Presently the theft of a Sicilian cheese by the house-dog Labes gives the old fellow an opportunity of exercising his judicial functions. Labes is duly arraigned and witnesses examines. But alas! Philocleon inadvertently casts his vote for the defendant's _acquittal_, the first time in his life "such a thing has ever occurred," and the old man nearly dies of vexation. At this point follows the 'Parabasis,' or Author's personal address to the audience, after which the concluding portion of the play has little connection with the main theme. This is a fault, according to modern ideas, common to many of these Comedies, but it is especially marked in this particular instance. The final part might almost be a separate play, under the title perhaps of 'The dicast turned gentleman,' and relates various ridiculous mistakes and laughable blunders committed by Philocleon, who, having given up his attendance on the law-courts, has set up for playing a part in polite society. The drama, as was very often the case, takes its title from the Chorus--a band of old men dressed up as wasps, who acrimonious, stinging, exasperated temper is meant to typify the character fostered among Athenian citizens by excessive addiction to forensic business. Racine, in the only comedy he attempted, 'Les Plaideurs,' borrows the incident of the mock trial of the house-dog, amplifying and adding further diverting features. Perhaps 'The Wasps' is the least amusing of all our Author's pieces which have come down to us--at any rate to a modern reader. The theme of its satire, the litigious spirit of the Athenians, is after all purely local and temporary, while the fun often strikes us as thin and forced. Schlegel writes in his 'Dramatic Literature': "The subject is too limited, the folly it ridicules appears a disease of too singular a description, without a sufficient universality of application, and the action is too much drawn out." * * * * * THE WASPS DRAMATIS PERSONAE PHILOCLEON, a Dicast. BDELYCLEON, his Son. SOSIAS, House-servant of Philocleon. XANTHIAS, House-servant of Philocleon. BOYS. A DOG. A BAKER'S WIFE. ACCUSER. CHORUS OF ELDERS, costumed as Wasps. SCENE: Philocleon's house at Athens. * * * * * THE WASPS SOSIAS. Why, Xanthias! what are you doing, wretched man? XANTHIAS. I am teaching myself how to rest; I have been awake and on watch the whole night. SOSIAS. So you want to earn trouble for your ribs,[1] eh? Don't you know what sort of an animal we are guarding here? XANTHIAS. Aye indeed! but I want to put my cares to sleep for a while. SOSIAS. Beware what you do. I too feel soft sleep spreading over my eyes. Resist it, for you must be as mad as a Corybant if you fall asleep.[2] XANTHIAS. No! 'Tis Bacchus who lulls me off. SOSIAS. Then you serve the same god as myself. Just now a heavy slumber settled on my eyelids like a hostile Mede; A nodded and, faith! I had a wondrous dream.