"Loquax magis, quam facundus,
Satis loquentiae, sapientiae parum.{31a}
[Greek verse]. {31b}
Optimus est homini linguae thesaurus, et ingens
Gratia, quae parcis mensurat singula verbis."


Homeri Ulysses.--Demacatus Plutarchi.--Ulysses, in Homer, is made a
long-thinking man before he speaks; and Epaminondas is celebrated by
Pindar to be a man that, though he knew much, yet he spoke but
little. Demacatus, when on the bench he was long silent and said
nothing, one asking him if it were folly in him, or want of
language, he answered, "A fool could never hold his peace." {31c}
For too much talking is ever the index of a fool.


"Dum tacet indoctus, poterit cordatus haberi;
Is morbos animi namque tacendo tegit." {32a}


Nor is that worthy speech of Zeno the philosopher to be passed over
with the note of ignorance; who being invited to a feast in Athens,
where a great prince's ambassadors were entertained, and was the
only person that said nothing at the table; one of them with
courtesy asked him, "What shall we return from thee, Zeno, to the
prince our master, if he asks us of thee?" "Nothing," he replied,
"more but that you found an old man in Athens that knew to be silent
amongst his cups." It was near a miracle to see an old man silent,
since talking is the disease of age; but amongst cups makes it fully