in the ground, and they paid the last rites to my ashes. But then
the earth spoiled the brightness of my face, and all the mortal beauty
of my form now lies here. Thou canst not even see that I was a
man, if I perchance be exposed to view by the removal of the earth.
Therefore pray to God for me with a pure heart, that he will permit
me to enjoy eternal peace. And whoever prays for me let him
request that he also be allowed to abide with me in paradise.' When
he had repeated those verses again and again and had laid all
worldly things aside, the philosopher was made a hermit."
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."
XXVII.[4] The Hermit Chastening His Soul
"Also an heremyte and philosopher in this maner correctid his
soule and saide: 'Soule, wite thow and knowe thow while power is in
the and in thyn hand, that thow werke and do bifore that thow
moevist from thi place to the house in whiche right and justice
dwellith and abidith, and to the yaate of the place wher thow shalt
trede in a Rolle whatsumeuer thyn hand hath don and wrought
in this world.[5] And angels of hevene on thi Right and lift side
shuln discovere, open, shewe, and tel thi counsail; and what goode
- ↑ No. XXIII of the original, see I, 44-45.
- ↑ Ms. 'and and.'
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ No. XXIV of the original, I, 45, l. 9.
- ↑ For latter half of this sentence the Latin is, et ad portam loci iudicii, ubi leges in rotulo quicquid tua manus egerit in hoc saeculo.
