Mercury and The Sculptor （墨丘利和雕刻师）

Mercury and The Sculptor

Mercury once determined to learn in what esteem he was held among mortals. For this purpose he assumed the character of a man and visited in this disguise a Sculptor’s studio. Having looked at various statues, he demanded the price of two figures of Jupiter and Juno. When the sum at which they were valued was named, he pointed to a figure of himself, saying to the Sculptor, “You will certainly want much more for this, as it is the statue of the Messenger of the Gods, and author of all your gain.” The Sculptor replied, “Well, if you will buy these, I’ll fling you that into the bargain.”

有一次，墨丘利想要知道，他在凡人之中，被尊敬到什么程度。 因此假装成一个凡人，来到一个雕刻师的工作室。 他先看过各种雕像，然后再问朱庇特和朱诺这两尊雕像的价钱。 雕刻师说了它们的价格后，他就指着一个自己的雕像问雕刻师：“这个雕像，你的卖价一定要高多了，因为这是神的使者，也是你一切收益的创造者。” 雕刻师回答说：“额，要是你买了那两尊，让我做成这笔交易，我就将它送给你。”