Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/107

Rh emperor invited him, and whensoever he walked with him, eftsoons and to no purpose he would come out with these verses in Homer:

For naught else but to make some sport Among the Greeks he did resort;

pretending that the cause of that favour which he had with the emperor, was the grace and gift that he had in flouting and reviling others: and even the very comical poets in old time, exhibited and represented to the theatres many grave, austere, and serious remonstrances, and those pertaining to policy and government of state: but there be scurrile speeches intermingled among, for to move laughter, which (as one unsavoury dish of meat among many other good viands) mar all their liberty of speech and the benefit thereof; so as it is vain and doth no good at all: And even so the authors and actors of such broad jests get nothing thereby but an opinion and imputation of a malicious disposition and impure scurrility: and to the hearers there accrueth no good nor profit at all.

At other times and in other places, I hold well with it, and grant that to jest with friends and move laughter is tolerable enough: but surely the liberty of speech then ought to be serious and modest, shewing a good intention without any purpose to gall or sting. And if it do concern weighty affairs indeed, let the words be so set and couched, the affection so appear, the countenance be so composed, and the gesture so ordered, and the voice so tuned, that all concurring together may win credit to the speech, and be effectual to move. But as in all things else, fit opportunity overslipt and neglected doth much hurt; so especially it is the occasion that the fruit of free speech is utterly lost, in case it be omitted and forgotten. Moreover this is evident, that we must take heed how we speak broad at a table where friends be met together to drink wine liberally and to make good cheer: for he that amid pleasant discourses and merry talk moveth a speech that causeth bending and knitting of brows, or others, maketh men to frown and be frowning, he doth as much as overcast fair weather with a black and dark cloud; opposing himself unto that god Lyæus, who by good right hath that name, as Pindarus the poet saith:

For that the cord he doth untie Of cares that breed anxiety.

Besides, this neglect of opportunity bringeth with it great