Parodos
Pisthetaerus
unless they agree with me as the little ape of an armorer agreed with his wife, not to bite me, nor pull me by the balls, nor shove things into my . . .
440
Euelpides
Do you mean this?
Pisthetaerus
No, I mean my eyes.
Leader of the Chorus
Agreed.
Leader of the Chorus
I swear it and, if I keep my promise, let judges and spectators give me the victory unanimously.
445
Pisthetaerus
It is a bargain.
Leader of the Chorus
And if I break my word, may I succeed by one vote only.
Epops
Hearken, ye people! Hoplites, pick up your weapons and return to your firesides;
do not fail to read the decrees of dismissal we have posted.
450
[Agon 1]
Man is a truly cunning creature, but nevertheless explain. Perhaps you are going to show me some good way
Chorus
to extend my power, some way that I have not had the wit to find out and which you have discovered. Speak! 'tis to your own interest as well as to mine, for if you secure me some advantage, I will surely share it with you.
455
[Agon]
But what object can have induced you to come among us? Speak boldly, for I shall not break the truce, —until you have told us all.
460
Pisthetaerus
I am bursting with desire to speak; I have already mixed the dough of my address and nothing prevents me from kneading it.... Slave! bring the chaplet and water, which you must pour over my hands. Be quick!
Euelpides
Is it a question of feasting? What does it all mean?
Pisthetaerus
By Zeus, no! but I am hunting for fine, tasty words to break down the hardness of their hearts.
To the Chorus. I grieve so much for you, who at one time were kings...
465
Leader of the Chorus
We kings? Over whom?
Pisthetaerus
... of all that exists, firstly of me and of this man, even of Zeus himself. Your race is older than Saturn, the Titans and the Earth.
Leader of the Chorus
What, older than the Earth!
470
Pisthetaerus
By Phoebus, yes.
470
Leader of the Chorus
By Zeus, but I never knew that before!
470
Pisthetaerus
That's because you are ignorant and heedless, and have never read your Aesop. He is the one who tells us that the lark was born before all other creatures, indeed before the Earth; his father died of sickness, but the Earth did not exist then; he remained unburied for five days, when the bird in its dilemma decided,
for want of a better place, to entomb its father in its own head.
475
Euelpides
So that the lark's father is buried at Cephalae.
Pisthetaerus
Hence, if they existed before the Earth, before the gods, the kingship belongs to them by right of priority.
Euelpides
Undoubtedly, but sharpen your beak well;
Zeus won't be in a hurry to hand over his scepter to the woodpecker.
480
Pisthetaerus
It was not the gods, but the birds, who were formerly the masters and kings over men; of this I have a thousand proofs. First of all, I will point you to the cock, who governed the Persians before all other monarchs, before Darius and Megabazus.
It's in memory of his reign that he is called the Persian bird.
485
Euelpides
For this reason also, even to-day, he alone of all the birds wears his tiara straight on his head, like the Great King.
