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68 I'll show you how he posed and prosed; with what audacious fooling

He tricked an audience fresh and green from Phrynichus's schooling.

Those sole veiled figures on the stage were first among his graces,

Achilles, say, or Niobe, who never showed their faces,

But stood like so much scene-painting, and never a grunt they uttered!

Why, no, by Zeus, no more they did!

And on the Chorus spluttered

Through long song-systems, four on end, the actors mute as fishes!

I somehow loved that silence, though; and felt it met my wishes

As no one's talk does nowadays!

You hadn't yet seen through it!

That's all.

I really think you're right! But still, what made him do it?

The instinct of a charlatan, to keep the audience guessing

If Niobe ever meant to speak—the play meantime progressing!