Inspector: A decree of Teleas.
Pisthetaerus: Will you just pocket your salary, do nothing, and be off?
Inspector: I’ faith! that I will; I am urgently needed to be at Athens to attend the assembly; for I am charged with the interests of Pharnaces.
Pisthetaerus: Take it then, and be off. See, here is your salary. Beats him.
Inspector: What does this mean?
Pisthetaerus: ’Tis the assembly where you have to defend Pharnaces.
Inspector: You shall testify that they dare to strike me, the inspector.
Pisthetaerus: Are you not going to clear out with your urns? ’Tis not to be believed; they send us inspectors before we have so much as paid sacrifice to the gods.
A dealer in decrees: “If the Nephelococcygian does wrong to the Athenian …”
Pisthetaerus: Now whatever are these cursed parchments?
Dealer in decrees: I am a dealer in decrees, and I have come here to sell you the new laws.
Pisthetaerus: Which?
Dealer in decrees: “The Nephelococcygians shall adopt the same weights, measures and decrees as the Olophyxians.”
Pisthetaerus: And you shall soon be imitating the Ototyxians. Beats him.
Dealer in decrees: Hullo! what are you doing?
Pisthetaerus: Now will you be off with your decrees? For I am going to let you see some severe ones.
Inspector: Returning. I summon Pisthetaerus for outrage for the month of Munychion.
Pisthetaerus: Ha! my friend! are you still there?
Dealer in decrees: “Should anyone drive away the magistrates and not receive them, according to the decree duly posted …”
Pisthetaerus: What! rascal! you are there too?
Inspector: Woe to you! I’ll have you condemned to a fine of ten thousand drachmae.
Pisthetaerus: And I’ll smash your urns.
Inspector: Do you recall that evening when you stooled against the column where the decrees are posted?
Pisthetaerus: Here! here! let him be seized. The Inspector runs off. Well! don’t you want to stop any longer?
Priest: Let us get indoors as quick as possible; we will sacrifice the goat inside.