A Conversation from the Forum

By Devorah T.

Characters:

Asthenos

Domades

Potter

In the middle of the Golden Age of Athens, a young potter hears a conversation between two well known patricians, Asthanos Delos and Domades Liabertia, that will begin a

noteworthy career.

“Good morning Asthenos” said Domades cheerfully.

“Is it, Domades?” asked Asthenos morosely.

“Asthenos, what happened?”

“Domades, my father got me engaged to some fat cow who is ten years my junior, and I was publicly humiliated when I tried to give a speech yesterday!”

“My wife is twelve years my junior and you don’t see me complaining.”

“Your wife, Domades, is twelve, my fiancé is ten, and we’re getting married in three months!”

“All right, so she’s a bit young, so what. As for being publicly humiliated, next time try writing the speech instead of having a nearly senile tutor do all the work.”

“Domades, he was writing about a trade crisis that happened thirty years ago!”

“Asthenos, he’s a slave. What do you expect?”

“He was praising Sparta!”

“Domades, stop laughing. It isn’t funny!”

“Asthenos, this is the funniest thing that you’ve done since you told my sister you’d marry her. Anyway, Asthenos, did you hear about the new comedy coming up? It sounds good.”

“Domades, Domades, Domades, don’t you know? Once you see one comedy. you’ve seen them all.”

“That isn’t true; you liked Antigone.”

“That was a tragedy!”

“Anyway, are you going to Olympus to see the Olympic games?”

“Who isn’t?”

“How much money will you be betting this year?”

“More than last time.”

“Asthenos, please tell.”

“I don’t think so.”

And with that, the two friends walked away from my shop, leaving the potter to his

imagination.