not with thy friend nor anger mooue Ire breedeth hatred Concord feedeth loue 37 Masters When seruants faults prouoke thee to displeasure Temper thy selfe to punish them with measure 31 Conquerors Strong men Superiours Whom thy force can somtimes by suffrance quell Patience all vertues alwayes doth excell 39 Prodigals Keepe wel thy labours fruits wants greater grow When to repaire our losse paines we bestow 40 Prodigals Housholders Rich men When being rich thou mak'st thy friends good cheere Bee alwaies to thy selfe a friend most neere The Second Booke The Preface If thou wouldst learne the tilling of the ground Reade Virgils Georgicks where that skill is found But if Herbes vertues thou car'st more to knowe Macer the Poet those in Verse will showe The Roman ciuill warres to vnderstand If thou desire take Lucan in thy hand Or if thou wouldst performe the Louers part Repaire to Ouid that doth teach the Art But to liue wisely if thy mind be set To me giue eare this discipline to get By what things man doth liue from vice remote Come and what Wisedome is by Reading note 1 Vncharitable men HElp if thou canst euen strangers for to gaine Friends by deserts is better then to raigne 2 Astronomers or searchers of secrets Gods secrets or what Heau'n is leaue t' enquire Sith thou art mortall mortall things desire 3 Fearers of Death The feare of Death which is meere folly flie Life's ioyes thou losest if thou feare to die 4 Angrymen Disputers Striue not for ought vnsure with angry mind Toward the truth wrath makes ouriudgmeÌ„t blind 5 Friends Spend quickly when the cause it selfe desires And somewhat giue when time or cause requires 6 Ambitious men Prodigall men Make merry with a little shun excesse More safe the Ship is where the waues be lesse 7 Blabbers offenders Keep wisely froÌ„ thy Mates what may thee shame Lest what offends thee onely more doe blame 8 Offenders Their euill workes thinke not the wicked gaine Sinnes for a time kept hid time doth explaine 9 Little or weake men Souldiers Doe not a little bodies power despise Whom Nature hath made weak he may be wise 10 Clients Vanquished men Inferiors Souldiers Giue place a while vnto thy stronger foes The Vanquisht oft his Victors ouerthrowes 11 Company-keepers Friends Quarrellers Braule not with him whoÌ„ thou dost louing know From the least words great strife doth ofteÌ„ grow 12 Fortune-tellers Searchers of secrets Sorcerers What God intends search not in sorcerous wise Who touching thee without thee doth aduise 13 Proud men Enuy through too much brauery come not neare Which though not hurtfull 't is a griefe to beare 14 Clients Oppressed men Be of good comfort though condemned wrong Nought by Iniustice gotten prospers long 15 Remembrers of strife Of brabbling conflicts to vse repetition After atonement shewes a bad condition 16 Company-keepers Selfe-praisers and dispraisers From self-praise and dispraise thou must abstaine For Fooles doe that prouok'd by Glory vaine 17 Gamesters Prodigals Thy gaines vse sparing for excessiue spending Goods long in gathering brings to speedy ending 18 Company-keepers When time or cause requires it play the Foole For folly then to feigne is wisedomes rule 19 Couetous men Shun Luxury and Auarice for those As each the other thy good name oppose 20 Babblers Talkers Beleeue not them that still are babbling much For little credit is allow'd to such 21 Drunkards In drinke-offending doe not that accuse The fault 's in thee that do'st Gods gift abuse 22 Friends Sicke men Commit thy minde to a Companion sure To a Physician good thy bodies cure â—3 Poore men Repiners at others good At vndeseruers weale grieue not at all The bad be cocker'd for their greater fall 24 Carelesse men Arme thee to beare each casuall distresse For what thou hast foreseene doth hurt thee lesse 25 Poore men Be not dismaid though crost but hope retaine For with all men Hope doth in death remaine 26 Carelesse men Let not that slip which thou shalt fitting finde Time hath much haire before but none behinde 27 Carelesse men Weighing things past for what 's to come prouide Follow that God which lookes on either side 28 Drunkards Gluttons Fare sometimes to grow stronger with lesse measure Many to health few things are due to pleasure 29 Company-keepers Selfe-conceited men The peoples iudgement scorne not thou alone Lest while thou scornest many thou please none 30 Drunkards Gluttons Chiefly regard thy health which is the chiefe Blame not the times that wrought'st thy proper griefe 31 Dreamers * See the note at the end of the booke