5–6
HERMES
Upon my word, we are still away down among the foot-hills of Heaven! Toward the east I can only just. see Ionia and Lydia, toward the west not beyond Italy and Sicily, toward the north only the country on this side the Danube, and in that direction Crete, but not very plainly. Apparently we must move up Oeta too, ferryman, and then Parnassus to top them all.
CHARON
Let’s do so. But take care that we don’t make the structure too slender by heightening it beyond all reason, and so tumble down with it and pay bitterly for our experiment in Homeric building by breaking our heads.
HERMES
Never fear; everything will be secure. Move Oeta over. Roll Parnassus this way. There now, I am going up again. — It is all right, I see everything: now come up yourself.
CHARON
Put out your hand, Hermes. This is an uncommonly big piece of stage-machinery that you are mounting me on.
HERMES
Must be done, if you are bound to see everything, Charon. One can’t see sights without taking chances. Come, take hold of my right hand and look out you don’t step where it is slippery. Good, you are up too, As Parnassus has two peaks, let us each take a suminit for himself and sit on it. Now, then, look round about you and inspect everything.
5
CHARON
I see a quantity of land with a great lagoon encircling it, mountains, rivers bigger than Cocytus and Pyriphlegethon, tiny little men, and things which look like their hiding-places.
HERMES
Those things which you take to be hiding-places are cities.
