There was storied on the rock
The exalted glory of the Roman prince,
Whose mighty worth moved Gregory to earn.
His mighty conquest--Trajan, the emperor.
Dantê, Purgatory, xi. (1308).
Trajan and the Importunate Widow. One day a mother appeared before the Emperor Trajan, and cried, “Grant vengeance, sire! My son is murdered.” The emperor replied, “I cannot stop now; wait till I return.” “But, sire,” pleaded the widow, “if you do not return, who will grant me justice?” “My successor,” said Trajan. “And can Trajan leave to another the duty that he himself is appointed to perform?” On hearing this the emperor stopped his cavalcade, heard the woman’s cause, and granted her suit. Dantê tells this tale in his Purgatory, xi.--John of Salisbury, Polycraticos de Curialium Nugis, v. 8 (twelfth[twelfth] century).
Dion Cassius (Roman Historia, lxix.) tells the same story of Hadrian. When a woman appeared before him with a suit as he was starting on a journey, the emperor put her off, saying, “I have no leisure now.” She replied, “If Hadrian has no leisure to perform his duties, let him cease to reign!” On hearing this reproof he dismounted from his horse and gave ear to the woman’s cause.
A woman once made her appeal to Philip of Macedon, who, being busy at the time, petulantly exclaimed, “Woman, I have no time now for such matters.” “If Philip has no time to render justice,” said the woman, “then it is high time for Philip to resign!” The king felt the rebuke, heard the cause patiently, and decided it justly.
Tramecksan and Slamecksan, the High-heels and Low-heels, two great political factions of Lilliput. The animosity of these Guelphs and Ghibellines of punydom ran so high “that no High-heel would eat or drink with a Low-heel, and no Low-heel would salute or speak to a High-heel.” The king of Lilliput was a High-heel, but the heir-apparent a Low-heel.--Swift, Gulliver’s Travels (“Voyage to Lilliput.” iv., 1726).
Tramp (Gaffer), a peasant at the execution of old Meg Mudochson.--Sir W. Scott, Heart of Midlothian (time, George II.).