because one of them when he might have had Pyrrhus poysoned by the Samnites he refused it as dishonourable 5. Coruncani such another noble family one of them being a very wiseman was sent Ambassadour to the Queene of Illyria and was slaine in his returne backe contrary to the Law of Armes Another dyed in a battaile against Amilcar in Sicilia 6. Appius Claudius a Senator of Rome who having not been a long time in the Senate by reason of his blindnesse when he heard that the Senators for the confirmation of a Peace betweene them and Pyrrhus would admit him into the City he came thither and with all his might disswaded them 7. Pyrrhus King of the Epirots descended by the fathers side from Hercules and by the mothers side from Achilles who when the people would have slaine him for his fathers cruelty towards them he was by his mother conveyed to Heroa the wife of Glaucus King of Illyria from whence being 11 yeer old he came to his own Kingdom where he grow up in all vertue and after ayded the Tarentines against the Romans at last he was slaine with a Tyle sheard at the taking of Argos 8. Censor an Office at the first created by the Senate to look to the Tables of the Lawes and such like they grow to such pride and authority that they would tax all men correct the manners and discipline of the Senators make whom they listed chiefe and displace whom they listed from the Office of Senator as Cato Major did the first Censors were Papirius and Sempronius 9. Carthage cbiefe City of Lybia built by Dido 70 yeeres after Rome it had three long warres with the Romans Haniball being their Captain but he being slain the Senate by the counsell of Cato sent P. Scipio into Affrica who in the third war ' utterly destroyed it and raced it to the ground 10. Naeuius a comicall Poet who writ Satyricall playes in the time of the first Carthaginian warre which warre he also wrote in verse he was banished at length for his railing CHAP. VII BUt you will say their memory is wasted t is truth and I beleeve it unlesse you exercise it or be dull of your selfe by nature Themistocles knew all the names of the citizens of Athens and do you think that when he was aged he would so much forget himselfe as to salute 1 Lysimachus by the name of 2 Aristides And for my own part I not only remember the names of those men which now live but also their fathers and grand-fathers neither do I fear to read monuments least as they say I should lose my memory for by them the memory of the dead is revived neither ever did I hear any old man that had forgot where he had hid his treasure All things that they care for they remember who to them and to whom they owe any thing How much have the Lawyers Priests Augurs and old Philosophers remembred Memorie remaineth in old men if they continue studious and industrious and that not only in states of honourable men but also in the private and quiet life 3 Sophocles wrote Tragedies in the extreamest age who because of his study when he seemed to neglect his houshold affairs was brought into Question by his own sonnes that according to our custome that the good of old men that dote and cannot well use them should be taken from them so that the Iudges would remove his goods from him as from a dotard and givethem to his sonnes Then the old man is reported to have recited a Tragedy of 4 Oedippus Coloneus which he had last written and had in his hands and to have demanded whether that seemed the verse of a dotard or no for which he was delivered and freed by the sentence of the Judges whether hath age therefore made 5 Hesiodus 6 Simonides 7 Stesicorus or those whom I spake of before 8 Isocrates Gorgias 9 Homer or the Prince of Philosophers 10 Pythagoras 11 Democritus Plato 12 Zenocrates or afterwards 13 Zeno 14 Cleanthes or him whom you saw at 15 Rome 16 Diogenes the Stoick to be dumb or cease in their studies were not all these mens studies like to their life VII Table of Annotations 1. LYsimachus son of Agathedes who for some offence Alexander caused to be cast to a hungry lion whom he very valiantly slew and plucked the tongue out of his head with bare hands wherefore ever after he was greatly honoured and esteemed of Alexander 2. Aristides a noble Athenian in the time of Themistocles with whom he falling out about one Stesilea a beauteous maid whom they both loved was by him banished and after being restored by Xerxes the Persian King he passed many great offices in Athens but at last died so poor that he had not enough to pay for his buriall 3. Sophocles an excellent Tragedian in Athens he was called for his excellent sweetnes of speech Apis or the Bee he wrote twenty three Tragedies some say more he lived almost a hundred years and obtained twenty three victories whereof the last so evercame him with joy that he died immediately his sonnes were three Jophontes Leostines and Aristo 4. The Tragedie of Oedipus Coloneus was written by Sophocles This Oedipus was sonne