the knights-第7章
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SAUSAGE…SELLER
I will undertake that； and in three days too！ But listen to this
further oracle； by which Apollo puts you on your guard against the
snares of the greedy fist。
DEMOS
Of what greedy fist？
SAUSAGE…SELLER
The god in this oracle very clearly points to the hand of Cleon；
who incessantly holds his out； saying； 〃Fill it。〃
CLEON
That's a lie！ Phoebus means the hand of Diopithes。 But here I have
a winged oracle； which promises you shall become an eagle and rule
over all the earth。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
I have one； which says that you shall be King of the Earth and
of the Red Sea too； and that you shall administer justice in Ecbatana；
eating fine rich stews the while。
CLEON
I have seen Athen& in a dream； pouring out full vials of riches
and health over the people。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
I too have seen the goddess； descending from the Acropolis with an
owl perched upon her helmet； on your head she was pouring out
ambrosia； on that of Cleon garlic pickle。
DEMOS
Truly Glanis is the wisest of men。 I shall yield myself to you；
guide me in my old age and educate me anew。
CLEON
Ah！ I adjure you！ not yet； wait a little； I will promise to
distribute barley every day。
DEMOS
Ah！ I will not hear another word about barley； you have cheated me
too often already； both you and Theophanes。
CLEON
Well then！ you shall have flour…cakes all piping hot。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
I will give you cakes too； and nice cooked fish； all you'll have
to do is eat。
DEMOS
Very well； mind you keep your promises。 To whichever of you
shall treat me best I hand over the reins of state。
CLEON
I will be first。
（He rushes into the house。）
SAUSAGE…SELLER
No； no； I will。
（He runs off。）
CHORUS （singing）
Demos； you are our all…powerful sovereign lord； all tremble before
you； yet you are led by the nose。 You love to be flattered and fooled；
you listen to the orators with gaping mouth and your mind is led
astray。
DEMOS （singing）
It's rather you who have no brains； if you think me so foolish
as all that； it is with a purpose that I play this idiot's role； for I
love to drink the livelong day； and so it pleases me to keep a thief
for my minister。 When he has thoroughly gorged himself； then I
overthrow and crush him。
CHORUS （singing）
What profound wisdom！ If it be really so； why！ all is for the
best。 Your ministers； then； are your victims； whom you nourish and
feed up expressly in the Pnyx； so that； the day your dinner is
ready； you may immolate the fattest and eat him。
DEMOS （singing）
Look； see how I play with them； while all the time they think
themselves such adepts at cheating me。 I have my eye on them when they
thieve； but I do not appear to be seeing them； then I thrust a
judgment down their throat as it were a feather； and force them to
vomit up all they have robbed from me。
（Cleon comes out of the house with a bench and a large basket； at
the same moment the SAUSAGE…SELLER arrives with another basket；
the two are placed beside one another。）
CLEON
Get out of here！
SAUSAGE…SELLER
Get out yourself！
CLEON
Demos； all is ready these three hours； I await your orders and I
burn with desire to load you with benefits。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
And I ten； twelve； a thousand hours； a long； long while； an
infinitely long； long； long while。
DEMOS
As for me； it's thirty thousand hours that I have been
impatient； very； long； infinitely long； long； long that I have
cursed you…
SAUSAGE…SELLER
Do you know what you had best do？
DEMOS
I will； if you tell me。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
Declare the lists open and we will contend abreast to
determine…who shall treat you the best。
DEMOS
Splended！ Draw back in line！
CLEON
I am ready。
DEMOS
Off you go！
SAUSAGE…SELLER （to CLEON）
I shall not let you get to the tape。
DEMOS
What fervent lovers！ If I am not to…day the happiest of men； it
will be because I am the most disgusted。
CLEON （putting down the bench for DEMOS）
Look！ I am the first to bring you a seat。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
And I a table。
（He places his sausage…tray in front of DEMOS。）
CLEON
Wait； here is a cake kneaded of Pylos barley。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
Here are crusts； which the ivory hand of the goddess has hallowed。
DEMOS
Oh！ Mighty Athene！ How large are your fingers！
CLEON
This is pea…soup； as exquisite as it is fine； Pallas the
victorious goddess at Pylos is the one who crushed the peas herself。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
Oh； Demos！ the goddess watches over you； she is stretching forth
over your head。。。。 a stew…pan full of broth。
DEMOS
And should we still be dwelling in this city without this
protecting stew…pan？
CLEON
Here are some fish； given to you by her who is the terror of our
foes。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
The daughter of the mightiest of the gods sends you this meat
cooked in its own gravy； along with this dish of tripe and some
paunch。
DEMOS
That's to thank me for the peplus I offered to her； good。
CLEON
The goddess with the terrible plume invites you to eat this long
cake； you will row the harder on it。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
Take this also。
DEMOS
And what shall I do with this tripe？
SAUSAGE…SELLER
She sends it you to belly out your galleys； for she is always
showing her kindly anxiety for our fleet。 Now drink this drink
composed of three parts of water to two of wine。
DEMOS
Ah！ what delicious wine； and how well it stands the water。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
The goddess who came from the head of Zeus mixed this liquor
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
