Page:Masterpieces of Greek Literature (1902).djvu/313

283 THE BIRDS 283

Hercules. How now, man ? Neptune ! are you fly- ing off? Must we remain at war, here, for a woman ?

Neptune. But what are we to do ?

Hercides. Do ? AVhy, make peace.

Neptune.^ I pity you really ! I feel quite ashamed And sorry to see you ruining yourself ! us

If anything should happen to your father. After surrendering the sovereignty, "What 's to become of you ? AYhen you yourself Have voted away your whole inheritance : At his decease, you must remain a beggar. 120

Peisthetairus [asi'cZe ίο Hercules]. Ah there ! I thought so ; he 's coming over ye ; Step here a moment ! Let me speak to ye !

Your uncle's chousing you, my poor dear friend ; You 've not a farthing's worth of expectation, From what your father leaves. Ye can't inherit 125 By law : ye 're illegitimate, ye know.

Hercules. Heigh-day I Why, what do you mean ?

Peisthetairus. I mean the fact !

Your mother was a foreigner ; ^ Minerva Is counted an heiress, everybody knows ; How could that be, supposing her own father 130

To have had a lawful heir ?

Hercules. But, if my father

Should choose to leave the property to me, In his last wiU.

Peisthetairus. The law would cancel it !

And Neptune, he that 's using all his influ- ence To work upon ye, he 'd be the very first 135

2 Marriages between Athenians and foreigners were not legal.
 * In ^eat wrath like an uncle scolding a great fool of a nephew.