we haven't earned a penny yet. And I know Pluto will think it's all my laziness, whereas the fault lies in quite another quarter. That blessed ghost-conductor of ours has been drinking the waters of Lethe himself, I suppose, and has forgot to come back. He's most likely wrestling with the young men, or playing on his lyre,—or holding an argument, to show his subtle wit. Or very possibly my gentleman is doing a little thieving somewhere on the road, for that's one of his many accomplishments. He takes considerable liberties with us, I must say, considering that he's half our servant.
Clotho. You don't know, Charon, but that he has been hindered in some way; Jupiter may have wanted him for some extra work up above; he's his master too, you see.[1]
Cha. But he has no right to get more than his share of work out of our common property, Clotho: I never keep him, when it's his time to go. But I know what it is; with us he gets nothing but asphodel, and libations, and salt-cake, and such funeral fare—all the rest is gloom, and fog, and darkness; while in heaven 'tis all brightness, and lots of ambrosia, and nectar in abundance; so I suppose he finds it pleasanter to spend his time up there. He flies away from here fast enough, as if he were escaping out of prison; but when the hour comes for him to return, he moves very leisurely, and takes his time on the road down.
- ↑ The many offices of Mercury were a favourite subject of jest with Aristophanes as well as with Lucian. Some figures of the god represented him with his face painted half black and half white, to signify his double occupation, above and below.
