peace-第2章
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TRYGAEUS
Triple scoundrel。
HERMES
Your country？
TRYGAEUS
Triple scoundrel。
HERMES
Your father？
TRYGAEUS
My father？ Triple scoundrel。
HERMES
By the Earth； you shall die； unless you tell me your name。
TRYGAEUS
I am Trygaeus of the Athmonian deme； a good vine…dresser； little
addicted to quibbling and not at all an informer。
HERMES
Why do you come？
TRYGAEUS
I come to bring you this meat。
HERMES （changing his tone）
Ah！ my good friend； did you have a good journey？
TRYGAEUS
Glutton； be off！ I no longer seem a triple scoundrel to you。 Come；
call Zeus。
HERMES
Ah！ ah！ you are a long way yet from reaching the gods； for they
moved yesterday。
TRYGAEUS
To what part of the earth？
HERMES
Eh！ of the earth； did you say？
TRYGAEUS
In short； where are they then？
HERMES
Very far； very far； right at the furthest end of the dome of
heaven。
TRYGAEUS
But why have they left you all alone here？
HERMES
I am watching what remains of the furniture； the little pots and
pans； the bits of chairs and tables； and odd wine…jars。
TRYGAEUS
And why have the gods moved away？
HERMES
Because of their wrath against the Greeks。 They have located War
in the house they occupied themselves and have given him full power to
do with you exactly as he pleases； then they went as high up as ever
they could； so as to see no more of your fights and to hear no more of
your prayers。
TRYGAEUS
What reason have they for treating us so？
HERMES
Because they have afforded you an opportunity for peace more
than once； but you have always preferred war。 If the Laconians got the
very slightest advantage； they would exclaim； 〃By the Twin Brethren！
the Athenians shall smart for this。〃 If； on the contrary； the latter
triumphed and the Laconians came with peace proposals； you would
say； 〃By Demeter； they want to deceive us。 No； by Zeus； we will not
hear a word； they will always be coming as long as we hold Pylos。〃
TRYGAEUS
Yes； that is quite the style our folk do talk in。
HERMES
So that I don't know whether you will ever see Peace again。
TRYGAEUS
Why； where has she gone to then？
HERMES
War has cast her into a deep pit。
TRYGAEUS
Where？
HERMES
Down there； at the very bottom。 And you see what heaps of stones
he has piled over the top； so that you should never pull her out
again。
TRYGAEUS
Tell me； what is War preparing against us？
HERMES
All I know is that last evening he brought along a huge mortar。
TRYGAEUS
And what is he going to do with his mortar？
HERMES
He wants to pound up all the cities of Greece in it。。。。 But I must
say good…bye； for I think he is coming out； what an uproar he is
making！
（He departs in haste。）
TRYGAEUS
Ah！ great gods let us seek safety； I think I already hear the
noise of this fearful war mortar。 （He hides。）
WAR （enters； carrying a huge mortar）
Oh！ mortals； mortals； wretched mortals； how your jaws will snap！
TRYGAEUS
Oh！ divine Apollo！ what a prodigious big mortar！ Oh； what misery
the very sight of War causes me！ This then is the foe from whom I fly；
who is so cruel； so formidable； so stalwart； so solid on his legs！
WAR
Oh！ Prasiae！ thrice wretched； five times； aye； a thousand times
wretched！ for thou shalt be destroyed this day。
（He throws some leeks into the mortar。）
TRYGAEUS （to the audience）
This； gentlemen； does not concern us over much； it's only so
much the worse for the Laconians。
WAR
Oh！ Megara！ Megara！ utterly are you going to be ground up！ what
fine mincemeat are you to be made into！
（He throws in some garlic。）
TRYGAEUS （aside）
Alas！ alas！ what bitter tears there will be among the Megarians！
WAR （throwing in some cheese）
Oh； Sicily！ you too must perish！ Your wretched towns shall be
grated like this cheese。 Now let us pour some Attic honey into the
mortar。
（He does so。）
TRYGAEUS （aside）
Oh！ I beseech you！ use some other honey； this kind is worth four
obols； be careful； oh！ be careful of our Attic honey。
WAR
Hi！ Tumult； you slave there！
TUMULT
What do you want？
WAR
Out upon you！ Standing there with folded arms！ Take this cuff on
the head for your pains。
TUMULT
Oh！ how it stings！ Master； have you got garlic in your fist； I
wonder？
WAR
Run and fetch me a pestle。
TUMULT
But we haven't got one； it was only yesterday we moved。
WAR
Go and fetch me one from Athens； and hurry； hurry！
TUMULT
I'll hurry； if I return without one； I shall have no cause for
laughing。
（He runs off。）
TRYGAEUS （to the audience）
Ah！ what is to become of us； wretched mortals that we are？ See the
danger that threatens if he returns with the pestle； for War will
quietly amuse himself with pounding all the towns of Hellas to pieces。
Ah！ Bacchus！ cause this herald of evil to perish on his road！
WAR （to the returning TUMULT）
Well？
TUMULT
Well； what？
WAR
You have brought back nothing？
TUMULT
Alas！ the Athenians have lost their pestle…the tanner； who
ground Greece to powder。
TRYGAEUS
Oh！ Athene； venerable mistress！ it is well for our city he is
dead； and before he could serve us with this hash。
WAR
Then go and seek one at Sparta and have done with it！
TUMULT
Aye； aye； master！
