Page:Frogs (Murray 1912).djvu/63

Rh Who have ofttfmes fought beside you, spilt their blood on many seas:

Grant for that one fault the pardon which they crave you on their knees.

You whom Nature made for wisdom, let your vengeance fall to sleep;

Greet as kinsmen and Athenians, burghers true to win and keep,

Whosoe'er will brave the storms and fight for Athens at your side!

But be sure, if still we spurn them, if we wrap us in our pride,

Stand alone, with Athens tossing in the long arm of the waves,

Men in days to come shall wonder, and not praise you in your graves.

An' I the make of a man may trow,

And the ways that lead to a fall,

Not long will the ape that troubles us now,

Not long little Cleigenes—champion, I vow,

Of rascally washermen all,

Who hold over soap their sway

And lye and Cimolian clay,

(Which they thriftily mix

With the scrapings of bricks)—

Not long will our little one stay!

Oh, 'tis well he is warlike and ready to kick

For if once home from supper he trotted,

Talking genially thick

And without his big stick,

We should probably find him garotted.