to the King of Thebes and having slain Laius his Father not knowing him to be so he marryed his own mother and on her begat two sons and one daughter after having knowledge what he had done he pulled out his eyes and dyed miserably his mother hanged her selfe and his two sonnes slew each other and after when after the custome of the Country their bodies should be burnt the flame parted and would not burn whole so great was their hatred in their life that dead one fire would not burne them 5. Hesiodus being sent by his father into a mountaine to keepe sheepe dreamed that he was sodainely made a Poet and afterward wrote a catalogue of noble weomen and many other workes 6. Simonides a Poet who would boast that in the fourescore yeere of his age he taught verses some thinke that he wrote the Art of memory it is said that when he was one day bidden to a banquet he was suddainly called out from dinner and before he returned the house was fallen down and all the ghests so pasht with the ruines that when they came to bury them no man knew which was which but Simonides by reason of his excellent memory remembring in what place every man sate and their aparel shewed to each man which was his friend he dyed when he was ninety yeares old 7. Stesicorus A Poet of Siculia 8. Isocrates an excellent Orator of Athens he was borne the same day that Diana was and lived seventy yeeres 9. Homer Prince of the Poets was blind he wrote the warre of the Grecians with the Trojans which he called Illiads he is and hath been of great estimation so that Alexander having taken a most rich casket among the spoyle of Darius thought
CATO MAIOR or THE BOOK OF OLD AGE First written by M.T. Cicero And now Excelently Englished by William Austin of Lincolnes Inne Esquire With annotations upon the names of the men and places Printed for William Leake JGoddard sculpsit CATO Major OR The Book of Old Age First written by M.T. CICERO And now excellently Englished by William Austin of Lincolns Inne Esquire With Annotations upon the names of the men and places LONDON Printed for William Leake and are to be sold at his Shop at the Sign of the Crown in Fleet-street between the two Temple gates 1648. THE STATIONER To the READER THis most excellent Book entituled Cato Major de senectute little in bulke but filled with pithie and substantiall diseourse smoothly couched elegantly and delightfully conveyed in every line written long since in the Latin Tongue by that most rare and grave Consul and Senator of Rome the glory of his time M. T. Cicero Prince of Orators needs no mans commendations all his workes being so famous and renowned amongst the learned so that I might well be silent had not I judged it fit to give the Reader an account how it came in this māner to be divulged It falling accidentally into my hands and I finding the translation and notes to be the labour of a worthy Gentleman of great parts learning and sufficiency whose name was therunto And the Book it selfe for variety of elegant passages deep Philosophical discourses being both delight full and usefull Personated by the most learned ancient and grave Senators Grandees of that age abasing and depressing all youthfull lusts commending and strengthening the venerable life of old age shewing the current of vertue wherein it ought to runne with the distance betwixt it and youth and how many wayes it doth exceed the same with the advantages it hath beyond youth declaring how they slighted death in this their age comforting themselves in all its Imperfections with that expected Immortality at hand the more aged they then were And having received the approbation of this learned Piece from divers persons of judgement and understanding I was upon these and other like considerations moved for the general good to publish it thus abroad unto the world beleeving that it will be a delight to the Aged and a great benefit to the unlearned in the Latin Tongue who may in their own Language read the sage wisedome of former times and see how the infirmities of age are recompensed with more rare perfections of minde and that it doth not so much destroy as change the delights of youth for better and so be prepared to bid that welcome which is approaching towards them If the excellency of this work with the worthinesse of the Author and Translator shall gain acceptation with the lovers of wisdom it will answer the expectation and reward the care of the Publisher THE PRAEFACE Or Epistle of 1. MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO TO 2. TITUS POMPONIUS ATTICUS CHAP. I. O TITUS if I ease the care which sticketh in your breast Which now doth vex and trouble you wherewith you are opprest Shall it be thought Worth ought FOr I may well salute you O ATTICUS with those Verses wherewith that right worthy though not welthy man 3 ENNIUS saluted 4 Flaminius although I surely know that you are not so troubled day and night as was he for I have perceived