University of Virginia Library

SCENE II.

Pisthetærus, Epops, Priest.
Pisthetærus.
Truce with thy puffing. Hercules! What have we here?
What's this? By Jove, I have seen strange things many,
But never yet a crow with mouthpiece on.

Epops.
Priest, to thine office. Let the sacrifice
To the new gods proceed.

Priest.
It shall be done.
But where is he that hath the basket? Now;
Do ye with prayer and solemn rite
On Ornitheian Vesta call,
And on the guardian kite,
And birds Olympian all,
To all of either gender,
Their due devotion render:
And in loud anthems sing.

Pisthetærus.
Hail, Sunian hawk! all hail Pelargick king!

Priest.
And to the Pythian swan all hail!
And to Latona, mother quail;
And to the goldfinch, goddess Delian.

Pisthetærus.
Diana, goldfinch now, no more Colænian.

Priest.
To the Sabazian chaffinch sing;
And to the mighty ostrich,
Of gods and men the mother.

Pisthetærus.
O Cybele! O lady ostrich!
Of Cleocritus the mother!

Priest.
That to the Cuckoocloudlanders
They would health and safety bring,
To them and to their heirs,
And eke unto the Chians too.

Pisthetærus.
Now that 'tis hits my fancy, ‘Eke unto
The Chians too.’ Never leave out the Chians.

Priest.
To heroes, birds, and sons of heroes;
And to moor-hen and pelican;
And shovel-bill and wagtail;
And heathcock and peacock;
And barn-owl and screech-owl;
And red-game and moor-game;
And green-finch and pie-finch;
And wren, cock and hen.

Pisthetærus.
Enough, enough; confound thee to the crows.
No more invoking. To what sort of sacrifice,
Ospreys and vultures, art inviting thus?
And dost not see, thou miserable thing,
One kite would snatch all up, and away with it?
Off with thee, crowns and all. For I myself
Will to these Gods do sacrifice alone.

Priest.
Yet once more for thee still must I
Breathe out a second melody
Over the ewer, a holy shout
Ascending up from heart devout;
And call again upon the blest,
Yet only one, to share the feast:
If add some savoury meat ye can;
For this is nought but husks and bran.