Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/275

Rh dolorous and horrible torments, he should be forced even against his will to bewray and disclose some secret plot, bit off his tongue with his own teeth and spit it in the tyrant's face.

Notable is the example of Lesena, and the reward which she had for containing and ruling her tongue is singular. An harlot she was and very familiar with Harmodius and Aristogiton; by means of which inward acquaintance, privy she was and party as far forth as a woman might be to that conspiracy which they had complotted against the usurping tyrants of Athens, and the hopes that they builded upon (drunk she had out of that fair cup of love, and thereby vowed never to reveal the secrets of god Cupid). Now after that these two paramours and lovers of hers had failed of their enterprise and were put to death, she was called into question and put to torture, and therewith commanded to declare the rest of the complices in that conspiracy, who as yet were unknown and not brought to light: but so constant and resolute she was that she would not detect so much as one, but endured all pains and extremities whatsoever; whereby she shewed that those two young gentlemen had done nothing unfitting their persons and nobility in making choice to be enamoured of her. In regard of which rare secrecy of hers the Athenians caused a lioness to be made of brass without a tongue, and the same in memorial of her to be erected and set up at the very gate and entry of their citadel; giving posterity to understand by the generosity of that beast what in undaunted and invincible heart she had; and likewise of what taciturnity and trust in keeping secrets, by making it tongueless: and to say a truth, never any word spoken served to so good stead as many concealed and held in have profited, For why? A man may one time or other utter that which he once kept in; but being spoken, it cannot possibly be recalled and unsaid, for out it is gone already and spread abroad sundry ways. And hereupon it is (I suppose) that we have men to reach us for to speak, but we learn of the gods to hold our peace. For in sacrifices, religious mysteries, and ceremonies of divine service we receive by tradition a custom to keep silence. and even so, the poet Homer feigned Ulysses (whose eloquence otherwise was so sweet) to be of all men most silent and of fewest words; his son likewise, his wife and nurse, whom you may hear thus speaking: