49
As by this time throngs upon throngs were pouring in and their city was becoming overcrowded on account of the multitude of visitors to the shrine, so that it had not sufficient provisions, he devised the so-called “nocturnal” responses. Taking the scrolls, he slept on them, so he said, and gave replies that he pretended to have heard from the god in a dream; which, however, were in most cases not clear but ambiguous and confused, particularly when he observed that the scroll had been sealed up with unusual care. Taking no extra chances, he would append at random whatever answer came into his head, thinking that this procedure too was appropriate to oracles; and there were certain expounders who sat by with that in view and garnered large fees from the recipients of such oracles for explaining and unriddling them. Moreover, this task of theirs was subject to a levy; the expounders paid Alexander an Attic talent each.
50
Sometimes, to amaze dolts, he would deliver an oracle for the benefit of someone who had neither enquired nor sent—who, in fact, did not exist at all. For example: Seek thou out that man who in utmost secrecy shrouded Tumbleth at home on the couch thy helpmeet Calligeneia, Slave Protogenes, him upon whom thou fully reliest. He was corrupted by thee, and now thy wife he corrupteth, Making a bitter return unto thee for his own violation. Aye more, now against thee a baneful charm they have fashioned So that thou mayst not hear nor see what deeds they are doing; This shalt thou find on the floor, beneath thy bed, by the wall-side,: Close to the head; thy servant Calypso shareth the secret.” What DemocritusDemocritus of Abdera is adduced as a typical hardheaded sceptic; see above, c. 17, and the Lover of Lies, 32 (iii, PR 369). would not have been disturbed on hearing names and places specified—and would not have been filled with contempt soon afterward, when he saw through their stratagem?
