Again, on seeing a soothsayer make public forecasts
for money, he said: “1 don’t see on what ground you
claim the fee: if you think you can change destiny
in any way, you ask too little, however much you
ask; but if everything is to turn out as Heaven has
ordained, what good is your soothsaying?”
 
When a Roman ofticer, well-developed physically, gave him an exhibition of sword-practice on a
post, and asked: “What did you think of my
swordsmanship, Demonax?”’ he said: “Fine, if you
have a wooden adversary!”