Page:Aristophanes (Collins).djvu/68

58

Daughters (both together). 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."—(F.)

After some jokes upon the subject, not over-refined, Dicæopolis becomes the purchaser of the pair for a peck of salt and a rope of onions. He is sending the Megarian home rejoicing, and wishing that he could make as good a bargain for his wife and his mother as well, when that curse of the Athenian commonwealth, an informer, comes upon the scene. He at once denounces the pigs as contraband; but Dicæopolis calls the constables to remove him—he will have no informers in his market. The next visitor is a Theban, a hearty, good-humoured yeoman, but who disgusts Dicæopolis by bringing with him two or three pipers, whom the master of the market bids hold their noise and be off; Bœotian music, we are to understand, being always excruciating to the fine Athenian ear. The new-comer has brought with him, to barter for Athenian produce, fish, wild-fowl, and game of all kinds, including grasshoppers, hedgehogs, weasels,