peace-第4章
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Now tell the husbandmen to be off。
TRYGAEUS
Listen； good folk！ Let the husbandmen take their farming tools and
return to their fields as quickly as possible； but without either
sword； spear or javelin。 All is as quiet as if Peace had been reigning
for a century。 Come； let everyone go and till the earth； singing the
Paean。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS （to PEACE）
Oh； thou； whom men of standing desired and who art good to
husbandmen； I have gazed upon thee with delight； and now I go to greet
my vines； to caress after so long an absence the fig trees I planted
in my youth。
TRYGAEUS
Friends； let us first adore the goddess； who has delivered us from
crests and Gorgons； then let us hurry to our farms； having first
bought a nice little piece of salt fish to eat in the fields。
HERMES
By Posidon！ what a fine crew they make and dense as the crust of a
cake； they are as nimble as guests on their way to a feast。
TRYGAEUS
See； how their iron spades glitter and how beautifully their
three…pronged mattocks glisten in the sun！ How regularly they align
the plants！ I also burn to go into the country and to turn over the
earth I have so long neglected。…Friends； do you remember the happy
life that Peace afforded us formerly； can you recall the splendid
baskets of figs； both fresh and dried； the myrtles； the sweet wine；
the violets blooming near the spring； and the olives； for which we
have wept so much？ Worship； adore the goddess for restoring you so
many blessings。
CHORUS （singing）
Hail！ hail！ thou beloved divinity！ thy return overwhelms us with
joy。 When far from thee； my ardent wish to see my fields again made me
pine with regret。 From thee came all blessings。 Oh！ much desired
Peace！ thou art the sole support of those who spend their lives
tilling the earth。 Under thy rule we had a thousand delicious
enjoyments at our beck； thou wert the husbandman's wheaten cake and
his safeguard。 So that our vineyards； our young fig…tree woods and all
our plantations hail thee with delight and smile at thy coming。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
But where was she then； I wonder； all the long time she spent away
from us？ Hermes； thou benevolent god； tell us！
HERMES
Wise husbandmen； hearken to my words； if you want to know why
she was lost to you。 The start of our misfortunes was the exile of
Phidias； Pericles feared he might share his in…luck； he mistrusted
your peevish nature and； to prevent all danger to himself； he threw
out that little spark； the Megarian decree； set the city aflame； and
blew up the conflagration with a hurricane of war； so that the smoke
drew tears from all Greeks both here and over there。 At the very
outset of this fire our vines were a…crackle； our casks knocked
together； it was beyond the power of any man to stop the disaster； and
Peace disappeared。
TRYGAEUS
That； by Apollo is what no one ever told me； I could not think
what connection there could be between Phidias and Peace。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Nor I； until now。 This accounts for her beauty； if she is
related to him。 There are so many things that escape us。
HERMES
Then； when the towns subject to you saw that you were angered
one against the other and were showing each other your teeth like
dogs； they hatched a thousand plots to pay you no more dues and gained
over the chief citizens of Sparta at the price of gold。 They； being as
shamelessly greedy as they were faithless in diplomacy； chased off
Peace with ignominy to let loose War。 Though this was profitable to
them； it was the ruin of the husbandmen； who were innocent of all
blame； for； in revenge； your galleys went out to devour their figs。
TRYGAEUS
And with justice too； did they not break down my black fig tree；
which I had planted and dunged with my own hands？
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Yes； by Zeus！ yes； that was well done； the wretches broke a
chest for me with stones； which held six medimni of corn。
HERMES
Then the rural labourers flocked into the city and let
themselves be bought over like the others。 Not having even a
grape…stone to munch and longing after their figs； they looked towards
the demagogues。 These well knew that the poor were driven to extremity
and lacked even bread； but they nevertheless drove away the Goddess；
each time she reappeared in answer to the wish of the country； with
their loud shrieks that were as sharp as pitchforks； furthermore； they
attacked the well…filled purses of the richest among our allies on the
pretence that they belonged to Brasidas' party。 And then you would
tear the poor accused wretch to pieces with your teeth； for the
city； all pale with hunger and cowed with terror； gladly snapped up
any calumny that was thrown it to devour。 So the strangers； seeing
what terrible blows the informers dealt； sealed their lips with
gold。 They grew rich； while you； alas！ you could only see that
Greece was going to ruin。 It was the tanner who was the author of
all this woe。
TRYGAEUS
Enough said； Hermes leave that man in Hades； whither he has
gone； be no longer belongs to us； but rather to you。 That he was a
cheat； a braggart； a calumniator when alive； why； nothing could be
