'It is as wrong,' said Elicio, 'to persist in wrong, as it is good to persevere in good, and I have always heard my elders say it is the part of the wise to take counsel.'
'I do not deny that,' answered Lenio, 'whenever I see that my judgment is not correct; but so long as experience and reason do not show me the contrary to what they have shown me hitherto, I believe that my opinion is as true as yours is false.'
'If the heretics of love were to be punished,' said Erastro at this point, 'I would begin from this moment, friend Lenio, to cut wood wherewith to burn you for the greatest heretic and enemy that love has.'
'And even though I saw naught of love, save that you, Erastro, follow it, and are of the band of lovers,' replied Lenio, 'that alone would suffice to make me renounce it with a hundred thousand tongues, if a hundred thousand I had.'
'Do you think then, Lenio,' answered Erastro, 'that I am not fit to be a lover?'
'Nay,' replied Lenio, 'I think that men of your disposition and understanding are fitted to be among love's servants; for he who is lame falls to the ground at the slightest stumble, and he who has little wisdom, wants but little time to lose it all; and as for those who follow the banner of this your valorous captain, I for my part hold that they are not the wisest in the world; and if they have been, they ceased to be it, the moment they fell in love.'
Great was the displeasure Erastro felt at what Lenio said, and thus he answered him:
'I think, Lenio, your insane reasonings deserve another punishment than words; but I hope that some day you will pay for what you have just said, without being aided by what you might say in your defence.'
'If I knew of you, Erastro,' answered Lenio, 'that you were as brave as you are fond, your threats would not fail to fill me with dread: but, as I know you are as backward in the one, as in the other you are to the fore, they cause laughter in me rather than terror.'
Here Erastro lost all patience, and if it had not been for Lisandro and Elicio, who placed themselves between, he had replied to Lenio with his fists; for by this time his tongue, confused with rage, could scarce perform its office. Great was the pleasure all felt at the sprightly quarrel of the shepherds, and more at the rage and displeasure Erastro displayed; for it was necessary that Galatea's father should make peace between Lenio and him, though Erastro, if it had not been for fear of losing the respect of his lady's father, would in no way have made it. As soon as the matter was ended, all with rejoicing went their way to the village, and whilst they were going, the fair Florisa, to the sound of Galatea's pipe, sang this sonnet: