178 ARISTOPHANES.

which they were assured was the palace of Pluto.
“How shall I knock?” Bacchus inquired. “ How
do people knock in these parts?” —“ ‘Knock away,
master,” the slave replied, “just as Hercules would. ig
— ‘Who is there?” called’ out AZacus the: porter
from within. —“The mighty. Hercules, ” was the
reply. The result was unexpected. The door was
flung open, and the porter overwhelmed the visitor
with a torrent of abuse.

“© wretch audacious, shameless, horrible,
O villain trebly dyed and far beyond
All possible counting, you that stole away
Our watch-dog Cerberus, my special charge,
Half-strangled in your grasp. Now, villain, now
We have you fast. For these high Stygian cliffs,
Black-hearted, and the gory-dropping rock
Of Acheron hem thee in, with. those fell hounds |
That haunt Cocytus; and about thee raves
The hundred-headed Hydra that shall tear
Thy vitals, while the monstrous snake that haunts
The Western seas shall strangle in her grasp :
Midriff and heart —and even now I lift
A hasty foot to fetch them.”

Bac. “Oh, what a terrible noise! Xanthias,
weren’t you frightened?” . .

Xan. “Nota bit; never gave a thought to them.”

Bac. “Well, you are a brave fellow. Come now,
you shall be me. Take the lion’s skin and the club,
and I’ll carry the baggage.” : .

Xan. “Now mark the Xanthias- Hercules, and see
if he shows the white feather.”