Racine: Phaedra

146
ARISTOPHANES
himself for a sudden important occasion. His following
speeches are all perfectly sober.
NiciAS. But see there, where he tomes
Sent hither providentially as it were
Demosthenes.—O happy man ! celestial sausage-seller
Friend, guardian and protector of us all
Come forward ; save your friends, and save the country.
Enter Sausage-Seller.
Sausage-Seller.—Do you call me ?
Demosthenes.— Yes, we called to you, to
announce
The high and happy destiny that awaits you.
NiciAS.—Come, now you should set him free from the encum-
brance ^^
Of his table and basket ; and explain to him
The tenor and the purport of the Oracle,
While I go back to watch the Paphlagonian.
{Exit Nicias.
Demosthenes [to the Sausage-Seller gravely].—Set these
poor wares aside ; and now—bow down
To the ground; and adore the powers of earth and
heaven.
Sausage- Seller.—Heigh-day ! Why, what do you mean?
Demosthenes.— O happy man
Unconscious of your glorious destiny,
Now mean and unregarded ; but to-morrow,
The mightiest of the mighty. Lord of Athens.
Sausage- Seller.—Come, master, what's the use of making
game
Why can't ye let me wash the guts and tripe,
And sell my sausages in peace and quiet ?
Demosthenes.—O simple mortal, cast those thoughts aside!
Bid guts and tripe farewell ! Look there ! Behold
The mighty assembled multitude before ye
[pointing to the audience
**Thi8 speech is intended to express to address him; but obliquely manifests
the sudden impression of reverence his respect, by pointing out to Demoswith
which Nicias is affected in the thenes (in his hearing) the marks of
present* of the predestined supreme attention to which he is entitled.
Sausage-seller. He does not presume