vnder C. Regard not dreames for what we wish awake That thing in sleeping doth our sences take The third Booke The Preface Thou Reader that hereto thy minde dost giue Shalt heere learne precepts teaching well to liue Be stor'd with Lessons learne while thou hast breath Life without Learning doth resemble death Much good thou reapest if thou this respect Jf not thy selfe not me thou dost neglect 1 Well-liuers LIuing vpright the slanderers words despise All tongues to rule in vs no power lyes 2 Witnesses Friends Brought for a witnes thy friends fault conceale In what thou canst yet with thy honours weale 3 Simple men Of smooth and flattering speeches take thou heed For Truth is plaine but lyes doe cunning need 4 Sluggards Flie dulnesse sloth of life for when the minde Growes weake through idlenes the flesh is pinde 5 Labouring men Mirth sometimes mingle with thy care and paine That any labour thou maist well sustaine 6 Carpers Carpe neuer at anothers word or deed Lest the like measure doe from him proceed 7 Heires Prodigals Lest all speake ill of thee keepe and increase Those goods that fall to thee by Friends decease 8 Couetous men Old men If thou be rich in age before life ends Be liberall and no niggard to thy Friends 9 Masters Scorners To no mans Counsell profiting be nice Much lesse despise thy seruants good aduice 10 Husbands Poore men If treasure as thou didst thou canst not hoord Contented liue with what the times affoord 11 Bachelors * See the note at the end of the Booke vnder D. For goods beware thou marry not a wife Nor keepe her if she leade a shrewish life 12 Politicians By patterne learne to flie or to pursue The liues of others teach vs what to doe 13 Attempters Try nought aboue thy strength lest ouer-swaid Perforce thou leaue thy worke in vaine assaid 14 Concealers Conceale not what thou know'st vniustly done Lest thou seeme willing the same course to runne 15 Clients Oppressed men Vnder Lawes rigour craue the Iudges aide For Lawes themselues with right would be allaid 16 Offenders Take thy deserued penance without grudge And being faulty be thy proper Iudge 17 Readers Schoole-boyes Reade much and dayly more the Poet sings Though not still credible miraculous things 18 Babblers Guests Talkers Vse few words at a feast lest thou be nam'd A prater while thou wouldst be ciuill fam'de 19 Husbands Thy
might be of the more authoritie Others say the Title is thus Incipit Tullius de praeceptis Catonis and that hee composed this worke when hee first entred Rhetoricke but called the same by the name of Cato as his Treatise intituled Cato maior de Senectute that it might bee the more willingly receiued which Tully also as Plutarch reciteth in the life of Caesar writ the praise of Cato minor and inscribed it Cato and now it is intituled Libellus elegantissimus qui inscribitur Cato that is a most elegant booke inscribed Cato And the same Scaliger in the afore-mentioned place saith that these Distichs were inscribed with the name of Cato because the goodnesse of Cato was knowne to all men by way of Prouerbe for good men and of most approued manners in those dayes were called Catones And such is the censure of the learned Erasmus exprest in an Epistle prefixed to an ancient Latine Edition of these Distichs wherewith the Greeke of Planudes is intermixt Catonis saith he ob id tantum arbitror dici quod Sententias habeat Catone dignas I suppose it to be called Cato because it hath Sentences worthy of Cato And this name of Cato was first giuen to Cato maior as Plutarch affirmeth for his skilfulnesse in affaires For to Etymologize the word it may be deriued of Catus a Cat because he was crafty as that creature or rather of Catus an old syncopation of Cautus interpreted wary subtill and skilfull Yet Tranquillus makes mention of one Valerius Cato a Grammarian at Rome who taught many and of noble stocke in the time of Scylla whose fame these verses record to vs Cato Grammaticus Latina Syren Qui solus legit facit Poetas Which may I thus translate Grammar-learn'd Cato that the Poets readeth Euen Syren-like alone and Poets breedeth Whereby it may be coniectured and it is probable enough that Valerius Cato if any of the name writ this booke especially for his Schollers instruction and education in vertue and generally for the benefit of the Common-wealth as Socrates Isocrates and others instructed their Countrey in morall vertues by way of Precept To conclude for my part seeing the name or person is not so much to be traced out or regarded as his good doctrine I wil not certainly