"Yes, certainly, certainly, certainly. I have in fact just come here
to--announce his victory."
"He lies," broke in Xantippe.
"I jested with the pair. There will be a triumphal procession, then,
for Cleon! How fine!"
"Socrates," continued Anytos, "are you not glad?"
"I am glad that the enemy is beaten."
"But not that Cleon has won a victory?"
"Yes, it is nearly the same thing."
Xantippe seized the opportunity and struck in: "He is not glad, and
he does not believe in Cleon."
"I know you," concluded Anytos. "I know you philosophers and
quibblers! But take care!--And now, Alcibiades, come and receive the
despised Cleon, who has saved the fatherland!"
Alcibiades took Socrates by the hand, and whispered in his ear.
"What a cursed mischance! Well, not yet!--but the next time!"
ALCIBIADES
Kartaphalos, the shoemaker, sat in his shop by the Acarnanian Gate,
and repaired cothurns for the Dionysian theatre, which was about to
make a last attempt to revive the tragic drama, which had been
eclipsed by the farces of Aristophanes. The Roman Lucillus lounged
at the window-sill, and, since philosophy had been brought into
fashion by Socrates and the Sophists, the shoemaker and the exiled
Decemvir philosophised as well as they could.
"Roman!" said Kartaphalos, "you are a stranger in the city, as I am:
what do think of the state and the Government?"
"They are exactly like the Roman.
Pages:
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73