A Schole of wise conceytes wherein as euery conceyte hath wit, so the most haue much mirth : set forth in common places by order of the alphabet / translated out of diuers Greeke and Latine wryters by Thomas Blage ...

40 Of Arion and the Dolphin.

ARion was an auncient man, and came of a noble linage: he could sing to the harpe: he was borne in the Citie of Methimne, in the Isle of Leshos, whom Periander king of Corinthe loued for his cunnings sake, from whom he de∣parted to see the famous countrey of Sicilie and Italie When he was come thither, and had wel delighted the eares, and contented the mynds of moste men in those partes, he gayned greatly, and liued in pleasure and loue of all men. After∣warde hauing gathered much substance, he min∣ded to returne to Corinth, whervpon he hyred a Corinthian ship and mariners of that coast, by∣cause he hoped to finde frendship at their hands. The Corinthians receyued him, and launched into the déepe, who béeing gréedy of thys great pray of money, tooke counsell to kill Arion. He vnderstanding of his destruction, gaue them all

the money that he had, praying them only to saue his life. But being past hope and sore afrayde, he requested that before his deathe, he might put on his apparel and take his Harpe and sing a mour∣ning song to comfort his hart withall: The Ma∣riners (though they were hard harted and cruel) desiring to heare him, graunted his petition. He being clad as he was accustomed, standing in the hinder part of the shippe, song with a loud voyce, the song called Orithium. In the end of his song, as he stoode with his Harpe and in his clothes, he cast himselfe into the Sea. The shipmen nothing douting but y^t he was drouned, kept on their voi∣age. But a straunge and wonderful thing happe∣ned, for a Dolphin sodainly swam by and recey∣ued him, caryed him on his backe aboue the wa∣ter, and brought him safe and sound to Tenarus, in the lande of Laconia: from whence Arion went straight to Corinthe, and shewed him selfe to King Periander, and how he was caryed of the Dolphin, declaring all that happened. The King little beléeued this, but commaunded him safely to be kept, till the truthe were tried. The Mari∣ners were sought for, (and Arion sent out of the way) who being brought before the King, he de∣maunded of them (making no semblante that he hadde knowledge of Arion) whither they hearde any thing of hym in the parties whence they

came: They aunswered, that when they set foorth he was in Italie, and liued well there, and was highly estéemed in the Cities: and also was excée∣ding riche. Whiles they thus spake, in came A∣rion with his Harpe, hauing on the same apparel wherewith he lept into the Sea, whereby the shipmen being amazed, and pricked in conscience could not denie it.

MOR. In brute beasts we shall somtime finde more friendship, than in couetous menne, which care for nothing but riches, neither haue any sparke of humanitie, but the only Phisnomie.