Disciplina Clericalis/Tale 26

by Peter Alphonse

 

XXVI.^[1] The Sayings of the Philosophers at the Tomb of Alexander the Great

"It is saide of Alisaunder that his sepulture was al of gold and^[2] in a litel porche sette. To whiche cam many philosophers, of the whiche oon saide: 'Alisaunder made his tresour of gold; and now the contrarie, gold makith tresour of hym.' Another saide: 'Yisterday al the world sufificied hym nat; and this day only iiii cubites sufficen hym.' Another saide: 'Yisterday he empired and lordshipped the people; and this day the people lordshippith hym?' Another saide:^[3] 'Yesterday he pressid therth; and this day the erth pressith hym.' Another saide: 'Yisterday the people dred hym; this day thei deputen hym vile.' Another saide: 'Yisterday he had friendis and enemyes; this day he hath equal and evene.' But of xxxii philosophers standyng aboute hym, that eueriche of the myghti kyng saide is to be brought in long memory."

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1. No. XXIII of the original, see I, 44-45.
2. Ms. 'and and.'
3. Between this speech and that of the preceding philosopher the English version omits the sayings of two philosophers, Alius: Heri multos potuit a morte liberare: hodie nec eius iacula valuit devitare. Alius: Heri ducebat exercitus: hodie ab illis ducitur sepulturae.