When Vocco expressed astonishment Olynthides said:

"There is nothing to be surprised at, the thing happens every
day. It is a regular feature of slave-trading. There are all
sorts of reasons why a man wants a slave without any past.
Such sales are customary and habitual."

When pressed further he retorted:

"Of course I did not ask the buyer's name; equally of course,
I did not take any note of him, it was my business to forget him.
I didn't notice him when he came into the courtyard, there are
always knots of people coming in all day, looking over the slaves
I offer for sale, and going out again. He came in like anybody else
and looked over my stock. When he spoke to me he had a servant
with him carrying a stout leather bag. He indicated Almo and
asked his price. I named it.

"'Cash sale,' says he; 'no papers except a bare sale certificate.'

"'Done,' says I.

"He counted out the cash from his servant's bag and I gave him
the customary certificate, with a description of Almo and the statement:

"'Sold on this day and date for cash' and my signature and seal.
That was all there was to it."

When Vocco was persistent, Olynthides averred that he had
"heard" that the purchaser's name was Jegius and that he