ascribe the penning of these Precepts to any one particular man or more more then Erasmus Maturinus Corderius or any others haue done in their precedent Comments or Translations but leaue the deciding thereof as a Schoole-question to the deeper Schollership of others Now the Formall cause is the manner of composing this Worke which is two-fold to wit in Prose as the Preface in Verse as the Execution or Treatise for he vseth an Hexameter stile distinguishing his worke into foure parts Wee must note therefore that the Author premiseth a Preface to his worke or the first booke thereof In the first part of which Preface considering that men beyond measure gaped after worldly desires and were remote from the way of Trueth he promiseth to giue them aide In the Second he speakes to his Sonne and all others in the person of him insinuating vnto them an order of wel-liuing In the Third he treateth of Diuine worship In the Fourth of piety towards our Parents and Kinred And in the Fifth and last hee handleth vertues and Sciences and warnes vs to beware of vices Which Preface being ended hee sets vpon the Treatise where hee executes in Meeter what he premised in Prose for profit delight and ornament and that it may bee more firmely committed to memory euery Distich or two Verses for so the word signifies containing a Precept and for the most part a Sentence teaching vs our duety towards God and man as also how to demeane our selues in all estates and conuersations So that whosoeuer was the Author it worthily deserues not onely of all sorts to bee gratefully receiued diligently perused dearely esteemed and faithfully obserued but to be translated into the vulgar tongue of all Nations Neuerthelesse let me by the way admonish and forewarne you which Erasmus hath omitted to beware of some fewe of these Precepts which I haue noted with an Asteriske thus * being in part Heathenish contrary to Christian doctrine or not fully therewith cohering as their seuerall Annotations in the last leafe of this Booke vnder the Title of Necessary Notes c. doe make manifest But all the rest being iust and appertinent to our faith and good carriage though they may not bee compared to that Booke of Bookes the sacred Scripture wee are not onely to credit and follow as Saint Augustine teacheth in his Booke De Doctrina Christiana but to challenge and retaine them euen as our owne the rather for that the Authour is not knowne and if hee were being a Heathen hee is indeed no right owner thereof For God made manifest his wonderfull power and wisedome in the hearts of the Heathen or Gentiles chefly for the better instruction and confirmation of the faith of Christians to come Graces and Gifts being not now so plenteously bestowed by him as in ages past Lastly for my study and labour in this present worke not onely by mine owne consideration and desire as aforesaid but by the aduice of diuers worthy friends I was thereunto animated and am now cherished with an assured confidence that you will not reiect nor neglect it for the vnlearned style or rudenesse of my Pen but rather louingly accept it in respect of the excellent Counsels and Sentences it containeth and for my good will and great paines therein expended as may appeare not onely in the translation of the Verse but in the addition of a Three-fold Table at the end by mee diligently and elaborately ordred and contriued both for pleasure and profit and for the better vse of the originall whereby may bee readily found any Document or Saying therein contained either for Grammar-Schollers to insert and apply in their Theames and other exercises or for Children to bee taught and learned both within and without Booke at the Reading-schoole or for their Copies at the Writing-schoole or for Men and Women vnlearned not onely to reade vnderstand and learne for the furnishing of their hearts and behauiours but to adorne their Houses with good and godly Poesies aswel for dayly obiects to their owne optike senses lest beeing out of sight they should be also to vphold the Prouerbe out of minde as also for the instruction of all Commers or friendly visitants that haue not been so happy as to reade the whole worke which representeth both the beauties and blemishes of the minde and manners as a Chrystall mirrour or looking glasse the conditions of each Countenance for which cause I may iustly intitle it The mirrour of the minde and so leaue it in your hands as A handfull of honesty not vegetatiue like the weede so called but rationall Philosophicall and for the most part Theologicall wishing your eyes may neuer part from it nor
