Page:Masterpieces of Greek Literature (1902).djvu/306

276 276 ARISTOPHANES

With all their force ; if Jupiter refuses 35

To open the ports, and allow them a free traffic For their entrails and intestines,^ as before.

Peisthetairus [a little annoyed at heiny obliged to ask' the question^. What — are there other barbarous gods, besides, In the upper country ?

Prometheus. Barbarous ? — to be sure !

They 're all of Execestides's kindred.^ 40

Peisthetairus as before hesitating^ hut with a sort of affected ease']. WeU — but — the name now. The same barbarous deities — What name do you call 'em ?

Prometheus, [^siu^rised at Peisthetaieus's igno- rance']. Call them I The Triballi ! ^ Peisthetairus jgiving vent to his irritation by a forced joke]. Ah ! well then, that accounts for our old saying : — Confound the Tinbe of them !

Prometheus [^annoyed and. drily]. Precisely so. But, now to business. Thus much, I can tell ye ; 45 That envoys will arrive immediately From Jupiter and those upland wild Triballi, To treat for a peace. But, you must not consent To ratify or conclude,* till Jupiter Acknowledges the sovereignty of the birds ; so

Surrendering up to you the sovereign queen, Whom you must marry.

Peisthetairus. ^"hy, what queen is that ?

1 Of the sacrifices. Compare page 270, line 81. • ^ Noted elsewhere in this play as having no just claim to the rights of a citizen.

3 A barbarous people of Thrace. See page 419.


 * Allusions to the Prometheus of Aeschylus, pages 95, 127.