Storia do Mogor 65.10.6

65.10.6

Among other pastimes indulged in by Dara was that of listening to buffoons, who invented many things to amuse him. At times, well dressed and followed by a number of servants, they would attend the prince's court. When they saw anyone come in search of employment as a soldier, they would seat themselves and order him to be called before them. They would ask him what he wanted. Having ascertained the status of the unhappy man, they would praise up their prince by all sorts of talk, and thus induce the victim to present himself before Dara on all-fours. They would assert that by appearing in this fashion he would be given double pay. They found some men so foolish as to do this before the whole court, whereby Dara was much delighted. But the best joke of these buffoons was the following : Making the acquaintance of some other soldiers of equally low intelligence, they began to talk about how they meant to advance these men's interests. In this conversation one of them said he was physician to the prince, and began to ask the soldier what he was suffering from. The soldier turned pale at such a question, and said that he had no disease of any sort. On this the buffoon became still more emphatic, and said he had a very severe complaint, and if he did not come to his aid, he would soon lose his sight. At such an assertion the soldier trembled, supposing that the case was serious.