Trygæus.
Ha, ha, ha!
Hierocles.
What are you laughing at?
Trygæus.
Ha, ha! your apes amuse me!
Hierocles.
You simple pigeons, you trust yourselves to foxes, who are all craft, both in mind and heart.
Trygæus.
Oh, you trouble-maker! may your lungs get as hot as this meat!
Hierocles.
Nay, nay! if only the Nymphs had not fooled Bacis, and Bacis mortal men; and if the Nymphs had not tricked Bacis a second time[1] . . .
Trygæus.
May the plague seize you, if you won’t stop wearying us with your Bacis!
Hierocles.
. . . it would not have been written in the book of Fate that the bonds of Peace must be broken; but first . . .
Trygæus.
The meat must be dusted with salt.
Hierocles.
. . .it does not please the blessed gods that we should stop the War until the wolf uniteth with the sheep.
- ↑ Emphatic pathos, incomprehensible even to the diviner himself; this is a satire on the obscure style of the oracles. Bacis was a famous Bœotian diviner.
