the birds-第8节
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（He beats him。）
METON
Oh； woe！ oh； woe！
PITHETAERUS
I warned you。 Now； be off； and do your surveying somewhere else。
（METON takes to his heels。 He is no sooner gone than an INSPECTOR
arrives。）
INSPECTOR
Where are the Proxeni？
PITHETAERUS
Who is this Sardanapalus？
INSPECTOR
I have been appointed by lot to come to Nephelococcygia。 as
inspector。
PITHETAERUS
An inspector！ and who sends you here； you rascal？
INSPECTOR
A decree of Teleas。
PITHETAERUS
Will you just pocket your salary； do nothing； and get out？
INSPECTOR
Indeed I will； I am urgently needed to be at Athens to attend
the Assembly； for I am charged with the interests of Pharnaces。
PITHETAERUS
Take it then； and get on your way。 This is your salary。
（He beats him。）
INSPECTOR
What does this mean？
PITHETAERUS
This is the assembly where you have to defend Pharnaces。
INSPECTOR
You shall testify that they dare to strike me； the inspector。
PITHETAERUS
Are you not going to get out with your urns？ It's not to be
believed； they send us inspectors before we have so much as paid
sacrifice to the gods。
（The INSPECTOR goes into hiding。 A DEALER IN DECREES arrives。）
DEALER IN DECREES （reading）
〃If the Nephelococcygian does wrong to the Athenian。。。〃
PITHETAERUS
What trouble now？ What book is that？
DEALER IN DECREES
I am a dealer in decrees； and I have come here to sell you the new
laws。
PITHETAERUS
Which？
DEALER IN DECREES
〃The Nephelococcygians shall adopt the same weights； measures
and decrees as the Olophyxians。〃
PITHETAERUS
And you shall soon be imitating the Ototyxians。
（He beats him。）
DEALER IN DECREES
Ow！ what are you doing？
PITHETAERUS
Now will you get out of here with your decrees？ For I am going
to let you see some severe ones。
（The DEALER IN DECREES departs； the INSPECTOR comes out of
hiding。）
INSPECTOR （returning）
I summon Pithetaerus for outrage for the month of Munychion。
PITHETAERUS
Ha！ my friend！ are you still here？
（The DEALER IN DECREES also returns。）
DEALER IN DECREES
〃Should anyone drive away the magistrates and not receive them；
according to the decree duly posted。。。〃
PITHETAERUS
What！ rascal！ you are back too？
（He rushes at him。）
INSPECTOR
Woe to you！ I'll have you condemned to a fine of ten thousand
drachmae。
PITHETAERUS
And I'll smash your urns。
INSPECTOR
Do you recall that evening when you crapped on the column where
the decrees are posted？
PITHETAERUS
Here！ here！ let him be seized。 （The INSPECTOR runs off。） Why；
don't you want to stay any longer？ But let us get indoors as quick
as possible； we will sacrifice the goat inside。
FIRST SEMI…CHORUS （singing）
Henceforth it is to me that mortals must address their
sacrifices and their prayers。 Nothing escapes my sight nor my might。
My glance embraces the universe； I preserve the fruit in the flower by
destroying the thousand kinds of voracious insects the soil
produces； which attack the trees and feed on the germ when it has
scarcely formed in the calyx； I destroy those who ravage the balmy
terrace gardens like a deadly plague； all these gnawing crawling
creatures perish beneath the lash of my wing。
LEADER OF FIRST SEMI…CHORUS
I hear it proclaimed everywhere： 〃A talent for him who shall
kill Diagoras of Melos； and a talent for him who destroys one of the
dead tyrants。〃 We likewise wish to make our proclamation： 〃A talent to
him among you who shall kill Philocrates； the Struthian； four； if he
brings him to us alive。 For this Philocrates skewers the finches
together and sells them at the rate of an obolus for seven。 He
tortures the thrushes by blowing them out； so that they may look
bigger； sticks their own feathers into the nostrils of blackbirds； and
collects pigeons； which he shuts up and forces them； fastened in a
net； to decoy others。〃 That is what we wish to proclaim。 And if anyone
is keeping birds shut up in his yard； let him hasten to let them
loose； those who disobey shall be seized by the birds and we shall put
them in chains； so that in their turn they may decoy other men。
SECOND SEMI…CHORUS （singing）
