STREPSIADES. Not that, not that, but the art of false reasoning. SOCRATES. But you must first learn other things. Come, what are the male quadrupeds? STREPSIADES. Oh! I know the males thoroughly. Do you take me for a fool then? The ram, the buck, the bull, the dog, the pigeon. SOCRATES. Do you see what you are doing; is not the female pigeon called the same as the male? STREPSIADES. How else? Come now? SOCRATES. How else? With you then 'tis pigeon and pigeon! STREPSIADES. 'Tis true, by Posidon! but what names do you want me to give them? SOCRATES. Term the female pigeonnette and the male pigeon. STREPSIADES. Pigeonnette! hah! by the Air! That's splendid! for that lesson bring out your kneading-trough and I will fill him with flour to the brim. SOCRATES. There you are wrong again; you make _trough_ masculine and it should be feminine. STREPSIADES. What? if I say _him_, do I make the _trough_ masculine? SOCRATES. Assuredly! would you not say him for Cleonymus? STREPSIADES. Well? SOCRATES. Then trough is of the same gender as Cleonymus? STREPSIADES. Oh! good sir! Cleonymus never had a kneading-trough;[535] he used a round mortar for the purpose. But come, tell me what I _should_ say? SOCRATES. For trough you should say _her_ as you would for Sostraté.[536] STREPSIADES. _Her_? SOCRATES. In this manner you make it truly female. STREPSIADES. That's it! _Her_ for trough and _her_ for Cleonymus.[537] SOCRATES. Now I must teach you to distinguish the masculine proper names from those that are feminine. STREPSIADES. Ah! I know the female names well. SOCRATES. Name some then. STREPSIADES. Lysilla, Philinna, Clitagora, Demetria. SOCRATES. And what are masculine names? STREPSIADES. They are countless--Philoxenus, Melesias, Amynias. SOCRATES. But, wretched man, the last two are not masculine. STREPSIADES. You do not reckon them masculine? SOCRATES. Not at all. If you met Amynias, how would you hail him? STREPSIADES. How? Why, I should shout, "Hi! hither, Amyni_a_!"[538] SOCRATES. Do you see? 'tis a female name that you give him. STREPSIADES. And is it not rightly done, since he refuses military service? But what use is there in learning what we all know? SOCRATES. You know nothing about it. Come, lie down there. STREPSIADES. What for? SOCRATES. Ponder awhile over matters that interest you. STREPSIADES. Oh! I pray you, not there! but, if I must lie down and ponder, let me lie on the ground. SOCRATES. 'Tis out of the question. Come! on to the couch! STREPSIADES. What cruel fate! What a torture the bugs will this day put me to! SOCRATES. Ponder and examine closely, gather your thoughts together, let your mind turn to every side of things; if you meet with a difficulty, spring quickly to some other idea; above all, keep your eyes away from all gentle sleep. STREPSIADES. Oh, woe, woe! oh, woe, woe! SOCRATES. What ails you? why do you cry so?