d water, and wind, and clouds, and
rain for the preservation and welfare of some and for the detriment and
destruction of others, while at the same time they make no use of living
creatures that are doubtless more serviceable to their ends than bows
are to the Scythians or harps or pipes to the Greeks.

Chersias the poet broke off this discourse, and told the company of
divers that were miraculously preserved to his certain knowledge, and
more particularly of Cypselus, Periander's father, who being newly born,
his adversary sent a party of bloody fellows to murder him. They found
the child in his nurse's arms, and seeing him smile innocently upon
them, they had not the heart to hurt him, and so departed; but presently
recalling themselves and considering the peremptoriness of their orders,
they returned and searched for him, but could not find him, for his
mother had hid him very carefully in a chest. (Called [Greek omitted] in
Greek, whence the child was named Cypelus.(G.)) When he came to years
of discretion, and understood the greatness of his former danger and
deliverance, he consecrated a temple at Delphi to Apollo, by whose care
he conceived himself preserved from crying in that critical time, and
by his cries from betraying his own life. Pittacus, addressing his
discourse to Periander, said: It is well done of Chersias to make
mention of that shrine, for this brings to my mind a question I several
times purposed to ask you but still forgot, namely,--To what intent all
those frogs were carved upon the palm-tree before the door, and how
they affect either the deity or the dedicator? Periander remitted him to
Chersias for answer, as a person better versed in these matters for he
was present when Cypselus consecrated the shrine. But Chersias smiling
would not satisfy them, until they resolved him the meaning of these
aphorisms; "Do not overdo," "Know thyself," but particularly and
principally this,--which had scared divers from wedlock and others
from suretyship and others for speaking at all,--"promise, and you are
ruined." What need we to explain to you these, when you yourself have
so mightily magnified Aesop's comment upon each of them. Aesop replied:
When Chersias is disposed to jest with me upon these subjects, and to
jest seriously, he is pleased to father such sayings and sentences upon
Homer, who, bringing in Hector furiously flying upon others, yet
at another time represents him as flying from Ajax son of Te