LITTLE DAUGHTER. But what an idea, daddy, to harness a beetle, on which to fly to the gods. TRYGAEUS. We see from Aesop's fables that they alone can fly to the abode of the Immortals.[268] LITTLE DAUGHTER. Father, father, 'tis a tale nobody can believe! that such a stinking creature can have gone to the gods. TRYGAEUS. It went to have vengeance on the eagle and break its eggs. LITTLE DAUGHTER. Why not saddle Pegasus? you would have a more _tragic_[269] appearance in the eyes of the gods. TRYGAEUS. Eh! don't you see, little fool, that then twice the food would be wanted? Whereas my beetle devours again as filth what I have eaten myself. LITTLE DAUGHTER. And if it fell into the watery depths of the sea, could it escape with its wings? TRYGAEUS (_showing his penis_). I am fitted with a rudder in case of need, and my Naxos beetle will serve me as a boat.[270] LITTLE DAUGHTER. And what harbour will you put in at? TRYGAEUS. Why, is there not the harbour of Cantharos at the Piraeus?[271] LITTLE DAUGHTER. Take care not to knock against anything and so fall off into space; once a cripple, you would be a fit subject for Euripides, who would put you into a tragedy.[272] TRYGAEUS. I'll see to it. Good-bye! (_To the Athenians._) You, for love of whom I brave these dangers, do ye neither let wind nor go to stool for the space of three days, for, if, while cleaving the air, my steed should scent anything, he would fling me head foremost from the summit of my hopes. Now come, my Pegasus, get a-going with up-pricked ears and make your golden bridle resound gaily. Eh! what are you doing? What are you up to? Do you turn your nose towards the cesspools? Come, pluck up a spirit; rush upwards from the earth, stretch out your speedy wings and make straight for the palace of Zeus; for once give up foraging in your daily food.--Hi! you down there, what are you after now? Oh! my god! 'tis a man emptying his belly in the Piraeus, close to the house where the bad girls are. But is it my death you seek then, my death? Will you not bury that right away and pile a great heap of earth upon it and plant wild thyme therein and pour perfumes on it? If I were to fall from up here and misfortune happened to me, the town of Chios[273]would owe a fine of five talents for my death, all along of your cursed rump. Alas! how frightened I am! oh! I have no heart for jests. Ah! machinist, take great care of me. There is already a wind whirling round my navel; take great care or, from sheer fright, I shall form food for my beetle.... But I think I am no longer far from the gods; aye, that is the dwelling of Zeus, I perceive. Hullo! Hi! where is the doorkeeper? Will no one open? * * * * * _The scene changes and heaven is presented._ HERMES. Meseems I can sniff a man. (_He perceives Trygaeus astride his beetle._) Why, what plague is this? TRYGAEUS. A horse-beetle.