The Best of the Worlds Classics, Restricted to prose. | Page 9

run upon his enemies, he is vanquished and his people slain. Therefore
saith the philosopher that no man should choose young people to be
captains and governors, forasmuch as there is no certainty in their
wisdom. Alexander of Macedon vanquished and conquered Egypt,
Judæa, Chaldee, Africa, and Assyria unto the marches of Bragmans

more by the counsel of old men than by the strength of the young men.
The very true love of the common weal and profit now-a-days is
seldom found. Where shalt thou find a man in these days that will
expose himself for the worship and honor of his friend or for the
common weal. Seldom or never shall he be found. Also the knights
should be large and liberal, for when a knight hath regard unto his
singular profit by his covetousness, he despoileth his people. For when
the soldiers see that they put them in peril, and their master will not pay
them their wages liberally, but intendeth to his own proper gain and
profit, then, when the enemies come, they turn soon their backs and flee
oftentimes. And thus it happeneth by him that intendeth more to get
money than victory, that his avarice is ofttimes cause of his confusion.
Then let every knight take heed to be liberal, in such wise that he ween
not nor suppose that his scarcity be to him a great winning or gain. And
for this cause he be the less loved of his people, and that his adversary
withdraw to him them by large giving. For ofttime battle is advanced
more for getting of silver than by the force and strength of men. For
men see all day that such things as may not be achieved by force of
nature be gotten and achieved by force of money. And forsomuch it
behooveth to see well to that when the time of battle cometh, that he
borrow not, nor make no curtailment. For no man may be rich that
leaveth his own, hoping to get and take of others. Then alway all their
gain, and winning ought to be common among them except their arms.
For in like wise as the victory is common, so should the despoil and
booty be common unto them. And therefore David, that gentle knight
in the first book of Kings in the last chapter, made a law: that he that
abode behind by malady or sickness in the tents should have as much
part of the booty as he that had been in the battle. And for the love of
this law he was made afterward king of Israel.
Alexander of Macedon came in a time like a simple knight unto the
court of Porus, king of Ind, for to espy the estate of the king and of the
knights of the court. And the king received him right worshipfully and
demanded many things of Alexander and of his constancy and strength,
nothing weening that he had been Alexander, but Antigone, one of his

knights. And after he had him to dinner; and when they had served
Alexander in vessel of gold and silver with diverse meats, after that he
had eaten such as pleased him, he voided the meat and took the vessel
and held it to himself and put it in his bosom or sleeves. Whereof he
was accused unto the king. After dinner then the king called him and
demanded wherefore he had taken his vessel, and he answered: Sir
King, my lord, I pray thee to understand and take heed thyself and also
thy knights. I have heard much of thy great highness, and that thou art
more mighty and puissant in chivalry and in dispences than is
Alexander, and therefore I am come to thee, a poor knight, which am
named Antigone, for to serve thee. Then it is the custom in the court of
Alexander that what thing a knight is served with, all is his, meat and
vessel and cup. And therefore I had supposed that this custom had been
kept in thy court, for thou art richer than he. When the knights heard
this, anon they left Porus, and went to serve Alexander, and thus he
drew to him the hearts of them by gifts, which afterward slew Porus
that was king of Ind, and they made Alexander king thereof. Therefore
remember, knight, alway that with a closed and shut purse thou shalt
never have victory. Ovid saith that he that taketh gifts, he is glad
therewith, for they win with gifts the hearts of the gods and of men.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 19: From the "Game and Playe of Chesse," translated by
Caxton from the French original.]

SIR THOMAS MALORY
Born about 1430, died after 1470; compiler and translator of the "Morte
d'Arthur" from French