CATO IN ENGLISH VERSE With a three-fold Table directing to varietie 1. Of Lessons for all sorts of persons 2. Of Copies for Writing-Schollers 3. Of Poesies for the House and Schoole The Second Edition With Addition of proper Titles or Heads answering the first Table to euery Distich for the more profitable vse of this worke especially in the English Schooles By IOHN PENKETHMAN louer of Learning LONDON Printed for Richard Hawkins and are to be sold at his Shop in Chancery Lane 1624. Ad vniuersos in regno Britannico tam probitate quà m doctrina decoratos Ludimagistros Tetradecastichon Interpretis dedicatorium ARtis Grammaticae doctores atque Columnae O Calliopes Angligenumque decus Vobis ista dico non mores more Magistri Vt vos erudiam praecipiamue bonos Ad mare tali etenim latices deferre viderer Officio gravidis mella apibusque dare Sed modo deuoti monimentum pignus amoris Vt maneant vobis discipulisque mei Quos vero istorum potius protectio tangit Quam qui gymnasijs ipsa Latina docent Vos igitur gratumque ratumque tenete libellum Patroni proprij protegitote meum Sub quibus inuidiae quanquam circundatus armis Mercurij tanquam virga animatus eat Ad studiosos Discipulos Hexasticon SJ dictata probis praeceptis vestra vel aptis Themmata dogmatibus non decorare piget Si cordi est vobis comptos perdiscere mores Et bene viuendi noscere ritè viam Vt Cato praecepit Romanis carmina verbis Judice maternis quaerite nostra duce To all industrious Masters of the Pen. LOe you whose exquisite and honour'd skill A liberall Science worthy to be stilde Keeps in renoun'd esteeme the fether'd Quill By whom great matters from confusion wilde Are brought to order whose recording aide Supports the chiefest Calling Art or Trade Loe a sententious Treasure I prefer For needfull vse to your most actiue hands A treasure if true Wisedome do not err Worth more then manual knowledge goods or lands This then for Copies to your Schollers giue So may they learne at once to write and liue To all carefull and vertuously-disposed Parents and Housholders IF hauing Children you would wel instruct theÌ„ And vnto God through vertuous way conduct theÌ„ If you with prudent precepts do not scorne Your Hearts to fill and Houses to adorne Or if vnskil'd you couet to discerne What good your Sonnes from Latine Cato learne This Booke in price and in proportion small Yet great in Matter satisfies you all The Translators Preface to the Beneuolent Perusers THe Doctrine of Wisedome like running water ought to be common because by how much any one instructeth others by so much hee multiplieth and acquireth wisedome to himselfe according to that Qui alios docet seipsum instruit Hee that teacheth others learneth himselfe For knowledge is described to be an incomparable Treasure and a noble possession of the minde which beeing distributed by parts taketh increase and disdaining a couetous possessor without distribution quickly decayeth I therefore considering that the Morall Distichs intituled Cato beeing in the Latine tongue were learned and read only in Schooles by Children and desiring to spend my vacant houres in some commendable studie for the benefit of my Countrey to which end especially we are born conceiued it a work of worth to translate the same in our mother tongue both for the Instruction of such Parents and others as were ignorant of the Latine and for a generall vse for which they were intended as hereafter in this Preface I shall declare But first let me search into and expresse the foure-fold cause of this worke that concurreth to the ordering of euery thing to wit the Materiall Finall Efficient and Formall cause The Materiall cause or matter of this Booke which is the same are the foure Cardinall vertues Prudence Iustice Fortitude and Temperance which are called Cardinall by a Metaphor or Figure of Cardo a hinge because as a doore is turned on the hinges so all other vertues are reduced to these foure as formes to their kindes The first introduceth or bringeth in because a man through Wisedome is brought vnto Sciences and Vertues The Second directeth because a man is directed by Iustice to the kingdome of Heauen The Third ouercomes for a man is said through Fortitude to ouercome his spirituall enemies the world the Flesh and the Deuill The Fourth tempereth for it teacheth vs to liue soberly in this world and to abstaine from carnall desires All which vertues with their seuerall Daughters or Branches are copiously handled in this Booke The Finall