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whereas by thy horse, if he had been sound, thou couldest have pleased but one, with thy lame horse thou mayest please half a dozen.

144. (120.) Iphicrates the Athenian, in a treaty that he had with the Lacedæmonians for peace, in which question was about security for observing the same', said, The Athenians would not accept of any security, except the Lacedæmonians did yield up un o them those things, whereby it mought be manifest that they could not hurt them if they would.

† 145. Euripides would say of persons that were beautiful, and yet in some years, In fair bodies not only the spring is pleasant, but also the autumn.

146. (81.) After a great fight, there came to the camp of Consalvo, the great captain, a gentleman proudly horsed and armed. Diego de Mendoza asked the great captain; Who's this? Who answered; It is Saint Ermin, who never appears but after a storm.2

† 147. There was a captain sent to an exploit by his general, with forces that were not likely to achieve the enterprize. The captain said to him; Sir, appoint but half so many. Why? (saith the general.) The captain answered; Because it is better fewer die than more.3

148. (121.) They would say of the Duke of Guise, Henry, that had sold and oppignerated all his patrimony, to suffice the great donatives that he had made; That he was the greatest usurer of France, because all his state was in obligations.1

† 149. Croesus said to Cambyses; That peace was better than war; because in peace the sons did bury their fathers, but in wars the fathers did bury their sons.

150. (224.) There was a harbinger who had lodged a gentleman in a very ill room, who expostulated with him somewhat

the same peace. R.

2 the storm. R. Compare Melch. II. 3. 3.: where the story is in one respect better told. Consalvo having just disembarked, three ships were seen approaching; "Venia delante in uno dellos un cavallero armado que se avia quedado atrás." A collection of French apophthegms gives it thus: "Le grand Capitaine Gonsalvo volant venir un sien gentilhomme au devant de lui bien en ordre et richement armé, après la journée de Serignolle; et que les affaires estoient à seurté; dit à la compagnie : nous ne devons desormais avoir peur de la tourmente. Car Saint Herme nous est apparu."-Apophthegmata Græca, Latina, Italica, Gallica, Hispanica, collecta a Gerardo Suningro. Leidensi, 1609.

3 Melch. II. 3. 12.

They would say of the Duke of Guise, Henry; That he was the greatest usurer in France, for that he had turned all his estate into obligations; meaning that he had sold and oppignorated all his patrimony to give large donatives to other men. R.

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rudely; but the harbinger carelessly said; You will take pleasure in it when you are out of it.1

† 151. There was a curst page, that his master whipt naked; and when he had been whipt, would not put on his clothes and when his master bade him, said to him; Take them you, for they are the hangman's fees.

152. (82.) There was one that died greatly in debt. When it was reported in some company, where divers of his creditors were, that he was dead, one began to say; In good faith2, then he hath carried five hundred ducats of mine with him into the other world. And another of them said; And two hundred of mine. And some others spake of several sums of theirs.3 Whereupon one that was amongst them said; Well I see now that though a man cannot carry any of his own with him into the other world, yet he may carry other men's.5

153. (83.) Francis Carvajall, that was the great captain of the rebels of Peru, had often given the chase to Diego Centeno, a principal commander of the Emperor's party. He was afterwards taken by the Emperor's lieutenant, Gasca, and committed to the custody of Diego Centeno, who used him with all possible courtesy; insomuch as Carvajall asked him; I pray, Sir, who are you that use me with this courtesy ? Centeno said; Do not you know Diego Centeno? Carvajall answered; In good faith, Sir, I have been so used to see your back, as I knew not your face.

† 154. Carvajall, when he was drawn to execution, being fourscore and five years old, and laid upon the hurdle, said; What? young in cradle, old in cradle?

155. (84.) There is a Spanish adage, Love without end hath no end: meaning, that if it were begun not upon particular ends it would last.

156. (159.) Cato the elder, being aged, buried his wife, and married a young woman. His son came to him, and said; Sir, what have I offended you, that you have brought a step-mother into your house? The old man answered; Nay, quite contrary, son; thou pleasest me so well, as I would be glad to have more such.

1 Melch. II. 6. 2.; differently told.

3 And a third spake of great sums of his.

R.

2 well, if he be gone. R 4 perceive.

R.

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5 into the next world, yet he may carry that which is another man's. R.
Truly, Sir. R.
7 Gondomar would say. R.

157. (160.) Crassus the orator had a fish, which the Romans called 1 Muræna, that he had made very tame and fond of him. The fish died, and Crassus wept for it. One day falling in contention with Domitius in the senate, Domitius said; Foolish Crassus, you wept for your Muræna. Crassus replied; That's more than you did for both your wives.

158. (161.) Philip, Alexander's father, gave sentence against a prisoner, what time he was drowsy, and seemed to give small attention. The prisoner, after sentence was pronounced, said; I appeal. The King somewhat stirred, said; To whom do you appeal? The prisoner answered; From Philip when he gave no ear, to Philip when he shall give ear.

