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Since a natural consequence of much learning is
to have much to say (and for this reason Pythagoras1
enjoined upon the young a five years' silence which
he called a ‘Truce to Speech’), a necessary concomitant of inquisitiveness is to speak evil.2 For
what the curious delight to hear they delight to tell,
and what they zealously collect from others they
joyously reveal to everyone else. Consequently, in
addition to its other evils, their disease actually
impedes the fulfilment of their desires.3 For everyone is on his guard to hide things from them and is
reluctant to do anything while a busybody is looking,
or to say anything while one is listening, but defers
consultation and postpones the consideration of
business until such an inquisitive person is out of
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the way. And if, when either some secret matter is
under discussion or some important business is being
transacted, a busybody comes on the scene, men drop
the matter from the discussion and conceal it, as one
does a tidbit when a cat runs by. Consequently these
persons are often the only ones to whom those matters
are not told or shown which everyone else may hear
and see.
For the same reason the busybody is deprived of
everybody's confidence4: we should prefer, on any
account, to entrust our letters and papers and seals
to slaves and strangers rather than to inquisitive
friends and relatives. That noble Bellerophon5 did
not break the seal even on a letter accusing himself
which he was carrying, but kept his hands from the
king's letter by reason of that same continence which
kept him from the king's wife. Inquisitiveness, in
fact, is indicative of incontinence no less than is
adultery, and in addition, it is indicative of terrible
folly and fatuity. For to pass by so many women
who are public property open to all and then to be
drawn toward a woman who is kept under lock and
key and is expensive, and often, if it so happens,
quite ugly, is the very height of madness and
insanity. And it is this same thing which busybodies do : they pass by much that is beautiful to
see and to hear, many matters excellent for relaxation and amusement, and spend their time digging
into other men's trifling correspondence, gluing their
ears to their neighbours' walls, whispering with slaves
and women of the streets, and often incurring danger,
and always infamy.