confess, rather afraid of meeting his wife. So I said that my kinswoman
Byrrhena had already engaged me to dine with her.

On arriving at Byrrhena's mansion I was surprised to find that a
splendid banquet had been prepared, and that all the best people in
Hypata were present. We reclined on couches of ivory, covered with
golden drapery, and a throng of lovely girls served us with exquisite
dishes; while pretty curly-headed boys brought the wine round in goblets
of gold and amber.

When the lights were brought in, the talk became freer and gayer;
everybody was bent on laughing and making his neighbours laugh.

"We are, you see, preparing for the great festival to-morrow," Byrrhena
said to me. "Hypata is the only city that keeps the feast of the god of
laughter. You must come, and invent some pleasantry to propitiate the
merriest of all deities."

"By Hercules!" I replied. "If the laughing god will only lend me
inspiration to-night, I will do my best to entertain the townspeople
to-morrow."


_II.--The Feast of the God of Laughter_


It was the jolliest banquet I was ever at. Even in Corinth we did not do
the thing so well. It was not until I got into the open air, and set out
for Milo's house, that I knew how much wine I had taken. But though I
was rather unsteady on my feet, I retained my presence of mind. I