Really I quite long to tell you. First of all we were conveyed to Pontus, to the land of ArabiaLand of Arabia: He gets out of depth directly he leaves imaginary places and touches on real countries. He makes Arabia to be in Pontus, while they were realy about two thousand miles asunder. CHARMIDESHow now; is Arabia then in Pontus?A SHARPER.It is. Not that Arabia where frankincense is produced, but where the wormwood growsWormwood grows: If he really refers here to Pontus. he accidentally hits upon the truth. Ovid, when in banishment there, says, in the Tristia, B. v. El. 13, l. 21, Let the white wormwood first be wanting in the freezing Pontus. The Sharper tries to correct himself by saying he means another Arabia, and not the one generally known, where the frankincense grows., and the wild marjoram which the poultry love.CHARMIDES(aside.)An extremely ingenious knave this. But the greater simpleton I, to be asking of this fellow from what place I have come back, a thing which I know, and he does not know; except that I have a mind to try how he will get out of it at last. But what say you further? Whither did you go next from thence?A SHARPER.If you give me your attention, I will tell you.To the source of the river which arises out of the heavens, from beneath the throne of Jupiter.CHARMIDESBeneath the throne of Jupiter?A SHARPER.Yes: I say so.CHARMIDESOut of the heavens?A SHARPER.Aye, out of the very middle.CHARMIDESHow now; and did you ascend even to the heavens?A SHARPER.Yes: we were carried in a little skiffIn a little skiff: Horiola, or horia, was a small skiff or smack used by fishermen. right on, up the river, against the tide.CHARMIDESAnd did you see Jupiter as well?A SHARPER.The other Gods said that he had gone to his country-house, to dole out the victuals for his slaves. Then, after that—CHARMIDESThen after that—I don’t want you to relate anything more.A SHARPER.Troth, I’m silent, if it’s troublesome.CHARMIDESWhy, no decent personNo decent person: He is supposed covertly to allude to the disgraceful story at Ganymede being carried off by the eagle to minister to the lust of Jupiter. ought to tell it, who has gone from the earth to heaven.A SHARPER.I’ll leave you, as I see you wish it. But point me out these persons whom I am looking for, and to whom I must deliver these letters. CHARMIDESWhat say you? If now perchance you were to see Charmides himself, him, I mean, who you say gave you these letters, would you know the man?A SHARPER.By my troth now, do you take me to be a brute beast, who really am not able to recognise the person with whom I have been spending my life? And would he have been such a fool as to entrust to me a thousand Philippean pieces, which gold he bade me carry to his son, and to his friend Callicles, to whom he said that he had entrusted his affairs? Would he have entrusted them to me if he had not known me, and I him, very intimately?CHARMIDES(aside.)I really have a longing now to swindle this swindler, if I can cozen him out of these thousand Philippean pieces which he has said that I have given to him. A person, that I know not who he is, and have never beheld him with my eyes before this day, should I be entrusting gold to him? A man, to whom, if his life were at stake, I would not entrust a dump of lead. This fellow must be adroitly dealt with by me. Hallo! Mister Hush, I want three words with you.A SHARPER.Even three hundred, if you like.CHARMIDESHave you that gold which you received from Charmides?A SHARPER.Yes, and Philippeans, too, counted out on the table with his own hand, a thousand pieces.CHARMIDESYou received it, you mean, from Charmides himself?A SHARPER.’Twere a wonder if I had received it of his father, or of his grandfather, who are dead.