He raised his hand to his shoulder and the raven stepped
"Ah, sire, this cure might easily produce a new disease for me," said Gellert, terrified; "if the horse should be healthier than I, I could not ride it, and if it were as weak as myself, we would not be able to stir from the spot."
"Then you must drive," said the king, laughing.
"That is true," said the king. "All German writers need money, and we have fallen upon evil times."
"Yes, truly, sire, evil times; but it lies in your majesty's hands to change all this, if you would give peace to Germany."
"How can I?" cried the king, violently. "Have you not heard that there are three against me?"
"I care more for ancient than modern history," said Gellert, who did not desire to follow the king upon the slippery field of politics.
"You, then, are accurately acquainted with the ancients?" said the king. "Which, then, do you think the greatest and most renowned of that epoch--Homer or Virgil?"
"Homer, I think, merits the preference, because he is original."