12–13
Megapenthes
Karion, my slave, as soon as he saw I was dead, came late in the evening into the room where I was lying, without any trouble, for no one was so much as watching by me, and looked at me and said, "You wretched little creature, you gave me a blow many a time when I didn't deserve it." With these words he fell to plucking out my hair and beating me to his heart's content, and finally he spat upon me and went off, saying, "Go to the devil!" I was aflame with rage, but all the same I could not do anything to him, stiff and cold as I was. But if I could get hold of him—
Klotho
Stop your threats and come aboard. It is time now for you to go to your trial.
Megapenthes
And who will venture to pass judgment on a man of kingly rank?
Klotho
No one will judge the king, but the dead man must come before Rhadamanthos. You will soon see him assigning his doom to each with great justice and according to merit. Don't waste any more time just now.
Megapenthes
Make me a private citizen, Fate, if you will, a poor man, a slave instead of a king as I was. Only let me come to life again!
Klotho
Where is the man with the club? And you, too, Hermes; drag him in by the foot, for he would not come voluntarily.
5
Hermes
Come with me, you runaway. Take him, ferryman, and, to make him safe, dash it—
Charon
All right. He shall be made fast to the mast.
Megapenthes
Assuredly I ought to be placed in the seat of honor.
Magapenthes
Because, by Heaven, I was a despot and had a body-guard of ten thousand men.
10
