Page:The Prince (translated by William K. Marriott).djvu/298

268 that I wish to untie a thing which gave so much trouble to fasten." Castruccio said to one who professed to be a philosopher, "You are like the dogs who always run after those who will give them the best to eat," and was answered, " We are rather hke the doctors who go to the houses of those who have the greatest need of them."

Going by water from Pisa to Leghorn, Castruccio was much disturbed by a dangerous storm that sprang up, and was reproached for cowardice by one of those with him, who said that he did not fear anything. Castruccio answered that he did not wonder at that, since every man valued his soul for what it was worth. Being asked by one what he ought to do to gain estimation, he said, "When thou goest to a banquet take care that thou dost not seat one piece of wood upon another." To a person who was boasting that he had read many things, Castruccio said, "He knows better than to boast of remembering many things." Some one bragged that he could drink much without becoming intoxicated. Castruccio rephed, "An ox does the same."

Castruccio was acquainted with a girl with whom he had intimate relations, and being blamed by a friend who told him that it was undignified for him to be taken in by a woman, he said, "She has not taken me in, I have taken her." Being also blamed for eating very dainty foods, he answered, "Thou dost not spend as much as I