Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/77

Rh Now, whosoever they be that are ready to praise and extol with applause and clapping of hands that which one hath done or said, were it in earnest or in game; such (I say) are dangerous and hurtful for the present only, and in those things which are next hand: but those who with their praises pierce as far as to the manners within, and with their flatteries proceed to corrupt their inward natures and dispositions, I can liken unto those slaves or household servants who rob their masters, not only of that com which is in the heap and lieth in the gamers, but also of the very seed; for the inclination and towardness of a man are the seed that bring forth all his actions, and the habitude of conditions and manners are the very source and head from whom runneth the course of our whole life, which they pervert in giving to vices the names of virtues.

Thucydides in his story writeth: That during civil seditions and wars men transferred the accustomed significations of words unto other things, for to justify their deeds: for desperate rashness, without all reason, was reputed valour, and called love-friend: provident delay and temporising was taken for decent cowardice: modesty and temperance was thought to be a cloak of effeminate unmanliness: a prudent and wary circumspection in all things was held for a general sloth and idleness. According to which precedent we are to consider and observe in flatterers how they term prodigality by the name of liberality; cowardice is nothing with them but heedful wariness: brain-sickness they entitle promptitude, quickness, and celerity: base and mechanical niggardise they account temperate frugality. Is there one full of love and given to be amorous? him they call good fellow, a boon-companion, a man of a kind and good nature. See they one hasty, wrathful, and proud withal? him they will have to be hardy, valiant and magnanimous: contrariwise, one of a base mind and abject spirit they will grace with the attribute of fellow-like, and full of humanity. Much like to that which Plato hath written in one place: That the amorous lover is a flatterer of those whom he loveth. For if they be flat-nosed like a shoeing-hom, such they call lovely and gracious: be they hawk-nosed like a griffin. Oh, that is a kingly sight, say they: those that be black of colour are manly: white of complexion be God's children. And as for the term melichriis, that is, honey-coloured, it is always (verily) a flattering word, devised by a lover, to mitigate and diminish the odiousness of a pale hue, which he seemeth by that sweet name not to mislike, but to take in the best part. And verily, if he