The Downward Journey, or the Tyrant (6-10)

CLOTHO Bring in the wounded next, Hermes. (To the DEAD) First tell me what deaths brought you

here—but no, I myself will refer to my papers and pass you. Eighty-four should have died in battle yesterday in Media, among them Gobares, the son of Oxyartas.

HERMES Here they are!

CLOTHO Seven committed suicide for love, among them the philosopher Theagenes for the courtesan from Megara.[*] HERMES Right here beside you.

CLOTHO Where are the men who killed each other fighting for the throne?

HERMES Here they stand.

CLOTHO And the man who was murdered by his wife and her lover ?

HERMES There beside you.

CLOTHO Now bring in the output of the courts, I mean those who died by the scourge and the cross. And where are the sixteen who were killed by pirates, Hermes ?

HERMES Here they are, these wounded men whom you see. Do you want me to bring in all the women together ?

CLOTHO By all means, and also those lost at sea, for they died in the same way. And those who died of the fever, bring them in together, too, and their doctor Agathocles along with them.

Where is the philosopher Cyniscus, who was to die from eating the dinner of Hecate and the lustral eggs and a raw squid besides ?[*] CYNISCUS Ihave been standing at your elbow a long time, kind Clotho. What have I done that you should leave me on earth so long? Why, you nearly ran off your whole spindle for me! In spite of that, I have often tried to cut the thread and come, but somehow or other it could not be broken.

CLOTHO I left you behind to observe and prescribe for the sins of man. But get aboard, and good luck to you. :

CYNISCUS No, by Heaven, not till we have put this man in fetters aboard. I am afraid he may come it over you with his entreaties.

CLOTHO Come, let’s see who he is.

CYNISCUS Megapenthes,[*] son of Lacydes, a tyrant.

CLOTHO Aboard with you !

MEGAPENTHES Oh no, good lady Clotho! Do let me go back to earth for a little while. Then [ll come of my own accord, you will find, without being summoned by anyone.

CLOTHO Why is it that you want to go back ?

MEGAPENTHES Let me finish my house first, for the building has been left half-done.

CLOTHO Nonsense! Come, get aboard.

MEGAPENTHES It’s not much time that I ask for, Lady of Destiny ; let me stay just this one day, till I can give my wife directions about my money—the place where I kept my great treasure buried.

CLOTHO It is settled ; you can’t be permitted.

MEGAPENTHES Then is all that gold to be lost?

CLOTHO No, it will not be lost. Be easy on that score your cousin Megacles will get it.

MEGAPENTHES What an outrage! My enemy, whom I was too easy-going to put to death before I died ?

CLOTHO The very man ; and he will outlive you forty years and a little more, taking over your concubines and your clothing and all your plate.

MEGAPENTHES You are unjust, Clotho, to bestow my property on my worst enemies.

CLOTHO Why, did not it formerly belong to Cydimachus, and did not you take it over after killing him and slaughtering his children upon him while the breath was still in his body ?

MEGAPENTHES But it was mine now.

CLOTHO Well, the term of your ownership has now expired.

MEGAPENTHES Listen, Clotho, to something that I have to say to you in private, with nobody else listening. (Yo the others.) You people stand aside a moment. (Yo ctoruo) If you let me run away, I promise to give you a thousand talents of coined gold to-day.

CLOTHO What, you ridiculous creature, have you gold and talents still on the brain ?

MEGAPENTHES And I'll give you also, if you wish, the two winebowls that I got when I put Cleocritus to death ; they are of refined gold and weigh a hundred talents each.

CLOTHO Hale him off: it seems that he won’t go aboard willingly.

MEGAPENTHES I call you all to witness, the town wall and the docks remain unfinished. I could have finished them if I had lived only five days longer.

CLOTHO Never mind ; someone else will build the wall.

MEGAPENTHES But this request at all events is reasonable.

CLOTHO What request ?

MEGAPENTHES To live only long enough to subdue the Pisidians and subject the Lydians to tribute, and to build myself a huge mausoleum and inscribe on it all the great military exploits of my life.

CLOTHO Why, man, you are no longer asking for this one day, but for a stay of nearly twenty years !

MEGAPENTHES But I tell you I am ready to give bail for my speedy return. If you wish, I’ll even surrender you my beloved as a substitute for myself.

CLOTHO Vile wretch! Have not you often prayed that he night outlast you on earth?

MEGAPENTHES That was long ago, but now I perceive whawi is for the best.

CLOTHO He too will soon be here, you'll find, slain by the new ruler.