Icaromenippus

Lucian of Samosata

Lucian, Vol. 2. Harmon, A. M., editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1915.

TIMON Who is this coming up, with the bald pate? Philiades, the most nauseous toady of them all. He received from me a whole farm and a dower of two talents for his daughter in payment for praising me once, when I had sung a song and everybody else kept still, but he lauded me to the skies, vowing on his word of honour that I was a better singer than a swan. Yet when he saw me ill the other day and I went up to him and begged for alms, the generous fellow bestowed a thrashing on me.

PHILIADES Oh, what effrontery! So you all recognize Timon now? So Gnathonides is his friend and booncompanion now? Then he has had just what he deserved for being so thankless. But we, who are old acquaintances and schoolmates and neighbours,

v.2.p.381

go slow in spite of that, in order not to appear too forward. Good day, sir; be on your guard against these despicable toadies who are only concerned with your table and otherwise are no better than ravens. You can’t trust anybody nowadays; everyone is thankless and wicked. For my part, I was just bringing you a talent so that you might have something to use for your pressing needs when I heard on the way, not far from here, that you were tremendously rich. So I have come to give you this advice. But as you are so wise, perhaps you will have no need of suggestions from me, for you could even tell Nestor what to do in an emergency.

TIMON No doubt, Philiades. But come here, so that I may give you a friendly greeting with my pick !

PHILIADES Help! The ingrate has broken my head because I gave him good advice.