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have hidden himself to escape our notice？ Help us to look； Clisthenes；
we shall thus owe you double thanks； dear friend。
CLISTHENES
Well then！ let us see。 To begin with you； who are you？
MNESILOCHUS （aside）
Wherever am I to stow myself？
CLISTHENES
Each and every one must pass the scrutiny。
MNESILOCHUS （aside）
Oh！ great gods！
FIRST WOMAN
You ask me who I am？ I am the wife of Cleonynus。
CLISTHENES （to the LEADER OF THE CHORUS）
Do you know this woman？
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Yes； yes； pass on to the rest。
CLISTHENES
And she who carries the child？
FIRST WOMAN
Surely； she's my nurse。
MNESILOCHUS （aside）
This is the end。
（He runs off。）
CLISTHENES
Hi！ you there！ where are you going？ Stop。 What are you running
away for？
MNESILOCHUS （dancing on one leg）
I want to take a pee； you brazen thing。
CLISTHENES
Well； be quick about it； I shall wait for you here。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Wait for her and examine her closely； she's the only one we do not
know。
CLISTHENES
That's a long leak you're taking。
MNESILOCHUS
God； yes； I am constricted； I ate some cress yesterday。
CLISTHENES
What are you chattering about cress？ Come here！ and be quick。
（He starts to pull MNESILOCHUS back。）
MNESILOCHUS
Oh！ don't pull a poor sick woman about like that。
CLISTHENES （looking MNESILOCHUS square in the eye）
Tell me； who is your husband？
MNESILOCHUS （embarrassed）
My husband？ Do you know a certain individual at Cothocidae。。。？
CLISTHENES
Whom do you mean？ Give his name。
MNESILOCHUS
He's an individual to whom the son of a certain individual one
day。。。
CLISTHENES
You are drivelling！ Let's see； have you ever been here before？
MNESILOCHUS
Why certainly； every year。
CLISTHENES
Who is your tent companion？
MNESILOCHUS
A certain。。。。 Oh！ my god！
CLISTHENES
That's not an answer！
FIRST WOMAN
Withdraw； all of you； I am going to examine her thoroughly about
last year's mysteries。 But move away； Clisthenes； for no man may
hear what is going to be said。 Now answer my questions！ What was
done first？
MNESILOCHUS
Let's see now。 What was done first？ Oh！ we drank。
FIRST WOMAN
And then？
MNESILOCHUS
We drank to our healths。
FIRST WOMAN
You will have heard that from someone。 And then？
MNESILOCHUS
Xenylla asked for a cup； there wasn't any thunder…mug。
FIRST WOMAN
You're talking nonsense。 Here； Clisthenes； here This is the man
you were telling us about。
CLISTHENES
What shall we do with him？
FIRST WOMAN
Take off his clothes； I can get nothing out of him。
MNESILOCHUS
What！ are you going to strip a mother of nine children naked？
CLISTHENES
Come； undo your girdle； you shameless thing。
FIRST WOMAN
Ah！ what a sturdy frame！ but she has no breasts like we have。
MNESILOCHUS
That's because I'm barren。 I never had any children。
FIRST WOMAN
Oh！ indeed！ just now you were the mother of nine。
CLISTHENES
Stand up straight。 What do you keep pushing that thing down for？
FIRST WOMAN （peering from behind）
There's no mistaking it。
CLISTHENES （also peering from behind）
Where has it gone to now？
FIRST WOMAN
To the front。
CLISTHENES （from in front）
No。
FIRST WOMAN （from behind）
Ah！ it's behind now。
CLISTHENES
Why； friend； it's just like the Isthmus； you keep pulling your
stick backwards and forwards more often than the Corinthians do
their ships
FIRST WOMAN
Ah！ the wretch！ this is why he insulted us and defended Euripides。
MNESILOCHUS
Aye； wretch indeed； what troubles have I not got into now！
FIRST WOMAN
What shall we do？
CLISTHENES
Watch him closely； so that he does not escape。 As for me； I'll
go to report the matter to the magistrates。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Let us kindle our lamps； let us go firmly to work and with
courage； let us take off our cloaks and search whether some other
man has not come here too； let us pass round the whole Pnyx； examine
the tents and the passages。 Come； be quick； let us start off on a
light toe and rummage all round in silence。 Let us hasten； let us
finish our round as soon as possible。
CHORUS （singing）
Look quickly for the traces that might show you a man hidden here；
let your glance fall on every side； look well to the right and to
the left。 If we seize some impious fellow； woe to him！ He will know
how we punish the outrage； the crime； the sacrilege。 The criminal will
then acknowledge at last that gods exist； his fate will teach all
men that the deities must be revered； that justice must be observed
and that they must submit to the sacred laws。 If not； then woe to
them！ Heaven itself will punish sacrilege； being aflame with fury
and mad with frenzy； all their deeds will prove to mortals； both men
and women； that the deity punishes injustice and impiety； and that she
is not slow to strike。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
But I think I have now searched everywhere and that no other man
is hidden among us。
FIRST WOMAN
Where are you flying to？ Stop！ stop！ Ah！ miserable woman that I
am； he has torn my child from my breast and has disappeared with it。
MNESILOCHUS
Scream as loud as you will； but you'll never feed him again。 If
you do not let me go this very instant； I am going to cut open the
veins of his thighs with this cutlass and his blood shall flow over
the altar。
FIRST WOMAN
Oh！ great gods！ oh！ friends； help me！ terrify him with your
shrieks； triumph over this monster； permit him not to rob me of my
only child。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Oh！ oh！ venerable Moirai； what fresh attack is this？ It's the
crowning act of audacity and shamelessness！ What has he done now；
friends； what has he done？
MNESILOCHUS
Ah！ your insolence passes all bounds； but I know how to curb it！
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
What a shameful deed！ the measure of his iniquities is full！
FIRST WOMAN
Aye； it's shameful that he should have robbed me of my child。
CHORUS （singing）
It's past belief to be so criminal and so impudent！
MNESILOCHUS （singing）
Ah！ you're not near the end of it yet。
CHORUS （singing）
Little I care whence you come； you shall not return to boast of
having acted so odiously with impunity； for you shall be punished。
MNESILOCHUS （speaking）
You won't do it； by the gods！
CHORUS （singing）
And what immortal would protect you for your crime？
MNESILOCHUS （speaking）
You talk in vain！ I shall not let go the child。
CHORUS （singing）
By the goddesses； you will not laugh presently over your crime and
your impious speech。 For with im