Page:Acharnians and two other plays (1909).djvu/44

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With all their ware—like "old care?"—in the ballad:

And this decree, by land and sea, was valid.

Then the Megarians, being all half starved,

Desired the Spartans, to desire of us,

Just to repeal those laws; the laws I mentioned,

Occasioned by the stealing of those strumpets.

And so they begged and prayed us several times;

And we refused: and so they went to war.

You'll say, "They should not." Why, what should they have done?

Just make it your own case; suppose the Spartans

Had manned a boat, and landed on your islands,

And stolen a pug puppy from Seriphos;

Would you then have remained at home inglorious?

Not so, by no means; at the first report,

You would have launched at once three hundred gallies,

And filled the city with the noise of troops;

And crews of ships, crowding and clamouring

About the muster-masters and pay-masters;

With measuring corn out at the magazine,

And all the porch choked with the multitude;

With figures of Minerva, newly furbished,

Painted and gilt, parading in the streets;

With wineskins, kegs, and firkins, leeks and onions;

With garlic crammed in pouches, nets, and pokes;

With garlands, singing girls, and bloody noses.

Our arsenal would have sounded and resounded

With bangs and thwacks of driving bolts and nails;

With shaping oars, and holes to put the oar in;

With hacking, hammering, clattering and boring;

Words of command, whistles and pipes and fifes.

"Such would have been your conduct. Will you say,

That Telephus should have acted otherwise?" 2nd Semichor. Really! is it come to that? You rogue, how dare ye,

A beggar, here to come abusing us,

Slandering us all, inveighing against informers? 1st Semichor. By Jove, but it's all true; truth, every word;

All true; not aggravated in the least.