nine just with the number of the Muses thus was the first Harp made by Apollo though some say it was made by Orpheus some by Amphion some by Liâ—s yet it is most like that Apollo made it For in Delphos the picture or effigies of Apollo is there set up having in his right hand a bow and in his left hand the thrée Graces and either of them having in their hands several kind of instruments the first a Harp the second a Pipe the third a Flute In the chapter of the invention of things you shall at large find more concerning musick But now to declare the harmony of musick the mirth and melody that procéeds from musick the love and affection that antient Princes and gravewise men bare to musick Themistocles though he was wise and discréet in other things yet for that as Cicero saith in his first book of Tusculans he refused to hear one play on the Harp in a banquet where he was he then of the wisest men in Athens was thought and judged to be of lesse learning than they supposed him to be For the Greeks judged none to be learned unlesse he were experienced in musick Socrates the father of all philosophy and master of all Philosophers being by the Oracle of Apollo named and judged the wisest man in all the world in his latter years being an old man was taught to play upon the Harp and often found amongst little children he being taunted of Alcibiades for that he found him playing with a little infant called Lamproces answered it is good being to be in good company Even so that wise and discreet Prince Agesilaus king sometime of the Lacedemonians spying one of his men to laugh at him for that he rode upon a long reed with one of his children said hold thy peace and laugh not and when soever thou shalt be a father thou must do as a father We read the like of noble Architas the Tarentine who when he was married having a great number of servants in his house he would play with their children and delighted much in the company of young infants Certainly either of these thrée last mentioned Socrates Ageâ—â—laus or Architas were in those days most renowned for their wisedom and knowledge and yet refused they not the company of young infants That mighty and strong Hercules though he was the son of Jupiter and counted in all the world most famous rather a God taken then a man as Euripides doth testifie would be often found amongst children and young innocent infants playing saying this sentence with a child in his hand I play with children which for the change thereof is so grateful unto me as though I were in the games of Olimpia The self-same famous Hercules went to school to Livius to learn to play upon the Harp to solace him in his sadnesse and to make him merry when he was compelled to mourn In the middest of his triumph went that great Conquerour Alexander likewise to learn musick That divine and godly Prophet David played upon his Harp and served his God with hymns and godly ballads It is written that in the marriage of King Cadmus the son of Agenor who builded Thebes in Boetia the Muses played on instruments In Gréece musick was so esteemed that their sages and wise Philosophers addicted themselves wholly to musick The Arcadians the Lacedemonians and the Thracians though they were people much given to wars severe in dealing hardy in all travels and in learning most inexperienced yet would they acquaint themselves with musick till they were thirty years old The people of Créet brought up their youth in all kind of melody and harmony The most part of the world did learn musick save in Egypt where as Diodorus in his second book affirmeth musick was forbidden least the tender and soft minds of their youth should be inticed to too much pleasure And though some contemn musick with Diogenes and say that it were more profitable to mend manners then to learn musick and some with Alcibiades despise musick who was wont to say that the Thebans were méet men to learn musick for that they could not speak but that the Athenians should hate such wanton tunes for that they spake without instruments Likewise King Pyrrhus being demaanded which was the best musitian Python or Charisius he despising them and their musick preferred a great warriour according to his own mind named Polysperches though these I say with divers others despised musick yet we read again as wise as they as stout as they used much musick as Acaâ—les Alexander the great Nero Silla M. Cato Socrates Cimon Too many might I repeat the learned Jopas whose songs in Virgil are expressed the Salij whose pleasant pamphlets Rome a long while embraced and much estéemed For as musick is delightfully pleasant full of harmony and melody so is musick terrible also and full of life and courage For we read in the old age while yet the world was rain that Aliates King of Lidia in his wars against the Milesians had Musitians for his Trumpetters Pipers and Fidlers as Herodoâ—us in his first book affirmeth to move the people with musick to wars The people of Créet as Gellius writeth had Gitterns and Cithrons playing before them as they went to the field to fight The Parthians used as Plutarchâ—s in the life of Crastus reporteth the beating of drums at their going into field the Ethiopians used songs of divers tunes and dancings before they went to wars the Syrians before they met their enemies would sing ballads to honour the fame of the wars with all kind of dancing to solace themselves the Cimbrians did make melody with dry skins beating the skins with sticks like drum sticks at the very entrance to the enemies Cyrus the great King did with his souldiers sing to Castor and Pollux before he took his voyage to the enemies the Athenians would sing hymns to Iupiter before they would go to the field the first noise and sound that the Lacedemonians had as Thâ—cidides saith instead of Trumpets were Flutes til ' by an Oracle they were warned of Apollo that if they thought to have victory over Moslena they should appoint a man of Athens for their Captain the Athenians being right glad of the Oracle for that the Lacedâ—monians and Athenians were alwaies enemies one to another they sent to Athens for a Captain who appointed to them a lame and a deformed man named Dircaeus in a reproach and mock of the Lacedemonians This Dircaeâ—s being appointed and made Captain over all the people of Sparta he first then invented the trump and taught all the Lacedemonians to sound the trump which was such a terrour to the enemies the people of Messena that at the first sound of the trumpets they fled and so the Lacedemonians got the victory thus was the ancient musick in the beginning so necessary that every country indeavoured to have skil in musick then Mars claimed musick in the field now
and pain after long felicity and pleasure even so Dionisius King of Siracusa after many Princely pleasures renowned fame great glory yet in the end was banished his country and driven to keep school in Italy In the like sort that noble and valiant Scipio Affricanus was deceived whose prowesse and magnanimity augmented much the fame of the Romans by conquering of Affrick and Carthage and notwithstanding he was driven to exilement and misery where he died after many triumphs and victories like a poor beggar O uncertain state and slippery wheel of Fortune And because fame followeth fortune and proceedeth from Fortune as the smoke cometh from the fire for as Fortune is variable so is Fame divers if we seek Histories we find the fame of poor men for their poverty is great as well as the fame of the rich for all their riches poor Codrus and ragged Irus are as famous in respect of being Beggars as Midas and Craesus two wealthy Kings of Lydia Doth not Aristophanes make as much mention of Cleonimus the Coward as Homer doth of stout Achilles Poliphemus and Enceladus two huge monstrous Giants not so famous in Virgil for their bignesse as Conopas or Molon two little dwarfs of two foot length are renowned in Plini for their smalnesse Juvenal and Claudian report no lesse of the little Pigmies then Ovid or Maro of the huge Ciclopes If Fame proceed of poor men for poverty of dwarfs for their smalnesse of cowards for their cowardize as much as it doth flow of rich men for their wealth of Giants for their bigness and of stout men for their courage What is it but a pilgrimage in which we live travel here For fortune fame run together as cōstantly as they are thēselves uncertain Plini that famous Historiographer writeth of one named Messala who was so forgetfull and weak of memory that he forgat his own name and yet he was as famous for his obliviousness as Hortensius was renowned for that he could pronounce out of hand with his tongue what he wrote with his pen. Seneca the Philosopher commendeth one called Calvisius that he was likewise so oblivious that he could not often name those dayly friends that he used company withal What greater Fame could Cyneas have for all his memory when he was sent from King Pyrrhus as Embassador to Rome where the second day in the Senate house before all the people of Rome he named all the Senators by name What greater renown could King Cyrus have for his noble memory for naming every souldier of his by name being in the Camp What Fame hath King Mithridates for his divers and sundry languages which he without an Interpretor could speak unto two and twenty Nations being his souldiers but onely that they are recorded in books where likewise Calvisius Messala and such oblivious men that forgot their own names are committed into History Doth not Homer the Trumpetter of Fame write of Militides an Idiot who after the destruction of Troy and the death of King Priamus and all his sons would come to succour the Troyans Homer I say doth not forget Militides no more then he doth Agamemnon What should I speak of silly and wicked Herostratus who for burning the Temple of Diana is everlastingly remembred And millions more of the like nature who are mentioned by ancient writers Thus you sée we travel all one way in the vale of misery and the condition is alike of the greatest Princes and the poorest Beggars and if there be any difference it is in that oftentimes the King is the more unfortunate of the two CHAP. IIII. Of magnanimity of Princes and their fortitude of mind where and when it was esteemed AS Iustice without temperance is often counted injury so magnanimity without respect unto prudence is but tyranny This vertue proceedeth from a valiant and a sober mind joyning both the body and the mind together so that the wisedome and policy of the one the strength and courage of the other are united and alwaies ready to defend the cause of their country and the quarrel of their Prince and society of friendship unto this therefore every good man is born preferring common commodities before private wealth Hercules pondering much what he might best do and to what he should apply his noble mind there appeared unto him two goodly women the one as Xenophon doth describe very gorgeous and brave rings of gold on her finger a chain of gold about her neck her hairs composed and frisled with pearls and Diamonds hanging at her ears the other in sober and comely apparel of modest behaviour of shame faced countenance they stood both before him The first said Hercules if thou wilt serve me thou shalt have gold and silver enough thou shalt féed daintily thou shalt live princely thou shalt injoy pleasures In fine thou shalt have all things at thy will to live with ease and rest The other said with comely countenance If thou wilt serve me Hercules thou shalt be a Conquerour of conquerours thou shalt subdue Kingdomes and overthrow Kings thou shalt be advanced into fame renowned in all the world and shall deserve praise both of men and women Which when Hercules understood taking into consideration the idle service of the first and the exercise of the second he took her as his mistresse and willingly became a servant to her Wherefore according unto promise made he injoyed fully the fame and praise by due deserts he overcame Lions Dragons Bears and such monstrous huge wild beasts he did destroy Kingdomes and countries he had that fortitude of mind that he conquered Giants and subdued Tyrants inlarged liberties set frée Captives and prisoners and briefly that magnanimity was in him that he never effended just men nor hurt innocent men he preserved divers Kings and countries he never spoiled good countrey nor subdued a just King but wholly addicted himself to merit fame He destroyed the Serpent Hydra the Dragon the Lion the wild Bore and terrible Bull conquering Geron Cerberus and Diomedes cruel Tyrants He took the gilded Hart he vanquished the Centaures and the ravening birds named Stimphalides was there any tyranny in these his enterprizes but Hercules they say was more aided of the Gods then helped of man With these his princely acts and renowned feats noble Theseus was much enamored insomuch that he emulated the vertuous life of Hercules he tamed wild beasts slue monsters overcame cruel Creon the Tyrant of Thebes he descended also as the Poet saith unto hell to imitate the feats of Hercules to resemble his magnanimity to augment Hercules fame erecting alters appointing sacrifice in memory of Hercules hoping that others would do unto Theseus as Theseus did unto Hercules Next unto Theseus for antiquity of time that valiant and renowned Gréek Achilles succeeded who was the onely stay and comfort of his country the very hope of Greece his magnanimity valiant courage worthy acts and famous life is at large set forth in Homers
all the lewd women in brave garlands decked with all kind of flowers in gorgeous apparel and this was done in the moneth of May. The Goddess Câ—â—â—â— began then to be famous for she had her feasts and sacrifices named Cerealia by the Priests appointed she was thus honoured The Priests in white garments and with lanthorns and fire-brands in the night time would come to the Temple they abstained from wine and avoided venery for a certain time they appeinted every fifth year a great fasting Minerva likewise began to have such honour in Rome that she had thrée several kinds of sacrifices one of a Bull the second of a Crane the third of a Weather The Romans did celebrate in the beginning of the spring such feasts and sacrifices to Berecynthia called the Mother of the Gods that every man did offer of the chiefest things that he did possess to pleasure this Goddess There were divers other kinds of sacrifices and vain superstitious ceremonies observed then in Rome whose beginnings procéeded from the invention of Devils which of long time were honoured as Gods for then men sought no help but of their Gods which were rather Devils As Polidorus in his fourth Book affirmeth of a certain rich man in Rome who had thrée of his sons sore sick of the plague this man was named Valesius who every night at home in his house besought his houshould Gods called Penates to save his children and to plague him for the fault of his sons Thus every night praying to his Gods for the health of his children a voice was heard that if he would go with his thrée sons to Tarentum and wash his sons with the water which was consecrated to Pluto and Proserpina they should recover their health Valesius thought the way was far yet for health to his children he took his journey and being ready shipt in Martius field hard by the river Tyber he was desired of the master of the ship to go to the next village called Tarentum for a little fire for the fire was out in the ship and the mariners busie about other things When Valesius heard the name of Tarentum he knew straight that it was that place that his Gods appointed him to go to for the city of Tarentum was in the furthest part of all Italy in the country of Calabria he willingly went and brought both fire with him for the Master of the Ship and water for the children which being given to his sons they recovered health Wherefore in memory of this he recompensed his Gods with this sacrifice he in the night appointed solemn playes to honour Pluto and Proserpina to each severall nights every year for so many sons as he had that recovered health erecting up altars and offering sacrifices in honour and solemnity of Pluto These were the Oracles and divine answers which the Divels were wont to give in Idols to deceive men withal these I say were they that allured the people to idolatry Cicero saith that the chiefest Priests of Rome the Bishops for that the sacrifices and feasts the ceremonies and rites belonging to new made Gods grew to such a number that they appointed thrée men called Triumviri to be rulers of the sacrifices and appointed other thrée that should kéep the sacred Oracles of Sybilla The Oracles of Sybilla were written in books to which they resorted oftentimes for counsel and admonition fiftéen men were appointed to know what was