_Portia_, Femme de _Brutus_, se fit une grande playe avec un Couteau, la veille que _Cesar_ devoit être assassiné par son mari, & dit à ceux qui lui demandoient comment ce malheur ètoit arrivé: _je l’ai fait à dessein d’essayer avec quelle constance je pourrai souffrir la Mort que je me prepare, si le dessein des Conjurez vient à manquer_. 109 _Epictetus_ a Slave of _Epaphrodites_, one of _Nero_’s Officers, having one Day received from him a great blow on on his Leg, told him coldly: _Pray have a care you don’t break my Leg_. But that cruel Man redoubled his blow with such force, that he broke his Shin-bone: _Well_, said then _Epictetus_ smiling, _did not I tell you you were like to break my Leg?_ 109 _Epictete_ Esclave d’_Epaphrodite_, Officier de _Neron_, ayant un jour receu de lui un grand coup sur la jambe, lui dit froidement: _Prenez garde, je vous prie de ne me pas casser la jambe_. Mais ce cruel redoubla son coup d’une telle force qu’il lui brisa l’Os: _Hé bien_, lui dit alors _Epictete_ en souriant, _ne vous l’avois je pas dit que vous joüiez à me casser la jambe?_ 110 _Antipater_ having defeated King _Agis_, demanded fifty _Lacedemonian_ Boys, as Hostages to secure his Conquest. _Etheocles_, who then was _Ephorus_, answered: _That he would give him no Boys, lest being no more under the_ Spartan _Discipline_, _they should contract vicious Inclinations; but that they were ready to give him double that number of old Men and Women_. 110 _Antipater_, aprés avoir vaincu le Roy _Agis_, demanda pour seureté de sa conquête cinquante Enfans _Lacedemoniens_ en ôtage. _Etheocles_, qui alors ètoit _Ephore_, rêpondit, _Qu’il ne lui donneroit point d’Enfans, de crainte que n’etant plus soûmis à la Discipline de_ Sparte, _ils ne contractassent de vicieuses Inclinations: Mais qu’ils ètoient prêts de leur donner le double de Vieillards, & de Femmes_. 111 An _Jonian_ Woman made a shew of a piece of Work very rich, and well wrought, but a _Lacedemonian_ shewing four Children whom she had well brought up: _These_, said she, _are the Works that a Virtuous Lady ought to value her self upon_. 111 Une Femme _Jonienne_ faisoit parade d’un ouvrage de Main fort riche & bien travaillé: Mais une _Lacedemonienne_ faisant paroitre quatre Enfans qu’elle avoit fort sagement élevez: _Voilà_, dit elle, _les Ouvrages dont une Dame Vertueuse doit tirer la veritable gloire_. 112 The Emperour _Theodosius_ committing his Sons to be instructed by the learned _Arsenius_, told them: _Children, if you take care to ennoble your Souls with Virtue and Knowledge, I will leave you my Crown with Pleasure; but if you neglect that, I had rather see you loose the Empire, than hazard it into the Hands of those that are unfit to govern it: ’Tis better you should suffer the loss of it, than occasion its ruin._ 112