44
But a short time before his death, about a week or so, he had a little too much for dinner, I suppose, and was taken ill in the night, and had a sharp attack of fever. Alcxander was the physician called in to attend him, and it was from him I got the story. He said he found Proteus rolling on the ground, unable to endure the fever, and making passionate demands for water. Alexander said no to this: and he told him that if he really wanted to die, here was death, unbidden, at his very door; he had only to attend the summons; there was no need of a pyre. ‘No, no,’ says Proteus; ‘any one may die that way; there’s no distinction in it.’
45
So much for Alexander. I myself, not so long ago, saw Proteus with some irritant rubbed on his eyes to purge them of theum, Evidently we are to infer that there is no admission for blear eyes in the kingdom of Aeacus. ”T'was as if a man on — the way to be crucified were to concern himself about a sprained finger, Think if Democritus had seen all this! How would he have taken it? The laughing philosopher might have done justice to Proteus. I doubt, indeed, whether he ever had such a good excuse for his mirth.
45
Be that as it may, you, my friend, shall have your laugh; especially when you hear Proteus’s name mentioned with admiration.
