Intemperance Another time being beaten black and blue in the Face by Nicrodomus the Lutenist he pasted a piece of Paper on his Forehead wherein was written Nicrodomus did this Also at Thebes being beaten by the Master of the Gymnasium or as others say at Corinth by Euthicrates he laughed saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He by the Foot him drew And o're the Threshold threw Mr. Stanly 's Transl. Alexander asking Crates whether he would that his Countrey should be restored or no Crates answer'd To what end seeing there will come perhaps another Alexander and destroy it Again The Athenian Magistrates blaming him for wearing a long Robe I will shew you saith he Theophrastus in the same Attire which they not believing he brought them to a Barber's Shop where Theophrastus was sitting to be trimm'd Zeno in his Chrias saith that he sowed a Sheeps-skin on his Cloak to appear the more deformed however of himself he was very unhandsom and always whilst he discours'd laughd In his old age he grew crooked to which he alludes when looking upon himself and perceiving Death's approach he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And dost thou go old Friend To the next World thou whom old age doth bend He died old and was buried in Boeotia The Epistles of Crates are extant wherein saith Laertius he writes excellent Philosophy in a style resembling Plato He wrote likewise divers Tragedies full of deep Philosophy Stanly his Lives of the Philosophers Suidas Laertii lib. 6. Stobae Serm Plutarch Mor. Gale's Court of the Gent. part 2. Crates is much commended by Plutarch for that he had no sooner read upon that Monster Sardanapalus's Tomb these Verses Haec habeo quae edi quaeque exsaturata Libido Hausit at illa manent multa praeclara relicta Chaerill Poeta But he extempore made this addition to them Haec habui didici studio quae pulchra Camaenae Me quibus instruxere I cannot present you with a true Character of this Philosopher's Vertue without rendring it morose and ill natured to the brisk and airy affected to the complaisant fulsom and unclean to the nice clownish to the well-bred prodigal and extravagant to the covetous and unimitable to the licentious and youthful however since his Vertue which consisted in a self-denying temperance was great the custom and discipline of his Sect may justly attone for all his other ill-bred errors Now besides our Theban Philosopher whom Philostratus here speaks of there were other eminent men of the same Name viz. Crates an ancient Comick Poet of Athens a Disciple of Polemon the Philosopher Suidas And Crates the Grammarian under Ptolomy Philom Contemporary with Aristophanes sirnamed Criticus or Homericus for that he wrote fifty nine Books of Comment upon Homer's Iliads and Odysses Suidas He also first brought the Study of Grammar to Rome as Suetonius says for being sent by King Attalus to the Senate he made many Narrations upon the death of Ennius during the time of his Embassy There was likewise another Crates of Pergamus that wrote a Book containing the wonderful Curiosities of many Countreys of whom Pliny lib. 7.2 and Aelian de Animal 17.9 make mention 6 Sophocles the Prince of Tragick Poets by Birth an Athenian and Son of Sophilus was born in the second year of the seventy first Olympiad whilst Philippus was Archon as Anonym in descript Olymp. and the Scholiasts upon Sophocles say However Suidas and others write that he was born in the seventy third Olympiad which account makes him to be seventeen years older than Socrates about A. M. 3520. and Ant. Christ. 428. Suidas says that he died six years after the death of Euripides but yet is preferr'd before him for the majesty of his Style though not for the number of Sentences He was Co-partner with Euripides and Pericles in the Office of Praetor He wrote as Suidas informs us one hundred and twenty three Tragedies and in his contention for the Laurel with other Poets he obtain'd no less than twenty four Victories whereof there were three most eminent The first was the Victory which he got in his youth over Aeschylus for the which as some say Aeschylus retiring into Sicily did there die of grief Plutarch in Cimone The second was when his own Sons accused him in his old age for want of Wit before the Judge whereupon Sophocles producing a Tragedy which he had lately written and asking the Judg's opinion whether that seem'd to be the Work of an Idiot The Judg did so highly esteem of it that reproving his Sons very severely he dismiss'd them with disgrace and their old Father with honour Cicero Cato Maj. 20. The third and last Victory of Sophocles was that which cost him his life as some say for being very ancient and having rehears'd a Tragedy at the publick place for