protagoras   

Soc. Yes; he has been here two days.

Com. And do you just come from an interview with him?

Soc. Yes; and I have heard and said many things.

Com. Then, if you have no engagement, suppose that you sit down tell

me what passed, and my attendant here shall give up his place to you.

Soc. To be sure; and I shall be grateful to you for listening.

Com. Thank you, too, for telling us.

Soc. That is thank you twice over. Listen then:-

Last night, or rather very early this morning, Hippocrates, the

son of Apollodorus and the brother of Phason, gave a tremendous

thump with his staff at my door; some one opened to him, and he came

rushing in and bawled out: Socrates, are you awake or asleep?

I knew his voice, and said: Hippocrates, is that you? and do you

bring any news?

Good news, he said; nothing but good.

Delightful, I said; but what is the news? and why have you come

hither at this unearthly hour?

He drew nearer to me and said: Protagoras is come.

Yes, I replied; he came two days ago: have you only just heard of

his arrival?

Yes, by the gods, he said; but not until yesterday evening.

At the same time he felt for the truckle-bed, and sat down at my

feet, and then he said: Yesterday quite late in the evening, on my

return from Oenoe whither I had gone in pursuit of my runaway slave

Satyrus, as I meant to have told you, if some other matter had not

come in the way;-on my return, when we had done supper and were

about to retire to rest, my brother said to me: Protagoras is come.

I was going to you at once, and then I thought that the night was

far spent. But the moment sleep left me after my fatigue, I got up and

came hither direct.

I, who knew the very courageous madness of the man, said: What is

the matter? Has Protagoras robbed you of anything?