The Scythian or Consul (12)

Who won the argument, Lycinus, my teacher or Euthydemus? Did Midas say anything to this effect?

At first, it seems, they were level, but in the end victory was on the side of you Stoics, and the old man was well in front. At any rate they say that Euthydemus didn’t get away unscathed: he was badly wounded in the head. You see he was pretentious and argumentative and wouldn’t be convinced and didn’t show himself ready to take criticism, so your excellent teacher hit him with a cup as big as Nestor’s [*] which he had in his hand (he was lying quite near him), and so he won.

Well done! That’s just how to treat those who won’t give way to their betters!

Very reasonable, Hermotimus. What possessed Euthydemus to irritate an old man so placid and a master of his temper, who had such a heavy cup in his hand?