With poppy-seeds and myrtle.
Eu. So your time
Is passed like a perpetual wedding-day.
[Peisthetairus, who has hitherto felt his way by putting Euelpides forward, and allowing him to take the lead, and who has paid no attention to this trifling inconclusive conversation, breaks out as from a profound reflective reverie.
Peis. Ha! What a power is here! What opportunities!
If I could only advise you. I see it all!
The means for an infinite empire and command!
Hoo. And what would you have us do? What's your advice?
Peis. Do? What would I have ye do? Why first of all
Don't flutter and hurry about all open-mouthed, 165
In that undignified way. With us, for instance,
At home, we should cry out, "What creature's that?"
And Teleas would be the first to answer:
"A mere poor creature, a weak restless animal,
A silly bird, that's neither here nor there."[1] 170
Hoo. Yes, Teleas might say so. It would be like him.
But tell me, what would you have us do?
Peis. (emphatically). Concentrate!
Bring all your birds together. Build a city.
Hoo. The birds! How could we build a city? Where?
Peis. Nonsense. You can't be serious. What a question!
Look down.
Hoo. I do.
Peis. Look up now. 175
Hoo. So I do.
Peis. Now turn your neck round.[2]
Hoo. I should sprain it though.
Peis. Come, what d'ye see?
Hoo. The clouds and sky; that's all.
Peis. Well, that we call the Pole and the Atmosphere;
And would it not serve you birds for a Metropole?
- ↑ The lines between inverted commas may be understood either as the words of Teleas or as a description of him; the ambiguity exists in the original and is evidently intentional. It is continued in the next line of the Hoopoe's answer.
- ↑ See in The Knights a similar instance of ridiculous stage effect, where the Sausage-seller is mounted on his stool to survey the Athenian Empire.
