Kitap 14
1
If you don’t mind, ferryman, let’s work out how much you owe me at the moment, so that we won’t quarrel about it later.
1
Let’s do that, Hermes. It’s better to have this settled, and it’ll save trouble.
1
I brought you an anchor as you ordered; five drachmae.
1
That’s dear.
1
By Hades, that’s what I paid for it, and a thong for an oar cost me two obols.
1
Put down five drachmae and two obols.
1
And a darning-needle for your sail. Five obols it cost me.
1
Put that down too.
1
And wax to plug up the leaks in your boat, and nails, and a bit of rope which you made into a brace, costing two drachmae in all.
1
You got these cheap too!
1
That’s all, unless we’ve forgotten something in our calculations. Well, when do you say that you are going to pay me?
1
For the moment, Hermes, it’s impossible, but if an epidemic or a war sends me down a large batch, I can then make a profit, by overcharging on the fares in the rush.
2
So, for the present, I’ll have to sit down and pray for the worst to happen so that I may be paid?
2
It can’t be helped, Hermes. We get few coming here at the moment, as you can see. It’s peacetime.
2
Better so, even if you do keep me waiting for what you owe me. Ah, but in the old days, Charon, you know what men they were that came, all of them brave, and most of them covered with blood and wounded; but now we get a few poisoned by a wife or a son, or with their legs and bellies all puffed out with rich living, a pale miserable lot, all of them, quite unlike the old ones. Most of them have money to thank for their coming here; they scheme against each other for it, apparently.
2
Yes, it’s the grand passion.
2
Then you won’t think it wrong of me if I dun you for my debt.
