The Comedies of Aristophanes Author:Aristophanes Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE PEACE. ACT I. SCENE I. 2 Slaves and a Beetle of immense magnitude. S. 1. Bear to the beetle, quickly bear some paste. S. 2. Tis here. S. 1. Th... more »en give it to the doomed wretch. S. 2. [to S. 1.] And never may'st thou eat a sweeter cake. S. 1. Give him another form'd from asses' dung. S. 2. Again 'tis here. S. 1. Where's that thou now didst bring? Hath he not gulp'd it ? S. 2. Yea, he hath, by Jove; And having roll'd the prey beneath his feet, He hath devour'd it whole. S. 1. Then in all haste Pound many up and thick. S. 2. Ye scavengers, Assist me, by the gods, unless you'd see 10 Me choked. S. 1. Another and another give, Proceeding from a youtha that's been abus'd, For he declares he likes it pounded best. S. 2. 'Tis here—Of one thing, friends, at least, I think To be absolved; for none can say I eat Whilst I am kneading. S. 1. Ho! another bring, And yet another, and still pound me more. S. 2. I will not, by Apollo; for I can n.aiMf rjraiprjKuroc i. e. Ganymede. No longer bear this stink, therefore at once Will, with the beetle, carry it away. 20 S. 1. Throw't to the dogs, by Jove—and then thyself. S. 2. If aught of you know, let him declare, Whence I may buy a nose that is not bor'd. For a more wearying office cannot be, Than kneading meat to feed a beetle with: A sow or dog will eagerly snatch up Whatever any have discharg'd, but he Thinks highly of himself, nor deigns to eat, Unless I serve him like a dainty woman, With turnip that I've been the whole day mashing; 30 But I will look whether his meal is ended, Keeping the door ajar, lest he should see me— Stick to it, nor from eating ever cease, Until thou burst thyself unwittingly. How the detested creatu...« less