XXXII TENANTS AT WILL AUTHOR UNKNOWN I was once the field of Achaemenides, now I am Menippus', and again I shall pass from another to another; for the former thought once that he owned me, and the latter thinks so now in his turn; and I belong to no man at all, but to Fortune. XXXIII PARTING COMPANY AUTHOR UNKNOWN Hope, and thou Fortune, a long farewell; I have found the haven; there is nothing more between me and you; make your sport of those who come after me. XXXIV FORTUNE'S MASTER PALLADAS No more is Hope or Fortune my concern, nor for what remains do I reck of your deceit; I have reached harbour. I am a poor man, but living in Freedom's company I turn my face away from wealth the scorner of poverty. XXXV BREAK OF DAY JULIUS POLYAENUS Hope evermore steals away life's period, till the last morning cuts short all those many businesses. CHAPTER X THE HUMAN COMEDY I PROLOGUE STRATO Seek not on my pages Priam at the altars nor Medea's and Niobe's woes, nor Itys in the hidden chambers, and the nightingales among the leaves; for of all these things former poets wrote abundantly; but mingling with the blithe Graces, sweet Love and the Wine-god; and grave looks become not them. II FLOWER O' THE ROSE DIONYSIUS You with the roses, you are fair as a rose; but what sell you? yourself, or your roses, or both together? III LOST DRINK NICARCHUS At the Hermaea, Aphrodisius, while lifting six gallons of wine for us, stumbled and dealt us great woe. "From wine also perished the Centaur," and ah that we had too! but now it perished from us. IV THE VINTAGE-REVEL LEONIDAS OF TARENTUM To the must-drinking Satyrs and to Bacchus, planter of the vine, Heronax consecrated the first handfuls of his plantation, these three casks from three vineyards, filled with the first flow of the wine; from which we, having poured such libation as is meet to crimson Bacchus and the Satyrs, will drink deeper than they. V SNOW IN SUMMER SIMONIDES