Menippus

Have his beard off too, Hermes; only look what a ponderous bush of a thing! There’s a good five pounds’ weight there.

Hermes

Yes; the beard must go.

A Philosopher

And who shall shave me?

Hermes

Menippus here shall take it off with the carpenter’s axe; the gangway will serve for a block.

Menippus

Oh, can’t I have a saw, Hermes? It would be much better fun.

Hermes

The axe must serve.—Shrewdly chopped!—Why, you look more like a man and less like a goat already.

Menippus

A little off the eyebrows?

Hermes

Why, certainly; he has trained them up all over his forehead, for reasons best known to himself—Worm! what, snivelling? afraid of death? Oh, get on board with you.

Menippus

He has still got the biggest thumper of all under his arm.

Hermes

What’s that?

Menippus

Flattery; many is the good turn that has done him.

A Philosopher

Oh, all right, Menippus; suppose you leave your independence behind you, and your plain-speaking, and your indifference, and your high spirit, and your jests!—No one else here has a jest about him.

Hermes

Don’t you, Menippus! you stick to them; useful commodities, these, on shipboard; light and handy.—