to be done in any peril or necessity as at the wars betwixt Caesar and Pompey such prodigious sights were séen such unnatural working of the heavens such terrible sights on the earth such portentuous miracles then seen in Rome that the Senators came to Sybilla to know the effects and ends of these monstrous shows and to be instructed of the state of the City Vnto whom she gave six letters in writing three of R. and three of F. to be exponded of their wisemen whereof the meaning was found the thrée of R. were these Regâ—um Roma Ruet and the thrée of F. were Flamma Ferro Fame that is as much to say that the monarchy of Rome should perish with fire sword and hunger Dionisius in his fourth book saith that an aged woman brought nine books to Tarquinius Superbus being the seventh and last King of the Romans which she would have sold for three hundred Crowns to the King letting Tarquinius understand that those books were full of Oracles and divine answers but he making a jest of her books did burn three of them before her face demanding of her again what he should pay for the other six she answered Thrée hundred Crowns then he burned thrée more and asked what he should pay for the thrée books that were left She answered as before Thrée hundred Crowns The King marvelling much at the constancy of the woman bought the three books for three hundred Crowns and after that time that woman was never seen in Rome wherefore it is thought of the Romans that she was Sibilla Therefore these three books were preserved in Rome as aforesaid under the custody of three men appointed for the purpose and she so honoured and worshipped that sacrifice upon sacrifice was offered to Sibilla in Rome Thus the Oracles of Sibilla in Rome the Oracles of Apollo in Delphos the Oracle of Jupiter in Ammon were the instructors to the Gentiles and teachers of the Greeks Moreover they had such solemnities of feasts and celebration of banquets either called pontifical feasts for that it was ordained by Priests or else triumphant banquets after victories made of the Emperors and given to the people or else funeral feasts where honour and solemnitie was had for the dead As for games and plays to sacrifice and to honour their Gods they had Lupercalia Floralia Bacchanalia Cerealia with divers and sundry others to pleasure their Gods and to mitigate their fury and wrath For in the days of Tarquinius the proud for that divers women of Rome being great with children got sufeits in eating of Bulls flesh they appointed certain sacrifices to the Gods infernals called Tauâ—â—lia to appease their anger therein again for them that were sick Valerius Publicola who was the first Tribune in Rome appointed banquets and feasts in the temple of the Gods to asswage likewise their fury as Jupiter Juno and Minerva who were with banquets reconciled to restore health to the sick The homages and services the sacrifices and solemnities the banquets and feests the mirth and melody the pastime and sport the great games and plays that alwayes Greeks and Gentiles have used towards their Gods were almost infinite The honour and reverence that Jupiter had in Creet the worship and fame that Apollo had in Delphos the sacrifices and ceremonies that Mars had in Thracia are in books written and by authority recorded and I fear they be in the hearts of men too deeply printed Pallas had her seat in Athens Juno was enshrined in Samos Diana in Ephesus
Demetrius and Alexanders wife who then was a widdow and a Quéen in Corinth for in the midst of triumphs and preparations to the marriage Antigonus by deceit took the Castle commanded his souldiers in arms and proclaimed himself King in Corinth In the same book of Polinaeus the like History is written of Lysander of Sparta and Nearchus of Creet the one promising to the inhabitants of Miletum his aid and help in defending their liberties and the people giving credit to a Kings promise and trusting to have Lysander their special friend they found him their mortal foe for he deceived them thereby and took the City of Miletum unto himself The other sailing to the haven of Telmessus to renue friendship with Antripatridas who then governed the City of Telmessus under the color of friendship he had his men at arms ready on the Sea to destroy his friend and to take the City to himself This deceit was not onely séen in wars where much falshood and perjury is practised but in all things men use craft according to the proverb There is craft in daubing To speak of Theodectes craft toward his Master Aristotle to defraud him privily of his glory to speak of Sertorius deceit in winning authority among the common people to describe the means that Dionisius used to get mony amongst the Syracusans or how Pythius deceived Cannius in his bargain of fish or how Darius became King of Persia by the neighing of a Mare and a million more of such deceits and crafts were infinite I therefore refer the Reader to Poliaenus where he shall have enough of falshood But because craft is used diversly I will somewhat touch those that used craft in altering themselves into the form of women some for filthy lust some for vertues sake and some for vice What kind of dissimulation was in Sardanapalus King of Assyria to forsake the Empire to forgo his Kingdome to become like a woman to spin and card with his Concubines and so from the shape of a man to dissemble himself to be a woman What kind of dissimulation did that renowned and mighty Hercules even the off-spring of the Gods and son to Jupiter use after that he tamed monsters slew Giants overcame Dragons Lions wild beasts and yet he did translate himself from a champion and a conquerour into womans apparel and fashioned himself like a woman with such dissimulation he served Omphale Quéen of Lydia like a woman in the apparel of a woman at the whéel and at the cards at Omphales commandement What kind of craft used Clodius to bring his purpose to pass with Pompeia Caesars wife dissembling himself to be a woman as Cicero taunteth him in an Epistle that he writeth to Lentulus where he saith that Clodius dissembled with the Npmph Bona Dea as he was wont to use the thrée sisters Thus Clodius would at all times go unto Pompeia in the apparel of a woman to use such feats that he made Caesar to divorce his wife Pompeia Dissimulations and subtilties as they are most evil to practise so somtimes they are necessary to do good for example Euclides used the like craft as before but to a better purpose for he practised it not to féed lust or to pleasure affectioÌ„ but he used it to hear Socâ—ates to read Philosophy to learn wisedome from him For there was a law betwéen Athens and them of Megaris for the great hatred the one bare unto the other that whosoever came from Athens to Megaris should die and whosoever would go from Megaris to Athens should likewise die Thus death frighted not Euclides but the love thâ—t he bare to Socrates and to Philosophy and wisedome so emboldned him that he would in the night travel from Megaris to Athens in the apparel of a woman least he should be known and he returned before day from Athens to Megaris again This dissimulation and craft of Euclides was far better and more to be commended then the doings of the former Better is Semiramis Quéen of Babylon thought of in that she perceiving her young son Ninus to be too tender to govern the stout Babylonians and Assyrians and knowing the nature of the people to be impatient of a womans government became in her apparel like a man and ruled the Kingdome till her son came to ripe age More praâ—ie ought â—â—lâ—gia a woman of Antioch to have who though she fained her self to be a man and dissembled with the world in that case yet this was to avoid incontinence and to live chast and solitary without the company of men For this cause is the Greek Virgin Mâ—rina and Euphrosina a maid of Alexandria worthily preferred before Cleocritus and Clisthenes for that they went in the apparel of men to live in the wildernesse to avoid lust and sensuality the others went in the apparell of women to beguile women Caelius doth report that certain women as Mantinia Lasthenia Axâ—othea and Phliasia would come in their apparel like men to hear Plato read philosophy in the schools The cause of their dissimulations was vertue and honest life the cause of the others dissimulation was vice and a wicked life so that dissimulation is both good and bad For we read at what time the armed youth of Gréece had determined co fetch home again fair Helene Menelaus wife from Troy where she was deteined by Paris King Priamus son that then Achilles the stoutest and worthiest of all the Gréeks while yet he slept in the Tent of Chiron his mother Thetis suddenly took him from Chiâ—ons house and changed his apparel into the apparel of a woman and appointed where he should hide himself with the daughters of King Lycomedes where he got one of them with child and commanded her to betray him to no man for she knew that her son Achilles should die in Troy if he should go thither There Achilles was a long while at the commandement of his mother Thetis untill the Oracle was given that the City of Troy should never be destroyed without the help of Achilles Ulisses being most subtill and crafty taking upon him to séek out Achilles took a little pack full of fine wares such as women buy and a strong bow and arrows thus when Ulisses came to King Lycomedes daughters though he knew Achilles to be there yet because he was in the apparel of a woman he knew him not and therefore shewed his fine ware unto the Kings daughters having a strong bow bent by him while Deidamia the mother of Pyrrhus and the rest of her sisters viewed the glistering ware of Ulisses Achilles stept in and took Ulisses bow in hand and drew it whereby Ulisses séeing him draw so strong a bow he straight perceived that he was Achilles And thus one craft beguileth another one deceit deceiveth another and one dissembling man findeth out another For by the means of Ulisses was the dissimulation of Achilles known I might have just occasion here to speak of those that were
power hurt Rome so much as their hidden hatred betwéen themselves did Again Alexander the great Cyrus the valiant Xerxes the famous most mighty Conquerors with all their strength of wars could not annoy Greece half so much as their inward Envy betwéen the Cities of Gréece What caused Julius Caesar to war against his son in law Pompey Ambition What made Adrian the Emperor to despise the worthy fame of Traâ—an Envy What moved Cato surnamed of Vtica to kill himself Envy to Caesar Hidden hatred working for private gain and rash counsel of flattery which is heard most often in the envious mouth have destroyed Kingdoms Envy first entred into the hearts of Princes arrested the worthiest Conquerors waded into the bowels of the wise and blushed not to attaint the learned Philosophers in the middest of Athens Hercules in killing the great Dragon that watched in the garden of Hesperides in destroying the ravening birds Stimphalides in conquering the raging and furious Centaurs in vanquishing terrible monsters as Gâ—rcon and Cerbeâ—us in overcomming the Lion the Boar and the Full in overtaking the gilded Hart and lastly for his conquest of the huge and prodigious Hydâ—a in the fens of Lerna won no lesse envy of some then he justly deserved fame of others Theseus to imitate the haughty attempts of Hercules overcame Thebes slew Minoâ—â—mus in the dens of Labyrinthus subdued Caâ—on the Tyrant with divers other large enterprises as one more willing to envie the fame of Hercules then desirous to deserve fame by lenity and quietnesse So might I speak of Julius Caesar that envied Alexander the great and Alexander likewise that envied Achilles And thus alwayes Envy was fostered by Princes With the wise and learned envy bare great sway as betwixt Plato and Xenophon the best and gravest philosophers in their time betwixt Demonsthenes and Aeâ—â—ines betwixt Aristotle and Isocrates one despising the other Such slaughter grew of Envy that one brother killed another the son the father and the father likewise the son as Romulus slew his brother Remus through envy lest he might be King in Rome Cambyses King of Persia killed his brother Mergides as Herodotus doth write through envy Envy caused Anachaâ—sis the Philosopher to be slain by his own brother Cadvidus King Jugurth murthered both his brethren Hiempsalis and Adherbales that he onely might reign King in Numidia Cain did kill his brother Abel the scripture doth testifie because his sacrifice was not accepted Thus envy was known and seen to be betwixt brethren betwixt parents and their children The like we read that envy committed horrible and terrible murthers as well betwixt the husband and the wife as in the children towards their Parents as in short examples is verified Clicenmestra slew her own husband Agamemnon and she again was slain by her son Orestes Queen Semiâ—ams killed likewise her husband King Ninus and she was killed even so by her son called Ninus Agrippina murthered her husbaÌ„d Tiberius she was also murthered by hâ—r son Nero O cruel tyranny that envy should ever cause such unnatural murther as one brother to kill another the father to destroy his son the son to slay his fathsr the husband to murther his wife the wife to make away her husband We read in Pliny of a certain King in Thebes named Athamas that gave both his sons the one named Learchus the other Euriclea to be devoured by ravenous Lions So many monstrous tyrants have been brought up in the school of envy so many deformed Centaures that all countries have been full of them When Antiphiles saw Apelles in great favour with King Ptolomy he so envied the matter that he told the King in spight to Apelles that Apelles was the very cause of the long wars between the Tyrians and Egypt to discredit Apelles for very envy that he was great with the King but the matter being known and his envy weighed Apelles was rewarded by the King with a hundred Talents and Antiphiles for his envy commanded afterward all the daies of his life to be the slave and bonomen of Apelles Themistocles was so grieved to see Miltiades so honoured for his great conquest and triumph in Marathon that being demanded why he was so sad he answered Mitiades triumphs will not suffer Themistocles to be joyfull There was no countrey but envy bare sway in it there was never any great vertue but it was accompanied with envy Caesar was envied in Rome by Cato Turnus was envied in Rutilia by Drances Ulisses was envied in Gréece by Ajax Demetrius was envied in Macedonia after King Cassander died What envy M. Crassus bare toward Pompey is sufficiently known What hidden hatred Pollio had toward Cicero may be read in Brusonius the third book the seventh chapter where Pollio saith to Messala that he could not endure the voice of Cicero The like we read of Aristotle who envied Isocrates so much that he was wont to say It were a shame to Aristotle to hold his peace and let Isocrates speak For as there is no light saith Pliny without a shadow so there is no vertue or glory without envy The wavering state of the vulgar which always ruled Rome and Athens was so mutable and uncertain that after wise and sage Socrates was condemned to die being dead the Athenians repented his accusers were banished and Socrates now being dead had his pictures erected which being alive the rude and uncertain people estéemed nothing Even so was Aristides and Themistocles banished into Persia Iphicrates into Thrace Conon into the province of Corporos Chabrias into Egypt and Cares into Sigeum men of excellent vertues of noble service of renowned fame yet by the envious people they were banished their own countreys to range abroad the world Again Homer was envied by Zoilus Pindarus by Amphimanes Simonides by Timocreon yea learned Maro and Horace were envied and backbiten by Maevius and Suffenus What do I speaking of envy Why wast I time to write of envy Wherefore seem I so fond to touch a general subject being so common with all men so nourished in all countreys being known from the beginning of the world and being first practised by the Devil who envying mans state the felicity joy and pleasure hee was in lest man should possesse the place where somtime the Devil reigned as an Angel he deceived man This envy took root then in the first Age for Cain envied so his brother Abel that he slue him for that God accepted the sacrafice of Abel and refused his Joseph was by his own brethren sold into Egypt for envy that he was better beloved of his father then they were Saul did envy King David that he gave his daughter Michal in marriage to David for that she being his daughter might betray her husband to the Philistines Dathan and Abiram had great envy toward Aaron Daniel was much envied in the Palace of King Nebuchadnezzar What should I be long in this The Apostles the Prophets the Martyrs yea Christ himself
