they are wise. And now, as to this matter. I have something to put in your charge. You have heard of Scipio?" [34] Cleanor nodded his assent. "He came over here some two months ago, when I had had my first warning that my time was short, and that I had best set my affairs in order. No one had any notion but that he came on military business. The Romans had asked me for help, and I didn't choose to give it just then. They hadn't consulted me in what they had done, and it was time, I thought, that they should have a lesson. We did discuss these matters; but what he really came for was a more serious affair. I left it to him to divide my kingdom between my three sons. I had thought of dividing it in the usual way; this and that province to one, and this and that province to another.[35] But he had quite another plan in his head, and it seemed to me wonderfully shrewd. 'Don't divide the kingdom,' he said; 'the three parts would be too weak to stand alone. Divide the offices of the kingdom. Let each prince have the part for which he is best fitted—one war and outside affairs, another justice, the third one civil affairs.' Well, I took his advice, and had his settlement put in writing. The chief priest of the temple of Zeus in Cirta here has the document in his keeping." [35] After this the old man was silent for a time. Rousing himself again, for he had been inclined to doze, he said: "Cleanor, are you here?" "Yes, sire," replied the Greek. "Don't leave me till all is over. And now give me a cup of wine." "But, sire, the physician said—" "Pooh! what does it matter if I die one hour or two or three hours before sunrise? And I want something that will give me a little strength." Cleanor filled a cup and handed it to the king. "It hardly tastes as good as usual," said the old man, when he had drained it, "yet that, I can easily believe, is not the wine's fault, but mine. But tell me, do you think that I shall know anything about what is going on here when I am gone? What does Mastanabal
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