《智慧书·第四辑·一五一至二百》第41则
Do not take Payment in Politeness; for it is a kind of fraud. Some do not need the herbs of Thessaly for their magic, for they can enchant fools by the grace of their salute. Theirs is the Bank of Elegance, and they pay with the wind of fine words. To promise everything is to promise nothing: promises are the pitfalls of fools. The true courtesy is performance of duty: the spurious and especially the useless is deceit. It is not respect but rather a means to power. Obeisance is paid not to the man but to his means, and compliments are offered not to the qualities that are recognised but to the advantages that are desired.
注释摘要
这则格言的标题与正文合在一起，说的是一句极其锋利的话：不要把礼貌当成报酬收下，因为那是一种欺诈。葛拉西安在这里讨论的不是礼节本身的好坏，而是礼节在人际关系中被当作通货来支付时所发生的变形。当一个人用鞠躬、笑脸和动听的许诺来取代实际的效劳，他已经不是在表示尊重，而是在进行一种无本套利。 “色萨利的草药”这个典故来自古典巫术传说，色萨利以女巫和魔法闻名。葛拉西…