no answer ready, but thereafter turned his attention to the disputants. Then Hermes made this proclamation:) Ἄρχει μὲν ἀγὼν τῶν καλλίστων ἄθλων ταμίας, καιρὸς δὲ καλεῖ μηκέτι μέλλειν. ἀλλὰ κλύοντες τὰν ἁμετέραν [319] κήρυκα βοὰν οἱ πρὶν βασιλῆς, ἔθνεα πολλὰ δουλωσάμενοι καὶ πολέμοισι δάιον ἔγχος θήξαντες, ὁμοῦ γνώμης τε μέγαν πινυτόφρονα νοῦν, ἴτ᾽, ἐς ἀντίπαλον [B] ἵστασθε κρίσιν, οἷς τε φρόνησιν τέλος ὀλβίστης θέσθαι βιοτῆς, οἷς τ᾽ ἀντιβίους κακὰ πόλλ᾽ ἔρχαι καὶ χρηστὰ φίλους τέκμαρ βιότου νενόμιστο καλοῦ, οἷς θ᾽ ἡδίστην ἀπόλαυσιν ἔχειν [C] τέρματα μόχθων δαῖτας τε γάμους τ᾽, ὄμμασι τερπνά, μαλακάς τε φέρειν ἐσθῆτας ὁμοῦ λιθοκολλήτοις περὶ χεῖρας ἄκρας ψελίοισι φάνη μακαριστότατον. νίκης δὲ τέλος Ζηνὶ μελήσει. (“The trial that begins Awards to him who wins The fairest prize to‐day. And lo, the hour is here And summons you. Appear! Ye may no more delay. Come hear the herald’s call Ye princes one and all. Many the tribes of men Submissive to you then! How keen in war your swords! But now ’tis wisdom’s turn; Now let your rivals learn How keen can be your words. Wisdom, thought some, is bliss Most sure in life’s short span; Others did hold no less That power to ban or bless Is happiness for man. But some set Pleasure high, Idleness, feasting, love, All that delights the eye; Their raiment soft and fine, Their hands with jewels shine, Such bliss did they approve. But whose the victory won Shall Zeus decide alone.”(610))