Mercury.—Yes, and he has exercised his sovereign power over you.
Horace.—I will not presume to oppose it. I had enough of following Brutus at Philippi.
Mercury.—Talk to him a little. He’ll amuse you. I brought him to you on purpose.
Horace.—Virgil, do you accost him. I can’t do it with proper gravity. I shall laugh in his face.
Virgil.—Sir, may I ask for what reason you cast your eyes so superciliously upon Horace and me? I don’t remember that Augustus ever looked down upon us with such an air of superiority when we were his subjects.
Scaliger.—He was only a sovereign over your bodies, and owed his power to violence and usurpation. But I have from Nature an absolute dominion over the wit of all authors, who are subjected to me as the greatest of critics or hypercritics.
Virgil.—Your jurisdiction, great sir, is very extensive. And what judgments have you been pleased to pass upon us?
Scaliger.—Is it possible you should be ignorant of my decrees? I have placed you, Virgil, above Homer, whom I have shown to be—
Virgil.—Hold, sir. No blasphemy against my master.
Horace.—But what have you said of me?