"By overlooking an old injury you invite a new one."

These sayings are of a worldly-wise and proverbial character, and,
therefore, as has been already observed, although not actually humorous,
are easily capable of being so regarded.

Cæsar awarded the prize to Publius instead of Laberius, because, as it
is supposed, of some reflections the latter made upon him. But it may
have been that Cæsar was right, and Publius' wit was the most salient.

Scarcely any specimens remain of Laberius' talent. Aulus Gellius says
that he coined many strange words, and he seems to have made
considerable use of alliteration.

We may suppose that the humour of Cicero was somewhat hereditary, for he
records a saying of his grandfather that "the men of our time are like
Syrian slaves; the more Greek they know, the greater knaves they are!"
It is fortunate the grandson inherited the old man's wit without his
plebeian prejudices, and became as celebrated for his culture as for his
readiness. In his work entitled "The Orator," he commends humour as a
means of gaining influence, and a vehicle for moral instruction.
"Orators," he says, "joke with an object, not to appear jesters, but to
obtain some advantage." But we may feel sure he did not keep this dry
and profitable end always in view, for he wrote a jest-book, and was
nick-named by his enemies "Scurra Consularis,"[21] the consular buffoon.

A man can scarcely have a talent for humour without being conscious of
its fascination, and being sometimes led away by it--as Cicero says, "it
pleases the listeners"--but he need not therefore descend to buffoonery.
We should not be inclined to accuse a man of that, who tells us that "a