peace-第6章
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TRYGAEUS
A sheep？
SERVANT
Yes。
TRYGAEUS
But that's the Ionic form of the word。
SERVANT
Purposely。 So that if anyone in the assembly says； 〃We must go
to war；〃 all may start bleating in alarm； 〃Oi； oi。〃
TRYGAEUS
A brilliant idea。
SERVANT
And we shall all be lambs one toward the other； yes； and milder
still toward the allies。
TRYGAEUS
Then go for the sheep and haste to bring it back with you； I
will prepare the altar for the sacrifice。
（They both leave。）
CHORUS （singing）
How everything succeeds to our wish； when the gods are willing and
Fortune favours us！ how opportunely everything falls out。
TRYGAEUS （returning）
Nothing could be truer； for look！ here stands the altar all
ready at my door。
（He enters his house。）
CHORUS （singing）
Hurry； hurry； for the winds are fickle； make haste； while the
divine will is set on stopping this cruel war and is showering on us
the most striking benefits。
TRYCAEUS （returning）
Here is the basket of barley…seed mingled with salt； the chaplet
and the sacred knife； and there is the fire； so we are only waiting
for the sheep。
CHORUS （singing）
Hasten； hasten； for； if Chaeris sees you； he will come without
bidding； he and his flute； and when you see him puffing and panting
and out of breath； you will have to give him something。
TRYGAEUS （to the SERVANT who has returned with a sheep and a vase
of water）
Come； seize the basket and take the lustral water and hurry to
circle round the altar to the right。
SERVANT
There！ that's done。 What is your next bidding？
TRYGAEUS
Wait。 I take this fire…brand first and plunge it into the water。
Now quick； quick； you sprinkle the altar。 Give me some barley…seed；
purify yourself and hand me the basin； then scatter the rest of the
barley among the audience。
SERVANT
Done。
TRYGAEUS
You have thrown it？
SERVANT
Yes； by Hermes！ and all the spectators have had their share。
TRYGAEUS
At least the women got none。
SERVANT
Oh！ their husbands will give them some this evening。
TRYGAEUS
Let us pray！ Who is here？ Are there any good men？
SERVANT
Come； give me the water； so that I may sprinkle these people。
Faith！ they are indeed good； brave men。
（He throws the lustral water on hem。）
TRYGAEUS
You believe so？
SERVANT
I am sure； and the proof of it is that we have flooded them with
lustral water and they have not budged an inch。
TRYGAEUS
Let us pray； then； as soon as we can。
SERVANT
Yes； let us pray。
TRYGAEUS
Oh！ Peace； mighty queen； venerated goddess； thou； who presidest
over choruses and at nuptials； deign to accept the sacrifices we offer
thee。
SERVANT
Receive it； greatly honoured mistress； and behave not like the
courtesans； who half open the door to entice the gallants； draw back
when they are stared at； to return once more if a man passes on。 But
do not thou act like this to us。
TRYGAEUS
No； but like an honest woman； show thyself to thy worshippers； who
are worn with regretting thee all these thirteen years。 Hush the noise
of battle； be a true Lysimacha to us。 Put an end to this
tittle…tattle； to this idle babble； that set us defying one another。
Cause the Greeks once more to taste the pleasant beverage of
friendship and temper all hearts with the gentle feeling of
forgiveness。 Make excellent commodities flow to our markets； fine
heads of garlic； early cucumbers； apples； pomegranates and nice little
cloaks for the slaves； make them bring geese； ducks； pigeons and larks
from Boeotia and baskets of eels from Lake Copais； we shall all rush
to buy them； disputing their possession with Morychus； Teleas；
Glaucetes and every other glutton。 Melanthius will arrive on the
market last of all； they'll say； 〃no more eels； all sold！〃 and then
he'll start groaning and exclaiming as in his monologue of Medea； 〃I
am dying； I am dying！ Alas！ I have let those hidden in the beet escape
me！〃 And won't we laugh？ These are the wishes； mighty goddess； which
we pray thee to grant。 （To the SERVANT） Take the knife and slaughter
the sheep like a finished cook。
SERVANT
No； the goddess does not wish it。
TRYGAEUS
And why not？
SERVANT
Blood cannot please Peace； so let us spill none upon her altar。
TRYGAEUS
Then go and sacrifice the sheep in the house； cut off the legs and
bring them here； thus the carcase will be saved for the Choregus。
（The SERVANT goes into the house with the sheep。）
CHORUS （singing）
You； who remain here； get chopped wood and everything needed for
the sacrifice ready。
TRYGAEUS
Don't I look like a diviner preparing his mystic fire？
CHORUS （singing）
Undoubtedly。 Will anything that a wise man ought to know escape
you？ Don't you know all that a man should know； who is distinguished
for his wisdom and inventive daring？
TRYGAEUS
There！ the wood catches。 Its smoke blinds poor Stilbides。 I am now
going to bring the table and thus be my own slave。
（He goes into the house。）
CHORUS （singing）
You have braved a thousand dangers to save your sacred town。 All
honour to you I your glory will be ever envied。
TRYGAEUS （returning with a table）
Wait。 Here are the legs； place them upon the altar。 For myself；
I mean to go back to the entrails and the cakes。
（He is about to go into the house。）
SERVANT （going in ahead of him）
I'll take care of them。
TRYGAEUS
But I want you here。
SERVANT （returning）
Well then； here I am。 Do you think I have taken long？
TRYGAEUS
Just get this roasted。 Ab who is this man； crowned with laurel；
who is coming to me？
SERVANT
He has a self…important look； is he some diviner？
TRYGAEUS
No； it's Hierocles； that oracle…monger from Oreus。
SERVANT
What is he going to tell us？
TRYGAEUS
Evidently he is coming to oppose the peace。
SERVANT
No； it's the odour of the fat that attracts him。
TRYGAEUS
Let us appear not to see him。
SERVANT
Very well。
HIEROCLES （approaching）
What sacrifice is this？ to what god are you offering it？
TRYGAEUS （to the SERVANT）
Keep quiet。…（Aloud） Look after the roasting and keep your hands of
the meat。
HIEROCLES
To whom are you sacrificing？ Answer me。
TRYGAEUS
Ah！ the tail is showing favourable omens。
SERVANT
Aye； very favourable； oh； loved and mighty Peace！
HIEROCLES
Come； cut off the first offering and make the oblation。
TRYGAEUS
It's not roasted enough。
HIEROCLES
Yea； truly； it's done to a turn。
TRYGAEUS
Mind your own business； friend！ （To the SERVANT） Cut away。
HIEROCLES
Where is the table？
TRYGAEUS
Bring the libations。
（The SERVANT departs。）
HIEROCLES
The tongue is cut separately。
TRYGAEUS
We know all that。 But just listen to one piece of advice。
HIEROCLES
And that is？
TRYGAEUS
Don't talk； for it is divine Peace to whom we are sacrificing。
HIEROCLES （in an oracular tone）
Oh！ wretched mortals； oh； you idiots！
TRYGAEUS
Keep such ugly terms for yourself。
HIEROCLES （as before）
What！ you are so ignorant you don't understand the will of the
gods and you make a treaty； you； who are men； with apes； who are
full of malice？
TRYGAEUS
Ha； ha； ha！
HIEROCLES
What are you laughing at？
TRYGAEUS
Ha； ha！ your apes amuse me！
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 l
