to the contents page.)
Three sophists came to greet the Consul,
who addressed them with all courtesy,
and seated them beside him. But then
he jokingly advised them to take care: "Renown
breeds envy. Rivals are writing. You have enemies."
One of the trio answered seriously:
"Our present enemies will never harm us.
It's later that our enemies will come,
new sophists when we're senile, pitiful,
and some of us have entered Hades. Then our present
words and deeds will seem grotesque (perhaps
amusing), for our enemies will change sophistic
style and trends. Such as I and such as they
are similar, transforming what is past.
Whatever we've described as beautiful and right
they'll show to be superfluous and silly,
and will effortlessly say the same things differently.
Just as we repeated old words in a different way."
( to the contents page.)