XIV. Demosthenes, the great orator of Athens, had these sentences: "That wise men speak little, and that therefore nature hath given men two ears and one tongue, to hear more than they speak." To one that spoke much he said, "How cometh it that he who taught thee to speak, did not teach thee to hold thy tongue?" He said of a covetous man, "That he knew not how to live all his lifetime, and that he left it for another to live after he was dead. That it was an easy thing to deceive one's self, because it was easy to persuade one's self to what one desired." He said, "That calumnies were easily received, but time would always discover them. That there was nothing more uneasy to good men than not to have the liberty of speaking freely; and that if any one knew what he had to suffer from the people, he would never meddle to govern them. In fine, that man's happiness was to be like God; and to resemble Him, we must love truth and justice." XV. Agasicles, king of the Lacedæmonians, or Spartans, which are one, was of the opinion that it was better to govern without force: and, says he, the means to do it is to govern the people as a father governs his children. XVI. Agesilaus, king of the same people, would say, that he had rather be master of himself than of the greatest city of his enemies: and to preserve his own liberty than to usurp the liberty of another man. "A prince," says he, "ought to distinguish himself from his subjects by his virtue, and not by his state or delicacy of life." Wherefore he wore plain, simple clothing; his table was as moderate and his bed as hard as that of any ordinary subject. And when he was told that one time or other he would be obliged to change his fashion: "No," saith he, "I am not given to change even in a change: and this I do," saith he, "to remove from young men any pretence of luxury, that they may see their prince practise what he counsels them to do." He added, "That the foundation of the Lacedæmonian laws was to despise luxury, and to reward with liberty; nor," saith he, "should good men put a value upon that which mean and base souls make their delight." Being flattered by some with divine honour, he asked them if they could not make gods too? If they could why did they not begin with themselves?--The same austere conduct of life made him refuse to have his statue erected in the cities of Asia: nor would he suffer his picture to be taken; and his reason is good: "for," saith he, "the fairest portraiture of men is their own actions."--Whatsoever was to be suddenly done in the government, he was sure to set his hand first to the work, like a common person. He would say, it did not become men to make provision to be rich but to be good. Being asked the means to true happiness; he answered, "To do nothing that should make a man fear to die:" another time, "To speak well, and do well." Being called home by the ephori, or supreme magistrates, the way of the Spartan