' THE WASPS. 89

nets with which all the outlets to the house were
secured, and, tying round his: body a rope, the
' other end of which he secured to a bar of the
window, began to let himself down into the street,
imploring his colleagues that if anything should
happen to him —the rope breaking, for instance —
they would pay him due honours, and bury him
under the railings round the judges’ seat. His
friends encouraged him; and the thing was nearly
done, when something chanced to rouse the slumber-
ing Bdelycleon. The old man dropped, indeed, to
the ground, but only to find himself in the hands of
his keepers. In vain he appealed to his son’s sense ~
of filial duty, pathetically reminding him of how,
long ago, catching him stealing grapes, he had tied
him to an olive-tree and thrashed him, to the admira-
tion of all beholders. In vain the old man’s col-
leagues charged in the hope of rescuing him, using
their stings freely. Bdelycleon and his slaves, first
with sticks and then by means of smoke (always a
thing which wasps detest), contrived to repel the
attack, “Tyranny! Tyranny!” cried the assail-
ants, as they found themselves beaten back. Bdely-
cleon suggested compromise ; they would have none
of it. “Tyranny! He’s plotting to set up a
tyranny!” they repeated.

“Ah!” said the young man, “that is what is
always on your tongues now, — Tyranny! Conspir-
acy! You think of nothing else. For instance, I