Happy indeed is the race of winged birds who need no cloak in
winter！ Neither do I fear the relentless rays of the fiery dog…days；
when the divine grasshopper； intoxicated with the sunlight； as noon is
burning the ground； is breaking out into shrill melody； my home is
beneath the foliage in the flowery meadows。 I winter in deep
caverns； where I frolic with the mountain nymphs； while in spring I
despoil the gardens of the Graces and gather the white； virgin berry
on the myrtle bushes。
LEADER OF SECOND SEMI…CHORUS
I want now to speak to the judges about the prize they are going
to award； if they are favourable to us； we will load them with
benefits far greater than those Paris received。 Firstly； the owls of
Laurium； which every judge desires above all things； shall never be
wanting to you； you shall see them homing with you； building their
nests in your money…bags and laying coins。 Besides； you shall be
housed like the gods； for we shall erect gables over your dwellings；
if you hold some public post and want to do a little pilfering； we
will give you the sharp claws of a hawk。 Are you dining in town； we
will provide you with stomachs as capacious as a bird's crop。 But；
if your award is against us； don't fail to have metal covers fashioned
for yourselves； like those they place over statues； else； look out！
for the day you wear a white tunic all the birds will soil it with
their droppings。
PITHETAERUS
Birds！ the sacrifice is propitious。 But I see no messenger
coming from the wall to tell us what is happening。 Ah！ here comes
one running himself out of breath as though he were in the Olympic
stadium。
MESSENGER （running back and forth）
Where； where； where is he？ Where； where； where is he？ Where；
where； where is he？ Where is Pithetaerus； our leader？
PITHETAERUS
Here am I。
MESSENGER
The wall is finished。
PITHETAERUS
That's good news。
MESSENGER
It's a most beautiful； a most magnificent work of art。 The wall is
so broad that Proxenides； the Braggartian； and Theogenes could pass
each other in their chariots； even if they were drawn by steeds as big
as the Trojan horse。
PITHETAERUS
That's fine！
MESSENGER
Its length is one hundred stadia； I measured it myself。
PITHETAERUS
A decent length； by Posidon！ And who built such a wall？
MESSENGER
Birds…birds only； they had neither Egyptian brickmaker； nor
stone…mason； nor carpenter； the birds did it all themselves； I could
hardly believe my eyes。 Thirty thousand cranes came from Libya with
a supply of stones； intended for the foundations。 The water…rails
chiselled them with their beaks。 Ten thousand storks were busy
making bricks； plovers and other water fowl carried water into the
air。
PITHETAERUS
And who carried the mortar？
MESSENGER
Herons； in hods。
PITHETAERUS
But how could they put the mortar into the hods？
MESSENGER
Oh！ it was a truly clever invention； the geese used their feet
like spades； they buried them in the pile of mortar and then emptied
them into the hods。
PITHETAERUS
Ah！ to what use cannot feet be put？
MESSENGER
You should have seen how eagerly the ducks carried bricks。 To
complete the tale； the swallows came flying to the work； their beaks
full of mortar and their trowels on their backs； just the way little
children are carried。
PITHETAERUS
Who would want paid servants after this？ But tell me； who did
the woodwork？
MESSENGER
Birds again； aid clever carpenters too； the pelicans； for they
squared up the gates with their beaks in such a fashion that one would
have thought they were using axes； the noise was just like a dockyard。
Now the whole wall is tight everywhere； securely bolted and well
guarded； it is patrolled； bell in hand； the sentinels stand everywhere
and beacons burn on the towers。 But I must run off to clean myself；
the rest is your business。
（He departs。）
LEADER OF THE CHORUS （to PITHETAERUS）
Well！ what do you say to it？ Are you not astonished at the wall
being completed so quickly？
PITHETAERUS
By the gods； yes； and with good reason。 It's really not to be
believed。 But here comes another messenger from the wall to bring us
some further news！ What a fightin
