Myself，Iamnopampererofthecommonpeople。Isaythat，ifamanbelefttohungerandshiver，hewillworktogainhimfoodandraiment;andifnot，whythenhecandie，andtheStateiswellridofaworthlessfellow。Butherebesideus，aswemarchedthroughmanywards，weremarksofblindoppression;starveddeadbodies，withthebonesstartingthroughtheleanskin，sprawledinthegutter;andindeeditwasplainthat，saveforthefavouredfew，thepeopleofthegreatcapitalwereunderamostheavyoppression。
Butatthis，thoughImightregretitabominably，Icouldmakenostrongcomplaint。Bytheancientlawofthelandallthepeople，greatandsmall，weretheservantsoftheking，tobeputwithoutquestiontowhatpurposeshechose;andPhorenicestoodintheplaceoftheking。SoItriedtothinknotreason，butwithasighpassedon，keepingmyeyesabovethemiseriesandthesqualorsoftheroadway，andsendingoutmythoughtstothestarswhichhunginthepurplenightabove，andtotheHighGodswhichdweltamongstthem，seeking，ifitmightbe，forguidanceformyfuturepolicies。
Andsointimethewindingsofthestreetsbroughtustothewalls，and，coursingbesidetheseandgivingfittinganswertothesentrieswhobeattheirdrumsaswepassed，wecameintimetothatgreatgatewhichwasachargetothecaptainofthegarrison。
Hereitwasplaintherewassomespecialcommotion。Anoiseoflaughterwentupintothestillnightair，andwithitnowandagainthesnarlandroarofagreatbeast，andnowandagaintheshriekofahurtman。Butwhatevermightbeafoot，itwasnotascenetocomeuponsuddenly。Theentrancegatesofourgreatcapitalweredesignedbytheirancientbuilderstobenolessstrongthanthewallsthemselves。Fourpairsofvalveswerethere，eachamonstrousblockofstonetwoman—heightssquare，andaman—heightthick，andthewallwasdoubledtoreceivethem，enclosinganopencircusbetweenitstwoparts。Thefourgatesthemselvesweresetoneattheinner，oneattheoutersideofeachofthesewalls，andahiddenmachinerysoconnectedthem，thatofeachsetonecouldnotopentilltheotherwasclosed;andasforforcingthemwithoutwarengines，onemightasfoolishlytrytopushdowntheroyalpyramidwiththebarehand。
Myescortmadeoutcrywiththehornwhichhungfromthewallinvitingsuchasummons，andawardercametoanarrow—slit，anddidinspectionofourpersonsandbusiness。Hissurveywasaccordingtotheancientformofwords，whichislong，andthiswasmadestillmoretediousbythenoisefromwithin，whicheverandagaindrownedallspeechbetweenusentirely。