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III, 7, 3.
FUTURE SORROW.
125
'Has it ever happened to you, O king, that rival kings rose up against you as enemies and opponents?'
"Yes, certainly
• Then you set to work, I suppose, to have moats dug, and ramparts thrown up, and watch towers erected, and strongholds built, and stores of food collected??'
Not at all. All that had been prepared beforehand.'
Or you had yourself trained in the management of war elephants, and in horsemanship, and in the use of the war chariot, and in archery and fencing ?' *Not at all. I had learnt all that before.'
But why?' With the object of warding off future danger.' "How so? Is there such a thing (now) as future danger ?'
'No. I must grant that.'
"Then you kings are mighty clever people to trouble yourselves about the warding off of that which does not exist !'
Give me a further illustration.' •Tell me, O king. Is it when you are athirst that you set to work to have wells dug, or ponds hollowed out, or reservoirs formed, with the object of getting something to drink ?'
'Certainly not. All that has been prepared beforehand.
But to what end?' With the object of preventing future thirst.' How so? Is there such a thing as future thirst?' 1 All that follows only differs by slight additions from III, 4, 3 above, pp. 100-102,
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