the moderation of your mind and I understand that you not only brought a Sir-name from 5 Athens but also humanity and wisedome yet notwithstanding I suppose that you are sometimes much troubled with these matters where with I my self am the remedie for which griefes is both greater and to be referred till another time Now it seemeth good unto me to write something of old age For I will assay to ease both you and my self of the burden which is common to us both either of the age present or of the age to come though I know for truth that you will bear the weight of it moderately and wisely as you do all things but as soon as I determined to write of old age you came into my mind worthy of this gift which might be equally used by us both and beleeve me the making of this book was so delightfull to me that it did not only wipe away all the griefes of mine age but made it easie and pleasant Wherefore Philosophy can never be sufficiently praised which whosoever followeth may live all his life time without molestation of which we have * spoken much already and intend to speak more hereafter But this book of old age I have sent to you not attributing all the speech to 6 Tithon as 7 Aristo Chius doth least it should seem of small authority but to 8 Marcus Cate the old man whereby it may carry the greater grace and preeminence at whom I make 9 Scipio 10 Laelius wondering that he beare his age so easily and he answering them who if he speak more learnedly then he was wont to do in his bookes you must attribute it to the Greek tongue in which it is well known he was very studious in his age But what need more words for now the speech of Cato himself shall declare all our determination of old age I. TABLE of Annotations 1. MArcus Tullius Cicero The Author of this Book and many other most noble and excellent workes both of Philosophy and Oratory he was the sonne of a Knight at Rome he passed most of the most honourable offices in Rome he was a faithfull and earnest lover and defender of the Common-wealth which began to decay at his death having lost so good a member he was banished and after beheaded by the commandement of Antonius and Octavius 2. Titus Pomponius Atticus an honourable man and a great friend to Cicero he lived in great credit both with the Romans and with the Athenians from whence he brought the Sir-name of Atticus 3. Ennius an ancient Poet borne at Tarentum he was brought to Rome by Cato vide numero 8. 13. 4. Flaminius a grave Senator to whom Ennius wrote a Book of consolation when he grieved for his brothers expulsion out of the Senate 5. Athens a city in Greece between Macedon and Achaia built by Cecrops who raigned 50. years there it was called Athens by Minerva who is also called Athene it was the place or university of learning 6. Tithon the sonne of Laomedon beloved of Aurora he was counted a fool because when he was very old be requested to be turned into a Grashopper and might have had immortality 7. Aristo Chius a Philosopher of the Ile Coas who dedicated a Book to the former Tithon Cicero writes thus of him elegant and courteous Aristo but that gravity which ought to be in a Philosopher was not in him many excellent things were written by him but they carry no grace 8. Marcus Portius Cato whom Cicero here makes one of his speakers in his dialogue was a man of great honor
Attillius were made Consuls but he dyed when he was threescore and tenne yeers old Cepiâ— and Philippus being Consuls the second time when I being threescore and five in good strength and with a cleere voyce pleaded the 5 Voconian Law For so long lived Ennius he bore two burdens old age and poverty in such sort that he seemed almost to be delighted with them V. TABLE of Annotations 1. PLato the sonne of Aristo and Periander borne at Athens the same yeere and day that Apollo was borne at Delos a swarme of Bees when he was young light on his mouth when he lay in his Cradle in token of his Eloquence to come he was Scorates his Scholer after whose death he went to Philolanuan among the Pythagoreans and from thence to Egypt where he was healed of a disease by the Seawater wherefore he was wont to say the Sea ebbe dand flowed all manner of diseases When he dwell at Athens he brought into one volumn al the works of Pythag. Heraclitus and Socrates Dionysius the Tyrant when he had caused him to be sold and hearing that he was safely returned into his owne Country wrote to him that he would not either speake or write evil of him Who answered that he had not so much idle time as once to thinke of him he dyed being 84 yeere old 2. Socrates the sonne of Sophroniscus a Lapidary and Phenareta a Midwife borne at Athens master to Plato a man of great patience he had two wives Xantippe and the daughter of Aristidas he was wont to say that whether a man did marry or no he should repent he was often troubled with the scolding of Xantippe his curst wife but never moved Alcibiades whom he