At last, after a long lapse of time, when the feast of Cronus

The Greek festival that corresponded to the Roman Saturnalia.

or the Panathenaic festival comes, you are sent a beggarly scarf or a flimsy undergarment. Then by all means there must be a long and impressive procession. The first man, who has overheard his master still discussing the matter, immediately runs and tells you in advance, and goes away with a generous fee for his announcement, paid in advance. In the morning a baker’s dozen of them come bringing it, and each one tells you: “I talked about it a great deal!” “I jogged his memory!” “It was left to me, and I chose the finest one!’ So all of them depart with a tip, and even grumble that you did not give more.

As to your pay itself, it is a matter of two obols, or four, at a time, and when you ask for it you are a bore and a nuisance. So, in order to get it you must flatter and wheedle the master and pay court to his steward too, but in another way; and you must not neglect his friend and adviser, either. As what you get is already owing to a clothier or doctor or shoemaker, his gifts are no gifts and profit you nothing.

An allusion to Sophocles, Ajax665: ἐχθρῶν ἄδωρα δῶρα κοὺκ ὀνήσιμα.