Plutarch, De Audiendo (On listening to lectures), in Plutarch, Moralia, vol. I, Trans. Frank Cole Babbit, LCL, 1969, 38B, 209.
And Bias of old, on receiving orders to send to Amasis the portion of the sacrificial animal which was at the same time the best and the worst, cut out the tongue and sent it to him, on the ground that speech contains both injuries and benefits in the largest measure.
Plutarch ( Dinner of the Seven Wise Men ), in Plutarch, Moralia,vol. II, Trans. Frank Cole Babbit, LCL, 1962, 146F, 351–52.
‘The king’, said he ‘sent to Bias an animal for sacrifice, with instructions to take out and send back to him the worst and best portion of the meat. And our friend’s neat and clever solution was, to take out the tongue and send it to him, with the result that he is now manifestly in high repute and esteem.’
Plutarch, “De garrulitate” ( Concerning Talkativeness ), in Plutarch, Moralia,vol. VI, Trans. W. C. Helmbold, LCL, 1939, 506C, 419.
Therefore Pittacus did not do badly, when the king of Egypt sent him a sacrificial animal and bade him cut out the fairest and foulest meat, when he cut out and sent him the tongue, as being the instrument of both the greatest good and the greatest evil.
Plutarch, Commentarii in Hesiodum,in Plutarch, Moralia,vol. XV, Fragments,Trans. F. H. Sandbach, LCL, 1969, O.D. 719 (fr.89), 193–94.
So they say that when Amasis sent Pittacus a sacrificial animal and asked him to return to him that part of it which was at once the finest and the worst, the later removed the tongue and sent it back.
Erasmus, Lingua,in Collected Works of Erasmus,29, ed. by Elaine Fantham and Erika Rummel, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1989, LB IV 657F/ASD IV-1 238, 262.
Amasis, king of Egypt, once sent a sacrificial beast to his friend Pittacus, renowned among the seven wise men of Greece, and asked him to return the parts of the carcass which he thought worst and best of all. He was sure his friend would send him two very different parts. But he cut out the tongue, and sent it to the king to show that no part of man was finer than a good tongue or more harmful than a wicked one. I add ‘of man’ because the tongue is neither the best nor the worst part of other living creatures.
Erasmus, Adages II i 1 70 to II vi 100, Vol. 33, Trans. R.A.B. Mynors, Toronto, 1991, Adage 39 (“Lingua quo vadis? Tongue, whither wouldst thou?”), II ii 39 / LB II 460 C-D, 93.
Lingua quo vadis?
Tongue, whither wouldst thou?
[ . . . ] Plutarch in his essay ‘On How to Study’ tells a story of Bias, which recurs in his ‘On Garrulity’; when Amasis, tyrant of Egypt, told Bias to bring him the best and worst pieces of meat in the victim which he sent him, Bias cut out the tongue and sent that, indicating that it was the outstanding instrument, whether you wish to do good or harm. There is much point in Solomon’s remark in chapter 18, that ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue.’
Matthieu Coignet (Martyn Cognet), Politique discourses upon trueth and lying An instruction to princes to keepe their faith and promise: containing the summe of Christian and morall philosophie, and the duetie of a good man in sundrie politique discourses upon the trueth and lying. First composed by Sir Martyn Cognet . . . Newly translated out of French into English, by Sir Edward Hoby, Knight, London, 1586, STC 5486, Chap. VI, 65.
Amasis king of Egipt, sent unto Pittacus, one of the seven wise men of Greece, that was come to see him, a mutton, willing him to send backe that peece which he accounted as best, and that which he judged to be the worst, in steede of the two peeces so differing, hee sent unto him the tongue, as the instrument both of the greatest good, & greatest harme that might bee.
