17 They said to them, “Explain what you’ve written.”

Then the first, who’d spoken of the strength of wine, began 18 and said this: “Oh sirs, how extremely strong wine is! It causes all men who drink it to go astray. 19 It makes the mind of the king and of the fatherless child to be the same, likewise of the bondman and of the freeman, of the poor man and of the rich. 20 It also turns every thought into cheer and mirth, so that a man remembers neither sorrow nor debt. 21 It makes every heart rich, so that a man remembers neither king nor local governor. It makes people say things in large amounts. 22 When they’re in their cups, they forget their love both to friends and kindred, and before long draw their swords. 23 But when they awake from their wine, they don’t remember what they’ve done. 24 Oh sirs, isn’t wine the strongest, seeing that it forces people to do this?” And when he’d said this, he stopped speaking.