It is a bargain. Leader of the Chorus And if I break my word, may I succeed by one vote only. Epops As Herald. Hearken, ye people! Hoplites, pick up your weapons and return to your firesides; do not fail to read the decrees of dismissal we have posted. Chorus Singing. Man is a truly cunning creature, but nevertheless explain. Perhaps you are going to show me some good way to extend my power, some way that I have not had the wit to find out and which you have discovered. Speak! 'tis to your own interest as well as to mine, for if you secure me some advantage, I will surely share it with you. Leader of the Chorus But what object can have induced you to come among us? Speak boldly, for I shall not break the truce, —until you have told us all. Pisthetaerus I am bursting with desire to speak; I have already mixed the dough of my address and nothing prevents me from kneading it.... Slave! bring the chaplet and water, which you must pour over my hands. Be quick! Euelpides Is it a question of feasting? What does it all mean? Pisthetaerus By Zeus, no! but I am hunting for fine, tasty words to break down the hardness of their hearts. 
 To the Chorus. I grieve so much for you, who at one time were kings... Leader of the Chorus We kings? Over whom? Pisthetaerus ... of all that exists, firstly of me and of this man, even of Zeus himself. Your race is older than Saturn, the Titans and the Earth. Leader of the Chorus What, older than the Earth! Pisthetaerus By Phoebus, yes. Leader of the Chorus By Zeus, but I never knew that before! Pisthetaerus That's because you are ignorant and heedless, and have never read your Aesop. He is the one who tells us that the lark was born before all other creatures, indeed before the Earth; his father died of sickness, but the Earth did not exist then; he remained unburied for five days, when the bird in its dilemma decided, for want of a better place, to entomb its father in its own head. Euelpides So that the lark's father is buried at Cephalae. Pisthetaerus Hence, if they existed before the Earth, before the gods, the kingship belongs to them by right of priority. Euelpides Undoubtedly, but sharpen your beak well; Zeus won't be in a hurry to hand over his scepter to the woodpecker. Pisthetaerus It was not the gods, but the birds, who were formerly the masters and kings over men; of this I have a thousand proofs. First of all, I will point you to the cock, who governed the Persians before all other monarchs, before Darius and Megabazus. It's in memory of his reign that he is called the Persian bird. Euelpides For this reason also, even to-day, he alone of all the birds wears his tiara straight on his head, like the Great King. Pisthetaerus He was so strong, so great, so feared, that even now, on account of his ancient power, everyone jumps out of bed as soon as ever he crows at daybreak. Blacksmiths, potters, tanners, shoemakers, bathmen, corn-dealers, lyre-makers and armorers, all put on their shoes and go to work before it is daylight. Euelpides I can tell you something about that. It was the cock's fault that I lost a splendid tunic of Phrygian wool. I was at a feast in town, given to celebrate the birth of a child; I had drunk pretty freely and had just fallen asleep, when a cock, I suppose in a greater hurry than the rest, began to crow. I thought it was dawn and set out for Halimus. I had hardly got beyond the walls, when a footpad struck me in the back with his bludgeon; down I went and wanted to shout, but he had already made off with my mantle. Pisthetaerus Formerly also the kite was ruler and king over the Greeks. Leader of the Chorus The Greeks?