Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/213

Rh is good and honest): neither ought he to take pleasure and delight when he shall be tickled in the ear with praises and commendations, when he shall hear himself called gentle, jolly and courteous, instead of grave, magnanimous and just; neither get him do as Pegasus the horse in Euripides, who

that is to say, give place and yield after a base manner to the demands and requests of every man; or object himself to their will and pleasure, for fear (forsooth) lest one should say of him, Lo, what a hard man is this! See how inexorable he is.

It is reported of Bocchorus, a king of Egypt, that being rough, tell and austere, the goddess Isis sent the serpent called Aspis for to wind and wreath about his head, and so to cast a shadow over him from above, to the end that he might be put in mind to judge aright: but this excessive shamefastness which always overspreadeth and covereth them who are not manly but flint-hearted and effeminate, not suffering them once to dare, to deny, or gainsay anything, surely, would avert and withdraw judges from doing justice, close up their mouths, that in counsels and consultations should deliver their opinion frankly; yea, and cause them both to say and do many things inconsiderately against their mind, which otherwhiles they would not. For look, whosoever is most unreasonable and importunate, he will ever tyrannise and domineer over such an one, forcing by his impudency the bashfulness of the other: by which means it cometh to pass that this excessive shame, like unto a low piece of soft ground which is ready to receive all the water that comes, and apt to be overflowed and drowned, having no power to withstand and repulse any encounter, nor say a word to the contrary whatsoever is proposed, yieldeth access to the lewdest designs, acts and passions that be. An evil guardian and keeper of childhood and young age is this excessive bashfulness, a Brutus well said, who was of this mind, that neither he nor she could well and honestly pass the flower of their fresh youth, who had not the heart and face to refuse and deny anything; even so likewise a bad governess it is of the bride-bed and women's chamber, according to that which she said in Sophocles to the adulterer who repented of the fact:

It such sort as this bashfulness, over and besides that it is