tryal of Wit after a long Dispute remaining at last Victor by one voice he died for joy that he had won Valer. Maxim lib. 9. ch 12. From hence it was that Cicero calling him the divine Poet says That he wrote Tragedies to the very last period of his old age Cicero Cato Maj. 20. Nay Pliny is so Romantick in his commendation of Sophocles that he brings a Miracle to honour him after his death saying lib. 7. ch 29. that when Sophocles the Prince of all Tragical Poets was dead in Athens it being at the same time that the City was besieged by the Lacedaemonians God Bacchus appear'd several times by way of vision in a Dream to Lysander their King admonishing him to suffer that person in the World whom he most delighted in to be interred Whereupon the King enquiring what person was lately departed this Life in Athens by relation of the Citizens soon found it to be Sophocles whom the God meant for that he was the last man that had died amongst them therefore he permitted them to bury him in peace and to perform his funeral Obsequies without any molestation or trouble Concerning Sophocles's rejoycing at his old age as a means to extinguish his Lust which Philostratus here mentions the same is also spoken of by Plutarch and Cicero who say that Sophocles being on a time demanded familiarly by one of his Friends whether he could yet keep company with a Woman if need were answer'd God bless me my good Friend talk no more of that I pray for I am long since free from those matters and by the benefit of my old age have escaped the servitude of such violent and furious Mistresses Plut. Mor. de Avaritia ac etiam de Senect Sympos lib. 1. Cicero Cato Maj. 43. Sophocles writing a Tragedy upon the Story of Antigone Daughter to Oedipus King of Thebes was so happy and successful both in his Fancy and Expressions that the Athenians bestow'd upon him as a reward the Government of Samos From whence that Proverb came Sophocles est He is a happy Orator Sophocles introduced many new things for the reforming of the
long before The Estate being very large he divided with his Brother who was a very intemperate young man and much given to drinking being twenty three years of 2 age which by the Law rendred him above the protectiâ—n of a Tutor whereas Apollonius being but twenty years old was under the discipline of Tutors Therefore returning again to his Philosophical Studies at Aegas he there instituted both a Temple and a 3 Lycaeum for there was in him an Eccho of all manner of Philosophy In a short time after being arrived to full age and become Master of his Estate he return'd to Tyana where when one told him that it was his duty to reclaim his Brother and reform his Intemperance Apollonius replied Truly this would argue great confidence in me for how should I being a younger reform an elder Nevertheless I will endeavour as well as I am able to cure him of these Distempers Therefore in the first place he bestows on his Brother half his own Portion saying that he wanted many things whereas himself needed but little Then insinuating himself into his company and wisely alluring him to yield to one that would reform him our Father said he who used to instruct and admonish us is now departed it remains then that you admonish me and I you By this means as men are used to do when they break Colts he by little and little prevail'd with him to reform his Life and give over his numerous Vices being addicted to Dicing Drinking and Whoring and so proud of his Hair as to dye it walking in a haughty and stately manner Now he had no sooner reform'd his Brother but he began to work â—pon his other Kindred and to render them the more observant of his Admonitions he bestow'd on such as were in want the remaining part of his Estate reserving but very little to himself For he was used to say that 4 Anaxagoras the Clazomenian spending his Estate on stocks and herds of Camels was a Philosopher for Sheep rather than for Men And that 5 Crates the Theban who threw his Money into the Sea was useful neither to Men nor Cattel And Pythagoras being famous for this saying That a man should inwardly converse with none but his own Wife Apollonius reply'd This I conceive was spoken unto others but as for me I am resolv'd never to marry but to abstain from the company of all Women whatsoever In which respect he seem'd far to surpass that of 6 Sophocles who being grown old said that he was deliver'd from a mad and fierce Master Whereas Apollonius by his own vertue and temperance was not overcome by him even in his youth for being both youthful and of a strong Body he master'd and subdued that mad passion Yet some still accuse him of Venery as following the errors of Love and for that very reason continuing one whole year among the Scythians whereas indeed he did never go into Scythia nor was he ever captivated with the passions of Love And therefore notwithstanding Euphrates hath composed false Accusations against him yet did he never accuse him of Venery as we shall demonstrate when we come to speak concerning the business of Euphrates This Euphrates had a quarrel with Apollonius because he jeer'd him for his love of Money and endeavour'd to withdraw him from the study of gain and from making merchandize of Wisdom But let us adjourn these Matters to be treated of in their due place Illustrations on Chap. 10. 