THE MARROW OF HISTORY OR THE Pilgrimage of KINGS and PRINCES TRULY Representing the variety of Dangers inhaerent to their Crowns and the lamentable Deaths which many of them and some of the best of them have undergone Collected Not onely out of the best Modern Histories but from all those which have been most famous in the Latine Greek or in the Hebrew Tongue Shewing Not onely the Tragedies of Princes at their Deaths but their Exploits and sayings in their lives and by what virtues some of them have flourished in the height of Honour and overcome by what affections others of them have sunk into the depth of all Calamities A Work most delightfull for Knowledge and as profitable for Example Collected by Lodowick Lloyd one of the Gentlemen in ordinary to Queen Elizabeth And Corrected and Revived by R.C. Master of Arts. London Printed by E. Alsop dwelling near the Upper-Pump in Grubstreet 1653. To the true Lover of all good Learning the Truly Honourable CHARLS DIMMOCK Esquire c. SIR I Have here preferred to your observance and protection a work of great Art and of greater Industry you shall find in it a Summary of almost all the Kingdomes and Common-wealths upon the earth and what were the men of Power which commanded in them and also what were as well their Excellencies of Understanding as of Soveraignty it being a Gift unto great men who are called unto extraordinary places to be indued for the most part with extraordinary abilities Here as from a Turret of Speculation you may look down upon the Vulgar and every where behold how near of kin is Misery to Mortality and raising afterwards your Contemplation higher you may looke up on those who have been the Potentates and Princes of the Earth and observe how empty is the Title of Greatnesse and how vain in the Grave is the Prerogative of Kings insomuch that if the Dusts of Alexander the Great and of Bucephalus his Horse were committed both unto one Urn I do believe that Aristotle himself could not distinguish betwixt them either by his Philosophy or his Flattery Sir It it is then easie to be seen that it is onely Virtue that crowneth the lives of Princes and after their deaths doth raise them higher then their Pyramids yet in many Examples you may distinctly here observe that even the best of Kings and those of them who have been nearest unto Heaven have often stooped under the greatest Visitations as the highest Hills are most often checked by the lowdest Thunders But others there have been whose lives by their Lust and Cruelty have been covered with infamy or by their Sloth with silence as Tertullian speaks of Sardanapalus that if he had not been famous for his Riot no man had known him to be a King therefore those depraved Affections are here described and by many Examples abundantly illustrated in the pursuit of which so many great men and Conquerours upon Earth have both delighted and perished They are produced as a Caution unto all and the Book may serve as a Mirrour unto the Best in which they may observe the uncertainty of humane condition in the Pilgrimage of this life It precisely Sir devoteth it self to your protection in whose Example as in a purer Mirror may be read all the Influences of Honour and of Chivalry which that you may long live to dispence amongst us is the dayly prayer of him who is Sir Your most humble and most devoted Servant ROB. CODRINGTON THE PILGRIMAGE OF KINGS and PRINCES CHAP. I. That all Princes are but Pilgrims and some Pilgrims are higher then Kings THis at first may seem a paradox but upon a deliberate consideration it will easily unriddle it self For if you look upon a King in the first place as he is but a man he is a Pilgrim and no more He begins his journey in his cradle and travels every year from sorrow unto sorrow The pleasures and pomp that courts him are but momentary like a flash of lightning that is rather the subject of his memory then his eye But the troubles and the dangers are perpetual and lie as heavy upon his heart as the Crown upon his head This was not unaptly resembled by the Tyrant who his friend affecting the crown did invite him to a Banquet where there was nothing wanting either for abundance or magnificence the Sea and Earth were examined for their rarest provisione to satisfie his palate and on the Cupboard India did appear in all her treasures This indéed did promise a welcome above the invitation but behold over his head a sword hung upon one hair and by its ponderous burthen carrying a certain Death in its point did threaten a sudden destruction to him so that the edge of his appetite being taken off and the Banquet ended there needed no man to say so much as Much good d'it you to him And yet for all this I know not by what secret temptation of Ambition it comes about that the Crown is the onely object of all great Spirits not considering what cares hang round about the ring ols of it This was that which made the great Turkish Emperour seeing a shepheard sitting on a hill and making melody to himself as he marched with his puissant Army against Tamberlane O happy shepheard said he who hath neither any remarkable Town nor any Army to lose Agreable to this is what at least the Poets enform us of Henry the fourth of England who lying on his Death-bed and sending for the Crown his Son came to visit him and beholding the Crown on the pillow and his Father so fast asléep that not the least motion of breath could be discovered to come from him to vex the lightest feather on the pillow he took the Crown away conceiving his Father to be dead Not long after his Father did awake and missing the Crown demanded where it was and who was so bold as to take it away It being answered That his Son had it to whom it was due by the right of succession his Son came in to whom his Father said That if he knew with what travel both of mind and body and with what danger of both it was purchased he would never be so hastie to take it away but kéep far from it as from the center of all sorrow and affliction And if the whole life of man is but a Pilgrimage the life of Kings is the greatest pilgrimage of al A pilgrimage it is both of the mind and of the body to which they are most subject who have the most and the greatest Kingdoms Their life is a perpetual vexation whether you look upon them as greedy to possesse the Kingdomes of others or solicitous to defend their own No sooner one trouble is ended but another begins occasioned either by covetousnesse or ambition or by jealousies extrinsick or Domestick sometimes they fear the over-growing power of their neighbouring Princes somtimes they do lie in wait to intrap them sometimes they
passing with his army unto Scithia and India had read this Epitaph and perceiving the slippery estate of Princes the uncertainty of life and mutability of fortune he much doubted the state of his own life howbeit at that voyage he forgot by means of Mars the Epitagh of King Cyrus untill he returned from India from his wars into Babylon where he married Statira King Darius daughter whom before he conquered where such liberality was shewed such magnificency done such gifts given such banquets kept that Alexander upon his own charges married the most part of the Nobles of Macedonia unto the Ladies of Persia the feasts during five days amounted to the sum of thrée and twenty thousand Talents every Talent valued at fourscore pounds he repeating oft the Epitaph of Cyrus would suffer none though divers Princes were present to be at any charges but himself onely saying that which fortune giveth unto Alexander the same will Alexander give unto his friends for Cyrus grave is appointed unto Alexander in this Alexander passed all Princes in taking all and giving all private faults may not deprave open vertues every man hath a fault Alexander was known to be a drunkard Julius Caesar was noted to be ambitious Antiochus the the great King of Syria blamed for lechery Alcibiades of pride Pâ—rrhus of incredulity Hannibal of falshood Dionifius of tyranny I may number up infinite Princes who for one vice may not be forgotten for their divers vertues Vertue must not be hidden for that vice is manifest Phrine a Courtisan sometime of Gréece though for her slanderous life worthy reprehension yet for her liberality she ought well to be remembred for after Alexander the great had subdued that famous City of Thebes and made the walls thereof even with the ground she offered to re-edifie the same upon this condition that upon every gate of the City this sentence shall be set This City Alexander the great threw down and this City Phrine the Courtisan builded up again The like I have read of Queen Rhodope sometime a Courtisan and a lewd woman who made up the brave and sumptuous work called the Pyramides in Egypt where she used such liberalliry such a vast expence of money that for her noblenesse she was well worthy to be commended though for vitious living she was otherwise to be blamed Men and women were desirous then to be liberal Then Princes were as liberal and beneficial with such lenity and humanity unto the poor as they grew afterward to be hard and covetous with severity and cruelnesse Therefore Anaxilaus a liberal Prince was often wont to say that the chiefest commendations and noblest vertues which could be in a Prince were not to be overcome in beneficial doings Attalus King of Assa languishing in sicknesse and ready to dy bequeathed his Kingdome and Scepter of Asia unto the noble Romans by testament fully and freely to bestow it on whom they would for that they were so liberal and beneficial sometime towards him whilest yet fortune favoured him not A liberal Prince cannot be void of love Antigonus was wont to answer Aristodemus one of his Councel who was brought up of a boy in his Kitchin when he spake any thing against princely gifts and found fault with Antigonus liberality that his talk did smel of the Kitchin A fit reprehension for such a saucie servant who hindred Kings from doing good and moved Princes to do evil I would such Sycophants should be so answered by Princes as Aristodemus was of King Antigonus Worthy of perpetual memory was Artaxerxes for his passing liberality towards the poor souldiers that came from the Lacedemonian war with him he made them that came on foot unto him to go home on horseback he that came on horseback he sent him home in a chariot and he that had a village before he came unto him he gave him a city at his going away from him A Prince worthy of Subjects and a Captain most fit for Souldiers What made Julius Caesaa to be beloved of his souldiers What caused Alexander to be honoured of all men Magnificence and liberality The one in the great Wars at Pharsalia at what time he conquered Pompeius the Great having all the treasures and substance of Pompeius brought before him took nothing from the souldiers but Pompeius letters The other after he had vanquished King Darius having a great chest full of treasure where he found in present coyn two hundred thousand pound beside other inestimable treasures and jewels took nothing from his souldiers but a little book named the Illiads of Homer wherein he delighted more to read the noble acts of the Gréeks and the worthy feats of the Troyans then in all the wealth of Persia Thus liberality maintained their fame Thus their magnificent benefits so spread forth their noble names that happy was he that could be a souldier unto Caesar or to Alexander I remember a certain King in Syracusa named Hiero who understanding the liberality of the Romanes and perceiving the penury of victuals which then the Romans sustained in the wars of Tharsimenos did send three hundred thousand bushels of wheat and two hundred thousand of barley with great sums of gold and silver to ease the Roman souldiers and fearing that his gifts would not be taken nor his presents received considering the nature and liberallity of the Romans he willed the Embassadours to say that it was an homage and service of good will sent to honour the Romans from Hiero King of Siracusa an excellent policy to practise beneficence with manifest examples of a liberal heart O Rome how happy hast thou been through thy liberrlity and good will hast won the hearts of all Kingdomes and countries Vntill Ninus time all things were common no division of ground no hoording of mony no covetousnesse known no greedinesse of Kingdomes no desire of wealth in fine for the space of two hundred and fifty years for the simplicity innocency and true dealing of people it was worthily called the golden world and then a man could not find a covetous person and now a man cannot find a liberal friend then no man knew to do evil and now no man knoweth to do good then no man did take and now no man doth give in fine then one for another and now all for themselves What made Cimon a liberal Gentleman of Athens to be so famous in Greece his liberality amongst nigards he onely counted liberal and all Athens besides covetous whereby he deserved renown and glory amongst so many nippers of money he onely shewed himself bountifull and liberall What caused Flaminius to be so much spoken of amongst the Romans his liberal gifts amongst so many greedy takers his open benefits amongst their privat wealth and hidden hatred What moved the Agrigentines to honour so much the manly Gillias to advance his fame to extol his name his liberality Such covetousnesse then was in Athens Rome and Agrigentum that then worthy were these of admiration
repeat the fable of grashoppers and the ants to exhort men to travel and to labour with little ants Plato that divine and noble Philosopher in his second book de Rep. doth use the like fables Aristotle in his Rhetorick doth use fables Mark how fables ease the Philosopher in his study help the Orator in his perswasioÌ„s garnish the Divine in his sermons and in fine they bring pleasure in any thing Thus I thought good to write in the commendations of Painting and Poetrie of which for the secret friendship and for the affinity of one with another much more might be spoken I meane not those fonde foolish and fantasticall fables fostered by women and old men sitting at the fire where often the idle braine is occupyed but those wise and prudent fables of Poets which containe wisedom in sense though they séeme light in words which durst not be opened plainely in those dayes for the Tyranny of Princes which then would not have their faults touched by any yet were they covertly reprooved in fables Poeticall As the fable of Sphinx of Circes of Tantalus of Acteon and of others CHAP. IX Of Eloquence the Delight and defence of Princes in their pilgrimage PYrthus King of the Epycotes the defender a long time of the Tarentines was woont to say of Cineas his Oratour that he wan more victories through the eloquence of Cineas theÌ„ through the force and puissance of all his Epirâ—tes besides for through eloquence Cineas would make the stout enemies to yéeld and by eloquence would Cineas move the cowardly souldiers to victory Valerius a noble and eloquent Romane at what time the Kings of Rome were expelled and their names quite banished and the popular state having such liberty therby that the whole City through sedition and late sprung liberty was like to come to ciâ—ill ware amongst themselves had not Valerius appeased the fury of the people being ready in hearts to become enemies unto their countrey finding them triumphing much and rejoycing within themselvs and devided one from another to maintains discord he reduced them not onely through his eloquence unto peace and quietnesse but also brought them unto such state that where Rome was like to fall over to greatest ruine Rome at that time began most to flourish and prosper Great was the force of eloquence in Marcus Antonius who with his sugred and sweet perswasions turned the furious rage and tyranny of the souldiers of Marius and Cinna being sent by these two cruel Captains to kill him unto such lenity and mercy that having their swords naked drawne and ready to kill him having heard Antonius his eloquence as men convicted with words would not perform the execution though they had great rewards appointed nor could they of themselves though enemies they were unto Antonius finde in their hearts to kill him Pericles wanne such renown in Athens by his eloquence who sometime was a scholler unto Anaxagoras that he had the government and rule of Athens committed to him as to one in whose words the people reposed more credit and trust then they did in the force strength of al Athens beside Insomuch that when he would speak any thing unto the people such mellifluous words and sugred sentences procéeded out of his mouth that they were amazed or astonied to hear him being alwayes never