But, Timokles, darling of the gods, you
would have seen that our pilot was always devising something to our advantage and making his
arrangements at the proper time, and giving his
commands to the sailors in good season, and that
there was nothing useless or foolish about the
ship. On the contrary, everything was altogether
useful and necessary to their management of her.
But this pilot of yours, whom you suppose to
stand at the helm of this great ship, and his crew,
do not order a single thing sensibly or as it ought
to be. The forestay is hauled aft if it so happens,
and the sheets forward. Sometimes the anchors
are of gold, while the stern is ornamented with
lead. Under water the ship's lines are good, but