Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/74

52 and delectable, as if some dainty and lively flowers grew thereupon: For sometime friends use plays and pastimes one with another: they invite one another, they eat and drink together: yea, and otherwhiles (believe me) you shall have them make themselves merry and laugh heartily, jesting, gauding, and disporting one with another; all which serve as pleasant sauces to season their other serious and honest affairs of great weight and consequence. And to this purpose serve well these verses:

Also:

But the whole work of a flatterer, and the only mark that he shooteth at, is always to devise, prepare, and confect, as it were, some play or sport, some action and speech, with pleasure and to do pleasure. And to knit up all briefly in one word, he is of opinion that he ought to do all for to be pleasant: whereas the true friend, doing always that which his duty requireth, many times pleaseth, and as often again he is displeasant: not that his intention is to displease at any time; howbeit, if he see it expedient and better so to do, he will not stick to be a little harsh and unpleasant. For like as a physician, when need requireth, putteth in some saffron or spikenard into his medicine: yea and otherwhile permitteth his patient a delicate bath, or liberal and dainty diet to his full contentment: but sometimes for it again, leaving out all sweet odours, casteth in castoreum,

or else he bruiseth and stampeth some ellebore, and forceth his patient to drink of that potion: not proposing either in the former medicine pleasure, nor in the latter displeasure for the end: but both by the one and the other training the sick person under his hand to one and the same effect of his cure, to wit, his good and the health of his body; even so it is with a true friend: one while with praises and gracious words he extolleth and cheereth up his friend, inciting him thereby always to that which is good and honest, as he in Homer: