Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/111

Rh into this or that inconvenience, it were sufficient to say thus unto him:

You never took by mine advice this course, Against the same how oft did I discourse?

In what cases and occurrences, then, ought a friend to be earnest and vehement? and when is he to use his liberty of speech, and extend it to the full? even then, when occasion is offered, and the time serveth best to repress excessive pleasure, to restrain unbridled choler, to refrain intolerable pride and insolency, to stay insatiable avarice, or to stand against any foolish habitude and inconsiderate motion. Thus Solon spake freely unto King Crœsus, when he saw how he was clean corrupted, and grown beyond all measure arrogant upon the opinion that he had of his felicity in this world, which was uncertain, advertising him to look unto the end. Thus Socrates clipped the wings of Alcibiades, and by convincing his vice and error, caused him to weep bitterly, and altered quite the disposition of his heart. Such were the remonstrances and admonitions of Cyrus to Cyaxares, and of Plato to Dion, even when he was in his greatest ruff, in the very height of his glory: when (I say) all men's eyes were upon him, for his worthy acts and great success in all affairs, willing him even then to take heed and beware of arrogancy and self-conceit, as being the vice that dwelleth in the same house together with solitude (that is to say) which maketh a man to live apart from the whole world. And to the same effect wrote Speusippus also unto him, when he bade him look to himself, and not take a pride and presume much upon this; That there was no talk among women and children but of him; rather that he should have a care so to adorn Sicily with religion and piety towards the gods, with justice and good laws in regard of men, that the school of the academy might have honour and credit by him. Contrariwise, Euctæus and Eulæus, two minions and favourites of King Perseus, who followed his vein and pleased his humour in all things, like other courtiers of his, all the while that he flourished, and so long as the world went on his side: but after he had lost the field in a battle against the Romans, fought near the city Pydna, and was fled, they let fly at him gross terms and reproachful speeches, bitterly laying to his charge all the misdemeanours and faults that he had before committed, casting in his dish those persons whom he had evil in treated or despised; which they ceased not to do so long, until the man (partly for sorrow,