refuse, and Epops descants on the happiness of living among the Birds. Pisthetærus proposes a scheme to enhance it. Upon this Epops summons the Nightingale to call the Birds to council. They take flight, and are about to tear the two old worthies to pieces, imagining that their king has betrayed them. Epops explains his relationship, dwells upon their praise, and thus saves their lives. Following the advice of Pisthetærus they build out the Gods, and name their new city Nephelococcygia, or “ Cuckoo-cloud-land” Arrivals from Athens, “ with all their trumpery,” are not wanting. But as by this city in mid-air the Gods above are deprived of their accustomed offerings, at the suggestion of Prometheus, who in private informs Epops of their famished state, the latter considers it a good opportunity of recovering the former dominion of the Birds, particularly as the Triballian Gods, who dwell “extrà anni solisque vias,” are on the point of attacking that august synod. An embassy arrives, consisting of Hercules, Neptune, and a certain Triballian God. After some disputes, it is agreed that the Birds are to be reinstated in their ancient rights, and that Pisthetærus is to have Baritea in marriage. The Comedy concludes with the Epithalamion.

The translation is from the texts of Brunck and Dindorf. Upon comparing it with Carey's, I find many passages closely resembling each other, but this must naturally occur when both are literal. I must observe, that Carey's version is very accurate throughout.

1-12]

THE BIRDS.

EUELPIDES, PISTHETERUS.

EUEL.-Do you bid me go straight forward, when that tree appears?

PISTH.-May you burst! but this bird of mine croaks back again.

EUEL.-Why, wretched man, are we wandering up and down? We shall perish to no purpose, threading here and there our way.

PISTH.-To think that I, wretch that I am, in obedience to a raven, should wander on my way more than a thousand stadia?

EUEL.-Nay, but to think that I, unfortunate man that I am, in obedience to a jackdaw, should wear out the nails of my fingers!

PISTH.-But where in the world we are, I for my part know not even yet.

EUEL.-Could you from hence find out in what spot our country lies?

PISTH.-No, by Jove, nor from hence could Execestides. EUEL.-Wo's me!

1 "Scena exhibet agrestem, saxosam, fruticibus et arbustis implicitam regionem; in imâ parte cernitur saltus; ab imâ parte rupes fruticibus obtecta, Epopis sedes; Euelpides graculum, Pisthetarus cornicem gestans, diversis partibus inter rupes incedunt, ita tamen ut inter se colloqui possint." -Wieland.

2 Vide Monk ad Alc. v. 848.

3 As yɛ in Attic Greek never follows an oath without the intervention of one or more words, I would read with Porson in Adv.

Or with Reisigius,

οὐδὲ μὰ Δί' ἐντεῦθεν γ ̓ ἂν Εξηκεστίδης.

οὐδ ̓ ἂν μὰ Δί ̓ ἐντεῦθεν γ ̓ ἂν Εξηκεστίδης. For the man, vide infrà, v. 764, and Scholia.

PISTH.-Do you, indeed, my companion, go that way there? EUEL.--Verily he of the' Bird-market has wrought us much evil, that hawker of birds Philocrates, in his madness, he that told us that these, better than any other of the birds, would explain to us where the Tereus, the Epops dwelt, who became a bird; and2 sold, indeed, this jackdaw of Tharrileides3 for an obol, and this other here for three. But these two, in reality, are just a compound of nothing else but pecking. And now, why are you gaping? is there any spot adown the rocks whither you will yet lead us? (nay speak) for there is no way here.

PISTH.-Nor is there here at least, by Jove, any where any

track.

EUEL.-Does not the raven, too, tell you any thing of the

way?

PISTH.-Not a word: his croak now, by Jove, is just the same as it was erewhile.

EUEL.-But what, I ask you, does he say of the way? PISTH.-What else, indeed, but that in pecking he will gnaw off, he says, my fingers.

6

EUEL.-Now is it not strange that we, who are desirous of going to the crows, and who are ready prepared, after all should not be able to find the way? For we, friends of ours, who are present to hear our tale, labour under a disease the opposite to Sacas; for he, indeed, being no citizen, forces himself in, but we, by tribe and race held in honour, citizens with citizens, scared by none, fly up from our country with both feet, not, indeed, that we hate that our city, in that it is not naturally great and blessed, and common to all to pay

1 Matth. G. G. § 596, d.

? For this common sense of the compound, vide Dawes, p. 449, 450.

3 Schol. in v. ἄδηλον ἐι ̓Ασωπόδωρον λέγει, ὃς κωμῳδεῖται ἐπὶ σμικρότητι σώματος.

4 i. e. ἐς ὄρνιθας.

