Parodos
[Parodos]
Is there another glutton besides Cleonymus?
Euelpides
But why, if he is Cleonymus, has he not thrown away his crest?
290
But what is the meaning of all these crests? Have these birds come to contend for the double stadium prize?
Epops
They are like the Carians, who cling to the crests of their mountains for greater safety.
Pisthetaerus
Oh, Poseidon! look what awful swarms of birds are gathering here!
Euelpides
By Phoebus! what a cloud! The entrance to the stage is no longer visible so closely do they fly together.
295
Pisthetaerus
Here is the partridge.
Euelpides
Why, there is the francolin.
Pisthetaerus
There is the poachard.
Euelpides
Here is the kingfisher.
To Epops. What's that bird behind the kingfisher?
Euelpides
What? a bird a barber?
300
Pisthetaerus
Why, Sporgilus is one.
300
Epops
Here comes the owl.
Euelpides
And who is it brings an owl to Athens?
Epops
Here is the magpie, the turtle-dove, the swallow, the horned-owl, the buzzard, the pigeon, the falcon, the ring-dove, the cuckoo, the red-foot, the red-cap, the purple-cap, the kestrel, the diver, the ousel, the osprey, the woodpecker . . .
Pisthetaerus
Oh! what a lot of birds! Oh! what a lot of blackbirds! How they scold, how they come rushing up! What a noise! what a noise! Can they be bearing us ill-will? Oh! there! there! they are opening their beaks and staring at us.
305
Euelpides
Why, so they are.
Leader of the Chorus
Popopopopopo. Where is he who called me? Where am I to find him?
310
