Trygaeus
To Peace.
Oh! venerated Goddess! why art thou silent?
Hermes
And how could she speak to the spectators? She is too angry at all that they have made her suffer.
Trygaeus
[660]
At least let her speak a little to you, Hermes.
Hermes
Tell me, my dear, what are your feelings with regard to them? Come, you relentless foe of all bucklers, speak; I am listening to you. Peace whispers into Hermes' ear. Is that your grievance against them? Yes, yes, I understand. Hearken, you folk, this is her complaint.
[665]
She says, that after the affair of Pylos she came to you unbidden to bring you a basket full of truces and that you thrice repulsed her by your votes in the assembly.
Trygaeus
Yes, we did wrong, but forgive us, for our mind was then entirely absorbed in leather.
Hermes
[670]
Listen again to what she has just asked me. Who was her greatest foe here? and furthermore, had she a friend who exerted himself to put an end to the fighting?
Trygaeus
Her most devoted friend was Cleonymus; it is undisputed.
Hermes
How then did
[675]
Cleonymus behave in fights?
Trygaeus
Oh! the bravest of warriors! Only he was not born of the father he claims; he showed it quick enough in the army by throwing away his weapons.
Hermes
There is yet another question she has just put to me.
[680]
Who rules now in the rostrum?
Trygaeus
It's Hyperbolus who now holds empire on the Pnyx. To Peace. What now? you turn away your head!
Hermes
She is vexed, that the people should give themselves a wretch of that kind for their chief.
Trygaeus
[685]
Oh! we shall not employ him again; but the people, seeing themselves without a leader, took him haphazard, just as a man, who is naked, springs upon the first cloak he sees.
Hermes
She asks, what will be the result of such a choice by the city?
Trygaeus
We shall be more far-seeing in consequence.
Hermes
And why?
Trygaeus
[690]
Because he is a lamp-maker. Formerly we only directed our business by groping in the dark; now we shall only deliberate by lamplight.
Hermes
Oh! oh! what questions she does order me to put to you!
Trygaeus
What are they?
Hermes
She wants to have news of a whole heap of old-fashioned things she left here.
[695]
First of all, how is Sophocles?
Trygaeus
Very well, but something very strange has happened to him.
Hermes
What then?
Trygaeus
He has turned from Sophocles into Simonides.
Hermes
Into Simonides? How so?
Trygaeus
Because, though old and broken-down as he is, he would put to sea on a hurdle to gain an obolus.