deerely loved was wont to tell him that he could not abide the railing of Xantippe yet quoth Socrates I can for I am used to it but quoth he canst thou abide the gagling of thy Geese at home Yea quoth Alcibiades for they lay me egges so quoth Socrates Xantippe brings me children He seldome wrote any thing saying that wisdome should be printed in mens hearts not on beasts skins He was judged to be the wisest man that lived by the Oracle of Apollo for which he was envyed and accufed that he would not worship Images and was condemned by fourescore judges to be poysoned which was forthwith done by the executioners 3. Panathenaicus a booke which Socrates wrote of all the noble ghests and deeds of the Athenians which Book is lost 4. Gorgias of Leontia an excellent Rhetorician the Scholler of Empedocles and master to Socrates and other excellent Phylosophers he got so much by his Art that he first set up a golden Statua in the Temple of Apollo He dyed as Plyny saith being a hundred and nine yeere old 5. The Voconian Law was made by Caius Voconius which was that no man should make his daughter his sole heyre which was after repealed by Domitianus Caesar CHAP. VI BUt when I consider in my mind I finde 4. causes why age may seem miserable the first that it hindereth men from doing their affaires the second it weakneth the body the third it taketh away all pleasures the fourth that it is neere death of these causes as much as they may prevaile and are just if you please we will see a little Doth age hinder us from our affaires From what From those which are done in youth and in strength are then the businesses of old men nothing Which though with weake bodies yet with strong minds may be done Then neither Quintus Maximus nor 1 Lucius Paulus your father Scipio the father in Law to my now dead 2 sonne and other old men when with counsel and authority they defended the Common-wealth did nothing The 3 Curii the 4 Fabritii the 5 Corimcam did nothing it happen that 6 Appius Claudius was blind in his age yet he doubted not when the Senate inclined to Peace with 7 Pyrrhus to say that which Ennius hath set dovvn in verses Whether now bend your minds a headlong fall to bring Which heretofore hadwont to stand as straight as any thing And many other things most gravely for you knovv the verse and Oration of Alpius is extant and these things he did seventeen yeere after his second Consulship vvhen there vvas ten yeeres betvveen each Consulship and he had been 8 Censor before the first of vvhich vvarre of Pyrrhus before spoken it is recorded it vvas great for so vve have received it from our fore-fathers Therefore they bring nothing vvhich affirme that old age is not busied in affaires and they are like them vvhich say the Pylatin sailing doth nothing vvhen some mad fellovves climbe the ropes others leap up and dovvn the hatches and others Pumpe But he holding the Sterne and sitting quietly in the Poope doth nâ—t as the young men do but farre better and that of more import great matters are compassed not by strength swiftnes and celerity of body but by counsel authority and vvisdome of vvhich things age is not deprived but stored unlesse you vvill say that I vvho have been souldier Tribune and Legate and Consul in divers vvarres do novv seeme to loyter vvhen I vvage not vvarre yet do I prescribe to the Senate vvhat things may be done and I shew them long before hovv Siege may be laid to subtill 9 Carthage of vvhich I vvill never cease to feare till I be assured that it bee rased to the ground which victorie I beseech the immortall Gods to reserve for you O Scipio that you may follovv the example of your Grandfather from whose death it is now this 33 yeeres yet his fame remains to all posterity he dyed a yeere before I was Censor nine yeeres after my Consullship who I being in the office was the second time made Consull Therefore if he had lived an hundred yeer should he have been aweary of his age Running leaping tilt and barriers are not fit exercises for age but wisdome counsell and discretion which unlesse they had been in old men our ancestors would never have called the chief councel a * Senate Among the Lacedemonians they which bear greatest Offices as they be so also are they called old men and if you will read of forrainge matters you shall find many Common-wealths overthrown by young men but restored and held up by old men Tell me how you have lost your great Common-wealth so quickly Thus it is answered in the play of the 10 Poet Naevius There came forth new Orators fooles and young men For rashnesse is a quality of youth but prudence of age VI TABLE of Annotations 1. LUcius Paulus Aemylianus an excellent man father to Scipio and brother in Law to Cato 2. Cato the sonne of Cato Major who valiantly fighting under Paulus Aemylius against Perseus was slaine he marryed Tertia the daughter to Paulus Aemylius 3. Curii 4. Fabritii a noble stock not only memorable for their severe life but their justice and continency
