When this was done, and all my things brought into the Chamber, I walked towards the baines; but first I went to the market to buy some victuals for my supper, whereas I saw great plenty of fish set out to be sold: and so I cheapened part thereof, and that which they at first held at an hundred pence, I bought at length for twenty. Which when I had done, and was departing away, one of mine old acquaintance, and fellow at Athens, named Pithias, fortuned to pass by, and viewing me at a good space, in the end brought me to his remembrance, and gently came and kissed me, saying, Oh my dear friend Lucius, it is a great while past since we two saw one another, and moreover, from the time that we departed from our master Vestius, I never heard any news from you. I pray you Lucius tell me the cause of your peregrination hither. Then I answered and said, I will make relation thereof unto you tomorrow: but I pray you tell me, what meaneth these servitors that follow you, and these rods or verges which they bear, and this habit which you wear like unto a magistrate, verily I think you have obtained your own desire, whereof I am right glad. Then answered Pithias, I bear the office of the clerk of the market, and therefore if you will have any pittance for your supper speak and I will purvey it for you. Then I thanked him heartily and said I had bought meat sufficient already. But Pithias when he espied my basket wherein my fish was, took it and shaked it, and demanded of me what I had paid for all my sprats. In faith (quoth I), I could scarce enforce the fishmonger to sell them for twenty pence. Which when I heard, he brought me back again into the market, and inquired of me of whom I bought them. I showed him the old man which sat in a corner, whom by and by, by reason of his office, he did greatly blame, and said, Is it thus you serve and handle strangers, and specially our friends? Wherefore sell you this fish so dear, which is not worth a halfpenny? Now perceive I well, that you are an occasion to make this place, which is the principal city of all Thessaly, to be forsaken of all men, and to reduce it into an uninhabitable desert, by reason of your excessive prices of victuals, but assure yourself that you shall not escape without punishment, and you shall know what mine office is, and how I ought to punish such as offend. Then he took my basket and cast the fish on the ground, and commanded one of his sergeants to tread them under his feet. This done he persuaded me to depart, and said that only shame and reproach done unto the old caitiff did suffice him, So I went away amazed and astonied, towards the baines, considering with myself and devising of the grace of my companion Pythias. Where when I had well washed and refreshed my body, I returned again to Milo’s house, both without money and meat, and so got into my chamber. Then came Fotis immediately unto me, and said that her master desired me to come to supper. But I not ignorant of Milo’s abstinence, prayed that I might be pardoned since as I thought best to ease my wearied bones rather with sleep and quietness, than with meat. When Fotis had told this to Milo, he came himself and took me by the hand, and while I did modestly excuse myself, I will not (quoth he) depart from this place, until such time as you shall go with me: and to confirm the same, he bound his words with an oath, whereby he enforced me to follow him, and so he brought me into his chamber, where he sat him down upon the bed, and demanded of me how his friend Demeas did, his wife, his children, and all his family: and I made answer to him every question, specially he inquired the causes of my peregrination and travel, which when I had declared, he yet busily demanded of the state of my country, and the chief magistrates there, and principally of our lieutenant and viceroy; who when he perceived that I was not only wearied by travel, but also with talk, and that I fell asleep in the midst of my tale, and further that I spake nothing directly or advisedly, he suffered me to depart to my chamber. So scaped I at length from the prating and hungry supper of this rank old man, and being compelled by sleep and not by meat, and having supped only with talk, I returned into my chamber, and there betook me to my quiet and long desired rest.