_Zeus_. Now get those benches straight there, and make the place fit to be seen. Bring up the lots, one of you, and put them in line. Give them a rub up first, though; we must have them looking their best, to attract bidders. Hermes, you can declare the sale-room open, and a welcome to all comers.—_For Sale! A varied assortment of Live Creeds. Tenets of every description.—Cash on delivery; or credit allowed on suitable security_. _Hermes_. Here they come, swarming in. No time to lose; we must not keep them waiting. _Zeus_. Well, let us begin. _Her_. What are we to put up first? _Zeus_. The Ionic fellow, with the long hair. He seems a showy piece of goods. _Her_. Step up, Pythagoreanism, and show yourself. _Zeus_. Go ahead. _Her_. Now here is a creed of the first water. Who bids for this handsome article? What gentleman says Superhumanity? Harmony of the Universe! Transmigration of souls! Who bids? _First Dealer_. He looks all right. And what can he do? _Her_. Magic, music, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, jugglery. Prophecy in all its branches. _First D_. Can I ask him some questions? _Her_. Ask away, and welcome. _First D_. Where do you come from? _Py_. Samos. _First D_. Where did you get your schooling? _Py_. From the sophists in Egypt. _First D_. If I buy you, what will you teach me? _Py_. Nothing. I will remind you. _First D_. Remind me? _Py_. But first I shall have to cleanse your soul of its filth. _First D_. Well, suppose the cleansing process complete. How is the reminding done? _Py_. We shall begin with a long course of silent contemplation. Not a word to be spoken for five years. _First D_. You would have been just the creed for Croesus's son! But _I_ have a tongue in my head; I have no ambition to be a statue. And after the five years' silence? _Py_. You will study music and geometry. _First D_. A charming recipe! The way to be wise: learn the guitar. _Py_. Next you will learn to count. _First D_. I can do that already. _Py_. Let me hear you. _First D_. One, two, three, four,— _Py_. There you are, you see. _Four_ (as you call it) is _ten_. Four the perfect triangle. Four the oath of our school. _First D_. Now by Four, most potent Four!—higher and holier mysteries than these I never heard. _Py_. Then you will learn of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water; their action, their movement, their shapes. _First D_. Have Fire and Air and Water _shapes_? _Py_. Clearly. That cannot move which lacks shape and form You will also find that God is a number; an intelligence; a harmony. _First D_. You surprise me. _Py_. More than this, you have to learn that you yourself are not the person you appear to be. _First D_. What, I am some one else, not the I who am speaking to you? _Py_. You are that you now: but you have formerly inhabited another body, and borne another name. And in course of time you will change once more.