The Wise and Ingenious Companion, French and English;: or, A Collection of the Wit of the Illustrious Persons, Both Ancient and ModernBoyer, Abel
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The Wise and Ingenious Companion, French and English;: or, A Collection of the Wit of the Illustrious Persons, Both Ancient and Modern
Boyer, Abel
Anecdotes; Wit and humor
_Alcibiades_ cut off the Tail of his Dog, which was extraordinary
fine, and of great value; and as the People who saw that Dog go
about the Streets without a Tail, wondered at the oddness of the
thing, he said: _I have done it with design that the People talking
about this Trifle, may not censure my more important Actions_.
75
_Alcibiade_ coupa la queuë à son Chien, qui ètoit d’une beauté &
d’un prix extraordinaire, & comme le Peuple qui voyoit ce Chien
marcher en cét état dans les Ruës, s’ètonnoit de cette Bizarrerie,
il dit, _je l’ai fait afin que le Peuple s’entretenant de cette
Bagatelle, ne s’arrête point à controller mes autres Actions plus
importantes_.
76
_Smicythus_ accused _Nicanor_ of speaking ill of _Philip_.
This Prince who had an esteem for _Nicanor_, sent for him, and
understanding that he was provoked by the Kings not relieving
his extream Indigence, he ordered him a Sum of Money. Some time
after _Smicythus_ relating to _Philip_ how _Nicanor_ proclaimed
his Bounty every where: _Well_, said he to him, _you see we are
Masters of our own Reputation, and that we may turn Calumnies into
Commendations_.
76
_Smicythus_ accusa _Nicanor_ de parler mal de _Philippe_. Ce
Prince, qui avoit quelque estime pour _Nicanor_ le fit venir, &
ayant appris qu’il ètoit indigné de ce que le Roy ne songeoit point
à soulager son extreme indigence, il lui fit distribüer quelque
somme. Peu de tems aprés _Smicythus_ rapportant à _Philippe_ que
_Nicanor_ publioit par tout ses bontez: _Hé bien_, lui dit-il,
_vous voyez que nous sommes Maîtres de nôtre Reputation, & que nous
pouvons changer toutes les Calomnies en Loüanges_.
77
As one asked _Zeno_ whether wise men ought not to love: _If wise
men did not love_, answered he, _nothing in the World could be so
wretched as the Fair, since none but Fools should be in Love with
them_.
77
Comme on demandoit à _Zenon_ si les Sages ne devoient point aimer:
_si les Sages n’aimoient point_, répondit-il, _il n’y auroit rien
au monde de plus malheureux que les belles, elles ne seroient
aimées que des sots_.
78
One of _Agesilaus_ his Friends having found him playing with his
Children, and riding on a Hobby-horse, seemed to be surprized at
it; but the King told him: _Pray tell no Body what thou seest till
thou hast Children of thy own_.
78
_Agesilaüs_ pour joüer avec ses enfans marchoit à califourchons
sur un bâton; un de ses Amis le trouvant en cét état témoigna de
la surprise; mais ce Roi, lui dit: _je te prie de ne rien dire à
personne de ce que tu vois, jusques à ce que tu ayes des Enfans_.
79
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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