He watched Sostratos contemplate that. It wasn't what his cousin wanted; Menedemos knew as much. Most men, when thwarted in their desires, lashed out at whoever held them back. Menedemos had seen that, too. Sostratos' mouth twisted. But he didn't let loose whatever curses he was thinking. Instead, he said, “Well, I don't like to admit it, but that's likely best for the ship and best for business. Let it be as you say.” “I did think you would fuss more,” Menedemos said. Sostratos smiled a crooked smile. “I will if you like.” “Don't bother.” Menedemos smiled, too. “I'm glad you're being so reasonable. I was just thinking that not many men would.” “Oh, I'll fight like a wild boar when I think I'm right, and I'll rip the guts out of the hunting dogs of illogic that nip my heels,” Sostratos said. “But what's the point in getting hot and bothered when that would be wrong?” “You might win anyhow. Some would say you had a better chance, in fact,” Menedemos answered. “Look at what Bad Logic did to Good Logic in the Clouds.” “You keep coming back to that polluted play,” Sostratos said. “You know it's not my favorite.” “But there's a lot of good stuff in it,” Menedemos said. “By the time Bad Logic is done, Good Logic sees that practically all the Athenians are a pack of wide-arsed catamites.” “That's not true, though,” Sostratos protested. “It's what people think.” Menedemos applied the clincher: “And it's funny.” “What people think to be true often influences what they do or say, and so becomes a truth of its own,” Sostratos said thoughtfully. “I’ll chase truth where it leads me, and it leads me there.” He wagged a finger at Menedemos. “But I would never throw truth over the rail for the sake of getting a laugh.” “You're the soul of virtue.” Menedemos could have spoken mockingly; his cousin did get tiresome at times. But Sostratos really did have a great many virtues, and Menedemos was more willing than usual to acknowledge them because his cousin wasn't fussing about heading up to Miletos. Sostratos pointed. “There's the Aphrodite .” A couple of sailors aboard the merchant galley spotted their captain and toikharkhos and waved. Menedemos waved back. He also wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. “Hot and muggy,” he grumbled. “It is, isn't it?” Sostratos looked north. “Breeze is picking up a little bit, too, I think,” He spoke as if hoping Menedemos would tell him he was wrong. Menedemos, unfortunately, thought he was right. “I hope we don't get a blow,” he said. “It would be late in the year for one, but I don't like the feel of the air.” “No. Neither do I,” Sostratos said, and then, “We might have done better not to let the crew do its celebrating
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