Voyage To the Lower World (6-10)

Clotho Bring up the wounded next, Hermes. Now I can get to work. Tell me how you were killed. Or no; I had better look at my notes, and call you over. Eighty-four due to be killed in battle yesterday, in Mysia, ‘These to include Gobares, son of Oxyartes.

Hermes Adsunt.

Clotho The seven who killed themselves for love. Also Theagenes, the philosopher, for love of the Megarian courtesan.

Hermes Here they are, look.

Clotho And the rival claimants to thrones, who slew one another?

Hermes Here!

Clotho And the one murdered by his wife and her paramour?

Hermes Straight in front of you,

Clotho Now the victims of the law,—the cudgelled and the crucified. And where are those sixteen who were killed by robbers?

Hermes Here; you may know them by their wounds. Am I to bring the women too?

Clotho Yes, certainly; and all who were shipwrecked; it is the same kind of death. And those who died of fever, bring them too, the doctor Agathocles and all.

Then there was a Cynic philosopher, who was to have succumbed to a dinner with

Cynic Here I stand this long time, my good Clotho. Now what had I done to deserve such a weary spell of life? You gave me pretty nearly a spindleful of it. I often tried to cut the thread and away; but somehow it never would give.

Clotho I left you as a censor and physician of human frailties: pass on, and good luck to you.

Cynic No, by Zeus! First let us see our captive safe on board. Your judgement might be perverted by his entreaties.

Clotho Let me see; who is he?

Hermes Megapenthes, son of Lacydes; tyrant.

Clotho Come up, Megapenthes.

Megapenthes. Nay, nay, my lady Clotho; suffer me to return for a little while, and I will come of my own accord, without waiting to be summoned,

Clotho What do you want to go for?

Megapenthes. I crave permission to complete my palace: I left the building half-finished.

Clotho Pooh! Come along.

Megapenthes. Oh Fate, I ask no long reprieve. Vouchsafe me this one day, that I may inform my wife where my great treasure lies buried.

Clotho Impossible. 'Tis Fate’s decree.

Megapenthes. And all that money is to be thrown away?

Clotho Not thrown away. Be under no uneasiness. Your cousin Megacles will take charge of it.

Megapenthes. Oh, monstrous! My enemy, whom from sheer good-nature I omitted to put to death?

Clotho The same. He will survive you for rather more than forty years; in the full enjoyment of your harem, your wardrobe, and your treasure.

Megapenthes. It is too bad of you, Clotho, to hand over my property to my worst enemy.

Clotho My dear sir, it was Cydimachus’s property first, surely? You only succeeded to it by murdering him, and butchering his children before his eyes.

Megapenthes. Yes, but it was mine after that.

Clotho Well, and now your term of possession expires.

Megapenthes. A word in your ear, madam; no one else must hear this.—Sirs, withdraw for a space.—Clotho, if you will let me escape, I pledge myself to give you a quarter of a million sterling this very day.

Clotho Ha, ha! So your millions are still running in your head?

Megapenthes. Shall I throw in the two mixing-bowls that I got by the murder of Cleocritus? They weigh a couple of tons apiece; refined gold!

Clotho Drag him up. We shall never get him to come on board by himself.

Megapenthes. I call you all to witness! My city-wall, my docks, remain unfinished. I only wanted five days more to complete them.

Clotho Never mind. It will be another’s work now.

Megapenthes. Stay! One request I can make with a clear conscience.

Clotho Well?

Megapenthes. Suffer me only to complete the conquest of Persia; and to impose tribute on Lydia; ... and erect a colossal monument to myself, ... and inscribe thereon the military achievements of my life. Then let me die.

Clotho Creature, this is no single day’s reprieve: you would want something like twenty years.

Megapenthes. Oh, but I am quite prepared to give security for my expeditious return, Nay, I could provide a substitute, if preferred;—my well-beloved!

Clotho Wretch! How often have you prayed that he might survive you!

Megapenthes. That was a long time ago. New,—I see a better use for him.

Clotho But he is due to be here, shortly, let me tell you. He is to be put to death by the new sovereign.