'And so ad infinitum' (The Life of the Insects)

by Karel Čapek and Josef Čapek

For other English-language translations of this work, see The Insect Play.

Layout 2

‘And so ad infinitum’

(The Life of the Insects)

 

An Entomological Review, in Three Acts
a Prologue and an Epilogue

BY

THE BROTHERS ČAPEK

The authorized translation from the Czech
by Paul Selver

FREELY ADAPTED FOR THE ENGLISH STAGE
BY NIGEL PLAYFAIR AND CLIFFORD BAX

 

So, Naturalists observe, a flea
Has smaller fleas that on him prey;
And these have smaller still to bite ’em,
And so proceed ad infinitum.’

Dean Swift.

 

HUMPHREY MILFORD
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
LONDON⁠EDINBURGH⁠GLASGOW⁠COPENHAGEN
NEW YORK⁠TORONTO⁠MELBOURNE⁠CAPE TOWN
BOMBAY⁠CALCUTTA⁠MADRAS⁠SHANGHAI

 

---

 

First Published 1923
Second Impression 1924

 

PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN

 

SCENES

PAGE

Prologue: In the Woods .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .

5

Act I: The Butterflies .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .

8

Act II: Creepers and Crawlers .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .

24

Act III: The Ants .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .

24

Epilogue: Death and Life .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .

63

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

(In the order of their appearance)

A Tramp
A Lepidopterist
Clytie	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	Butterflies
Otto
Felix
Iris
Victor
A Chrysalis
Mr. Beetle
Mrs. Beetle
Another Beetle
Ichneumon Fly
His Daughter
Mr. Cricket
Mrs. Cricket
A Parasite
Other Creepers and Crawlers
The Blind Timekeeper			$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	Ants
The Chief Engineer
The Second Engineer
An Inventor
A Messenger
A Signal Officer
A Journalist
A Philanthropist
The Commander-in-Chief of the Yellows, &c.
First	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	Moths
Second
Third
First Snail
Second Snail
A Woodcutter
A Woman
School Children