Satyricon, vol 4, Escape by Sea | Page 6

his harvest, the first fruits
compelled to yield And Bacchus with the fruitful vine to crown. Then
Pales came Into her own, the shepherd's gains to share. Beneath the
waves Of every sea swims Neptune. Pallas guards the shops, And those
impelled by Avarice or Guilt, create new Gods!
(Lycas, as he perceived that Tryphaena was as eager as himself for
revenge, gave orders for our punishment to be renewed and made more
drastic, whereupon Eumolpus endeavored to appease him as follows,)

CHAPTER THE
ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTH.
("Lycas," said he, "these unfortunates upon whom you intend to wreak
your vengeance, implore your compassion and) have chosen me for this
task. I believe that I am a man, by no means unknown, and they desire
that, somehow, I will effect a reconciliation between them and their
former friends. Surely you do not imagine that these young men fell
into such a snare by accident, when the very first thing that concerns
every prospective passenger is the name of the captain to whom he
intrusts his safety! Be reasonable, then; forego your revenge and permit
free men to proceed to their destination without injury. When penitence
manages to lead their fugitives back, harsh and implacable masters
restrain their cruelty, and we are merciful to enemies who have
surrendered. What could you ask, or wish for, more? These well-born
and respectable young men be suppliant before your eyes and, what
ought to move you more strongly still, were once bound to you by the

ties of friendship. If they had embezzled your money or repaid your
faith in them with treachery, by Hercules, you have ample satisfaction
from the punishment already inflicted! Look! Can you read slavery on
their foreheads, and see upon the faces of free men the brand-marks of
a punishment which was self- inflicted!" Lycas broke in upon this plea
for mercy, "Don't try to confuse the issue," he said, "let every detail
have its proper attention and first: of all, why did they strip all the hair
off their heads, if they came of their own free will? A man meditates
deceit, not satisfaction, when he changes his features! Then again, if
they sought reconciliation through a mediator, why did you do your
best to conceal them while employed in their behalf? It is easily seen
that the scoundrels fell into the toils by chance and that you are seeking
some device by which you could sidestep the effects of our resentment.
And be careful that you do not spoil your case by over-confidence
when you attempt to sow prejudice among us by calling them well-born
and respectable! What should the injured parties do when the guilty run
into their own punishment? And inasmuch as they were our friends, by
that, they deserve more drastic punishment still, for whoever commits
an assault upon a stranger, is termed a robber; but whoever assaults a
friend, is little better than a parricide!" "I am well aware," Eumolpus
replied, to rebut this damning harangue, "that nothing can look blacker
against these poor young men than their cutting off their hair at night.
On this evidence, they would seem to have come aboard by accident,
not voluntarily. Oh how I wish that the explanation could come to your
ears just as candidly as the thing itself happened! They wanted to
relieve their heads of that annoying and useless weight before they
came aboard, but the unexpected springing up of the wind prevented
the carrying out of their wishes, and they did not imagine that it
mattered where they began what they had decided to do, because they
were unacquainted with either the omens or the law of seafaring men."
"But why should they shave themselves like suppliants?" demanded
Lycas, "unless, of course, they expected to arouse more sympathy as
bald-pates. What's the use of seeking information through a third
person, anyway? You scoundrel, what have you to say for yourself?
What salamander singed off your eyebrows? You poisoner, what god
did you vow your hair to? Answer!"

CHAPTER THE
ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTH.
I was stricken dumb, and trembled from fear of punishment, nor could I
find anything to say, out of countenance as I was and hideous, for to the
disgrace of a shaven poll was added an equal baldness in the matter of
eyebrows; the case against me was only too plain, there was not a thing
to be said or done! Finally, a damp sponge was passed over my
tear-wet face, and thereupon, the smut dissolved and spread over my
whole countenance, blotting out every feature in a sooty cloud. Anger
turned into loathing. Swearing that he would permit no one to humiliate
well- born young men contrary to right and law, Eumolpus checked the
threats of the savage persecutors