Parodos
[Lyric-Scene 1]
Tell me, Heracles, what are we going to do?
Heracles
I have already told you
that I want to strangle the fellow who dared to wall us out.
1575
Poseidon
But, my friend, we are envoys of peace.
Heracles
All the more reason why I wish to strangle him.
Pisthetaerus
Hand me the cheese-grater; bring me the silphium for sauce;
pass me the cheese and watch the coals.
1580
Heracles
Mortal! we who greet you are three gods.
Pisthetaerus
Wait a bit till I have prepared my silphium pickle.
Heracles
What are these meats?
Pisthetaerus
These are birds that have been punished with death
for attacking the people's friends.
1585
Heracles
And you are going to season them before answering us?
1585
Pisthetaerus
Ah! Heracles! welcome, welcome! What's the matter?
Poseidon
The gods have sent us here as ambassadors to treat for peace.
Pisthetaerus
There's no more oil in the flask.
Heracles
And yet the birds must be thoroughly basted with it.
1590
Poseidon
We have no interest to serve in fighting you; as for you, be friends and we promise that you shall always have rain-water in your pools and the warmest of warm weather.
So far as these points go we are plenipotentiaries.
1595
Pisthetaerus
We have never been the aggressors, and even now we are as well disposed for peace as yourselves, provided you agree to one equitable condition, namely,
that Zeus yield his scepter to the birds. If only this is agreed to, I invite the ambassadors to dinner.
1600
Heracles
That's good enough for me. I vote for peace.
Poseidon
You wretch! you are nothing but a fool and a glutton.
Do you want to dethrone your own father?
1605
Pisthetaerus
What an error. Why, the gods will be much more powerful if the birds govern the earth. At present the mortals are hidden beneath the clouds, escape your observation, and commit perjury in your name;
but if you had the birds for your allies, and a man, after having sworn by the crow and Zeus, should fail to keep his oath, the crow would dive down upon him unawares and pluck out his eye.
1610
Poseidon
Well thought of, by Poseidon!
Heracles
My notion too.
1615
Pisthetaerus
And you, what's your opinion?
1615
Triballus
Nabasatreu.
1615
