUS ’Tisn’t I, I declare: it is that woman there.
ECHO It is that woman there.
SCYTHIAN Vy, vere is de wretch? Me mush catch, me mush catch. Her’s a gone, her’s a fled.
ECHO Her’s a gone, her’s a fled.
SCYTHIAN Zu’ll a suffer for dis.
ECHO Zu’ll a suffer for dis.
SCYTHIAN Vat again?
ECHO Vat again?
SCYTHIAN Zeege ole o’ de mix.
ECHO Zeege ole o’ de mix.
SCYTHIAN Vat a babbled an’ talketing ooman.
EURIPIDES Ah me, what wild and terrible coast is this? Plying the pathless air with wingéd feet, Steering for Argos, bearing in my hand The Gorgon’s head—
SCYTHIAN Vat dat zu say o’ Gorgo?
SCYTHIAN Dat zu has gots de writer Gorgo’s head?
EURIPIDES ‘Gorgon,’ I say.
SCYTHIAN An’ me says ‘Gorgo’ too.
EURIPIDES Alas, what crag is this, and lashed upon it What maiden, beautiful as shapes divine, A lovely craft too rudely moored?
MNESILOCHUS O stranger, Pity the sorrows of a poor young woman, And loose my bonds.
SCYTHIAN Vat, vill zu no be quiet? Vat, talkee, talkee, ven zu’re goin’ to die?
EURIPIDES Fair girl, I weep to see thee hanging there.
SCYTHIAN Disn’t von gal: dis von ole vilain man, Von vare bad rascal fellow.
EURIPIDES Scythian, peace! This is Andromeda, King Cepheus’ daughter.
SCYTHIAN Von dawder! Dis? Vare obvious man, metinks.
EURIPIDES O, reach thy hand, and let me clasp my love; O Scythian, reach. Ah me, what passionate storms Toss in men’s souls; and as for mine, O lady, Thou art my love!
SCYTHIAN Me nod admire zure dasde. Sdill zu may tiss her, if zu wiss id, dere.
EURIPIDES Hard-hearted Scythian, give me up my love, And I will take her,—take her aye to wife.
SCYTHIAN Tiss her, me says; me nod objex to dat.
EURIPIDES Ah me, I’ll loose her bonds.
SCYTHIAN Zu bedder nod.
EURIPIDES Ah me, I will.
SCYTHIAN Den, me’se cut off zure head. Me draw de cudless, and zu die, zu dead.
EURIPIDES Ah, what avails me? Shall I make a speech? His savage nature could not take it in. True wit and wisdom were but labour lost On such a rude barbarian. I must try Some more appropriate, fitter stratagem. (He goes out.)
SCYTHIAN O, de vile vox! He jocket me vare near.
MNESILOCHUS O, Perseus, Perseus, wilt thou leave me so?
SCYTHIAN Vat, does zu askin’ for de vip again?
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