37
Nonsense; you have almost beaten them already. Now, observe, the king challenges me to single combat; honour forbids that I should draw back; I accordingly engage him,
37
To be sure; and are promptly wounded. No king should omit to receive a wound, when empire is at stake.
37
Well, yes; I do get just a scratch; it is well out of sight, however, so the scar will be no disfigurement. On the other hand, observe the fury of my charge: I send my spear through horse and rider at one stroke; cut off the royal head; remove the diadem therefrom, and am saluted as king with universal prostrations.
38
That applies only to the barbarians; from you who are Greeks I shall have merely the usual title of commanderin-chief. You may imagine the rest: the Samippopolises I shall found, the cities I shall storm and destroy for slighting my ' supremacy. The wealthy Cydias will come in for the largest share of my attention; I have not forgotten his gradual encroachments on my property, in the days when we were neighbours.
39
Stop there, Samippus; after such a victory, it is high time you retired to Babylon, to keep festival.” Three-quarters of a mile is your allowance of dominion, as I reckonit. Timolaus now selects his wish.
39
Well, tell me what you think of mine?