1 TYana a City of Cappadocia famous for the Birth of Apollonius 2 Three and twenty years of Age which by the Law rendred him above a Tutor The Ancients divided the Age of man into seven parts which they resembled to the seven Planets comparing our Infancy to the Moon wherein we seem only to live and grow as the Plants the second Age or Childhood to Mercury wherein we are taught and instructed the third Age or Youth to Venus the days of Lust Desire or Vanity at which time being wrapt in the third Heaven of Love we there both see and do things not fitting to be utter'd the fourth to the Sun the most strong flourishing and beautiful Age of man's Life the fifth to Mars in which we seek Honour and Victory travelling to ambitious ends the sixth to Iupiter wherein we begin to take an account of our Times to judge of our selves and to perfect our undestanding the seventh and last to Saturn wherein our days are sad and overcast with old age sickness and infirmities Rodeg 10.61 62. Macrobius in his first Book of Scipio's Dream chap. 6. extolling the singular effects of the septenary Number expresses the remarkable changes of Nature every seventh year in the course of man's Age As casting of the Teeth in the first seven springing of the Pubes in the second of the Beard in the third the utmost period of Growth and Stature in the fourth of Strength in the fifth a Consistence in the sixth and a Declination in the seventh Philo Iudaeus in that excellent Book of the Workmanship of the World affirms likewise that at the end of every seventh year there is some notable change in the Body of man and for better proof thereof he produces the Authority of Hippocrates and this Elogy of Solon's Impubes pueri septem volventibus annis Claudunt enatis dentibus eloquium Post alios totidem Divorum numine dextro Occulâ—um pubis nascitur indicium Annus ter septem prima Lanugine malas Vestiet aetatis robore conspicuus c. The Ancients had great respect for Old Age vainly judging of mens wisdom by the length of their Beards in so much that they had their particular years prescribed for such and such undertakings The Age of one and twenty freed them from the Tyranny of Masters and Tutors therefore Philostratus here tells us that Apollonius's Brother being 23 years of Age was exempt from the Jurisdiction of a Tutor They had also their particular years wherein they were capacitated for Marriage and publick imploys the Iewish Talmud as also the Civil Laws and Canons of the Church allow a woman to be married at twelve Hesiod at fifteen Xenophon and the Comedian at sixteen Aristotle at eighteen and Plato at twenty of all which I conceive the marrying at twelve to be the most unreasonable first because there is not one in a hundred but what is fitter for a Joynted â—aby than to look after the concerns of a Family at that Age and secondly because it seems very unfit that she who by the Law has not a Testamentary power to bequeath an old pair of Shoes should yet at the same time have power to dispose of her own Person and Fortune in marriage The Lex Papia made by Tiberius prohibited such men as were past sixty or women above fifty to marry as being unapt for Generation the chief end of marriage which Law was repeal'd in part by Claudius but more fully by Iustinian The blessed Virgin when she
he had often repented himself of his speech but never of his silence Plut. Quid de quoque viro cui dicas saepe caveto Percontatorem fugito nam garrulus idem est Nec retinent patulae commissa fideliter aures Et semel emissum volat irrevocabile verbum Horat. lib. 1. Ep. 18. This would be a very fit Inscription for the doors of all our Coffee-houses wherein you can seldom behold a dozen persons without their Iudas amongst them The Dutch Knight that was Fined in our late Kings time for some words that he had spoken would have made a rare disciple for Pythagoras ever after when he desired leave only to Tickle it with tinking Words make all sorts of men our Enemies and none but Fools our Friends therefore Vir sapit qui pauca loquitur He that makes others afraid of his wit ought himself to be afraid of their memory for as much as I have known many