Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/226

204 them are so fine eared that they cannot abide in a speech or sentence that two vowels should come together: again, Is he one of the nobility, or a man of honour and authority, that troubleth you with some unhonest suit? will him likewise for your sake to pass through the market-place hopping and dancing, making mows, and writhing his mouth; but if he deny so to do, then have you good occasion and fit opportunity to come upon him with this revie, and demand of him, whether of the twain be more dishonest, to make incongruity in speech, and to make mows, and set the mouth awry; or to break the laws, commit perjury, and beside all right, equity and conscience, to award and adjudge more unto the lewd and wicked than to good and honest persons?

Moreover, like as Nicostratus the Argive answered unto Archidamus, who solicited him with a good sum of money (promising him besides in marriage what lady he would himself chuse in all Lacedaemon) to betray and render up by treason the town Cromnum: I see well (quoth he), Archidamus, that you are not descended from the race of Hercules, for that he travelled through the world killing wicked persons whom he had vanquished, but your study is to make them wicked who are good and honest; even so we ought to say unto him, who would be thought a man of worth and good mark, and yet Cometh to press and force us to commit those deeds which are not befitting, that he doth that which beseemeth not his nobility or opinion of virtue.

Now if they be mean and base persons to account who shall thus tempt you, go this way to work with such: If he be a covetous miser, and one that loveth his money too well, see and try whether you can induce and persuade him by all importunity to credit you with a talent of silver upon your bare word, without schedule, obligation or specialty for his security; or if he be an ambitious and vain-glorious person, try if you can prevail with him so much as to give you the upper hand or higher seat in public place; or if he be one that desireth to bear rule and office, assay him whether he will give over his possibility that he hath to such a magistracy, especially when he is in the ready way to obtain it? Certes, we may well think it a very strange and absurd thing that such as they in their vices and passions should stand and continue so stiff, so resolute and so hard to be removed; and we who profess and would be reputed honest men, lovers of virtue, justice and equity, cannot be masters of ourselves, but suffer virtue to be subverted, and