Aristophanes, Knights
Eugene O'Neill, Jr., Ed.

Sausage-Seller
[1060] He says he will seize upon your bath-tubs.

Demos
Then I shall not bathe to-day.

Sausage-Seller
No, as he has stolen our baths. But here is an oracle about the fleet, to which I beg your best attention.

Demos
[1065] Read on! I am listening; let us first see how we are to pay our sailors.

Sausage-Seller
“Son of Aegeus, beware of the tricks of the dog-fox, he bites from the rear and rushes off at full speed; he is nothing but cunning and perfidy.” Do you know what the oracle intends to say?

Demos
The dog-fox is Philostratus.

Sausage-Seller
[1070] No, no, it's Cleon; he is incessantly asking you for light vessels to go and collect the tributes, and Apollo advises you not to grant them.

Demos
What connection is there between a galley and dog-fox?

Sausage-Seller
What connection? Why, it's quite plain —a galley travels as fast as a dog.

Demos
[1075] Why, then, does the oracle not say dog instead of dog-fox?

Sausage-Seller
Because he compares the soldiers to young foxes, who, like them, eat the grapes in the fields.

Demos
Good! Well then! how am I to pay the wages of my young foxes?

Sausage-Seller
I will undertake that, and in three days too! [1080] But listen to this further oracle, by which Apollo puts you on your guard against the snares of the greedy fist.

Demos
Of what greedy fist?

Sausage-Seller
The god in this oracle very clearly points to the hand of Cleon, who incessantly holds his out, saying, “Fill it.”

Cleon
That's a lie! Phoebus [1085] means the hand of Diopeithes. But here I have a winged oracle, which promises you shall become an eagle and rule over all the earth.

Sausage-Seller
I have one, which says that you shall be King of the Earth and of the Red Sea too, and that you shall administer justice in Ecbatana, eating fine rich stews the while.

Cleon
[1090] I have seen Athena in a dream, pouring out full vials of riches and health over the people.

Sausage-Seller
I too have seen the goddess, descending from the Acropolis with an owl perched upon her helmet; on [1095] your head she was pouring out ambrosia, on that of Cleon garlic pickle.

Demos
Truly Glanis is the wisest of men. I shall yield myself to you; guide me in my old age and educate me anew.

Cleon
[1100] Ah! I adjure you! not yet; wait a little; I will promise to distribute barley every day.

Demos
Ah! I will not hear another word about barley; you have cheated me too often already, both you and Theophanes.

Cleon
Well then! you shall have flour-cakes all piping hot.

Sausage-Seller
[1105] I will give you cakes too, and nice cooked fish; all you'll have to do is eat.

Demos
Very well, mind you keep your promises. To whichever of you shall treat me best I hand over the reins of state.

Cleon
[1110] I will be first.

He rushes into the house.

Sausage-Seller
No, no, I will.He runs off.