THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE COURTIER «ver wicked he be, has pleasure in being deemed just, continent and good: which would not be the case if these virtues could be learned; for it is no disgrace not to know that to w^hich one has given no study, but it seems a reproach indeed not to have that wherewith we ought to be adorned by nature. Hence everyone tries to hide his natural defects both of mind and of body too; which is seen in the blind, the halt and the crooked, and in others who are maimed or ugly ; for although these imperfections may be ascribed to nature, still everyone dislikes to be sensible of them in himself, because he seems by nature's own testimony to have that defect as it were for a seal and token of his wicked- ness. " Moreover my opinion is confirmed by that story which is told of Epimetheus, who knew so ill how to distribute the gifts of nature among men that he left them much poorer in every- thing than all other creatures : wherefore Prometheus stole from Minerva and from Vulcan that artful cunning w^hereby men find the means of living ;"' but still they did not have the civic cunning to gather together in cities and live orderly lives, for this was guarded in Jove's castle by very watchful warders, who so frightened Prometheus that he dared not approach them; where- fore Jove had compassion for the misery of men, who were torn by wild beasts because they could not stand together for lack of civic faculty, and sent Mercury to earth to bring them justice and shame, to the end that these two things might adorn their cities and unite the citizens. And he saw fit that they should not be given to men like the other arts, wherein one expert suf- fices for many ignorant (as in the case of medicine), but that they should be impressed upon each man; and he ordained a law that all who were without justice and shame should be ex- terminated and put to death like public pests. So you see, my lord Ottaviano, that these virtues are vouchsafed by God to men, and are not acquired, but natural." 12 Then my lord Ottaviano said, smiling: " Do you then insist, my lord Gaspar, that men are so unhappy and perverse, that they have by industry discovered an art to tame the natures of wild beasts, bears, wolves, lions, and by it are able to teach a pretty bird to fly whither they like, a:id to 252
