Peace [2]
vengeance on the eagle and break its eggs.
LITTLE DAUGHTER
Why not saddle Pegasus? you would have a more tragic appearance in
the eyes of the gods.
TRYGAEUS
Eh! don't you see, little fool, that then twice the food would
be wanted? Whereas my beetle devours again as filth what I have
eaten myself.
LITTLE DAUGHTER
And if it fell into the watery depths of the sea, could it
escape with its wings?
TRYGAEUS (exposing himself)
I am fitted with a rudder in case of need, and my Naxos beetle
will serve me as a boat.
LITTLE DAUGHTER
And what harbour will you put in at?
TRYGAEUS
Why is there not the harbour of Cantharus at the Piraeus?
LITTLE DAUGHTER
Take care not to knock against anything and so fall off into
space; once a cripple, you would be a fit subject for Euripides, who
would put you into a tragedy.
TRYGAEUS (as the Machine hoists him higher)
I'll see to it. Good-bye! (To the Athenians) You, for love of whom
I brave these dangers, do ye neither fart nor crap for the space of
three days, for, if, while cleaving the air, my steed should scent
anything, he would fling me head foremost from the summit of my hopes.
(Intoning)
Now come, my Pegasus, get a-going with up-pricked ears and make
your golden bridle resound gaily. Eh! what are you doing? What are you
up to? Do you turn your nose towards the cesspools? Come, pluck up a
spirit; rush upwards from the earth, stretch out your speedy wings and
make straight for the palace of Zeus; for once give up foraging in
your daily food.-Hi! you down there, what are you after now? Oh! my
god! it's a man taking a crap in the Piraeus, close to the
whorehouses. But is it my death you seek then, my death? Will you
not bury that right away and pile a great heap of earth upon it and
plant wild thyme therein and pour perfumes on it? If I were to fall
from up here and misfortune happened to me, the town of Chios would
owe a fine of five talents for my death, all because of your damned
arse.
(Speaking)
Alas! how frightened I am! oh! I have no heart for jests. Ah!
machinist, take great care of me. There is already a wind whirling
round my navel; take great care or, from sheer fright, I shall form
food for my beetle.... But I think I am no longer far from the gods;
aye, that is the dwelling of Zeus, I perceive. (The beetle descends
and comes to a halt in front of the house of ZEUS. TRYGAEUS
dismounts and knocks at the door.) Hullo! Hi! where is the doorkeeper?
Will no one open?
HERMES (from within)
I think I can sniff a man. (Opening the door) Why, what plague
is this?
TRYGAEUS
A horse-beetle.
HERMES
Oh! impudent, shameless rascal! oh! scoundrel! triple scoundrel!
the greatest scoundrel in the world! how did you come here? Oh!
scoundrel of all scoundrels! your name? Reply.
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
LITTLE DAUGHTER
Why not saddle Pegasus? you would have a more tragic appearance in
the eyes of the gods.
TRYGAEUS
Eh! don't you see, little fool, that then twice the food would
be wanted? Whereas my beetle devours again as filth what I have
eaten myself.
LITTLE DAUGHTER
And if it fell into the watery depths of the sea, could it
escape with its wings?
TRYGAEUS (exposing himself)
I am fitted with a rudder in case of need, and my Naxos beetle
will serve me as a boat.
LITTLE DAUGHTER
And what harbour will you put in at?
TRYGAEUS
Why is there not the harbour of Cantharus at the Piraeus?
LITTLE DAUGHTER
Take care not to knock against anything and so fall off into
space; once a cripple, you would be a fit subject for Euripides, who
would put you into a tragedy.
TRYGAEUS (as the Machine hoists him higher)
I'll see to it. Good-bye! (To the Athenians) You, for love of whom
I brave these dangers, do ye neither fart nor crap for the space of
three days, for, if, while cleaving the air, my steed should scent
anything, he would fling me head foremost from the summit of my hopes.
(Intoning)
Now come, my Pegasus, get a-going with up-pricked ears and make
your golden bridle resound gaily. Eh! what are you doing? What are you
up to? Do you turn your nose towards the cesspools? Come, pluck up a
spirit; rush upwards from the earth, stretch out your speedy wings and
make straight for the palace of Zeus; for once give up foraging in
your daily food.-Hi! you down there, what are you after now? Oh! my
god! it's a man taking a crap in the Piraeus, close to the
whorehouses. But is it my death you seek then, my death? Will you
not bury that right away and pile a great heap of earth upon it and
plant wild thyme therein and pour perfumes on it? If I were to fall
from up here and misfortune happened to me, the town of Chios would
owe a fine of five talents for my death, all because of your damned
arse.
(Speaking)
Alas! how frightened I am! oh! I have no heart for jests. Ah!
machinist, take great care of me. There is already a wind whirling
round my navel; take great care or, from sheer fright, I shall form
food for my beetle.... But I think I am no longer far from the gods;
aye, that is the dwelling of Zeus, I perceive. (The beetle descends
and comes to a halt in front of the house of ZEUS. TRYGAEUS
dismounts and knocks at the door.) Hullo! Hi! where is the doorkeeper?
Will no one open?
HERMES (from within)
I think I can sniff a man. (Opening the door) Why, what plague
is this?
TRYGAEUS
A horse-beetle.
HERMES
Oh! impudent, shameless rascal! oh! scoundrel! triple scoundrel!
the greatest scoundrel in the world! how did you come here? Oh!
scoundrel of all scoundrels! your name? Reply.
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