Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/138

116 his naked sword to touch his bare neck, and so gently to go his ways and do no more to him: marry, afterwards, he sent unto him little bones for cockal, and a pretty ball to play withal, as if he had been a child that had no wit nor discretion, and so sent him home again in peace. King Ptolemæus, upon a time jesting and scoffing at a simple and unlearned grammarian, asked him who was the father of Peleus: I will answer you, sir (quoth he), if you tell me first who was the father of Lagus: This was a dry flout and touched King Ptolemæus very near, in regard of the mean parentage from whence he was descended: whereat all about the king were mightily offended, and thought it was too broad a jest and frump intolerable. But Ptolemæus, if it be not seemly for a king to take and put up a scorn, surely as little decent it is for his person to give a scorn

Alexander the Great was more bitter and cruel (than otherwise his ordinary manner was to others) towards Callisthenes and Clytus. But King Porus, being taken prisoner by him in a battle, besought that he would use him royally, or like a king. And when King Alexander demanded, moreover, what he had more to say, and what he would have else? No more (quoth he), for under this word royally is comprised all. And therefore I suppose it is that the Greeks call the king of the gods by the name of Milichiüs, that is to say, Mild and sweet as honey. And the Athenians named him Mumactes, which is as much as. Ready to help and succour: For to punish and torment pertaineth to devils and the furious fiends of hell: there is no celestial, divine, and heavenly thing in it. And like as one said 'of King Philip, when he had razed and destroyed the city Olynthus: Yea, marry, but he is not able to set up such another city in the place: even so, a man may well say unto anger. Thou canst overthrow, demolish, mar, and pull down; but to rear and erect again, to save, to pardon, and to endure, be the properties of meekness, clemency, mildness, patience and moderation: they be the parts (I say) of Camillus, Metellus, Aristides, and Socrates: whereas to stick close unto the flesh, to pinch, prick, and bite, are the qualities of pismires, flies, and mice.

Moreover and besides, when I look unto revenge, and the manner thereof, I find for the most part, that if men proceed by way of choler, they miss of their purpose: for commonly all the heat and desire of revenge is spent in biting of lips, gnashing and grating of teeth, vain running to and fro, in railing words