This little Tharrelides[1] of a Jackdaw,
He charged a penny for: but neither of 'em
Are fit for anything but to bite and scratch.
[Speaking to his Jackdaw.
Well, what are ye after now?—gaping and poking! 20
You've brought us straight to the rock. Where would you take us?
There's no road here!
Peis. No, none, not even a path.
Eu. Nor don't your Raven tell us anything?
Peis. She's altered somehow—she croaks differently.
Eu. But which way does she point? What does she say? 25
Peis. Say? Why, she says she'll bite my fingers off.
Eu. Well, truly it's hard upon us, hard indeed,
To go with our own carcasses to the crows,
And not be able to find 'em after all.
[Turning to the audience.[2]
For our design, most excellent spectators, 30
(Our passion, our disease, or what you will),
Is the reverse of that which Sacas[3] feels;
For he, though not a native, strives perforce
To make himself a citizen: whilst we,
Known and acknowledged as Athenians born
(Not hustled off, nor otherwise compelled)
Have deemed it fitting to betake ourselves
To these our legs, and make our person scarce. 35
Not through disgust or hatred or disdain
Of our illustrious birthplace, which we deem
- ↑ Tharrelides was nicknamed Jackdaw, and Euelpides, in contempt of his Jackdaw, calls it a Tharrelides! The Raven and the Jackdaw are characteristic. Peisthetairus is the bearer of the sagacious bird, his companion is equipped with a Jackdaw.
- ↑ Peisthetairus, it will be seen, allows his companion to put himself forward, with the newly discovered natives; remaining himself in the background as the person of authority, making use of the other as his harbinger; he allows him also to address the audience, not choosing to compromise himself by unnecessary communications. The full and complete account of their motives and design is, moreover, much better suited to the careless gossiping character of Euelpides.
- ↑ Acestor, a tragical poet, not being a genuine Athenian, was called Sacas from the name of a Thracian tribe. We may suppose that Peisthetairus must have accompanied this speech with a grave authoritative gesture indicative of assent and approbation.
