Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/228

206 that it is no hard matter to escape envy, but to avoid all complaints and to keep ourselves from being molested by some one or other that converse with us and keep our company, a thing impossible: I suppose it good counsel for us, and the best thing we can do for our own safety, to incur rather the ill will and displeasure of lewd, importunate and unreasonable people, than of those who have just cause to blame and accuse us, if against all right and justice we satisfy their minds and be ready to do them service and pleasure: as for the praises and commendations which proceed from such lewd and shameless persons, being as they are in every respect counterfeit and sophistical, we ought to beware and take heed of; neither must we suffer ourselves as swine to be rubbed, scratched or tickled, and all the whiles stand still and gently, letting them do with us what they will, until they may with ease lay us all along, when we have once yielded to be so handled at their pleasure: for surely they that give ear to flatterers differ in no respect from those who set out their legs of purpose to be supplanted and to have their heels tripped up from under them; save only in this, that those are worse foiled and catch the more shameful fall, I mean as well such as remit punishment to naughty persons, because forsooth they love to be called merciful, mild, and gentle; as those on the contrary side, who being persuaded by such as praise them, do submit themselves to enmities and accusations needless, but yet perilous; as being borne in hand and made believe they were the only men, and such alone as stood invincible against all flattery, yea, and those whom they stick not to term their very mouths and voices; and therefore Bion likened them most aptly to vessels that had two ears, for that they might be carried so easily by the ears which way a man would: like as it is reported of one Alexinus, a sophister, who upon a time as he walked with others in the gallery Peripatos, spake all that naught was of Stilpo the Megarean: and when one of the company said unto him. What mean you by this, considering that of late and no longer since than the other day, he gave out of you all the good that may be? I wot well (quoth he), for he is a right honest gentleman, and the most courteous person in the world. Contrariwise Menedemus, when he heard that Alexinus had praised him many a time; But I (quoth he) do never speak well of Alexinus; and therefore a bad man he must needs be, that either praiseth a naughty person, or is dispraised of an honest man: So hard it was to turn or catch him by any such means as making use