Περιμένοντας τους βαρβάρους-Τι περιμένουμε στην αγορά συναθροισμένοι; Είναι οι βάρβαροι να φθάσουν σήμερα. -Γιατί μέσα στην Σύγκλητο μιά τέτοια απραξία; Τι κάθοντ' οι Συγκλητικοί και δεν νομοθετούνε; -Γιατί οι βάρβαροι θα φθάσουν σήμερα. Τι νόμους πια θα κάμουν οι Συγκλητικοί; Οι βάρβαροι σαν έλθουν θα νομοθετήσουν. -Γιατί ο αυτοκράτωρ μας τόσο πρωί σηκώθη, και κάθεται στης πόλεως την πιο μεγάλη πύλη στον θρόνο επάνω, επίσημος, φορώντας την κορώνα; -Γιατί οι βάρβαροι θα φθάσουν σήμερα. Κι ο αυτοκράτωρ περιμένει να δεχθεί τον αρχηγό τους. Μάλιστα ετοίμασε για να τον δώσει μια περγαμηνή. Εκεί τον έγραψε τίτλους πολλούς κι ονόματα. -Γιατί οι δυό μας ύπατοι κ' οι πραίτορες εβγήκαν σήμερα με τες κόκκινες, τες κεντημένες τόγες· γιατί βραχιόλια φόρεσαν με τόσους αμεθύστους, και δαχτυλίδια με λαμπρά γυαλιστερά σμαράγδια· γιατί να πιάσουν σήμερα πολύτιμα μπαστούνια μ' ασήμια και μαλάματα έκτακτα σκαλισμένα; Γιατί οι βάρβαροι θα φθάσουν σήμερα· και τέτοια πράγματα θαμπόνουν τους βαρβάρους. -Γιατί κ' οι άξιοι ρήτορες δεν έρχονται σαν πάντα να βγάλουνε τους λόγους τους, να πούνε τα δικά τους; Γιατί οι βάρβαροι θα φθάσουν σήμερα· κι αυτοί βαριούντ' ευφράδειες και δημηγορίες. -Γιατί ν' αρχίσει μονομιάς αυτή η ανησυχία κ' η σύγχυσις. (Τα πρόσωπα τι σοβαρά που έγιναν). Γιατί αδειάζουν γρήγορα οι δρόμοι κ' οι πλατέες, κι όλοι γυρνούν στα σπίτια τους πολύ συλλογισμένοι; Γιατί ενύχτωσε κ' οι βάρβαροι δεν ήλθαν. Και μερικοί έφθασαν απ' τα σύνορα, και είπανε πως βάρβαροι πια δεν υπάρχουν. Και τώρα τι θα γένουμε χωρίς βαρβάρους. Οι άνθρωποι αυτοί ήσαν μιά κάποια λύσις.
Barbarları Beklerken— Ne bekliyoruz agorada böyle toplanmış? Barbarlar bugün gelecekmiş. — Senato'da niye bu hareketsizlik? Senatörler niye oturuyor da yasa yapmıyor? — Çünkü barbarlar bugün gelecek. Senatörler artık ne yasası yapsın? Barbarlar gelince yasayı onlar yapar. — İmparatorumuz niye bu kadar erken kalkmış, kentin en büyük kapısında tahtına kurulmuş, resmî, tacı başında? — Çünkü barbarlar bugün gelecek. İmparator da onların önderini karşılamayı bekliyor. Hatta ona vermek için bir parşömen hazırlattı. Üstüne bir sürü unvan, bir sürü ad yazdırdı. — İki konsülümüzle praetorlarımız niye bugün kırmızı, işlemeli togalarıyla çıktı; niye bu kadar ametistli bilezikler, pırıl pırıl zümrütlü yüzükler taktılar; niye bugün ellerinde o değerli bastonlar, gümüşü altını olağanüstü işlenmiş? Çünkü barbarlar bugün gelecek; böyle şeyler barbarların gözünü kamaştırır. — Değerli hatiplerimiz niye her zamanki gibi gelip söylevlerini vermiyor, sözlerini söylemiyor? Çünkü barbarlar bugün gelecek; onlar güzel sözden, nutuktan sıkılır. — Bu tedirginlik, bu karışıklık niye birden başladı? (Yüzler nasıl da ciddileşti.) Sokaklar, meydanlar niye çabucak boşalıyor, herkes niye dalgın dalgın evine dönüyor? Çünkü gece oldu, barbarlar gelmedi. Sınırdan birileri geldi, barbar diye bir şey kalmadı artık dediler. Peki şimdi biz ne olacağız barbarsız? O insanlar bir çeşit çözümdü.
Waiting for the Barbarians— What are we waiting for, gathered here in the agora? The barbarians are to arrive today. — Why such idleness in the Senate? Why do the senators sit and make no laws? — Because the barbarians will arrive today. What laws should the senators make now? When the barbarians come, they will do the lawmaking. — Why has our emperor risen so early, and why does he sit at the city's largest gate upon his throne, in state, wearing the crown? — Because the barbarians will arrive today. And the emperor is waiting to receive their chief. He has even had a parchment prepared to give him. On it he has written many titles for him, and many names. — Why have our two consuls and the praetors come out today in their red, embroidered togas; why have they put on bracelets with so many amethysts, and rings with bright, glittering emeralds; why do they carry today those precious staffs so finely worked in silver and in gold? Because the barbarians will arrive today; and such things dazzle barbarians. — Why don't our worthy orators come as always to deliver their speeches, to say their piece? Because the barbarians will arrive today; and they are bored by eloquence and public speaking. — Why, all at once, this unease and confusion? (How grave the faces have become.) Why are the streets and squares emptying so fast, and everyone going home so deep in thought? Because night has fallen and the barbarians have not come. And some people arrived from the border and said there are no barbarians any more. And now, what will become of us without barbarians? Those people were a kind of solution.