Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/169

Rh And what be those for the most part which are seen in houses? dishes, trenchers and such-like utensils and small vessels lying on the bare ground, or one upon another disorderly: the wenches set and doing just nothing: and lightly a man shall not find ordinarily ought of importance or delight. Now the very cast of the eye upon such things doth therewith turn away the mind; the intentive looking thereupon is unseemly, and the using thereof stark naught. Diogenes verily upon a time seeing Dioxippus, when he entered in his triumphant chariot into the city for winning the best prize at the Olympian games, how as he rode he could not chuse but set his eye upon a certain fair damosel, who was in place to behold this pomp and solemn entrance of his, but evermore his eye followed her, whether she were before or behind him: Behold (quoth he) our victorious and triumphant champion, how a young wench hath him sure enough by the neck, and doth writhe him which way she list! Semblably, see you not how these curious folk have their necks bended aside at every foolish sight, and how they turn about with each vanity that they hear and see, after once they have gotten an habit or custom to look every way and to carry a rolling eye in their heads? But in mine opinion it is not meet that our senses should gad and wander abroad, like a wild and untaught girl, but when reason hath sent it forth to some business; after it hath been there employed and done the errand about which it was set, to return speedily again unto her mistress the soul, and make report how she hath sped and what she hath done? and then afterwards to stay at home decently like a modest waiting-maiden, giving attendance upon reason, and ready always at her command. But now happeneth that which Sophocles saith:

The headstrong jades that will no bit abide, Hate him perforce who should them rein and guide.

The senses having not met with good instructions (as I said before), nor been trained to right ways, run before reason upon their own accord, and draw with them many times the understanding, and send it headlong after such things as are not seemly and decent. And therefore false is that which is commonly reported of Democritus the philosopher: namely, that willingly he dimmed and quenched (as it were) his own sight, by fixing his eyes fast upon a fiery and ardent mirror, to take the reverberation of the light from thence, to the end that they should not disturb the mind by calling out eftsoons the inward