the knights-第5章

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poetry；　lend　an　ear　to　my　anapests。　（The　Chorus　moves　forward　and

faces　the　audience。）

　　　　Had　one　of　the　old　authors　asked　me　to　mount　this　stage　to

recite　his　verses；　he　would　not　have　found　it　hard　to　persuade　me。　But

our　poet　of　to…day　is　likewise　worthy　of　this　favour；　he　shares　our

hatred；　he　dares　to　tell　the　truth；　he　boldly　braves　both

waterspouts　and　hurricanes。　Many　among　you；　he　tells　us；　have

expressed　wonder；　that　he　has　not　long　since　had　a　piece　presented

in　his　own　name；　and　have　asked　the　reason　why。　This　is　what　he　bids

us　say　in　reply　to　your　questions；　it　is　not　without　grounds　that　he

has　courted　the　shade；　for；　in　his　opinion；　nothing　is　more

difficult　than　to　cultivate　the　comic　Muse；　many　court　her；　but　very

few　secure　her　favours。　Moreover；　he　knows　that　you　are　fickle　by

nature　and　betray　your　poets　when　they　grow　old。　What　fate　befell

Magnes；　when　his　hair　went　white？　Often　enough　had　he　triumphed　over

his　rivals；　he　had　sung　in　all　keys；　played　the　lyre　and　fluttered

wings；　he　turned　into　a　Lydian　and　even　into　a　gnat；　daubed　himself

with　green　to　become　a　frog。　All　in　vain！　When　young；　you　applauded

him；　in　his　old　age　you　hooted　and　mocked　him；　because　his　genius

for　raillery　had　gone。　Cratinus　again　was　like　a　torrent　of　glory

rushing　across　the　plain；　up…rooting　oak；　plane　tree　and　rivals　and

bearing　them　pell…mell　in　his　wake。　The　only　songs　at　the　banquet

were；　〃Doro；　shod　with　lying　tales〃　and　〃Adepts　of　the　Lyric　Muse；〃　so

great　was　his　renown。　Look　at　him　now！　he　drivels；　his　lyre　has

neither　strings　nor　keys；　his　voice　quivers；　but　you　have　no　pity

for　him；　and　you　let　him　wander　about　as　he　can；　like　Connas；　his

temples　circled　with　a　withered　chaplet；　the　poor　old　fellow　is

dying　of　thirst；　he　who；　in　honour　of　his　glorious　past；　should　be

in　the　Prytaneum　drinking　at　his　ease；　and　instead　of　trudging　the

country　should　be　sitting　amongst　the　first　row　of　the　spectators；

close　to　the　statue　of　Dionysus　and　loaded　with　perfumes。　Crates；

again；　have　you　done　hounding　him　with　your　rage　and　your　hisses？

True；　it　was　but　meagre　fare　that　his　sterile　Muse　could　offer　you；

a　few　ingenious　fancies　formed　the　sole　ingredients；　but

nevertheless　he　knew　how　to　stand　firm　and　to　recover　from　his

falls。　It　is　such　examples　that　frighten　our　poet；　in　addition；　he

would　tell　himself；　that　before　being　a　pilot；　he　must　first　know

how　to　row；　then　to　keep　watch　at　the　prow；　after　that　how　to　gauge

the　winds；　and　that　only　then　would　he　be　able　to　command　his

vessel。　If　then　you　approve　this　wise　caution　and　his　resolve　that

he　would　not　bore　you　with　foolish　nonsense；　raise　loud　waves　of

applause　in　his　favour　this　day；　so　that；　at　this　Lenaean　feast；　the

breath　of　your　favour　may　swell　the　sails　of　his　triumphant　galley　and

the　poet　may　withdraw　proud　of　his　success；　with　head　erect　and　his

face　beaming　with　delight。

　　FIRST　SEMI…CHORUS　（singing）

　　　　Posidon；　god　of　the　racing　steeds；　I　salute　you；　you　who　delight

in　their　neighing　and　in　the　resounding　clatter　of　their　brass…shod

hoofs；　god　of　the　swift　galleys；　which；　loaded　with　mercenaries；

cleave　the　seas　with　their　azure　beaks；　god　of　the　equestrian

contests；　in　which　young　rivals；　eager　for　glory；　ruin　themselves

for　the　sake　of　distinction　with　their　chariots　in　the　arena；　come　and

direct　our　chorus；　Posidon　with　the　trident　of　gold；　you；　who　reign

over　the　dolphins；　who　are　worshipped　at　Sunium　and　at　Geraestus

beloved　of　Phormio；　and　dear　to　the　whole　city　above　all　the

immortals；　I　salute　you！

　　LEADER　OF　FIRST　SEMI…CHORUS

　　　　Let　us　sing　the　glory　of　our　forefathers；　ever　victors；　both　on

land　and　sea；　they　merit　that　Athens；　rendered　famous　by　these；　her

worthy　sons；　should　write　their　deeds　upon　the　sacred　peplus。　As

soon　as　they　saw　the　enemy；　they　at　once　sprang　at　him　without　ever

counting　his　strength。　Should　one　of　them　fall　in　the　conflict　he

