Silenus
I will do so, with small thought of any master. For let me have a single cup of that and I would turn madman, giving in exchange for it the flocks of every Cyclops and then throwing myself into the sea from the Leucadian rock, once I have been well drunk and smoothed out my wrinkled brow. For if a man rejoice not in his drinking, he is mad; for in drinking there is love with all its frolic, and dancing withal, and oblivion of woe. Shall not I then purchase so rare a drink, bidding the senseless Cyclops and his central eye go hang?
Chorus Hearken, Odysseus, let us hold some converse with thee.
Odysseus Well, do so; ours is a meeting of friends.
Chorus Did you take Troy and capture the famous Helen?
Odysseus Aye, and we destroyed the whole family of Priam.
Chorus After capturing your blooming prize, were all of you in turn her lovers? for she likes variety in husbands; the traitress! the sight of a man with embroidered breeches on his legs and a golden chain about his neck so fluttered her, that she left Menelaus, her excellent little husband. Would there had never been a race of women born into the world at all, unless it were for me alone!
Silenus Lo! I bring you fat food from the flocks, king Odysseus, the young of bleating sheep and cheeses of curdled milk without stint. Carry them away with you and be gone from the cave at once, after giving me a drink of merry grape-juice in exchange.
Chorus Alack! yonder comes the Cyclops; what shall we do?
Odysseus Then truly are we lost, old sir! whither must we fly?
Silenus Inside this rock, for there ye may conceal yourselves.
Odysseus Dangerous advice of thine, to run into the net!
Silenus No danger; there are ways of escape in plenty in the rock.
Odysseus No, never that; for surely Troy will groan and loudly too, if we flee from a single man, when I have oft withstood with my shield a countless host of Phrygians. Nay, if die we must, we will die a noble death; or, if we live, we will maintain our old renown at least with credit.
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