1–15
HERMES
By Hades, that’s what I paid for it, and a thong for an oar cost me two obols.
5
CHARON
Put down five drachmae and two obols.
HERMES
And a darning-needle for your sail. Five obols it cost me.
CHARON
Put that down too.
HERMES
And wax to plug up the leaks in your boat, and nails, and a bit of rope which you made into a brace, costing two drachmae in all.
CHARON
You got these cheap too!
10
HERMES
That’s all, unless we’ve forgotten something in our calculations. Well, when do you say that you are going to pay me?
CHARON
For the moment, Hermes, it’s impossible, but if an epidemic or a war sends me down a large batch, I can then make a profit, by overcharging on the fares in the rush.
HERMES
So, for the present, I’ll have to sit down and pray for the worst to happen so that I may be paid?
CHARON
It can’t be helped, Hermes. We get few coming here at the moment, as you can see. It’s peacetime.
HERMES
Better so, even if you do keep me waiting for what you owe me. Ah, but in the old days, Charon, you know what men they were that came, all of them brave, and most of them covered with blood and wounded; but now we get a few poisoned by a wife or a son, or with their legs and bellies all puffed out with rich living, a pale miserable lot, all of them, quite unlike the old ones. Most of them have money to thank for their coming here; they scheme against each other for it, apparently.
CHARON
Yes, it’s the grand passion.
HERMES
Then you won’t think it wrong of me if I dun you for my debt.
5
