What are you saying, fellow? exclaimed Protus immediately. (This was the name of the man who imported the grain, and who owed us the money.) Is it you who have given money to Hegestratus, you who aided him to deceive the others, that he might borrow of them? Would you who often heard him say that those who ventured their money would lose it, would you, I say, hearing this, have ventured yours? Yes, said he impudently. Well, then, interrupted one of those present, if what you say is never so true, your partner and fellow-countryman, Hegestratus, has taken you in, it appears, and for that has passed sentence of death upon himself, and is dead.

Yes, said another of the bystanders, and that this fellow has co-operated with Hegestratus in the whole matter, I will give you a proof. For before the attempt was made to cut through the ship’s bottom, this man and Hegestratus deposited with one of the ship’s company a written agreement. Yet, if you had confidence in him when you gave the money, why should you have sought some security for yourself before the crime? But if you distrusted him, why did you not, like the others, get a legal acknowledgement before sailing?