weary of his counsel Wee read that their eyes did water to sée him their eares were allured to hear him their hearts were convicted to yéeld unto him Cowards are made couragious and stout tyrants are made gentle and merciful Cities preserved victories gotten and all by eloquence What is it but man is able through comely gesture and apt pronountiation to bring to passe What could escape Cicero in Rome What might have avoyded Demosthenes in Athens Whose knowne eloquence whose learned perswasions whose swéet and sugred words could not aswel move emnity in Athens toward King Philip as it could kindle love in Rome toward Pompeius Such is the excellency of eloquence that it moveth as well men to behold for the gesture countenance and pronunciation as it doth inforce men to hear for the Majesty and sweetnesse of words For Hortensius was not so eloquent in words but he was as comely in gesture and so excellent in either of them that when he spake before the people Senators and Citizens of Rome they were no less enamoured with his sight then they were allured and enticed with his words for he laboured no lesse outwardly to please the times then he studied inwardly to please men Therefore Demosthenes the Well and source of flowing eloquence being demanded what was the chief part of eloquence answered that it was pronunciation again being demanded what was the second part of eloquence he said pronunciation And so the third time being likewise demanded said as before pronunciation Insomuch that he travelled and studied oftentimes to have this pronunciation being somewhat by nature letted to speak putting stones in the roof of his mouth and wrastling with nature until he had the perfection of pronunciation When Aeschines had forsaken Athens for certain causes and was come unto Rhodes whose fame for his eloquence was spread not onely in Rhodes but well known in all Greece after he was desired by the Citizens to recite some Oration or other of his own making whereby the Rhodians might sée and hear that which long before of all men they heard praised He to satisfie the request of the City repeated an Oration that he made against Ctesiphon wherein the people of Rhodes mused much at his eloquence And when he had ended his own Oration that he inveighed against Ctesiphon to put the people in a greater admiration of eloquence he recited another Oration that Demosthenes made in the defence of Ctesiphon against Aeschines wherein the people were amazed at the eloquence of Demosthenes more then at the first Which when Aeschines saw that his enemy Demosthenes was so praised for they were one envious of another he was enforced to speak that if the Rhodians might but hear Demosthenes himself then would they rightly praise him since they praised Demosthenes Oration in Aeschines mouth for no man hath so great a delight to tell another mans story and especially his enemies as he hath pleasure to set forth his own Plato therefore that famous Gréek attributing unto every man due honour when certain men skilfull in Geometry came to ask Plato's counsel concerning the measure quantity and longitude of things he counselled them to go unto Euclides where they should be sufficed and fully satisfied of their demands for that Euclides might more aptly speak in Geometry for it was his profession For every man saith Aristotle may boldly speak in that which he professeth and therefore Apelles that noble and cunning Painter when a Shoomaker came unto his schoole and féeding his fight with the worthy works of Apelles he found fault with a latchet of a shoe Apelles because he was a Shomaker gave him
Chariot as a Prince and not as a poor Philosopher Might not that poor midwife named Phanaerara rejoyce to have such a son as Socrates who being estéemed of all men to be best learned being counted of all men most Orthodor and taken of all men to be most modest and most grave was also judged by the Oracle of Apollo to be the wisest in all the world How happy was Elbia How famous was Creithes who nursed two such sons as Cicero and Homer the one the glory of Rome the other the sugred and sweet Oratour of all Greece Thus diligence and travel brought them to fame that being poor men they were honoured of rich men being base men they were exalted of Princes Oh happy countries of such women oh happy women of such children Oh twice happy children of such learning and knowledge The poor Smith which was Demosthenes father and the silly Potter who was Virgils father are more renowned by their children this day being dead then known by their own wealth being alive Thus much happened unto the silly Smith and unto the poor Potter their names shall never die whilest either Demosthenes is read or Virgil heard What might be spoken of that poor Physitian Nichomachus son I mean that famous and learned Philosopher Aristotle whom King Philip of Macedonia so estéemed that he counted himself happy to have his son Alexander the great born in Aristotles time whose diligence and study was such that he had the guard and tuition of that renowned Conqueror Alexander five years together who was honoured of Alexander and not onely esteemed of King Philip but Athens being destroyed by Alexander it was restored by Aristotle Such was the diligence of men their care and industries that their large volumns and infinite books are witness of their well occupied minds How became Plutarch Master to Traian the Emperor How was Seneca appointed the Tutor and Schoolmaster of the Emperor Nero How came Zeno unto such favour with King Antigonus but by diligence and not by idleness by travel and not by slothfulness by learning and not by ignorance Why did that great and famous Roman Scipio sirnamed Affricanus esteem so much the poor Poet Ennius alive that being dead he caused his picture to be set before his eys as a pledge of his great love and earnest good will It was for the desert that Scipio found in Ennius Why did Augustus Caesar that wise and Godly Emperor make so much of Maro's books but because he was in his time the lamp of Rome he honoured no lesse his books after he was dead then he embraced him alive The great King Artaxerxes thought himself half dead without the company of Hippocrates Pomponius Atticus did think him happy when either Cicero was in his sight or some of his books in his bosome Alexander never went to bed without Homer under his pillow Who will not praise the diligence of poor Cleanthes the Philosopher Who will not commend the travel of Plautus the comical Poet the one living with a Baker the other with a Bruer with much care and pain in the day time that they might study in the night time Such was their poverty and necessity that they were urged to labour in the day such was their affection and desire unto learning that they were willing to study in the day time Who will not extol Euclides to take such pains and to incur such danger to go in the night time in the apparel of a woman because he might not be known to hear Socrates read Philosophy Oh painfull men Oh worthy members of their country that so sought by diligence that so travelled by study and industry and in fine so found by wit and reason the redresse of things to disperse that diffused Chaos which Time said Cicero had then scant opened the doore unto Then after private pain and special study of sundry men in several countries knowledg came to that perfection that from one man in one place divers grew learned and pollitick Thus from Romulus the first builder and King of the Romans Rome in short time had wise and discréet Counsellours to govern the City From Solon the first law-giver after Draco amongst the Athenians by and by learned and eloquent Oratours flourished in Athens From Lycurgus amongst the Lacedemonians straight grew modest and grave Senators called Ephori And thus from one in the beginning divers procéeded forth in the end Thus the Prophets began amongst the Egyptians the Gimnosophistes among the Indians the Caldeans amongst the Babylonians the Sages called Magi amongst the Persians And so of others in other countries And thus by diligence were all men first commended by their pilgrimage and labour of life and were well recorded in memory for their service to their countrey Prince and friends that so having finished their pilgrimage in this life the fame of their merits were a perpetual memory to them after death CHAP. XIII Of the first inventors of artes countenanced by Princes and of the use of southsaying TThe world being raw and rude and barbarous without all civil pollicy Nature of it selfe first mooved men to civilize their manners and instructed the ignorant to séek and search things unknowne This Nature wrought in divers men in sundry countries a desire to knowledge whereby men exercised their gifts to the advancement and commendation of their countries following as Cicero saith Nature as a good guide and a Captaine to finde out that which was not known And because nature was alwayes desirous to be acquainted with art as a thing to exornate and beautifie her selfe she first invented letters as the foundation and the ground whence all learning doth procéed Afterwards letters were invented amongst the Hebrews by Phylo and brought unto Gréece by Cadmus and practised first in Egypt by Memnon from Egypt unto Phrygia brought by one named Hercules an Egyptian born Again among the Hetruscans letters were first invented and written by Demaratus a Corinthian Amongst the Romanes as both Plutarch and Solinus do affirm the Pilagians invented letters and taught the use thereof And some Authors of great credit affirm that Nicostrata the mother of Evander the Areadian invented letters first in Rome So Radamanthus in Syria and so others in divers places of the world were studious and carefull to search a way by reason to practise the same by wit and to disperse the lumpish Chaos which yet for want of knowledge had no perfect forme And now letters being invented Grammer worthyly came to claime the second seat of fame whose beginning and entrance unto Rome was celebrated by Epicurus brought by one Crates being sent as Ambassador from king Attalus unto the Senatours at the time of the second wars of Carthage This is the well whence flow all other sciences for from the faculty of writing and the art of speaking do the rest procéed Macrobius preferreth Dydimus for his excellency herein Cicero commendeth one named Antonius Enipho whose schoole and lecture Cicero
called Pyromancy which is a certain divination by fire thus Tanaquil Tarquinius Priscus wife when she saw thâ— flames playing about Servius Tullius head she affirmed thereby that he should be King in Rome The third is Aeromancy which useth to prognosticate things by the air as by flying of Fowls and tempest of weather as when it rained Iron in Lucania it did presage said they the death of Marcus Crassus amongst the Parthians or as Livi writeth when it rained stones in Picen at the second wars of Carthage it was to shew the slaughter and murther that Hannibal should do in Italy The fourth is Hydromancy to judge things to come by fight of water as Varro doth report of a boy that saw the picture or image of Mercury in the water pronouncing and reciting all the wars of Mithridates King of Pontus that should follow in verses There are two other kinds of Magick the one named Geomancy to declare and expound things by the opening gaping and moving of earth the other Chiromancy to judge by the lines of hanâ—s called Palmistry these are they that Cicero maketh mention of in his first book of divinations where he saith Cum semitam ipsi nesciant alijs tamen monstrant viam they will teach others that way that they know not themselves They will teach others how to have money and substance and yet they are themselves poor beggars always in the house of Codrus hanging at the fléeve of Irus There is again a kind of Soothsaying which was first practised in the land of Hetruria where when a certain Husbandman ploughed in the field called l'arquimen a certain man appeared in sight who sprang up from the ground which then was plowed named Tages in face and countenance much like a young child but in wisedome and discretion far surmounting any sage Philosopher This Tages taught all the land of Hetrmia Plini saith that one Delphos first invented Soothsaying and Amphiaraus first invented soothsaying by fire Polydorus describeth another sort of Soothsayers who were wont to conjecture and foreshew by beasts slain to be sacrificed whether the heart the liver or such like did perish as Caesar which when he sacrificed an Oxe unto Jupiter which had no heart thereby the Soothsayers prognosticated the infelicity and mishap of Caesar Likewise King Xerxes in his wars against the Gréeks a Mare being a stout and warlike beast brought forth a Hare a timerous and fearfull thing whereby they declared the overthrow of Xerxes and his huge army and the flight and cowardize thereof Again there is a kind of sooth saying by lightning thunders and tempests The folly of men was such that they thought nothing to be in the world but had hidden knowledge concerning man they would take nothing in hand without some Oracles of Jupiter or Apollo they reposed more trust in flying fowls in their chirping notes concerning any attempts which they took in hand then in their own force and strength they had more confidence in beasts of the field and trusted more in elementary sights In fine there was nothing almost but they had more respect either unto the colour the voice the proportion and such like toys then they had in themselves as is before mentioned in the worshipping of their Gods and institution of Religion These foolish toys were first observed amongst the Chaldeans from Chaldea they came to Gréece from Gréece to Hetruria from Hetruria to Rome and from Rome to all Europe they were scattered Wherefore Moses that wise Hebrew and the singular instrument of God for his people commanded that no man should consult with those wicked and abominable faculties saying unto his people You shall not beléeve Sooth-sayers neither shal you trust unto dreams The Iews were so addicted to observe these augurations that they would not go to war at any time without some warnings and conjectures had by some bird or beast insomuch that one Mossolanus a Iew born a wise man noted in his Countrey making his voyage unto wars as Josephus in his first book of Antiquitie doth write was commanded with all his hoste to stay untill a certaine southsayer would go to counsel and know the successe of the wars which then he took in hand with a bird hard by the army Mossolanus perceiving how they were inclined and wholly bent to be instructed by divination he took his bow and an arrow and slew this bird whereat the souldiers were so amazed and the soothsayer so angry that had not Mossolanus perswaded the people wisely he had béen like though he was their Captain to have béen by his own souldiers slain but after long tumult made Mossolanus spake after this sort unto his souldiers Do you think that birds beasts and such like dumb things can foreshew things to you which know nothing of themselves for behold the bird which you trusted most unto and likewise your soothsayer could not sée to avoid my purpose when I slue him Do you trust that creature for your lives which is ignorant of his own death O blindnesse of people which yet remaineth in this age Thus having briefly past the inventers of sciences in sundry countries men were much given to find other necessaries to live by and studious to make things profitable for their countries and carefull to augment the state and life of man to full perfection For the Cyclopians were the first workers of Iron work the Lacedemonians the first inventers of harnesse spears swords and bucklers for wars people thereby most renowned the Athenians taught first to plant trees and Vineyards the Phrygians made first the chariots and waggons the Lydians used first to dresse wools and so the people of Caria practised first bows and arrows and the Phenicians the Crossebow then other particular matters were likewise sought out by divers speciall men in speciall countries for the use of man as oyl and honey by Aristeus Keys by Theodotus the Samian Ships to sail by Jason silver by Ericthomus gold by Cadmus Thus every where each man in his pilgrimage did something worthy of memory Thrason was renowned for his lofty walls and his towers Danaus for his wells and for his digging of water Cinira for finding out Copper Brasse Lead and such other metals Ceres for sowing of Corn and Bacchus for planting the Vine thus the world in time waxed not onely populous but it grew also skilfull in things and plentifull of laws for the redresse and safeguard of man CHAP. XIIII Of Patience of Kings and Princes PAtience is a vertue saith Cato the wise in all adversities the best medicine to a sick man the surest plaister to any sore it comforteth the heavy it rejoiceth the sad it contenteth the poor it healeth the sick it easeth the painful it hurteth no man it helpeth all men therefore said the wise man Byon that that the greatest harm that can happen unto man is not to be able to sustain and abstain For this was Tiberius Caesar much commended of Suetonius that he
