74 ARISTOPHANES.

- I. “Toeat? No. She can’t eat our food; she’s
used to ambrosia.” ,
Harvest-home being thus disposed of, Trygzeus
proceeded to make a sacrifice to Peace, to whom
he and his servant, assisted by the husbandmen,
addressed an ode of praise and thanksgiving : —

“For thirteen long years we have longed to behold you,
And now you are come we will steadfastly hold you.
When our fightings are stayed and our tumults allayed,
We will call you in future the war-ending maid;

We beseech thee to end all the whispers of doubt,
All the clever suspicions we bandy about,

All the Greeks with the solder of friendship to bind,
Breathing into them thoughts that are honest and kind.”

While the sacrifice was going on, a soothsayer
approached, crowned with laurel, after the manner
of his profession. Trygeeus thought that he was
going to interfere with the ratification of the treaties
of Peace; the servant, on the other hand, believed
that he was attracted by the smell of the meat.
Both turned out to be right, in a way. The sooth-
sayer did wish to have a finger in the pie, and made
sundry suggestions as to the treaties, which would
be repaid, he hoped, by an invitation to share in the
feast. But as his advances were rejected with very
scant courtesy, he proceeded to quote prophecy after
prophecy, foretelling a disastrous end to the pro-
ceeding. Trygzeus, however, had an answer ready
to all his sinister suggestions, and when finally asked