a cock flapping his wings or a bull tossing his horns.
DEMOS

What, I?
AGORACRITUS

Then, after he had fooled you to the hilt, he would go.
DEMOS

What! they would treat me so, and I never saw it?
AGORACRITUS

You knew only how to open and close your ears like a sunshade.
DEMOS

Was I then so stupid and such a dotard?
AGORACRITUS

Worse than that; if one of two orators proposed to equip a fleet
for war and the other suggested the use of the same sum for paying out

to the citizens, it was the latter who always carried the day. Well!
you droop your head! Why do you turn away your face?

DEMOS
I am blushing at my past errors.

AGORACRITUS
Think no more of them; it's not you who are to blame, but those

who cheated you in this sorry fashion. But, come, if some impudent
lawyer dared to say, "Dicasts, you shall have no wheat unless you

convict this accused man!" what would you do? Tell me.
DEMOS

I would have him removed from the bar, I would bind Hyperbolus
about his neck like a stone and would fling him into the Barathrum.

AGORACRITUS
Well spoken! but what other measures do you wish to take?

DEMOS
First, as soon as ever a fleet returns to the harbour, I shall pay

up the rowers in full.
AGORACRITUS

That will soothe many a worn and chafed bottom.
DEMOS

Further, the hoplite enrolled for military service shall not get
transferred to another service through favour, but shall stick to that

given him at the outset.
AGORACRITUS

This will strike the buckler of Cleonymus full in the centre.
DEMOS

None shall ascend the rostrum, unless his chin is bearded.
AGORACRITUS

What then will become of Clisthenes and of Strato?
DEMOS

I wish only to refer to those youths who loll about the perfume
shops, babbling at random, "What a clever fellow is Phaeax! How

cleverly he escaped death! how concise and convincing is his style!
what phrases! how clear and to the point! how well he knows how to

quell an interruption!
AGORACRITUS

I thought you were the lover of those fairies.
DEMOS

The gods forefend it! and I will force all such fellows to go
hunting instead of proposing decrees.

AGORACRITUS
In that case, accept this folding-stool, and, to carry it, this

well-grown, big-balled slave lad. Besides, you may put him to any
other purpose you please.

DEMOS
Oh! I am happy indeed to find myself as I was of old!

AGORACRITUS
Aye, you will deem yourself happy, when I have handed you the

truce of thirty years. Truce! step forward!
(Enter Truce, in the form of a beautiful young girl, magnificently

attired.)
DEMOS

Great gods! how charming she is! Can I do with her as I wish?
where did you discover her, pray?

AGORACRITUS
That Paphlagonian had kept her locked up in his house, so that you

might not enjoy her. As for myself, I give her to you; take her with
you into the country.

DEMOS
And what punishment will you inflict upon this Paphlagonian, the

cause of all my troubles?
AGORACRITUS

It will not be over-terrible. I condemn him to follow my old
trade, posted near the gates, he must sell sausages of asses' and

dogs' meat: perpetually drunk, he will exchange foul language with
prostitutes and will drink nothing but the dirty water from the baths.

DEMOS
Well conceived! he is indeed fit to wrangle with harlots and

bathmen; as for you, in return for so many blessings, I invite you
to take the place at the Prytaneum which this rogue once occupied. Put

on his frog-green mantle and follow me. As for the other, let them
take him away; let him go sell his sausages in full view of the

foreigners, whom he used formerly to insult so wantonly.
THE END

.

• stupid [´stju:pid] a.愚蠢的；糊涂的 (初中英语单词)
• ascend [ə´send] v.登；上升；追溯 (初中英语单词)
• charming [´tʃɑ:miŋ] a.可爱的；极好的 (初中英语单词)
• punishment [´pʌniʃmənt] n.罚，刑罚 (初中英语单词)
• condemn [kən´dem] vt.谴责；定罪，判处 (初中英语单词)
• formerly [´fɔ:məli] ad.从前，以前 (初中英语单词)
• insult [in´sʌlt, ´insʌlt] n.&vt.侮辱；损害 (初中英语单词)
• soothe [su:ð] vt.安慰；镇定；减轻 (高中英语单词)
• random [´rændəm] n.偶然的行动 (高中英语单词)
• concise [kən´sais] a.简明的；简洁的 (高中英语单词)
• inflict [in´flikt] vt.加以(打击等) (高中英语单词)
• mantle [´mæntl] n.斗蓬 v.覆盖；笼罩 (高中英语单词)
• convincing [kən´vinsiŋ] a.有说服力的；有力的 (英语四级单词)
• wrangle [´ræŋgəl] v.争论，口角，争吵 (英语六级单词)