the thunder-bolts of warre Publius was Affricanus his father and Cnaeus father to Scipio Nausica 2. Cyrus There were three of this name two Kings and one Poet who for his fingular wit was made a Bishop by Theodosius the Emperour 3. Xenophon a man of great wisdome and beauty the sonne of Grillus He was Scholler to Socrates 4. Lucius Metellus Consul with M. Fabius Aburb condit 506. He was High Priest twice Consul Dictator master of the Horse and Decemvir He first led Eléphants in Triumph in the first Carthaginian warre in his age he lost his sight when he would have spoyled the Temple of Vesta 5. Nestor King Pylion sonne of Nelius and Adonidis a man of great experience and wisdome he went with Agamemnon to Troy and lived three hundred yeeres 6. Captaine of Greece was Agamemnon the sonne of Atreus King of Argives he led the Army of the Grecians to Troy to be revenged for the Rape of Helen where when he had obtained the victory returning home Clytemnestra his wife presented him with a headlesse shirt which while he was putting on and searching where to put forth his head Aegisthus his wifes adulterer slew him 7. Ajax a strong and valiant Captaine under Agamemnon who striving with Ulysses for the Armor of Achilles and being overcome of him ranne mad and slew himselfe 8. Troy a famous City in the lesser Asia built by Tros King thereof it was three times sacked twice by Hercules and lâ—stly cleane overthrown by Agamemnon and the Greekes for the cause above said 9. Thermopylae a mountaine in Grecia so called of the hot matters that flow from thence there was fought a great battaile between Attilius Glabrio and Antiochus King of Macedon at which was Cato 10. Titus Pontius who when the Capitoll had be enlike to be taken swam over Tibur Pliny writes that he had the sinewes of his arms and hands double 11. Masinissa King of Numidia he was received into the Romane leaÌ„gue by Publius Scipio Africanus CHAP. XI STrength is not in old age neither indeed is strength required of age therefore both by the laws and statutes our age is free from those offices which cannot be exercised without strength therefore we are not compelled to do those things which we cannot no nor so much as we can but some men are so weak that they can scarcely execute any office or duty of life at all yet that is not the proper fault of age but most commonly of sicknesse how weak was Scipio the sonne of Publius Africanus he which adopted you Scipio of how small or rather of no health which had it not been so he had shined like another light in the city for to his fathers magnanimity of mind in him was added most plentifull learning what wonder is there then in old men if they be sometimes weak since youth it selfe cannot avoid it Age is to be resisted Laelius and Scipio and his faults are to be ruled with diligence we must strive against age as against a disease we must have a care of our health we must use moderate exercises so much meat and drinke must be taken that the strength may be refreshed not oppressed neither must we only feed the body but the minde and understanding much more for they also are extinguished with age unlesse you alwayes adde to them by study and instill as it were oyle into a lampe For though mens bodies grow heavy and weary with much exercise yet the minde is made more light and ready by exercising it selfe They whom Caecilius cals foolish old men are such as are credulous forgetfull and dissolute whith are not generally the faults of all age but of a sluggish drowsie and slothfull age For as wantonnesse and lust is more in young men then in old and yet not in all young men but in the dishonest so that folly of age which is wont to be called doating is in light-headed old men but not in all Appius being both an old man and a blind man governed foure valiant sonnes and five beautifull daughters a great houshold and many retayners for he had his mind ready bent as a bow neither fainting did he yeild to age He held not only authority but also command over his own his servants feared him his children reverenced him he was dear to all the ancient manners and discipline of the countrey flourished in that house For age is so excellent if it keep its authority if it be bound to no man that even to the last gaspe it beareth rule over its own And as I like a youth in whom there is some gravity so I like an old man in whom there is some youthfulnesse which who so observeth may be an old man in body but in minde he never shall be I am now writing my seventh book of 1 Originales and of excellent causes whatsoever I have heretofore defended now especially I compile oratioÌ„s I handle the sooth-sayers the Priests and the Civil law I also use the Greek tongue much And after the manner of the Pythagoreans for to exercise my memory I call to mind in the evening what I have spake heard or done all that day These are indeed the cases of the minde