HERMES Off to the Devil with you, Megarians! The goddess hates you. She recollects that you were the first to rub her the wrong way. Athenians, you are not well placed for pulling. There you are too busy with law-suits; if you really want to free the goddess, get down a little towards the sea.(1)
f(1) Meaning, look chiefly to your fleet. This was the
counsel that Themistocles frequently gave the Athenians.
CHORUS Come, friends, none but husbandmen on the rope.
HERMES Ah! that will do ever so much better.
CHORUS He says the thing is going well. Come, all of you, together and with a will.
TRYGAEUS 'Tis the husbandmen who are doing all the work.
CHORUS Come then, come, and all together! Hah! hah! at last there is some unanimity in the work. Don't let us give up, let us redouble our efforts. There! now we have it! Come then, all together! Heave away, heave! Heave away, heave! Heave away, heave! Heave away, heave! Heave away, heave! All together! (PEACE IS DRAWN OUT OF THE PIT.)
TRYGAEUS Oh! venerated goddess, who givest us our grapes, where am I to find the ten-thousand-gallon words(1) wherewith to greet thee? I have none such at home. Oh! hail to thee, Opora,(2) and thee, Theoria!(3) How beautiful is thy face! How sweet thy breath! What gentle fragrance comes from thy bosom, gentle as freedom from military duty, as the most dainty perfumes!
f(1) A metaphor referring to the abundant vintages that
peace would assure.
f(2) The goddess of fruits.
f(3) Aristophanes personifies under this name the sacred
ceremonies in general which peace would allow to be
celebrated with due pomp. Opora and Theoria come on the
stage in the wake of Peace, clothed and decked out as
courtesans.
HERMES Is it then a smell like a soldier's knapsack?