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He looks as if he wanted to swallow me up alive！ Ye gods！ what an
impudent knave！
CLEON （as he rushes in）
To my aid； my beloved lies！ I am going to destroy you； or my
name is lost。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
Oh！ how he diverts me with his threats His bluster makes me laugh！
And I dance the mothon for joy； and sing at the top of my voice；
cuckoo！
CLEON
Ah！ by Demeter！ if I do not kill and devour you； may I die！
SAUSAGE…SELLER
If you do not devour me？ and I； if I do not drink your blood to
the last drop； and then burst with indigestion。
CLEON
I； I will strangle you； I swear it by the front seat which Pylos
gained me。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
By the front seat！ Ah！ Ah！ might I see you fall into the
hindmost seat！
CLEON
By heaven！ I will put you to the torture。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
What a lively wit！ Come； what's the best to give you to eat？
What do you prefer？ A purse？
CLEON
I will tear out your insides with my nails。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
And I will cut off your victuals at the Prytaneum。
CLEON
I will haul you before Demos； who will mete out justice to you。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
And I too will drag you before him and belch forth more
calumnies than you。 Why； poor fool； he does not believe you； whereas I
play with him at will。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
Is then Demos your property； your contemptible creature？
CLEON
It's because I know the dishes that please him。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
And these are little mouthfuls； which you serve to him like a
clever nurse。 You chew the pieces and place some in small quantities
in his mouth； while you swallow three parts yourself。
CLEON
Thanks to my skill； I know exactly how to enlarge or contract this
gullet。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
My arse is just as clever。
CLEON
Well； my friend； you tricked me at the Senate； but take care！
Let us go before Demos。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
That's easily done； come； let's do it right away。
CLEON （loudly）
Oh； Demos！ Come； I adjure you to help me； my father I
SAUSAGE…SELLER （more loudly）
Come； oh； my dear little Demos； come and see how I am insulted。
DEMOS （coming out of his house followed by DEMOSTHENES）
What a hubhub！ To the Devil with you； bawlers！ Alas！ my olive
branch； which they have torn down！ Ah！ it's you； Paphlagonian。 And
who； pray； has been maltreating you？
CLEON
You are the cause of this man and these young people having
covered me with blows。
DEMOS
And why？
CLEON
Because you love me passionately； Demos。
DEMOS （to the SAUSAGE…SELLER）
And you； who are you？
SAUSAGE…SELLER
His rival。 For many a long year have I loved you； have I wished to
do you honour； I and a crowd of other men of means。 But this rascal
here has prevented us。 You resemble those young men who do not know
where to choose their lovers； you repulse honest folks； to earn your
favours； one has to be a lamp…seller； a cobbler； a tanner or a
currier。
CLEON
I am the benefactor of the people。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
In what way； please？
CLEON
In what way？ I supplanted the Generals at Pylos； I hurried thither
and I brought back the Laconian captives。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
And I； whilst simply loitering； cleared off with a pot from a
shop； which another fellow had been boiling。
CLEON
Demos； convene the assembly at once to decide which of us two
loves you best and most merits your favour。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
Yes； yes； provided it be not at the Pnyx。
DEMOS
I could not sit elsewhere； it is at the Pnyx that you must
appear before me。
（He sits down on a stone in the Orchestra；）
SAUSAGE…SELLER
Ah！ great gods！ I am undone！ At home this old fellow is the most
sensible of men； but the instant he is seated on those cursed stone
seats； he is there with mouth agape as if he were hanging up figs by
their stems to dry。
FIRST SEMI…CHORUS （singing）
Come； loose all sail。 Be bold； skilful in attack and entangle
him in arguments which admit of no reply。 It is difficult to beat him；
for he is full of craft and pulls himself out of the worst corners。
Collect all your forces to come forth from this fight covered with
glory。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
But take care！ Let him not assume the attack； get ready your
grapples and advance with your vessel to board him！
CLEON
Oh！ guardian goddess of our city！ oh！ Athene if it be true that
next to Lysicles； Cynna and Salabaccho none have done so much good for
the Athenian people as I； suffer me to continue to be fed at the
Prytaneum without working； but if I hate you； if I am not ready to
fight in your defence alone and against all； may I perish； be sawn
to bits alive and my skin cut up into thongs。
SAUSAGE…SELLER
And I； Demos； if it be not true； that I love and cherish you；
may I be cooked in a stew； and if that is not saying enough； may I
be grated on this table with some cheese and then hashed； may a hook
be passed through my balls and let me be dragged thus to the
Ceramicus！
CLEON
Is it possible； Demos； to love you more than I do？ And firstly； as
long as you have governed with my consent； have I not filled your
treasury； putting pressure on some； torturing others or begging of
them； indifferent to the opinion of private individuals； and solely
anxious to please you？
SAUSAGE…SELLER
There is nothing so wonderful in all that； Demos； I will do as
much； I will thieve the bread of others to serve up to you。 No； he has
neither love for you nor kindly feeling； his only care is to warm
himself with your wood； and I will prove it。 You； who； sword in
hand； saved Attica from the Median yoke at Marathon； you； whose
glorious triumphs we love to extol unceasingly； look； he cares
little whether he sees you seated uncomfortably upon a stone；
whereas I； I bring you this cushion； which I have sewn with my own
hands。 Rise and try this nice soft seat。 Did you not put enough strain
on your bottom at Salamis？
（He gives DEMOS the cushion； DEMOS sits on it。）
DEMOS
Who are you then？ Can you be of the race of Harmodius？ Upon my
faith； that is nobly done and like a true friend of Demos。
CLEON
Petty flattery to prove him your goodwill！
SAUSAGE…SELLER
But you have caught him with even smaller baits！
CLEON
Never had Demos a defender or a friend more devoted than myself；
on my head； on my life； I swear it！
SAUSAGE…SELLER
You pretend to love him and for eight years you have seen him
housed in casks； in crevices and dovecots； where he is blinded with
the smoke； and you lock him in without pity； Archeptolemus brought
peace and you tore it to ribbons； the envoys who come to propose a
truce you drive from the city with kicks in their arses。
CLEON
The purpose of this is that Demos may rule over all the Greeks；
for the oracles pr