The stranger who knew the value of the word

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It happened in ancient Greece, in the middle of a play. In one scene, one of the characters, who played the role of king, came out dressed in rags. At that moment, one of the spectators, a wealthy boy, said in a loud voice: "I want to be like him." That young man was called Crates, not yet 20 years old and his act awoke the jokes and laughter of those present. Then he responded with some irritation: "When I say something, it's serious. And tomorrow, you, unbelievers, can go to my house to appropriate all my wealth."

The next day the house was surrounded by curious people who wanted to see what could happen. As he had promised, Crates opened the balcony and began to throw away his jewels, all his money and his luxurious clothes and asked the crazed crowd to come in for his ornaments and furniture. The house was empty. "I take a cane," he said, and came out half naked, barely covered with a rude cloth, knotted at the waist.

Unlike Diogenes, that famous man in the barrel who carried a lighted lamp with which he pretended to find a man in broad daylight, to make fun of the nonexistence of someone who deserved to be called that, Crates was an inexhaustible source of kindness. Diogenes rebuked, debated, mocked, despised others, in a vocational way. But de Crates, nobody ever heard a single word that hurt someone.

Crates gave up all the pleasures of the world, except love. One of his students, Metrocles, had a sister named Hiparquía, considered the most beautiful woman of that time. When she met Crates, ragged and happy, she decided to share her life with him. The exalted family of the young woman threatened to banish or lock her up, and she responded that she would end her life. Together, then, they lived scandalizing the whole world. "We understand that humans hide to kill. But why do they have to hide to love? " And they made love where they wanted, without hiding from anyone. The couple toured the places where the food was thrown and shared it with the dogs, without any conflict. When they found a wounded animal, they licked their wounds, to heal it. Hiparquía and Crates slept hugging the poorest, to give them warmth. And they shared with them the food they found anywhere.

One day they found them dead, leaning against a wall. Crates was 80 years old. Hiparquía, a little less. Both were like a bag of bones, dry with hunger. And on their faces there was something like a serene smile.

History hardly mentions them.

In chess, too, the great moment comes with sacrifice.

1: Q6K check K1R 2: N7B check K1N 3: N6R check K1R 4: Q8N check RxQ

This story was originally written by my friend Ramiro Díez in Diario EL TELÉGRAFO under the following address: https://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/columnistas/1/el-desconocido-que-conocia-el-valor-de-la-palabra If you are going to use it, please quote our source and place a link to the original note. www.eltelegrafo.com.ec