er ee 
66 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. Hes 
own advantage, answered, Zhat Syila could not skill of 
letters, and therefore knew not how to dictate. 
go. And here it were fit to leave this point, touching 
the concurrence of military virtue and learning (for what 
example should come with any grace after ‘those two of 
Alexander and Czesar ?), were it not in regard of the rare- 
ness of circumstance, that I find in one other particular, 
as that which did so suddenly pass from extreme scorn to 
extreme wonder: and it is of Xenophon the philosopher, 
who went from Socrates’ school into Asia, in the expedition 
of Cyrus the younger against King Artaxerxes. This 
Xenophon at that time was very young, and never had 
seen the wars before; neither had any command in the 
army, but only followed the war as a voluntary, for the 
love and conversation of Proxenus his friend. He was 
present when Falinus came in message from the great 
king to the Grecians, after thdt Cyrus was slain in the 
field, and they a handful of men left to themselves in the 
midst of the king’s territories, cut off from their country 
by many navigable rivers, and many hundred miles. The 
" message imported that they should deliver up their arms 
and submit themselves to the king’s mercy. ‘To which 
message before answer was made, divers of the army 
conferred familiarly with Falinus; and amongst the rest 
Xenophon happened to say, Why, Falinus, we have now 
but these two things left, our arms. and our virtue; and if 
we yteld up our arms, how shall we make use of our virtue P 
Whereto Falinus smiling on him said, Jf Z be not deceived, 
young gentleman, you are an Athenian: and I believe you 
study philosophy, and tt is pretty that you say * but you are 
much abused, tf you think your virtue can withstand the 
king's power. Here was the scorn; the wonder followed: 
which was, that this young scholar, or philosopher, after 
