Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/84

62 in the race, he shall come behind him a fair deal, but how? Surely even as Crisson, the Himeræan, lagged for the nonce behind King Alexander the Great, when he ran with him for the best game: for which the king was highly displeased and wroth at him, when he once perceived it. Cameades was wont to say that the sons of kings and great rich men learned to do nothing well and right, but only to sit and ride an horse. For that their masters are wont to flatter and praise them in all their schools where they be taught: for if they be at the exercise of wrestling, you shall have him that wrestleth with them of purpose to take a fall and lie under them: Marry, the horse, not knowing nor having the reason to discern a private man's son from a prince; nor whether he be poor or rich that sits upon his back, will be sure to cast him over his head and lay him along, whosoever he be, that cannot skill how to hold and rule him. Bion, therefore, was but a very lob and fool in saying thus: If I wist that with praising a piece of ground I could make it good, rich and fertile, it should want for no praises; and rather would I commend it than toil and moil in digging, tilling, and doing work about it. And yet I will not say that a man is to blame and doth amiss in praising: if so be that those who are praised be the better and more fruitful in all good things for it. Howbeit, to come again into the ground before said; a field being praised never so much is not the worse nor less fertile therefore: but I assure you they that commend folk falsely, and beyond their desert and due, puff them full of wind and vanity, and work their overthrow in the end. But now, having discoursed sufficiently upon this article and point of praises, let us proceed forward to treat of frankness and liberty of speech.

And verily meet and reason it had been, that as Patroclus, when he put on the armour of Achilles and brought forth his horses of service to battle, durst not meddle with his spear Pelias, but left it only untouched; so a flatterer also, although he mask and disguise himself with other habits, ornaments and ensigns of a friend, should let this liberty only of speech alone, and not once go about to touch or counterfeit it, as being indeed

that of all others it belongeth only to friendship for to be carried and wielded by it. But forasmuch as our flatterers nowadays are afraid to be detected in laughing in their cups, in their jests, scoffs, and gamesome mirth; therefore to avoid such discovery,