"Please don't make such a fuss," I said, "I'll give you an ostrich in place of your goose!" While she sat upon the cot and, to my stupefaction, bewailed the death of the goose, Proselenos came in with the materials for the sacrifice. Seeing the dead goose and inquiring the cause of her grief, she herself commenced to weep more violently still and to commiserate me, as if I had slain my own father, instead of a public goose. Growing tired of this nonsense at last, "See here," said I, "could I not purchase immunity for a price, even though I had assaulted you'? Even though I had murdered a man? Look here! I'm laying down two gold pieces, you can buy both gods and geese with them!" "Forgive me, young man," said OEnothea, when she caught sight of the gold, "I am anxious upon your account; that is a proof of love, not of malignity. Let us take such precautions that not a soul will find this out. As for you, pray to the gods to forgive your sacrilege!"

The rich man can sail in a favoring gale

And snap out his course at his pleasure;

A Dance espouse, no Acrisius will rail,

His credence by hers he will measure;

Write verse, or declaim; snap the finger of scorn

At the world, yet still win all his cases,

The rabble will drink in his words with concern

When a Cato austere it displaces.

At law, his "not proven," or "proved," he can have

With Servius or Labeo vieing;

With gold at command anything he may crave

Is his without asking or sighing.

The universe bows at his slightest behest,

For Jove is a prisoner in his treasure chest.