Exchanges

Ethiopians? I guessed again.

No, said Pliny. It was the Chinese.

What! I exclaimed. But the Chinese don't have hair of gold and eyes of blue. And they aren't taller than average. Do you mean to say they were like that in your day?

Not exactly, said Pliny. Perhaps you might like to read page 68 now.

I read page 68. I learned that the king of Taprobane, or modern day Sri Lanka, had sent four envoys to Rome, led by one Rachias, who had provided the following information about the Chinese. Namely, his father had travelled to China as a trader. That the Chinese always met them on the beach. The Chinese were above average height with golden coloured hair, blue eyes and harsh voices, although no conversation was had with them.

You see, said Pliny.

I see, I said. You got it wrong. But it wasn't your fault entirely. You were just relating what the Taprobanian envoy's dad had said. But didn't your Roman merchants deal directly with the Chinese too? Didn't they know what they looked like?

No, said Pliny. According to our merchants' accounts, they would leave their goods on the riverbank next to those put out for sale. If the Chinese liked the exchange they took the goods away. Our merchants did not see them.

Oh, I said. Well, I suppose you are exonerated. Is that why you made up the riddle?

I sought to divert your attention, said Pliny.

It didn't work, I said. It drew my attention. But it was an impossible riddle.

It wasn't, said Pliny. I knew the answer.

But the answer was wrong, I said. Wasn't it?

That was it's comical aspect, said Pliny.