HIEROCLES　（resuming　the　oracular　manner）
  You　simple　pigeons；　you　trust　yourselves　to　foxes；　who　are　all
  craft；　both　in　mind　and　heart。
  TRYGAEUS
  Oh；　you　trouble…maker！　may　your　lungs　get　as　hot　as　this　meat！
  HIEROCLES
  Nay；　nay！　if　only　the　Nymphs　had　not　fooled　Bacis；　and　Bacis
  mortal　men；　and　if　the　Nymphs　had　not　tricked　Bacis　a　second　time。。。。
  TRYGAEUS　（mocking　his　manner）
  May　the　plague　seize　you；　if　you　don't　stop　Bacizing！
  HIEROCLES
  。。。。it　would　not　have　been　written　in　the　book　of　Fate　that　the
  bends　of　Peace　must　be　broken；　but　first。。。。
  TRYGAEUS
  The　meat　must　be　dusted　with　salt。
  HIEROCLES
  。。。。it　does　not　please　the　blessed　gods　that　we　should　stop　the
  War　until　the　wolf　uniteth　with　the　sheep。
  （A　kind　of　oracle…match　now　ensues。）
  TRYGAEUS
  How；　you　cursed　animal；　could　the　wolf　ever　unite　with　the　sheep？
  HIEROCLES
  As　long　as　the　wood…bug　gives　off　a　fetid　odour；　when　it　flies；　as
  long　as　the　noisy　bitch　is　forced　by　nature　to　litter　blind　pups；　so
  long　shall　peace　be　forbidden。
  TRYGAEUS
  Then　what　should　be　done？　Not　to　stop　War　would　be　to　leave　it
  to　the　decision　of　chance　which　of　the　two　people　should　suffer　the
  most；　whereas　by　uniting　under　a　treaty；　we　share　the　empire　of
  Greece。
  HIEROCLES
  You　will　never　make　the　crab　walk　straight。
  TRYGAEUS
  You　shall　no　longer　be　fed　at　the　Prytaneum；　when　the　war　is　over；
  oracles　are　not　wanted。
  HIEROCLES
  You　will　never　smooth　the　rough　spikes　of　the　hedgehog。
  TRYGAEUS
  Will　you　never　stop　fooling　the　Athenians？
  HIEROCLES
  What　oracle　ordered　you　to　burn　these　joints　of　mutton　in　honour
  of　the　gods？
  TRYGAEUS
  This　grand　oracle　of　Homer's：　〃Thus　vanished　the　dark　war…clouds
  and　we　offered　a　sacrifice　to　new…born　Peace。　When　the　flame　had
  consumed　the　thighs　of　the　victim　and　its　inwards　had　appeased　our
  hunger；　we　poured　out　the　libations　of　wine。〃　'Twas　I　who　arranged　the
  sacred　rites；　but　none　offered　the　shining　cup　to　the　diviner。
  HIEROCLES
  I　care　little　for　that。　'Tis　not　the　Sibyl　who　spoke　it。
  TRYGAEUS
  Wise　Homer　has　also　said：　〃He　who　delights　in　the　horrors　of　civil
  war　has　neither　country　nor　laws　nor　home。〃　What　noble　words！
  HIEROCLES
  Beware　lest　the　kite　turn　your　brain　and　rob。。。。
  TRYGAEUS　（to　the　SERVANT　Who　has　returned　with　the　libations）　Look
  out；　slave！　This　oracle　threatens　our　meat。　Quick；　pour　the
  libation；　and　give　me　some　of　the　inwards。
  HIEROCLES
  I　too　will　help　myself　to　a　bit；　if　you　like。
  TRYGAEUS
  The　libation！　the　libation！
  HIEROCLES　（to　the　SERVANT）
  Pour　out　also　for　me　and　give　me　some　of　this　meat。
  TRYGAEUS
  No；　the　blessed　gods　won't　allow　it　yet；　let　us　drink：　and　as
  for　you；　get　you　gone；　for　that's　their　will。　Mighty　Peace！　stay
  ever　in　our　midst。
  HIEROCLES
  Bring　the　tongue　hither。
  TRYGAEUS
  Relieve　us　of　your　own。
  HIEROCLES
  The　libation。
  TRYGAEUS
