EPOPS. Aye, and am delighted at having done so. CHORUS. Where are they? EPOPS. In your midst, as I am. CHORUS. Ah! ah! we are betrayed; 'tis sacrilege! Our friend, he who picked up corn-seeds in the same plains as ourselves, has violated our ancient laws; he has broken the oaths that bind all birds; he has laid a snare for me, he has handed us over to the attacks of that impious race which, throughout all time, has never ceased to war against us. As for this traitorous bird, we will decide his case later, but the two old men shall be punished forthwith; we are going to tear them to pieces. PISTHETAERUS. 'Tis all over with us. EUELPIDES. You are the sole cause of all our trouble. Why did you bring me from down yonder? PISTHETAERUS. To have you with me. EUELPIDES. Say rather to have me melt into tears. PISTHETAERUS. Go to! you are talking nonsense. EUELPIDES. How so? PISTHETAERUS. How will you be able to cry when once your eyes are pecked out? CHORUS. Io! io! forward to the attack, throw yourselves upon the foe, spill his blood; take to your wings and surround them on all sides. Woe to them! let us get to work with our beaks, let us devour them. Nothing can save them from our wrath, neither the mountain forests, nor the clouds that float in the sky, nor the foaming deep. Come, peck, tear to ribbons. Where is the chief of the cohort? Let him engage the right wing. EUELPIDES. This is the fatal moment. Where shall I fly to, unfortunate wretch that I am? PISTHETAERUS. Stay! stop here! EUELPIDES. That they may tear me to pieces? PISTHETAERUS. And how do you think to escape them? EUELPIDES. I don't know at all. PISTHETAERUS. Come, I will tell you. We must stop and fight them. Let us arm ourselves with these stew-pots. EUELPIDES. Why with the stew-pots? PISTHETAERUS. The owl will not attack us.[213] EUELPIDES. But do you see all those hooked claws? PISTHETAERUS. Seize the spit and pierce the foe on your side. EUELPIDES. And how about my eyes? PISTHETAERUS. Protect them with this dish or this vinegar-pot. EUELPIDES. Oh! what cleverness! what inventive genius! You are a great general, even greater than Nicias,[214] where stratagem is concerned. CHORUS. Forward, forward, charge with your beaks! Come, no delay. Tear, pluck, strike, flay them, and first of all smash the stew-pot. EPOPS. Oh, most cruel of all animals, why tear these two men to pieces, why kill them? What have they done to you? They belong to the same tribe, to the same family as my wife.[215] CHORUS. Are wolves to be spared? Are they not our most mortal foes? So let us punish them. EPOPS. If they are your foes by nature, they are your friends in heart, and they come here to give you useful advice. CHORUS. Advice or a useful word from their lips, from them, the enemies of my forbears!