With proposals of advice, for your advantage and for mine.
Chorus. Enemies time out of mind! they that have spilt our fathers' blood,
How should they be friends of ours, or give us counsel for our good?
Hoo. Friendship is a poor adviser; politicians deep and wise375
Many times are forced to learn a lesson from their enemies;
Diligent and wary conduct is the method soon or late
Which an adversary teaches; whilst a friend or intimate
Trains us on to sloth and ease, to ready confidence; to rest,
In a careless acquiescence; to believe and hope the best.
Look on earth![1] behold the nations, all in emulation vieing,
Active all, with busy science engineering, fortifying;
To defend their hearths and homes, with patriotic industry,
Fencing every city round with massy walls of masonry:
Tactical devices old they modify with new design;
Arms offensive and defensive to perfection they refine;
Galleys are equipped and armed, and armies trained to discipline.
Look to life, in every part; in all they practise, all they know;
Every nation has derived its best instruction from the foe.380
Chorus. We're agreed to grant a hearing; if an enemy can teach
Anything that's wise or useful, let him prove it in his speech.
Peis. (aside). Let's retire a pace or two; you see the change in their behaviour.
Hoo. Simple justice I require, and I request it as a favour.
Chorus. Faith and equity require it, and the nation hitherto
Never has refused to take direction and advice from you.385
Peis. (aside). They're relenting by degrees;
Recover arms and stand at ease.
Chorus.[2] Back to the rear! resume your station,400
Ground your wrath and indignation!
Sheathe your fury! stand at ease,
While I proceed to question these:
What design has brought them here?405
Ho, there, Hoopoe! can't he hear?
- ↑ The vast changes and improvement in the practice and the art of war which took place about this time were a subject of general speculation and remark. The concise allusions in the text are therefore somewhat enlarged in the translation.
- ↑ Thirteen lines, which unaccompanied by the action on the stage would appear tiresome and unmeaning, are here omitted from 387 to 400.
