The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

APOPHTHEGMS. 109
swered, ", Five-and-twenty gave me credit: but people, one day, when he spake to the people, in
there were two-and-thirty that gave you no credit, one part of his speech, was applauded: wherefor they had their money beforehand." upon he turned to one of his friends, and asked,
21. Many men, especially such as affect gra-, What have I said amiss."
vity, have a manner after other men's speech to 31. Sir Walter Raleigh was wont to say of the
shake their heads. Sir Lionel Cranfield would ladies of Queen Elizabeth's privy-chamber and
say, "' It was as men shake a bottle, to see if bed-chamber, ", that they were like witches, they
there were any wit in their head or no." could do hurt, but they could do no good."
22. Sir Thomas More, who was a man in all 32. Bion, that was an atheist, was showed in
his lifetime that had an excellent vein in jesting, a port city, in a temple of Neptune, many tables
at the very instant of his death, having a pretty of pictures, of such as had in tempests made their
long beard, after his head was upon the block, vows to Neptune, and were saved from shipwreck:
lift it up again, and gently drew his beard aside, and was asked, " How say you now. Do you
and said, 6 This hath not offended the king." not acknowledge the power of the gods?" But
23. Sir Thomas More had sent him by a suitor he said, ", Yes, but where are they painted that
in chancery two silver flagons. When they were have been drowned after their vows."
presented by the gentleman's servant, he said to 33. Bias was sailing, and there fell out a great
one of his men, ", Have him to the cellar, and let tempest; and the mariners, that were wicked and
him have of my best wine:" and, turning to the dissolute fellows, called upon the gods; but Bias
servant, said, 1" Tell thy.master, friend, if he like said to them, " Peace, let them not know you are
it, let him not spare it." here."
24. Diogenes, having seen that the kingdom 34. Bion was wont to say; "That Socrates,
of Macedon, which before was contemptible and of all the lovers of Alcibiades, only held him by
low, began to come aloft when he died, was asked the ears."
how he would be buried. He answered, ", With 35. There was a minister deprived for inconmy face downwards; for within a while the world formity, who said to some of his friends, "That
will be turned upside down, and then I shall lie if they deprived him, it should cost an hundred
right." men's lives." The party understood it, as if,
25. Cato the elder was wont to say; that the being a turbulent fellow, he would have moved
Romans were like sheep; a man were better drive sedition, and complained of him; whereupon
a flock of them, than one of them. being convented and apposed upon that speech,
26. Themistocles in his lower fortune was in he said his meaning was; "That if he lost his
love with a young gentleman who scorned him; benefice, he would practise physic, and then he
when he grew to his greatness, which was soon thought he should kill an hundred men in time."
after, he sought to him: Themistocles said, "c We 36. Michael Angelo, the famous painter, paintare both grown wise, but too late." ing in the pope's chapel the portraiture of hell and
27. Demonax the philosopher, when he died, damned souls, made one of the damned souls so
was asked touching his burial. He answered, like a cardinal that was his enemy, as everybody
"' Never take care for burying me, for stink will at first sight knew it. Whereupon the cardinal
bury me." He that asked him said again: "'Why, complained to Pope Clement, desiring it might
would you have your body left to dogs and ravens be defaced; who said to him, "' Why, you know
to feed upon." Demonax answered, ", Why, what very well, I have power to deliver a soul out of
great hurt is it, if having sought to do good, when purgatory, but not out of hell."
I lived, to men; my body do some good to beasts, 37. There was a philosopher about Tiberius,
when I am dead." that looking into the nature of Caius, said of him;
28. Jack Roberts was desired by his tailor,, that he was mire and mingled with blood."
when the reckoning grew somewhat high, to have 38. Alcibiades came to Pericles, and stayed a
a bill of his hand. Roberts said, "c I am content, while ere he was admitted. When he came in,
but you must let no man know it." When the Pericles civilly excused it, and said; " I was
tailor brought him the bill, he tore it as in choler, studying how to give my account." But Aleiand said to him, " You use me not well; you biades said to him, ", If you will be ruled by me,
promised me nobody should know it, and here study rather how to give no account."
you have put in,'Be it known unto all men by 39. Cicero was at dinner, where there was an
these presents.'" ancient lady that spake of her years, and said,
29. When Lycurgus was to reform and alter, she was but forty years old." One that sat
the state of Sparta; in the consultation one ad- by Cicero rounded him in the ear, and said;
vised, that it should be reduced to one absolute, She talks of forty years old; and she as far
popular equality: but Lycurgus said to him; more, out of question." Cicero answered him
", Sir, begin it in your own house." again; " I must believe her, for I have heard hier
30. Phocion, the Athenian, a man of great say so any time these ten years."
severity, and noways flexible to the will of the 40. Pope Adrian the Sixth was talking with
K