Book 9
1
We are ruined, mistress, ruined! Polemo has returned from the wars a rich man, they say. I’ve seen him myself wearing a purple-edged cloak all done up with a clasp, and a large retinue with him. When his friends saw him, they all flocked to him to welcome him. Meanwhile, I’d seen following behind him the servant who’d gone abroad with him and I questioned him. I greeted him first, and then said, “Tell me, Parmeno, how have you done? Have you brought back anything worth while for all that fighting?”
1
You shouldn’t have asked that right away, but said, “Thanks be to all the gods for your safe return, and thanks most of all to Zeus, Protector of the Stranger, and to Athene, Goddess of War. My mistress was always asking what you were doing and where you were.” And it would have been a lot better if you’d added that she was always crying and talking of Polemo.
2
I did start with all those preliminaries, but I wouldn’t have mentioned them to you; I wanted to tell you what I’d heard. My first words to Parmeno were, “Well, Parmeno, were your ears burning? My mistress was always talking of you and weeping; particularly at times when someone had returned from battle and there were said to be a lot of fatal casualties, would she tear her hair, beat her breast, and grieve at every message.”
2
Well done, Dorcas! That was just right.
2
Then a little later I asked the questions I’ve told you of, and he told me they’d returned in style.
2
What! Nothing first from him either about Polemo talking about me or missing me or praying he’d find me alive on his return?
