Parodos
[Parodos]
To Epops. What's that bird behind the kingfisher?
Euelpides
What? a bird a barber?
300
Pisthetaerus
Why, Sporgilus is one.
300
Epops
Here comes the owl.
Euelpides
And who is it brings an owl to Athens?
Epops
Here is the magpie, the turtle-dove, the swallow, the horned-owl, the buzzard, the pigeon, the falcon, the ring-dove, the cuckoo, the red-foot, the red-cap, the purple-cap, the kestrel, the diver, the ousel, the osprey, the woodpecker . . .
Pisthetaerus
Oh! what a lot of birds! Oh! what a lot of blackbirds! How they scold, how they come rushing up! What a noise! what a noise! Can they be bearing us ill-will? Oh! there! there! they are opening their beaks and staring at us.
305
Euelpides
Why, so they are.
Leader of the Chorus
Popopopopopo. Where is he who called me? Where am I to find him?
310
Epops
I have been waiting for you a long while! I never fail in my word to my friends.
Leader of the Chorus
Tititititititi. What good news
Epops
Something that concerns our common safety, and that is just as pleasant as it is to the point. Two men, who are subtle reasoners, have come here to seek me.
Leader of the Chorus
Where? How? What are you saying?
Epops
I say, two old men have come from the abode of humans to propose a vast and splendid scheme to us.
320
Leader of the Chorus
Oh! it's a horrible, unheard-of crime! What are you saying?
Epops
Never let my words scare you.
Leader of the Chorus
What have you done to me?
Epops
I have welcomed two men, who wish to live with us.
Leader of the Chorus
And you have dared to do that!
325
Epops
Yes, and I am delighted at having done so.
325
Leader of the Chorus
And are they already with us?
Epops
Just as much as I am.
[Agon 1]
Ah! ah! we are betrayed; 'tis sacrilege! Our friend,
Chorus
he who picked up corn-seeds in the same plains as ourselves, has violated our ancient laws; he has broken the oaths that bind all birds; he has laid a snare for me, he has handed us over to the attacks of that impious race which, throughout all time,
330
has never ceased to war against us.
335
[Agon]
As for this traitorous bird, we will decide his case later, but the two old men shall be punished forthwith; we are going to tear them to pieces.
Pisthetaerus
It's all over with us.
Euelpides
You are the sole cause of all our trouble.