2

159. (204.) The same Philip maintained argument with a musician, in points of his art, somewhat peremptorily. But the musician said to him; God forbid, Sir, your fortune were so hard, that you should know these things better than 1.3

160. (162.) There was a philosopher that disputed with Adrian the Emperor, and did it but weakly. One of his friends that had been by, afterwards said to him; Methinks you were not like yourself, last day, in argument with the Emperor; 1 could have answered better myself. Why, said the philosopher, would you have me contend with him that commands thirty legions?

† 161. Diogenes was asked in a kind of scorn; What was the matter, that philosophers haunted rich men, and not rich men philosophers? He answered; Because the one knew what they wanted, the other did not.

† 162. Demetrius, King of Macedon, had a petition offered him divers times by an old woman, and still answered; He had no leisure. Whereupon the woman said aloud; Why then give over to be King.

4

163. (225.) The same Demetrius would at times retire himself from business, and give himself wholly to pleasures. One day of those his retirings, giving out that he was sick, his father Antigonus came on the sudden to visit him, and met a fair dainty youth coming out of his chamber. When Antigonus came in, Demetrius said: Sir, the fever left me right now. Antigonus replied, I think it was he that I met at the door.

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164. (85.) There was a merchant far in debt that died.' His goods and household stuff were set forth to sale. There was one that bought only a pillow, and said 2; This pillow sure is good to sleep upon, since he could sleep that owed so many debts.3

165. (86.) A lover met his lady in a close chair, she thinking to go unknown. He came and spake to her. She asked him; How did you know me? He said; Because my wounds bleed afresh. Alluding to the common tradition, that the wounds. of a body slain, in the presence of him that killed him, will bleed afresh.5

166. (87.) A gentleman brought music to his lady's window, who hated him, and had warned him oft away; and when he persisted, she threw stones at him. Whereupon a friend of his that was in his company, said to him; What greater honour can you have to your music, than that stones come about you, as they did to Orpheus?

167. (226.) Cato Major would say; That wise men learned more by fools, than fools by wise men.

168. (227.) When it was said to Anaxagoras; The Athenians have condemned you to die: he said again; And Nature them.

† 169. Demosthenes when he fled from the battle, and that it was reproached to him, said; That he that flies mought fight again.

170. (205.) Antalcidas, when an Athenian said to him; Ye Spartans are unlearned; said again; True, for we have learned no evil nor vice of you.

171. (228.) Alexander, when his father wished him to run for the prize of the race at the Olympian games, (for he was very swift,) said; He would, if he might run with kings.

172. (163.) When Alexander passed into Asia, he gave large donatives to his captains, and other principal men of virtue ;

There was a merchant died, that was very far in debt. R.

2 A stranger would needs buy a pillow there, saying. R.

3 The saying is attributed by Macrobius to Augustus Cæsar; and quoted in Erasmus's collection, No. 31.

4 to have gone. R.

5 that the wounds of a body slain will bleed afresh upon the approach of the murtherer,

R,

She. R.

8 a gentleman said unto him, that was in his company. R.

7 would not desist. R.

insomuch as Parmenio asked him; Sir, what do you keep for yourself? He answered; Hope.

173. (229.) Antigonus used oft to go disguised, and listen at the tents of his soldiers: and at a time heard some that spoke very ill of him. Whereupon he opened the tent a little, and said to them; If you will speak ill of me, you should go a little further off.

174. (164.) Vespasian set a tribute upon urine. Titus his son emboldened himself to speak to his father of it: and represented it as a thing indign and sordid. Vespasian said nothing for the time; but a while after, when it was forgotten, sent for a piece of silver out of the tribute money, and called to his son, bidding him smell to it; and asked him; Whether he found any offence? Who said, No. Why lo', (saith Vespasian again,) and yet this comes out of urine.

† 175. There were two gentlemen, otherwise of equal degree, save that the one was of the ancienter house. The other in courtesy asked his hand to kiss: which he gave him; and he kissed it; but said withal, to right himself, by way of friendship ; Well, I and you, against any two of them: putting himself first.

176. (165.) Nerva the Emperor succeeded Domitian, who was tyrannical; so as 3 in his time many noble houses were. overthrown by false accusations; the instruments whereof were chiefly Marcellus and Regulus. The Emperor one night supped privately with some six or seven: amongst which there was one that was a dangerous man, and began to take the like courses as Marcellus and Regulus had done. The Emperor fell into discourse of the injustice and tyranny of the former time, and by name of the two accusers; and said; What should we do with them, if we had them now? One of them that were 5 at

1 Why so. R.

2 According to Melchior's version (VI. 6. 4,) mas anciano: the older man. 3 who had been tyrannical; and. R.

4 The Emperor Nerva.

R.

5 was. R. This variation (which is obviously wrong), coupled with others of the same kind, makes me suspect that the text of the edition of 1661 has suffered from a correcting editor. It may be that he had no choice for the collection may have been made up from a rough imperfect or illegible copy, containing passages which could only be supplied by conjecture. But it strikes me that very few of these different readings are such as Bacon himself would have thought improvements. In this case the history of the change may be easily divined. "One of them that were at supper, and was a free-spoken senator," struck the editor as an incorrect sentence: were and was could not both be right; and as "a senator" could not be plural, were must be replaced by was. Unfortunately, in attending to the grammar without attending to the sense, he in effect puts the remark into the mouth of the very person at whom it was aimed. Ile should have let were stand, and put who for and.

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