Parodos
[Agon]
He was so strong, so great, so feared, that even now, on account of his ancient power,
Pisthetaerus
everyone jumps out of bed as soon as ever he crows at daybreak. Blacksmiths, potters, tanners, shoemakers, bathmen, corn-dealers, lyre-makers and armorers, all put on their shoes and go to work before it is daylight.
490
Euelpides
I can tell you something about that. It was the cock's fault that I lost a splendid tunic of Phrygian wool. I was at a feast in town, given to celebrate the birth of a child; I had drunk pretty freely
and had just fallen asleep, when a cock, I suppose in a greater hurry than the rest, began to crow. I thought it was dawn and set out for Halimus. I had hardly got beyond the walls, when a footpad struck me in the back with his bludgeon; down I went and wanted to shout, but he had already made off with my mantle.
495
Pisthetaerus
Formerly also the kite was ruler and king over the Greeks.
Leader of the Chorus
The Greeks?
500
Pisthetaerus
And when he was king, he was the one who first taught them to fall on their knees before the kites.
500
Euelpides
By Zeus! that's what I did myself one day on seeing a kite; but at the moment I was on my knees, and leaning backwards with mouth agape, I bolted an obolus and was forced to carry my meal-sack home empty.
Pisthetaerus
The cuckoo was king of Egypt and of the whole of Phoenicia.
When he called out cuckoo, all the Phoenicians hurried to the fields to reap their wheat and their barley.
505
Euelpides
Hence no doubt the proverb, Cuckoo! cuckoo! go to the fields, ye circumcised.
Pisthetaerus
So powerful were the birds that the kings of Grecian cities, Agamemnon, Menelaus, for instance,
carried a bird on the tip of their scepters, who had his share of all presents.
510
Euelpides
That I didn't know and was much astonished when I saw Priam come upon the stage in the tragedies with a bird, which kept watching Lysicrates to see if he got any present.
Pisthetaerus
But the strongest proof of all is that Zeus, who now reigns,
is represented as standing with an eagle on his head as a symbol of his royalty; his daughter has an owl, and Phoebus, as his servant, has a hawk.
515
Euelpides
By Demeter, the point is well taken. But what are all these birds doing in heaven?
Pisthetaerus
When anyone sacrifices and, according to the rite, offers the entrails to the gods, these birds take their share before Zeus.
Formerly men always swore by the birds and never by the gods. And even now Lampon swears by the goose whenever he wishes to deceive someone. Thus it is clear that you were once great and sacred,
520
but now you are looked upon as slaves, as fools, as Maneses; stones
are thrown at you as at raving madmen, even in holy places. A crowd of bird-catchers sets snares, traps, limed twigs and nets of all sorts for you; you are caught, you are sold in heaps
525
and the buyers finger you over to be certain you are fat. Again, if they would but serve you up simply roasted; but they rasp cheese into a mixture of oil, vinegar and laserwort,
530
to which another sweet and greasy sauce is added, and the whole is poured scalding hot over your back, for all the world as if you were diseased meat.
535
Chorus
Man, your words have
made my heart bleed; I have groaned over the treachery of our fathers, who knew not how to transmit to us the high rank they held from their forefathers. But 'tis a benevolent Genius, a happy Fate, that sends you to us;
540
you shall be our deliverer and I place the destiny of my little ones and my own in your hands with every confidence.
545
Leader of the Chorus
But hasten to tell me what must be done; we should not be worthy to live, if we did not seek to regain our royalty by every possible means.
Pisthetaerus
First I advise that the birds gather together in one city and that they build a wall of great bricks, like that at Babylon, round the plains of the air and the whole region of space that divides earth from heaven.
550
Epops
Oh, Cebriones! oh, Porphyrion! what a terribly strong place!
Pisthetaerus
Then, when this has been well done and completed, you demand back the empire from Zeus;
