_Ly._ Oh, you needn't be so hasty. I will tell you, if you are so set upon it; only don't repeat it to everybody. _Phi._ If I know anything whatever of you, you will take good care of that; you will not leave me many to repeat it to. Now begin with telling me what Aristaenetus was giving the banquet for; was it his boy Zeno's wedding? _Ly._ No, his girl Cleanthis's--to the son of Eucritus the banker, a student of philosophy. _Phi._ I know; a fine lad; only a lad, though; old enough to marry? _Ly._ Well, he was the most _suitable_ to be had, I suppose. He is a well-behaved youngster, has taken up philosophy, and is sole heir to a rich father; so he was the selected bridegroom. _Phi._ Ah, no doubt Eucritus's money is a consideration. Well, and who were the guests? _Ly._ Why, I need not give you the whole list; what you want is the philosophers and men of letters. There was the old Stoic Zenothemis, and with him 'Labyrinth' Diphilus; Aristaenetus's son Zeno is his pupil. The Peripatetics were represented by Cleodemus--the ready, argumentative person--you know him; 'Sword,' and 'Cleaver,' his disciples call him. And then there was Hermon the Epicurean; directly he came in, there were queer looks and edgings away in the Stoic contingent; he might have been a parricide or an outlaw, by the way they treated him. These had been asked as Aristaenetus's personal friends and intimates, under which head come also Histiaeus the literary man and Dionysodorus the rhetorician. Then Chaereas (that is the bridegroom's name) was responsible for his tutor Ion the Platonic--a grave reverend man remarkable for the composure of his expression. He is generally spoken of as 'The Standard,' so infallible is his judgement. As he walked up the room, everybody got out of his way and saluted him like some higher being; the great Ion's presence is like an angel's visit. When nearly all the guests had arrived, and we were to take our places, the ladies occupied the whole of the table to the right of the entrance; there were a good many of them, surrounding the closely veiled bride. The table at the far end accommodated the general company, in due precedence.