sit down by him, and said,
I would gladly give any money to have an opportunity to sit and eat
with Ardalus. This Ardalus was a Troezenian by birth, by profession a
minstrel, and a priest of the Ardalian Muses, whose temple old Ardalus
had founded and dedicated. Here Aesop, who was sent from Croesus to
visit Periander, and withal to consult the oracle at Delphi, sitting
by and beneath Solon upon a low stool, told the company this fable:
A Lydian mule, viewing his own picture in a river, and admiring the
bigness and beauty of his body, raises his crest; he waxes proud,
resolving to imitate the horse in his gait and running; but presently,
recollecting his extraction, how that his father was but an ass at best,
he stops his career and cheeks his own haughtiness and bravery. Chilo
replied, after his short concise way, You are slow and yet try to run,
in imitation of your mule.

Amidst these discourses in comes Melissa and sits her down by Periander;
Eumetis followed and came in as we were at supper; then Thales calls to
me (I sat me down above Bias), Why do you not make Bias acquainted with
the problems sent him from the King by Niloxenus this second time, that
he may soberly and warily weigh them? Bias answered, I have been already
scared with that news. I have known that Bacchus is otherwise a powerful
deity, and for his wisdom is termed [Greek omitted] that is, THE
INTERPRETER; therefore I shall undertake it when my belly is full of
wine. Thus they jested and reparteed and played one upon another all the
while they sat at table. Observing the unwonted frugality of Periander
at this time, I considered with myself that the entertainment of
wise and good men is a piece of good husbandry, and that so far from
enhancing a man's expenses in truth it serves to save charge, the charge
(to wit) of costly foreign unguents and junkets, and the waste of the
richest wines, which Periander's state and greatness required him
every day in his ordinary treats to expend. Such costly provisions
were useless here, and Periander's wisdom appeared in his frugality.
Moreover, his lady had laid aside her richer habit, and appeared in an
ordinary, but a very becoming dress.

Supper now ended, and Melissa having distributed the garlands, we
offered sacrifice; and when the minstrel had played us a tune or two,
she withdrew. Then Ardalus inquired of Anacharsis, if there were women
fiddlers at Scythia. He suddenly and smartly replied, There ar