Page:Comedies of Aristophanes (Hickie 1853) vol1.djvu/194

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. Here rave and babble to yourself. [Exit Phidippides.]

. Ah me, what madness! How mad, then, I was, when I ejected the gods on account of Socrates! But, O dear Hermes, by no means be wroth with me, nor destroy me; but pardon me, since I have gone crazy through prating. And become my adviser, whether I shall bring an action and prosecute them, or whatever you think. —You advise me rightly, not permitting me to get up a law-suit, but as soon as possible to set fire to the house of the prating fellows. Come hither, come hither, Xanthias! Come forth with a ladder and with a mattock, and then mount upon the thinking-shop, and dig down the roof, if you love your master, until you tumble the house upon them. [Xanthias mounts upon the roof.] But let some one bring me a lighted torch, and I'll make some of them this day suffer punishment, even if they be ever so much impostors.

. (from within). Hollo! hollo!

. It is your business, O torch, to send forth abundant flame. [Mounts upon the roof.]

. What are you doing, fellow?

. What I am doing? why, what else, than chopping logic with the beams of your house. [Sets the house on fire.]

. (from within). Ah me! who is setting fire to our house?

. That man, whose cloak you have taken.

. (from within). You will destroy us! you will destroy us!

. For I also wish this very thing; unless my mattock deceive my hopes, or I should somehow fall first and break my neck.