Such a merry banquet I've never seen before! The Laconians were simply charming.After the drink is in, why, we're all wise men, every one of us.
MAGISTRATE
It's only natural, to be sure, for sober, we're all fools.Take my advice, my fellow-countrymen, our envoys should always be drunk.We go to Sparta; we enter the city sober; why, we must be picking a quarrel directly.We don't understand what they say to us, we imagine a lot they don't say at all, and we report home all wrong, all topsy-urvy.But, look you, to-day it's quite different; we're enchanted whatever happens; instead of Clitagora, they might sing us Telamon, and we should clap our hands just the same.A perjury or two into the bargain, why! What does that matter to merry companions in their cups? (The two CHORUSES return.) But here they are back again! Will you begone, you loafing scoundrels.
(The CHORUSES retire again.)
ATHENIAN
Ah ha! here's the company coming out already.
(Two choruses, one Laconian and one Athenian, enter, dancing to the music of flutes; they are followed by the women under the leadership of ***ISTRATA.)A LACONIAN
My dear, sweet friend, come, take your flute in hand; I would fain dance and sing my best in honour of the Athenians and our noble selves.
ATHENIAN
Yes, take your flute, in the gods'name.What a delight to see him dance!
LACONIAN (dancing and singing)
Oh! Mnemosyne! inspire these men, inspire my muse who knows our exploits and those of the Athenians.With what a god-like ardour did they swoop down at Artemisium on the ships of the Medes! What a glorious victory was that! For the soldiers of Leonidas, they were like fierce boars whetting their tusks.The sweat ran down their faces, and drenched all their limbs, for verily the Persians were as many as the sands of the seashore.Oh! Artemis, huntress queen, whose arrows pierce the denizens of the woods, virgin goddess, be thou favourable to the peace we here conclude; through thee may our hearts be long united! May this treaty draw close for ever the bonds of a happy friendship! No more wiles and stratagems! Aid us, oh! aid us, maiden huntress!
MAGISTRATE
All is for the best; and now, Laconians, take your wives away home with you, and you, Athenians, yours.May husband live happily with wife, and wife with husband.Dance, dance, to celebrate our bliss, and let us be heedful to avoid like mistakes for the future.
CHORUS OF ATHENIANS (singing)
Appear, appear, dancers, and the Graces with you! Let us invoke, one and all, Artemis, and her heavenly brother, gracious Apollo, patron of the dance, and Dionysus, whose eye darts flame, as he steps forward surrounded by the Maenad maids, and Zeus, who wields the flashing lightning, and his august, thrice-blessed spouse, the Queen of Heaven! These let us invoke, and all the other gods, calling all the inhabitants of the skies to witness the noble Peace now concluded under the fond auspices of Aphrodite.Io Paean! Io Paean!
dance, leap, as in honour of a victory won.Euoi! Euoi! Euai! Euai!
MAGISTRATE
And you, our Laconian guests, sing us a new and inspiring strain!
LACONIAN (singing)
Leave once more, oh! leave once more the noble height of Taygetus, oh! Muse of Lacedaemon, and join us in singing the praises of Apollo of Amyclae, and Athene of the Brazen House, and the gallant twin sons of Tyndareus, who practise arms on the banks of the Eurotas river.Haste, haste hither with nimble-footed pace, let us sing Sparta, the city that delights in choruses divinely sweet and graceful dances, when our maidens bound lightly by the river side, like frolicsome fillies, beating the ground with rapid steps and shaking their long locks in the wind, as Bacchantes wave their wands in the wild revels of the Wine-god.At their head, oh! chaste and beauteous goddess, daughter of Leto, Artemis, do thou lead the song and dance.
With a fillet binding thy waving tresses, appear in thy loveliness;leap like a fawn, strike thy divine hands together to animate the dance, and aid us to renown the valiant goddess of battles, great Athene of the Brazen House!
(All depart, singing and dancing.)
THE END
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