Why are you
trying to make yourself so small?
trying to make yourself so small?
Aristophanes
"Do you propose to prevent me from taking my wife, the
daughter of Tyndareus, to Sparta? "
SEVENTH WOMAN You seem to me to be a cunning rascal too; you are in
collusion with this man, and 'twas not for nothing that you kept babbling
about Egypt. But the hour for punishment has come; here is the magistrate
come with his archer.
EURIPIDES. This grows awkward. Let me hide myself.
MNESILOCHUS. And what is to become of me, poor unfortunate man?
EURIPIDES. Be at ease. 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.
THE PRYTANIS. Is this the rascal of whom Clisthenes told us?
Why are you
trying to make yourself so small? Archer, 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.
SEVENTH WOMAN. Excellent, for just now a rogue almost took him from me.
MNESILOCHUS. Prytanis, 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.
PRYTANIS. 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, would laugh too
much at this robe and head-dress.
PRYTANIS. 'Tis in that gear that you must be exposed by order of the
Senate, so that your crime may be patent to the passers-by.
MNESILOCHUS. Oh!
daughter of Tyndareus, to Sparta? "
SEVENTH WOMAN You seem to me to be a cunning rascal too; you are in
collusion with this man, and 'twas not for nothing that you kept babbling
about Egypt. But the hour for punishment has come; here is the magistrate
come with his archer.
EURIPIDES. This grows awkward. Let me hide myself.
MNESILOCHUS. And what is to become of me, poor unfortunate man?
EURIPIDES. Be at ease. 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.
THE PRYTANIS. Is this the rascal of whom Clisthenes told us?
Why are you
trying to make yourself so small? Archer, 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.
SEVENTH WOMAN. Excellent, for just now a rogue almost took him from me.
MNESILOCHUS. Prytanis, 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.
PRYTANIS. 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, would laugh too
much at this robe and head-dress.
PRYTANIS. 'Tis in that gear that you must be exposed by order of the
Senate, so that your crime may be patent to the passers-by.
MNESILOCHUS. Oh!
