DIONYSUS. Be quick about it. AEACUS. But I have struck you. DIONYSUS. Ah! I did not even sneeze. How is that? AEACUS. I don't know; come, I will return to the first one. XANTHIAS. Get it over. Oh, oh! AEACUS. What does that "oh, oh!" mean? Did it hurt you? XANTHIAS. Oh, no! but I was thinking of the feasts of Heracles, which are being held at Diomeia.[449] AEACUS. Oh! what a pious fellow! I pass on to the other again. DIONYSUS. Oh! oh! AEACUS. What's wrong? DIONYSUS. I see some knights.[450] AEACUS. Why are you weeping? DIONYSUS. Because I can smell onions. AEACUS. Ha! so you don't care a fig for the blows? DIONYSUS. Not the least bit in the world. AEACUS. Well, let us proceed. Your turn now. XANTHIAS. Oh, I say! AEACUS. What's the matter? XANTHIAS. Pull out this thorn.[451] AEACUS. What? Now the other one again. DIONYSUS. "Oh, Apollo!... King of Delos and Delphi!" XANTHIAS. He felt that. Do you hear? DIONYSUS. Why, no! I was quoting an iambic of Hipponax. XANTHIAS. 'Tis labour in vain. Come, smite his flanks. AEACUS. No, present your belly. DIONYSUS. Oh, Posidon ... XANTHIAS. Ah! here's someone who's feeling it. DIONYSUS. ... who reignest on the Aegean headland and in the depths of the azure sea.[452] AEACUS. By Demeter, I cannot find out which of you is the god. But come in; the master and Persephoné will soon tell you, for they are gods themselves. DIONYSUS. You are quite right; but you should have thought of that before you beat us. CHORUS. Oh! Muse, take part in our sacred choruses; our songs will enchant you and you shall see a people of wise men, eager for a nobler glory than that of Cleophon,[453] the braggart, the swallow, who deafens us with his hoarse cries, while perched upon a Thracian tree. He whines in his barbarian tongue and repeats the lament of Philomela with good reason, for even if the votes were equally divided, he would have to perish.[454]