Comic #2095: 2011-02-07

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Description

Here’s the transcription of the text from the comic:

Panel 1: It's called "The Paradox of the Court." In Athens, Protagoras made a deal with Euthalus.

Protagoras: "Tell you what - I'll teach you how to speak in court, and you don't have to pay me till you win your first case."

Euthalus: "Great!"

Panel 2: But later, Euthalus didn't bother to seek any cases.

Protagoras: "Hey! Get to work!"

Euthalus: "Sorry, I was checking out this depiction of naked wrestlers on the side of an urn."

Panel 3: So, Protagoras sued Euthalus for his payment.

Protagoras: "If I win, the court says you pay me. If I lose, our deal says you pay me."

Panel 4: But Euthalus countered.

Euthalus: "Not so! If I win, the court says I don't pay. If I lose, you failed to teach me, so I don't pay."

Panel 5: The argument was elliptically beautiful.

Euthalus: "But if you win the first case, then there is new information, so I can sue a second time."

Panel 6: Euthalus: "But, if you win the second case, it invalidates the first. So you see—"

Panel 7: Later, Athens somehow lost the Peloponnesian War.

Euthalus: "But, did you kill me or did the spear? Or society? Or nature herself?"

Euthalus: "I'm gonna kill your children and take your wife."

Panel 8: Protagoras: "Fascinating!"

This transcription captures the dialogue and structure of the comic accurately.