would　shake　off　the　dust；　deny　his　mishap　and　begin　the　struggle　anew。

Not　one　of　these　generals　of　old　time　would　have　asked　Cleaenetus　to

be　fed　at　the　cost　of　the　State；　but　our　present　men　refuse　to

fight；　unless　they　get　the　honours　of　the　Prytaneum　and　precedence

in　their　seats。　As　for　us；　we　place　our　valour　gratuitously　at　the

service　of　Athens　and　of　her　gods；　our　only　hope　is　that；　should　peace

ever　put　a　term　te　our　toils；　you　will　not　grudge　us　our　long；　scented

hair　nor　our　delicate　care　for　our　toilet。

　　SECOND　SEMI…CHORUS　（singing）

　　　　Oh！　Pallas；　guardian　of　Athens；　you；　who　reign　over　the　most　pious

city；　the　most　powerful；　the　richest　in　warriors　and　in　poets；

hasten　to　my　call；　bringing　in　your　train　our　faithful　ally　in　all　our

expeditions　and　combats；　Victory；　who　smiles　on　our　choruses　and

fights　with　us　against　our　rivals。　Oh！　goddess！　manifest　yourself　to

our　sight；　this　day　more　than　ever　we　deserve　that　you　should　ensure

our　triumph。

　　LEADER　OF　SECOND　SEMI…CHORUS

　　　　We　will　sing　likewise　the　exploits　of　our　steeds！　they　are

worthy　of　our　praises；　in　what　invasions；　what　fights　have　I　not

seen　them　helping　us！　But　especially　admirable　were　they；　when　they

bravely　leapt　upon　the　galleys；　taking　nothing　with　them　but　a

coarse　wine；　some　cloves　of　garlic　and　onions；　despite　this；　they

nevertheless　seized　the　sweeps　just　like　men；　curved　their　backs

over　the　thwarts　and　shouted；　〃Hippapai！　Give　way！　Come；　all　pull

together！　Come；　come！　How！　Samphoras！　Are　you　not　rowing？〃　They　rushed

down　upon　the　coast　of　Corinth；　and　the　youngest　hollowed　out　beds

in　the　sand　with　their　hoofs　or　went　to　fetch　coverings；　instead　of

luzern；　they　had　no　food　but　crabs；　which　they　caught　on　the　strand

and　even　in　the　sea；　so　that　Theorus　causes　a　Corinthian　crab　to

say；　〃'Tis　a　cruel　fate；　oh　Posidon　neither　my　deep　hiding…places；

whether　on　land　or　at　sea；　can　help　me　to　escape　the　Knights。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（The　SAUSAGE…SELLER　returns。）

　　LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS

　　　　Welcome；　oh；　dearest　and　bravest　of　men！　How　distracted　I　have

been　during　your　absence！　But　here　you　are　back；　safe　and　sound。

Tell　us　about　the　fight　you　have　had。

　　SAUSAGE…SELLER

　　　　The　important　thing　is　that　I　have　beaten　the　Senate。

　　CHORUS　（singing）

　　　　All　glory　to　you！　Let　us　burst　into　shouts　of　joy！　You　speak　well；

but　your　deeds　are　even　better。　Come；　tell　me　everything　in　detail；

what　a　long　journey　would　I　not　be　ready　to　take　to　hear　your　tale！

Come；　dear　friend；　speak　with　full　confidence　to　your　admirers。

　　SAUSAGE…SELLER

　　　　The　story　is　worth　hearing。　Listen！　From　here　I　rushed　straight　to

the　Senate；　right　in　the　track　of　this　man；　he　was　already　letting

loose　the　storm；　unchaining　the　lightning；　crushing　the　Knights

beneath　huge　mountains　of　calumnies　heaped　together　and　having　all　the

air　of　truth；　he　called　you　conspirators　and　his　lies　caught　root　like

weeds　in　every　mind；　dark　were　the　looks　on　every　side　and　brows

were　knitted。　When　I　saw　that　the　Senate　listened　to　him　favourably

and　was　being　tricked　by　his　imposture　I　said　to　myself；　〃Come；　gods

of　rascals　and　braggarts；　gods　of　all　fools；　and　toad…eaters；　and　thou

too；　oh　market…place；　wherein　I　was　bred　from　my　earliest　days；　give

me　unbridled　audacity；　an　untiring　chatter　and　a　shameless　voice。〃

No　sooner　had　I　ended　this　prayer　than　a　pederast　farted　on　my

right。　〃Hah！　a　good　omen；〃　said　I；　and　prostrated　myself；　then　I　burst

open　the　door　by　a　vigorous　push　with　my　arse；　and；　opening　my　mouth

to　the　utmost；　shouted；　〃Senators；　I　wanted　you　to　be　the　first　to

hear　the　good　news；　since　the　war　broke　out；　I　have　never　seen

anchovies　at　a　lower　price！〃　All　faces　brightened　at　once　and　I　was

voted　a　chaplet　for　my　good　tidings；　and　I　added；　〃With　a　couple　of

words　I　will　reveal　to　you　how　you　can　have　quantities　of　anchovies

for　an　obol；　all　you　have　to　do　is　to　seize　on　all　the　dishes　the

merchants　have。〃　With　mouths　gaping　with　admiration；　they　applauded