Gabriel Harvey, The Trimming of Thomas Nashe, London, 1597, STC 12906, Fol. C r.
as is recorded of Kias whom king Amasis commaunding to sende home the best and most profitable meate from the market, hee sent home a tongue, the king demaunding a reason, hee answered that of a tongue came many profitable and good speeches, and this tongue thou hast not: Then the king sent him to buy the woorst and most unprofitable meate, and he likewise bought a tongue, the king also asking the reason of this, from nothing (sayde he) issueth worse venome then from the tongue, and this tongue thou hast.
Robert Albott, Wits theater of the little world, London, 1599, STC 381, 85.
Amasis King of Egypt, sent unto Pittacus, one of the seaven wise-men of Greece that was come to see him, a Mutton, willing him to send backe that peece, which hee accounted as best, and that which hee adjudged to be worst, whereupon hee sent unto him the tongue. Herodotus.
Joseph Swetnam in The araignment of lewd, idle, froward, and unconstant women, London, 1615, STC 23534, 41–42.
There is an history making mention of one Lyas, whom King Amasis commanded to goe into the market, and to buy the best and profitablest meat he could get; and hee bought nothing but tongues; the King asked him the reason why he bought no other meat, who made this answer, I was commanded to buy the best meate, and from the tongue came many good and profitable speaches; then the king sent him again, and bade him buy the worst and unprofitablest meate: and he likewise bought nothing but tongues, the King againe asked him the reason, from nothing (said hee) commeth worse venome, then from the tongue, and such tongues must women have.
Aesop, Here begynneth the book of the subtyl historyes and fables of Esope whiche were translated out of Frensshe in to Englysshe by wylham Caxton at westmynstre in the yere of oure Lorde M. CCCC. Xxxiij, 1484, STC 175, vi–vii.
This Historye conteyneth how Esope arayed tongues.
And a lytel whyle after Exantus bad his scolers to dyne with hym / And sayd to Esope / goo anone to the market / & bye for us the best mete / that thou shalt fynde / And Esope wente to the market / he thought in hym self / Now shall I shewe / that I am no fole but wyse / And when Esope came to the market / he bought the tongues of swyne and oxen / And dyghted them with vynegre / and sette them on the table / And the scolers sayd to Exantus / thy dyner is ful of philosophye / And this Exantus sayd to Esope / bryng us other mete / and Esope brought forth moo tongues arayed in another manere / that is to wete with garleck and oynyons / And the scolers sayd Maystre these tongues ben wel dressid For that one dyfferensyth fro the other / And exantus badde esope to brynge other mete / And esope brought yet forth tongues / Thenne were the scolyers angry / and sayde / wylt thow alwey gyue us tongues. And exantus al angry in his courage / said to esope / what other mete hast thou ordeyned for vs / And esope said / forsothe none other / And exantus said to eso pe / Ha grete hede / sayd I not to the / that thou sholdest bye the best mete that thou coudest fynde / So have I doo sayd Esope / And I thanke god that here is a philosopher / I wold fayne knowe of the / what is better than the tongue / For For certaynly al arte / al doctryne and philosophye ben notyfyed by the tongue / Item for to gyue salewes / bye / selle / and to doo syte men / Alle these thynges ben done by the tongue / the men ben preysed ther by / And the grettest partye of the lyf of mortal men is in the tongue / And thus ther is no thyng better than a good tongue / ne no thynge more swete / ne better of savour / ne more prouffitable to mortal men / Thenne sayd the Scolyers to Exantus / thou hast wronge to angre the thus / For Esope hath sayd ryght wel / And after alle these wordes they aryse fro the table / And on the morne after Exantus wold in excusynge hym self / of theyr lytel servyse desyred them to come ageyne at souper / And they shold haue other seruyse / And Exantus sayd to Esope in the presence of them that were there / goo in to the markette / And bye the werst mete that thou canst fynde / For al my frendes here shall soupe with me / and Esope without troublyng of hym self wente to the bocherye / And bought ageyne tongues / And dyghted them / as he dyd to fore / And whanne they came to souper / he served them with tongues as he dyd the day to fore / And the scolers sayd / we ben comen ageyn to tongues And by cause the scolers were not pleased / Exantus seyd to Esope / thou grete hede / sayd I not to the / that thou sholdest bye the werst mete that thou coudest fynde / so have I done sayd Esope / what is werse or more stynkynge than the evylle tongue / by the tongue men ben perysshed / by the tongue they come in to pouerte / by the tongue the Cytees ben destroyed / by the tongue cometh moche harme.’
