History of Monsters. 171

since he does not love from the heart, but displays goodwill only in speech. To *change an old man's tongue* is a saying used for those who act at the wrong time; for it is well known that any language is easily learned by children, whereas adults achieve this only with great difficulty. *What is on the tongue of the drunk is in the mind of the sober*: Plutarch uses this as a proverb, meaning that a sober man, restrained by either shame or fear, does not speak what a drunkard—whose modesty has been washed away by wine—easily makes public. An *unrefuted tongue* refers to those who, though overcome by reason, do not yield but always become more stubborn. *A key on the tongue* is openly cited when a faithful hope of silence is promised; the tongue seems as if locked with a key whenever it does not reveal secrets. Thus the poet sang: "That a secret may be hidden, the tongue must be closed with a seal."

*Whatever comes to the tongue* is famously said of those who speak many things rashly and arrogantly, uttering whatever comes into their minds. *A slipped tongue tells the truth*, for it is believed that what someone reveals inadvertently is true, as it appears to lack the suspicion of fabrication. This is why Cicero, among those things that command belief, listed imprudence, drunkenness, childhood, and insanity; hence the common folk today are prone to say that "children and fools speak the truth." *Tongue, where are you going?* is recorded by Suidas in this way: "Tongue, where are you going? To build up a city, and then to overthrow it again." He intended to suggest that the tongue can bring either the greatest benefit or the greatest destruction. For this reason, when Amasis, the tyrant of the Egyptians, ordered Bias to show what was found to be the best and worst part of the sacrificial meat, Bias sent him a tongue that had been cut out, signifying that its primary use is whenever someone wishes to do good or harm. *For some the tongue, for others the teeth* is a phrase commonly used for chatterers and gluttons; just as not infrequently happens at banquets, where while some babble, others silently devour the feast. *The tongue has sworn* is cited when someone does not fulfill a promise, or when they promise without sincerity. Finally, we have from Diogenes *a horse on the tongue*, meaning an unrestrained tongue. Hesychius cites Aeschylus's use of *epiglottisasthai*, which means to attack with insults of the tongue, and properly refers to those who threaten wickedly.

Next follow the adages of the teeth and lips. *To gnaw tooth with tooth* is said of someone who criticizes and bites another person endowed with equal biting wit. *The toothless man envies those who eat with teeth*, because we should not envy in others what we do not possess ourselves. To be *gnawed by a Theonine tooth* is said of those who are torn apart by insults; the adage is drawn from the poet Theon, known for his rabid talkativeness and malice, which is why Ausonius once felt compelled to call a certain unlearned and biting poet a "Theon."

*To bite the lip* is a proverb taken from the gesture of those who are indignant; thus Aristophanes sometimes said, "he eats his lips out of anger." *To taste with the tips of the lips* means to touch upon something lightly; the adage is derived from those who, lightly sipping food or drink, swallow nothing into the stomach. *It wets the lips but not the palate* can refer to those who, by giving a meager gift, do not satisfy the present need; or it can be turned against those who promise mountains of gold but never give anything. This is said to be taken from Homer when he speaks of Andromache mourning the death of her husband Hector, to whom a certain cup was offered to drive the sorrow from her soul.

Now the proverbs of the ears present themselves for exploration. *It has reached the ears of the Gods* is said of some deed that has been committed. *To be kept for the ears of the Gods* is pronounced concerning a worthy and distinguished matter. *Touching the ear* is done for the sake of memory, regarding a matter of which the person whose ear is touched will be a witness; for there was an ancient rite of twitching the ear of one who was being led into court, as they wanted him to remember as a witness. *To lend an ear to cultivation* seems to refer to obedience, as Horace sang in this manner: "No one is so savage that he cannot become gentle, if only he lends a patient ear to cultivation." *You block your ears with wax* refers to those who do not follow advice, or who refuse to hear what is just or unjust. This proverb is said to have taken its origin from Ulysses, according to...