‘True,’ said Solon, ‘but, as a matter of fact, the Athenians, though with a popular government, do listen to one proclaimer [Sidenote: D] and ruler in the shape of the law. You have a wonderful gift at understanding ravens and jackdaws, but your hearing of the [Sidenote: *] voice of modesty is indistinct. While you think that a state is best off when it listens, as the God says, to “one”, you believe that the best convivial party is that in which everybody talks on every subject.’ ‘Yes,’ said Aesop, ‘for you have not yet legislated to the effect that “_a slave shall not get tipsy_” is to stand on the same footing with those Athenian ordinances of yours which say “_a slave shall not indulge in love or in dry-rubbing with oil_”.’[29] At this Solon broke into a laugh, and Cleodorus the physician remarked: ‘But, in one respect, talking when the wine is taking effect does stand on the same footing with dry-rubbing—it is very pleasant.’ ‘Consequently,’ [Sidenote: E] broke in Chilon, ‘it is the more to be avoided.’ ‘Yes,’ said Aesop again,[30] ‘Thales did appear to recommend getting old as quickly as possible.’ Periander laughed, and said: ‘Aesop, we have been properly punished for dropping into other questions before bringing forward the whole of those from Amasis, as we proposed. Pray look at the rest of the letter, Niloxenus, and take advantage of the gentlemen being all here together.’ ‘As for that,’ replied Niloxenus, ‘whereas the command sent by the Ethiopian can only be called a “doleful [Sidenote: F] dispatch”—as Archilochus would say—your friend Amasis has shown a fine and more civilized taste in setting such problems. He bade him name the oldest thing, the most beautiful, the greatest, the wisest, the most universal, and—not stopping there—the most beneficent, the most harmful, the most powerful, and the easiest.’ ‘Well, and did his answers give the solution in each case?’ ‘His replies were these,’ said Niloxenus. ‘It is [Sidenote: 153] for you to listen and judge; for the king is very anxious neither to be guilty of pettifogging with the answers, nor to let any slip on the part of the answerer escape without refutation. I will read you the replies as given. _What is the oldest thing?_—_Time._ _What the greatest?_—_The universe._ _What the wisest?_—_Truth._ _What the most beautiful?_—_Light._ _What the most universal?_—_Death._ _What the most beneficent?_—_God._ _What the most harmful?_—_Evil genius._ _What the strongest?_—_Fortune._ _What the easiest?_—_That which is pleasant._’