Book 13
4
Merely to listen to you, Leontichus, makes me feel sick and shudder and imagine I see the ghosts and phantoms of those you butchered and particularly of that poor captain with his head split in two. What do you think would have happened if I’d seen the deed itself, and the blood, and the dead bodies lying there? I think I went faint as it was. I’ve never to this day even seen a cock being killed.
4
Are you really so cowardly and poor-spirited, Hymnis? I thought you’d be delighted to hear my tale.
4
Keep such tales for the delight of any women of Lemnos or daughters of Danaus The woman of Lemnos and the daughters of Danaus were reputed to have murdered their husbands. you find; but I’m running away to mother, while it’s still daylight. And you’d better come with me, Grammis. Goodbye, bravest colonel, you murderer of as many as you choose.
5
Stay, Hymnis, stay.—She’s gone.
5
Yes, Leontichus. You frightened the simple young girl by brandishing your plumes and recounting your incredible feats. I could see at once how pale she grew before you’d finished that story about the captain, and how she puckered her brow, and shivered when you said you’d split his head.
5
I thought it would make me seem more attractive to her; but you helped to spoil things for me, Chenidas, by suggesting the single combat.
5
Well, wasn’t I to help by adding my lies to yours, when I saw why you were boasting? But you made the story much too frightening. It was all very well for you to cut off the head of that poor Paphlagonian, but why did you go on to stick it on your spear, so that the blood poured over you?
6
That was indeed repulsive, Chenidas; the tale we’d made up hadn’t been at all bad up till then! But be off with you and coax her into spending the night with me.
6
Am I to say, then, that your whole story was a pack of lies, because you wished to appear a hero in her eyes?
6
I’d be ashamed if you did.
