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ULYSSES. In good truth, Gryllus, you are grown, in
my conceit, a notable sophister, to discourse at this rate
out of a hog's snout, and yet to handle your argument so
strenuously. But why have you not all this while spoke
a word of temperance?
GRYLLUS. Because I thought you would have contradicted first what I have already said. But you are in haste
to hear what I have to say concerning temperance, because
that, being the husband of a most temperate and chaste
wife, you believe you have set us an example of temperance by abstaining from Circe's embraces. And yet in
this you differ nothing from all the beasts; for neither do
they desire to approach their superiors, but they pursue
their pleasures and amours among those of their own tribe.
No wonder is it then, if—like the Mendesian goat in
Egypt, which is reported to have been shut up with several most beautiful women, yet never to have offered copulation with them, but when he was at liberty, with a lustful
fury flew upon the she-goats—so thou, though a man
addicted greatly to venereal pleasures, yet being a man,
hast no desire to sleep with a goddess. And for the chastity of thy Penelope, the ten thousand rooks and daws that
chatter it abroad do but make it ridiculous and expose
it to contempt, there being not one of those birds but,
if she loses her mate, continues a widow, not for a small
time, but for nine ages of men; so that there is not one of
those female rooks that does not surpass in chastity thy
fair Penelope above nine times.
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