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| Character | Sausage seller | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | Male | |
| Age Range(s) | Adult (36-50), Senior (>50) | |
| Type of monologue / Character is | Descriptive, Rejoicing/Excited, Reminiscing life story/Telling a story | |
| Type | Comic | |
| Period | Ancient Greek | |
| Genre | Comedy | |
| Description | The sausage seller tells the Chorus how he won the approval of the senate | |
Summary
The story of this allegorical play focuses mainly on two characters, Cleon and a sausage seller. Cleon is the slave of Thepeople, a character who represents the citizens of Athens. Cleon is the villain of the play and in the beginning to the play two characters, Nicias and Demosthenes, slaves of the same master as Cleon, complain that they have been beaten up by their master and accuse Cleon of being responsible for it. Reading several oracles, the two slaves learn that Cleon will become the ruler of the city but will be replaced by a sausage seller. A sausage seller happens to be passing by and they tell him his destiny. Eventually Cleon and the sausage seller meet and engage in a shouting match. Cleon leaves the stage and the sausage seller follows. When they return, the sausage seller tells the Chorus that he and Cleon have just returned from the senate where they competed for the approval of the senators.
In this monologue the sausage seller narrates how he won the approval of the senate.
In this monologue the sausage seller narrates how he won the approval of the senate.
Written by Administrator
| Excerpt |
|---|
| SAUSAGE-SELLER The story is worth hearing. Listen! From here I rushed straight to the Senate, right in the track of this man; he was already letting loose the storm, unchaining the lightning, crushing the Knights beneath huge mountains of calumnies heaped together and having all the air of truth; he called you conspirators and his lies caught root like weeds in every mind; dark were the looks on every side and brows were knitted. When I saw that the Senate listened to him favourably and was being tricked by his imposture I said to myself, "Come, gods of rascals and braggarts, gods of all fools, and toad-eaters, and thou too, oh market-place, wherein I was bred from my earliest days, give me unbridled audacity, an untiring chatter and a shameless voice." No sooner had I ended this prayer than a pederast farted on my right. "Hah! a good omen," said I, and prostrated myself; then I burst open the door by a vigorous push with my arse, and, opening my mouth to the utmost, shouted, "Senators, I wanted you to be the first to hear the good news; since the war broke out, I have never seen anchovies at a lower price!" All faces brightened at once and I was voted a chaplet for my good tidings; and I added, "With a couple of words I will reveal to you how you can have quantities of anchovies for an obol; all you have to do is to seize on all the dishes the merchants have." With mouths gaping with admiration, they applauded me. However, the Paphlagonian winded the matter and, well knowing the sort of language which pleases the Senate best, said, "Friends, I am resolved to offer one hundred oxen to the goddess in recognition of this happy event." The Senate at once veered to his side. So when I saw myself defeated by this ox dung, I outbade the fellow, crying, "Two hundred!" And beyond this I moved that a vow be made to Diana of a thousand goats if the next day anchovies should only be worth an obol a hundred. And the Senate looked towards me again. The other, stunned with the blow, grew delirious in his speech, and at last the Prytanes and the Scythians dragged him out. The Senators then stood talking noisily about the anchovies. Cleon, however, begged them to listen to the Lacedaemonian envoy, who had come to make proposals of peace; but all with one accord cried "Certainly it's not the moment to think of peace now! If anchovies are so cheap, what need have we of peace? Let the war take its course!" And with loud shouts they demanded that the Prytanes should close the sitting and then they leapt over the rails in all directions. As for me, I slipped away to buy all the coriander seed and leeks there were on the market and gave it to them gratis as seasoning for their anchovies. It was marvellous! They loaded me with praises and caresses; thus I conquered the Senate with an obol's worth of leeks, and here I am. |