truer； but anything you might say now would be an insult to one of
your own folk。
（To PEACE） Oh！ venerated Goddess！ why art thou silent？
HERMES
And how could she speak to the spectators？ She is too angry at all
that they have made her suffer。
TRYGAEUS
At least let her speak a little to you； Hermes。
HERMES
Tell me； my dear； what are your feelings with regard to them？
Come； you relentless foe of all bucklers； speak； I am listening to
you。 （PEACE whispers into HERMES' ear。） Is that your grievance against
them？ Yes； yes； I understand。 Hearken； you folk； this is her
complaint。 She says； that after the affair of Pylos she came to you
unbidden to bring you a basket full of truces and that you thrice
repulsed her by your votes in the assembly。
TRYGAEUS
Yes； we did wrong； but forgive us； for our mind was then
entirely absorbed in leather。
HERMES
Listen again to what she has just asked me。 Who was her greatest
foe here？ and furthermore； had she a friend who exerted himself to put
an end to the fighting？
TRYGAEUS
Her most devoted friend was Cleonymus； it is undisputed。
HERMES
How then did Cleonymus behave in fights？
TRYGAEUS
Oh！ the bravest of warriors！ Only he was not born of the father he
claims； he showed it quick enough in the army by throwing away his
weapons。
HERMES
There is yet another question she has just put to me。 Who rules
now in the rostrum？
TRYGAEUS
It's Hyperbolus who now holds empire on the Pnyx。 （To PEACE）
What now？ you turn away your head！
HERMES
She is vexed； that the people should give themselves a wretch of
that kind for their chief。
TRYGAEUS
Oh！ we shall not employ him again； but the people； seeing
themselves without a leader； took him haphazard； just as a man； who is
naked； springs upon the first cloak he sees。
HERMES
She asks； what will be the result of such a choice by the city？
TRYGAEUS
We shall be more far…seeing in consequence。
HERMES
And why？
TRYGAEUS
Because he is a lamp…maker。 Formerly we only directed our
busines by groping in the dark； now we shall only deliberate by
lamplight。
HERMES
Oh！ oh！ what questions she does order me to put to you！
TRYGAEUS
What are they？
HERMES
She wants to have news of a whole heap of old…fashioned things she
left here。 First of all； how is Sophocles？
TRYGAEUS
Very well； but something very strange has happened to him。
HERMES
What then？
TRYGAEUS
He has turned from Sophocles into Simonides。
HERMES
Into Simonides？ How so？
TRYGAEUS
Because； though old and broken…down as he is； he would put to
sea on a hurdle to gain an obolus。
HERMES
And wise Cratinus； is he still alive？
TRYGAEUS
He died about the time of the Laconian invasion。
HERMES
How？
TRYGAEUS
Of a swoon。 He could not bear the shock of seeing one of his casks
full of wine broken。 Ah！ what a number of other misfortunes our city
has suffered！ So； dearest mistress； nothing can now separate us from
thee。
HERMES
If that be so； receive Opora here for a wife； take her to the
country； live with her； and grow fine grapes together。
TRYGAEUS （to OPORA）
Come； my dear one； come and accept my kisses。 （To HERMES） Tell me；
Hermes； my master； do you think it would hurt me to love her a little；
after so long an abstinence？
HERMES
No； not if you swallow a potion of penny…royal afterwards。 But
hasten to lead Theoria to the Senate； that was where she lodged
before。
TRYGAEUS
Oh！ fortunate Senate！ Thanks to Theoria； what soups you will
swallow for the space of three days！ how you will devour meats and
cooked tripe！ Come； farewell； friend Hermes！
HERMES
And to you also； my dear sir； may you have much happiness； and
don't forget me。
TRYGAEUS （looking around for his dung…beetle）
Come； beetle； home； home； and let us fly on a swift wing。
HERMES
Oh！ he is no longer here。
TRYGAEUS
Where has he gone to then？
HERMES
He is 'harnessed to the chariot of Zeus and bears the
thunderbolts。'
TRYGAEUS
But where will the poor wretch get his food？
HERMES
He will eat Ganymede's ambrosia。
TRYGAEUS
Very well then； but how am I going to descend？
HERMES
Oh！ never fear； there is nothing simpler； place yourself beside
the goddess。
TRYGAEUS
Come； my pretty maidens； follow me quickly； there are plenty of
men waiting for you with their tools ready。
（He goes out； with OPORA and THEORIA。）
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Farewell and good luck be yours！ Let us begin by handing over
all this gear to the care of our servants； for no place is less safe
than a theatre； there is always a crowd of thieves prowling around it；
seeking to find some mischief to do。 Come； keep a good watch over
all this。 As for ourselves； let us explain to the spectators what we
have in our minds； the purpose of our play。
（The CHORUS turns and faces the audience。）
Undoubtedly the comic poet who mounted the stage to praise himself
in the parabasis would deserve to be handed over to the sticks or
the beadles。 Nevertheless； oh Muse； if it be right to esteem the
most honest and illustrious of our comic writers at his proper
value； permit our poet to say that he thinks he has deserved a
glorious renown。 First of all； he is the one who has compelled his
rivals no longer to scoff at rags or to war with lice； and as for
those Heracleses； always chewing and ever hungry； he was
