Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 5 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"Plutarch
Philosophy
Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 5 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"
Plutarch
Classical literature; Essays; Ethics; Philosophy
premise, but the force of reason affording the major proposition, and
inferring the conclusion of the assumption. But a dog stands in no need
of any such testimonial; in regard it is both false and adulterate.
For sense itself shows which way the beast is fled, by his tracks and
footsteps, bidding farewell to disjunctive and copulative propositions.
The nature of dogs is palpably to be discerned by many other actions,
affections, and dutiful service, neither the effects of hearing or
seeing, but practicable only by reason and understanding. It would
be ridiculous for me to discourse of the continence, obedience, and
industry of dogs in hunting, to you that are so well confirmed in the
knowledge of those things by daily experience and practice.
There was a Roman named Calvus, slain in the civil wars, whose head
nobody durst cut off before they killed the dog that guarded his body
and fought in defence of his master. It happened that King Pyrrhus,
travelling one day, lit upon a dog watching over the carcass of a
person slain; and hearing that the dog had been there three days
without meat or drink, yet would not forsake his dead master, ordered
that the man should be buried, but that the dog should be preserved and
brought to him. A few days after, there was a muster of the soldiers,
so that they were forced to march all in order by the king, with
the dog quietly lying by him for a good while. But when he saw the
murderers of his master pass by him, he flew upon them with a more than
ordinary fury, barking and baying and tearing his throat, and ever and
anon turning about to the king; which did not only rouse the king’s
suspicion, but the jealousy of all that stood about him. Upon which the
men were presently apprehended; and though the circumstances were very
slight which otherwise appeared against them, yet they confessed the
fact and were executed.
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