cause is profit both priuate as to the Authours owne sonne and common as to vs for by perusing this booke like prudent Husbandmen wee may extirpe or roote out vices and sowe the seedes of vertues in our hearts whereby with Gods assistance we may auoid the calamities of this present life and that to come The efficient cause is the Authour of this Booke which is vnknowne or very doubtfull so as it may be called Apocryphus a word signifying greatly obscure For the famous Philosopher and Historiographer Plutarch setting fotth amongst others the liues of two vertuous and learned men bearing the name of Cato the one Marcus Portius Cato called also Censoâ—â—aus of being Censor the other likewise M. P. Cato called also Vticensis of Vtica where he slue himselfe whom he further distinguisheth with the Additions of maior the elder and minor the yonger sheweth that Cato maior died before and Cato minor in the time of Julius Caesar and that notwithstanding the saying of Iuuenal Tertius è coelo cecidit Cato Cato maior had two Sonnes whereof the one had also a Sonne and that Sonne the like And the other had two Sonnes whereof the one was Father of Cato minor And that Cato minor had a Sonne the whole Progenie bearing the name of Cato who were all extinct before the time of Augustus the second Emperour of Rome But I obserue in the Preface to the second Booke of these Distichs that the Author aduiseth the Reader if he desire to knowe the Romane and ciuill warres which were those betweene Iulius Caesar and Pompey hee should search Lucan whereby it is euident that this booke was not before Lucan who writ his worke after the time of Julius Caesar and consequently none of the Catones could possibly be the Author therof And therefore some father it on Seneca who was Tutor to Nero the fift Roman Emperor others on golden-mouth'd Chrysostome And it was attributed to the Poet Ausonius by Baptista Pius whose opinion some haue lately followed whom Joseph Scaliger in his Ausonian Lectures sharpely reprooueth and plainely confuteth Whereupon may be said Indiscussa manet adhuc sub Judice lis est The strife no Iudge did yet decide But vndiscust it doth abide Yet some say it is thus intituled Incipit Ethica Catonis The Morall Science of Cato beginneth not because Cato composed it but to the end it
angry wife's bad language doe not feare For women worke deceit with euery teare 20 Prodigals Thy gettings vse but seeme not to abuse All gone the spend thrift others goods pursues 21 Fearers of Death Stand not in feare of thy threed-cutting Fate Seeing lifes euils it doth terminate 22 Husbands Thy wife's tongue suffer if she thrifty bee Else doe not beare yet brawle is worse in thee 23 Children Entirely loue thy Father and thy Mother Neither to please the one displease the other The fourth Booke The Preface If thou would'st liue in quiet and thy heart From vices drowning vertue keepe apart These precepts throughly reade and beare in minde Where somewhat to instruct thee thou shalt finde 1 Couetous men Niggards Rich men IF thou would'st be heart-happy wealth despise Which they that dote vpon liue beggar-wise 2 Couetous men If that may please which doth at need auaile thee Natures commodities will neuer faile thee 3 Carelesse men Prodigals If through ill-husbandry thy substance fall Blame not blinde Fortune which is not at all 4 Couetous men Rich men Loue Coine for vse not for it's glittering sight In which no vertuous man doth take delight 5 Sicke men Rich men Looke to thy health enioying worldly pelfe The Rich man sicke hath gold but not himselfe 6 Children Offenders Since thou endur'st thy Masters rod at Schoole Thy Father chiding gently beare his rule 7 Attempters Trade in commodious things and those eschue Whereof thou fear'st no profit will accrue 8 Giuers Giue at once asking what you safely can For 't is a gaine if to a worthy man 9 Suspitious men Search out without delay what thou suspectest For oft that hurts which thou at first neglectest 10 Whoremongers When thou art caught in Venus pleasing snare Of Gluttonie the bellies friend beware 11 Carelesse-men Of all wilde Beasts when thou would'st be afraid Take heed lest man alone doe thee inuade 12 Strong-men When as the body doth in strength surmount Be wise and men will valiant thee account 13 Friends Grieued men Repair to him that loues thee if ought grieue thee A faithfull Friend can best in minde relieue thee 14 Offenders Sacrificers For thy offence why mak'st thou beast-oblation 'T is folly by such meanes to seeke saluation 15 Chusers of Friends