Æsop _finds hidden Treasure_.
As _Xanthus_ was Walking once among certain Monuments, with Æsop at his
Heels; and Plodding upon several _Epitaphs_, there was one Inscription
in _Greek Letters_, that _Xanthus_ with all the Skill he had, could not
tell what to make of. Well, says Æsop, let me see a Little if I can
Uncypher it. And so after laying Things and Things together a While,
Master, says he, What will you give me, If I find you out a Pot of Hidden
Treasure now? One _Half_ of it, says _Xanthus_, and your _Liberty_. So
Æsop fell to Digging, a Matter of four Yards from the Stone that had
the Inscription; and there found a Pot of Gold which he took up and
deliver’d to his Master; and Claim’d his Promise. Well, says _Xanthus_,
I’ll be as good as my Word; but you must first shew me how you came to
know there was Treasure, by the Inscription: for I had rather be Master
of that Secret, than of the very Gold it self. Æsop Innocently open’d
the whole Matter to him. Look you Sir, says he, Here are these Letters,
α; β; δ; ο; ε; θ; χ; which are to be thus Interpreted, α stands for
ἀποβὰς; β for βήματα; δ for δέσσαρα; ο for ὀρύξας; ε for εὑρήσεις; θ for
θησαυρὸν; χ for χρυσίου; In English, _Dig four Paces from this Place, and
you shall find Gold_. Now says _Xanthus_, if you are so good at finding
out Gold, you and I must not part yet. Come Sir, says Æsop, (perceiving
that his Master played fast and Loose with him) To deal freely with you,
This Treasure belongs to King _Dionysius_. How do you know that? says
_Xanthus_. Why by the very Inscription, says Æsop: for in That Sence α
stands for ἀπόδος; β for βασιλεῖ; δ for Διονυσίῳ; o for ὅν; ε for εὗρες;
θ for θησαυρὸν; χ for χρυσίου. In English, _Give_ Dionysius _the Gold you
have found_. _Xanthus_ began to be afraid when he heard it was The King’s
Mony, and Charged Æsop to make no Words on’t, and he should have the
One Half. ’Tis well, says Æsop; but This is not so much your own Bounty
yet, as The Intention of Him that Bury’d it; for the very same Letters
direct the Dividing of it. As for Example once again Now, α stands for
ἀνελόμενοι; β for βαδίσαντες; δ for διέλεσθε; o for ὅν; ε for εὕρετε; θ
for θησαυρὸν; χ for χρυσίου; In English, _Divide the Gold that you have
found_. Why then, says _Xanthus_, let us go home and share it. No sooner
were they got Home, but Æsop was presently laid by the Heels, for fear of
Blabbing, crying out as Loud as he could, this comes of trusting to the
Faith of a Philosopher; The Reproche Nettled his Master: But however he
caused his Shackles to be taken off upon’t, and Admonished Æsop to keep
his Licentious Tongue in a Little better Order for the future, if ever he
hoped to have his _Liberty_. For That, says Æsop, Prophetically, I shall
not Need to beg it of you as a favour, for in a very few days I shall
have my Freedom, whether you will or no.