Page:Frogs (Murray 1912).djvu/64

56

It has often struck our notice that the course our city runs

Is the same towards men and money.—She has true and worthy sons:

She has good and ancient silver, she has good and recent gold.

These are coins untouched with alloys; everywhere their fame is told;

Not all Hellas holds their equal, not all Barbary far and near,

Gold or silver, each well minted, tested each and ringing clear.

Yet, we never use them! Others always pass from hand to hand,

Sorry brass just struck last week and branded with a wretched brand.

So with men we know for upright, blameless lives and noble names,

Trained in music and palaestra, freemen's choirs and freemen's games,

These we spurn for men of brass, for red-haired things of unknown breed,

Rascal cubs of mongrel fathers—them we use at every need!

Creatures just arrived in Athens, whom our city, years ago,

Scarcely would have used as scapegoats to be slaughtered for a show!

Even now, O race demented, there is time to change your ways;

Use once more what's worth the using. If we 'scape, the more the praise