102 ARISTOPHANES.

Phil. “Here is a string of charges. The creature
is clearly a regular thief.”

Bdel. (to Pincher). “Now, up with you, and make
your defence! What! can’t you speak?”

Phil. “Because he has got nothing to say for
himself.”

Bdel. “No, no, sir; I have seen it happen before
in court.” (Zo the dog) “Get down, and I’ll plead
your cause myself.” (Zo the court) “It is not easy,
gentlemen, to defend a dog that has got a bad name.
Still, I will do my best. He is a good dog, and drives
away wolves.”

Phil. “A good dog indeed! I call him a thief
and a traitor.”

Bdel. “He is the best dog that we have got about
the place. He is fit to take charge of any number
of sheep.”

Phil. “What is the good of that, if he steals
cheeses and eats them?”

Bdel. “What good? He fights for you, he watches
at your door; altogether, he is an excellent creature.
And if he did steal a bit, well, you see that he has
not been properly educated. But I have a wit-
ness.”

The advocate now called a cheese-grater, which
was directed to get into the box, and on examination
testified that it had grated cheese for the accused,
and that others had received a share. This disposed
of the charge of having devoured the stolen property