A man carved a wooden statue of the god Hermes and carried it to the market to offer it for sale. But no buyer came along.So the man took it into his head to attract a buyer by crying out that he was selling a god who would provide both goods and profits.A passer-by heard this and said to him:
‘Ha!Well, friend, if he is so beneficent, why are you selling him instead of making use of his help yourself?'
The merchant replied:
‘Oh, it isn't that. It's just that I need ready cash and the god is never in a hurry to render his services.'
This fable relates to base, self-seeking men who are not sustained bythe gods.