men who though they could not break a Jest could break a Head So that whether it was to avoid these inconveniences of speech or whether to enjoy the benefit of a tacit contemplation that the Soul retiring into her self might be diverted from all external objects and irregular passions whether for the one reason or the other yet evident it is from all their own Writings that the Ancients as well Pythagoreans as others did greatly esteem silence Lycurgus obliged the Spartans to initiate their Children to silence from their very youth Coel. Rhod. Lect. Antiq. lib. 13. ch 5. Ammianus Marcellinus lib. 21. tells us that Silence amongst the Persians was worshipped as a Deity Plutarch says that Silence argueth deep and profound Wisdom it implyeth Sobriety is a mystical Secret and Divine Virtue Mor. of Intemperate speech The same Author likewise tells a story of Zeno who dining at a Feast in company of some Persian Ambassadors and not having spoken a word all Dinner-time they by way of jeer asked him what account they should give the King their Master of him Marry said Zeno you may only tell him this that there is an Ancient man at Athens who can fit out a whole Meal without saying any thing and so turn'd the laughter upon them Hesiod says that the Tongue ought not to be spent upon every body but reserv'd as a Treasure And of later times we find an Institute of Iustinians in Oratione ad Antecess commanding all Students of the Law their set times for silence and for speaking after the Pythagorean manner Loqui ignorabit qui tacere nescit Auson But of all the Scholars that ever Pythagoras had there never was any comparable to our Hero Apollonius who not only persevered in his resolution but also during the time of his silence he did more works of piety and charity without speaking than any other Philosopher ever did with it besides those many opprobrious terms and provocations which were daily offer'd unto him though not with more malice then his great patience could bear 3 Simonides There were several eminent men among the Ancients that bore this Name as the learned Gerardus Ioannes Vossius writes There was one Simonides who wrote the History of Dion and Bion and lived soon after Euclid Another Simonides Ceus the Son of Leoprepes who living before the Expedition into Persia was born in the fifty sixth Olympiad and died in the seventy eighth being eighty nine years of age he wrote a Scheme of Cambyses and Darius Government in the Dorick Dialect as also Xerxes Sea-Engagement and his Fight at Artemisium in Elegiack Verses but the Battel of Salamina he described in Lyrick Verse And many other things he did as you may find in Suidas Lilius Gyraldus and Anonymus ad Olymp. 62. an 2. There was also Simonides Magnesius the Son of Sipylus and Co-temporary with Antiochus Magnus whose Acts he relates in Verse more especially his War with the Galatians wherein Antiochus's Cavalâ—y was routed by the Elephants Likewise another Simonides Amorginus Crinei mention'd by Strabo lib. 10. and by Eustathius in his Comment upon Dionysius But the person mention'd here by Philostratus was another Simonides Ceus Grandson by the Mothers side to Simonides the Lyrick this Simonides was sirnamed Melicerta and is said to have invented the Art of Memory He lived about the 82. Olympiad and flourish'd just before the Peloponesian War Suidas says that he wrote three Books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or de rebus inventis also three Books more of Genealogies from whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Scholiast upon the 11th Book of Apollonius Gerard. Ioann Vossius de Histor. Graec. Pliny tells that he dwelt five years at Meroe an Island upon the Nile at this day called Naulelate where he wrote the History of Aethiopia Natur. Hist. lib. 6. ch 29. He further says that the Art of Memory was first devised and invented by this Simonides Melicus and afterwards brought to perfection by Metrodorus Sepsius whereby a man might learn to rehearse the same words of any Discourse whatsoever after once hearing Thus King Cyrus was able to call every Souldier that he had in his whole Army by their own Names L. Scipio could do the like by all the Citizens of Rome And Cineas Ambassador to King Pyrrhus the very next day he came to Rome both knew and saluted by Name all the Senate Gentry and Cavalry throughout the whole City Cicero Tusc. Quaest. lib. 1. Likewise King Mithridates reigning over two and twenty several Nations of different Languages did himself give every one of them Laws and administred Justice to them in their own proper Tongues without the assistance of an Interpreter and in making his Orations still varied his Language according to the people's he spoke to Also one Charmidas