The Wise and Ingenious Companion, French and English;: or, A Collection of the Wit of the Illustrious Persons, Both Ancient and ModernBoyer, Abel
General
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
_Denys_, Tyran de _Sicile_, fit òter de dessus la Statuë de
_Jupiter Olympien_, un manteau d’Or massif, qui valoit plus de
cinquante mille écus, & au lieu de celui-là, il lui en donna un de
Laine, disant: _Ce manteau est trop froid en Hyver, & trop lourd en
Eté, il faut avoir soin de_ Jupiter, _celui de Laine lui sera bien
plus commode_.
120
The same King caused in _Epidauris_ the golden Beard of
_Æsculapius_ to be plucked off: _It is neither becoming nor
rational_, said he, _to represent_ Æsculapius _the Son with a long
Beard, whilest we see by him_ Apollo _his Father with a smooth &
beardless Chin_.
120
Ce même Roy fit dans _Epidaure_ arracher une Barbe d’Or qui ètoit
au menton d’_Esculape_: _Il n’est pas_, dit-il, _de la bienseance
ni du bon sens, de representer_ Esculape _fils avec une longue
barbe, pendant qu’on voit auprés de lui_ Apollon _son Pere, sans un
seul poil au menton_.
121
A _Roman_ Knight, who was above two Hundred thousand Crowns
in debt, and yet enjoyed his Pleasure, and lived in great
Tranquillity, being dead, the Emperour _Augustus_ commanded that
when his Goods were Sold, his Bed should be bought for him, adding
this Reason: _That must needs be the best Bed in the World, since
he who was so deeply indebted could repose in it so long at his
ease_.
121
Un Chevalier _Romain_, qui chargé de plus de deux cens mille écus
de Dettes ne laissoit pas de mener une Vie delicieuse & tranquille,
ètant decedé, l’Empereur _Auguste_ commanda qu’on lui achetât son
Lit, quand on vint à vendre ses Meubles, disant pour raison: _Il
faut que ce soit le meilleur Lit du Monde puisque celui qui ètoit
accablé de tant de dettes a pu si long tems y reposer à son aise_.
122
_Alexander_ the Great sent a Hundred Talents as a Present to
_Phocion_. This Man asked those that brought it, why _Alexander_
sent this Present to him alone, among so many Persons that were in
_Athens_: _Because_, answered they, _the_ Athenians _esteem you the
wisest man among them_: _Why then_, replyed he, _will he not suffer
me to keep that Quality, and why does he desire me to cease to be
wise by accepting his Presents?_
122
_Alexandre_ le grand envoya cent Talents en present à _Phocion_.
Celui-ci demanda à ceux qui les apportoient pourquoi _Alexandre_
adressoit ce present à lui seul, entre tant de Personnes qui
ètoient à _Athenes_. C’est, lui répondirent-ils, _parce que les_
Atheniens _t’estiment être le plus Sage d’entreux_: _Que ne me
laisse-t-il donc_, repliqua-t-il, _conserver cette qualité, &
pourquoi veut il qu’en acceptant ses presens je cesse d’être Sage?_
123
_Cato_ of _Utica_, perceiving that _Cesar_ had filled the Temple of
_Castor_, and the Market-place with armed Men against him: _What a
great Coward_, said he, _is_ Cesar, _thus to arm so many Soldiers
against one single Man_.
123
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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