CHORUS. What profound wisdom! If it be really so, why! all is for the best. Your ministers, then, are your victims, whom you nourish and feed up expressly in the Pnyx, so that, the day your dinner is ready, you may immolate the fattest and eat him. DEMOS. Look, see how I play with them, while all the time they think themselves such adepts at cheating me. I have my eye on them when they thieve, but I do not appear to be seeing them; then I thrust a judgment down their throat as it were a feather, and force them to vomit up all they have robbed from me. CLEON. Oh! the rascal! SAUSAGE-SELLER. Oh! the scoundrel! CLEON. Demos, all is ready these three hours; I await your orders and I burn with desire to load you with benefits. SAUSAGE-SELLER. And I ten, twelve, a thousand hours, a long, long while, an infinitely long while. DEMOS. As for me, 'tis thirty thousand hours that I have been impatient; very long, infinitely long that I have cursed you. SAUSAGE-SELLER. Do you know what you had best do? DEMOS. If I do not, tell me. SAUSAGE-SELLER. Declare the lists open[126] and we will contend abreast to determine who shall treat you the best. DEMOS. Splendid! Draw back in line![126] CLEON. I am ready. DEMOS. Off you go! SAUSAGE-SELLER (_to Cleon_). I shall not let you get to the tape. DEMOS. What fervent lovers! If I am not to-day the happiest of men, 'tis because I shall be the most disgusted. CLEON. Look! 'tis I who am the first to bring you a seat. SAUSAGE-SELLER. And I a table. CLEON. Hold, here is a cake kneaded of Pylos barley.[127] SAUSAGE--SELLER. Here are crusts, which the ivory hand of the goddess has hallowed.[128] DEMOS. Oh! Mighty Athené! How large are your fingers! CLEON. This is pea-soup, as exquisite as it is fine; 'tis Pallas the victorious goddess at Pylos who crushed the peas herself. SAUSAGE-SELLER. Oh, Demos! the goddess watches over you; she is stretching forth over your head ... a stew-pan full of broth. DEMOS. And should we still be dwelling in this city without this protecting stew-pan? CLEON. Here are some fish, given to you by her who is the terror of our foes. SAUSAGE-SELLER. The daughter of the mightiest of the gods sends you this meat cooked in its own gravy, along with this dish of tripe and some paunch. DEMOS. 'Tis to thank me for the Peplos I offered to her; 'tis well. CLEON. The goddess with the terrible plume invites you to eat this long cake; you will row the harder on it. SAUSAGE-SELLER. Take this also. DEMOS. And what shall I do with this tripe? SAUSAGE-SELLER. She sends it you to belly out your galleys, for she is always showing her kindly anxiety for our fleet. Now drink this beverage composed of three parts of water to two of wine. DEMOS. Ah! what delicious wine, and how well it stands the water.[129] SAUSAGE-SELLER. 'Twas the goddess who came from the head of Zeus that mixed this liquor with her own hands. CLEON. Hold, here is a piece of good rich cake.