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An Athenian and a Theban were on the road together, and passed

the time in conversation, as is the way of travellers. After

discussing a variety of subjects they began to talk about heroes,

a topic that tends to be more fertile than edifying. Each of them

was lavish in his praises of the heroes of his own city, until

eventually the Theban asserted that Hercules was the greatest

hero who had ever lived on earth, and now occupied a foremost

place among the gods; while the Athenian insisted that Theseus

was far superior, for his fortune had been in every way supremely

blessed, whereas Hercules had at one time been forced to act as a

servant. And he gained his point, for he was a very glib fellow,

like all Athenians; so that the Theban, who was no match for him

in talking, cried at last in some disgust, "All right, have your

way; I only hope that, when our heroes are angry with us, Athens

may suffer from the anger of Hercules, and Thebes only from that

of Theseus."

THE GOATHERD AND THE GOAT