Oriental wit and wisdom, or, the "Laughable stories" / collected by Mar Gregory John Bar-Hebraeus ; translated from the Syriac by E. A. Wallis Budge.

  • Bar Hebraeus
Date:
1899
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Oriental wit and wisdom, or, the "Laughable stories" / collected by Mar Gregory John Bar-Hebraeus ; translated from the Syriac by E. A. Wallis Budge. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    XCIX. Ispandahar said, “The horse, even though he “be exceedingly swift, hath need of the whip, and “a woman, though she be chaste, yet hath need of a “man, and a man, even though he be wise, hath need “to receive counsel from others.” C. Khusrau said, “Wine washeth from the heart “trouble and grief” CL When Kikobad (Kaikubad)^ the king died, one of his wise men said, “Yesterday the king spake vol- “ubly, but to-day he being silent admonisheth [us] “with greater effect.”^ CII. This same wise man said, “Hearts have need “to be reared on wisdom, even as mens bodies have “need of food whereon to grow.” cm. Sapor said, “On many occasions matters come “to fools on the right hand, and to wise men on the “left, and I recognize that the Governor of affairs is “a Being quite distinct from them.” CIV. Ardashir'^ said, “Occupy thyself with the things ^ Probably Ispandahar, the son of Gushtasp; see Malcolm, History of Persia^ Vol. I. p. 46 If.; and Mohl, Le Livre des Rois^ tom. IV. p. 451. ^ The founder of the Kaianian dynasty is here referred to; see Malcolm, History of Persia, vol. I. p. 23 ff.; Mohl, Le Livre des Rois, tom. I. p. 367. 3 This saying is also attributed to Diogenes, who is said to have uttered it over Alexander’s dead body. In Mas‘udi {of. cit. tom. vii. p. 186) it runs “Alexander was less talkative yesterday than he “is to-day; but to-day he teacheth us more than he did yesterday.” Another version is, “Of all teachings which thou hast bestowed “upon us the most eloquent is thy death.” Mas'udi {of. cit., tom. ii. P- 253). 4 Probably Ardashir I, who began to reign A.D. 226.