Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/274

252 midnight gave an hot assault, made entry, and went within a very little of forcing the city and being master of it all, for he filled the whole street called Ceramicum with slaughter and dead carcases, insomuch as the channels ran down with blood. Now was he cruelly bent against the Athenians more for their hard language which they gave him than for any offence or injury otherwise that they did unto him, for they had flouted and mocked Sylla, together with his wife Metella; and for that purpose they would get upon the walls and say; Sylla is a sycamore or mulberry, bestrewed all over with dusty meal; besides many other such foolish jibes and taunts; and so for the lightest thing in the world (as Plato saith), to wit, words which are but wind, they brought upon their heads a most heavy and grievous penalty. The garrulity and over-much talk of one man was the only hindrance that the city of Rome was not set free and delivered from the tyranny of Nero. For there was but one night between the time that Nero should have been murthered on the morrow, and all things were ready and prepared for the purpose: but he who had undertaken the execution of that feat, as he went toward the theatre, espied one of those persons who were condemned to die, bound, and pinioned at the prison door, and ready to be led and brought before Nero; who hearing him to make piteous moan and lamenting his miserable fortune, steps to him and rounding him softly in the ear: Pray to God, poor man (quoth he), that this one day may pass over thy head, and that thou die not to-day, for to-morrow thou shalt con me thanks. The poor prisoner, taking hold presently of this enigmatical and dark speech, and thinking (as I suppose) that one bird in hand is better than two in bush, and according to the common saying, that

made choice of saving his life by the surer way, rather than by the juster means; for he discovered unto Nero that which the man had whispered secretly unto him: whereupon presently the party was apprehended and carried away to the place of torture, where by racking, scorching, and scourging, he was urged, miserable wretch, to confess and speak out that perforce which of himself he had revealed without any constraint at all. Zeno the philosopher, fearing that when his body was put to