Page:Acharnians and two other plays (1909).djvu/31

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their opponents are obliged to call for assistance from Lamachus, a romantic, enthusiastic military character, and, of course, as decided an advocate for war as Dicæopolis (the poet's dramatic representative) is for peace. Lamachus appears in his gorgeous armour. Dicæopolis, under the affectation of extreme terror and simplicity, contrives to banter and provoke him. Lamachus proceeds to violence, and is foiled; after which a dispute is carried on for some time between them upon equal terms; and they finally separate, with a declaration of their respective determinations; the one looking forward to military achievement, and the other to commercial profit and enjoyment. It may be necessary to say something of an attempt that has been made in the translation of the following Chorus to convey to the English reader some notion of the metrical character of the original. The Poet himself has described the metre as bold and manly, expressive of firmness and vehemence, and, as such, suitable to the persons of whom his Chorus is composed. The Cretic metre (for that is its name) consists of a quaver between two crotchets, and may be considered as a truncated form of the Trochaic, differing from it only by the subtraction of a short or quaver-syllable; the Trochaic itself consisting of four syllables, a crotchet and quaver alternately. In consequence of this affinity, we find that the two metres frequently pass into each other. In the instance before us, the Chorus begins with the Trochaic, but after the first four lines passes into the Cretic; the second Cretic line exhibits a variety of frequent occurrence in the Greek, the last crotchet being resolved into two quavers. Moreover, the altercation between Dicæopolis and the Chorus is kept up for some time in Trochaics and Cretics alternately.

Chorus. Follow faster; all together! search, inquire of every one.

Speak, inform us, have you seen him? whither is the rascal run?

'Tis a point of public service that the traitor should be caught

In the fact, seized and arrested with the Treaties that he brought. 1st Semichorus. He's escaped, he's escaped—

Out upon it! Out upon it!—

Out of sight, out of search.

Ο the sad wearisome

Load of years!

Well do I remember such a burden as I bore

Running with Phayllus with a hamper at my back,

Out alack,

Years ago.