Nay, prithee, Tydeus’ son; nor praise me much nor reprove me.
As for a pledge, not only is it the general opinion that he is reprobating it as a misguided and futile thing when he says
Sorry, I trow, to take are the pledges that sorry folk offer,
but our friend Chersias here tells us how “Mischief” was hurled from heaven by Zeus because she was present when he was tripped |D| up through pledging his word in connexion with the birth of Heracles.’
Here Solon interposed. ‘Well, Homer was a very wise man, and we should do well to take his advice:
Already the night is here; night bids, and ’tis good to obey her.
Let us therefore pour an offering to the Muses and to Poseidon and Amphitrite, and then—with your permission—break up the party.’
This, Nicarchus, terminated the party on that occasion.
ON OLD MEN IN PUBLIC LIFE
It is well known, Euphanes, that as an admirer of Pindar you |783 B| are fond of quoting his ‘fine and forcible words’: