first banquet to-day.
BLEPYRUS

Are we going to banquet?
PRAXAGORA

Why, undoubtedly! Furthermore, I propose abolishing the whores.
BLEPYRUS

And what for?
PRAXAGORA

It's clear enough why; so that, instead of them, we may have the
first-fruits of the young men. It is not meet that tricked-out

slaves should rob free-born women of their pleasures. Let the
courtesans be free to sleep with the slaves.

BLEPYRUS
I will march at your side, so that I may be seen and that everyone

may say, "Look at the Dictator's husband!"
(He follows PRAXAGORA into their house.)

CHREMES
As for me, I shall arrange my belongings and take inventory of

them, in order that I may take them to the market-place.
(He departs.)

(There is an interlude of dancing by the CHORUS, after which
CHREMES returns with his belongings and arranges them in a long

line.)
CHREMES

Come hither, my beautiful sieve, I have nothing more precious than
you, come, all clotted with the flour of which I have poured so many

sacks through you; you shall act the part of Canephorus in the
procession of my chattels. Where is the sunshade carrier? Ah! this

stew-pot shall take his place. Great gods, how black it is! it could
not be more so if Lysicrates had boiled the drugs in it with which

be dyes his hair. Hither, my beautiful mirror. And you, my tripod,
bear this urn for me; you shall be the water-bearer; and you, cock,

whose morning song has so often roused me in the middle of the night
to send me hurrying to the Assembly, you shall be my flute-girl.

Scaphephorus, do you take the large basin, place in it the
honeycombs and twine the olive-branches over them, bring the tripods

and the phial of perfume; as for the humble crowd of little pots, I
will just leave them behind.

CITIZEN (watching CHREMES from a distance)
What folly to carry one's goods to the common store; I have a

little more sense than that. No, no, by Posidon, I want first to
ponder and calculate over the thing at leisure. I shall not be fool

enough to strip myself of the fruits of my toil and thrift, if it is
not for a very good reason; let us see first which way things turn.

(He walks over to CHREMES) Hi! friend, what means this display of
goods? Are you moving or are you going to pawn your stuff?

CHREMES
Neither.

CITIZEN
Why then are you setting all these things out in line? Is it a

procession that you are starting off to Hiero, the public crier?
CHREMES

No, but in accordance with the new law that has been decreed, I am
going to carry all these things to the market-place to make a gift

of them to the state.
CITIZEN

Oh! bah! you don't mean that.
CHREMES

Certainly.
CITIZEN

Oh! Zeus the Deliverer! you unfortunate man!
CHREMES

Why?
CITIZEN

Why? It's as clear as noonday.
CHREMES

Must the laws not be obeyed then?
CITIZEN

What laws, you poor fellow?
CHREMES

Those that have been decreed.
CITIZEN

Decreed! Are you mad, I ask you?
CHREMES

Am I mad?
CITIZEN

Oh! this is the height of folly!
CHREMES

Because I obey the law?
CITIZEN

Is that the duty of a smart man?
CHREMES

Absolutely.
CITIZEN

Say rather of a ninny.
CHREMES

Don't you propose taking what belongs to you to the common stock?
CITIZEN

I'll take good care I don't until I see what the majority are
doing.

CHREMES
There's but one opinion, namely, to contribute every single thing one

has.
CITIZEN

I am waiting to see it, before I believe that.
CHREMES

At least, so they say in every street.
CITIZEN (sardonically)

And they will go on saying so.
CHREMES

Everyone talks of contributing all he has.
CITIZEN (in the same tone)

And will go on talking of it.
CHREMES

You weary me with your doubts and dubitations.
CITIZEN (in the same tone)

Everybody else will doubt it.
CHREMES

The pest seize you!
CITIZEN (in the same tone)

It will take you. (Then seriously) What? give up your goods! Is
there a man of sense who will do such a thing? Giving is not one of

our customs. Receiving is another matter; it's the way of the gods
themselves. Look at the position of their hands on their statues; when

we ask a favour, they present their hands turned palm up so as not
to give, but to receive.

