356 THE KING'S MIRROR 



by beating the drum before him, and her music was en- 

 titled to a much smaller reward than the one promised. 

 Nor was it fitting for him to leave the form of the re- 

 quest as well as of the gift to the tongues of others, as 

 he did when he spoke as follows: " Whatsoever you ask 

 you shall have, though you ask half of my kingdom." 

 But if he had spoken in this wise :L_Wh ate ver you ask 

 with discretion and in moderation you shall receive, if 

 I can give it,' Mpen he would have spoken wisely and 

 well, and it would have remained with him whether to 

 grant or to refuse. 



It now remains to point out what sort of gifts a ruler 

 may properly give, when he is asked to do so.bVny re- 

 quest may be granted which will bring honor and help 

 to him who asks and will bring no damage to the lord 

 who gives or to any one elsej^Thus if a lord is asked to 

 give assistance or money, he may well give it, unless 

 his honor should be discredited by the gift; and he may 

 properly give both the labor and the money so long as 

 he gives them to such as are worthy of great honors. 

 But when one is asked to grant a request that would 

 debase or dishonor him, he must refuse it; and even 

 though he should make a promise thoughtlessly, it is 

 to be wisely withdrawn. And if a man bestows a gener- 

 ous gift, on one who shows little appreciation of it and 

 is in no wise worthy to have a long and_continued pos- 

 session of an important gift, inasmuch as he does not 



show proper appreciation, this gift, too, should be with- 

 drawn; for in this case the man's own thoughtlessness 

 and lack of discernment take the gift from him and not 

 the fickleness of him who gave. And if one who desired 



