THE BIRDS 211
Prometheus. What queen ? A most delightful charming girl, Jove's housekeeper, that manages his matters. Serves out his thunderbolts, arranges everything ; 55 The constitutional laws and liberties, Morals and manners, the marine department. Freedom of speech, and threepence for the juries.
Peisthetairus. Why, that seems all in aU.
Prometheus. Yes, everything,
I tell ye, in having her, you 've everything : 60
I came down hastily, to say thus much ; I 'm hearty, ye know ; I stick to principle. Steady to the human interest — always was.^
Peisthetairus. Yes ! we 're obliged to you for our roast victuals.
Prometheus. And I hate these present gods, you know, most thoroughly. 65
I need not tell you that.
Peisthetairus ^ [with a sort of half snee?']. No, no, you need not. You 're known of old, for an enemy to the gods.
Prometheus. Yes, yes, like Timon, I 'm a perfect Timon ; ^ Just such another. But I must be going ; Give me the umbrella ; if Jupiter should see me, 70 He '11 think that I 'm attending a procession.'*
^ Prometheus had incurred the wrath of Jupiter hy his kindness to mankind in having bestowed on them the gift of fire.
^ Peisthetairus, who has learned all that he wanted to know, does not care to lose his time in listening to professions of zeal and attach- ment. He contrives, however, to conclude civilly with a piece of obliging attention.
^ Timon of Athens (see p. 445) hated gods as well as men.
- The Canephoroi were followed by a person bearing an umbrella
and a folding chair.
