peace-第4章
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goddess。 Oh！ the most human； the most generous of the gods； be
favourable toward us； if it be true that you detest the haughty crests
and proud brows of Pisander； we shall never cease； oh master； offering
you sacred victims and solemn prayers。
TRYGAEUS
Have mercy； mercy； yourself be touched by their words； never was
your worship so dear to them as to…day。 （Aside） Really they are the
greatest thieves that ever were。 （To HERMES） And I shall reveal to you
a great and terrible plot that is being hatched against the gods。
HERMES
Hah！ speak and perchance I shall let myself be softened。
TRYGAEUS
Know then； that the Moon and that infamous Sun are plotting
against you； and want to deliver Greece into the hands of the
barbarians。
HERMES
What for？
TRYGAEUS
Because it is to you that we sacrifice； whereas the barbarians
worship them； hence they would like to see you destroyed； that they
alone might receive the offerings。
HERMES
Is it then for this reason that these untrustworthy charioteers
have for so long been defrauding us； one of them robbing us of
daylight and the other nibbling away at the other's disk？
TRYGAES
Yes； certainly。 So therefore； Hermes； my friend； help us with your
whole heart to find and deliver the captive and we will celebrate
the great Panathenaea in your honour as well as all the festivals of
the other gods； for Hermes shall be the Mysteries。 the Dipolia； the
Adonia； everywhere the towns； freed from their miseries； will
sacrifice to Hermes the Liberator； you will be loaded with benefits of
every kind； and to start with； I offer you this cup for libations as
your first present。
HERMES
Ah！ how golden cups do influence me！ Come； friends。 get to work。
To the pit quickly； pick in hand； and drag away the stones。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
We go； but you； cleverest of all the gods； supervise our
labours； tell us； good workman as you are； what we must do； we shall
obey your orders with alacrity。
（They begin to lift the stones。）
TRYGAEUS
Quick； reach me your cup； and let us preface our work by
addressing prayers to the gods。
HERMES
Libation！ Libation！ Silence！ Let us offer our libations and our
prayers； so that this day may begin an era of unalloyed happiness
for Greece and that he who has bravely pulled at the rope with us
may never resume his buckler。
TRYGAEUS
Aye； may we pass our lives in peace； caressing our mistresses
and poking the fire。
HERMES
May he who would prefer the war； oh Dionysus。。。。
TRYGAEUS
Be ever drawing barbed arrows out of his elbows。
HERMES
If there be a citizen； greedy for military rank and honours； who
refuses； oh； divine Peace！ to restore you to daylight。。。。
TRYGAEUS
May he behave as cowardly as Cleonymus on the battlefield。
HERMES
If a lance…maker or a dealer in shields desires war for the sake
of better trade。。。。
TRYGAEUS
May he be taken by pirates and eat nothing but barley。
HERMES
If some ambitious man does not help us； because he wants to become
a General； or if a slave is plotting to pass over to the enemy。。。。
TRYGAEUS
Let his limbs be broken on the wheel； may he be beaten to death
with rods！
HERMES
As for us； may Fortune favour us！ Io！ Paean； Io！
TRYGAEUS
Don't say Paean； but simply； Io。
HERMES
Very well； then！ Io！ Io！ Io！ I'll simply say； Io！
TRYGAEUS
To Hermes； the Graces； the Horae； Aphrodite； Eros！
HERMES
But not to Ares。
TRYGAEUS
No。
HERMES
Nor to Enyalius。
TRYGAEUS
No。
（The stones have been removed and a rope attacked to the cover of
the pit。 The indented portions of the following scene are a sort
of chanty。）
HERMES
Come； all strain at the ropes to tear off the cover。 Pull！
CHORUS
Heave away； heave； heave； oh！
HERMES
Come； pull harder； harder。
CHORUS
Heave away； heave； heave； oh！
HERMES
Still harder； harder still。
CHORUS
Heave away； heave！ Heave away； heave； heave； oh！
TRYGAEUS
Come； come； there is no working together。 Come！ all pull at the
same instant！ you Boeotians are only pretending。 Beware！
HERMES
Come； heave away； heave！
TRYGAEUS
Heave away； heave oh！
CHORUS
Hi！ you two pull as well。
TRYGAEUS
Why； I am pulling； I am hanging on to the rope and straining
till I am almost off my feet； I am working with all my might。
CHORUS
Why does not the work advance then？
TRYGAEUS
Lamachus； this is terrible！ You are in the way； sitting there。
We have no use for your Medusa's head； friend。 But wait； the Argives
have not pulled the least bit； they have done nothing but laugh at
us for our pains while they were getting gain with both hands。
HERMES
Ah！ my dear sir； the Laconians at all events pull with vigour。
TRYGAEUS
But look！ only those among them who generally hold the plough…tail
show any zeal； while the armourers impede them in their efforts。
HERMES
And the Megarians too are doing nothing； yet look how they are
pulling and showing their teeth like famished curs。
TRYGAEUS
The poor wretches are dying of hunger I suppose。
HERMES
This won't do； friends。 Come！ all together！ Everyone to the work
and with a good heart for the business。
CHORUS
Heave away； heave！
HERMES
Harder！
CHORUS
Heave away； heave！
HERMES
Come on then； by heaven。
CHORUS
We are moving it a little。
TRYGAEUS
Isn't it terrible and stupid！ some pull one way and others
another。 You Argives there； beware of a thrashing！
HERMES
Come； put your strength into it。
TRYGAEUS
Heave away； heave！
CHORUS
There are many ill…disposed folk among us。
TRYGAEUS
Do you at least； who long for peace； pull heartily。
CHORUS
But there are some who prevent us。
HERMES
Off to the Devil with you； Megarians！ The goddess hates you。 She
recollects that you were the first to rub her the wrong way。
Athenians； you are not well placed for pulling。 There you are too busy
with law…suits； if you really want to free the goddess； get down a
little towards the sea。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Come； friends； none but husbandmen on the rope。
HERMES
Ah I that will do ever so much better。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
He says the thing is going well。 Come； all of you； together and
with a will。
TRYGAEUS
It's the husbandmen who are doing all the work。
CHORUS
Come then； come； and all together！
HERMES
Hah！ hah！ at last there is some unanimity in the work。
CHORUS
Don't let us give up； let us redouble our efforts。
HERMES
There！ now we have it！
CHORUS
Come then； all together！ Heave away； heave！ Heave away； heave！
Heave away； heave！ Heave away； heave！ Heave away； heave！ All together！
（PEACE is drawn out of the pit。 With her come OPORA and THEORIA。）
TRYGAEUS
Oh！ venerated goddess； who givest us our grapes； where am I to
find the ten…thousand…gallon words wherewith to greet thee？ I have
none such at home。 Oh！ hail to thee； Opora； and thee； Theoria！ How
beautiful is thy face！ How sweet thy breath！ What gentle fragrance
comes from thy bosom； gentle as freedom from military duty； as the
most dainty perfumes！
HERMES
Is it then a smell like a soldier's knapsack？
TRYGAEUS
Oh！ hateful soldier！ your hideous satchel makes me sick！ it stinks
like the belching of onions； whereas this lovable deity has the
odour of sweet fruits； of festivals； of the Dionysia； of the harmony
of flutes； of the tragic poets； of the verses of Sophocles； of the
phrases of Euripides。。。。
HERMES
That's a foul calumny； you wretch！ She detests that framer of
subtleties and quibbles。
TRYG
