The Downward Journey or The Tyrant

​Hermes “He ran away,” you say? If this most noble fellow, the one with the staff, had not helped me and if we had not caught and bound him, he would have gone, escaping us. For ever since Atropos delivered him to me, he resisted and pulled back throughout the whole journey, and pressing his feet against the ground, he was by no means easy to lead. Sometimes he would beg and entreat, asking to be let go for a little while and promising to give many things. But I, as was natural, did not let him go, seeing him desiring the impossible. And when we were already at the very entrance, while I, as usual, was counting the dead for Aeacus, and he was calculating them against the token sent to him by your sister, the thrice-cursed fellow went off, escaping notice I know not how. Therefore, one dead man was lacking in the calculation, and Aeacus, raising his eyebrows, said: “Do not, Hermes, use your thievery in all matters; your pranks in heaven are enough for you. But the affairs of the dead are precise and can in no way escape notice. The token, as you see, has one thousand and four engraved on it, but you have come bringing one short, unless you say that Atropos has miscalculated.” And I, blushing at his words, quickly remembered the events on the road, and when looking around I saw him nowhere, realizing his escape, I pursued him as fast as I could along the way leading to the light. And this excellent fellow followed me voluntarily, and running as if from a starting gate, we caught him already in Taenarum; he came within so much of escaping.

​Clotho And we, Charon, were already condemning Hermes for negligence. Charon Why then do we still delay, as though not enough time has been wasted? Clotho You speak well; let them embark. And I, having prepared the ledger and sitting by the gangway, as is the custom, will examine each of them as they embark—who he is, where he comes from, and in what manner he died. And you, receiving them, stack and arrange them. And you, Hermes, throw in these infants first; for what could they even answer to me? Hermes Here you are, ferryman, three hundred in number, including those exposed. Charon My, what a fine catch! You have come bringing us unripe dead. Hermes Do you wish, Clotho, that we embark the unwept after these? Clotho You mean the old men? Do so. For why should I have trouble now examining things from before Euclides? You who are over sixty, pass along now. What is this? They do not hear me, their ears stuffed up by their years. It will probably be necessary to carry these too and bring them along. Hermes Here again are three hundred and ninety-eight of them, all shriveled, ripe, and harvested in due season. Charon By Zeus, since they are all raisins by now!

​Clotho Bring along the wounded after these, Hermes; and first tell me how you died to come here. Or rather, I will examine you myself according to the written record. Eighty-four were to die yesterday fighting in Media, and with them Gobares the son of Oxyartes. Hermes They are present. Clotho Seven killed themselves because of love, and the philosopher Theagenes because of the courtesan from Megara. Hermes These are nearby. Clotho And where are those who died at one another’s hands for the kingdom? Hermes They stand by. Clotho And the one murdered by the adulterer and his wife? Hermes Here he is nearby. Clotho Bring along then those from the law courts, I mean those from the torture-frame and those crucified. And where are the sixteen killed by robbers, Hermes? Hermes These wounded whom you see are present. Do you wish me to bring the women along at the same time? Clotho By all means, and those from shipwrecks too at the same time; for they died in a similar manner. And those from the fever too, bring them at the same time, and the physician Agathocles with them.