Commend me for invention to the rogue Who sells fish in the agora. He knows,— In fact there's no mistaking,—that the law Clearly and formally forbids the trick Of reconciling stale fish to the nose By constant watering. But if some poor wight Detect him in the fact, forthwith he picks A quarrel, and provokes his man to blows. He wheels meanwhile about his fish, looks sharp To catch the nick of time, reels, feigns a hurt: And prostrate falls, just in the right position. A friend placed there on purpose, snatches up A pot of water, sprinkles a drop or two, For form's sake, on his face, but by mistake, As you must sure believe, pours all the rest Full on the fish, so that almost you might Consider them fresh caught.—J. A. ST. JOHN. * * * * * ANTIPHANES. (Book vi. § 7, p. 357.) What miserable wretched things are fish! They are not only doom'd to death, to be Devour'd, and buried in the greedy maw Of some voracious glutton, but the knaves Who sell them leave them on their board to rot, And perish by degrees, till having found Some purblind customer, they pass to him Their dead and putrid carcases; but he, Returning home, begins to nose his bargain, And soon disgusted, casts them out with scorn.—ANON. * * * * * ALEXIS. (Book vi. § 8, p. 358.) The rich Aristonicus was a wise And prudent governor; he made a law To this intent, that every fishmonger, Having once fix'd his price, if after that He varied, or took less, he was at once Thrown into prison, that the punishment Due to his crimes, still hanging o'er his head, Might be a check on his rapacity, And make him ask a just and honest price, And carry home his stale commodities. This was a prudent law, and so enforced, That youth or age might safely go to market And bring home what was good at a fair price.—ANON. * * * * * ALEXIS. (Book VI. § 10, p. 359.) I still maintain that fish do hold with men, Living or dead, perpetual enmity. For instance, now, a ship is overset, As sometimes it may happen,—the poor wretches Who might escape the dangers of the sea Are swallow'd quick by some voracious fish. If, on the other hand, the fishermen Enclose the fish, and bring them safe to shore, Dead as they are they ruin those who buy them, For they are sold for such enormous sums That our whole fortune hangs upon the purchase, And he who pays the price becomes a beggar.—ANON. _From the same._ (Book vi. § 12, p. 359.)