unto Daniel in the Den to Sidrach in the Fire to Jonas in the water was nothing else but examples for our learning to be gentle one unto another even as Iesus Christ was unto us all thus we conclude as Cicero said of Caesar that Caesar extolling Pompey being dead and setting up his pictures did extoll his own name so that the clemency that men do shew unto others doth advance their own glory CHAP. XVI Of sober and temperate Kings and Princes and where temperance and sobriety were most used SO much was this noble vertue of temperance estéemed with ancient people that they thought the greatest pleasure and the happiest life was to abstain from desired meat and drink So much was this sobriety of life commended of learned Philosophers that Anacharsis the Scythian was wont to write about the pictures of Princes this little lesson Rule Lust Temper the Tongue Bridle the Belly Whereby the Philosopher diligently perswaded Princes to be temperate of life to be sober in talk and to abstain from filthy féeding For to subdue appetite to vanquish lust to suppress pleasure is a worthy conquest He is a worthy Victor a famous Conquerour a puissant Prince that can govern his own affection For even as fishes are taken with hooks so men saith Pliny are allured with pleasure It is the greatest vertue that can be in man to abstain from pleasure to avoid these baits these swéet pleasures wise Princes have lothed banquetting and drinking insomuch that Julius Caesar that famous Emperour of Rome for his singular sobriety and passing temperance was the glory of Europe and for his abstinence the onely mirrour of Italy who by overcomming of himself overcame all Europe Of this Emperour Cato of Uâ—ica would say though he was a mortal enemy unto Caesar for that Caesar used the company of Catoes sister Servilia that one sober Caesar should subdue all Rome His abstinence was such saith Pliny that most seldome or never would this Emperour drink wine Agesilaus King of the LacedemÌ„onians passing through the country of Thasius being met with then â—bles and entertained of the people with divers dainties and rare banquets to welcome the King unto the country he touched not their dainties but fed onely with bread and drink to satisfie the importunity of the Thasians And being earnestly requested and humbly sought and in manner inforced least he should séem ungratefull not to eat their meats he commanded his footmen and slaves the Helots to feed if they would on such chear saying That princes might not pamper themselves with dainty chear and wines but to use abstinence and temperance The one is incident to vice and shame the other a nurse unto vertue and glory for in eating and drinking there lieth hidden that sucking Serpent named Forgetfulness To avoid therefore gluttony and drunkennesse which are often tendred unto Princes Constantius that most temperate Emperour kept him alwaies so hungry that he would take of a poor woman a crust of bread to satisfie hunger It was Licuâ—gus law in Sparta and Zeâ—uchus rule in Locresia to abstain from delicate meats and sweet wines as from an enemy unto Princes for wise men were wont to say that meat is onely good to expell hunger and drink to quench thirst King Cyrus in his wars being demanded of his host what he would have provided against dinner Bread said Cyrus for drink we shall not want meaning as Amianus saith water This vertue of abstinence was so honoured then that Princes which were given to wine were odious to the world A great shame it was in Thebes in Leonidas time to make banquets thus Epaminondas that brave Prince of temperance being willed of a rich Citizen being his friend to come to a supper he found there such superfluous chear such excesse of meat and drink that he said being much offended with his friend that he thought he was invited to come to eat like a man and not to féed like a beast This Prince knew the incommodity of féeding and again knew the commodity of abstinence A number of excellent vertues do follow abstinence as continence chastity sobriety and wisedome A heap of vices wait on pampering Princes as gluttony lechery drunkennesse and such others Such was the temperance of great King Porus of India that bread and water was his accustomed chear Such was the abstinence of Masinista King of Numidia being fourscore years old that he fed hungerly always and not daintily at any time Such was the temperance of that noble Pericles and of that Gréek Tymon that Aelianus in his book of divers histories commendeth the abstinence of the one and Cicero in his book of friendship extolleth the temperance of the other and so jointly these two noble Gréeks did avoid alway banquetting and belly-chear they forsook and fled the company of drinkers as things more noisome then profitable more dangerous then healthy and more filthy then friendly Demetrius king sometime of Macedonia and son unto Antigonus being much given to féeding and pampering of himself grew to that lechery that being not sufficed with divers stately strumpets and curious curtisans as with that renowned Lamia the famous Crisides the Diamond of that age Dama and such other dainty dames he lusted after a young Gentleman of Greece of amorous countenance of passing beauty and of a princely port endued with séemly shamefacednesse who came from Athens unto Macedonia to serve a souldier under King Demetrius who sought divers means to accomplish his inordinate lust by eating and drinking with this young Democles and divers ways attempting to have his purpose he followed him privily where Democles went a bathing unto a close chamber Demetrius hid himself until the young man was naked and then on a sudden enterprized his lust But when Democles saw the King and perceived his wicked intent to avoid the shamefull act and filthy lust of the King and to maintain temperance of life and everlasting fame of abstinence he leapt naked into a great séething vessel of hot boiling water and finished his noble life with famous death O renowned Democles O vile and shamefull Demetrius thy death is famous his life is infamous thy temperance and vertue commended his lust and wickednesse justly of all men condemned The like history doth Plutarch write of Trebonius a young souldier of a younger Captaine named Lucius and Nephew unto that noble Romans Caius Marius This Lucius having a charge over rertaine souldiers designed to him by his uncle Marius then Generall and having a long while devised means to bring his purpose to passe in accomplishing his lust with Trebonius it hapned on such a season that he found Trebonius by himselfe alone and offered violence unto him Trebonius understanding his Captaines desire made as though he should obteyn it and imbracing him he thrust him to the heart with Lucius own dagger and so slew his Captain to avoyd infamy which when it came to Marius his eare that his Nephew was slaine by Trebonius
overcome in Pharsalia and enforced to flie unto Egypt his treasures substance wealth being brought unto Caesar in a great chest Coesar found divers sealed letters and great counsels which he never opened for silence sake but took them altogether and threw theÌ„ into the fire for that all men might learne how much he esteemed silence this done unto Pompeius at Pharsalia he said unto his souldiers that it behoved a Prince to finde out friends rather then search out foes The noble Emperor knew well by reading of Pompeius letters he might be moved to divers injuries and by opening of secrets he might accuse divers wrongfully therefore he had rather purchase by silence friends then by breaking of counsell enmity How sure and safe is the reward of silence histories of Greek and Latine can well report Had Calisthenes followed the counsel of his master Aristotle either merrily or never to speak unto a Prince he had never found fault with Alexander by speaking to anger Alexander and to harm himself Had not learned Seneca so reproved the Emperour Nero the tyrant of Rome with words he had not béen rewarded with death If the Poet Nevius had not written his mind unto Metellus If Chius had not béen familiar in talk with King Antigonus they had saved life by silence where they purchased death by talking Therefore Phocion that Gréek whom sugred Demosthenes called the rasor of Athens was alwaies afraid as Plutarchus saith lest any sudden sillable or foolish word might escape his tongue imprudently So that silence gaineth life and words causeth death as Miles the ancient Muâ—â—tian at what time with Hercules he found fault for that he was Linus scholler and taught by him on instruments for words speaking of Linus unto Hercules he was slain of his own scheller so that silence unto Princes is most necessary O noble silence O rare vertue O most worthy jewell thou hurtest no man thou betrayest no body Philippides a noble man of Athens who for his singular learning and dexterity of wit King Lisimachus made most account of and was most desirous to please him most ready to advance him unto honour willed him to ask what he would and he should have it Philippides most humbly knéeing upon his knees besought Lisimachus the King in any wise not to open his secret and counsel unto him the king demanded the cause thereof because said he I know not whether I am able to kéep counsel or no. How much it repugneth the nature of man to kéep silence Cicero in his book of Offices doth manifest the same for were it possible saith he unto man to ascend the skies to see the order of the bodies superiours and to view the beauty of the heavens unswéet were the admiration thereof unle he might shew it unto others And again he saith there is no such ease unto men as to have a friend unto whom a man may speak unto as himself giving thereby to understand the grief of silence that nature loves nothing which is solitary It may séem that sileÌ„ce one way is not so beneficial as it is another way most grievous as is proved by the history of Secundus the Philosopher who having company with his own mother in the night time either of them most ignorant of the other his mother in processe of time having knowledge thereof for very grief and sorrow slue her self The Philosopher likewise having understood of his mothers death knowing the cause thereof knew not what to do for that he was ashamed of the filthy act one way and most sorrowfull for the sudden death of his mother another way to die to burn to hang to drown himself he thought it too short a torment for so hainous a fact and knowing his mother being a woman stayed not nor feared not to kill her self to ease her sorrowfull heart he conceived that he being a Philosopher it stood him upon to find out the painfullest torment in all the world to plague himself justly for his grievous offence he therefore vowed unto God never to speak one word ouring life such torment he thought was most painfull unto nature and thus by silence he consumed away his life Since therefore silence is suco a burning disease so heavy in the heart of man so hard to kéep in so dangerous to utter how worthy are they of commendations how do they merit fame and praise that can rule their tongues and keep silence Therefore a noble Senatour of Rome sometime brought his eldest son named Papâ—â—ius unto the Senate house to hear the councel pleading charging him whatsoever he should hear in the house amongst the wise Senatours to keep it in silence for the order was in Rome that a young man should say nothing unlesse he were a Consul a Tribune a Censor or such like Officer wherby he had authority to speak This young Papirius on a time being importuned by his mother and charged on her blessing to tell her the cause and businesse that the Senatours had so often to come together the young man being threatned weighing his fathers charge to avoid words one way said since you are so importunate mother to know the secret of the Senate you must keep counsell for I am charged therewith There is a long debate in the Senate house to agree on this conclusion whether it be more expedient for one man to have two wives in the City of Rome or one woman to have two husbands and most like it is that it will go on the mens side Straightways she went into the City and certified the matrons and women of Rome what the Senatours were about to conclude and appointed certain of them to accompany her the next morning unto the Senate where when she came as one dismaied she began to declaim against the purpose and decrées of the Senatours proving what inconvenience might arise for a man to have two wives laying before them the dissention that should be in that house where two women should be married to one man and what comfort and consolation it were for a woman to have two husbands the one to be at home in Rome to see his children brought up and to sée the city defended when the other should be far from home at the wars in other countries The Senatours being amazed at her talk not knowing to what it tended young Papirius demanded licence to speak which being granted he declared the cause of her comming how and after what sort as is before mentioned The Senatours commended much Papiâ—ius wit as well for his obedience to his mother as for silence toward the Senate recompensed his wisedom with the Consulship of Rome Silence was so observed in Rome and honoured of Romans that Demetrius the Phylosopher would often say that the birds can flie where they will and the grashoppers sing where they wil but in the city we may neither do nor speak Euripides a learned Gréek it being objected to him that his breath did stink
latter days having great care to his countrey when that no man durst refuse Pisistratus came before his door in Arms and called the citizens to withstand Pisistratus For age said he moveth me to be so valiant and stout that I had rather lose my life then my country should lose their liberty What vertue then see we to be in age what wisedome in time what courage in old men The examples of these old men stir and provoke many to imitate their steps insomuch that divers wished to be old when they were yet young to have that honor as age then had Wherefore king Alexander the great espying a young man coloring his hairs gray said It behoves thée to put thy wits in color and to alter thy mind The Lacedemonians a people that past all nations in honouring age made laws in their Cities that the aged men should be so honoured and estéemed of the young men even as the parents were of the children so that when a stranger came unto Lacedemonia and saw the obedience of youth towards age he said In this country I wish onely to be old for happy is that man that waxeth old in Lacedemonia and in the great games of Olympia an old man wanting a place went up and down to sit some where but no man received him but amongst the Lacedemonians not onely the young men but also the aged gave place unto his gray hairs and also the Embassadours of Lacedemonia being there present did reverence him and took him unto their seat which when he came in he spake aloud O you Athenians you know what is good and what is bad for that which you people of Athens said he do professe in knowledge the same doth the Lacedemonians put in practice Alexander being in his wars with a great army in Persia and meeting an old man in the way in the cold weather in ragged and rent cloaths lighted from his horse and said unto him mount up into a princes saddle which in Persia is treason for a Persian to do but in Macedonia comendable giving to understand how age is honoured and old men estéemed in Macedonia and how of the contrary wealth and pride is fostred in Persia for where men of experience and aged men are set nought by there it cannot be that wisedome beareth rule How many in the Empire of Rome ruled the City and governed the people of those that were very aged men as Fabius Maximus who was thréescore years and two in his last Consulship Valerius Corvinus who was six times a Consul in Rome a very old man who lived an hundred and odd years Metellus of like age called to the like function and administration in the Common-wealth being an old man What should I speak of Appius Claudius of Marcus Perpenna of divers other noble Romans whose age and time was the onely occasion of their advancement unto honour and dignity What should I recite Arganthonius who was threescore years before he came unto his Kingdome and after ruled his Countrey fourscore years unto his great fame