NONOTI: Milord, I am not his enemy. I am only annoyed that he's got too great a reputation, and all that I am doing is for the glory of Ceres, and the good of the country.
ANITUS:
Go, I tell you. Hurry up. Well, wise Chomos, what have you done?
CHOMOS:
Milord, not having found anything to reprove in Socrates' writings,
I've adroitly accused him of thinking contrary to what he says. I
point out the venom in what he says.
ANITUS: Marvelous. Take that piece to the fourth judge. He's a man who lacks common sense and will understand you perfectly. And you, Bertios?
BERTIOS: Milord, here's my last paper on chaos. I show, cleverly passing from chaos to the Olympic games, that Socrates is perverting the youth.
ANITUS: Admirable! Go on my behalf to the seventh judge and tell him that I commend Socrates to him. Fine, here's Melitus already, the Chief of the Eleven coming forward. There's no beating around the bush to be done with him. We know each other, too well.
(Exit Bertios and Chomos, enter Melitus.)
ANITUS:
Your honor, the judge, a word. Socrates must be destroyed.
MELITUS:
Your Reverence, the Priest, I've been pondering it for a long while.
Let's unite on this point and we will be less embroiled on the rest.
ANITUS: I know quite well we hate each other. But while detesting each other, we must unite to govern the republic.