the knights-第9节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
with her own hands。
CLEON
Hold； here is a piece of good rich cake。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
But I offer you an entire cake。
CLEON
But you cannot offer him stewed hare as I do。
SAUSAGE…SELLER （aside）
Ah！ great gods！ stewed hare！ where shall I find it？ Oh！ brain of
mine； devise some trick！
CLEON （showing him the hare）
Do you see this； you rogue？
SAUSAGE…SELLER （pretending to look afar）
A fig for that！ Here are some people coming to seek me。 They are
envoys； bearing sacks bulging with money。
CLEON
（Hearing money mentioned CLEON turns his head； and the
SAUSAGE…SELLER seizes the opportunity to snatch away the stewed hare。）
Where； where； I say？
SAUSAGE…SELLER
Bah！ What's that to you？ Will you not even now let the strangers
alone？ Dear Demos； do you see this stewed hare which I bring you？
CLEON
Ah！ rascal！ you have shamelessly robbed me。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
You have robbed too； you robbed the Laconians at Pylos。
DEMOS
Please tell me； how did you get the idea to filch it from him？
SAUSAGE…SELLER
The idea comes from the goddess； the theft is all my own。
CLEON
And I had taken such trouble to catch this hare and I was the
one who had it cooked。
DEMOS （to CLEON）
Get you gone！ My thanks are only for him who served it。
CLEON
Ah！ wretch！ you have beaten me in impudence！
SAUSAGE…SELLER
Well then； Demos； say now； who has treated you best； you and
your stomach？ Decide！
DEMOS
How shall I act here so that the spectators shall approve my
judgment？
SAUSAGE…SELLER
I will tell you。 Without saying anything； go and rummage through
my basket； and then through the Paphlagonian's； and see what is in
them； that's the best way to judge。
DEMOS
Let us see then； what is there in yours？
SAUSAGE…SELLER
Why； it's empty； dear little father； I have brought everything
to you。
DEMOS
This is a basket devoted to the people。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
Now hunt through the Paphlagonian's。 （Pause； as Demos does so）
Well？
DEMOS
Oh！ what a lot of good things！ Why it's quite full！ Oh！ what a
huge great part of this cake he kept for himself！ He had only cut
off the least little tiny piece for me。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
But this is what he has always done。 Of everything he took； he
only gave you the crumbs； and kept the bulk。
DEMOS （to CLEON）
Oh！ rascal！ was this the way you robbed me？ And I was loading
you with chaplets and gifts！
CLEON
I robbed for the public weal。
DEMOS （to CLEON）
Give me back that crown； I shall give it to him。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
Return it quick； quick； you gallows…bird。
CLEON
No； for the Pythian oracle has revealed to me the name of him
who shall overthrow me。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
And that name was mine； nothing can be clearer。
CLEON
Reply and I shall soon see whether you are indeed the man whom the
god intended。 Firstly； what school did you attend when a child？
SAUSAGE…SELLER
It was in the kitchens； where I was taught with cuffs and blows。
CLEON
What's that you say？ （aside） Ah！ this is truly what the oracle
said。
（To the SAUSAGE…SELLER） And what did you learn from the master of
exercises？
SAUSAGE…SELLER
I learnt to take a false oath without a smile； when I had stolen
something。
CLEON （frightened； aside）
Oh！ Phoebus Apollo； god of Lycia！ I am undone！ （To the
SAUSAGE…SELLER） And when you had become a man； what trade did you
follow？
SAUSAGE…SELLER
I sold sausages and did a bit of fornication。
CLEON （in consternation； aside）
Oh！ my god！ I am a lost man！ Ah！ still one slender hope remains。
（to the SAUSAGE…SELLER） Tell me； was it on the market…place or near
the gates that you sold your sausages？
SAUSAGE…SELLER
Near the gates； in the market for salted goods。
CLEON （in tragic despair）
Alas！ I see the prophecy of the god is verily come true。 Alas！
roll me home。 I am a miserable ruined man。 Farewell； my chaplet。
'Tis death to me to part with you。 So you are to belong to another；
'tis certain he cannot be a greater thief； but perhaps he may be a
luckier one。
（He gives the chaplet to the SAUSAGE…SELLER。）
SAUSAGE…SELLER
Oh！ Zeus； protector of Greece！ 'tis to you I owe this victory！
DEMOSTHENES
Hail！ illustrious conqueror； but forget not； that if you have
become a great man； 'tis thanks to me； I ask but a little thing；
