“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