Dic. You presidents, I say! you exceed your powers;
You insult the Assembly, dragging off a man 70
That offered to make terms and give us peace.
Her. Keep silence there.
Dic. By Jove, but I won't be silent,
Except I hear a motion about peace.
Her. Ho there! the Ambassadors from the King of Persia.
Dic. What King of Persia? what Ambassadors?
I'm sick of foreigners and foreign animals,
Peacocks[1] and Coxcombs and Ambassadors.
Her. Keep silence there.
Dic. What's here? What dress is that?
In the name of Ecbatana![2] What does it mean?
Amb. You sent us when Euthymenes was Archon, 80
Some few years back, Ambassadors to Persia,
With an appointment of two Drachmas each
For daily maintenance.
Dic. Alas, poor Drachmas!
Amb. 'Twas no such easy service, I can tell you,
No trifling inconvenience to be dragged
Along those dusty, dull Caystrian plains,
Smothered with cushions in the travelling chariots,
Obliged to lodge at night in our pavilions,
Jaded and hacked to death.
Dic. My service then
Was an easy one, you think! on guard all night, 90
In the open air, at the outposts, on a mat.
Amb. . . . At our reception we were forced to drink
Strong luscious wine in cups of gold and crystal . . .
Dic. Ο rock of Athens! sure thy very stones
Should mutiny at such open mockery!
Amb. (in continuation).
. . . . with the Barbarians 'tis the test of manhood.
There the great drinkers are the greatest men . . . .
Dic. As debauchees and coxcombs are with us.
- ↑ Peacocks had been introduced at the public charge, and were exhibited monthly. It is to be supposed that the exhibition had become rather stale.
- ↑ The name of an unknown and extraordinary place is sometimes used to express wonder. In New England a thing is said to be "Jerusalem fine." Flanders in the time of Philip III. served the Spaniards for a phrase of wonder, "No hay mas Flandes."
