uld rather
not incur the risk of evil-doing, and why should they?

Ant. And pray, do they repay you these same moneys?

Call. I cannot say they do.

Ant. Well then, do they requite your gifts of gold with gratitude?

Call. No, not so much as a bare "Thank you." In fact, some of them are
even worse disposed towards me when they have got my money than before.

Now, here's a marvel! (exclaimed Antisthenes, and as he spoke he eyed
the witness with an air of triumph). You can render people just to all
the world, but towards yourself you cannot?

Pray, where's the wonder? (asked the other). Do you not see what scores
of carpenters and house-builders there are who spend their time in
building houses for half the world; but for themselves they simply
cannot do it, and are forced to live in lodgings. And so admit that
home-thrust, Master Sophist; (3) and confess yourself confuted.

(3) "Professor of wisdom."

Upon my soul, he had best accept his fate (4) (said Socrates). Why,
after all, you are only like those prophets who proverbially foretell
the future for mankind, but cannot foresee what is coming upon
themselves.

(4) Or, "the coup de grace."

And so the first discussion ended. (5)

(5) Or, "so ended fytte the first of the word-controversy."

Thereupon Niceratus: Lend me your ears, and I will tell you in what
respects you shall be better for consorting with myself. I presume,
without my telling you, you know that Homer, being the wisest of
mankind, has touched upon nearly every human topic in his poems. (6)
Whosoever among you, therefore, would fain be skilled in economy, or
oratory, or strategy; whose ambition it is to be like Achilles, or Ajax,
Nestor, or Odysseus--one and all pay court to me, for I have all this
knowledge at my fingers' ends.

(6) Or, "his creations are all but coextensive with every mortal
thing."

Pray (interposed Antisthenes), (7) do you also know the way to be a
king? (8) since Homer praises Agamemnon, you are well aware, as being

A goodly king and eke a spearman bold. (9)

(7) Some modern critics (e.g. F. Dummler, "Antisthenica," p. 29 foll.)
maintain plausibly that the author is here glancing (as also Plato
in the "Ion") at Antisthenes' own treatises against the
Rhapsodists and on a more correct interpretation of Homer, {peri
exegeton} and {peri 'Omerou}.

(8) Or, "Have you the knowledge also how to play the king?"

(9) "Il." iii. 179. See "Mem