Page:Masterpieces of Greek Literature (1902).djvu/299

269 THE BIRDS 269

Here, give him yours ; one ought to encourage gen- ius. There, take it, and good-by to ye !

Poet} Well, I 'm going ;

And as soon as I get to the town, I '11 set to work ; 51 And finish something, in this kind of way.

" Seated on your golden throne. Muse, prepare a solemn ditty.

To the mighty, S6

To the flighty. To the cloudy, quivering, shivering. To the lofty-seated city."

Peisthetairus. Well, I should have thought that jerkin might have cured him Of his " quiverings and shiverings." How the plague. 60

Did the fellow find us out? I should not have thought it. Come, once again, go round with the basin and ewer. Peace ! Silence ! Silence ! ^

Enter a Soothsayer -with a great air of arrogance and self-importance. He comes on the authority of a hook of Oracles (which he pretends to possess, but which he never produces), in virtue of which he lays claim to certain sacrificial perquisites and fees. Peisthetairus en- counters him with a different version composed upon the spot ; in virtue of which he dismisses the Soothsayer with a good lashing.

Soothsayer. Stop the sacrifice !

Peisthetairus. What are you ?

Soothsayer. A Soothsayer, that 's what I am.

^ The Poet withdraws, gradually turning round and reciting. Peis- thetairus does not appear to take notice, but watches till he is fairly gone.

^ Sacrifices were to he performed in silence in order to avoid the chance of words of Ul-omen.