SOCRATES. "I would you were hung!" What a stupid speech! and so emphatically spoken! How can one ever get out of an accusation with such a tone, summon witnesses or touch or convince? And yet when we think, Hyperbolus learnt all this for one talent! STREPSIADES. Rest undisturbed and teach him. 'Tis a most intelligent nature. Even when quite little he amused himself at home with making houses, carving boats, constructing little chariots of leather, and understood wonderfully how to make frogs out of pomegranate rinds. Teach him both methods of reasoning, the strong and also the weak, which by false arguments triumphs over the strong; if not the two, at least the false, and that in every possible way. SOCRATES. 'Tis Just and Unjust Discourse themselves that shall instruct him.[546] STREPSIADES. I go, but forget it not, he must always, always be able to confound the true. JUST DISCOURSE. Come here! Shameless as you may be, will you dare to show your face to the spectators? UNJUST DISCOURSE. Take me where you list. I seek a throng, so that I may the better annihilate you. JUST DISCOURSE. Annihilate me! Do you forget who you are? UNJUST DISCOURSE. I am Reasoning. JUST DISCOURSE. Yes, the weaker Reasoning.[547] UNJUST DISCOURSE. But I triumph over you, who claim to be the stronger. JUST DISCOURSE. By what cunning shifts, pray? UNJUST DISCOURSE. By the invention of new maxims. JUST DISCOURSE. ... which are received with favour by these fools. UNJUST DISCOURSE. Say rather, by these wiseacres. JUST DISCOURSE. I am going to destroy you mercilessly. UNJUST DISCOURSE. How pray? Let us see you do it. JUST DISCOURSE. By saying what is true. UNJUST DISCOURSE. I shall retort and shall very soon have the better of you. First, I maintain that justice has no existence. JUST DISCOURSE. Has no existence? UNJUST DISCOURSE. No existence! Why, where are they? JUST DISCOURSE. With the gods. UNJUST DISCOURSE. How then, if justice exists, was Zeus not put to death for having put his father in chains? JUST DISCOURSE. Bah! this is enough to turn my stomach! A basin, quick! UNJUST DISCOURSE. You are an old driveller and stupid withal. JUST DISCOURSE. And you a debauchee and a shameless fellow. UNJUST DISCOURSE. Hah! What sweet expressions! JUST DISCOURSE. An impious buffoon! UNJUST DISCOURSE. You crown me with roses and with lilies. JUST DISCOURSE. A parricide. UNJUST DISCOURSE. Why, you shower gold upon me. JUST DISCOURSE. Formerly, 'twas a hailstorm of blows. UNJUST DISCOURSE. I deck myself with your abuse. JUST DISCOURSE. What impudence! UNJUST DISCOURSE. What tomfoolery! JUST DISCOURSE. 'Tis because of you that the youth no longer attends the schools. The Athenians will soon recognize what lessons you teach those who are fools enough to believe you. UNJUST DISCOURSE. You are overwhelmed with wretchedness.