Page:Acharnians and two other plays (1909).djvu/59

Rh Meg. Heaven be praised!

Ο blessed Mercury, if I could but manage

To make such another bargain for my wife,

I'd do it to-morrow, or my mother either.

Inf. Fellow, from whence? Meg. From Megara with my pigs. Inf. Then I denounce your pigs, and you yourself,

As belonging to the enemy. Meg. There it is!

The beginning of all our troubles over again. Inf. I'll teach you to come Megarising here:

Let go of the sack there. Meg. Dicæopolis!

Ho, Dicæopolis! there's a fellow here

Denouncing me. Dic. Denouncing is he? Constables,

Why don't you keep the market clear of sycophants?

You fellow, I must inform ye, your informing

Is wholly illegal and informal here. Inf. What, giving information against the enemy;

Is that prohibited? Dic. At your peril! Carry

Your information to some other market. Meg. What a plague it is at Athens, this informing! Dic. Ο never fear, Megarian; take it there,

The payment for your pigs, the salt and onions:

And fare you well. Meg. That's not the fashion amongst us.

We've not been used to faring well. Dic. No matter.

If it's offensive, I'll revoke the wish;

And imprecate it on myself instead. [Exit. Meg. There now, my little pigs, you must contrive

To munch your bread with salt, if you can get it. [Exit.

The following song consists merely of a satirical enumeration and description of persons, now, for the most part, entirely forgotten. An attempt has therefore been made to give some interest to it (an interest of curiosity at least) by a close imitation of the metre of the