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
The same thing is reported to have been done by a dog that belonged to
Hesiod, surnamed the wise, which discovered the sons of Ganyctor the
Naupactian, by whom Hesiod was murdered. But that which came to the
knowledge of our parents, when they were students at Athens, is yet
more evident than any thing we have said. For a certain person getting
into the temple of Aesculapius, after he had stolen all the massy
offerings of gold and silver, made his escape, not believing he was
discovered. But the dog which belonged to the temple, who was called
Capparus, when he found that none of the sacristans took any notice
of his barking, pursued himself the sacrilegious thief; and though at
first the fellow pelted him with stones, he could not beat him off.
So soon as it was day, the dog still followed him, though at such a
distance that he always kept him in his eyes. When the fellow threw
him meat he refused it; when the thief went to bed, the dog watched at
his door; and when he rose in the morning, the dog still followed him,
fawning upon the passengers on the road, but still barking and baying
at the heels of the thief. These things when they who were in pursuit
of the sacrilegious person heard, and were told withal by those they
met the color and bigness of the dog, they were the more vigorous in
the pursuit; and by that means overtaking the thief, brought him back
from Crommyon, while the dog ran before, leaping and capering and
full of joy, as it were challenging to himself the praise and reward
of apprehending the temple-robber. And indeed the Athenians were so
grateful to him, that they decreed him such a quantity of meat to
be publicly measured to him, and ordered the priests to take care to
see it done; in imitation of the kindness of the ancient Athenians in
rewarding the mule.
For when Pericles built the temple Hecatompedon (or Parthenon) in the
tower of Athens, it so fell out that the stones were to be fetched
every day many furlongs off, and a world of carriages were made use
of for that purpose. Among the rest of the mules that labored hard in
this employment, there was one that, though dismissed by reason of
age, would still go down to the Ceramicus, and meeting the carts that
brought the stones, would be always in their company running by their
sides, as it were by the way of encouragement and to excite them to
work cheerfully. So that the people, admiring the zeal of the mule,
ordered him to be fed at the public charge, as they were wont to decree
public alms to the superannuated wrestlers.
14. And therefore they who deny that there is any thing of justice
due from us towards dumb animals may be said to speak true, so far
as concerns them that live in the sea and haunt the abysses of the
deep. For those kind of creatures are altogether unsociable, without
affection for their young ones, void of all softness of disposition;
and therefore it was well said of Homer, speaking to a person whom he
looked upon as a mere savage,
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