The Judgement

Can we hurry this up, I'm interested in Gymnosophist number ten, I said.

No, said the Geranium. Unless you've heard all the questions you won't understand his judgement.

I will, I said. The questions are all the same sort.

Shut up, said the Geranium. Do you want to know the answer to the question on life and death?

No, I said. The answer wasn't death, so it must have been life. Go on with the next one.

The answer, said the Geranium huffily, was that life is the stronger, since it supports so many ills.

Swizz! I said. That has to be the worst answer. Alright, what was number nine?

How long is it good for a man to live? said the Geranium.

Easy, I said. Until death seems the better option.

You got one right! said the Geranium, surprised.

I'm no fool, I said. So now, Alexander asks the tenth and oldest Gymnosophist to judge which of the others has given the worst answer. What does he say?

This is where things become somewhat opaque, said the Geranium.

He says that?

No, he says this: They have every one answered worse than another.

Life or Death?

So, which is older, day or night? I asked.

Well, said the Geranium, the Gymnosophist answered that day was older, by one day.

What kind of an answer was that?

Alexander asked the same thing. What kind of an answer is that? And the Gymnosophist replied: Hard questions have hard answers.

Ooh! And did he get killed?

No, Alexander wasn't the judge.

Who was?

Alexander had chosen the oldest Gymnosophist to be the judge.

Exciting! Hurry up with the story.

Patience, said the Geranium, and went on:

Next, Alexander asked Gymnosophist number six: How can a man be most loved? He answered: If he is most powerful and yet does not inspire fear. Then Alexander asked Gymnosophist number seven: How might one become a god instead of a man? He answered: By doing something which a man cannot do.

What's that?

Alexander didn't ask. He probably realised he would be wasting a question.

Oh yes, what can a man do that a man cannot do? What a silly question. You could, though, couldn't you, Geranium?

What?

Do something a man cannot do, being a plant. Does that make you a god?

I doubt it, I would have to do something a plant cannot do.

You do.

What do I do? Don't distract me..... now where was I? Question number eight. Which is stronger, life or death?

Death, I said, without thinking.

Wrong, said the Geranium. Wrong, wrong, wrong.