Giacomo Affinati, The dumbe divine speaker, or: Dumbe speaker of Divinity A learned and excellent treatise, in praise of silence: shewing both the dignitie, and defectes of the tongue. Written in Italian, by Fra. Giacomo Affinati d’Acuto Romano. And truelie translated by A.M., London, 1605, STC 190, 40.
[Example of goodnesse and badnesse of the tongue] One friend having invited another to sup with him, he commanded his servant, that he shoulde goe buy the very best thing in the market, to make his supper the more honorable. He went, and according to the charge of his master, he bought a tongue, which beeing brought home to the house, the master fell into choller, and because hee had dallyed with him diverse times so before, hee sayde unto him . Thou ever doest the contrary to what I commaund thee, I charged thee to buy the best thing in the market, and see, thou hast bought the woorst, never fulfilling what I enjoyne thee to doe: therefore since thou takest a delight in thwarting mee, goe buy the woorst thing that is to be sold in the market. The servant went agayne, and bought an other tongue, whereat the master chafing much more, the servant said (and I think it was Aesope ) [A wittie sententious answere of a servant.] There is nothing better or worse in the whole world, then the tongue, which is the cause both of much good, and much evill : a sentence not so excellent as true, and agreeable to that of the wise man, Vita & mors in manibus linguae [Pro.13.21].
William, Vaughan, The spirit of detraction, conjured and convicted in seven circles A worke both diuine and morall, fit to be perused by the libertines of this age, who endeavour by their detracting and derogatory speeches, to embezell both the glory of God, and the credit of their neigh-bours, London, 1611, STC 24622, To the Reader, 1.
I finde this originall accident coincident aswell to tongues as soules, that there be good Aesops tongues, and evill Aesops tongues; the good ordained to heavenly Hymnes, to joyfull Jubilees, to Angelicall Alleluiahes : the evill tongues to taunt, to detract, and with Jobs wife, to curse God as die .
Giacomo Affinati, The dumbe divine speaker, or: Dumbe speaker of Divinity A learned and excellent treatise, in praise of silence: shewing both the dignitie, and defectes of the tongue. Written in Italian, by Fra. Giacomo Affinati d’Acuto Romano. And truelie translated by A.M., London, 1605, STC 190, 6–7.
Pythagoras held silence in so high esteeme, that Atheneus relateth in his seaventh booke, that of some beastes he would taste moderately, and offer others in sacrifice to the Gods: but in all his life time he would never touche a fish, because he made some reverand reckoning therof, as observing some divine quality therin (what I know not) only for taciturnity. (6) ( . . . ) Saint Jerome speaking (of him) upon Ecclesiasticus, sayeth: Pythagoricorum disciplina est tacere per quinquennium, & postea eruditiùs loqui. Others saye, that onely for two yeeres hee imposed silence on his Schollers, and not five: but let it bee howsoever, it sufficeth that this so long silence was to no other end, but to teache them to speake the better, and with wisdome, so that his intent was not they shoulde bee alwayes silent, but whensoever they spake, to speake wisely.’ (7).
Robert Albott, Wits theater of the little world, London, 1599, STC 381, 84 r.
Pythagoras the Phylosopher, commaunded all the Schollers he received into his schoole, to bee silent five yeeres, & to learne of others so long before themselves dyd utter any thing.
Stephen Batman, The Golden Book of the Leaden Goddes (1577), Fol. 15 rv.
