the clouds above."

Soc. It seems, then, by your showing I do care for them. How value
less the gods, not more, if being above us they make the void of use
to send us rain, and cause their light to shine on us? And now, sir,
if you do not like this frigid[10] argument, why do you cause me
trouble? The fault is yours.[11]

[10] Cf. "Cyrop." VIII. iv. 22, 23.

[11] {pho parekhousin . . . pragmata moi parekhon}. Lit. "cause light
. . . causing me trouble."

Well, let that be (the other answered); answer me one question: How
many fleas' feet distance is it, pray, from you to me?[12] They say
you measure them by geometric scale.

[12] See Aristoph. "Clouds," 144 foll.:

{aneret' arti Khairephonta Sokrates
psullan oposous alloito tous autes podas
dakousa gar . . .}

Cf. Lucian, ii. "Prom. in Verb. 6," and "Hudibras, the Second Part
of," canto iii.:

How many scores a Flea will jump
Of his own length from Head to Rump
Which Socrates and Chaerephon
In vain essayed so long agon.