appoint me secretary of the law…court in the room of Phanus。
DEMOS （to the SAUSAGE…SELLER）
But what is your name then？ Tell me。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
My name is Agoracritus； because I have always lived on the
marketplace in the midst of lawsuits。
DEMOS
Well then； Agoracritus； I stand by you； as for the Paphlagonian； I
hand him over to your mercy。
AGORACRITUS
Demos； I will care for you to the best of my power； and all
shall admit that no citizen is more devoted than I to this city of
simpletons。
（They all enter the house of DEMOS。）
CHORUS （singing）
What fitter theme for our Muse； at the close as at the beginning
of our work； than this； to sing the hero who drives his swift steeds
down the arena？ Why afflict Lysistratus with our satires on his
poverty； and Thumantis； who has not so much as a lodging？ He is
dying of hunger and can be seen at Delphi； his face bathed in tears；
clinging to your quiver； oh； Apollo and supplicating you to take him
out of his misery。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
An insult directed at the wicked is not to be censured； on the
contrary； the honest man； if he has sense； can only applaud。 Him； whom
I wish to brand with infamy； is little known himself； he's the brother
of Arignotus。 I regret to quote this name which is so dear to me；
but whoever can distinguish black from white； or the Orthian mode of
music from others； knows the virtues of Arignotus； whom his brother；
Ariphrades； in no way resembles。 He gloats in vice； is not merely a
dissolute man and utterly debauched…but he has actually invented a new
form of vice； for he pollutes his tongue with abominable pleasures
in brothels； befouling all of his body。 Whoever is not horrified at
such a monster shall never drink from the same cup with me。
CHORUS （singing）
At times a thought weighs on me at night； I wonder whence comes
this fearful voracity of Cleonymus。 'Tis said that when dining with
a rich host； he springs at the dishes with the gluttony of a wild
beast and never leaves the bread…bin until his host seizes him round
the knees； exclaiming； 〃Go； go； good gentleman； in mercy go； and spare
my poor table！〃
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
It is said that the triremes assembled in council and that the
oldest spoke in these terms； 〃Are you ignorant； my sisters； of what is
plotting in Athens？ They say that a certain Hyperbolus； a bad
citizen and an infamous scoundrel； asks for a hundred of us to take
them to sea against Carthage。〃 All were indignant； and one of them； as
yet a virgin； cried； 〃May god forbid that I should ever obey him！ I
would prefer to grow old in the harbour and be gnawed by worms。 No！ by
the gods I swear it； Nauphante； daughter of Nauson； shall never bend
to his law； that's as true as I am made of wood and pitch。 If the
Athenians vote for the proposal of Hyperbolus； let them！ we will hoist
full sail and seek refuge by the temple of Theseus or the shrine of
the Eumenides。 No！ he shall not command us！ No！ he shall not play with
the city to this extent！ Let him sail by himself for Tartarus； if such
please him； launching the boats in which he used to sell his lamps。〃
（The SAUSAGE…SELLER comes out of the house of DEMOS； splendidly
robed。）
AGORACRITUS （solemnly）
Maintain a holy silence！ Keep your mouths from utterance！ call
no more witnesses； close these tribunals； which are the delight of
this city； and gather at the theatre to chant the Paean of
thanksgiving to the gods for a fresh favour。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Oh！ torch of sacred Athens； saviour of the Islands； what good
tidings are we to celebrate by letting the blood of the victims flow
in our marketplaces？
AGORACRITUS
I have freshened Demos up somewhat on the stove and have turned
his ugliness into beauty。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
I admire your invertive genius； but； where is he？
AGORACRITUS
He is living in ancient Athens； the city of the garlands of
violets。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
How I should like to see him！ What is his dress like； what his
manner？
AGORACRITUS
He has once more become as he was in the days when he lived with
Aristides and Miltiades。 But you will judge for yourselves； for I hear
the vestibule doors opening。 Hail with your shouts of gladness the
Athens of old； which now doth reappear to your gaze； admirable； wo
