The laughable stories collected by Mâr Gregory John Bar Hebræ

12 THE LAUGHABLE STORIES OF BAR-H3EBR^US.
root of a tree, and he said to him, "If thou wert a
"servant of the king thou wouldst have no need to eat
"such food as this." And Socrates replied, saying, "If
"thou also didst eat such food as this thou Avouldst
"have no need to serve the king."
XXXIII. It is said that when Alexander [the Great]
had been poisoned' and was nigh unto death, he wrote
to his mother and said unto her, "When thou hast read
"this letter make ready much meat and make a feast
"for [thy] people, but do not allow to eat those who
"have not lost some relative by death." Now he did
this so that when she considered and saw that no
man had escaped this calamity she might be consoled
and not be sad^
XXXIV. To another philosopher it was said, "How
"is it that thou dost condescend to learn from every
"man.-*" He replied, "Because I know that learning is a
"profitable thing come it from whatsoever soiifce it may."
XXXV. Another philosopher whilst teaching his disciple
said to him, "Dost thou understand?" and he replied,
"Yes." The philosopher then said, "Thou liest,
"for the mark of intelligence is the joy which shew-
"eth itself in the disciple's face, and not his answer
"'Yes'."
XXXVI. It
was said to Diogenes, "Dost thou possess
"anywhere a house wherein to rest?" And he replied,
"Wheresoever I rest there is my house."
XXXVII. Alius quidam in foro Venerem palam exercebat:
qui interrogatus, "Nonne tui pudet? Quid facis?"
' See my Life and Exploits of Alexander the Great, pp. 339, 373,
427 and 430.
^ Compare Historia Compendiosa Dynastiarum, ed. Pococke, Arabic
text, p. 96; and Contextio Gemmarum, ed. Pococke, p. 287.