7–9
Hermes
Very well. They shall take their seats in proper order. But I ought to know this: if one of them is of gold or of great weight but not well executed-in fact actually amateur's work and out of drawing—is he to take his seat in front of the bronzes of Myron and Polykleitos, and the marbles of Pheidias and Alkamenes, or is preference to be given to workmanship?
Zeus
It ought to be; but, nevertheless, the gold must take precedence.
Hermes
I see. Your orders are that they shall take their seats in order of wealth rather than in order of merit, in proportion to their taxable property. Come to the front seats, then, you golden ones!
It looks as though the barbarians would have the front seats to themselves. The Greeks, at any rate, are, as you see, graceful and goodly of aspect and shaped with skill, but they are all alike, of wood or stone, except the very most valuable of them, and they are ivory with something of golden decoration. But they are merely colored and plated with it, and within they, too, are wooden, and give shelter to whole droves of mice who inhabit them. But Bendis here, and Anoubis and Attis beside him, and Mithres and Men are of solid gold, heavy, and really valuable.
Poseidon
Now, Hermes, is this just, to let this dog-headed Egyptian take precedence of me, Poseidon?
