7
What do you say to that dirty one from Pontos?
7
By all means.
7
Come here, you with the wallet slung from your shoulder, and the bare arms. Walk round the room. I offer a manly life, a noble and generous life, a free life! Who buys?
7
What do you say, salesman? You offer a free man for sale?
7
I do.
7
Then are you not afraid he will sue you for kidnapping, and bring you before the criminal court?
7
He does not mind being sold at all, for he believes he is free in all circumstances.
7
What use could one put such a dirty, ill-conditioned fellow to, unless you set him to digging or carrying water?
7
Those are not his only uses. If you make a hall-porter of him you will find you can rely on him better than on your dogs; in fact, he has even the name of a dog.
7
Where does he come from and what discipline does he profess?
7
Ask the man himself; that is the better way.
7
I am afraid of him, with his sullen, dark look, lest he should bark and spring at me, and bite me, too, by Zeus! See how he brandishes his club, and knits his brows, and scowls beneath them in that threatening, angry way!
7
Don't be afraid; he is tame.
8
In the first place, my friend, where are you from?
8
Everywhere.
8
What do you mean?
8
You see before you a citizen of the world.
8
And who is your model?
8
Herakles.
8
Then why don't you wear the lion-skin, too? You are like him as far as the club goes.
8
This is my lion-skin, my threadbare coat. Like him, I make war on pleasures; not under orders, but of my own will, deliberately choosing to purify life.
8
A noble choice! But just what are we to understand that you know? What art are you master of?
8
I am the liberator of mankind and the physician of their passions; but, above all, I wish to be the prophet of truth and free speech.
9
Come, prophet, if I buy you, what training will you put me through?
