Cyclops
Euripides
Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Translated into English Prose from the Text of Paley. Vol. II. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1891.
- (turning suddenly to Silenus.) Ho, sirrah! what art thou about? taking a stealthy pull at the wine?
- No, but it kissed me for my good looks.
- Thou shalt smart, if thou kiss the wine when it kisses not thee.
- Oh! but it did, for it says it is in love with my handsome face.
- (holding out his cup.) Pour in; only give me my cup full.
- H’m! how is it mixed? just let me make sure. (Takes another pull.)
- Perdition! give it me at once.
- Oh, no! I really cannot, till I see thee with a crown on, and have another taste myself.
- My cup-bearer is a cheat.
- No really, but the wine is so luscious. Thou must wipe thy lips, though, to get a draught.
- There! my lips and beard are clean now.
- Bend thine elbow gracefully, and then quaff thy cup, as thou seest me do, and as now thou seest me not. (Burying his face in his cup.)
- Aha! what next?
- I drank it off at a draught with much pleasure.
- Stranger, take the skin thyself and be my cup-bearer.
- Well, at any rate the grape is no stranger to my hand.
- Come, pour it in.
- In it goes! keep silence, that is all.
- A difficult task when a man is deep in his cups.
- Here, take and drink it off; leave none.
- ---[*](Paley supposes a line to have been lost here in which the Cyclops asked And how must I drink this?)
- Thou must be silent[*](σιγῶντα, but many editors follow Casaubon in reading δὲ σπῶντα drink it off.) and only give in when the liquor does.