The laughable stories collected by Mâr Gregory John Bar Hebræ

14 THE LAUGHABLE STORIES OF BAR-HEBR^US.
"for thou knowest not whether he may become thine
"enemy."
XLV. Diogenes was asked concerning a certain
wealthy man, "Is he rich?" And he replied, "I know
"not whether he is rich [or not], but I do know that
"he possesseth much money." Now he meant by these
words that the man who hankereth not to possess anything
more is a rich man, because everyone who
longeth for more than he hath is poor in comparison
with that which he possesseth not.
XL VI. A king asked Diogenes, "Where are thy
"wealth and possessions.''" And he pointed to his disciples
and said, "With them," referring thereby to the
wisdom [which he had taught them].
XLVII. To another philosopher it was said, "It is hard
"that that which a man seeketh not should come to him."
And he replied, "Much harder than this is it that a
"man should seek that which cometh not to him."
XLVIII. Plato the philosopher was once rebuked because
he possessed not riches, and he replied, "How
"can I
possess that which avarice and greediness guard
"and which liberality and benevolence destroy?"
XLIX. Gifts of certain vessels of glass were given
to Alexander, and though they pleased him very much
he ordered them to be broken. And when he was
asked the reason he replied, "I know that they would
"be broken one after the other by the servant's hands,
"and that thereby anger would be always stirred up
"in me; for this reason it is that with one burst of
"wrath I have driven away many storms of rage."
L. Plato was asked, "Why are not wisdom and anger
"found together?" And he replied, "Because no man
"can be found who is perfect in everything."