Voyage To the Lower World (13)

Never mind what you would do to them, but come on board. The hour is at hand when you must appear before the tribunal.

And who will presume to give his vote against a tyrant?

Against a tyrant, who indeed? Against a Shade, Rhadamanthus will take that liberty. He is strictly impartial, as you will presently observe, in adapting his sentences to the requirements of individual cases. And now, no more delay.

Dread Fate, let me be some common man,—some

Where is the one with the stick? Hermes, you and he must drag him up feet foremost. He will never come up by himself.

Come along, my runagate. Here you are, skipper. And I say, keep an eye——

Never fear. We'll lash him to the mast.

Look you, I must have the seat of honour.

And why exactly?

Can you ask? Was I not a tyrant, with a guard of ten thousand men?

Oh, dullard! And you complain of Carion’s pulling your hair! Wait till you get a taste of this stick; you shall know what it is to be a tyrant.

What, shall a Cynic dare to raise his staff against me? Sirrah, have you forgotten the other day, when I had all but nailed you to the cross, for letting that sharp censorious tongue of yours wag too freely?

Well, and now it is your turn te be nailed,—to the mast.