Book 2
2.15
Hereupon Hystaspas answered somewhat as follows: If you will heed me, Aglaïtadas, you will freely expend this very valuable commodity upon your enemies and will try to set them to weeping; but upon us and your friends here you will please to lavish this cheap article, laughter. And you can, for I know you must have a great quantity of it stored up; for you have never spent it upon yourself nor do you ever afford any laughter for your friends or for your enemies if you can help it. So you have no excuse for begrudging us a laugh. What said Aglaïtadas; do you really think, Hystaspas, to get a laugh out of me?Well, by Zeus, said the other captain, he is a very foolish fellow, let me tell you, if he does; for I believe one might rub fire out of you more easily than provoke a laugh from you.
2.16
At this, of course, the rest laughed; for they knew his character, and Aglaïtadas himself smiled at the sally. And Cyrus seeing him brighten up said: It is not right, captain, for you to corrupt our most serious man by persuading him to laugh, and that, too, said he, when he is such a foe to laughter.
2.17
With that, the subject was dropt. But at this point Chrysantas spoke as follows.