Bachelors When thou desirest a true Friend or Mate Aske after his life past not his estate 16 Couetous men Niggards Shun this name Niggard vse thy gotten store What good does wealth to him that liueth poore 17 Drunkards Gluttons Whore-mongers If thou desire in life an honour'd name Fly vicious pleasures that would thee defame 18 Mockers Young men Mocke not old age thou being wise in thought For man through age to childishnesse is brought 19 Children Schoole-boyes Learne something for if Riches doe deceiue thee Art will be firmely thine and neuer leaue thee 20 Politicians Babblers With silence note what euery one doth say The Speech mens maners hides and doth bewray 21 Schoole-boyes Though thou hast gotten Learning doe not cease Practice as Care the Wit doth Art increase 22 Fearers of Death Death feare not much who holds at little rate This present life dreads not his future fate 23 Children Schoole-boyes Learne of the learned and th'vnlearned teach The doctrine of good things ought farre to reach 24 Drunkards Thy health desiring Nature drinke to please Pleasure excessiue breeds an ill disease 25 Inconstant men What thou hast prais'd in publike and approou'd Blame not I counsel thee through lightnes mou'd 26 Poore men Rich men When Fortune smiles on thee beware her frowne Yet hope to rise when she hath cast thee downe 27 Schoole-boyes Leane not to learne Knowledge froÌ„ study springeth And long Experience rare wisedome bringeth 28 Praisers Praise meanely for whom thou dost oft coÌ„mend Time will declare how much he is thy Friend 29 Schoole-boyes Blush not to learne for knowledge doth coÌ„mend But those that will not learne shame doth attend 30 Drunkards Whoremongers Strife oft with pleasing Lust and wine is had What 's good in them embrace and flie the bad 31 Company-keepers Politicians From sad and still men thy selfe safely keepe Perhaps the calmer water lyes more deepe 32 Poore men When want prouokes thee to feele sorrow smart Weigh how much worse then other men thou art 33 Attempters Try to thy strength for by the shore to row 'T is safer then to sayle where Seas doe flow 34 Clyents Contenders * See the note at the end of this Booke vnder E. Against the iust peruersly striue thou neuer Wrongfull vexations God doth punish euer 35 Clients Poore men Losing thy goods doe not with griefe complaine But rather ioy that thou didst wealth attaine 36 Friends Losers Our goods 'tis grieuous by mishaps to leaue Yet losse by friends we gently must receiue 37 Worldlings Trust not to length of life where e're we run Death followes as our shaddowes in the Sun 38 Sacrificers * See the note at the end of this booke vnder F. Let Calues grow for the plough Incense burne Gods wrath with slaughtered Beasts you cannot 39 Jnferiours Vanquisht men Oppressed men Yeeld hauing harme to Fortune and the strong turne For he thy cause may right that did the wrong 40 Offenders Reproue thy selfe when thou hast ought offended In healing wounds griefe is by griefe amended 41 Friends Thy old Friend altred doe not thou detect But the prime-pledges of his loue respect 42 Receiuers More loue to purchase each good turne requite Lest a Loose-office thou be termed right 43 Fearers of danger Suspicious men Lodge not suspect lest thou still wretched be Death with suspicious men doth best agree 44 Masters Though Slaues thou cal'st all those that thou hast bought Of earth like them remember thou art wrought 45 Carelesse men The first occasion must be quickly taken Lest thou too late seeke what thou hast forsaken 46 Reâ—oycers at others death In bad mens sudden end reioyce thou not They happy dye that haue no vicious blot 47 Husbands If poore thou hast a wife of blemisht fame See thou abhorre a friends vnfriendly name 48 Schoole-boyes Students of the Law Much hauing learned seeke as much againe Nor as vnsitting to be taught abstaine The Authors Conclusion 49 Writers That I write Verse in plaine Prose maruell you The Senses briefenesse bred them two by two The Translators conclusion 50 And if yon maruell why I these translate Peruse my Preface which doth all relate And so these Rimes I terminate Note that in all the three Tables following b. stands for Booke of Distichs and d. for Distich So sp stands for Short Precepts The First Table directing to Lessons for A AMbitious men b. 2. d. 6. Angry men sp 20. 46. b. 2. d. 4. Astronomers b. 2. d. 2. Attempters b. 3. d. 13 b. 4. d. 7. 33. B Babblers b. 1. d. 3. 12. b. 2. d. 7. 20. b. 3. d. 18. b. 4. d. 20. Backbiters sp 38. Batchelors b. 3. d. 11. b. 4. d. 15. Blabbers sp