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and how soon I must leave you？
HIPPOMACHUS。 Ay； travelling soon puts such thoughts out of men's
heads。
CALLICLES。 A battle is the best remedy for them。
CHARICLEA。 A battle； I should think； might supply their place with
others as unpleasant。
CALLICLES。 No。 The preparations are rather disagreeable to a
novice。 But as soon as the fighting begins； by Jupiter； it is a noble time；
men trampling；shields clashing；spears breaking；and the poean roaring
louder than all。
CHARICLEA。 But what if you are killed？
CALLICLES。 What indeed？ You must ask Speusippus that question。
He is a philosopher。
ALCIBIADES。 Yes； and the greatest of philosophers； if he can answer
it。
SPEUSIPPUS。 Pythagoras is of opinion
HIPPOMACHUS。 Pythagoras stole that and all his other opinions
from Asia and Egypt。 The transmigration of the soul and the vegetable
diet are derived from India。 I met a Brachman in Sogdiana
CALLICLES。 All nonsense！
CHARICLEA。 What think you； Alcibiades？
ALCIBIADES。 I think that； if the doctrine be true； your spirit will be
transfused into one of the doves who carry （Homer's Odyssey； xii。 63。）
ambrosia to the gods or verses to the mistresses of poets。 Do you
remember Anacreon's lines？ How should you like such an office？
CHARICLEA。 If I were to be your dove； Alcibiades； and you would
treat me as Anacreon treated his； and let me nestle in your breast and drink
from your cup； I would submit even to carry your love…letters to other
ladies。
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CALLICLES。 What； in the name of Jupiter； is the use of all these
speculations about death？ Socrates once （See the close of Plato's
Gorgias。） lectured me upon it the best part of a day。 I have hated the
sight of him ever since。 Such things may suit an old sophist when he is
fasting； but in the midst of wine and music
HIPPOMACHUS。 I differ from you。 The enlightened Egyptians
bring skeletons into their banquets； in order to remind their guests to make
the most of their life while they have it。
CALLICLES。 I want neither skeleton nor sophist to teach me that
lesson。 More wine； I pray you； and less wisdom。 If you must believe
something which you never can know； why not be contented with the long
stories about the other world which are told us when we are initiated at the
Eleusinian mysteries？ （The scene which follows is founded upon history。
Thucydides tells us； in his sixth book； that about this time Alcibiades was
suspected of having assisted at a mock celebration of these famous
mysteries。 It was the opinion of the vulgar among the Athenians that
extraordinary privileges were granted in the other world to alt who had
been initiated。）
CHARICLEA。 And what are those stories？
ALCIBIADES。 Are not you initiated； Chariclea？
CHARICLEA。 No； my mother was a Lydian； a barbarian； and
therefore
ALCIBIADES。 I understand。 Now the curse of Venus on the fools
who made so hateful a law！ Speusippus； does not your friend Euripides
（The right of Euripides to this line is somewhat disputable。 See
Aristophanes； Plutus； 1152。） say
〃The land where thou art prosperous is thy country？〃
Surely we ought to say to every lady
〃The land where thou art pretty is thy country。〃
Besides； to exclude foreign beauties from the chorus of the initiated in
the Elysian fields is less cruel to them than to ourselves。 Chariclea； you
shall be initiated。
CHARICLEA。 When？
ALCIBIADES。 Now。
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY
CHARICLEA。 Where？
ALCIBIADES。 Here。
CHARICLEA。 Delightful！
SPEUSIPPUS。 But there must be an interval of a year between the
purification and the initiation。
ALCIBIADES。 We will suppose all that。
SPEUSIPPUS。 And nine days of rigid mortification of the senses。
ALCIBIADES。 We will suppose that too。 I am sure it was supposed；
with as little reason； when I was initiated。
SPEUSIPPUS。 But you are sworn to secrecy。
ALCIBIADES。 You a sophist； and talk of oaths！ You a pupil of
Euripides； and forget his maxims！
〃My lips have sworn it； but my mind is free。〃 （See Euripides：
Hippolytus； 608。 For the jesuitical morality of this line Euripides is
bitterly attacked by the comic poet。）
SPEUSIPPUS。 But Alcibiades
ALCIBIADES。 What！ Are you afraid of Ceres and Proserpine？
SPEUSIPPUS。 NobutbutIthat is Ibut it is best to be safeI
mean Suppose there should be something in it。
ALCIBIADES。 Now； by Mercury； I shall die with laughing。 O
Speusippus。 Speusippus！ Go back to your old father。 Dig vineyards；
and judge causes； and be a respectable citizen。 But never； while you live；
again dream of being a philosopher。
SPEUSIPPUS。 Nay； I was only
ALCIBIADES。 A pupil of Gorgias and Melesigenes afraid of Tartarus！
In what region of the infernal world do you expect your domicile to be
fixed？ Shall you roll a stone like Sisyphus？ Hard exercise； Speusippus！
SPEUSIPPUS。 In the name of all the gods
ALCIBIADES。 Or shall you sit starved and thirsty in the midst of fruit
and wine like Tantalus？ Poor fellow？ I think I see your face as you are
springing up to the branches and missing your aim。 Oh Bacchus！ Oh
Mercury！
SPEUSIPPUS。 Alcibiades！
ALCIBIADES。 Or perhaps you will be food for a vulture； like the
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huge fellow who was rude to Latona。
SPEUSIPPUS。 Alcibiades！
ALCIBIADES。 Never fear。 Minos will not be so cruel。 Your
eloquence will triumph over all accusations。 The Furies will skulk away
like disappointed sycophants。 Only address the judges of hell in the
speech which you were prevented from speaking last assembly。 〃When I
consider〃is not that the beginning of it？ Come； man； do not be angry。
Why do you pace up and down with such long steps？ You are not in
Tartarus yet。 You seem to think that you are already stalking like poor
Achilles；
〃With stride Majestic through the plain of Asphodel。〃 （See Homer's
Odyssey； xi。 538。）
SPEUSIPPUS。 How can you talk so； when you know that I believe all
that foolery as little as you do？
ALCIBIADES。 Then march。 You shall be the crier。 Callicles； you
shall carry the torch。 Why do you stare？ （The crier and torchbearer
were important functionaries at the celebration of the Eleusinian
mysteries。）
CALLICLES。 I do not much like the frolic。
ALCIBIADES。 Nay； surely you are not taken with a fit of piety。 If all
be true that is told of you； you have as little reason to think the gods
vindictive as any man breathing。 If you be not belied； a certain golden
goblet which I have seen at your house was once in the temple of Juno at
Corcyra。 And men say that there was a priestess at Tarentum
CALLICLES。 A fig for the gods！ I was thinking about the Archons。
You will have an accusation laid against you to…morrow。 It is not very
pleasant to be tried before the king。 （The name of king was given in the
Athenian democracy to the magistrate who exercised those spiritual
functions which in the monarchical times had belonged to the sovereign。
His court took cognisance of offences against the religion of the state。）
ALCIBIADES。 Never fear： there is not a sycophant in Attica who
would dare to breathe a word against me； for the golden plane…tree of the
great king。 （See Herodotus； viii。 28。）
HIPPOMACHUS。 That plane…tree