The Good Book_ A Secular Bible - A. C. Grayling [18]
9. And though you are not yet a Socrates, you ought to live as one desirous of becoming a Socrates, who said, ‘The life most worth living is the life considered and chosen.’
10. The question to be asked at the end of each day is, ‘How long will you delay to be wise?’
11. And the great lesson that the end of each day teaches is that wisdom and the freedom it brings must daily be won anew.
Parables
Chapter 1
1. A rich king named Plousios had planted a forest for his sport, and made an edict forbidding anyone to trespass in it.
2. Out hunting one day he came across a hut that a beggar named Penicros had built there, in violation of the edict.
3. In anger Plousios ordered Penicros to be hanged, and his hut destroyed; but Penicros said, ‘If you hang me before you hear my wisdom, you will always regret it.’
4. ‘What makes you think you are wise?’ asked Plousios, and Penicros answered, ‘Because I have built my lodging in Plousios’ forest,
5. ‘And in consequence have met him; which I wished to do, as having counsel to offer him.’
6. Amused by the temerity of this answer, Plousios ordered Penicros to be placed on a donkey and brought back with them to the city; and on the way questioned him.
7. ‘Tell me the difference between a good man and a bad man,’ said Plousios.
8. Penicros answered, ‘A bad man quarrelled with a good man, saying “For every word of abuse I hear from you, I will retort ten.”
9. ‘The good man replied, “For every ten words of abuse I hear from you, I will not retort one.”
10. ‘That is the difference between a bad man and a good; and between a foolish man and a wise.’
11. Impressed by this answer, Plousios asked, ‘Is it true that in both man and nature all things grow with time?’
12. And Penicros answered, ‘There is one thing that does not; and that is grief.’
13. Plousios said, ‘We are told to take care who we send with our messages. Why is that so?’
14. Penicros answered, ‘Because the character of the sent tells the character of the sender.’
15. Plousios asked, ‘Each animal has its colour, its spots or stripes, to conceal itself in the forest. What is the best method of concealment for man?’ Penicros answered, ‘Speech.’
16. Plousios asked, ‘What kind of man is the worst among men?’ Penicros answered, ‘He who is good in his own esteem.’
17. Plousios asked, ‘Would it not be sweet if a king’s reign lasted for ever?’ Penicros answered, ‘If that had been the lot of your father, where would you be now?’
18. Plousios said, ‘Levellers say there is no difference between nobles and commoners. Is that true?’
19. And Penicros answered, ‘There was once a nobleman who spoke contemptuously to a poor scholar, who replied in courteous terms.
20. ‘After this had continued for some time, the scholar at last remarked, “It seems that your noble line ends with you, while mine might be beginning with me.”
21. ‘And again: a man of high birth spoke abusively to a wise man of lowly birth. “You say that my lineage is a blot on me,” said the sage, “but you are a blot on yours.”’
22. And Penicros said, ‘Death is the dread of the rich and the hope of the poor. A story shows us a deeper truth about the difference between noble and commoner, rich and poor:
23. ‘One like Plousios and one like Penicros were once travelling together, and were set upon by thieves.
24. ‘“Woe is me,” said he who was like Plousios, “if they recognise me.” “Woe is me,” said he who was like Penicros, “if they do not recognise me.”
25. ‘And again: the heir of a wealthy man squandered his money, and a poor sage saw him eating bread and salted olives.
26. ‘He said to the impoverished heir, “Had you thought that this might be your food, this would not be your food.”
27. ‘Such are the differences. As man and man, woman and woman, there is not – neither ought there to be – any difference between any two people in the eyes of a king or judge, for there is no difference between them in nature.’
28. Plousios asked, ‘Why do we die?’ And Penicros answered, ‘Because we live.’
29.