_Zeus_. Oh, splendid! ‘Thine own lips testify against thee,’ says the book; you would have saved Damis some trouble by putting this in his mouth. But who is this breathless messenger? Bronze—a nice clean figure and outline—_chevelure_ rather out of date. Ah, he must be your brother, Hermes, who stands in the Market by the Poecile; I see he is all over pitch; that is what comes of having casts taken of you every day. My son, why this haste? Have you important news from Earth? _Hermag_. Momentous news, calling for infinite energy. _Zeus_. Speak, tarry not, if any peril else hath escaped our vigilance. _Hermag_. It chanced of late that by the statuaries My breast and back were plastered o’er with pitch; A mock cuirass tight-clinging hung, to ape My bronze, and take the seal of its impression. When lo, a crowd! therein a pallid pair Sparring amain, vociferating logic; ’Twas Damis and— _Zeus_. Truce to your iambics, my excellent Hermagoras; I know the pair. But tell me whether the fight has been going on long. _Hermag_. Not yet; they were still skirmishing—slinging invective at long range. _Zeus_. Then we have only, Gods, to look over and listen. Let the Hours unbar, draw back the clouds, and open the doors of Heaven. Upon my word, what a vast gathering! And I do not quite like the looks of Timocles; he is trembling; he has lost his head; he will spoil everything; it is perfectly plain, he will not be able to stand up to Damis. Well, there is one thing left us: we can pray for him Inwardly, silently, lest Damis hear. _Ti. What, you miscreant, no Gods? no Providence? Da. No, no; you answer my question first; what makes you believe in them? Ti. None of that, now; the_ onus probandi _is with you, scoundrel. Da. None of that, now; it is with you. Zeus_. At this game ours is much the better man—louder-voiced, rougher-tempered. Good, Timocles; stick to invective; that is your strong point; once you get off that, he will hook and hold you up like a fish. _Ti. I solemnly swear I will not answer first. Da. Well, put your questions, then; so much you score by your oath. But no abuse, please. Ti. Done. Tell me, then, and be damned to you, do you deny that the Gods exercise providence? Da. I do. Ti. What, are all the events we see uncontrolled, then? Da. Yes. Ti. And the regulation of the universe is not under any God’s care? Da. No. Ti. And everything moves casually, by blind tendency? Da. Yes. Ti. Gentlemen, can you tolerate such sentiments? Stone the blasphemer. Da. What do you mean by hounding them against me? Who are you, that you should protest in the Gods’ name? They do not even protest in their own; they have sent no judgement on me, and they have had time enough to hear me, if they have ears. Ti. They do hear you; they do; and some day their vengeance will find you out.