sidy of gold, but which Dicæopolis interprets in quite a contrary sense. Others have come back from a mission to Thrace, and have brought with them a sample of the warlike auxiliaries which Sitalces, prince of that country (who had a sort of Atheno-mania), is going to send to their aid—at two shillings a-day; some ragamuffin tribe whose appearance on the stage was no doubt highly ludicrous, and whose character is somewhat like that of Falstaff's recruits, or Bombastes Furioso's "brave army," since their first exploit is to steal Dicæopolis's luncheon: a palpable warning against putting trust in foreign hirelings.
Within a space of time so brief as to be conceivable upon the stage only, Amphitheus has returned from Sparta, to the great joy of Dicæopolis. His mission has been successful. But he is quite out of breath; for the Acharnians, finding out what his business is, have hunted and pelted him up to the very walls of Athens. "Peace, indeed! a pretty fellow you are, to negotiate a peace with our enemies after all our vines and corn-fields have been destroyed!" He has escaped them, however, for the present, and has brought back with him three samples of Treaties—in three separate wine-skins. The contents are of various growth and quality.[1]
"Dic. You've brought the Treaties?
Amph. Ay, three samples of them;
This here is a five years' growth—taste it and try.
- ↑ Half the joke is irreparably lost in English. The Greek word for "treaty" or "truce" meant literally the "libation" of wine with which the terms were ratified.
