the acharnians-第3章
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and let us begin the sacrifice。
DAUGHTER OF DICAEOPOLIS （putting down the basket and taking
out the sacred cake）
Mother； hand me the ladle； that I may spread the sauce on the
cake。
DICAEOPOLIS
It is well！ Oh； mighty Bacchus； it is with joy that； freed from
military duty； I and all mine perform this solemn rite and offer
thee this sacrifice； grant that I may keep the rural Dionysia
without hindrance and that this truce of thirty years may be
propitious for me。 Come； my child； carry the basket gracefully and
with a grave； demure face。 Happy he who shall be your possessor and
embrace you so firmly at dawn； that you fart like a weasel。 Go
forward； and have a care they don't snatch your jewels in the crowd。
Xanthias； walk behind the basket…bearer and hold the phallus well
erect； I will follow； singing the Phallic hymn； thou； wife； look on
from the top of the terrace。 Forward！
（He sings）
Oh； Phales； companion of the orgies of Bacchus； night reveller；
god of adultery and of pederasty； these past six years I have not been
able to invoke thee。 With what joy I return to my farmstead； thanks to
the truce I have concluded； freed from cares； from fighting and from
Lamachuses！ How much sweeter； oh Phales； Phales； is it to surprise
Thratta； the pretty woodmaid； Strymodorus' slave； stealing wood from
Mount Phelleus； to catch her under the arms； to throw her； on the
ground and lay her； Oh； Phales； Phales！ If thou wilt drink and
bemuse thyself with me； we shall to…morrow consume some good dish in
honour of the peace； and I will hang up my buckler over the smoking
hearth。
（The procession reaches the place where the CHORUS is hiding。）
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
That's the man himself。 Stone him； stone him； stone him； strike
the wretch。 All； all of you； pelt him； pelt him！
DICAEOPOLIS （using his pot for a shield）
What is this？ By Heracles； you will smash my pot。
（The daughter and the two slaves retreat。）
CHORUS （singing excitedly）
It is you that we are stoning； you miserable scoundrel。
DICAEOPOLIS
And for what sin； Acharnian elders； tell me that！
CHORUS （singing； with greater excitement）
You ask that； you impudent rascal； traitor to your country； you
alone amongst us all have concluded a truce； and you dare to look us
in the face！
DICAEOPOLIS
But you do not know why I have treated for peace。 Listen！
CHORUS （singing fiercely）
Listen to you？ No； no； you are about to die； we will annihilate
you with our stones。
DICAEOPOLIS
But first of all； listen。 Stop； my friends。
CHORUS （singing； with intense hatred）
I will hear nothing； do not address me； I hate you more than I
do Cleon； whom one day I shall flay to make sandals for the Knights。
Listen to your long speeches； after you have treated with the
Laconians？ No； I will punish you。
DICAEOPOLIS
Friends； leave the Laconians out of debate and consider only
whether I have not done well to conclude my truce。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Done well！ when you have treated with a people who know neither
gods； nor truth； nor faith。
DICAEOPOLIS
We attribute too much to the Laconians； as for myself； I know that
they are not the cause of all our troubles。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Oh； indeed； rascal！ You dare to use such language to me and then
expect me to spare you！
DICAEOPOLIS
No； no； they are not the cause of all our troubles； and I who
address you claim to be able to prove that they have much to
complain of in us。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
This passes endurance； my heart bounds with fury。 Thus you dare to
defend our enemies。
DICAEOPOLIS
Were my head on the block I would uphold what I say and rely on
the approval of the people。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Comrades； let us hurl our stones and dye this fellow purple。
DICAEOPOLIS
What black fire…brand has inflamed your heart！ You will not hear
me？ You really will not； Acharnians？
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
No； a thousand times； no。
DICAEOPOLIS
This is a hateful injustice。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
May I die if I listen。
DICAEOPOLIS
Nay； nay！ have mercy； have mercy； Acharnians。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
You shall die。
DICAEOPOLIS
Well； blood for blood！ I will kill your dearest friend。 I have
here the hostages of Acharnae； I shall disembowel them。
（He goes into the house。）
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Acharnians； what means this threat？ Has he got one of our children
in his house？ What gives him such audacity？
DICAEOPOLIS （coming out again）
Stone me； if it please you； I shall avenge myself on this。 （He
shows them a basket。） Let us see whether you have any love for your
coals。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Great Gods！ this basket is our fellow…citizen。 Stop； stop； in
heaven's name！
DICAEOPOLIS
I shall dismember it despite your cries； I will listen to nothing。
CHORUS （singing； tragically）
How； will you kill this coal…basket； my beloved comrade？
DICAEOPOLIS
Just now you would not listen to me。
CHORUS （singing； plaintively）
Well； speak now； if you will； tell us； tell us you have a weakness
for the Lacedaemonians。 I consent to anything； never will I forsake
this dear little basket。
DICAEOPOLIS
First； throw down your stones。
CHORUS （singing； meekly）
There I it's done。 And you put away your sword。
DICAEOPOLIS
Let me see that no stones remain concealed in your cloaks。
CHORUS （singing； petulantly）
They are all on the ground； see how we shake our garments。 Come；
no haggling； lay down your sword； we threw away everything while
crossing from one side of the Orchestra to the other。
DICAEOPOLIS
What cries of anguish you would have uttered had these coals of
Parnes been dismembered； and yet it came very near it； had they
perished； their death would have been due to the folly of their
fellow…citizens。 The poor basket was so frightened； look； it has
shed a thick black dust over me； the same as a cuttle…fish does。
What an irritable temper！ You shout and throw stones； you will not
hear my arguments…not even when I propose to speak in favour of the
Lacedaemonians with my head on the block； and yet I cling to life。
（He goes into the house。）
CHORUS （singing； belligerently again）
Well then； bring out a block before your door； scoundrel； and
let us hear the good grounds you can give us； I am curious to know
them。 Now mind； as you proposed yourself； place your head on the block
and speak。
DICAEOPOLIS （coming out of his house； carrying a block）
Here is the block； and； though I am but a very sorry speaker； I
wish nevertheless to talk freely of the Lacedaemonians and without the
protection of my buckler。 Yet I have many reasons for fear。 I know our
rustics； they are delighted if some braggart comes； and rightly or
wrongly； loads both them and their city with praise and flattery； they
do not see that such toad…eaters are traitors； who sell them for gain。
As for the old men； I know their weakness； they only seek to overwhelm
the accused with their votes。 Nor have I forgotten how Cleon treated
me because of my comedy last year； he dragged me before the Senate and
there he uttered endless slanders against me； it was a tempest of
abuse； a deluge of lies。 Through what a slough of mud he dragged me！ I
almost perished。 Permit me； therefore； before I speak； to dress in the
manner most likely to draw pity。
CHORUS （singing； querulously）
What evasions； subterfuges and delays！ Wait！ here is the sombre
helmet of Pluto with its thick bristling plume； Hieronymus lends it to
you； then open Sisyphus' bag of wiles； but hurry； hurry； for
discussion does not admit of delay。
