The laughable stories collected by Mâr Gregory John Bar Hebræ

O
THE LAUGHABLE STORIES OF BAR-HEBR^US.
made answer unto her, saying, "O foolish woman,
"wouldst thou have me also commit some crime that
"I might be punished like a criminal?"
VI. A certain philosopher had a daughter, and two
men came [to him] wishing to take her to wife; one
of them was poor and the other was rich. To the
rich man he said, "I will not give my daughter unto
"thee," and he gave her to the poor man. And when
the folk asked him, "Why hast thou acted in this
"manner?" he made answer unto them, saying, "The
"rich man is a fool, and I was afraid lest he would come
"to poverty; but the poor man is wise, and therefore I
"hope and believe that he will gain riches and wealth."
VII. Certain men asked another philosopher, "What
"thing would benefit the majority of mankind?" And
he replied, "The death of a wicked governor."
VIII. To another philosopher it was said, "Wherein
"dost thou differ from the king.?" And he replied, "The
"king is a slave to his lusts, whilst my passion is sub-
"servient unto
me."
IX. Certain men asked Plato, "With what shall a
"man console himself when he falleth into temptation?"
And Plato made answer unto him, saying, "The wise
"man consoleth himself because he knoweth that that
"which hath come to pass must necessarily have hap-
"pened; but the fool consoleth himself [by thinking]
"that that which hath happened unto himself hath also
"happened unto other men."
X. Aristotle commanded Alexander [the Great],
saying, "Do not reveal thy secret unto two men lest,
"if it be revealed, thou be unable to be certain which
"of the two hath made it public, and if thou punishest
"both of them thou wilt then certainly inflict an injury