5 Οὗτός ἐστιν ̓Ακέστωρ, τραγωδίας ποιήτης; Schol. His claims to citizenship seem like to those of Execestides. Vide Vesp. 1221.

ξένος τις ἕτερος πρὸς κεφαλῆς ̓Ακέστορος.

A parasite of the same name is mentioned by Athenæus, lib. vi. 237, a. In lib. vi. 263, b. for oŋkiç (vide Vesp. 768) L. has Zákys. 6 Vide Div. Luc. c. xvi. 16, καὶ πᾶς εἰς αὐτὴν βιάζεται.

away their substance in litigation. The grasshoppers, now, they for a month or two sing upon the branches, but the Athenians perpetually' upon suits of law sing away their whole life. For this reason we are wending this our way: but with basket (for sacrifice), and pot, and myrtle sprays we are wandering in search of a place free from trouble, where, having permanently settled ourselves, we may spend the remainder of our life. Now the journey of both of us is to Tereus, the Epops, desirous to be informed of him, if haply any where' in his flights he has seen a city of this description. PISTH.-You there!

EUEL.-What now ?

PISTH.—My raven for some time gives notice of something

above.

EUEL.-And this jackdaw too, here, gapes upward, as it were to shew me something. It cannot be but that birds are there: but of this we shall quickly be informed, should we make a noise.

PISTH.-Come,-do' you know what you should do? strike the rock with your leg.

EUEL. -And do you with your head at least, that the sound may be doubled.

PISTH.-Do you then take a stone and knock.

EUEL.-Assuredly, if it so seems good. Boy! boy!

PISTH.-Fellow there, what is it you say? Do you call the Epops "Boy!" Should you not in the place of "Boy! boy!" shout "Epops?"

EUEL.-Ho! Epops! will you make me yet to knock again? Ho! Epops!

TROCHILUS.

TROCH. -Who are these here? Who is he that calls my master by name?

1 Vide Pac. v. 504, οὐδὲν γὰρ ἄλλο δρᾶτε πλὴν δικάζετε.

2 Vide Matth. G. G. 245; Dawes, Miscell. Crit. p. 538, 539.

3 I have before explained this phrase. Vide Porson ad Hecub. 225. Virg.

Ecl. vii. 36," Aureus esto," for "eris."

Matth. G. G. 511-4, quotes from the

Rudens of Plautus, " Tange, sed scin quomodo?" iii. v. 18.

4 I read with Elmsley ad Med. 1334 :

οὐκ ἀντὶ τοῦ παῖ, παῖ, σ'κ. τ. έ.

EUEL.'-Apollo, averter of ill! What a swallow!
TROCH.-Alas, wretch that I am! these two are bird-

catchers.

EUEL.-You there! what ground is there for fear? will you not speak something more ominous?

TROCH.-You two shall die.

EUEL.-Nay, but we are not men.

TROCH.-What then?

EUEL.-I for my part am a fearling, a bird from Libya.
TROCH.-Your words are as nothing.

EUEL.-Ask at that there which lies at your feet.
TROCH.-But what bird is this here? will you not

say?

PISTH.-I for my part am a dung-hill cock,' from Phasis. EUEL.-But thou, what beast in the world art thou, tell me in the God's name?

TROCH.-I for my part am a serving-bird.

EUEL.-Have you been vanquished by any cock?

TRÓCH.-Not so, but when, indeed, my lord became Epops, then he entreated of me to become a bird, that he might have an attendant and minister.

EUEL.-What? does a bird stand in need of one to minister to him?

TROCH.-Yes, for he, I suppose, inasmuch as he was formerly a man, sometimes has a longing to eat* Phaleric anchovies. Having taken the dish, I run to fetch anchovies. Does he feel a desire for pulse; need has he of a ladle and a pot: to fetch a ladle I run.

EUEL. This here is the "running" bird. Dost know, my Trochilus, what to do for us? Call out your master to us. TROCH.-Nay, but just now, by Jove, he is taking a nap after a meal of myrtle berries and sundry gnats.

EUEL. Nevertheless, awake him.

1 Hor. Epist. ii. i. 136,“ Avertit morbos, metuenda pericula pellit."

2 Matth. G. G. 348.

3 Athenæus, in quoting this passage, lib. ix. 387, a. adds-кai Tò ¿v Nepéλαις δ ̓ ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρνίθων ἔγωγε ἀκούω καὶ οὐκ ἐπὶ ἵππων ὡς πολλόι. Τοὺς Φασιανοὺς, οὓς τρέφει Λεωγόρας. Nub. v. 109.

4 Vide Athen. lib. vii. 285, c.; Equit. vv. 645, 649, 666, 672, &c. 5 Vide Equit. v. 984.