forwards, ran underneath the king's throne. Thereupon the king's attendants were about to drive him away, but the king stopped them.
After he had rested awhile, he came out from under the throne, and made obeisance to the king, and asked him, "Is it you who are having the dogs slain?"
"Yes; it is I," was the reply.
"What is their fault, O king of men?"
"They have eaten the leathern coverings and straps of my chariot."
"Do you know which ones did it?"
"That we don't know."
"To have all killed wherever they may be found, without knowing for certain who are the culprits that gnawed the leather, is not just, O king!"
"I gave orders for the destruction of the dogs, saying, 'Kill them all wherever they may be found,' because dogs had eaten the carriage leather."
"What then! Do your men kill all dogs, or are there some not punished with death?"
"There are some. The royal dogs in our house are exempt."
"Great king! only just now you were saying you had given orders to kill all dogs, wherever found, because dogs had eaten the carriage-leather; and now you say that the well-bred dogs in your own house have been exempted. Now this being so, you become guilty of partiality and the other shortcomings of a judge.[1] Now, to be guilty of such thing is neither right, nor kingly.
- ↑ Literally, of the Agatis (things of which a judge, and especially a king, sitting as judge, ought not to be guilty); they are four in number, partiality, ill-will, ignorance, and fear.
