13
Thanks for reminding me; somehow or other I neglected to say what I certainly should have said. When I recognised the earth by sight, but was unable to distinguish anything else on account of the height, because my vision did not carry so far, the thing annoyed me excessively and put me in a great quandary. I was downcast and almost in tears when the philosopher Empedocles came and stood behind me, looking like a cinder, as he was covered with ashes and all burned up. On catching sight of him I wasa bit startled, to tell the truth, and thought I beheld a lunar spirit; but he said “Don’t be alarmed, Menippus; No god am I: why liken me to them? Od. 16, 187. I am the natural philosopher Empedocles, at your service. You see, when I threw myself head-first into the crater, the smoke snatched me out of Aetna and brought me up here, and now I dwell in the moon, although I walk the air a great deal, and I live on dew. So I have come to get you out of your present quandary; for it annoys and torments you, I take it, that you cannot clearly see everything on earth.” “Thank you very much, Empedocles,” said I; “you are most kind, and as soon as I fly down to Greece again I will remember to pour you a drink-offering in the chimneyJn the chimney, because the burned and blackened appearance of Empedocles suggested this as the most appropriate spot; and then too, the smoke goes up to the moon. and on the first: of every month to open my mouth at the moon three times and make a prayer.” “Great Endymion!” said he, “I didn’t come here for pay; my heart was touched a bit when I saw you sorrowful. Do you know what to do in order to become sharp-sighted?”
