Parodos
[Parabasis 1]
Oh, rustic Muse of such varied note, tiotiotiotiotiotinx, I sing with you
First Semi-Chorus
in the groves and on the mountain tops, tiotiotiotinx. I poured forth sacred strains from my golden throat
740
in honor of the god Pan, tiotiotiotinx, from the top of the thickly leaved ash, and my voice mingles with the mighty choirs who extol Cybele on the mountain tops, totototototototototinx. 'Tis to our concerts that Phrynichus comes to pillage like a bee the ambrosia of his songs,
745
the sweetness of which so charms the ear, tiotiotiotinx.
750
[Parabasis]
If there is one of you spectators who wishes to spend the rest of his life quietly among the birds, let him come to us.
Leader of First Semi-Chorus
All that is disgraceful and forbidden by law on earth is on the contrary honorable among us, the birds. For instance, among you it's a crime to beat your father, but with us it's an estimable deed; it's considered fine to run straight at your father and hit him, saying, Come, lift your spur if you want to fight.
755
The runaway slave, whom you brand, is only a spotted francolin with us. Are you Phrygian like Spintharus? Among us you would be the Phrygian bird, the goldfinch, of the race of Philemon. Are you a slave and a Carian like Execestides?
760
Among us you can create yourself forefathers; you can always find relations. Does the son of Pisias want to betray the gates of the city to the foe? Let him become a partridge, the fitting offspring of his father; among us there is no shame in escaping as cleverly as a partridge.
765
Second Semi-Chorus
So the swans on the banks of the Hebrus,
tiotiotiotiotiotinx, mingle their voices to serenade Apollo, tiotiotiotinx, flapping their wings the while,
770
tiotiotiotinx; their notes reach beyond the clouds of heaven; they startle the various tribes of the beasts; a windless sky calms the waves, totototototototototinx;
775
all Olympus resounds, and astonishment seizes its rulers; the Olympian graces and Muses cry aloud the strain, tiotiotiotinx.
780
Leader of Second Semi-Chorus
There is nothing more useful nor more pleasant than to have wings. To begin with, just let us suppose a spectator to be dying with hunger and to be weary of the choruses of the tragic poets; if he were winged, he would fly off, go home to dine and come back with his stomach filled.
785
Some Patroclides, needing to take a crap, would not have to spill it out on his cloak, but could fly off, satisfy his requirements, let a few farts and, having recovered his breath, return. If one of you, it matters not who, had adulterous relations and saw the husband of his mistress in the seats of the senators,
790
he might stretch his wings, fly to her, and, having laid her, resume his place. Is it not the most priceless gift of all, to be winged? Look at Diitrephes! His wings were only wicker-work ones, and yet he got himself chosen Phylarch and then Hipparch; from being nobody,
795
he has risen to be famous; he's now the finest gilded cock of his tribe.
800
Pisthetaerus
Halloa! What's this? By Zeus! I never saw anything so funny in all my life.
Euelpides
What makes you laugh?
Pisthetaerus
Your little wings. D'you know what you look like?
Like a goose painted by some dauber.
805
Euelpides
And you look like a close-shaven blackbird.
Pisthetaerus
We ourselves asked for this transformation, and, as Aeschylus has it, These are no borrowed feathers, but truly our own.
Epops
Come now, what must be done?
Pisthetaerus
First give our city
a great and famous name, then sacrifice to the gods.
810
Euelpides
I think so too.
Leader of the Chorus
Let's see. What shall our city be called?
Pisthetaerus
Will you have a high-sounding Laconian name? Shall we call it Sparta?
call my town Sparta? Why, I would not use esparto for my bed, even though I had nothing but bands of rushes.
815
