Lucian Lexiphanes 9

[9] Meantime, after lavation, came rollicking in to us, self-invited, Megalonymus the pettifogger, Chaereas the goldworker, he with the back of many colours, and Eudemus the broken-ear.” ¹ I asked them what possessed them to come late. Quoth Chaereas: “I was forging trumpery for my daughter, balls and chains, and that is why I have come in on top of your dinner.” “For my part,” quoth Megalonymus, “I was about other matters. The day was incapable of justice, ² as ye wit, and incompetent for pleading; wherefore, as there was a truce of the tongue, I was unable either to palaver or, as is my diurnal habit, to solicit. ³ , Learning that the magistrate was being grilled in public, ⁴ I took an unvalued ⁵ cloak, of sheer tissue, and priceless ⁶ boots, and emitted myself.

[9] At this moment broke in upon us from the bath, all uninvited, Megalonymus the attorney, Chaereas the goldsmith, striped back and all, and the bruiser Eudemus. I asked them what they were about to come so late. Quoth Chaereas: ‘I was working a locket and ear-rings and bangles for my daughter; that is why 1 come after the fair? ‘I was otherwise engaged,’ said Megalonymus; Go gle ‘know you not that it was a lawless day and a dumb? So, as tt was linguistice, there was truce to my calendarial clockings and plea-mensurations. But hearing the governor was giving a warm reception, I took my shiniest clothes, fresh from the tatlor, and my unpatched shoes, and showed myself out.