and great commendations of age To what end shall I repeat Pollio who lived in great credit with the people unto his last years a man of worthy praise of renowned fame who lived a hundred and thirty years in great authority and dignity What shall I speak of Epimenides whom Theompus affirmeth that he lived a hundred and almost thréescore years in great rule and estimation Small were it to the purpose to make mention again of Dandon amongst the Illyrians which Valerius writeth that he was five hundred years before he died and yet of great memory and noble fame Or of Nestor who lived thrée hundred years of whom Homer doth make much mention that from his mouth proceeded sentences swéeter then honey yea in his latter days almost his strength was correspondent to the same That renowned Prince Agamemnon General of all Gréece wished no more in Phrygia but five such as Nestor was with whose wisedome and courage he doubted not but in short time he should be able to subdue Troy Swéet are the sayings of old men perfect are their counsels sound and sure their governance How frail and weak is youth How many Cities are perished by young counsel How much hurt from time to time have young men devised practised and brought to pass And again of age how full of experience knowledg and provision painful and studious is it unto the grave As we read of Plato that noble Philosopher who was busie and carefull for his countrey writing and making books the very year that he died being fourscore and two What shall I say of Isocrates who likewise being fourscore and fourtéen compiled a book called Panathenaicus of Gorgias who being studious and carefull to profit his countrey being a hundred and seven years was altogether addicted to his books and to his study So of Zeno Pythagoras and Democritus it might be spoken men of no lesse wit travell and exercise than of time and age For as Cicero saith the government and rule of Comon-wealths consisteth not in strength of body but in the vertue of mind weighty and grave matters are not governed with the lightnesse of the body with swiftnesse of the foot with external qualities but with authority counsel and knowledge for in the one saith he there is rashnesse and wilfulnesse in the other gravity and prudence As Themistocles and Aristides who though not friends at Athens being both rulers yet age taught them when they were sent Embassadours for the state of Athens to become friends to profit their country which youth could never have done That sage Solon was wont often to brag how that he dayly by reading learning and experience waxed old Apelles that approved painter and renowned Greek in his age and last time would have no man to passe the day idle without drawing of one line Socrates being an old man became a scholler to learn musick and to play upon instruments Cicero being old himself became a perfect Greek with study Cato being aged in his last years went to school to Ennius to learn the Greek Terentius Varro was almost forty years old before he took a Greek book in hand and yet proved excellent in the Greek tongue Clitomachus went from Carthage to Athens after forty years of age to hear Carneades the Philosophers lecture Lucius as Philostratus doth write meeting Marcus the old Emperor with a book under his arm going to school demanded of the Emperour whither he went like a hâ—y with his book in his hand the aged Emperour answered I go to Sextus the Philosopher to learn those things I know not O God said Lucius thou being an old man goest to school now like a boy and Alexander the great died at thirty years of age Alphonsus King of Sicilia was not ashamed at fifty years old to learn and to travel for his knowledge and lest he should lose the use of the Latin tongue he occupied himself in
perish and therefore said the Ox thou urgest me in vain to travel When that wicked tyrant Nero began his Empire in Rome trées pastures meddows and certain grounds about the City a strange miracle altered places and changed seats one with another the ground moving from one place to another Even â—o it harned at the exilement of King Dionisius after much tyranny and bloudshedding when he was banished from his Kingdome the salt sea the same day that he was driven from Sicilia altered his saltness to sweetness These two tyrants Nero and Dionisius the one comming to his Empire what wonders shewed the earth it self the other departing from his Kingdome what miracles shewed the Sea When Darius besieged the City of Babylon a voice was heard out of the strong walls of Semiramis that Babylon should be conquered at what time a mule should engender at the which the souldiers of Darius were discomfited and Zopyrus his mule accomplished the foreshewed Oracle Likewise when Pompey was vanquished by Caesar a grâ—â—n bough grew in the temple of Victory under the image of Caesar and hives of Bees darkened the ensign of Pompey foreshewing he should be subdued at Pharsalia The City of Rome had these warnings a little before the first Civil wars there were seen fires â—ining suddenly abâ—ut men Spiders Mice and Worms consumed the gold and substance of their temples Ravens devoured and did eat their young ones the noise and sound of trumpets were heard in the ayr with such other terrible warnings as might well move amazement and amendment Again before the second wars of Carthage an Ox spake and said Rome take thou héed to thy self It is noted likewise when Tarquinius the last King of the Romanes was driven away from Rome and banished the Kingdome that a dog then spake and a serpent barked Too many of these examples are to be read if we read histories for signs and tokens were séen and marked in the heavens according to the natures and doings of Princes for when Tiberius came to the Empire of Rome there happened such great earthquakes that twelve famous Cities in Asia fell prostrate to the ground two mountains moved and ran and fought together in a place by Rome called Mutina field It is written that in the City called Sagunthus before it was conquered by Hannibal a child in the time of the delivery of the mother entred again into his mothers womb And in Plini Clepidus beareth witnesse that trées spake And though it séem fabulous to divers that such things by nature should speak yet we sée the tryal of this clean contrary to set forth the wonderfull works of God whereby he might the more be magnified by these his creatures For we read in the sacred scriptures that an Asse spake whereby the more credit may be given to Pâ—utarch Pliny and Livi which mention that dogs trées oxen serpents and other creatures of God did speak for a wonder and a warning as well of things to come as things past For before the famous City of Ierusalem was destroyed by Vespasian the Emperor there appeared a star in manner of a sword in the skie there were likewise seen Chariots running up and down the skies and men in harnesse fighting in the clouds right over the City Divers wonders by nature were wrought which for the rarenesse thereof are worthy to be noted as Caecilius Agrippa the first day that he was born of his mother did go on foot without help Likewise Zoâ—oastres when all children cry at their birth he the self same time laughed It was strange that Telephus the son of Hercules was nourished of a Hart. Romulus the first King of Rome fostered by a Wolf Cyrus the first King of the Persians brought up by a Bitch Alexander and King Priamus by a Bear Jupiter by a Goat Mydas by Ants and Plato by Bees and so divers others But certainly more strange it was that little beasts yea small creeping worms should be able to vanquish and destroy famous Cities and Countreys As in Spain a City was unâ—ermined by Coneys in France a City was destroyed by Frogs in Thessaly a City was overthrown by Mouldwarps In Affrica a City was spoiled by Locusts Gyara an Isle of twelve miles was consumed by Mice and Abdera a City in Thracia by Mice likewise and Amyclas by Serpents Peradventure these séem not credible to divers readers the learned may read the same in the righth book of Plini and twenty and ninth chapter where he may be satisfied The works of nature were so wonderful in all places at all times that learned writers for memory of the same do recite the effect thereof It is written that Ammonius the Phylosopher had an Asse frequenting his school with Porphirius to hear his lecture In the Isle called Coes in the ground of a certain tyrant named Nicippus a shéep brought forth a Lion instead of a Lamb. Plini doth witnesse that he saw in a City of Affrica a man changed to a woman in the same day he was married whose name was Cofficius a Citizen of Tiâ—dria Pontanus and divers authors affirm that Tiresias the Theban Ceneus and Iphis were changed from men to women from males to females by alteration of kind Again some think that as Anaxagoras never laught so Zenophantes never wept things wonderfull and strange to nature and as L. Pomponius never belcht so Antonia never spit There was a Poet sometime dwelling in Coos of such small growing and slender body that lead was put in the sole of his Shoes least the wind should bear him from the ground and blow him into the air And as he by nature was small and light of substance so by the self-same nature was found in a certain hill of Créet the body of Orion which was forty and six cubits in length What Albertus Magâ—us wrote of the secrets of nature I will omit better it is I suppose to be ignorant in some things then to be skilfull in all things He saith among other things that there was a woman in Germany that had thréescore sons side every time at one burthen and there was another woman named Agrippina in Colonia that did neither eat nor drink for the space of thirty days Besides these there was a man named Philinus that never eat nor drank all the days of his life but milk onely Cicero saith that all the Iliads of Homer were written and placed within the shell of a Nut. Plini reports that there was an hearb called Acheminis that if it were cast or thrown amongst the enemies they streight would take their flight thereupon Mermecides made a Wagon so artificially and so small that a Flie might cover it with her wing Strabo did sée so well that he could discry the ships that departed from Carthage from a from a promontoâ—y in Sicilia which was above a hundred and thirty miles Cornelius Agrippa in his first book of hidden Philosophy writeth a history of one Cippus King in Italy
the third and last is in the child The solemnity in Matrimony in divers places imported unto us wise morals and did as it were presage a duty and an obedience to things as both Plutarch and Pliny write of the Venetians that when a Marriage was solemnized in Venice the Bride after that day bringeth her distaff and her spindle and flâ—x ready as one after that day never to be idle but occupied always in she affairs of her house The Greeks and Romans also had this custome they girded the loyns of their daughters alwayes till the day of their marriages and then that night her husband should loose the knot and unbind that which of long time the Virgins of Greece kept fast bound Amongst divers Countreys where sundry solemnities in matrimony are used I read not in any History so solemn a state and so worthy ceremonies as we do see in England which if you mark in all points you must néeds confesse that outward ceremonies do import a great Majesty and Dignity in Matrimony Again they had laws in divers places that none might marry without some reverence shewed to their Gods before as the Athenians suffered no marriage without sacrifice first done to Diana In Rome a law there was that she that should be married should sit in the seat of Faunus before she might see the Bridegroom her husband The like was observed in Boetia and Locresia that before their youth should marry they should drink one to another at the altar consecrated to Euelia In Hetruria they used to kill a hog to sacrifice to their Gods and to call upon Juno for good successe to come In Lusitania the Bride goes to Church with a distaff and a spindle in her hand and one of her kinsmen going before her with a firebrand of Pine tree In Sparta by the law of Lycurgus the maids that should marry should shave the hairs of their heads and wear mans apparel and by the same law they were forbidden to give any substance with their daughters but love and good will was to be the whole cause of marriage Moreover they used these ceremonies To divide a peece of bread in Macedonia and in the most part of Greece for the Bride and the Bridegroom to eat before they should be married The like in Rome in Romulus time was used In Galatia they did both drink first of one cup appointed for that purpose onely And so forth in divers Countreys they used divers ceremonies as in Carmenia no man might marry without he brought the head of some enemy or other to the King as a proof of his love toward his Countrey In Maeous no maid might marry without she had subverted one enemy or other of her Countrey But in some countreys they married not as the Esseni a people much given to abstain as well from Wine as from Women Wherefore Socrates being demanded what was best Whether to marry or no answered If you marry you shall suffer brawling and chiding if you are single you shall be solitary and comfortlesse Therefore Pompey the great comming among the Massagetes who used once a week to company with their wives demanded the cause thereof They answered Because we would not hear their chidings in the day time nor their complaints in the night time But to end let every man have his own wife if he cannot live chast for better it is to marry then to burn CHAP. XXVIII Of Likenesse and Similitudes of Kings and Princes ALthough comparisons are odious amongst divers men yet for that Pliny and Plutarch do use them chiefly for necessaries I shall shew how like divers Princes were one to another not in countenance and outward proportion onely but in life and conversation Also by comparing the ancient Gréeks and the laâ—ter Romans one with another as most certain the Romans imitated the Gréeks in all points we shall sée and perceive by their acts doings and life who were most like one to another And first to begin with Roâ—â—â—ius the first King of Rome he in all his doings did imitate that valiant Gréek Theseus as Plutarch in his first book declareth And as by comparing their lives one with another a mâ—n may easily judge how like in state and fortune they lived the one having occasion to war with the Sabines the other with the Centaurs the one in augmenting the state of Italy and building of Rome the other in delivering all Gréece from tyranny and â—ondage of equal travel both and of like state for then Italy was in Romulus time as Gréece was in Theseus days The next was in Rome Numa Pompilius who for pity to the poor and love toward his Countrey and his gravity and severity in Law making his zeel and religion to the service of their temples in fine for all vertuous doings in all respects was like unto Lycurgus that famous Law maker amongst the Lacedemonians The care that these two Princes had for their friends and countreys were clean contrary to Theseus and Romulus before mentioned as is set forth by Plutarch in his fourth book Lycurgus was not so studious to call the Lacedemonians from vice and sin but Numa was as carefull to instruct the Romans in all goodnesse and vertue so that Rome did bear witnesse of Numa and Sparta of Lycurgus who for their several and sundry Laws their vertuous lives and doings compared by Plutarch they may well for their contempt and neglecting the honors and dignities due to them and for care they had either of them for their people be like one unto the other And even so Publicola did not onely imitate Solon in all points but also translated Solons laws to Rome so that one was counted most sage and wise in Greece the other thought to be most happy in Rome So did Numa also follow Lycurgus in all his doings imitating his laws and orders in Rome What comparison is made between noble Scipio and Hannibal the one defending the state of Rome the other Carthage and either of them in open wars with the other that to read their lives and fortunes about the affairs of their countreys what is it else but to see two noble Captains one like another in magnanimity and courage whose fortunes after many strong and stout services toward their countrey was such that they both were banished Rome and Carthage And as they in life were most like so did they embrace their deaths likewise Even so was that stout Greek Alcibiades which Thucidides most worthily prayseth and M. Cotiolanus that famous Roman compared for the like magnanimity and state of fortune Pericles that renowned Greek and Fabius Maximus the Roman who ruled long in Rome and Athens were likewise noted one to be like another Plutarch in his book entituled The lives oâ— Emperours compareth Sylla the Roman to Lysander King of Sparta compareth Serâ—oâ—â—us to Eumenes and likewise Pompey the greâ—t to Agesiâ—us King of Lacedemonia If respect de duly had to the martial feats and noble acts
