But who is this coming up in hot haste, the
one of bronze, with the fine tooling and the fine
contours, with his hair tied up in the old-fashioned
way ? Oh yes, it is your brother, Hermes, the
one of the public square, beside the Painted Porch."As you go toward the portico that is called Poikile because of its paintings, there is a bronze Hermes, called Agoraios (of the square), and a gate close by” (Pausan. 1, 15,1). Playing upon "Hermes Agoraios,” Zeus dubs him Hermagoras, after a well-known rhetorician.
At any rate he is all covered with pitch from being
cast every day by the sculptors. My lad, what brings
you here at a run? Do you bring us news from
earth, by any chance?
Important news, Zeus, that requires unlimited
attention.
Tell me whether we have overlooked anything
else in the way of conspiracy.
It fell just now that they who work in bronzeHad smeared me o’er with pitch on breast and back ;A funny corslet round my body hung,Conformed by imitative clevernessTo take the full impression of the bronze.I saw a crowd advancing with a pairOf sallow bawlers, warriors with words,Hight Damis, one—A parody on Euripides; compare Orest. 866, 871, 880.
Leave off your bombast, my good Hermagoras; I
know the men you mean. But tell me whether they
have been in action long.
Not very; they were still skirmishing, slinging
abuse at each other at long range.