'Whereas the rich are guilty of many illegalities on earth, harrying
and oppressing the poor and trampling upon all their rights, it is the
pleasure of the Senate and People that after death they shall be
punished in their bodies like other malefactors, but their souls shall
be sent on earth to inhabit asses, until they have passed in that shape
a quarter-million of years, generation after generation, bearing
burdens under the tender mercies of the poor; after which they shall be
permitted to die. Mover of this decree—Cranion son of Skeletion of the
deme Necysia in the Alibantid [Footnote: The four names are formed from
words meaning skull, skeleton, corpse, anatomy.] tribe.' The decree
read, a formal vote was taken, in which the people accepted it. A snort
from Brimo and a bark from Cerberus completed the proceedings according
to the regular form.
So went the assembly. And now, in pursuance of my original design, I
went to Tiresias, explained my case fully, and implored him to give me
his views upon the best life. He is a blind little old man, pale and
weak-voiced. He smiled and said:—'My son, the cause of your perplexity,
I know, is the fact that doctors differ; but I may not enlighten you;
Rhadamanthus forbids.' 'Ah, say not so, father,' I exclaimed; 'speak
out, and leave me not to wander through life in a blindness worse than
yours.' So he drew me apart to a considerable distance, and whispered
in my ear:—'The life of the ordinary man is the best and most prudent
choice; cease from the folly of metaphysical speculation and inquiry
into origins and ends, utterly reject their clever logic, count all
these things idle talk, and pursue one end alone—how you may do what
your hand finds to do, and go your way with ever a smile and never a
passion.'
So he, and sought the lawn of asphodel.
It was now late, and I told Mithrobarzanes that our work was done, and
we might reascend. 'Very well, Menippus,' said he, 'I will show you an
easy short cut.' And taking me to a place where the darkness was
especially thick, he pointed to a dim and distant ray of light—a mere
pencil admitted through a chink. 'There,' he said, 'is the shrine of
Trophonius, from which the Boeotian inquirers start; go up that way,
and you will be on Grecian soil without more ado.' I was delighted,
took my leave of the Mage, crawled with considerable difficulty through
the aperture, and found myself, sure enough, at Lebadea.