3–1
MENIPPUS
If I ever come across them, I’ll learn what they have to say. But when you were a woman, good sir, were you a prophet then too, just as later, or did you learn to be man and prophet at the same time?
TIRESIAS
You see, you know nothing about me, or how I settled a quarrel of the gods, When Zeus and Hera were quarrelling as to whether males or females had more pleasure in life, cf. Ovid. Met. 3, 316. and Hera blinded me, and Zeus consoled me in my misfortune with the gift of prophecy.
MENIPPUS
So you still keep to your falsehoods, Tiresias? That’s just like you prophets; you’re habitual liars.
Menippus, Amphilochus and Trophonius
And yet the pair of you, Trophonius and Amphilochus, though shades, have somehow or other been thought worthy of temples, and are considered prophets, and empty-headed men have taken you for gods!
AMPHILOCHUS
Well, how is that our fault, if they are so silly as to think such things about Dead Men?
MENIPPUS
They would never have done so but for all your mysterious talk in your lifetime, and your pretence of knowing the future and foretelling it to anyone who asked.
TROPHONIUS
My good Menippus, Amphilochus here will know what answer to give on his own behalf, but, as for me, I am a hero and prophesy if anyone comes down to me. But I don’t think you’ve visited Lebadea at all, or you wouldn’t be so sceptical.
