Two men were buying meat at a butcher's stall in the marketplace. While the butcher's back was turned, one of them snatched up a joint of meat and hastily thrust it under the other's cloak, where it could not be seen.
When the butcher turned round, he missed the meat at once and charged them with having stolen it. The one who had taken it denied the theft, and the one who received it also claimed innocence.
The butcher felt sure they were deceiving him, but he only said, "You may cheat me with your lying, but you can't cheat the gods, and they won't let you off so lightly."
Prevarication often amounts to perjury.