_Corax_ promit à _Tisias_ de luy enseigner la Rhétorique, & _Tisias_ de son côté s’engagea de lui en payer le Salaire; mais l’ayant apprise, il ne vouloit point le satisfaire, c’est pourquoy _Corax_ l’appella en justice. _Tisias_ se fiant sur la subtilité de sa Rhétorique lui demanda, _en quoy consistoit la Rhétorique_: Corax repondit, _qu’elle consistoit dans l’art de persuader_. donc dit _Tisias_, _si je persuade les juges, que je ne te dois rien donner, je ne te payeray aucune chose, parce que je gagneray le procez; & si je ne les persuade pas, je ne te payeray pas non plus, parce que je n’auray pas appris à persuader; ainsi tu feras mieux d’abandonner l’entreprise_. Mais _Corax_ qui ètoit plus fin que luy, reprit l’argument de cette maniere; _si tu persuades les juges, tu me dois payer, parce que tu auras appris la Rhétorique, si tu ne les persuader pas, tu me dois payer de même; parce que tu perdras ton procez, ainsi de quelle façon que ce soit tu dois me satisfaire_. 23 _Mecenas_, _Augustus_’s Favourite, being entertained at Dinner by a Roman Knight, towards the end of the Meal, began to take some Liberties with his Wife; the Knight, to make his court to him, instead of shewing any jealousy of it, counterfeited Sleep; but seeing one of his Slaves going to take away something from the Cup board, _Sirrah_, says he, _doest thou not see that I only sleep for_ Mecenas? 23 Mécéne Favori d’_Auguste_, étant regalé par un Chevalier Romain, sur la fin du repas il commença à prendre quelque libertez avec sa Femme. le Chevalier pour lui faire sa Cour, au lieu d’en paroitre jaloux, fit semblant de dormir; mais voyant qu’un de ses Esclaves alloit emporter quelque chose du Buffet, _Coquin_, lui dit-il, _ne vois tu pas que je ne dors que pour_ Mécéne? 24 There was at _Rome_, in the Time of the Emperour _Augustus_, a poor _Greek_ Poet who from time to time, when the Emperour went out of his Palace, presented him with a Greek Epigram; and though the Emperour took it, yet he never gave him any thing; on the contrary, having a mind one Day to ridicule him and shake him off, assoon as he saw him coming to present him with his Verses, the Emperour sent him a _Greek_ Epigram of his own Composing, and writ with his own Hand. The Poet received it with joy, and as he was reading of it, he shewed by his Face and Gestures that he was mightily pleased with it. After he had read it, he pulled out his Purse, and coming up to _Augustus_, gave him some few Pence, saying, _take this Money_, Cesar, _I give it you, not according to your great Fortune, but according to my poor Ability; had I more, my liberality would be greater_. The whole company fell a laughing, and the Emperour more than the rest, who ordered him a hundred thousand Crowns. 24