forget what I would and I have things in memory which feign I would they were out of memory Seneca doth so report of himself that he was of such a perfect memory that he could rehearse after one by hearing two hundred verses yea to a greater marvell of his memory he could recite two thousand names of men being repeated once before him with as good a memory as he that first named them The like we read of Aelius Adrianus a Captain that having a great army of souldiers under him if any were absent in any place about any businesse he had in memory the name of the person the name of the place and the cause of the businesse Of this excellent memory to their perpetuall fame was King Cyrus and Scipio the one a Persian the other a Roman which had this fame by memory that either of them could severally call their souldiers by name every one after another which is most rare yea most marvellous having so many alwaies under them as both Rome and Persia were chiefly in their days by them defended to be able to name so many souldiers as either of them both had in their armies Their memory was such then that they may not be forgotten now Julius Caesar was much renowned for that Pliny reported that he could do such things by memory as in reading in talking in hearing and in answering at one time that no fault could be found in either of these four qualities at one time practised whereby he deserveth no lesse praise by his memory then fame by his acts Divers excelled in time past in memory as Hortensius a noble Oratour of Rome was able to speak in any place any thing which he premeditated privately without study openly he had more trust in his memory then in books Carmides of Greece was so famous for that faculty that he never heard any reading but he could repeat it word by word without writing were the writing or reading never so long he would not misse a syllable Cineas a noble and a famous Oratour one of the counsellours of King Pyrrhus being sent from Epire unto the Senatours of Rome as an Embassadour he but once hearing the names of the Senatours before he came unto the Senate house he named them orderly by name every one after another that all the Senatours were in a great admiration of his memory in repeating so many names in opening so many matters in concluding so many things which when he came unto King Pyrrhus he recited not onely his doings and orations but also their answers and replies every word by word as then was spoken done or written by the Senatours This Cineas was not so excellent of memory but also of passing eloquence of whom King Pyrrhus was wont to say that he got more Cities Towns and Kingdomes by the eloquence of Cineas then with all the force and strength of the Epirots beside It is written in Laertius in his eighth book that Pythagoras had charge of God Mercury to ask what he would saving immortality and he should have have it and he willed to keep in memory all things that he heard and saw and to forget nothing being dead of that which he saw being alive which being granted the soul of Athalides being slain by Menelaus entred in Euphorbus secondly took place in Hermonius thirdly in Pyrrhus fourthly into Pythagoras which had such memorâ— thereby that he could describe the state of the living the dead Divers were famous for memory amongst the Greeks as Archippus Lysiades Metrodorus Carneades Theodectes and others Many amongst the Romans were renowned for their memories as Julius Coesar L. Scipio Portius Claudius Hortensius with infinite number What great fame had Mithridâ—tes King of Pontus that having as Pliny and Gellius both report xxii strange nations that were souldiers alwaies in wars under him against the Romans he could speak xxii languages without interpreter to open his mind unto them A strange thing it is now to find a man in this our ripe years that can speak half a dozen languages If a man can but smatter in six or seven languages he is noted to be a rare fellow and yet King Mithridates had xxii A note of great memory for some there be in learning for one language that they hardly know they forget another that they know That worthy man Lucullus is remembred of Cicero in his fourth book of Academical questions for his passing and noble memory The Egyptians used notes and figures for their memory insomuch that they noted the well memoried man with a For or a Hare for that the Hare heareth best and the For is of greatest memory and if any wanted memory they compared him to the Crocodile We read of Esdras a Priest that he had all the laws of the Hebrews upon his finger end We read of Portius that he never forgot any thing that he once read before He again would never read that which once he wrot but straight out of hand his memory was such he would speak it and pronounce it in order even as he wrote it before Memory therefore is likened to a Net which taketh and stayeth great fish and letteth through the little fish and even as books that be not occupied wax rusty and did cleave together so memory that is not occupied saith Seneca waxeth dull and oblivious as we oftentimes see how forgetfull men wax either with sicknesse age or such like that letteth the memory of man as Orbilius by extremity of age forgot his Alphabets and letters Hermolaus had a friend which in his youth was a perfect Grecian and yet in his latter years waxed so oblivious that he could not read Gréek Plini saith Messala surnamed Corvius waxed so forgetfull by long sicknesse that he forgot his own name And Seneca doth write of one Calvisius that was so weak of memory that he did forget the names of those that he was daily in company with as Achilles Ulisses and Priamus whom he knew very well What is it else for a man to want memory but to want the name of his knowne friend for hee is no man that knoweth not that man as Augustus Caesar sometime Emperour of Rome his beadel having forgot when he should come unto the Senate demanded of the Emperour whether he would command him to do any thing that he could do why said the Emperour take this letter with thee that men may know thée for thou knowest no man for thou wantest memory Cicero doth make mention of Curio that was so oblivious being a judge that he forgot the cause which he should give judgement upon Likewise Articus the son of Sophista was of so frail memory that he could never keep in mind the names of the four Elements Bamba a certain King of the Goths by a draught of drink given by Heringeus his successour lost his memory It may well be that drink cutteth off memory For the Poets fain that there is a river named Lethes
much given to soft clothing gay apparel and delicate fare as Aristotle the Prince of Philosophers delighted to go brave in gorgeous apparel with rich Chains and Kings and had herein great felicity Demosthenes and Hortensius two famous and noble Oratours the one of Athens and the other of Rome went so fine in their cloths with such neat and wanton gesture that L. Torquatus would often call Hortensius the son of Dionisia for that she had great pleasure in dancing and light gesture of bodie But I will omit such examples and speak of dissembling persons who thinking to hurt others destroyed themselves as that strong Golias who contemning all Israel for force and strength David a weak man overcame him Hammon was hanged upon that gallows that he prepared for Mardocheus even so Absalon going about to destroy his father King David was hanged by the hairs of his head by Gods appointment CHAP. XXXIII Of Famine CIcero in his first book of Tusculans questions doth note the saying of Socrates that hunger was the best sauce to meat and thirst the best occasion to drinke Wherefore King Dioniusis the tyrant hearing much report of the Lacedemonians hard fare and specially of their pottage which was called Jus nigâ—um the black pottage he took a Cook of that Countrey to be his servant to dresse his diet in the ordinary way of the Lacedemonians the Cook having taken much pains in making the foresaid pottage he brought a messe thereof unto the King who much longed for it but assoon as he tasted of it he spit it again out of his mouth and was vâ—ry angry with the Cook saying is this the pottage that the Lacedemonians so much brag of my dog said Dâ—onisius should not eat it the Cook perceiving the gluttony of the King said O Dionisius whensoever thou art to eat of this pottage thou must bring fit sauce for it which is a Lacedemonians stomack for the Princes of Sparta have more pleasure in this kind of fare then ever King Mydas had in his golden banquets What maketh any meat swéet hunger What causeth man to féed pleasantly hunger Or what makes any drink pleasant thirst For at what time Darius was enforced of méer thirst to drink of a lake all defiled with stinking carcases of dead souldiers being then in the field and compelled to take his flight he said after his draught that he never drank swéeter drink in his life Though this King was a proud Prince over the Persians and had all kind of wines at commandement yet his want and penury now and his thirsty stomack was the onely cause of this noble drink which he so much commended and preferred before all the wine that ever he drank before Even so affirmed King Artaxerxes in his wars when his victuals and all were spoiled by the enemies of a few dry figs and of a piece of a barley loaf upon which he fel so hungerly that he spake after this sort O good Lord of how great a pleasure have I béen all this while ignorant Lisimachus likewise being in wars in Thracia against Domitianus the Emperour where he and all his souldiers were kept so long without drink untill he was so thirsty that he was inforced with all his host to yeeld as captives to the Emperour Domitianus and now being in captivity having a draught of drink of the Emperour he said O God that I should make my self from a King to be a captive from a noble Prince of Greece to be a bondslave unto the Romans for one draught of drink See what hunger and thirst is how it hath made Kings to yeeld and Princes to be vanquished Yea it hath made King Ptolomy in his own Kingdome of Egypt to commend a piece of bread which was given him in a poor Cottage and to say that he never eat better meat nor more comfortable chear in all his life then that piece of bread was It was the custome of that noble Emperor Julius Caesar in all his wars more with famine then with sword to vanquish his enemies For this famous warriour would often say that even as the physitian would use his patients so would he his enemies the rule of the physitian is to make his patient fast to recover his health The order of Caesar was to kéep the enemy from victual to make them yéeld Great is the force of Famine And by Histories we read that when King Cambyses marched towards the Ethiopians he endured great scarcity of victuals and such penury and want of food was among the souldiers that they agréed with themselves to kill the tenth throughout all the host to asswage hunger and the Famine continued so long that Cambyses the King was in great fear lest the Lot should at length happen upon him and so to be eaten of his own souldiers Sagunthus a City in Spain as Eutropius doth witnesse in great amity with the Romans was besieged by the Carthaginians so long that all the City was brought unto such famine that the Lords and the Captains of the City made a great fire in the Market place and there brought all their wealth and substance and threw it into the fire and after made their Wives and their Children to enter into the fire and last of all the chief Lords and Captains ended their own lives in it lest they should come into the enemies hand So great was that Famine that it was before prognosticated by a Woman in the time of her delivery whose child his head being out entred into his Mothers womb again The like calamity happened in Caligurium a City where Quintilian was born which being likewise long besieged by Cneius Pompey to bring them in subjection and to kéep promise with Sertorius they lacked victuals and waxed so hungry that all kind of beasts whatsoever being slain they were constrained to eat their own Wives and Children It was séen in Ierusalem when that it was destroyed by Vespasian the Emperor of Rome that the mothers were compelled to eat their own children for very hunger whose small and tender bones were left as a shew and token of their calamity Pliny in his eighth book of Natural Histories saith that when Hannibal laid siege to the city Casilinum the Roman souldiers were in such hunger that one Mouse was sold for two hundred pieces of silver and he that sold the Mouse died himself for hunger The Athenians likewise were brought unto such hunger by Sylla who afterward was Dictator of Rome that one bushel of Wheat was sold amongst the souldiers for a thousand Drachmes the common souldiers being poor for want of money on the one side and sore plagued with hunger on the other were compelled to eat the gréen grasse of the fields about the City of Athens and to gather the mosse off the walls of the City and did eat it This City of Athens was oftentimes brought to that misery as by King Demetrius by King Philip and by his son Alexander the great So
bloud saying these words now Cyrus drink enough of that which thou hast alwaies so long thirsted for Bloud doth require bloud and tyranny will have cruelty Antiochus famed in tyranny brought in subjection Egypt and India with other countries Hannibal excelled all men in tyranny as both Rome and Italy can well testifie To speak of King Philip and his son Alexander the great their tyranny their conquest and bloudy wars it were superfluous as Thessalia Thebes Larissa the Olinthians Phoceans Lacedemonians Athenians Persians Indians and all Asia are witnesse thereto Pyrrhus Antigonus Pompey the great with infinite more bloudy Generals did more rejoyce with tyranny to offend others then with justice to defend their own For the triumphs of cruel Captains are to joy in tyranny the wish and desire of the ungodly tyrant is to destroy all he is thirsty alwaies of bloud hungry continually of murther and slaughter What wished Caligula the Emperour to his own City of Rome onely one neck that with one stroke he might strike it off The difference betwéen a gentle and a goodly Prince and a cruell tyrant is and hath béen alwaies séen King Codrus of Athens how far excelled he cruell Caligula when by an Oracle it was told to the Athenians that they should never have victory during the life of Codrus their King the King understanding of it he cloathed himself like a common souldier nay rather as the history saith like a poor beggar and went into the midst of his enemies to be slain to save Athens How much did noble Curtius and famous Decius surmounted that cruell L. Sylla and that wicked imp C. Marius they instructed by the like Oracle were ready in their arms to mount on horseback to offer themselves alive to an open gulf to save Rome the other with sword and fire were no lesse willing to destroy Rome and to spoil their native soil and country of Italy Again Thrasibulus was not so beneficial to Athens but Catelin was as hurtfull unto Rome Divers Princes and Noble men have béen no lesse studious how to kéep and defend their countries then they were loath and unwilling to trespasse against their countries Happy are those places and most happy are they that injoy such Princes How famous was Thebes while Epaminondas lived how renowned was Sparta while yet Agesilaus ruled how happy was Rome when Fabius Maximus bare sway how flourished Athens when Pericles with his magnanimity when Themisiocles with his worthinesse when Demosthenes with his wisedome defended their state The vertuous lives of goodly Emperours time hath advanced to fame and fame hath spread over the whole world as of Traian Constantine Augustus Alexander Severus with others which are to be honoured and had in perpetual memory But the cruell tyranny of other wicked Magistrates neither time can take away nor any good nature forget as that monster of shame sinck of sin that beast Heliâ—gabalus that tyrant Nero that monster Caligula with Domitian Dionisius and others which are to be detested and utterly lothed Laertius in his third book doth write that the people of Agineta had a law written that if any of Athens should come unto their great City Aginia he should lose his head WheÌ„ Plato the philâ—sopher had hapned to come to that City it was told Carmendius who then was chief Iudge for that year that a man of Athens was in Aginia which ought by law to die the calling