Page:Acharnians and two other plays (1909).djvu/156

138 Peisthetairus concludes a treaty by which his highest pretensions are realised.

The characters above-mentioned are the only ones who contribute in any way to the progress of the drama; the remainder, a very amusing set of persons, are introduced in detached scenes, exemplifying the various interruptions and annoyances incident to the man of business, distracting his attention and embarrassing him in the exercise of his authoritative functions. There are, however, exceptions.

, who is brought in, having been captured and detained for an infringement of the blockade.

, who comes to sacrifice at the inauguration of the new city.

, arriving from different quarters with very interesting and satisfactory intelligence.

The rest are a mere series of intruders on the time and attention of the great man.

—A ragged vagabond, who comes begging with an inaugural ode on the foundation of the new city.

, arriving with oracles relative to the same important event, and a demand of perquisites due to himself by divine authority.

, the Astronomer, proposes to make a plan and survey of the new city.

from Athens, a very authoritative personage.

of copies of decrees: he enters reading them aloud like a hawker to attract purchasers.

—A young man, who has beaten his father and proposes to strangle him, offers himself as a desirable acquisition to the new colony.

, the dithyrambic poet, applies for a pair of wings.

—A young man whose hereditary trade is that of an informer, and whose practice extends to the Islands, comes with the same application.