Krates: : so why should we not set off for a walk straight for the place of descent, to observe the new arrivals coming down1 to us, what they are like, and what each of them is about? Antisthenes. Let us be off, Diogenes, for, indeed, the spectacle would be a pleasant one-to see some of them weeping, and some entreating to be let go, and some making the descent with reluctance, and, though Hermes gives a push to their shoulders, resisting, and struggling on their backs, to no purpose. Krates. I, also, will relate to you what I saw by the way, when I was coming down. Diogenes. Give us the story, Krates, for I fancy you have seen some uncommonly laughable scenes. Krates. There were several others who made the descent in my company, and conspicuous among them were Ismenodorus our countryman, the millionaire, and Arsakes the Median Satrap, and Oroetes of Armenia.2 Well, Ismenodorus -for he was murdered by the robbers of Kitharon, while proceeding on foot to Eleusis, I believe-began groaning and covering his wound with his hands, and kept calling upon the new-born infants whom he had left behind him, and accusing himself of rashness, for crossing Kitharon, and traversing the neighbourhood of Eleutheria3 (left altogether desolate by the ravages of war), and for taking with him 1 Toys Katιóvras. The term applied to exiles returning home, and there is reference to this in the text. See Herod. i. 62, iii. 45, Æschylus, ̓Αγαμέμ., 1283. 2 It is uncertain whether the two last names represent historical personages, or are merely fictitious. The first is certainly either fictitious, or that of some person of whom nothing more is known than what we are here told, that he was a countryman of Krates, and therefore a Theban. Arsakes is the name of the founder of the Parthian Monarchy, which, like that of Cæsar with the Roman Emperors, was adopted by all his successors. The first of the Arsacidæ is said by Ammianus Marcellinus to have died a natural death; while Suidas follows the account of Lucian. An Orætes figures in the Xápwv (14); the Satrap who, as Herodotus informs us, crucified Polykrates of Samos (iii. 130). Hemsterhuis thinks that all the three characters may be derived from the New Comedy. 3 A town or village at the foot of Kitharon, on the confines of Attica and Boeotia. The wars referred to were, probably, those waged by Alex only two domestics, and that, though he had with him five bowls of gold, and four cups. As for Arsakes-now advanced in age and, indeed, not without some dignity about his appearance, he was annoyed after the fashion of the foreigner, and was highly indignant at trudging on foot, and claimed it as his right that a horse should be supplied to him; and, in fact, his horse had died with him, both having been run through, at one stroke, by some Thracian peltast, in the engagement on the Araxes with the Kappadocian. For Arsakes charged, as he declared to us, far in advance of the rest; while the Thracian, awaiting the attack, covers himself with his round shield, and wards off the spear-shaft of Arsakes, and, couching his own Macedonian lance, runs him and his horse through at the same time. Antisthenes. How was it possible for that to be done at one stroke, Krates? Krates. Very easily, Antisthenes. For he began charging, pushing before him a spear-shaft of twenty cubits; while the Thracian, when with his shield he warded off from himself the onslaught, and the spear-point passed him, sank on his knees, and received the attack with his spear, and wounds the horse under the chest, who ran himself through by his own ardour and the vehemence of his speed. And as for Arsakes, he is run right through from the groin to the buttocks. You see something of what it was like: the action was rather that of the horse than of the hero. He was indignant, nevertheless, at being on a level with the rest in point of dignity, and considered it as his right to come down in the capacity of a knight. But as for Oroetes, he was very tender-footed, and was not able even to stand on the ground, not to say anything of walking—all Medes, in point of fact, have this experience, on dismounting from their horses: they walk as though upon thorns, on tiptoe, and with difficulty get on at all-so that, when he threw ander of Macedon and his successors.-Jacob. The range of Kitharon was thickly wooded, and favourable for robbers. 1 In Armenia. By the Kappadokian, probably, is to be understood Eumenes, whom Perdikkas (who had usurped the chief command of the Macedonian army at the death of Alexander) had appointed to the post of Lieutenant in Kappadocia and Paphlagonia.