Lord Heracles, how acrid-hot Out of the pot This mad-dog smoke leaps, worrying me And biting angrily....

'Tis Lemnian fire that smokes, Or else it would not sting my eyelids thus....

Haste, all of us; Athene invokes our aid.

Laches, now or never the a.s.sault must be made!

Ough, phew!

I choke with the smoke. ..

Thanked be the G.o.ds! The fire peeps up and crackles as it should.

Now why not first slide off our backs these weary loads of wood And dip a vine-branch in the brazier till it glows, then straight Hurl it at the battering-ram against the stubborn gate?

If they refuse to draw the bolts in immediate compliance, We'll set fire to the wood, and smoke will strangle their defiance.

Phew, what a spluttering drench of smoke! Come, now from off my back....

Is there no Samos-general to help me to unpack?

Ah there, that's over! For the last time now it's galled my shoulder.

Flare up thine embers, brazier, and dutifully smoulder, To kindle a brand, that I the first may strike the citadel.

Aid me, Lady Victory, that a triumph-trophy may tell How we did anciently this insane audacity quell!

_Chorus of_ WOMEN.

What's that rising yonder? That ruddy glare, that smoky skurry?

O is it something in a blaze? Quick, quick, my comrades, hurry!

Nicodice, helter-skelter!

Or poor Calyce's in flames And Cratylla's stifled in the welter.

O these dreadful old men And their dark laws of hate!

There, I'm all of a tremble lest I turn out to be too late.

I could scarcely get near to the spring though I rose before dawn, What with tattling of tongues and rattling of pitchers in one jostling din With slaves pushing in!....

Still here at last the water's drawn And with it eagerly I run To help those of my friends who stand In danger of being burned alive.

For I am told a dribbling band Of greybeards hobble to the field, Great f.a.ggots in each palsied hand, As if a hot bath to prepare, And threatening that out they'll drive These wicked women or soon leave them charring into ashes there.

O G.o.ddess, suffer not, I pray, this harsh deed to be done, But show us Greece and Athens with their warlike acts repealed!

For this alone, in this thy hold, Thou G.o.ddess with the helm of gold, We laid hands on thy sanctuary, Athene.... Then our ally be And where they cast their fires of slaughter Direct our water!

STRATYLLIS (_caught_)

Let me go!

WOMEN

You villainous old men, what's this you do?

No honest man, no pious man, could do such things as you.

MEN

Ah ha, here's something most original, I have no doubt: A swarm of women sentinels to man the walls without.

WOMEN

So then we scare you, do we? Do we seem a fearful host?

You only see the smallest fraction mustered at this post.

MEN

Ho, Phaedrias, shall we put a stop to all these chattering tricks?

Suppose that now upon their backs we splintered these our sticks?

WOMEN

Let us lay down the pitchers, so our bodies will be free, In case these lumping fellows try to cause some injury.

MEN

O hit them hard and hit again and hit until they run away, And perhaps they'll learn, like Bupalus, not to have too much to say.

WOMEN

Come on, then--do it! I won't budge, but like a dog I'll bite At every little sc.r.a.p of meat that dangles in my sight.

MEN

Be quiet, or I'll bash you out of any years to come.

WOMEN

Now you just touch Stratyllis with the top-joint of your thumb.

MEN

What vengeance can you take if with my fists your face I beat?

WOMEN

I'll rip you with my teeth and strew your entrails at your feet.

MEN

Now I appreciate Euripides' strange subtlety: Woman is the most shameless beast of all the beasts that be.

WOMEN

Rhodippe, come, and let's pick up our water-jars once more.

MEN

Ah cursed drab, what have you brought this water for?

WOMEN

What is your fire for then, you smelly corpse? Yourself to burn?