The Scythian or Consul (9)

LYCINUS

Well, I followed and believed most of what you said, Hermotimus, that they become wise and brave and just and so on; in a way your description held me in a sort of spell. But when you said they despised riches and glory and pleasures and were not angry or grieved, there (we are alone) I came to a stop. I remembered something I saw a certain person doing the other day—shall I name him? Or is it enough to leave him anonymous?

HERMOTIMUS

Not at all. Please tell me who he was.

LYCINUS

This very teacher of yours—in general he deserves respect and is now quite old.

HERMOTIMUS

What was he doing?

LYCINUS

You know the stranger from Heraclea who has studied philosophy under him a long time, the one with yellow hair, a quarrelsome fellow?

HERMOTIMUS

I know the man you mean. He’s called Dion.

LYCINUS

That is the man. Well! it seems he didn’t pay his fee on time, and the other day your teacher in a temper pulled the man’s cloak round his neck and

shouted and dragged him off to the magistrate. If some friends of the young fellow had not come between them and pulled him from his grasp, the old man would certainly have taken hold of him and bitten his nose off, he was so angry.