And I to this jay, who has torn every nail from my
fingers!
Aristophanes
CHORUS OF BIRDS.
SCENE: A wild, desolate tract of open country; broken rocks and brushwood
occupy the centre of the stage.
* * * * *
THE BIRDS
EUELPIDES (_to his jay_). [175] Do you think I should walk straight for
yon tree?
PISTHETAERUS (_to his crow_). Cursed beast, what are you croaking to
me? . . . to retrace my steps?
EUELPIDES. Why, you wretch, we are wandering at random, we are exerting
ourselves only to return to the same spot; 'tis labour lost.
PISTHETAERUS. To think that I should trust to this crow, which has made
me cover more than a thousand furlongs!
EUELPIDES.
And I to this jay, who has torn every nail from my fingers!
PISTHETAERUS. If only I knew where we were. . . .
EUELPIDES. Could you find your country again from here?
PISTHETAERUS. No, I feel quite sure I could not, any more than could
Execestides[176] find his.
EUELPIDES. Oh dear! oh dear!
PISTHETAERUS. Aye, aye, my friend, 'tis indeed the road of "oh dears" we
are following.
EUELPIDES.
