7
No, by Zeus! First let us see our captive safe on board. Your judgement might be perverted by his entreaties.
8
Let me see; who is he?
8
Megapenthes, son of Lacydes; tyrant.
8
Come up, Megapenthes.
8
Nay, nay, my lady Clotho; suffer me to return for a little while, and I will come of my own accord, without waiting to be summoned,
8
What do you want to go for?
8
I crave permission to complete my palace: I left the building half-finished.
8
Pooh! Come along.
8
Oh Fate, I ask no long reprieve. Vouchsafe me this one day, that I may inform my wife where my great treasure lies buried.
8
Impossible. 'Tis Fate’s decree.
8
And all that money is to be thrown away?
8
Not thrown away. Be under no uneasiness. Your cousin Megacles will take charge of it.
8
Oh, monstrous! My enemy, whom from sheer good-nature I omitted to put to death?
8
The same. He will survive you for rather more than forty years; in the full enjoyment of your harem, your wardrobe, and your treasure.
8
It is too bad of you, Clotho, to hand over my property to my worst enemy.
8
My dear sir, it was Cydimachus’s property first, surely? You only succeeded to it by murdering him, and butchering his children before his eyes.
8
Yes, but it was mine after that.
8
Well, and now your term of possession expires.
9
A word in your ear, madam; no one else must hear this.—Sirs, withdraw for a space.—Clotho, if you will let me escape, I pledge myself to give you a quarter of a million sterling this very day.
9
Ha, ha! So your millions are still running in your head?
9
Shall I throw in the two mixing-bowls that I got by the murder of Cleocritus? They weigh a couple of tons apiece; refined gold!
9
Drag him up. We shall never get him to come on board by himself.
9
I call you all to witness! My city-wall, my docks, remain unfinished. I only wanted five days more to complete them.
9
Never mind. It will be another’s work now.
9
Stay! One request I can make with a clear conscience.
9
Well?
