XVII. Plato, that famous philosopher and scholar to Socrates,[28] was so grave and devoted to divine things, nay, so discreetly politic, that in his commonwealth he would not so much as harbour poetical fancies, much less upon stages, as being too effeminate, and apt to withdraw the minds of youth from more noble, more manly, as well as more heavenly exercises. Plato seeing a young man play at dice, reproved him sharply; the other answered, "What, for so small a matter?" "Custom," saith Plato, "is no small thing:[29] let idle hours be spent more usefully. Let youth," said he, "take delight in good things; for pleasures are the baits of evil. Observe, the momentary sweetness of a delicious life is followed with eternal sorrow; the short pain of the contrary, with eternal pleasure." Being commanded to put on a purple garment by the king of Sicily, he refused, saying he was a man, and scorned such effeminacies. Inviting Timothy, the Athenian general to supper, he treated him with herbs, water, and such spare diet as he was accustomed to eat. Timothy's friends next day, laughing, asked how he was entertained, he answered,[30] "Never better in life; for he slept all night after his supper:" thereby commending his temperance. He addicted himself to religious contemplations: and is said to have lived a virtuous and single life, always eyeing and obeying the mind, which he sometimes called, "God, the Father of all things;" affirming, "Who lived so should become like him, and so be related to, and joined with the Divinity itself." This same Plato, upon his dying bed, sent for his friends about him, and told them the whole world was out of the way, in that they understood not, nor regarded the mind, assuring them, those men died most comfortably that lived most conformably to right reason, and sought and adored the First Cause, meaning God. [28] Plato de Rep. [29] Diog. Laert. in vit. [30] Xen. Crat. Stob. Ælian.