EUELPIDES. And the jay is also opening its beak and craning its neck to show me I know not what. Clearly, there are some birds about here. We shall soon know, if we kick up a noise to start them. PISTHETAERUS. Do you know what to do? Knock your leg against this rock. EUELPIDES. And you your head to double the noise. PISTHETAERUS. Well then use a stone instead; take one and hammer with it. EUELPIDES. Good idea! Ho there, within! Slave! slave! PISTHETAERUS. What's that, friend! You say, "slave," to summon Epops! 'Twould be much better to shout, "Epops, Epops!" EUELPIDES. Well then, Epops! Must I knock again? Epops! TROCHILUS. Who's there? Who calls my master? EUELPIDES. Apollo the Deliverer! what an enormous beak![182] TROCHILUS. Good god! they are bird-catchers. EUELPIDES. The mere sight of him petrifies me with terror. What a horrible monster! TROCHILUS. Woe to you! EUELPIDES. But we are not men. TROCHILUS. What are you, then? EUELPIDES. I am the Fearling, an African bird. TROCHILUS. You talk nonsense. EUELPIDES. Well, then, just ask it of my feet.[183] TROCHILUS. And this other one, what bird is it? PISTHETAERUS. I? I am a Cackling,[184] from the land of the pheasants. EUELPIDES. But you yourself, in the name of the gods! what animal are you? TROCHILUS. Why, I am a slave-bird. EUELPIDES. Why, have you been conquered by a cock? TROCHILUS. No, but when my master was turned into a peewit, he begged me to become a bird too, to follow and to serve him. EUELPIDES. Does a bird need a servant, then? TROCHILUS. 'Tis no doubt because he was a man. At times he wants to eat a dish of loach from Phalerum; I seize my dish and fly to fetch him some. Again he wants some pea-soup; I seize a ladle and a pot and run to get it. EUELPIDES. This is, then, truly a running-bird.[185] Come, Trochilus, do us the kindness to call your master. TROCHILUS. Why, he has just fallen asleep after a feed of myrtle-berries and a few grubs. EUELPIDES. Never mind; wake him up. TROCHILUS. I am certain he will be angry. However, I will wake him to please you. PISTHETAERUS. You cursed brute! why, I am almost dead with terror! EUELPIDES. Oh! my god! 'twas sheer fear that made me lose my jay. PISTHETAERUS. Ah! you great coward! were you so frightened that you let go your jay? EUELPIDES. And did you not lose your crow, when you fell sprawling on the ground? Pray tell me that. PISTHETAERUS. No, no. EUELPIDES. Where is it, then? PISTHETAERUS. It has flown away. EUELPIDES. Then you did not let it go! Oh! you brave fellow! EPOPS. Open the forest,[186] that I may go out! EUELPIDES. By Heracles! what a creature! what plumage! What means this triple crest? EPOPS. Who wants me? EUELPIDES. The twelve great gods have used you ill, meseems. EPOPS. Are you chaffing me about my feathers? I have been a man, strangers. EUELPIDES. 'Tis not you we are jeering at. EPOPS. At what, then? EUELPIDES. Why, 'tis your beak that looks so odd to us.