Oh, take me back to earth again. They'll mock at me on the other
side of this hellish river ... play tricks on me ...
MERCURY. Charon, give him your oar. He shall mind the boat till Monday. A
final and a wholesome exercise in what he calls his philosophy, to row all
day from a place he has never understood to a place he doesn't believe in.
HIPPONAX. I can't row.
MOMUS. You don't know what you can do till you try. You'll have more muscle
by Monday.
CHARON. Can you get good wine below?
MERCURY. To your boat, philosopher.
[What is a blind man to question the voice of a god? He turns to the
hated river, tapping the ground with his pole. Now comes a joke, one of
the very oldest.
MOMUS. One moment.
HIPPONAX. [As he turns back, hopeful of respite.] What is it?
MOMUS. How far would you have got if I hadn't called you back?
[Mercury hardly smiles. But Charon is abandoned to mirth. He slaps his
old knees with his hands.
CHARON. He's a funny fellow.
HIPPONAX. Dull clown!
[And he starts again.
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