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Article THE PHILOSOPHER AND HIS PUPIL. ← Page 2 of 7 →
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The Philosopher And His Pupil.
the creatures of the field ; but , alas ! how often is their benevolence wronged by its perversion ! How often is society outraged by the folly and madness of the wine-cup , and man , the nearest to the gods in wisdom , strength , and beauty , by his own act , by the indulgence of the worst of vices , degraded to tbe level of tbe brute ! We see them in our streets the scoff of childhood , the scorn of -the wise , the inferior of the
slave . While such men exist in Crotona the altars of Bacchus need no hecatomb ; garlanded for tbe sacrifice , the herd of voluntary beasts are waiting at his temple . " The clear voice and dignified manner of the sage gave strength to his words . Heros hung his head in shame , and silently removed the garland from his brow .
"What , " hiccupped Theon , one of his dissolute companions , who had observed the action , " shamed by the scolding of a man , who rails against the pleasures of the world because he is past their enjoyment , or has found them sour?—Still silent ? Art thou a man , and suffer a torrent of epithets to overwhelm thee , drowned in expletives ?—Well ,
be it so . Let us leave him , friends , to turn sophist ? in thy present mood , I'll have no more of him or thee , tbe fit will soon pass , and thou wilt find us at the house of the courtezan Lais ; her smiles will dispel the fumes of the wine , and soon unphilosophise thee . " With these words the drunken Theon and his friends departed from the hall , leaving Heros alone with the moralist and his disciples . For
hours the abashed youth sat , with his face veiled in his robe , listening to the wisdom of Pythagoras with attentive care , and reflecting with bitterness upon the folly of his past life ; his name stained with excess , his means impaired ; the noble aim , tbe purpose of his being , defeated and destroyed . The instruction for the morning being ended , one by one , the disciples bowed to their master , and left his presence in reverential
silence . The sage was , at last , about to depart , when Heros , falling on his knee , caught him by tbe garment . " What wouldst thou ? " demanded the surprised philosopher : "this house is not a vintner ' s , nor are those who were its inmates thy companions . The residence of Lais is in the street where stands the Hospital ; if thou art incapable of reaching it , a porter will convey thee to her dnnrs for hire . "
" Father , " exclaimed the youth , wounded b y the severity of his manner , " I abjure such pleasures ! I would learn truth , teach me thy wisdom . " " It is the -wine cup speaketh , " sternly rejoined Pythagoras : " truth is an element too pure for thy vitiated taste . —Wisdom to thee !—wisdom to a drunkard ! as well might you offer grim Pluto ' s sacrifice upon the altar of Olympian Jove , and deem the rites accepted . —Farewell . " " Stay yet one moment , " replied thc suppliant . "Is the folly of youth
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Philosopher And His Pupil.
the creatures of the field ; but , alas ! how often is their benevolence wronged by its perversion ! How often is society outraged by the folly and madness of the wine-cup , and man , the nearest to the gods in wisdom , strength , and beauty , by his own act , by the indulgence of the worst of vices , degraded to tbe level of tbe brute ! We see them in our streets the scoff of childhood , the scorn of -the wise , the inferior of the
slave . While such men exist in Crotona the altars of Bacchus need no hecatomb ; garlanded for tbe sacrifice , the herd of voluntary beasts are waiting at his temple . " The clear voice and dignified manner of the sage gave strength to his words . Heros hung his head in shame , and silently removed the garland from his brow .
"What , " hiccupped Theon , one of his dissolute companions , who had observed the action , " shamed by the scolding of a man , who rails against the pleasures of the world because he is past their enjoyment , or has found them sour?—Still silent ? Art thou a man , and suffer a torrent of epithets to overwhelm thee , drowned in expletives ?—Well ,
be it so . Let us leave him , friends , to turn sophist ? in thy present mood , I'll have no more of him or thee , tbe fit will soon pass , and thou wilt find us at the house of the courtezan Lais ; her smiles will dispel the fumes of the wine , and soon unphilosophise thee . " With these words the drunken Theon and his friends departed from the hall , leaving Heros alone with the moralist and his disciples . For
hours the abashed youth sat , with his face veiled in his robe , listening to the wisdom of Pythagoras with attentive care , and reflecting with bitterness upon the folly of his past life ; his name stained with excess , his means impaired ; the noble aim , tbe purpose of his being , defeated and destroyed . The instruction for the morning being ended , one by one , the disciples bowed to their master , and left his presence in reverential
silence . The sage was , at last , about to depart , when Heros , falling on his knee , caught him by tbe garment . " What wouldst thou ? " demanded the surprised philosopher : "this house is not a vintner ' s , nor are those who were its inmates thy companions . The residence of Lais is in the street where stands the Hospital ; if thou art incapable of reaching it , a porter will convey thee to her dnnrs for hire . "
" Father , " exclaimed the youth , wounded b y the severity of his manner , " I abjure such pleasures ! I would learn truth , teach me thy wisdom . " " It is the -wine cup speaketh , " sternly rejoined Pythagoras : " truth is an element too pure for thy vitiated taste . —Wisdom to thee !—wisdom to a drunkard ! as well might you offer grim Pluto ' s sacrifice upon the altar of Olympian Jove , and deem the rites accepted . —Farewell . " " Stay yet one moment , " replied thc suppliant . "Is the folly of youth