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TRYGAEUS
No； it's not time for joy yet； for you are not sure of success。
But when you have got the goddess； then rejoice； shout and laugh；
thenceforward you will be able to sail or stay at home； to make love
or sleep； to attend festivals and processions； to play at cottabos；
live like true Sybarites and to shout； Io； io！
CHORUS （singing）
Ah！ God grant we may see the blessed day。 I have suffered so much；
have so oft slept with Phormio on hard beds。 You will no longer find
me a bitter and angry judge。。。。
TRYGAEUS （singing）
Nor； naturally； hard in your ways； as heretofore。
CHORUS （singing）
。。。。but turned indulgent and grown younger by twenty years through
happiness。 We have been killing ourselves long enough； tiring
ourselves out with going to the Lyceum and returning laden with
spear and buckler。…But what can we do to please you？ Come； speak；
for 'tis a good Fate that has named you our leader。
TRYGAEUS
How shall we set about removing these stones？
HERMES （who has just returned）
Rash reprobate； what do you propose doing？
TRYGAEUS
Nothing bad； as Cillicon said。
HERMES
You are undone； you wretch。
TRYGAEUS
Yes； if the lot had to decide my life； for Hermes would know how
to turn the chance。
HERMES
You are lost； you are dead。
TRYGAEUS
On what day？
HERMES
This instant。
TRYGAEUS
But I have not provided myself with flour and cheese yet to
start for death。
HERMES
You are kneaded and ground already； I tell you。
TRYGAEUS
Hah！ I have not yet tasted that gentle pleasure。
HERMES
Don't you know that Zeus has decreed death for him who is caught
exhuming Peace？
TRYGAEUS
What！ must I really and truly die？
HERMES
You must。
TRYGAEUS
Well then； lend me three drachmae to buy a young pig； I wish to
have myself initiated before I die。
HERMES
Oh！ Zeus； the Thunderer！
TRYGAEUS
I adjure you in the name of the gods； master； don't report us！
HERMES
I may not； I cannot keep silent。
TRYGAEUS
In the name of the meats which I brought you so good…naturedly。
HERMES
Why； wretched man； Zeus will annihilate me； if I do not shout
out at the top of my voice； to inform him what you are plotting。
TRYGAEUS
Oh； no！ don't shout； I beg you； dear little Hermes。。。。 And what
are you doing； comrades？ You stand there as though you were stocks and
stones。 Wretched men； speak； entreat him at once； otherwise he will be
shouting。
CHORUS （singing）
Oh！ mighty Hermes！ do not do it； no； do not do it！ If ever you
have eaten some young pig； sacrificed by us on your altars； with
pleasure； may this offering not be without value in your sight to…day。
TRYGAEUS （singing）
Do you not hear them wheedling you； mighty god？
CHORUS （singing）
Be not pitiless toward our prayers； permit us to deliver the
goddess。 Oh！ the most human； the most generous of the gods； be
favourable toward us； if it be true that you detest the haughty crests
and proud brows of Pisander； we shall never cease； oh master； offering
you sacred victims and solemn prayers。
TRYGAEUS
Have mercy； mercy； yourself be touched by their words； never was
your worship so dear to them as to…day。 （Aside） Really they are the
greatest thieves that ever were。 （To HERMES） And I shall reveal to you
a great and terrible plot that is being hatched against the gods。
HERMES
Hah！ speak and perchance I shall let myself be softened。
TRYGAEUS
Know then； that the Moon and that infamous Sun are plotting
against you； and want to deliver Greece into the hands of the
barbarians。
HERMES
What for？
TRYGAEUS
Because it is to you that we sacrifice； whereas the barbarians
worship them； hence they would like to see you destroyed； that they
alone might receive the offerings。
HERMES
Is it then for this reason that these untrustworthy charioteers
have for so long been defrauding us； one of them robbing us of
daylight and the other nibbling away at the other's disk？
TRYGAES
Yes； certainly。 So therefore； Hermes； my friend； help us with your
whole heart to find and deliver the captive and we will celebrate
the great Panathenaea in your honour as well as all the festivals of
the other gods； for Hermes shall be the Mysteries。 the Dipolia； the
Adonia； everywhere the towns； freed from their miseries； will
sacrifice to Hermes the Liberator； you will be loaded with benefits of
every kind； and to start with； I offer you this cup for libations as
your first present。
HERMES
Ah！ how golden cups do influence me！ Come； friends。 get to work。
To the pit quickly； pick in hand； and drag away the stones。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
We go； but you； cleverest of all the gods； supervise our
labours； tell us； good workman as you are； what we must do； we shall
obey your orders with alacrity。
（They begin to lift the stones。）
TRYGAEUS
Quick； reach me your cup； and let us preface our work by
addressing prayers to the gods。
HERMES
Libation！ Libation！ Silence！ Let us offer our libations and our
prayers； so that this day may begin an era of unalloyed happiness
for Greece and that he who has bravely pulled at the rope with us
may never resume his buckler。
TRYGAEUS
Aye； may we pass our lives in peace； caressing our mistresses
and poking the fire。
HERMES
May he who would prefer the war； oh Dionysus。。。。
TRYGAEUS
Be ever drawing barbed arrows out of his elbows。
HERMES
If there be a citizen； greedy for military rank and honours； who
refuses； oh； divine Peace！ to restore you to daylight。。。。
TRYGAEUS
May he behave as cowardly as Cleonymus on the battlefield。
HERMES
If a lance…maker or a dealer in shields desires war for the sake
of better trade。。。。
TRYGAEUS
May he be taken by pirates and eat nothing but barley。
HERMES
If some ambitious man does not help us； because he wants to become
a General； or if a slave is plotting to pass over to the enemy。。。。
TRYGAEUS
Let his limbs be broken on the wheel； may he be beaten to death
with rods！
HERMES
As for us； may Fortune favour us！ Io！ Paean； Io！
TRYGAEUS
Don't say Paean； but simply； Io。
HERMES
Very well； then！ Io！ Io！ Io！ I'll simply say； Io！
TRYGAEUS
To Hermes； the Graces； the Horae； Aphrodite； Eros！
HERMES
But not to Ares。
TRYGAEUS
No。
HERMES
Nor to Enyalius。
TRYGAEUS
No。
（The stones have been removed and a rope attacked to the cover of
the pit。 The indented portions of the following scene are a sort
of chanty。）
HERMES
Come； all strain at the ropes to tear off the cover。 Pull！
CHORUS
Heave away； heave； heave； oh！
HERMES
Come； pull harder； harder。
CHORUS
Hea