or Charmadas a Grecian whom both Cicero and Quintilian call Carneades had so singular a Memory that he was able to deliver by hearâ— the Contents word for word of all the Books that a man would call for out of any Library as if he had read the same within Book Pliny Nat. Hist. lib. 7. ch 24. Furthermore Pliny speaking of Simonides says that he made an addition to the Greek Alphabet of these four Letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eustathius says he added but these three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Also that to the Harp or Lute Simonides added the eighth String and Timotheus the ninth Pliny Nat. Hist. lib. 7. ch 24. and Plut. Mor. Sympos lib. 9. Cicero speaking of the Nature of God saith Roges me quid aut qualis sit Deus Auctore utar Simonide who being asked by King Hiero to shew him what God was desired one days time to consider of it the next day being come and the King thinking to receive his Answer Simonides pray'd to have two days more for consideration which two days being expired he then pray'd for three and so often as the King required his Answer he still increas'd the number of days
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thirdly By confusion of sound as making no difference in the pronouncing of three Vowels viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and two Dipthongs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all which five they pronounce by one letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they pronounce Icos Icon Stithi Lipi Fourthly By translation of Accents from the Syllables to which in ancient pronunciation they belong'd to others All which four kinds of corruption are very common in their Language and may have produced the unelegant variation in the Greek Tongue The Greek Language more especially in their Poets is difficult by reason of the several Dialects viz. the Attick which was the purest of all and used only at Athens the Dorick which was the most gross the Eolick and Ionick which three last were used in other Greek Countreys remote from Athens But the Greeks are now at this day by reason of their slavery to the Turk so ignorant and unlearned that they have saith Cabasilas about 70 Dialects of the modern Greek whereof the purest is at Constantinople and the most barbarous of all at Athens I think I may say without vanity that both for understanding and pronouncing of the pure ancient Greek there is at this day no people under Heaven more expert at it than the English which all Travellers acknowledg Wherefore having so eminent Grecians amongst us and since by the French example we see how much good Translations benefit a Language I cannot but lament to see such noble Authors as Plutarch Josephus Appian and others translated into English at second hand out of the French Translations and not out of the original Greek a thing not only highly scandalous to our Nation but also unfaithful and prejudicial to the Authors themselves since notwithstanding the French are sometimes to be commended for their Notes Print Cuts and Paper yet I have known very great Judges which will not allow their very best Translations to be any other than Paraphrases nor will their Language admit of so compendious and exact a Version as ours But to proceed there is no Language of more use than the Greek First For that there is none so happy in composition nor so fit in joyning and coupling one word with another as the Greek which Iulius Pollux a Greek Author in his Onomasticon fully demonstrates Aul. Gell. lib. 11. ch 16. All the Hebrew and Latin Eloquence know not with their mystery and gravity how to express and utter so properly and naturally many Nouns and Verbs as are to be found frequently in the Books of Greek Authors Turneb Animadvers lib. 5. ch 19. Greek Books saith the learned Causabon Enthus ch 2. are best able to make a man wise and learned Secondly Many terms of Art both in Grammar Logick Physick Rhetorick Musick Arithmetick Geometry Chronology and Mathematicks derive their original from the Greek so that Ignoratis terminis ignoratur Ars. The next of the three Learned Tongues is the Latine in comparison of which all others are said to be barbarous Some hold that the flourishing pure and incorrupt Age of the Latine Tongue was from Terence to the times of Quintilian for in that Age lived Terence Pacuvius Lucretius Virgil Horace Propertius Tibullus Catullus Ovid Persius Seneca Silius Italicus and Martial Poets Varro Cicero Iulius Caesar Salust Columella Livy Quintus Curtius Historians and Orators The Latine Tongue grew to perfection by degrees and in Caesar's and Cicero's times whereof the one for purity the other for copiousness were the best that ever writ it came to