4. Cornelia and Her Jewels

One bright morning in a beautiful Roman garden two brothers were playing among the flowers and trees. Cornelia, their mother, a Roman lady, called the boys into the house, saying, “A friend is to dine with us to-day, and she will show us her jewels.” After the simple meal was over a servant brought into the room a large and beautiful casket of jewels, which the rich lady showed to her friends. How eagerly the boys gazed at those sparkling jewels—pearls, rubies, sapphires, and diamonds! The younger boy whispered to his brother, “I wish our mother had beautiful jewels too!” Later, when the boys had gone out into the garden to play, the friend said, “Is it true, Cornelia, that you are so poor that you have no jewels?” “Oh, no,” answered Cornelia, “I have jewels that are far more precious than yours.” “Oh, let me see them,” said the lady; “where are they?” “If you care to see them I will bring them to you,” said Cornelia. Then, calling her boys to her side, she presented them to the lady, saying, “These are my jewels! Are they not far more precious than your gems?”

In the long after-times when Cornelia’s sons became the greatest and best men of Rome, they never forgot that day when they knew that they were their mother’s pride and joy and love, dearer far to her than the most precious jewels of the rich.