  Here！　and　this　into　the　bargain。　（He　strikes　him。）
  HIEROCLES
  You　will　not　give　me　any　meat？
  TRYGAEUS
  We　cannot　give　you　any　until　the　wolf　unites　with　the　sheep。
  HIEROCLES
  I　will　embrace　your　knees。
  TRYGAEUS
  'Tis　lost　labour；　good　fellow；　you　will　never　smooth　the　rough
  spikes　of　the　hedgehog。。。e；　spectators；　join　us　in　our　feast。
  HIEROCLES
  And　what　am　I　to　do？
  TRYGAEUS
  You？　go　and　eat　the　Sibyl。
  HIEROCLES
  No；　by　the　Earth！　no；　you　shall　not　eat　without　me；　if　you　do
  not　give；　I　shall　take；　it's　common　property。
  TRYGAEUS　（to　the　SERVANT）
  Strike；　strike　this　Bacis；　this　humbugging　soothsayer。
  HIEROCLES
  I　take　to　witness。。。。
  TRYGAEUS
  And　I　also；　that　you　are　a　glutton　and　an　impostor。　（To　the
  SERVANT）　Hold　him　tight　and　I'll　beat　the　impostor　with　a　stick。
  SERVANT
  You　look　to　that；　I　will　snatch　the　skin　from　him　which　he　has
  stolen　from　us。
  TRYGAEUS
  Let　go　that　skin；　you　priest　from　hell！　do　you　hear！　Oh！　what　a
  fine　crow　has　come　from　Oreus！　Stretch　your　wings　quickly　for
  Elymnium。
  （HIEROCLES　flees。　TRYGAEUS　and　the　SERVANT　go　into　the　house。）
  CHORUS　（singing）
  Oh！　joy；　joy！　no　more　helmet；　no　more　cheese　nor　onions！　No；　I
  have　no　passion　for　battles；　what　I　love　is　to　drink　with　good
  comrades　in　the　corner　by　the　fire　when　good　dry　wood；　cut　in　the
  height　of　the　summer；　is　crackling；　it　is　to　cook　pease　on　the　coals
  and　beechnuts　among　the　embers；　it　is　to　kiss　our　pretty　Thracian
  while　my　wife　is　at　the　bath。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Nothing　is　more　pleasing；　when　the　rain　is　sprouting　our
  sowings；　than　to　chat　with　some　friend；　saying；　〃Tell　me；　Comarchides；
  what　shall　we　do？　I　would　willingly　drink　myself；　while　the　heavens
  are　watering　our　fields。　Come；　wife；　cook　three　measures　of　beans；
  adding　to　them　a　little　wheat；　and　give　us　some　figs。　Syra！　call　Manes
  off　the　fields；　it's　impossible　to　prune　the　vine　or　to　align　the
  ridges；　for　the　ground　is　too　wet　to…day。　Let　someone　bring　me　the
  thrush　and　those　two　chaffinches；　there　were　also　some　curds　and
  four　pieces　of　hare；　unless　the　cat　stole　them　last　evening；　for　I
  know　not　what　the　infernal　noise　was　that　I　heard　in　the　house。
  Serve　up　three　of　the　pieces　for　me；　slave；　and　give　the　fourth　to
  my　father。　Go　and　ask　Aeschinades　for　some　myrtle　branches　with
  berries　on　them；　and　then；　for　it's　on　the　same　road；　invite
  Charinades　to　come　and　drink　with　me　to　the　honour　of　the　gods　who
  watch　over　our　crops。〃
  CHORUS　（singing）
  When　the　grasshopper　sings　his　dulcet　tune；　I　love　to　see　the
  Lemnian　vines　beginning　to　ripen；　the　earliest　plant　of　all。
  Likewise　I　love　to　watch　the　fig　filling　out；　and　when　it　has
  reached　maturity　I　eat　it　with　appreciation；　exclaiming；　〃Oh！
  delightful　season！〃　Then　too　I　bruise　some　thyme　and　infuse　it　in
  water。　Indeed　I　grow　a　great　deal　fatter　passing　the　summer　in　this
