234 ARISTOPHANES.

Car. “What! you going to leave the gods and
stay here!”

Fler. “Yes; you seem to be much better off.”

Car. “A deserter is a mean sort of creature.”

Fler. “ Listen :—

“My country is the land where best I fare.”

Car. “ But what good will you be to us?”

fer. “1 will be your turnkey.”

Car. “We want none of your turns.”

Fler. “Your merchant, then.”

Car. “We are rich; we want no huckstering.”

Fler. “Your master of craft?”

Car. “We want no craft; simple ways are the
fashion now.”

Fler. “Your guide?”

Car. “The god has his sight, and will want no
more guiding.”

ffer. “Your Chief of the Sports? for, of course,
he will do well to have musical competitions and
games.”

Car. “What a thing it is to have a number of
titles! At last he has hit upon some capacity in
which he may be useful to us. Well, go to the
spring and wash these haunches for me, that you
may learn to make yourself useful and handy.” 4

1 Hermes pleads the various capacities which he was supposed to
have. He was the Porter of the Hall of Heaven, the Patron of

Trades, the God of Council, the Guide, as conducting the Souls of the
Dead, etc., and the Patron of Sports.