these the exercises of the wit in which studies while I busie my selfe I do not greatly desire the strength of body I am present with my friends I come into the senate often and of my own accord I bring discourses long and well thought upon which I there defend not by streÌ„gth of body but of mind which if I could not do yet lying on my bed the remembrance of the good I have done would much delight me But hitherto I have so lead my life that I am yet able to performe the like fore one which liveth in these labours and studies never perceives how age creepeth on him for it doth by little and little wax old without feeling neither is life suddainly dissolved but by long continuance exstinguished XI TABLE of Annotations 1. THe Book of Originals was in manner of a Chronicle which Cato wrote there are but a few fragments of them extant the rest are lost CHAP. XII THere followeth the third Objection to age they say that it wanteth pleasures Oh excellent gift of age if it take away that which makes our youth vitious therefore hear now O yee excellent young men the old oration of 1 Architas the Tarentine a singular and worthy man which was delivered me when I was a young man with Q. Maximus at Tarentum He said that there was no deadlier plague given by nature tomen then the pleasure of the body the greedy lusts whereof are rash and unbrideledly stirred up to get and gain From hence are derived treasons from hence arise the overthrowes of Common-wealths and the privy conspiracies and whisperings with the enemies That to conclude there was no wickednesse nor no evill deed to the undertaking of which the lust of pleasure did not incite a man and that
wants it not moderate heat then which what can be more pleasant to the tast or more delightfull to the eye the profitablenesse whereof doth not only delight me as I have said but also the dressing and nature of it The order of the props the joyning of the tops the setting and the tying of the vines and the cutting of some and the sparing of others doth much delight me what shall I say of the watering digging and decking of the field by the which the earth is made much more fruitfull what shall I say of dunging and of the profit thereof I have spoken sufficiently in that book which I wrote of countrey businesses of which learned Hesiod made no mention when he wrote of husbandry But Homer who as it seemeth to me lived many years before bringeth in 1 Laertes tilling and digging the earth to lessen and forget the care and grief he had taken for the want of his sonne who was gone to Troy but countrey-affairs are not only pleasant for corne vineyards medows and groves but also for gardens orchards pastures of cattle swarmes of Bees and all manner of variety of pleasant flowers neither doth planting only delight me but also grafting then which the art of husbandry hath found out nothing more ingenious XV Table of Annotations 1. LAertes sonne of Acoisius and father to the wise Vlysses that went to Troy CHAP. XVI I Could proceed further in the countrey delights but I feare I have been somewhat too long already but you must pardon me for I am provoked by the delight which I take therein and indeed old age that I may not seem partiall to free it from all faults is somewhat talkative But Marcus Curius when he had triumphed over the Samnites the Sabins and Pyrrhus spent the last part of his age in that kinde of life whose farmehouse when I behold for it is not farre from mine I cannot sufficiently admire both the continency of the man and his manner of life The Samnits once brought a a great summe of gold to this Curius as he was sitting in his countrey-house by the fire but he refused it saying that it was no commendable thing in his mind to have gold but to command them which have gold Could not such a minde make age pleasant But I returne to Countrey-men least I should depart from my self In those dayes there lived old men and Senators in that countrey so that it was told 1 Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus that he was created 2 Dictator when he was a plowing in the field even he at whose command 3 C. Servilius Hala slew Spurius Melius who aspired to the Kingdome Curius and others were called out of their farme-houses to the senat wherof they that weresent for them were called Viatores was therefore their age to be called miserable who were thus delighted with husbandry truly in my opinion no life is more happy either in the tilling it selfe which is very healthfull to a mans body or as I have said in the pleasure plenty and abundance of all things which either appertain to the service of man or the worship of God And because some do much desire this pleasure let us now close again with pleasure The Country-cellar of a frugall and diligent master is alwayes full of wine and oyl and his house is replenished with all things needful it aboundeth with porke kid lamb poultrey milk honey c. also his garden is to