Page:Acharnians and two other plays (1909).djvu/168

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Come in a flurry,

With a hurry-scurry,

Hurry to the meeting and attend to the debate.

The first appearance of the Chorus must have been a critical point for the success of a play. The audience had been brought into good-humour by their favourite musical performer, by whom all the preceding songs were probably executed; for the dialogue on the stage passes solely between Peisthetairus and Euelpides, and the Hoopoe, who is supposed to sing, does not appear. The Chorus now appears, and in the original, forty lines follow, in which Peisthetairus and Euelpides act as showmen to the exhibition of twenty-four figures, dressed in imitation of the plumage of as many different kinds of birds, which are passed in review with suitable remarks as they successively take their places in the orchestra. This passage is here omitted. Whoever wishes to see how well it can be executed, may be referred to Mr. Cary's translation.

While the birds are bustling about in their new coop of the orchestra, Euelpides contemplates them with surprise, which soon changes to alarm.

The language of the Birds consists almost wholly of short syllables, the effect of which it is impossible to imitate in English. Some accents, which are added, may serve to mark the attempt: they are added also to two spondaic lines, of which the imitation is more practicable.

Eu. How they thicken, how thy muster,

How they clutter, how they cluster!

Now they ramble here and thither,

Now they scramble altogether.

What a fidgeting and clattering!

What a twittering and chattering,

Don't they mean to threaten us? What think ye? Peis. Yes, methinks they do. Eu. They're gaping with an angry look against us both. Peis. It's very true. Chorus. Where is He, the Mágistrate that assémbled us to deliberate. Hoo. Friends and comrades, here am I, your old associate and ally. Chorus. What have ye to commúnicate for the bénefit of the státe. Hoo. A proposal safe and useful, practicable, profitable,

Two projectors are arrived here, politicians shrewd and able. Chorus. Whee! Whaw! Where? Where?

What? What? What? What? What?