POSEIDON 
For my part I am pretty much subaqueous, as you
know, and live by myself in the depths, doing my
best to rescue sailors, speed vessels on their course
and calm the winds. Nevertheless I am interested
in matters here too, and I say that this Damis should
be put out of the way before he enters the dispute,
either with a thunderbolt or by some other means,
for fear that he may get the better of it in the
argument ; for you say, Zeus, that he is a plausible
fellow. At the same time we'll show them how we
punish people who say such things against us.
 ZEUS 
Are you joking, Poseidon, or have you completely
forgotten that nothing of the sort is in our power,
but the Fates decide by their spinning that one man
is to die by a thunderbolt, another by the sword
and another by fever or consumption? If it lay in
my power, do you suppose I would have let the
temple-robbers get away from Olympia the other
day unscathed by my thunderbolt, when they had
shorn off two of my curls weighing six pounds apiece?
Or would you yourself at Geraestus have allowed the
fisherman from Oreus to filch your trident? Besides,

 

it will look as if we were getting angry because we
have been injured, and as if we feared the arguments of Damis and were making away with him
for that reason, without waiting for him to be put
to the proof by Timocles. Shall we not seem, then,
to be winning by default if we win in that way?
 POSEIDON 
Why, I supposed I had thought of a short cut to
victory ?
 ZEUS 
Avast ! a stockfish idea, Poseidon, downright stupid,
to make away with your adversary in advance so that
he may die undefeated, leaving the question still in
dispute and unsettled !
 POSEIDON 
Well, then, the rest of you think of something
else that is better, since you relegate my ideas to the
stockfish in that fashion.
 APOLLO 
If we young fellows without beards were permitted
by law to take the floor, perhaps I might have made
some contribution to the debate.
 MOMUS 
In the first place, Apollo, the debate is on such
great issues that the right to speak does not go by
age but is open to all alike ; for it would be delicious
if when we were in direst danger we quibbled about
our rights under the law. Secondly, according to law _
you are already fully entitled to the floor, for you
came of age long ago and are registered in the list
of the Twelve Gods and almost were a member of
the council in the days of Cronus. So don’t play
the boy with us: say what you think boldly, and

 

don’t be sensitive about speaking without a beard
when you have such a long-bearded, hairy-faced son
in Asclepius. Besides, it would be in order for you
to show your wisdom now or never, unless you sit
on Helicon and talk philosophy with the Muses for
nothing.
 APOLLO 
But it is not for you to give such permission,
Momus; it is for Zeus, and if he lets me perhaps
I may say something not without sweetness and
light and worthy of my study on Helicon.
 ZEUS 
Speak, my boy: I give you permission.