MNESILOCHUS. Great Zeus! will the swallow never appear to end the winter of my discontent? Why the fellow has kept me on the run ever since early this morning; he wants to kill me, that's certain. Before I lose my spleen entirely, Euripides, can you at least tell me whither you are leading me?
EURIPIDES. What need for you to hear what you are going to see?
MNESILOCHUS. How is that? Repeat it. No need for me to hear....
EURIPIDES. What you are going to see.
MNESILOCHUS. Nor consequently to see....
EURIPIDES. What you have to hear.[544]
MNESILOCHUS. What is this wiseacre stuff you are telling me? I must neither see nor hear.
EURIPIDES. Ah! but you have two things there that are essentially distinct.
MNESILOCHUS. Seeing and hearing.
EURIPIDES. Undoubtedly.
[544] Aristophanes parodies Euripides' language, which is occasionally sillily sententious.
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