A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

Ion 235
while my servants mourn the good mistress their house
hath lost. These are the sorrows in my home, while
abroad the marriages among Thessalians and the thronging
crowds of women will drive me mad, for I can never
bear to gaze upon the compeers of my wife. And whoso
is my foe will taunt me thus, ''Behold him living in his
shame, a wretch who quailed at death himself, but of his
coward heart gave up his wedded wife instead, and escaped
from Hades; doth he deem himself a man after
that? And he loathes his parents, though himself refused
to die." Such ill reports shall I to my evils add. What
profit then, my friends, for me to live, in fame and fortune
ruined.
That princely state we fondly praise is pleasant to the ^J^"^'^
eye; but yet in its mansions sorrow lurks; for who is happy, ter than a
or by fortune blest, that has to live his life in fear of vio- "°'^'^'
lence with many a sidelong glance? Rather would I live J'j^"^'^^^'
among the common folk, and taste their bliss, than be a
tyrant who delights in making evil men his friends, and He is a priest
'
1 1 1 . r 1 .
IT -r^ 1
., of his father
hates the good, m terror of his life. Perchance thou wilt Apollo at
tell me, "Gold outweighs all these evils and wealth is
ha^s^been^
sweet." I have no wish to be abused for holding tightly f^'^'^']^-*"
^^^
to my pelf, nor yet to have the trouble of it. Be mine a at Athens,
moderate fortune free from annoyance! Now hear the
blessings, father, that here were mine; first, leisure, man's
chiefest joy, with but moderate trouble; no villain ever
drove me from my path, and that is a grievance hard to
bear, to make room and give way to sorry knaves.
My
duty was to pray unto the gods, or with mortal men converse,
a minister to their joys, not to their sorrows.
And
I was ever dismissing one group of guests, while another
took their place, so that I was always welcome from the