In this story of Xanthus the philosopher and his slave Aesop, Xanthus makes some ridiculous wager while drunk. Now it was up to Aesop to save his master's pride.
"THERE happened not long after this, to be a merry Meeting of Philosophers; and
Xanthus, one of the Company. Xanthus had already gotten a Cup too much; and
AEsop finding they were like to set out his hand; 'Sir,' says he,' 'tis the Humour of
Bacchus, they say, first to make Men chearful, and when they are past that, to
make 'em drunk, and in the Conclusion, to make them mad.' "
"Xanthus took Offence at AEsop; and told him, 'That was a Lecture for Children.'
(Diogenes Laertius makes this to be they saying of Anacharsis.)"
"The Cups went round, and Xanthus by this time had taken his load, who was mightily
given to talk in his drink; and whatever was uppermost, out it came without either Fear
or Wit. One of the Company observing the weak side of the Man, took the Opportunity
of pumping him with several Questions."
" 'Xanthus.' (says he) 'I have read somewhere, that it is possible for a Man to drink the
Sea dry; but I can hardly believe it.' "
" ' Why,' says Xanthus, 'I'll venture my House and Land upon't, that I do't myself.' "
"They agreed upon the Wager, and presently off went their Rings to seal to Conditions.
But early the next Morning Xanthus missing his Ring, thought it might be slipt off his
Finger, and ask'd AEsop about it."
" 'Why truly,' says AEsop, 'I can say nothing to the losing of your Ring; but I can tell you
that you lost your House and Land last Night:' "
"And so AEsop told him the Story on't, which his Master, it seems, had utterly forgotten.
Xanthus began now to chew upon the Matter, and it went to the Heart of him to consider, that he could neither do the thing, nor yet get quit of his Bonds. In this trouble of Thoughts he consults AEsop, (whose Advice before he had rejected) what was to be
done in this Case."
" 'I shall never forget,' says Xanthus, 'how much I owe you for your faithful Services.'
And so with fair Words AEsop was prevail'd upon to undertake the bringing him off."
" 'Tis impossible to do the thing.' (says he) 'but if I can find a way to dissolve the
Obligation, and to gain you Credit by it over and above, that's the Point I suppose will
do your Business. The Time appointed,' says AEsop, 'is now at hand, wherefore do you
set a bold Face upon it, and go to the Sea-side with all your Servants and your Trinkets
about you, and put on a Countenance that you are just now about to make good your
undertaking. You'll have thousands of Spectators there, and when they are got together, let the Form of the Agreement and the Condition be read which runs to this Effect: *That you are to drink up the Sea by such a certain Time, or to forfeit your House and Land, upon such and such a Consideration.*' "
" ' When this is done, call for a great Glass, and let it be fill'd with Sea-Water, in
the Sight of the whole Multitude: Hold it up then in your Hand, and say as follows, "You
have heard, good People, what I have undertaken to do, and upon what Penalty,
if I do not go through with it. I confess the Agreement, and the Matter of Fact as
you have heard it; and I am now about to drink up the Sea; not the Rivers that run
into't. And therefore let all the Inlets be stopt, that there be nothing but pure Sea
left me to drink, and I am now ready to perform my part of the Agreement. But for
any drinking of the Rivers, there is nothing of that in the Contract." ' "
"The People found it so clear a Case, that they did not only agree to the Reason and
Justice of Xanthus's Case, but hiss'd his Adversary out of the Field; who in the
Conclusion made a publick Ackowledgment, that Xanthus was the wiser and better
Man of the two; but desired the Contract might be made void, and offer'd to submit
himself further to such Arbitrators as Xanthus himself should direct."
" Xanthus was so well pleased with the Character his Adversary had given him, of a
wise Man, that all was passed over, and a final End made of the Dispute. Plutarch
makes this to have been the Invention of Bias."
Source: Bookend
Today's Aesop's Fable:
The Ox and the Frog
An ox, grazing in the meadow, chanced to set his foot on a young frog and crushed him
to death. His brothers and sisters, who were playing near, at once ran to tell their mother what had happened.
"The monster that did it, mother, was such a size!" said they.
The mother, who was a vain old thing, thought that she could easily make herself as large. "Was it as big as this?" she asked, blowing and puffing herself out.
"Oh, much bigger than that!" replied the young frogs.
"As this, then?" cried she, puffing and blowing again with all her might.
"Nay mother," said they; "If you were to try till you hurt yourself, you would never be
so big."
The silly old frog tried to puff herself out still more, and burst herself indeed.
Men are ruined by attempting a greatness to which they have no claim.
Source: The Fables of Aesop
Based on the texts of L'Estrange and Croxall
Books, Inc. Publishers, date unknown
New York, Boston
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