_Pyrrhus_ le Roy des _Epirotes_, ayant sçeu que quelques uns de ses Soldats avoient fort mal parlé de lui dans un festin, les fit venir, & lui demanda si ce qu’on lui avoit rapporté étoit véritable? Alors le plus hardy d’entr’eux, voyant la chose decouverte, répondit subtilement, _Seigneur, si le vin ne nous eut pas manqué nous en aurions bien dit davantage_. Cette plaisante excuse, & cét aveu veritable, fit rire le Roy, & appaisa sa colere. 173 _Perillus_ having asked of _Alexander_ the Great, who had a Friendship for him, some Money to marry one of his Daughters, _Alexander_ order’d him fifty Talents. _Perillus_ told him that ten were enough: _I believe_, reply’d _Alexander_, _’twould be enough for_ Perillus, _but ’twould be too little for_ Alexander. 173 _Perillus_ ayant demandé à _Alexandre_ le grand, son ami, quelque Argent pour marier une de ses filles, _Alexandre_ lui fit donner cinquante talens; _Perillus_ lui dit, que dix suffisoient, _je croy_, repliqua _Alexandre_, _que ce seroit assez pour_ Perillus, _mais ce seroit trop peu pour_ Alexandre. 174 _Marcus Terentius Varus_ would have the Guests at Feasts to equal the number either of the Muses or of the Graces; that is, that they should not be more than Nine, nor less than three. Upon a certain Day he made a Feast, and a Buffoon coming to it without invitation, the Steward seeing he was supernumerary, would go to turn him out: But the Buffoon told him, _Thou art mistaken, Friend, count over again, and begin with me, thou wilt find I am not above the number_. 174 _Marcus Terentius Varus_ vouloit que les conviez aux Banquets égalassent le nombre des Muses, ou des Graces; c’est à dire, qu’ils ne fussent point plus de neuf, ni moins de trois. faisant donc un jour un festin, un bouffon y survint sans être prié, le Maître d’Hôtel le voyant supernumeraire, le vouloit chasser; mais le bouffon luy dit, _tu t’es trompé mon amy, compte une second fois, & commence par moy, tu verras que je ne suis point de trop_. 175 _Zeno_ the Humorist being a Trader, was told upon a Day, that the Ship on whose bottom he had ventur’d his whole Estate, after having been beaten by a great Storm, perished at last at the entrance of the Haven: But he was so far from being concern’d at this sad News, that he said with a serene Countenance, _I thank you Destiny for taking me from Merchandise, which is a mean and painful Employment, and carrying me back to Philosophy, which is a noble and salutary Exercise_; adding, _that he had rather met with a Port in the Wrack, than with a Wrack in the Port_. 175