When he was taking a bath and hesitated to
enter the steaming water, a man reproached him
with cowardice. “Tell me,’ said he, “was my
country at stake in the matter?”
 
When someone asked him: “What do you
think it is like in Hades?” he replied: “Wait a
bit, and I'll send you word from there!”

 

A vile poet named Admetus told him that he
had written an epitaph in a single line and had given
instructions in his will to have it carved on his tomb- .
stone. I may as well quote it exactly:
 Earth, in thy bosom receive Admetus’s husk; he’s a god now! 
Demonax said with a laugh: “The epitaph is so fine
that I wish it were already carved!”

 


A man saw on the legs of Demonax a
discoloration of the sort that is natural to old
people, and enquired:

 

“What’s that, Demonax?”’
With a smile he said: “The ferryman’s toothmark!”