"Your imaginationneeds cold water poured on it, like a couple of dogs mating in thestreet," Sostratos said. Menedemos mimed taking an arrow in the chest. Hestaggered around so convincingly, he alarmed a donkey with four big amphorai ofolive oil lashed onto its back with a web of leather straps. The fellow leadingthe donkey had several pointed things to say about that. Menedemos took nonotice of him.

And Sostratos felt alittle guilty, for he too sometimes tried to imagine what women looked likeunder their wraps and tunics, under their shawls and veils. What man didn't,every now and then? Why did women conceal themselves, if not to spur men'simaginings?

Musing thus, he almostwalked past his own doorway. Menedemos laughed and said, "Don't come alongwith me yet. You need to go in and let your father know what we've done, whileI tell mine. Merchants' supper at our house tonight, you know."

Sostratos dipped hishead to show he remembered. "I expect we'll have plenty to talk about, too-  if our fathers haven't skinned us by then and sold our hides to thetanners."

"We'll make moneywith those birds," Menedemos said stoutly.

"We'd better,"Sostratos said. His cousin winced, then waved and went on to his own house.Nothing got Menedemos down for long. Sostratos wished he could say the same. Heknocked on the door and waited for his father or a house slave to let him in.

Gyges, the majordomo,unbarred the doors and threw the two panels wide. "Hail, young master,"the Lydian slave said. "How is the Aphrodite shaping?" He knew almostas much about the business as Sostratos and his father.

"Well enough,"Sostratos answered. "Is Father home? Menedemos and I bought some goods totake west when we sail, and I want to tell him about them."

"Yes, he'shere," Gyges said. "He'll be glad to see you; Xanthos justleft."