Ἐπεὶ δὲ Ἡρῴδης ὁ πάνυ ἐπένθει τὸν Πολυδεύκη πρὸ ὥρας ἀποθανόντα καὶ ἠξίου ὄχημα ζεύγνυσθαι αὐτῷ καὶ ἵππους παρίστασθαι ὡς ἀναβησομένῳ καὶ δεῖπνον παρασκευάζεσθαι, προσελθών, “παρὰ Πολυδεύκους,” ἔφη, “κομίζω σοὶ τινα ἐπιστολήν.” ἡσθέντος δὲ ἐκείνου καὶ οἰηθέντος ὅτι κατὰ τὸ κοινὸν καὶ αὐτὸς τοῖς ἄλλοις συντρέχει τῷ πάθει αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰπόντος, “τί οὖν, ὦ Δημῶναξ, Πολυδεύκης ἀξιοῖ;” “αἰτιᾶταί σε,” ἔφη, “ὅτι μὴ ἤδη πρὸς αὐτὸν ἄπει.”
(Lucian, Demonax 24)
When Herodes the superlative was mourning Polydeukes and wanted a chariot made and horses put to it just as if the boy were going for a drive, and dinner regularly served for him, Demonax went to him and said: “I am bringing you a message from Polydeukes.” Herodes was pleased and thought that Demonax, like everyone else, was falling in with his humour; so he said: “Well, what does Polydeukes want, Demonax?” “He finds fault with you,” he said, “for not going to join him at once!” (tr. Austin Morris Harmon)
