Page:Acharnians and two other plays (1909).djvu/158

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This little Tharrelides of a Jackdaw,

He charged a penny for: but neither of 'em

Are fit for anything but to bite and scratch.

[Speaking to his Jackdaw.

Well, what are ye after now?—gaping and poking!

You've brought us straight to the rock. Where would you take us?

There's no road here! Peis. No, none, not even a path. Eu. Nor don't your Raven tell us anything? Peis. She's altered somehow—she croaks differently. Eu. But which way does she point? What does she say? Peis. Say? Why, she says she'll bite my fingers off. Eu. Well, truly it's hard upon us, hard indeed,

To go with our own carcasses to the crows,

And not be able to find 'em after all.

[Turning to the audience.

For our design, most excellent spectators,

(Our passion, our disease, or what you will),

Is the reverse of that which Sacas feels;

For he, though not a native, strives perforce

To make himself a citizen: whilst we,

Known and acknowledged as Athenians born

(Not hustled off, nor otherwise compelled)

Have deemed it fitting to betake ourselves

To these our legs, and make our person scarce.

Not through disgust or hatred or disdain

Of our illustrious birthplace, which we deem

Glorious and free; with equal laws ordained