Racine: Phaedra

15©
ARISTOPHANES
It matters not ; his person will be known
Our audience is a shrewd one—they can guess
NiciAS [in alarm from behind the scenes] . Oh
the Paphlagonian's coming.
Enter Cleon zvith a furious look and voice.
dear ! oh dear 1
Cleon.—By heaven and earth ! you shall abide it dearly,
With your conspiracies and daily plots
Against the sovereign people! Hah! what's this?
What's this Chalcidian goblet doing here ?
Are ye tempting the Chalcidians to revolt ? ^*
Dogs ! villains ! every soul of ye shall die.
[The Sausage-Seller runs off in a fright.
Demosthenes,—Where are ye going ? Where are ye running ?
Stop!
Stand firm, my noble valiant Sausage-Seller
Never betray the cause. Your friends are nigh.
[Speaks to the Chorus.
Cavaliers and noble captains I now's the time ! advance
in sight
March in order—make the movement, and out-flank him
on the right [Speaks to the Sausage-Seller.
There I see them bustling, hasting !—only turn and make
a stand.
Stop but only for a moment, your allies are hard at hand.
Enter Chorus of Cavaliers.
Chorus.—Close around him, and confound him, the confounder
of us all.
Pelt him, pommel him and maul him; rummage, ran-
sack, overhaul him.
Overbear him and out-bawl him; bear him down and
bring him under.
Bellow like a burst of thunder, robber ! harpy ! sink of
plunder
Rogue and villain ! rogue, and cheat ! rogue and villain,
I repeat
** The Chalcidians did, in fact, revolt in the following year; their intentions were
probably suspected at the time.