But why should that trouble you? I
have a sword over my head all the time. I am every moment in dread
lest something may cause me to lose my life."
"Let me go," said Damocles. "I now see that I was mis-tak-en, and that
the rich and pow-er-ful are not so happy as they seem. Let me go back
to my old home in the poor little cot-tage among the mountains."
And so long as he lived, he never again wanted to be rich, or to
change places, even for a moment, with the king.
DAMON AND PYTHIAS.
A young man whose name was Pyth'i-as had done something which the
tyrant Dionysius did not like. For this offense he was dragged to
prison, and a day was set when he should be put to death. His home was
far away, and he wanted very much to see his father and mother and
friends before he died.
"Only give me leave to go home and say good-by to those whom I love,"
he said, "and then I will come back and give up my life."
The tyrant laughed at him.
"How can I know that you will keep your promise?" he said. "You only
want to cheat me, and save your-self."
Then a young man whose name was Da-mon spoke and said,--
"O king! put me in prison in place of my friend Pyth-i-as, and let him
go to his own country to put his affairs in order, and to bid his
friends fare-well.
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