58 ARISTOPHANES.,

were routed under the walls of that city, routed almost without
making a struggle.

But this disaster had its compensations. The Spartans lost but eight
killed in the battle, but among the eight was Brasidas; and Brasidas
was not only a very able soldier, but he was vehemently opposed to
peace. Among the slain on the Athenian side was Cleon, the noto-
rious leader of the war party. And now came the triumph of the peace
party in the two states. Aristophanes, conscious that he had the ma-
jority of his fellow-citizens on his side, again did his best to promote -
his favourite object. The Peace was exhibited in January, 321. About
three months afterwards peace for the period of fifty years was made,
and, a few days later, an alliance, offensive and defensive, between Sparta
and Athens was concluded. (This is known in history as the ‘ Peace
of Nicias.”)

“Now, my man,” said the steward of Trygzeus
the Athenian to one of the under-slaves, ‘“ bring
another cake for the beast.” With much grumbling
the man obeyed, and fetched first one, then another,
and then, again, several more, till the creature was
satisfied. ; ;

But what was the beast? Nothing less than an
enormously large dung-beetle which Trygeeus had
contriyed to catch, and which he kept in one of the
courts of his house, and was feeding up till it should
grow big enough and strong enough to help him in
carrying out a certain purpose of his. The fact was,
that Trygeus, like many another Athenian citizen,
was heartily sick of the war, and had got the idea
into his head that, if he could contrive to get up to
the palace of Zeus, he might persuade the god to
fulfil his wish, which was, to put it shortly, to secure
Peace, —long-banished, long-desired Peace. His first