the husbandman another storer and then hunting and hawking makes his life the sweeter What should I speake of the greennesse of the meddowes of the order fashion of the vines and olive trees I will soon conclude there can be nothing more profitable for use or more pleasant in show then a well tilled field To the enjoying of which age doth not hinder but rather intice and allure us For where may a man be better warmed in the winter either by the sun or the fire then there and where better cooled in the summer either by the shadow of trees or the rivers of water then there therefore young men have their weapons their horses their speares their swimming the ball the club and their races and they leave to us old men the cards and the tables which we sometimes use when we list for age may be right happy without them XVI Table of Annotations 1. LUcius Quintus Cincinnatus Tribune of the souldiers Anno 370. he was made Dictator when he was found in the field at plow with his face and hands all dirty 2. Dictator was the most excellent office among the Romans he was also called Magister populi he was never created but when there was some suddain uproar that threatned the overthrow of the Kingdome no man might appeal from him but all estates obeyed him Titus Largius was the first Dictator no man might hold it above sixmoneths because it was of sokingly and absolute power but Coesar when he gat it was so ambitious that he kept it till his death 3. Caius Hala slew Spurius Melius at the commandement of Quintus Cincinnatus the Dictator for aspiring to be king for which he was made Master of the horsemen Anno aburbe cond. 316. CHAP. XVII THe Books of Xenophon are profitable for many respects which I pray you read diligently as you do how copiously is husbandry hādled in that book of his which is entituled Oeconomicus of the care of a private family and that you may know that nothing seemeth more kingly then the art of tillage Socrates in that Book speakes to * Critobulus saying that 1 Cyrus the lesse king of Persia a man excelling in wit and glory of Government when Lysander of Lacedemonia a vertuous man came to him at * Sardis and brought him gifts from his fellows he bore himself very courteously towards him and shewed him a certain piece of ground hedged in and artificially planted when Lyfander wondring at the greatnesse of the trees the excellent order they were set in the ground pure and well wrought and the sweet odour that the pleasant flowers cast said that he not only admired his wit but also his diligence by whom knots were drawn and set Cyrus answered him that they were all of his drawing and invention and that he set them down and that most of his trees were set with his own hands Then Lysander beholding the goodly proportion of the Kings body and the glorious splendor of his Persian purple garment fet with gold and precious stones said rightly do they report thee happy Cyrus for to thy vertue thou hast blessed fortune added and this fortune old men may have neither doth age hinder us but that we may exercise arts and husbandry even till the last part of our life We have heard of 2 Marcus Valerius Corvinius who lived a hundred years and in his age remained in the countrey and became a tiller of the ground between whose first and sixt Consul-ship was fourty and six years Therefore all the
it so fit for nothing as for Homers bookes he lived a hundred and eight yeeres the place of his birth and Parents are unknown 10. Pythagoras called the Prince of Philosophers being indeed the first that called himselfe a Philosopher he was born at Samos and was the sonne of a Carver he had as it is reported 600 Disciples among whom was Architas the Tarentine He first taught that the soules of men departed went into other bodies which that he might the better perswade he affirmed that when he was first born he was Athalide the sonne of Mercurie and did obtaine of him this boone that he onely of all men might remember all the bodies that ever he should be changed out of Which he obtained and after affirmed that Athalide being dead he was changed into Euphorbus who being staine at Troy he was born again in the body of Hermotinus and after his death into the body of Delias a fisher man who was also called Pyrrhus and lastly he was made Pythagoras And that so all other mens soules did in like manner onely they alwayes forgat from whose body they last came he abstained from all flesh and fed only on roots and herbs he would be called Philosophus that is a lover of wisdome but not Sophius that is wise for he said that none but God was wise He dyed at Metapontum being 99 yeere old 11. Democritus born at Abderites his Father was a very rich man so that he feasted Xerxes great Army that drunke Rivers dry After his Fathers death he went to travaile and returned very poor where under the city wals he builded himselfe a silly cottage where he lived contemplating the works of nature He