（He runs off。）
WAR （shouting after him）
Be back as quick as ever you can。
TRYGAEUS （to the audience）
What is going to happen； friends？ This is the critical hour。 Ah！
if there is some initiate of Samothrace among you； this is surely
the moment to wish this messenger some accident…some sprain or strain。
TUMULT （returning）
Alas！ alas！ thrice again； alas！
WAR
What is it？ Again you come back without it？
TUMULT
The Spartans too have lost their pestle。
WAR
How； varlet？
TUMULT
They had lent it to their allies in Thrace； who have lost it for
them。
TRYGAEUS
Long life to you； Thracians！ My hopes revive； pluck up courage；
mortals！
WAR
Take all this stuff； I am going in to make a pestle for myself。
（He goes in； followed by TUMULT。）
TRYGAEUS （coming out of his hiding…place）
Now is the time to sing as Datis did； as he masturbated at high
noon； 〃Oh pleasure！ oh enjoyment！ oh delights！〃 Now； oh Greeks！ is the
moment when freed of quarrels and fighting； we should rescue sweet
Peace and draw her out of this pit； before some other pestle
prevents us。 Come； labourers； merchants； workmen； artisans； strangers；
whether you be domiciled or not； islanders； come here； Greeks of all
countries； come hurrying here with picks and levers and ropes！ This is
the moment to drain a cup in honour of the Good Genius。
（The CHORUS enters； it consists of labourers and farmers from
various Greek states。）
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Come hither all！ quick； to the rescue！ All peoples of Greece；
now is the time or never； for you to help each other。 You see
yourselves freed from battles and all their horrors of bloodshed。
The day hateful to Lamachus has come。 （To TRYGAEUS） Come then； what
must be done？ Give your orders； direct us； for or swear to work this
day without ceasing； until with the help of our levers and our engines
we have drawn back into light the greatest of all goddesses； her to
whom the olive is so dear。
TRYGAEUS
Silence！ if War should hear your shouts of joy he would bound
forth from his retreat in fury。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Such a decree overwhelms us with joy； how different to the
edict； which bade us muster with provisions for three days。
TRYGAEUS
Let us beware lest the cursed Cerberus prevent us even from the
nethermost bell from delivering the goddess by his furious howling；
just as he did when on earth。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Once we have hold of her； none in the world will be able to take
her from us。 Huzza！ huzza！
TRYGAEUS
You will work my death if you don't subdue your shouts。 War will
come running out and trample everything beneath his feet。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Well then！ Let him confound； let him trample； let him overturn
everything！ We cannot help giving vent to our joy。
TRYGAEUS
Oh！ cruel fate！ My friends！ in the name of the gods； what
possesses you？ Your dancing will wreck the success of a fine
undertaking。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
It's not I who want to dance； it's my legs that bound with
delight。
TRYGAEUS
Enough； please； cease your gambols。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
There！ That's all。
TRYGAEUS
You say so； and nevertheless you go on。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Yet one more figure and it's done。
TRYGAEUS
Well； just this one； then you must dance no more。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
No； no more dancing； if we can help you。
TRYGAEUS
But look； you are not stopping even now。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
By Zeus； I am only throwing up my right leg； that's all。
TRYGAEUS
Come； I grant you that； but pray； annoy me no further。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Ah！ the left leg too will have its fling； well； that's its
right。 I am so happy； so delighted at not having to carry my buckler
any more。 I fart for joy and I laugh more than if I had cast my old
age； as a serpent does its skin。
TRYGAEUS
No； it's not time for joy yet； for you are not sure of success。
But when you have got the goddess； then rejoice； shout and laugh；
thenceforward you will be able to sail or stay at home； to make love
or sleep； to attend festivals and processions； to play at cottabos；
live like true Sybarites and to shout； Io； io！
CHORUS （singing）
Ah！ God grant we may see the blessed day。 I have suffered so much；
have so oft slept with Phormio on hard beds。 You will no longer find
me a bitter and angry judge。。。。
TRYGAEUS （singing）
Nor； naturally； hard in your ways； as heretofore。
CHORUS （singing）
。。。。but turned indulgent and grown younger by twenty years through
happiness。 We have been killing ourselves long enough； tiring
ourselves out with going to the Lyceum and returning laden with
spear and buckler。…But what can we do to please you？ Come； speak；
for 'tis a good Fate that has named you our leader。
TRYGAEUS
How shall we set about removing these stones？
HERMES （who has just returned）
Rash reprobate； what do you propose doing？
TRYGAEUS
No
