Page:Acharnians and two other plays (1909).djvu/56

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Meg. Ah, there's the Athenian market! Heaven bless it,

I say; the welcomest sight to a Megarian.

I've looked for it, and longed for it, like a child

For its own mother. You, my daughters dear,

Disastrous offspring of a dismal sire,

List to my words: and let them sink impressed

Upon your empty stomachs; now's the time

That you must seek a livelihood for yourselves.

Therefore resolve at once, and answer me;

Will you be sold abroad, or starve at home? Both. Let us be sold, Papa! Let us be sold! Meg. I say so too; but who do ye think will purchase

Such useless mischievous commodities?

However, I have a notion of my own,

A true Megarian scheme; I mean to sell ye

Disguised as pigs, with artificial pettitoes.

Here, take them, and put them on. Remember now,

Show yourselves off; do credit to your breeding,

Like decent pigs; or else, by Mercury,

If I'm obliged to take you back to Megara,

There you shall starve, far worse than heretofore.

—This pair of masks too—fasten 'em on your faces,

And crawl into the sack there on the ground.

Mind ye—Remember—you must squeak and whine,

And racket about like little roasting pigs.

—And I'll call out for Dicæopolis.

Ho! Dicæopolis, Dicæopolis!

I say, would you please to buy some pigs of mine? Dic. What's there? a Megarian? Meg. (sneakingly). Yes—We're come to market. Dic. How goes it with you? Meg. We're all like to starve. Dic. Well, liking is everything. If you have your liking,

That's all in all: the likeness is a good one,

A pretty likeness! like to starve, you say.

But what else are you doing? Meg. What we're doing?