Page:The Soul of a Century.djvu/147

  This has its fault, the only fault I know of. It will not let you offer aid to others, Though they may be your closest bosom friends I could but witness Cicero’s sad fall.

I do not want to further preach, my comrades, I lived my life Cornelius Nepos Will write it out, employ his style and judgment And we can hope, his logical conclusions Will all explain to us It will appear That prudence is the substance of our whole life. That was my object I will not detain you, For night advances, and we have passed the time The doctors recommend for good digestion. I know the feast was not the most resplendent, For I believe and often so have said, Not to indulge the stomach. If you do so Your brain will suffer, weep over its poor lot. You have learned all. ’Tis time our aging limbs Were laid to needed rest Live well and hale, My noble friends, my comrades, one and all.

Sultan Saladin was greatly worried, Lack of money vexed this famed ruler. He was told a Jew in near Damascus Had more money than he could make use of. So the Jew was called before the Caliph Who addressed him in a kindly manner: “Look, you Jews, of books you have a treasure, Your wise men possess all worldly knowledge, Tell me then, according to your judgement Which of all the Faiths you think is best?”

Saladin thus planned to trap the Hebrew: “If he’ll say the Jewish faith is highest, I’ll reply that he offended our faith And will order him to pay a forfeit. If he’ll say that my faith, or the Christian’s, I will ask why he had not adopted Teachings of Mohamed or of Christ. And again, he’ll have to pay a forfeit. I will find him guilty in each instance, Make him pay a fine and reprimand him.”