Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 2.djvu/230

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218

OF THE STATE OF THE WORLD.

warrior flees from the battle; therefore, the kingdom has no honour." The second wrote—"One is two; therefore, the kingdom is without truth. The friend is an enemy; therefore, the kingdom is without faith. Evil is good; therefore, the kingdom is without devotion." The third wrote—"Reason is united with licentiousness; therefore, the kingdom is without name. A thief is set on high; therefore, the kingdom is without wealth. The dove would become an eagle; therefore, there is no prudence in the land." The fourth wrote—"The will is a counsellor; therefore, the kingdom is ill ordered. Money gives sentence; therefore, the kingdom is badly governed. God is dead; therefore, the whole kingdom is full of sinners^[1]."

↑ The application is long and uninteresting, and incapable of abridgement; I have therefore thought it best to omit it entirely. It contains, however, what may lead us to suspect that certain of these Tales (though, I believe, very few) are of German derivation. "Corabola," says the original, "vulgariter: die schnock wil fliegen also hoch als der adler. Ideo non est discretio," &c. So one edition; two others read, "Der weul wylt vlyegen also hoge als der arnt aquila, Ideo, &c.; and two, one of which belonged to Mr. Tyrwhitt, now in the British Museum,) have the Latin translation, "Culex cupit tam altè volare, sicut ipsa aquilla." Corabola above, I apprehend should be Parabola.

[1] The application is long and uninteresting, and incapable of abridgement; I have therefore thought it best to omit it entirely. It contains, however, what may lead us to suspect that certain of these Tales (though, I believe, very few) are of German derivation. "Corabola," says the original, "vulgariter: die schnock wil fliegen also hoch als der adler. Ideo non est discretio," &c. So one edition; two others read, "Der weul wylt vlyegen also hoge als der arnt aquila, Ideo, &c.; and two, one of which belonged to Mr. Tyrwhitt, now in the British Museum,) have the Latin translation, "Culex cupit tam altè volare, sicut ipsa aquilla." Corabola above, I apprehend should be Parabola.

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