CHREMES
Wretch, let me do what is right. Come, I'll make a bundle of all

these things. Where is my strap?
CITIZEN

Are you really going to carry them in?
CHREMES

Undoubtedly, and there are my two tripods strung together already.
CITIZEN

What folly! Not to wait to see what the others do, and then...
CHREMES

Well, and then what?
CITIZEN

...wait and put it off again.
CHREMES

What for?
CITIZEN

That an earthquake may come or an ill-omened flash of lightning,
that a black cat may run across the street and no one carry in

anything more, you fool!
CHREMES

It would be a fine thing if I were to find no room left for
placing all this.

CITIZEN
You are much more likely to lose your stuff. As for placing it,

you can be at ease, for there will be room enough as long as a month
hence.

CHREMES
Why?

CITIZEN
I know these people; a decree is readily passed, but it is not

so easily attended to.
CHREMES

All will contribute their property, my friend.
CITIZEN

But what if they don't?
CHREMES

But there is no doubt that they will.
CITIZEN (insistently)

But anyhow, what if they don't?
CHREMES

Do not worry; they will.
CITIZEN

And what if they oppose it?
CHREMES

We shall compel them to do so.
CITIZEN

And what if they prove the stronger?
CHREMES

I shall leave my goods and go off.
CITIZEN

And what if they sell them for you?
CHREMES

The plague take you!
CITIZEN

And if it does?
CHREMES

It will be a good riddance.
CITIZEN (in an incredulous tone)

You are really bent on contributing, then?
CHREMES

'Pon my soul, yes! Look, there are all my neighbours carrying in
all they have.

CITIZEN (sarcastically)
Oh yes, it's Antisthenes; he's the type that would contribute!

He would just as soon spend the next month sitting on the can.
CHREMES

The pest seize you!
CITIZEN

Will Callimachus, the chorus-master, contribute anything?
CHREMES

Why, more than Callias!
CITIZEN

The man must want to spend all his money!
CHREMES

How you weary me!
CITIZEN

Ah! I weary you? But, wretch, see what comes of decrees of this
kind. Don't you remember the one reducing the price of salt?

CHREMES
Why, certainly I do.

CITIZEN
And do you remember that about the copper coinage?

CHREMES
Ah! that cursed money did me enough harm. I had sold my grapes and

had my mouth stuffed with pieces of copper; indeed I was going to

• chorus [´kɔ:rəs] n.合唱；齐声 v.合唱 (初中英语单词)
• hither [´hiðə] ad.到此处 (初中英语单词)
• assembly [ə´sembli] n.集会；装配；与会者 (初中英语单词)
• perfume [´pə:fju:m, pə´fju:m] n.香味 vt.使发香 (初中英语单词)
• humble [´hʌmbəl] a.谦卑的 vt.贬抑 (初中英语单词)
• unfortunate [ʌn´fɔ:tʃunit] a.不幸的，运气差的 (初中英语单词)
• height [hait] n.高度；顶点；卓越 (初中英语单词)
• contribute [kən´tribju:t] v.贡献出；投稿；捐献 (初中英语单词)
• waiting [´weitiŋ] n.等候；伺候 (初中英语单词)
• bundle [´bʌndl] n.包，捆；包袱(裹) (初中英语单词)
• decree [di´kri:] n.法令；公告；天命 (初中英语单词)
• readily [´redili] ad.乐意地；容易地 (初中英语单词)
• copper [´kɔpə] n.铜 a.铜制的 (初中英语单词)
• banquet [´bæŋkwit] n.宴会，盛宴 (高中英语单词)
• furthermore [,fə:ðə´mɔ:] ad.而且，此外 (高中英语单词)
• carrier [´kæriə] n.搬运工人；托架 (高中英语单词)
• leisure [´leʒə] n.空闲；悠闲；安定 (高中英语单词)
• accordance [ə´kɔ:dəns] n.一致；调和 (高中英语单词)
• namely [´neimli] ad.即，也就是 (高中英语单词)
• saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)
• earthquake [´ə:θkweik] n.地震；大变动 (高中英语单词)
• plague [pleig] n.瘟疫 vt.使...染疫 (高中英语单词)
• belongings [bi´lɔŋiŋz] n.所有物；行李 (英语四级单词)
• thrift [θrift] n.节俭，节约 (英语四级单词)
• setting [´setiŋ] n.安装；排字；布景 (英语四级单词)
• wretch [retʃ] n.不幸的人；卑鄙的人 (英语四级单词)
• taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)
• incredulous [in´kredjuləs] a.不(轻易)相信的 (英语六级单词)