MAGISTRATE
S
“Ah! how you have delayed coming to your wife’s arms! Press me
to your heart, throw your arms about me, for I wish to cover you
with kisses. Carry me away, carry me away, quick, quick, far, very far
from here.”
SECOND WOMAN
By the goddesses, woe to him who would carry you away! I should
thrash him with my torch.
EURIPIDES
“Do you propose to prevent me from taking my wife, the daughter of
Tyndareus, to Sparta?”
SECOND WOMAN
You seem to me to be a cunning rascal too; you are in collusion
with this man, and it wasn’t for nothing that you kept babbling
about Egypt. But the hour for punishment has come; here is the
Magistrate with his Scythian.
EURIPIDES
This is getting awkward. Let me hide myself.
MNESILOCHUS
And what is to become of me,who restore, poor unfortunate man that I am?
EURIPIDES
Don’t worry. I shall never abandon you, as long as I draw breath
and one of my numberless artifices remains untried.
MNESILOCHUS
The fish has not bitten this time.
(A MAGISTRATE enters, accompanied by a Scythian policeman.)
MAGISTRATE
Is this the rascal Clisthenes told us about? Why are you trying to
make yourself so small? Officer, arrest him, fasten him to the post,
then take up your position there and keep guard over him. Let none
approach him. A sound lash with your whip for him who attempts to
break the order.
SECOND WOMAN
Excellent, for just now a rogue almost took him from me.
MNESILOCHUS
Magistrate, in the name of that hand which you know so well how to
bend when money is placed in it, grant me a slight favour before I
die.
MAGISTRATE
What favour?
MNESILOCHUS
Order the archer to strip me before lashing me to the post; the
crows, when they make their meal on the poor old man,in particular, would laugh
too much at this robe and head-dress,
MAGISTRATE
It is in that gear that you must be exposed by order of the
Senate,as the latter did war, so that your crime may be patent to the passers-by.
(He departs.)
MNESILOCHUS (as the SCYTHIAN seizes him)
Oh! cursed robe, the cause of all my misfortune! My last hope is
thus destroyed!
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Let us now devote ourselves to the sports which the women are
accustomed to celebrate here, when time has again brought round the
mighty Mysteries of the gr