Parodos
[Lyric-Scene 1]
I am swift Iris.
Pisthetaerus
Paralus or Salaminia?
Iris
What do you mean?
1205
Pisthetaerus
Let a buzzard rush at her and seize her.
1205
Iris
Seize me? But what do all these insults mean?
Iris
I do not understand it.
Pisthetaerus
By which gate did you pass through the wall, wretched woman?
Iris
By which gate? Why, great gods, I don't know.
1210
Pisthetaerus
You hear how she holds us in derision. Did you present yourself to the officers in command of the jays? You don't answer. Have you a permit, bearing the seal of the storks?
Pisthetaerus
Did you get one?
head-bird gave you a safe-conduct?
1215
Iris
A safe-conduct to me. You poor fool!
Pisthetaerus
Ah! and so you slipped into this city on the sly and into these realms of air-land that don't belong to you.
Iris
And what other roads can the gods travel?
Pisthetaerus
By Zeus! I know nothing about that, not I. But they won't pass this way. And you still dare to complain? Why, if you were treated according to your deserts, no Iris would ever have more justly suffered death.
1220
Pisthetaerus
You would have died nevertheless. —
Oh! that would be truly intolerable! What! should the universe obey us and the gods alone continue their insolence and not understand that they must submit to the law of the strongest in their due turn? But tell me, where are you flying to?
1225
Iris
I? The messenger of Zeus to mankind, I am going to tell them to sacrifice sheep and oxen on the altars and to fill their streets with the rich smoke of burning fat.
1230
Pisthetaerus
Of which gods are you speaking?
Iris
Of which? Why, of ourselves, the gods of heaven.
Pisthetaerus
You, gods?
1235
Iris
Are there others then?
1235
Pisthetaerus
Men now adore the birds as gods, and it's to them, by Zeus, that they must offer sacrifices, and not to Zeus at all!
Iris
Oh! fool! fool! Rouse not
the wrath of the gods, for it is terrible indeed. Armed with the brand of Zeus, Justice would annihilate your race; the lightning would strike you as it did Licymnius and consume both your body and the porticos of your palace.
1240
