Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/181

Rh familiars about him asked what he ailed. Have I not (quoth he) good cause to weep, that being as there are an infinite number of worlds, I am not yet the lord of one? Whereas Crates, having no more than a wallet at his neck and a poor threadbare cloak upon his back, spent his whole life in mirth and joy, laughing always full merrily as if it had been always a festival holiday. As for Agamemnon, he complained in these words, and thought it an intolerable burden to be a king and commander of so great a people:

Wot well you see Atreus his son. King Agamemnon hight: Whom Jupiter clogs more with care Than any mortal wight.

Contrariwise Diogenes, when he was to be bought and sold among other slaves in open market, scoffed at the crier who made sale; and lying along on the ground, would not so much as rise when he was bidden to stand up, but cavilled with him after a mocking and jesting manner. What (quoth he), and if you sold a fish would you bid it rise up? Likewise Socrates discoursed familiarly with his fellows and followers as touching philosophy, even when he was in prison. Whereas Phaëthon, notwithstanding he was mounted up into heaven, wept for anger and despight that no man would give him the rule and regiment of the chariot-steeds belonging to the sun his father. And as a shoe is wrested and turned according to the fashion of a crooked or splay-foot, but never doth the foot writhe to the form of a shoe; even so it is for all the world with the dispositions of men's minds; they frame their lives and make them like thereto. For it is not use and custom that causeth the best life to be pleasant also unto them that have made choice thereof, as some one haply is of opinion; but wisdom rather and discretion maketh that life which is best to be also sweetest and most pleasant. Since that therefore the source and fountain of all tranquillity and contentment of spirit is in ourselves, let us cleanse and purify the same spring as clean as possibly we can, that all outward and casual occurrences whatsoever may be made familiar and agreeable unto us, knowing once how to use them well.

If things go cross, we ought not, iwis, To fret; for why? such choler will not boot: But he that knows when ought is done amiss, To set all straight, shall 'chieve full well, I wot.

Plato therefore compared our life to a game at tables; wherein