-Jacob. himself down, and lay there, and would by no means allow himself to be set on his feet again, the excellent Hermes took him up and carried him as far as the ferry-boat; while I set myself laughing. Antisthenes. Well, as for myself, when I was making the descent, I did not at all mix myself up with the rest, but, leaving them to lament, I ran forward to the ferryboat, and took my place beforehand, that I might have a comfortable passage. In fact, during the voyage they were shedding tears, and suffering from sea-sickness, while I was exceedingly entertained by them all. Diogenes. You, Krates, and you, Antisthenes, chanced to fall in with fellow-travellers of such description. My fellow-travellers down were Blepsias the money-lender, from Pisa, and Lampis of Akarnania, who had been captain of mercenaries, and Damis the millionaire, he of Korinth. Damis died from poison administered by his son; Lampis cut his own throat for love of Myrtium, the celebrated courtesan; while Blepsias, the poor wretch, was said to have slowly starved to death; and he showed it clearly enough, appearing pallid to excess, and attenuated to the most extreme point. I, although aware of the facts, began to question them as to the manner of their deaths. Then, when Damis was accusing his son, "You suffered, however, no unjust fate at his hands," said I, "since, while you at once possessed a quarter of a million, and lived in luxury yourself, nonagenarian as you were, you used to supply a youth of eighteen with just sixpence. And as for you, Mr. Akarnanian (for he, too, was uttering groans, and imprecating curses on Myrtium), why do you blame Eros, when you ought to accuse yourself? you who, while you never trembled at the enemy in battle, but used to fight, regardless of danger, in the front ranks, were caught, admirable man, by the made-up tears and sighs of a common prostitute! As for Blepsias, he anticipated blame and accused himself, of his own accord, of excessive folly, in that he hoarded up his money for heirs in no way related to him, thinking, the fool! to live for ever. However, to me they afforded no common amusement by 1 Cf. 'Εταιρῶν Διαλ. their groans then--. But, now we are at the entrance, we must watch and observe carefully the arrivals, while yet at a distance. Bah! they are numerous and various enough, and all in tears, except these newly-born children and infants. Nay, even the very old fellows are bewailing themselves. What's this? Has the magic potion of life, forsooth, got them under its influence? However, I want to question this superannuated old man. -What are you weeping about, dying at your time of life? Why are you indignant, my fine Sir, and that, when you have arrived at a good age? You were, doubtless, some king? Poor Man. Not at all. Diogenes. Well, some satrap or other? Poor Man. Not that, even. Diogenes. Then you were, doubtless, a rich man, and it troubles you, I suppose, to have died and left behind you much luxury? Poor Man. Nothing of that sort; on the contrary, I had arrived at about the full age of ninety years, and led a life of want, sustained by means of my fishing-rod and line, excessively poor, childless, and lame, into the bargain, and half blind. Diogenes. Then, though you were in such a condition, did you wish to go on living? Poor Man. Yes, for the light of day was sweet to me, and to die is a terrible thing and to be avoided. Diogenes. You are bereft of your senses, old man, and behave in the face of inevitable Necessity like a child; and that, though you are a contemporary of the Ferryman there. What, pray, could one in future say as regards the young, when people of your time of life are so fond of living, who ought to pursue Death as the one remedy for the evils essential to old age?-But let us be gone, now, for fear someone may suspect us of wishing to run away, if he sees us crowding about the entrance-gate. XXVIII. MENIPPUS RIDICULES THE STORY OF THE PROPHET TEIRESIAS AS FOUND IN THE POETS AND THEOLOGISTS, AND, IN PARTICULAR, HIS METAMORPHOSIS INTO A WOMAN. 2 Menippus and Teiresias.1 Menippus. Whether, in fact, you are blind, Teiresias, it is no longer easy to distinguish; for the eyes of all of us alike are empty, and only their sockets remain; and, for the rest, you would no longer be able to tell which was Phineus, or which Lynkeus. That, however, you were a prophet, and that you are the only one who has ever been of both sexes-both a man and a woman-I am aware, having heard so from the poets. In heaven's name, therefore, tell me which life did you find by experience the pleasanter-when you were a man, or was the woman's superior? Teiresias. The woman's, Menippus, far away, for it was more free from the cares of life, and the women lord it 1 The famous prophet of Thebes, who figures conspicuously in the Sophoklean drama. His blindness has been variously accounted for. One narrative attributes it to the indignation of Athena, whom he had chanced to see in the bath, who, however, gave him, by way of compensation, the prophetic faculties. His transformation into one of the opposite sex is attributed to his having killed a female serpent, and his double experience induced Zeus to make him arbiter in his dispute with Hera upon the question, which sex has the greater enjoyment; and, when he pronounced in favour of the weaker, the indignant Hera deprived him of sight. See Apollod. iii. 6; Ov. Met. iii. 318-338. Cf. 'Od. xi. where Odysseus, by means of his barbarous magic rites, evokes the spectres of the dead. 2 Phineus, the Thracian king and prophet in one, famous as having been the especial object of the persecution of the 'Apπviaι (on account of his cruelty to his sons), and as the instructor of the Argonauts. The cause of his blindness is variously given. See Apollod. i. 9, 21, 22; iii. 14, 7; Apollonius, 'Apy. Milton celebrates the blind prophets and poets of Hellas in the well-known passage in his Par. Lost :— "Blind Thamyris, and blind Mæonides, (iii. 35.) |