The Wise and Ingenious Companion, French and English; or, A Collection of the Wit of the Illustrious Persons, Both Ancient and Modern — Reading Notes

e _Theopompus_ ètoit Roy de _Sparte_, quelqu’un dit en sa presence, que leurs Ville ètoit florissante, parce que leurs Rois avoient appris à gouverner, à quoi le Roy repondit fort sagement, _Que cela venoit plûtôt de ce que le Peuple avoit appris à obeïr_; donnant à entendre que les Villes où la Populace a du credit, se font beaucoup de tort par leurs Factions & leur desobeïssance, & qu’alors il est difficile, même aux meilleurs Magistrats de les bien gouverner.

_Dionysius_ the elder, Tyrant of _Syracuse_, reproving his Son, for that he had forcibly violated the Chastity of one of the Citizens Wives, asked him amongst other Things, if he had ever heard that any such thing had been done by him; _No_, said the Son, _but that was because you was not Son to a King_: _Neither_, said _Dionysius_, _will you ever be a Father to one, unless you give over such Pranks as these._ The event proved the truth of what he said; for when this young Man succeeded his Father, he was expelled the Kingdom of _Syracuse_ for his ill Behaviour and manner of Life.

_Denys_ le vieux, Tyran de _Syracuse_, grondant son Fils de ce qu’il avoit violé la Chasteté de la Femme d’un des Bourgeois, lui demanda entr’autres choses, s’il avoit jamais entendu dire, qu’il eut fait de pareilles Actions; _Non_, lui dit le Fils, _mais c’est parce que vous n’ètiez pas Fils de Roy_: _Tu n’en seras jamais Pere_, lui dit _Denys_, _si tu fais plus de ces Folies._ L’evenement justifia la verité de ce qu’il disoit; car ce jeune Homme ayant succedé à son Pere, il fut chassé du Royaume de _Syracuse_ à cause de sa méchante Conduite & de sa mauvaise Vie.

King _Antigonus_ came to visit _Antagoras_ a learned Man, whom he found in his Tent busied in the Cooking of Congers, _Do you think_, said _Antigonus_, _that_ Homer _at such time as he wrote the glorious Actions of_ Agamemnon _was boiling of Congers?_ _And do you think_, said the other, _that_ Agamemnon _when he did those great Actions, was wont to concern himself whether any Man in his Camp boiled Congers or not_,

Le Roy _Antigonus_ alla voir _Antagoras_, Homme savant, lequel il trouva dans sa Tente occupé à apprêter des Congres; _Croyez vous_, lui dit _Antigonus_, _qu’_Homere _fit bouillir des Congres lors qu’il écrivoit les glorieuses Actions d’_Agamemnon_?_ _Et pensez vous_, lui dit l’autre, _que lors qu’_Agamemnon _faisoit ces belles Actions, il se mît en peine si quelqu’un dans son Camp faisoit bouillir des Congres ou non?_

_Socrates_ was asked, why he endured his Wifes Brawling; says he, Why do you suffer your Geese to gaggle? _because_, answered one, _they lay us Eggs_; _and my Wife brings me Children_, said he.

On demanda à _Socrate_ pourquoy il enduroit les Criailleries de sa Femme, & vous, dit il, Pourquoy souffrez vous le bruit de vos Oyes? _Parce_, repondit quelqu’un, _qu’elles nous pondent des Oeufs_; _& bien_, dit il, _& ma Femme me fait des Enfans_.

_Apelles_ the famous Painter, drew the Picture of _Alexander_ the Great on Horse-back, and presented it to him; but _Alexander_ not praising it as so excellent a Piece deserved, _Apelles_ desired a living Horse might be brought, who seeing the Picture, fell to pawing and neighing, taking it to be a real one; whereupon _Apelles_ told him, _his Horse understood Painting better than himself_.

_Apelles_ le fameux Peintre, fit le Portrait d’_Alexandre_ le Grand à Cheval, & le lui presenta, mais comme _Alexandre_ ne loüoit pas assez un si excellent Ouvrage, _Apelles_ demanda qu’on fit venir un Cheval en Vie, lequel à la veuë du portrait se mit à trepigner des Pieds, & à hennir, le prenant pour une realité; surquoy _Apelles_, lui dit, _que son Cheval s’entendoit mieux en Peinture que lui_.

_Virgil_, the famous Poet, was much in favour thro’ his great Wit and Learning with _Augustus_, insomuch that he daily received his Bread from him; _Augustus_ one Day knowing his deep Discretion, ask’d him privately, _If he could guess what was his Father_; to which he replied, _Truly Sir, I do verily believe he was a Baker_, _a Baker, and why so?_ says _Augustus_; _because_ says _Virgil_, _you always reward me with Bread_, which Answer so well pleased the Emperour, that he rewarded him afterwards with Money.