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The Chorus enters; it consists of laborers and farmers from various Greek states.
Leader of the Chorus
Come hither all! quick, quick, hasten 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.
[305] Come then, what must be done? Give your orders, direct us, for I 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! [310] 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 [315] prevent us even from the nethermost hell 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
[320] 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 possess you? Your dancing will wreck the success of a fine undertaking. Leader of the Chorus
It's not I who want to dance; [325] it's my legs that bound with delight. Trygaeus
Enough, please, cease your gambols. Leader of the Chorus
There! That's all. Trygaeus
You say so, and nevertheless you go on. Leader of the Chorus
Yet one more figure and it's done. Trygaeus
Well, just this one; then you must dance no more. Leader of the Chorus
[330] No, no more dancing, if we can help you. Trygaeus
But look, you are not stopping even now. Leader of the Chorus
By Zeus, I am only throwing up my right leg, that's all. Trygaeus
Come, I grant you that, but pray, annoy me no further. Leader of the Chorus
Ah! the left leg too will have its fling; well, that's its right. [335] I am so happy, so delighted at not having to carry my buckler any more. I fart for joy and I laugh more than if I had cast my old age, as a serpent does its skin. Trygaeus
No, it's not time for joy yet, for you are not sure of success. But when you have got the goddess,
Then rejoice, shout and laugh; [340] thenceforward you will be able to sail or stay at home, to make love or sleep, to attend festivals and processions, to play at cottabos, live like true Sybarites [345] and to shout, Io, io!
Aristophanes. Peace. The Complete Greek Drama, vol. 2. Eugene O'Neill, Jr. New York. Random House. 1938.
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