Peace [4]
no cause for
laughing.
(He runs off.)
TRYGAEUS (to the audience)
Ah! what is to become of us, wretched mortals that we are? See the
danger that threatens if he returns with the pestle, for War will
quietly amuse himself with pounding all the towns of Hellas to pieces.
Ah! Bacchus! cause this herald of evil to perish on his road!
WAR (to the returning TUMULT)
Well?
TUMULT
Well, what?
WAR
You have brought back nothing?
TUMULT
Alas! the Athenians have lost their pestle-the tanner, who
ground Greece to powder.
TRYGAEUS
Oh! Athene, venerable mistress! it is well for our city he is
dead, and before he could serve us with this hash.
WAR
Then go and seek one at Sparta and have done with it!
TUMULT
Aye, aye, master!
(He runs off.)
WAR (shouting after him)
Be back as quick as ever you can.
TRYGAEUS (to the audience)
What is going to happen, friends? This is the critical hour. Ah!
if there is some initiate of Samothrace among you, this is surely
the moment to wish this messenger some accident-some sprain or strain.
TUMULT (returning)
Alas! alas! thrice again, alas!
WAR
What is it? Again you come back without it?
TUMULT
The Spartans too have lost their pestle.
WAR
How, varlet?
TUMULT
They had lent it to their allies in Thrace, who have lost it for
them.
TRYGAEUS
Long life to you, Thracians! My hopes revive, pluck up courage,
mortals!
WAR
Take all this stuff; I am going in to make a pestle for myself.
(He goes in, followed by TUMULT.)
TRYGAEUS (coming out of his hiding-place)
Now is the time to sing as Datis did, as he masturbated at high
noon, "Oh pleasure! oh enjoyment! oh delights!" Now, oh Greeks! is the
moment when freed of quarrels and fighting, we should rescue sweet
Peace and draw her out of this pit, before some other pestle
prevents us. Come, labourers, merchants, workmen, artisans, strangers,
whether you be domiciled or not, islanders, come here, Greeks of all
countries, come hurrying here with picks and levers and ropes! This is
the moment to drain a cup in honour of the Good Genius.
(The CHORUS enters; it consists of labourers and farmers from
various Greek states.)
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Come hither all! quick, to the rescue! All peoples of Greece,
now is the time or never, for you to help each other. You see
yourselves freed from battles and all their horrors of bloodshed.
The day hateful to Lamachus has come. (To TRYGAEUS) Come then, what
must be done? Give your orders, direct us, for or swear to work this
day without ceasing, until with the help of our levers and our engines
we have drawn back into light the greatest of all goddesses, her to
whom the olive is so dear.
TRYGAEUS
Silence! if War should hear your shouts of joy he would bound
forth from his retreat in fury.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Such a decree overwhelms us with joy; how different to the
edict, which bade us muster with provisions for three days.
TRYGAEUS
Let us beware lest the cursed Cerberus prevent us even from the
nethermost bell from delivering the goddess by his furious howling,
just as he did when on earth.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Once we have hold of her, none in the world will be able to take
her from us. Huzza! huzza!
TRYGAEUS
You will work my death if you don't subdue your shouts. War will
come running out and trample everything beneath his feet.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Well then! Let him confound, let him trample, let him overturn
everything! We cannot help giving vent to our joy.
TRYGAEUS
Oh! cruel fate! My friends! in the name of the gods, what
possesses you? Your dancing will wreck
laughing.
(He runs off.)
TRYGAEUS (to the audience)
Ah! what is to become of us, wretched mortals that we are? See the
danger that threatens if he returns with the pestle, for War will
quietly amuse himself with pounding all the towns of Hellas to pieces.
Ah! Bacchus! cause this herald of evil to perish on his road!
WAR (to the returning TUMULT)
Well?
TUMULT
Well, what?
WAR
You have brought back nothing?
TUMULT
Alas! the Athenians have lost their pestle-the tanner, who
ground Greece to powder.
TRYGAEUS
Oh! Athene, venerable mistress! it is well for our city he is
dead, and before he could serve us with this hash.
WAR
Then go and seek one at Sparta and have done with it!
TUMULT
Aye, aye, master!
(He runs off.)
WAR (shouting after him)
Be back as quick as ever you can.
TRYGAEUS (to the audience)
What is going to happen, friends? This is the critical hour. Ah!
if there is some initiate of Samothrace among you, this is surely
the moment to wish this messenger some accident-some sprain or strain.
TUMULT (returning)
Alas! alas! thrice again, alas!
WAR
What is it? Again you come back without it?
TUMULT
The Spartans too have lost their pestle.
WAR
How, varlet?
TUMULT
They had lent it to their allies in Thrace, who have lost it for
them.
TRYGAEUS
Long life to you, Thracians! My hopes revive, pluck up courage,
mortals!
WAR
Take all this stuff; I am going in to make a pestle for myself.
(He goes in, followed by TUMULT.)
TRYGAEUS (coming out of his hiding-place)
Now is the time to sing as Datis did, as he masturbated at high
noon, "Oh pleasure! oh enjoyment! oh delights!" Now, oh Greeks! is the
moment when freed of quarrels and fighting, we should rescue sweet
Peace and draw her out of this pit, before some other pestle
prevents us. Come, labourers, merchants, workmen, artisans, strangers,
whether you be domiciled or not, islanders, come here, Greeks of all
countries, come hurrying here with picks and levers and ropes! This is
the moment to drain a cup in honour of the Good Genius.
(The CHORUS enters; it consists of labourers and farmers from
various Greek states.)
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Come hither all! quick, to the rescue! All peoples of Greece,
now is the time or never, for you to help each other. You see
yourselves freed from battles and all their horrors of bloodshed.
The day hateful to Lamachus has come. (To TRYGAEUS) Come then, what
must be done? Give your orders, direct us, for or swear to work this
day without ceasing, until with the help of our levers and our engines
we have drawn back into light the greatest of all goddesses, her to
whom the olive is so dear.
TRYGAEUS
Silence! if War should hear your shouts of joy he would bound
forth from his retreat in fury.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Such a decree overwhelms us with joy; how different to the
edict, which bade us muster with provisions for three days.
TRYGAEUS
Let us beware lest the cursed Cerberus prevent us even from the
nethermost bell from delivering the goddess by his furious howling,
just as he did when on earth.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Once we have hold of her, none in the world will be able to take
her from us. Huzza! huzza!
TRYGAEUS
You will work my death if you don't subdue your shouts. War will
come running out and trample everything beneath his feet.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Well then! Let him confound, let him trample, let him overturn
everything! We cannot help giving vent to our joy.
TRYGAEUS
Oh! cruel fate! My friends! in the name of the gods, what
possesses you? Your dancing will wreck