f(1) Prometheus wants night to come and so reduce the risk of being seen
from Olympus.
PISTHETAERUS Oh! 'pon my word! but you grow tiresome.
PROMETHEUS What is Zeus doing? Is he dispersing the clouds or gathering
them?(1)
f(1) The clouds would prevent Zeus seeing what was happening below him.
PISTHETAERUS Take care, lest I lose all patience.
PROMETHEUS Come, I will raise my mask.
PISTHETAERUS Ah! my dear Prometheus!
PROMETHEUS Stop! stop! speak lower!
PISTHETAERUS Why, what's the matter, Prometheus?
PROMETHEUS H'sh! h'sh! Don't call me by my name; you will be my ruin, if
Zeus should see me here. But, if you want me to tell you how things
are going in heaven, take this umbrella and shield me, so that the gods
don't see me.
PISTHETAERUS I can recognize Prometheus in this cunning trick. Come,
quick then, and fear nothing; speak on.
PROMETHEUS Then listen.
PISTHETAERUS I am listening, proceed!
PROMETHEUS It's all over with Zeus.
PISTHETAERUS Ah! and since when, pray?
PROMETHEUS Since you founded this city in the air. There is not a man
who now sacrifices to the gods; the smoke of the victims no longer
reaches us. Not the smallest offering comes! We fast as though it were
the festival of Demeter.(1) The barbarian gods, who are dying of hunger,
are bawling like Illyrians(2) and threaten to make an armed descent upon
Zeus, if he does not open markets where joints of the victims are sold.
f(1) The third day of the festival of Demeter was a fast.
f(2) A semi-savage people, addicted to violence and brigandage.
PISTHETAERUS What! there are other gods besides you, barbarian gods who
dwell above Olympus?
PROMETHEUS If there were no barbarian gods, who would be the patron of
Execestides?(1)
f(1) Who, being reputed a stranger despite his pretension to the title
of a citizen, could only have a strange god for his patron or tutelary
deity.
PISTHETAERUS And what is the name of these gods?