Racine: Phaedra

S02
ARISTOPHANES
Lisping and prating in this kind of way:
" Phseax is sharp—he made a good come-off,
And saved his life in a famous knowing style.
I reckon him a first-rate ; quite capital
For energy and compression ; so collected,
And such a choice of language ! Then to see him
Battling against a mob—it's quite delightful
He's never cowed ! He
bothers 'em completely !
Agoracritus.— It's your own fault, in part you've helped to
spoil 'em
But what do you mean to do with 'em for the future ?
Demus.— I shall send them into the country, all the pack of 'em,
To learn to hunt, and leave off making laws.
Agoracritus.—Then I present you here with a folding chair,
And a stout lad to carry it after you.
Demus.—Ah, that reminds one of the good old times.
Agoracritus.—But what will you say, if I give you a glorious
peace,
A lusty strapping truce of thirty years ?
Come forward here, my lass, and show yourself.
Demus.—By Jove, what a face and figure ! I should like
To ratify and conclude incontinently.
Where did you find her?
Agoracritus.— Oh, the Paphlagonian,
Of course, had huddled her out of sight, within therCi
But now you've got her, take her back with you
Into the country.
Demus.— But the Paphlagonian,
What shall we do to punish him? What d'ye think?
Agoracritus.—Oh, no great matter. He shall have my trade
With an exclusive sausage-selling patent,
To traffic openly at the city gates.
And garble his wares with dogs' and asses' flesh;
With a privilege, moreover, to get drunk,
And bully among the strumpets of the suburbs, ;
And the ragamuffin waiters at the baths.
Demus.—That's well imagined, it precisely suits him;
His natural bent, it seems, his proper element
To squabble with poor trulls and low rapscallions.
As for yourself, I give you an invitation
"