affirmed that all things were made of Atomes such as we see fleet in the sunne in a shiny day he was wont to laugh always what chance soever hapned as on the contrary Heraclitus alwaies wept He willingly abstaining from meat died when he was 104. yeers old 12. Xenocrates born in Calcedonia Plato's schollar he was somewhat blunt and very earnest and dry in his Communication he loved Plato very much he lived chastly and holily and wrote many good works and died being fourescore and twelve years old 13. Zeno the sonne of Pyrelus and the adopted sonne of Parmenides he learned his Philosophy of his adopted father wherein he was so excellent that Plato and Aristotle affirme he first invented logick he was the beginner of the Stoicks and is therefore called the prince of that sect he was a Governour in the Common-wealth he for the good of his Countrey conspired against Dionysius a Tyrant but was taken in the action and being examined of his confederats he accused all the Tyrants chief friends and told him that if he would hear him in private he would discover more whereupon the King bowing down his head to hear him he bit of his nose for this he was pounded in a stone mortar to make him confesse but he biting of his tongu and spitting it in his tormentors face died being 98. yeers old 14. Cleanthes a Stoick Philosopher and Schollar to Zeno he bore labour and griefe with such chearfulnesse that he was called an other Hercules He was very poor and when he wanted mony to buy paper he wrote the saying of Zeno on bones and shels 15. Rome built first by Romulus and Remus two brethren a City too well known of some sufficiently of all 16. Diogenes the Cynick Philosopher who when his father was imprisoned fled to Athens and became Antisthenes Scholar He lived ninety years and died as some say of the biting of a mad dog others say holding his breath he stiflled himselfe His Schollars made a Tombe for him and on the top thereof they set a dog His witty and satyricall learning are known of most men CHAP. VIII BUt that we may omit these divine studies I can name some of the I Sabine fields countrey 2 Romans my neighbours and familiars then whom none take more pains in the fields either in sowing gathering or sorting the fruits yet among them it is no marvell for there is none so old but that he thinkes to live one year more but they labour in things which they know do not at all belong unto them and as our friend Statius Caecilius saith in his Synephebis they plant trees which shall not give fruit till another age and after they are dead which makes the husband-man when any askes him for whom he sets those trees to answer for the immortall gods that would not that I only should receive the fruits of the earth from my predecessors but leave them also to my posterity That same 3 Caecilius wrote thus of age If old age brings no other faults this one enough will be By living long they oft behold the things they would not see And many times the things they would but youth it selfe is subject to that inconvenience But he wrote yet worse of age then that In age I take this thing to be the greatest misery To think the younger sort of men do hate their company Nay rather pleasant then hatefull is their company For as wise old men are delighted with young men indued with a vertuo us disposition and their age is made the easier that are worshipped and beloved of such so wise young men are rejoyced in the precepts of old men by which they are led to the studies of virtue neither do I perceive that I am lesse pleasant to you then you are to me Now you see that age is not faint and negligent but laborsome and alwayes doing something and indeavouring in such things as every mans study was in his former liâ—e but how if old men learne in their age also as we see 4 Solon boasting in his verses that he learned something every day grew an old man as I my self have done who now in my age have learned the Greek tongue which truly I took greedily as it were to satisfie a continuall thirst that those things might be known to me which you now see me use in examples And when I heard also whaâ— 5 Socrates had profited in musick I would have learned that â—oo for your ancients learned musick but truly I bestowed my pains in learning VIII TABLE of Annotations 1. SAbin fields a place where Cato had a countrey house not far of from Rome 2. Countrey Romans it is thought that he meant Fabritius 3. Caecilius Statius a comicall poet he wrote the comedy of Synephebis of two young men brought up together from their youth 4. Solon one of the seven wise men of Greece he was the sonne of Epistides and born at Salamina therefore called Salaminus he made many good lawes at Athens he builded a city in Sicilia and called it after his name Solos he died when he was ninety yeers old and was buried at Salamina 5. Socrates CHAP. IX NEither do I now desire the strength of youth no more then when I was young I did desire