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SeleucusCf. 489 a, supra. the Victorious lost his entire army and power in the battle against the Gauls; he tore off his crown with his own hands and fled on horseback with three or four companions. When he had travelled a long journey through winding ways and trackless wilds, at length becoming desperate from lack of food he approached a certain farmhouse. By chance he found the master himself and begged bread and water from him. And the farmer gave him lavishly both these and whatever else there was in a farmstead, and, while entertaining him hospitably, recognized the face of the king. In his joy at the fortunate chance of rendering service he could not restrain himself or dissemble as did the king, who wished to remain unknown, but he escorted the king to the highway and, on taking leave, said, Fare well, King Seleucus. And Seleucus, stretching out his right hand to him and drawing him towards himself as though to kiss him, gave a sign to one of his companions to cut off the man’s head with a sword s Still speaking his head was mingled with the dust.Homer, Il., x. 457. But if the man had remained silent at that time and had mastered himself for a little while, when the king later won success and regained power, he would have earned, I fancy, an even larger reward for his silence than for his hospitality.
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This man, it is true, had as something of an excuse for his incontinence his hopes and the friendly service he had rendered;
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but most talkers do not even have a reason for destroying themselves. For example, people were once talking in a barber’s shop about how adamantineCf.Life of Dion, vii. (961 a), x. (962 b); Aelian, Varia Historia, vi. 12. and unbreakable the despotism of Dionysius was. The barber laughed and said, Fancy your saying that about Dionysius, when I have my razor at his throat every few days or so! When Dionysius heard this, he crucified the barber.
