Page:The Works of Francis Bacon (1884) Volume 1.djvu/246

 his great treasures of gold, Solon said to him, "If another king come that hath better iron than you, he will be master of all this gold."

188. There was a gentleman that came to the tilt all in orange-tawny, and ran very ill. The next day he came again all in green, and ran worse. There was one of the lookers on asked another; "What is the reason that this gentleman changeth his colours?" The other answered, "Sure, because it may be reported, that the gentleman in the green ran worse than the gentleman in the orange-tawny."

189. Aristippus said; "That those that studied particular sciences, and neglected philosophy, were like Penelope's wooers, that made love to the waiting woman."

190. Plato reprehended severely a young man for entering into a dissolute house. The young man said to him, "Why do you reprehend so sharply for so small a matter?" Plato replied, "But custom is no small matter."

191. There was a law made hy the Romans against the bribery and extortion of the governors of provinces. Cicero saith in a speech of his to the people, "That he thought the provinces would petition to the state of Rome to have that law repealed. For," saith he, "before, the governors did bribe and extort as much as was sufficient for themselves; but now they bribe and extort as much as may be enough not only for themselves, but for the judges, and jurors, and magistrates."

192. Archidamus, King of Lacedæmon, having received from Philip, King of Macedon, after Philip had won the victory of Chæronea upon the Athenians, proud letters, writ back to him, "That if he measured his own shadow, he would find it no longer than it was before his victory."

193. Pyrrhus, when his friends congratulated to him his victory over the Romans, under the conduct of Fabricius, but with great slaughter of his own side, said to them again, "Yes, but if we have such another victory, we are undone."

194. Cineas was an excellent orator and states man, and principal friend and counsellor to Pyrrhus, and falling in inward talk with him, and discerning the king's endless ambition; Pyrrhus opened himself unto him, that he intended first a war upon Italy, and hoped to achieve it; Cineas asked him, "Sir, what will you do then?" "Then," saith he, "we will attempt Sicily." Cineas said, "Well, sir, what then?" Saith Pyrrhus, "If the gods favour us, we may conquer Africa and Carthage." "What then, sir?" saith Cineas. "Nay then," saith Pyrrhus, "we may take our rest, and sacrifice and feast every day, and make merry with our friends." "Alas, sir," said Cineas, "may we not do so now with out all this ado?"

195. The ambassadors of Asia Minor came to Antonius, after he had imposed upon them a double tax, and said plainly to him: "That if he would have two tributes in one year, he must give them two seed-times and two harvests."

196. Plato was wont to say of his master Socrates, that he was like the apothecaries' gallipots; that had on the outside apes, and owls, and satyrs; but within, precious drugs.

197. Lamia the courtezan had all power with Demetrius, King of Macedon, and by her instigations he did many unjust and cruel acts; whereupon Lysimachus said, "that it was the first time that he ever knew a whore to play in tragedy."

198. Themistocles would say of himself, "That he was like a plane-tree, that in tempests men fled to him, and in fair weather men were ever cropping his leaves."

199. Themistocles said of speech, "That it was like arras, that spread abroad shows fair images, but contracted is but like packs."

200. Bresquet, jester to Francis the First of France, did keep a calendar of fools, wherewith he did use to make the king sport; telling him ever the reason why he put any one into his calendar. When Charles the Fifth, emperor, upon confidence of the noble nature of Francis, passed through France, for the appeasing the rebellion of Gaunt, Bresquet put him into his calendar. The king asked him the cause. He answered, "Because you have suffered at the hands of Charles the greatest bitterness that ever prince did from another, nevertheless he would trust his person into your hands." "Why, Bresquet," said the king, "what wilt thou say, if thou seest him pass back in as great safety as if he marched through the midst of Spain?" Saith Bresquet; "Why, then I will put him out, and put you in."

201. Lewis the Eleventh of France, having much abated the greatness and power of the peers, nobility, and court of parliament, would say, "That he had brought the crown out of ward."

202. Sir Fulk Grevil, in parliament, when the Lower House, in a great business of the queen's, stood much upon precedents, said unto them, "Why do you stand so much upon precedents? The times hereafter will be good or bad . If good, precedents will do no harm; if bad, power will make a way where it finds none."

203. When peace was renewed with the French in England, divers of the great counsellors were presented from the French with jewels: the Lord Henry Howard, being then Earl of Northampton, and a counsellor, was omitted. Whereupon the king said to him, "My lord, how happens it that you have not a jewel as well as the rest?" My lord answered, according to the fable in Æsop; "Non sum Gallus, itaque non reperi gemmam." 204. An orator of Athens said to Demosthenes; "The Athenians will kill you if they wax mad." Demosthenes replied, "And they will kill you if they be in good sense."

205. Alexander sent to Phocion a great present of money. Phocion said to the messenger,