Plato before him in a great assembly demaÌ„ded what he was he said a Philosopher a certain man envious unto learning hearing the name of a Philososopher said this is no man but a beast then said Plato I ought to be frée by your law being a beast and not a man and so pleaded the matter that by the name of a beast he was dismissed applying thus the sense thereof that with tyrants and envious people beasts are better esteemed then men Such is the furious rage of tyranny that without mercy and respect of person he féedeth his fury King Atreus brother to Thiestes and son to King Pelops slew without pity the thrée sons of his brother Thiestes whose bloud he caused his brother and their father to drink unawares and after he had hidden their bodies in a cave he cut off their members and made their father to eat thereof The like history we read in Justine that King Assiages made Harpagus to eat his own son dressed ready and served up at the Kings table in two silver dishes before Harpagus the father of which as one ignorant of such tyranny the father fed Mithridates the bloudy King of Pontus slew his thrée sons and three daughters he killed his wife Laodice and married another named Hipsicratea Tyranny lurketh in the hidden veins and secret bowels of envy for even as Mithridates flew his wife Laodice so Constantine the great Emperour slew his wife Fausta and Nero murthered his wife Poppea I should weary the Reader to speak of Cleander Aristratus Strates Sabillus with innumerable others The state of Rome was so often changed by tyranny that sometimes they reigned under Monarchy and then streight under Aristrocacy And thus the Commons séeking by change an amendment of Princes kept alwaies the chief rule and government of the City of Rome under Democracy which is the popular government abhorring the corruption of Princes to their immortal fame and glory CHAP. XLIII Of Flattery FLattery is the sweet bait of Envy the cloak of malice the onely pestilence of the world a monster ugly to behold if it could be seen and dangerous to trust if it might be known it hath as many heads as Hidra to invent wickednesse as many hands as Briareus to commit evill as many eys as Argos to behold and delight in vengeance as swift of foot as Thalus entring into every mans house with words as sweet as honey but a heart as bitter as gall of which the old poem is spoken Melin ore verba lactis felin corde fraus in factis Antisthenes the learned Athenian was wont to say that he had rather have Ravens in his house with him then flatterers for Ravens said he devour but the carcasse being dead but the flatterer eateth up the body and soul alive For even as tyranny is hidden in the secret bowels of envy so is envy cloaked under the filed phrase of flattery and very well compared to the Crocodiles of Nilus or to the Syrens of the seas the one weeping and mourning the other singing and laughing the one with lamentation the other with mirth doth study how to annoy the poor Mariner The flattering Parasite as Ovid saith denieth with the negative and affirmeth with the affirmative wéepeth with him that is sad and laugheth with him that is merry As sometime Clisophus who when his master Philip King of Macedonia and further to Alexander the great did halt because he had the gout he would halt likewise when the King would be merry at his drink Clisophus would not be sad
come from his son Demetrius being desirous of the newes and to heare of the Wars and successe of his son sent divers to méet him on the way to know the truth and effect of his comming He saluted all men as one very sad and so sad that all men judged that either Demetrius was slain or else had lost the field The King being certified that Aristodemus was very sad and that there was no likelihood of good news came hastily to meet him which when Aristodemus saw he cryed out with a loud voice a far off saying Most happy art thou King Antigonus beloved of the Gods saluted by Demetrius and this day feared of all the world Thy son is Conquerour over Conquerours and King over Kings a triumphant victor in the wars at Salamina thus artificially did Aristodemus use his flattery before King Antigonus that the King had as great a delight to hear Aristodemus flattering phrase as he had joy and gladnesse in the prosperity of his son Demetrius Thus he did win the heart and dived into the soul of King Antigonus that his reward was as much by his flattery as his thanks was for his news Marcus Antonius was delighted so much in the flattering spéech of the Athenians at what time he was inforced to forsake Rome by means of Augustus Caesar that the Citizens of Athens went to méet him out of the City having an Oration in commendation of his wisedom saying that he was well worthy to have Minerva in marriage He joied so much in this their adulation that they won this Roman by flattery to do more honour unto Athens then nature could crave at his hands to love Rome Such force hath flattery that when Alexander the great would have died for sorrow yea would have killed himself for that he slew Clitus in his anger Anâ—xâ—â—chus with sugred words and fair sentences asswaged his sorrow Aristippus when he might not obtain his purpose at Dionisius hand with flattery and fair words he would knéel down and imbrace and kisse his féet and being accused of his friends that he being a Philosopher he was a flatterer he answered them in this sort Aristippus is not in fault to speak unto any man where his ear is Dionisius rather is to be blamed to hear at his féet or to have his ears at his héels Diogenes therefore being demanded what beast was most hurtfull to man of wild beasts a tyrant of tame beasts a flatterer What subject is he that delighteth not in flattery what Prince is he that is not pleased with adulation What God is he saith the Poet that loveth not his commendation and praise Hercules was glad to hear the adulation of Cecropes Bacchus was joyfull to hear the flattery of Silenus even Jupiter himself the King of Gods was delighted in Vulcan The remedy therefore to avoid this Gorgon to expell this monster to exile this murtherer is as Cato the wise man saith to use truth for he that useth to hear good talk alwaies will never himself speak evill at any time The nature of flattery was so known and was so hated by Augustus the Emperour that he lothed the knéeling of his houshold servants Tiberius the Emperour likewise would in no wise suffer any of his own men to call him Lord. Flattery was sometimes so abhorred in Athens that when Timagoras was sent as an Embassadour to Darius K. of Persia for that he flattered the King in talk at his return he was beheaded Even so Evagoras because he called Alexander the son of Jupiter was put to death The Lacedemonians feared flattery so much that they banished Archilogus onely for his eloquence in a book which he composed Flattery was so odious in Rome that Cato the Censor gave commandement to expell certain fine Oratours of Athens out of Rome lest by their fair spéech and flattery they might annoy the state of Rome What is it but flattery can compasse what may not sugred Oratours move what could not Demosthenes do in Athens what might not Cicero perswade in Rome King Pyrrhus was wont to say that he won more Cities Towns and Countries through the flattering perswasions of Cineas then he ever subdued with the strength and force of all the Kingdome of Epire. But to avoid too much striking on one string which as Plutarch saith is tedious to the Reader for nature is desirous saith Plautus of novelties I wil speak a little of those that fled flattery it was the onely cause that Pythagoras that noble Philâ—sopher forsook his country Samos the onely occasion that the worthy and learned Solon fled from Athens the chief cause that made Licurgus to renounce Lacedemon and the onely cause that made Scipio Nasica forsake Rome for where flattery is estéemed there truth is banished where flattery is advanced and honoured there truth is oppressed and vanquished in fine flattery findeth friendship when truth doth purchase hatred as is proved in the histories of Seneca and Calisthenes two famous Philosophers the one master unto Nero Emperour of Rome the other appointed by Aristotle to attend upon Alexandeâ— the great these Philosophers because they would not féed the corrupt natures and insolent minds of these proud Princes with adulation and flattery they were put to death Seneca by Nero for his pain and travel taken with the Emperour in reading him Philosophy Calisthenes by Alexander because he reproved the customes of the Medes and Persians who used such flattery that Alexander commanded all men to call him the son of Jupiter Even so Cicero and Demosthenes the one the soveraign Oratour and the Phenix of Rome the other the sugred anchor and the patron of Athens and protector of all Gréece who having sundry times saved the two famous Cities Rome and Athens the one from the pernicious and privy conspiracy of that wicked Catelin and his adherents the other from the proud attempts and the long wars of Philip King of Macedon yet were they both banished and exiled their own countries Cicero for Clodius sake which the Romans took so heavily that twenty thousand did wear mourning apparel with no lesse heavinesse in Rome then tears were shed for Demosthenes in Athens Flattery was of some then so hated that noble Phocion a learned Athenian was went to say to his friend Antipater that he would take no man to be his friend whom he knew to be a flatterer And most certain it is that he that at this day cannot flatter can get no friendship according to that saying of Terence obsequium amicos c. For even as Aristides of Athens for his manifold benefits to the Athenians was by flattery prevented and for truth banished so likewise Thucidides being sent as an Embassadour from Athens to Amphipolis a City betwixt Thracia and Macedonia which King Philip kept by force was by flattery circumvented True service is often rewarded with anger and the rage of Princes as Thrasibulus a noble Captain and famous for his truth was banished out of
son to Theseus being falsly accused by his mother in law Quéen Phedra and flying to avoid the fury and rage of his father at the request of the Queen was torn in pieces by wild horses But let us passe further and we shall read that as some were devoured by horses so others were by Serpents stung to death as Laocoon that worthy Troyan was by two Serpents destroyed yea that famous and warlike woman Cleopatra Quéen of Egypt after her lover and friend Marcus Antonius was overcome by Augustus Caesar the Emperour did chuse rather to be overcome with Serpents then subdued by Caesar With this death was Opheltes the son of Licurgus King of Menea vanquished Again some have perished by wild Bores and raging Lions as Anceus King of Samos and Paphages King of Ambracia the one by a Bore the other by a Lion Some have béen devoured by dogs as Linus the son of Apollo Pliny in his seventh book metions a Quéen in Bithinia named Cosinges K. Nâ—comedes wife whom her own dogs flew tare in pieces Euripides that learned Gréek coming in the night time from Archelaus King of Macedonia with whom he had been at supper was incountered by his enemy Promerus who set his dogs on him and did tear him to pieces Even so were Herachtus and Diogenes both Philosophers by dogs likewise killed I may not forget so great a prince as Basilius the Emperour of Macedon who in hunting amongst his Lords and Nobles yea amongst thousands of his Commons he onely meeting a Hart in the chase was hurt by him in the leg whereof he died As for Seleucus King of Syria son to Antiochus surnamed the Great and Bâ—la King of Panonia they were both thrown by their horses and died If these mischance happen unto princes in the midst of their state what is their glory but misery since nothing expelleth fate nor can avoid death Some have been so weary of life some so fearfull of death that they have thrown themselves into the water to be drowned others for all their diligent fear and watching for death have most shamefully notwithstanding been by death prevented Frederick the Emperour marching towards Ierusalem after that he had taken several Cities and Townes in Armenia in passing through a little river was drowned Decius that noble King being enforced to take his flight from the Goths with whom he then was in wars was drowned in the Marish ground Marcus Marcellus after that he had béen a Consul in Rome thrée times before the third wars betwixt the Romans and the Carthaginians was likewise by shipwrack cast away How many noble Princes have béen drowned as Pharaoh King of Egypt in the red sea of whom we read in the sacred scriptures How many have the seas despoyled of life and with their own names christened the names of seas and waters in which they were drowned As by the death of Aegeus King of Athens the sea Aegeum was so called by the death of Tyrrhenus King of Lydia the sea was called The Tyrrhen Sea And so King Tyberinus altered the river called Aelbula by his death to be the river of Tyber Again the sea Hellespont was so called by a woman named Helle drowned in it So by Iâ—arus and Myrtilus the sea of Icarus and the sea Myrton were so called Divers Princes have also perished by famine and have been compelled to eat their own flesh as Erisicthon and Neocles a Tyrant of Scicioma It is written in Curtius that Sysigambis King Darius mother died of hunger Ulysles the Gréek lest any off-spring of Hector should rise in Phrygia to revenge the fall of Troy and his countrey did cast Astianax the son of Hector over the walls alive Lycurgus King of Thrace was by his own subjects thrown headlong into the sea for that he first mingled water with wine How many famous and noble Princes have been stoned to death as valiant Pyrrhus King of the Epyrotes being in wars with Antigonus was slain by an old woman with a a tile-stone at Argos Pyrander at what time the Athenians warred against Eumolpus for that he feared famine hiding the wheat from his souldiers was therefore by them stoned to death Even so was Cinna the Roman in the wars betwixt the Gauls and the Romans for the like offence stoned to death Stout Cebrior King Priaâ—'s son was slain by a stone hurled at him by Patroclus at the siege of Troy so died Cygnus the son of Achilles at the same time O unstedfast fortune that stones should end the many lives of famous princes O imprudent princes that know not how nigh ye are always to death How many hath God punished with sudden death for their offences as Mithridates King of Pontus and Nicanor the son of Parmenio of Macedonia died suddenly Sertorius was slain suddenly at a banquet by Upenna The Emperour Heliâ—gabalus was killed upon his stool at his easement and thrown into Tyber That renowned and famous Conquerour Julius Caesar was in the middest of the City of Rome where he was Emperor yea in the Senate-house murthered and mangled by Brutus and Cassius Divers Consuls in Rome died this death as Fabius Maxâ—mus Gurges the Senator And Manlius Torquatus even at his supper died presently Some with Thunder-bolts did God likewise punish thus Capaneus was slain at the wars of Thebes Tullus Hostilius King of Rome was with a Thunderbolt for his insolency and pride slain Zoroastres King of the Bactrians the first inventer of Magick was likewise by that kind of death encountred Pride in princes was the onely cause of their falls insomuch that the poets feign that the great and monstrous Giant Eâ—câ—ladus for his proud enterprise against Jupiter was thrown by a Thunderbolt into the bottome of Aetna a fiery and flaming mountain The uncertain state of princes is séen and tried by their death Who liveth so short a time as a prince who dieth so strange a death as a prince Who liveth in care who dieth living but a prince Was not Sergius Galba and Commodus the son of Marcus sirnamed Anbilius two Emperors of Rome the one by Otho strangled in the Market place of Rome the other imprisoned by Martia his own concubine Minos King of Creet travelling after Dedalus into Sicily was by his great friend King Cocalus slain by deceit So was Alebas chief governour of Larissa murthered by his own souldiers The desire that men bear unto honour and dignity is commonly accompanied with death as Spurius Cassius and Spurius Melius for their greedinesse of the Empire of Rome were both worthily beheaded God hath shewed just vengeance upon Princes for their iniquity with plagues and pestilences which spoiled the Emperor Constantine and the Empresse Zoae his wife And by this were Marcus Antonius Alphonsus and Domitius justly and worthily punished God hath wonderfully punished the pride of Princes even with shamefull and horrible deaths insomuch that Lice and vermine have consumed their bodies alive As Maximilian the Emperour Arnulphus