_Sos_. Now suppose a man commits a murder under compulsion of a power which he cannot resist, an executioner, for instance, at the bidding of a judge, or a bodyguard at that of a tyrant. Who is the murderer, according to you? _Mi_. The judge, of course, or the tyrant. As well ask whether the sword is guilty, which is but the tool of his anger who is prime mover in the affair. _Sos_. I am indebted to you for a further illustration of my argument. Again: a slave, sent by his master, brings me gold or silver; to whom am I to be grateful? who goes down on my tablets as a benefactor? _Mi_. The sender; the bringer is but his minister. _Sos_. Observe then your injustice! You punish us who are but the slaves of Clotho's bidding, and reward these, who do but minister to another's beneficence. For it will never be said that it was in our power to gainsay the irresistible ordinances of Fate? _Mi_. Ah, Sostratus; look closely enough, and you will find plenty of inconsistencies besides these. However, I see you are no common pirate, but a philosopher in your way; so much you have gained by your questions. Let him go, Hermes; he shall not be punished after that. But mind, Sostratus, you must not put it into other people's heads to ask questions of this kind. F. MENIPPUS A NECROMANTIC EXPERIMENT _Menippus. Philonides_ _Me_. All hail, my roof, my doors, my hearth and home! How sweet again to see the light and thee! _Phi_. Menippus the cynic, surely; even so, or there are visions about. Menippus, every inch of him. What has he been getting himself up like that for? sailor's cap, lyre, and lion-skin? However, here goes.—How are you, Menippus? where do _you_ spring from? You have disappeared this long time. _Me_. Death's lurking-place I leave, and those dark gates Where Hades dwells, a God apart from Gods. _Phi_. Good gracious! has Menippus died, all on the quiet, and come to life for a second spell? _Me_. Not so; a _living_ guest in Hades I. _Phi_. But what induced you to take this queer original journey? _Me_. Youth drew me on—too bold, too little wise. _Phi_. My good man, truce to your heroics; get off those iambic stilts, and tell me in plain prose what this get-up means; what did you want with the lower regions? It is a journey that needs a motive to make it attractive. _Me_. Dear friend, to Hades' realms I needs must go, To counsel with Tiresias of Thebes. _Phi_. Man, you must be mad; or why string verses instead of talking like one friend with another? _Me_. My dear fellow, you need not be so surprised. I have just been in Euripides's and Homer's company; I suppose I am full to the throat with verse, and the numbers come as soon as I open my mouth. But how are things going up here? what is Athens about? _Phi_. Oh, nothing new; extortion, perjury, forty per cent, face-grinding.