  way。。。。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  。。。than　in　watching　a　damned　lieutenant　with　three　plumes　and
  military　cloak　of　crimson；　very　livid　indeed；　he　calls　it　the　real
  Sardian　purple；　but　if　he　ever　has　to　fight　in　this　cloak　he'll　dye　it
  another　colour；　the　real　Cyzicene　yellow；　he　the　first　to　run　away；
  shaking　his　plumes　like　a　buff　hippalectryon；　and　I　am　left　to　do
  the　real　work。　Once　back　again　in　Athens；　these　brave　fellows　behave
  abominably；　they　write　down　these；　they　scratch　through　others；　and
  this　backwards　and　forwards　two　or　three　times　at　random。　The
  departure　is　set　for　to…morrow；　and　some　citizen　has　brought　no
  provisions；　because　he　didn't　know　he　had　to　go；　he　stops　in　front
  of　the　statue　of　Pandion；　reads　his　name；　is　dumbfounded　and　starts
  away　at　a　run；　weeping　bitter　tears。　The　townsfolk　are　less
  ill…used；　but　that　is　how　the　husbandmen　are　treated　by　these　men　of
  war；　the　hated　of　the　gods　and　of　men；　who　know　nothing　but　how　to
  throw　away　their　shield。　For　this　reason；　if　it　please　heaven；　I
  propose　to　call　these　rascals　to　account；　for　they　are　lions　in
  times　of　peace；　but　sneaking　foxes　when　it　comes　to　fighting。
  TRYGAEUS　（coming　out　of　his　house；　followed　by　the　SERVANT）
  Oh！　oh！　what　a　crowd　for　the　nuptial　feast！　Here！　dust　the
  tables　with　this　crest；　which　is　good　for　nothing　else　now。　Halloa！
  produce　the　cakes；　the　thrushes；　plenty　of　good　jugged　hare　and　the
  little　loaves。
  （A　SICKLE…MAKER　enters　with　a　comrade；　one　carries　sickles；　the
  other　casks。）
  SICKLE…MAKER
  Trygaeus；　where　is　Trygaeus？
  TRYGAEUS
  I　am　cooking　the　thrushes。
  SICKLE…MAKER
  Trygaeus；　my　best　of　friends；　what　a　fine　stroke　of　business　you
  have　done　for　me　by　bringing　back　Peace！　Formerly　my　sickles　would　not
  have　sold　at　an　obolus　apiece；　to…day　I　am　being　paid　fifty　drachmae
  for　every　one。　And　here　is　a　neighbour　who　is　selling　his　casks　for
  the　country　at　three　drachmae　each。　So　come；　Trygaeus；　take　as　many
  sickles　and　casks　as　you　will　for　nothing。　Accept　them　for　nothing；
  it's　because　of　our　handsome　profits　on　our　sales　that　we　offer　you
  these　wedding　presents。
  TRYGAEUS
  Thanks。　Put　them　all　down　inside　there；　and　come　along　quick　to
  the　banquet。　Ah！　do　you　see　that　armourer　yonder　coming　with　a　wry
  face？
  （Enter　an　armourer；　followed　by　other　personages　who　represent　the
  various　specialized　trades　which　have　profited　by　the　war；　a
  crest…maker；　a　manufacturer　of　breastplates；　a　trumpet…maker；　a
  helmet…maker；　a　polisher　of　lances；　each　carries　a　sample　of　his
  products。　The　armourer　is　the　only　one　who　speaks。）
  ARMOURER
  Alas！　alas！　Trygaeus；　you　have　ruined　me　utterly。
  TRYGAEUS
  What！　won't　the　crests　go　any　more；　friend？
  ARMOURER
  You　have　killed　my　business；　my　livelihood；　and　that　of　this
  poor　lance　maker　too。
  TRYGAEUS
  Come；　come；　what　are　you　as