HERMES Our friend Timon is digging ina hilly and stony piece of ground close by. Oho, Poverty is with him, and so is Toil; likewise Endurance, Wisdom, Manliness, and the whole host of their fellows that serve under Captain Starvation, a far better sort than your henchmen.

RICHES Then why not beat a retreat as quickly as possible, Hermes? We can’t accomplish anything worth mentioning with a man that is hedged in by such an army.

HERMES Zeus thought differently, so let’s not be cowardly.

POVERTY Where are you going with that person whom you have by the hand, Hermes?

HERMES Zeus sent us to Timon here.

POVERTY Is he sending Riches to Timon now, when I have made a noble and a valuable man of him, after taking him over in a wretched plight that was due to Luxury and putting him in charge of Wisdom and Toil? Then am I, Poverty, so easy to slight, think you, and so easy to wrong that I can be robbed of my only possession after I have thoroughly perfected him in virtue, in order that Riches, taking him over again and giving him into the hands of Insolence and Pride, may make him soft, unmanly and base as before, and then return him to me reduced to a clout?

HERMES It was the will of Zeus, Poverty.