Persa, or The Persian (548b-576)

I approve of your advice.

Doesn’t Athens seem to you a rich and opulent place?

I’ve seen the appearance of the city; the customs of the people I’ve observed but little of.

At the very outset has she forborne to make a wise remark.

I cannot by her very first words form an estimate of her wisdom.

What as to that which you have seen? How does the city seem fortified to you, with its wall?

If the inhabitants have good morals, I think it’s properly fortified.

If Perfidiousness, and Peculation, and Avarice are exiled from the city, Envy in the fourth place, Ambition in the fifth, Scandal in the sixth, Perjury in the seventh.

Bravo!

Idleness in the eighth, Injustice in the ninth, Immorality, which is the very worst in its attack, in the tenth.

If these things shall not be away from it, a wall a hundred-fold were too little for preserving its interests.

What say you?

What do you mean?

You are among those ten companions; you must depart in banishment from here.

Why so?

Because you are perjured.

Really she has spoken not without some cleverness.

That’s to your advantage, I say; you buy her.

Upon my faith, the more I look at her, the more she pleases me.

If you do buy her,

immortal Gods, no other Procurer will be more wealthy than yourself; at your will you’ll be turning people out of their estates and households; you’ll be transacting business with men of the highest rank; they’ll be longing for your favour; they’ll be coming to make merry at your house.

But I shan’t allow them to be admitted.

But then at night they’ll be singing[*] before your threshold, and be burning down your door;

do you at once order your house to be fastened with a door of iron[*], change for a house of iron, fix in thresholds of iron, a bar of iron and a ring; if you don’t prove sparing of the iron, do you order thick fetters of iron to be rivetted upon yourself.

Away to utter perdition!

Go then, make purchase of her, and follow my advice.

Only let me know how much he asks for her.

Should you like me to call him here?

I’ll go to him.

How fare you, guest?