On the instant, then, you will be approached by
a vigorous man with hard muscles and a manly
stride, who shows heavy tan on his body, and is
bold-eyed and alert. He is the guide of the rough
road, and he will talk a lot of nonsense to you, the
poor simpleton. In exhorting you to follow him, he
will point out the footprints of Demosthenes and
of Plato, and one or two more—great prints, I grant
you, too great for men of nowadays, but for the
most part dim and indistinct through lapse of time;
and he will say that you will have good fortune and
will contract a lawful marriage with Rhetoric if you




 

follow these footprints like a rope-dancer; but if
you should make even a slight mis-step, or set your
foot out of them, or let your weight sway you
somewhat to one side, you will fall from the direct
road that leads to the marriage. Then he will tell
you to imitate those ancient worthies, and will set
you fusty models for your speeches, far from easy to
copy, resembling sculptures in the early manner
such as those of Hegesias and of Critius and Nesiotes Pre-Phidian sculptors, Hegesias famous for his Dioscuri, Critius and Nesiotes for their joint work, the Tyrant Slayers (Harmodius and Aristogeiton). 
—wasp-waisted, sinewy, hard, meticulously definite
in their contours. And he will say that hard work,
scant sleep, abstention from wine, and untidiness are
necessary and indispensable; it is impossible, says
he, to get over the road without them. What is
most vexatious of all, even the time which he
will prescribe to you for the journey will be very
long——many years, for he counts not by days and
months, but by whole Olympic cycles, i.e., of four years. so that you
will be foredone in advance as you listen and will
forswear your project, bidding a fond farewell to
the good fortune that you expected. Besides, he
demands no small fee for all these hardships; in
fact, he would not guide you unless he should get a
huge sum in advance.