19–20
Lexiphanes Heal him, not me, Sopolis; he is manifestly moonstruck; persons duly pia-matered he accounts beside their five wits; he might come from Samos and call Mnesarchus father; for he enjoins silence and linguinanity. But by the unabashed Athene, by Heracles the beast-killer, no jot or tittle of notice shall he have from me. 'Tis my foreboding that I fall not in with him again. For his censures, I void my rheum upon them.
Sopolis What is the matter with him, Lycinus?
Lycinus Why, this is the matter; don’t you hear? He leaves us his contemporaries, and goes a thousand years off to talk to us, which he does by aid of these tongue-gymnastics and extraordinary compounds—prides himself upon it, too, asif it were a great thing to disguise yourself, and mutilate the conversational currency.
Sopolis Well, to be sure, this is a serious case; we must do all we can for him. Providentially, here is an emetic I had just mixed for a bilious patient; here, Lexiphanes, drink it off; the other man can wait; let us purge you of this vocal derangement, and get you a clean bill of health. Come along, down with it; you will feel much easier.
Lexiphanes I know not what you would be at, you and Lycinus, with your drenches; I fear me you are more like to end than mend my speech.
Lycinus Drink, quick; it will make a man of you in thought and word.
5
Lexiphanes Well, if I must. Lord, what is this? How it rumbles! I must have swallowed a ventriloquist.