Harpocrates, and Angerona, were figured in comely Apparell, holdinge their Fingers uppon theyr Mouth. Signification. They both resemble Taciturnitie, and in beinge comely Apparelled signifieth the grave modesty of prudent Governers. By the holding of theire Forefingers on their Mouthes, sheweth also the heedefulnes, that Men ought to have, in speakinge. The Poetes fayne that the Pyes Chatteringe beetokeneth Ghestes: And Womens Bablinge, betokeneth folly: for sometimes both sortes, so travayle wyth a word, that they hassard both life & goods.
Matthieu Coignet, Politique Discourses (1586), 64.
Which gave occasion to men of olde time to write, that Harpocrates was the superintendent, & correcter of mans speach, being drawen with a ring fastened on his lippes. And they ordained certaine ceremonies to use men to scilence, & not to speake but upon good deliberation. Other worshipped Angerona the goddesse of scilence, drawen with her finger uppon her mouth, shewing in what reverence they ought to hold secrecie.
Levinus Lemnius, An herbal for the Bible, Drawen into English by Thomas Newton, London, 1587, STC 15454, 223–26.
In some Countries there is a custome used, when pleasaunt and merry companions doe friendly meete togither to make good cheere, that as soone as their feast ( . . . ) is ended, they give faithfull promise mutually one to another, that whatsoever hath been merrily spoken by any in that assembly, should be wrapped up in silence, and not to bee caried out of the doores. For the assurance and performance whereof, the tearme which they use, is, that all things there saide must be taken, as spoken, Under the Rose.
Whereupon, they use in their parlours and dining roumes to hang Roses over their tables, to put the companie in memorie of secrecie, and not rashly or undiscretly to clatter and blab out what they heare. Likewise, if they chaunce to shew any trickes of wanton, unshamefast, immodest or unreverent behaviour either by word or deed, they protesting that all was spoken, Under the Rose, do give a straite charge, and passe a covenant of silence and secrecy with the hearers, that the same shall not be blowne abroad, nor tatled in the streetes among any others.
To this effect also is that old beaten proverb; I hate that guest or companion that remembreth what is spoken at the table. Which ancient sentence is appliable unto such as having kept company with pleasant mates, whe some fanciful words have escaped unawares, or by the way of merriment, do cal the same into fresh memory the next day after, and make (as it were) publike proclamation therof: whereas all such escapes and rashly uttered tearmes at bankets, ought to be forgotten, and to be written in the Wine.
So also the Lacedemonians, by an olde statute lawe left unto them by Lycurgus, had written in the entry or porch of their houses this sentence; Out at the doore let no tale be caried. Nowe from whence this custome first grew, of hanging Roses, and strawing them in parlours and dining chambers, as a simbole or token of secrecie and silence of all words there passed and spoken, these verses plainely and lively display:
The Rose (a signe of secrecie) pertaines
To Venus, as dame Regent of the same:
By Cupide then assignd (as Poet faines)
To silent God, Harpocrates by name.
And thereupon at feasts where friends do meet
They use above their Boords, to hang the Rose,
In token ech should other friendly greet,
And not to tattle tales abroade, as foes.
And this is to be understood, that the Myrtle and the Rose be plants, which antiquitie dedicated to Venus: for that, at brideales the houses and chambers were woont to bee strawed with these odoriferous and sweete herbes: to signifie, that in wedlocke all pensive sullennes, and lowring cheer, all wrangling strife, jarring variance and discorde ought to be utterly excluded and abandoned, and that in place thereof, al mirth, pleasantnes, cheerefulnes, mildnes, quietnes and love should be maintained, and that in matters passing betweene the husband and the wife, all secrecie should be vsed.
And this is the reason, why Cupide, the son of Venus is saide of Poets to have dedicated the Rose unto Harpocrates the God of silence, (who is painted and purtraited holding his finger vppon his mouth) and that therefore the Rose served as a signe of silence and token of secrecie, to such persons as be tatling talecariers. And as Harpocrates was invested with the title of the God of silence, among the Greekes; so was Angerona assigned ladie and goddesse of the same, among the old Romaines.
Albott, Wits theater of the Little world (1599), Chap. “Of silence and Secrecie,” Fol. 84–84v
Harpocrates, was the Superintendent, and the corrector of mans speech, & was drawn with a ring fastned upon his lyps.
