The Wise and Ingenious Companion, French and English; / or, A Collection of the Wit of the Illustrious Persons, Both Ancient and Modern

by Abel Boyer

169

Metellus, who was born of a Woman of great Liberties, pretending to joke upon Cicero about the meanness of his Birth, ask’d him, Who his Father was? Cicero instead of giving a direct Answer to the Question, waved it cuningly, by telling him: Thy Mother has made that Question harder for thee to answer.

169

Metellus, Fils d’une Mere qui avoit été fort galante, voulant railler Ciceron sur la bassesse de sa naissance, lui demanda qui ètoit son Pere? Ciceron, au lieu de de répondre juste à la Question l’éluda adroitement, en lui disant: Ta Mere a fait en sorte qu’il te seroit bien plus difficile de dire qui ètoit le tien.