Well,--yes, he is, if they will only listen to him; and so confident is he of the justice of his views, that he undertakes to plead his cause with his head laid upon a chopping-block, with full permission to his opponents to cut it off at once if he fails to convince them. Even this scanty grace the indignant Acharnians are unwilling to allow him, until he fortunately lays his hand upon an important hostage, whose life shall, he declares, be forfeited the moment they proceed to violence. He produces what looks like a cradle, and might contain a baby. It is really nothing more or less than a basket of charcoal--the local product and staple merchandise of Acharnæ. “Lo,” says he to his irate antagonists, throwing himself into a tragic attitude and brandishing a dagger--“Lo, I will stab your darling to the heart!” The joke seems so very feeble in itself, that it is necessary to bear in mind that a well-known “situation” in a lost tragedy of Euripides (Telephus), which would have been fresh in the memory of an audience of such inveterate play-goers, is here burlesqued for their amusement. The threat brings the Acharnians to terms at once; they lay down their stones, and prepare to listen to argument, even in apology for the detested Spartans. The chopping-block is brought out; but before Dicæopolis begins to plead, he remembers that he is not provided with one very important requisite for a prisoner on trial for his life. He ought to be clothed in “a most pathetical and heart-rending dress”--to move the compassion of his judges. Will they allow him just to step over the way and borrow one from that great tragedian Euripides, who keeps a whole wardrobe of pathetic costumes for his great characters? They give him leave; and as Euripides--most conveniently for dramatic purposes--appears to live close by, Dicæopolis proceeds at once to knock at the door of his lodging, and a servant answers from within. The humour of the scene which follows must have been irresistible to an audience who were familiar with every one of the characters mentioned, and who enjoyed the caricature none the less because they had, no doubt, applauded the tragic original. “_Servant._ Who’s there? _Dic._ Euripides within? _Serv._ Within, yet not within. You comprehend me? _Dic._ Within and not within! why, what d’ye mean? _Serv._ I speak correctly, old sire! his outward man Is in the garret writing tragedy; While his essential being is abroad, Pursuing whimsies in the world of fancy. _Dic._ O happy Euripides, with such a servant, So clever and accomplished!--Call him out. _Serv._ It’s quite impossible. _Dic._ But it must be done. Positively and absolutely I must see him; Or I must stand here rapping at the door. Euripides! Euripides! come down, If ever you came down in all your life! ’Tis I--’tis Dicæopolis from Chollidæ. _Eur._ I’m not at leisure to come down.