BOOK VII. XL. 131-XU1. 134 



false, and not as the utterance of a prophet ! Mor- 

 tahty , being so vain and so ingenious in self-deception, 

 makes its calculation ufter the nianner of the Thracian 

 tribe that puts stone counters of different colours 

 corresponding to each day's experience in an urn, 

 and on the last day sorts theni and counts them out 

 and thus pronounces judgement about each indi- 

 vidual. \Miat of the lact that the very day com- 

 mended by that stone of brilhant whiteness contained 

 the source of misfortune ? How many men have 

 been overthrown by attaining power ! How many 

 have been ruined and plunged into the direst tor- 

 ments by wealth ! Wealth forsooth it is called if a 

 man has had an hour of joy while surrounded by it. 

 So doubtless is it ! Diiferent days pass verdict on 

 diHerent men and only the last day a final verdict 

 on all men ; and consequently no day is to be 

 trusted. What of the fact that goods are not equal 

 to evils even if of equal number, and that no joy 

 can counterbalance the smallest grief .^ Alas what 

 vain and fooUsh appHcation ! we count the number 

 of the days, when it is their weight that is in ques- 

 tion! 



XLI. Only one " woman can be found in the whole ri>rtun^'s 

 of history, the Spartan Lampido, who was daughter, """"'"'«'J'- 

 wife and mother of a king; only one, Berenice, who 

 was daughter, sister and mother of Olympic winners ; 

 only one family, the Curios, that has produccd three 

 orators in unbroken series, only one, the Fabii, three 

 successiveChiefsoftheSenate, MarcusPabiusAmbus- 

 tus, his son Fabius Rulhanus and his grandson Quintus 

 Fabius Gurges. XLII. All other cases are instances 

 of changing Fortune, and are beyond counting. For 

 what great joys does she produce except when 



595 



