438.
Give not thy tongue too great a liberty, lest it take thee prisoner. A word unspoken is like thy sword in thy scabbard; if vented, the sword is in another’s hand.* If thou desire to be held wise, be so wise as to hold thy tongue.
Quarles.
* Cf. [221]; also Metastasio:
Voce dal fuggita
Poi richiamar non vale;
Non si trattien lo strale
Quando dall’ arco uscì.
[The word that once escapes the tongue cannot be recalled; the arrow cannot be detained which has once sped from the bow.]