Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/271

ICUTIIYOPHAGIA; OR, FISH-EATING. 267 Fi. I confess it, and acknowledge it to be true. Bu. But do you thiuk it fit that because of the contentions and delays of lawyers in relation to contracts, the whole world should be kept in pain? For as matters are now, there is no safety anywhere, and the worst of men take advantage of the opportunity, while thqre is neither peace nor war.

Fi. It is not my business to determine concerning the counsels of princes. But if I were Caesar, I know what I would do. Bu. Well, come on, then, you shall be Caesar, and the pope too, if you please. What is it you would do? Fi. I had rather be emperor and king of France. Bu. Well, let it be so, you shall be both of them then. Fi. I would immediately take upon me a vow of peace, and publish a truce throughout my dominions, disband my forces, and make it a capital crime for any to touch so much as a hen that was not their own. So having settled affairs to my conveniency, or rather that of the public, I would treat concerning the limits of my dominion, or the conditions of a match. Bu. Have you projected any firmer ties than those of matrimony? Fi. I think I have. Bu. Let us hear them.

Fi. Were I emperor, I would without delay thus treat with the king of France:“My brother, some evil spirit has set this war on foot between you and me; nor do we fight for our lives, but our dominions. You, as to your part, have behaved yourself as a stout and valiant warrior; but fortune has been on my side, and of a king made you a captive. What has been your lot may be mine, and your mishap admonishes all of our human condition. We have experienced that this way of contention has been detrimental to both of us; let us engage one another after a different manner. I give you your life, and restore you your liberty, and instead of an enemy take you for my friend. Let all past animosities be forgotten, you are at free liberty to return into your own dominions, enjoy what is your own, be a good neighbour, and for the future let this be the only contention, which shall outdo the other in offices of fidelity and friendship; nor let us vie one with another which shall govern the largest dominions, but who shall govern his own with the greatest justice and goodness. In the former conflict I have bore away the prize of fortune, but in this he that gets the better shall gain far more glory. As for me, the fame of this clemency will get me more true glory than if I had added all France to my dominion; and in you a grateful mind will be more to your praise than if you had drove me quite out of Italy. Do you not envy me the praise that I am ambitious of, and I will on the other hand carry myself toward you, that you shall willingly owe an obligation to so good a friend.”

Bu. In truth, not only all France but all the world might be attached by this method. For if this ulcer should happen to be skinned over, rather than thoroughly healed by unequal terms, I am afraid that upon the first opportunity, the skin being broken, abundance of corrupt matter would issue out, and that with more dangerous consequences. Fi. How great and glorious would this act of humanity render Charles all over the world? What nation would not readily submit to so generous and kind a prince?

Bu. You have acted the part of the emperor very well: now act the pope too. Fi. It would be too long to go through everything.