Dante's Heart
The Seven Sages of Rome
The Two Pines
“…These philosophers of yours will send you into ruin, and it will happen to
you as it happened to one who had a garden, where he had a pine tree
which sent forth a beautiful and straight sapling, about which he was very
pleased. And when he left, he ordered the workman to take care with that
plant, even if he had to cut all the other plants, and he departed. After a
long time, he returned to the garden to see his plant, which he observed was
all bent, and he became greatly disturbed. He made the gardener come, and
he said to him, ‘Why have you taken such bad care of this plant, villainous
servant?’ And the latter replied, ‘For the branches of the pine.’ Then the
lord said, ‘Damned servant, haven’t I told you that you must cut all the
branches so that it grows straight?’ And he ordered that all the branches of
the pine be cut, and thus the servant did.
"And a similar thing will happen to you, because these philosophers attend
greatly to the defense of this young man whom you call your son, who will
desert you and become lord with them.”
“Certainly,” said the emperor, “I will desert him first.” And he ordered that
his son be led out for judging.
And immediately another philosopher came, and he said to the emperor as
the other had said before the delay, “Lord emperor, it will happen to you
as it happened to the wise man Hippocrates.”
The emperor said, “What was that?”
And that philosopher said that he would have to suspend the sentence for
that day. The emperor promised to do it.
Then the philosopher said:
back next page: "Hippocrates and His Nephew"
The Two Pines
“…These philosophers of yours will send you into ruin, and it will happen to
you as it happened to one who had a garden, where he had a pine tree
which sent forth a beautiful and straight sapling, about which he was very
pleased. And when he left, he ordered the workman to take care with that
plant, even if he had to cut all the other plants, and he departed. After a
long time, he returned to the garden to see his plant, which he observed was
all bent, and he became greatly disturbed. He made the gardener come, and
he said to him, ‘Why have you taken such bad care of this plant, villainous
servant?’ And the latter replied, ‘For the branches of the pine.’ Then the
lord said, ‘Damned servant, haven’t I told you that you must cut all the
branches so that it grows straight?’ And he ordered that all the branches of
the pine be cut, and thus the servant did.
"And a similar thing will happen to you, because these philosophers attend
greatly to the defense of this young man whom you call your son, who will
desert you and become lord with them.”
“Certainly,” said the emperor, “I will desert him first.” And he ordered that
his son be led out for judging.
And immediately another philosopher came, and he said to the emperor as
the other had said before the delay, “Lord emperor, it will happen to you
as it happened to the wise man Hippocrates.”
The emperor said, “What was that?”
And that philosopher said that he would have to suspend the sentence for
that day. The emperor promised to do it.
Then the philosopher said:
back next page: "Hippocrates and His Nephew"
 |
 |
 |
 |