Page:Acharnians and two other plays (1909).djvu/37

Rh Dic. Other pebbles may be lurking in the lappets of your jerkin. Chorus. Never fear, never doubt;

See them here shaken out.

There's none behind; only mind,

Keep your word, sheath the sword.

And here I fling stone and sling,

Sling and stone, both away,

Both in one; both are gone. Dic. Well now, will you please to have done with your noise and nonsense,

And fling them away, too, both. Fine work you've made,

A pretty business! Look there at your hamper.

What a taking the poor creature has been in,

Voiding its coal-dust, like a cuttle-fish,

For very fright; nearly destroyed, in short,

Merely from a want of temper and discretion

On the part of its own friends. 'Tis passing strange,

That human nature should be so possessed

With a propensity to pelt and bawl;

When gentle easy Reason might decide

All their debates with order, peace, and law;

When I myself stand here resigned, and ready

To plead my cause before a chopping block,

To vindicate the Spartans and myself.

Yet I, forsooth, can feel the fear of death,

And hold my life as dear as other do. Chorus. Bring the block! Bring it here!

Rogue, for I long to hear

Speedily whatever you can have to say.

Speak away. Semichorus. Twas your own choice, your own appointed pledge.

Bring forth the chopping-block, and speak away. Dic. Well, there it is. See, there's the chopping-block!

And little I myself am the defendant.

Depend upon it, I'll fight manfully.

I'll never hug myself within my shield;

I'll speak my mind, moreover, about the Spartans.

And yet forsooth a secret anxious fear

Appalls me; for I know the turn and temper