Augerona (sic) was fained to bee the Goddesse of Silence, drawne with her finger vpon her mouth, and a table uppon her breast, whereon was written, Heare, See, & say nothing showing in what reverence they ought to hold secrecie.
Peacham, Minerva Britanna (1612), 156:
Silentij dignitas.
LOE SOLON here th’ Athenian sage doth stand, [Angerona Dea praeses silentij apud Romanos, obsignato ore antiquitus efficta est]
The glorie of all GRECIA to this day,
With courage bold who taketh knife in hand,
And with the same, doth cut his tongue away:
But being ask’d of some, the reason why,
By writing thus he answer’d by and by.
Oft have I heard, that many have sustained, [Res omnium difficillima silere et audire: Gellius lib : 1.]
Much losse by talke, and lavishnes of tongue,
Of silence never any yet complained,
Or could say justly, it had done him wrong:
Who knowes to speake, and when to hold his peace, [Quingennium silentium in Pythagorae schola quam vocabant, teste Laertio indicebatur. Laertius lib : 22.]
Findes fewest daungers, and lives best at ease.
Foxe, The Book of Martyrs , ed. 1570, 2344.
In the tyme of reigne of K. Edward, there was in Cornewall a certeine lustie young Gentleman, which dyd ryde in company with other moe Gentlemen, together with their servauntes, being about the number of xx. horsemen. Amongest whom this lusty yonker entryng into talke, began to sweare, most horribly blasphemyng the name of God, with other rybauldry wordes besides. Unto whom one of the company (who is yet alyve, and wytnes hereof) not able to abyde the hearyng of such blasphemous abomination, in gentle wordes speakyng to hym, sayd he should geve answere and accompt for every idle word.
The Gentleman takyng snuffe therat: why (sayd he) takest thou thought for me? take thought for thy winding sheete. Well (quoth the other) amend, for death giveth no warnyng: for as soone commeth a lambes skyn to the market as an old sheepes. Gods woundes (sayth he) care not thou for me, ragyng still after this maner worse and worse in wordes, till at length passing on their jorney, they came rydyng over a great bridge, standyng ouer a peece of an arme of the Sea. Upon the which bridge this Gentleman swearer spurred his horse in such sorte, as he sprange cleane over with the man on his backe. The terrible end of a swearer. Who as he was goyng, cryed, saying: horse and man, and all to the devill.
Source: John Foxe’s The Acts and Monuments on line[ . . . ] (1570 edition). http://www.johnfoxe.org.
Richard West, Wits A. B. C. Or A Centurie of Epigrams (London, 1608), Epigram 7, ‘In Crœsum.’
Crœsus hath got a pretty tricke of late,
To coosen any needy borrowing mate,
Two chests he hath, the one stands in his hall,
And that the world, the other he his friend doth call,
The which is in his closet cramd with gold,
But that chest he calles world, noe crosse doth hold,
And when that any borrower doth come,
Asking to borrow any greater summe,
Then well upon his credite he dare leave,
With this his new found tricke heel him deceave,
I sweare quoth he (sitting on’s empty chest)
I am not now with so much mony blest,
For in this world (my want this time is such)
I know not how to get you halfe soe much,
The man thinkes he meanes plainely, doth depart,
Although perhaps but with a heavy heart:
If it be one whome he intends to friend,
Upon whose credit he dare so much lend,
Then thus: I have it not, but this ile doe,
Ile if I can my friend for so much wooe,
And up unto his gold cramd chest he goes,
Which stuft with many golden crownes, oreflowes,
His friend is kind, and prest at his command,
Take what he will, he will not him withstand,
Then downe he comes, and tells what he hath done:
How with entreaty he his friend hath wonne.
The other thankes him much, and thinkes him kind,
That hee hath tooke such paines to please his minde.
Nay thanke my friend (saies he) for your good speede,
For he it is hath helpt you at your neede.