Page:History of the seven wise masters, of Rome (1).pdf/8

 struck the beast to the heart; and so won what the Emperor had promised.Consider then, my Lord the case is yours; you are the mighty boar, against which open force cannot prevail, but secret fraud may deprive you of your life and empire whilst you hearken to the masters. Then said the Emperor, he shall die.

The second master, named Lentullus, on hearing that the Empress had again prevailed, came before the Emperor, entreating him, to spare his son's life, lest it happen to him as it did to a Roman knight, that espoused a beautiful wife, and fearing she would stray, locked the doors every night, laying the key under his head, but she stole it from thence, and sported with her gallants, but one night, missing her, he bolted the door: she returned and knocked, but he upbraided her for her inconstancy, saying, she should stay till the watch seized her: whereupon, she took two large stones, and threw them in a well that was in the court-yard, then hid herself under the door. On which the knight thinking she had jumped into the well, came down to relieve her; when upon his opening the door, she slipped in and bolted him out, calling for the watch to seize him; who adjudged him to stand in the pillogy.This story so much moved the Emperor, that, says he, this day my son shall not die.