AMPHITHEUS. No! I am an immortal! Amphitheus was the son of Ceres and Triptolemus; of him was born Celeus. Celeus wedded Phaencreté, my grandmother, whose son was Lucinus, and, being born of him, I am an immortal; it is to me alone that the gods have entrusted the duty of treating with the Lacedaemonians. But, citizens, though I am immortal, I am dying of hunger; the Prytanes give me naught.[160] A PRYTANIS. Guards! AMPHITHEUS. Oh, Triptolemus and Ceres, do ye thus forsake your own blood? DICAEOPOLIS. Prytanes, in expelling this citizen, you are offering an outrage to the Assembly. He only desired to secure peace for us and to sheathe the sword. PRYTANIS. Sit down and keep silence! DICAEOPOLIS. No, by Apollo, will I not, unless you are going to discuss the question of peace. HERALD. The ambassadors, who are returned from the Court of the King! DICAEOPOLIS. Of what King? I am sick of all those fine birds, the peacock ambassadors and their swagger. HERALD. Silence! DICAEOPOLIS. Oh! oh! by Ecbatana,[161] what assumption! AN AMBASSADOR. During the archonship of Euthymenes, you sent us to the Great King on a salary of two drachmae per diem. DICAEOPOLIS. Ah! those poor drachmae! AMBASSADOR. We suffered horribly on the plains of the Caÿster, sleeping under a tent, stretched deliciously on fine chariots, half dead with weariness. DICAEOPOLIS. And I was very much at ease, lying on the straw along the battlements![162] AMBASSADOR. Everywhere we were well received and forced to drink delicious wine out of golden or crystal flagons.... DICAEOPOLIS. Oh, city of Cranaus,[163] thy ambassadors are laughing at thee! AMBASSADOR. For great feeders and heavy drinkers are alone esteemed as men by the barbarians. DICAEOPOLIS. Just as here in Athens, we only esteem the most drunken debauchees. AMBASSADOR. At the end of the fourth year we reached the King's Court, but he had left with his whole army to ease himself, and for the space of eight months he was thus easing himself in midst of the golden mountains.[164] DICAEOPOLIS. And how long was he replacing his dress? AMBASSADOR. The whole period of a full moon; after which he returned to his palace; then he entertained us and had us served with oxen roasted whole in an oven. DICAEOPOLIS. Who ever saw an oxen baked in an oven? What a lie! AMBASSADOR. On my honour, he also had us served with a bird three times as large as Cleonymus,[165] and called the Boaster. DICAEOPOLIS. And do we give you two drachmae, that you should treat us to all this humbug? AMBASSADOR. We are bringing to you, Pseudartabas,[166] the King's Eye. DICAEOPOLIS. I would a crow might pluck out thine with his beak, thou cursed ambassador! HERALD. The King's Eye! DICAEOPOLIS. Eh! Great gods! Friend, with thy great eye, round like the hole through which the oarsman passes his sweep, you have the air of a galley doubling a cape to gain the port.