First Semi-Chorus
Singing.
Oh, Muse! drive the war far from our city
775
and come to preside over our dances, if you love me; come and celebrate the nuptials of the gods, the banquets of us mortals
780
and the festivals of the fortunate; these are the themes that inspire thy most poetic songs. And should Carcinus come to beg thee for admission with his sons to thy chorus,
785
refuse all traffic with them; remember they are but gelded birds, stork-necked dancers,
790
mannikins about as tall as a goat's turd, in fact machine-made poets. Contrary to all expectation, the father
795
has at last managed to finish a piece, but he admits that a cat strangled it one fine evening.
Oh, Muse! drive the war far from our city
775
and come to preside over our dances, if you love me; come and celebrate the nuptials of the gods, the banquets of us mortals
780
and the festivals of the fortunate; these are the themes that inspire thy most poetic songs. And should Carcinus come to beg thee for admission with his sons to thy chorus,
785
refuse all traffic with them; remember they are but gelded birds, stork-necked dancers,
790
mannikins about as tall as a goat's turd, in fact machine-made poets. Contrary to all expectation, the father
795
has at last managed to finish a piece, but he admits that a cat strangled it one fine evening.
Peace. Aristophanes. ed. Eugene O'Neill, Jr.. New York. 1938.
Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.