the highest flourish together with the Empire under Augustus Caesar. Among the Poets Plautus Naevius Accius Pacuvius Ennius and Virgil most refined it among the Orators and Historians M. Cato Sisenna Caesar and Cicero Both Iulius and Ioseph Scaliger held that many Originals of the Latine Speech were deduced from the Greek however Crinesius derives the Latine from the Hebrew Mr. Breerwood in his Enquiries produces five several examples to prove the variation of the Latine Tongue before any Foreign inundation happen'd First because Quintilian records that the Verses of the Salii which were composed by Numa could hardly be understood by the Priests of later times in the Commonwealth as Quintilian writes Instit. Orat. lib. 1. ch 6. Secondly For that Festus in his Book de Verb. significat who lived in Augustus's time declares that the Latin Speech so named of Latium was at that time so much changed that saith he scarcely any part of it remain'd in knowledge Thirdly In as much as the Laws of the Roman Kings and of the Decemviri called the Laws of the 12 Tables and collected by Fulvius Vrsinus if compared with the later Latin will testifie the same Fourthly Because Polybius lib. 3. writes that the Articles of a League betwixt the people of Rome and Carthage made soon after the expulsion of the Roman Kings could in his time very hardly be understood by the best Antiquaries in Rome Fifthly and lastly For as much as there remaineth at this day in the Capitol at Rome though much defaced by the injury of time a Pillar called Columnam rostratam dedicated to the memory of a Roman Consul upon a Naval Victory which he obtain'd in the first Punick War the words inscribed on the Pillar together with the later Latin under them are these and thus written Obsol Lat. Recen Lat. Exemet Leciones Macistratos Castreis Exfociont Pucnandod Exemit Legiones Magistratus Castris Effugiunt Pugnando Cepet Enque Navebos Marid Consol. Primos Ornavet Navebous Cepit Inque Navibus Mari. Consul Primus Ornavit Navibus Claseis Poenicas Sumas Cartaciniensis Dictatored Altod. Socieis Classes Punicas Summas Carthaginiensis Dictatore Alto. Sociis Triresmos Naveis Captom Numei Navaled Proedad Poplo c. Triremes Naves Captum Nummi Navali Proeda Populo c. Where you may see in many words e for i c for g o for u and sometimes for e also d superfluously added to the end of many words Breerw Enquiries ch 6. Now that the Roman Tongue did refine and vary from the impurity of its Original we cannot oppose neither by any thing I have yet read or heard do I see any just grounds to recede from that common opinion which supposeth that the mixture of the Northern barbarous Nations among the ancient Inhabitants was the cause of changing the Latin Tongue into the Languages which now they speak the Languages becoming mingled as the Nations themselves were Now from hence two things are observable First The Persons who thus over-ran Italy and they were the Huns in Pannonia the Vandals in Africk the East Goths and Longobards in Italy and the West Goths in Aquitain and Spain The second thing to be observ'd is the time of the dissolution of the Empire which happen'd in Europe and Africk in the time of Valentinian the third and about the year 450. being caused by the barbarous Nations of
diem clausit Homerus in Io non ut arbitrantur aliqui Aenigmitatis perplexitate enectus sed morbo Nevertheless Solinus reports him to be buried in Chios Martianus Capella in Naxes and Pliny in this matter varies from himself one while saying he was bury'd in Io another while in Scyros Also Sotades apud Stob. hath it that he died for Hunger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Polycrates writes that Homer lived to 108 years of age And Plutarch Vita Sertorii affirms that he was born in Io and died in Smyrna Some will have it that Orpheus and Musaeus were more ancient than Homer but the learned Gerr. Vossius plainly shews the contrary saying that the Poems of Orpheus are no older than the Age of Pifistratus and that Musaeus was a Grammarian under the Roman Empire wherefore says he Nihil nunc Antiquius habere Graecos Poematibus Homeri Hesiodi also he further says that Homer lived about the beginning of the Olympiads or a little after near the Times of Romulus Vossâ— de Poet. Graec. ch 2. Now for the Writings of Homer and those Censures that pass'd upon him 't is well known to all men that he never wrote any thing at least that is now extant but Poetry He wrote in 24 Books the Wars of Troy which he calls his Iliads and in as many more the Travels of Vlysses which he names his Odysses It was saith Aelian long after Lycurgus that the Lacedemonians first brought Homer's Poetry into Greece from Ionia whether he travell'd nevertheless Plutarch Vitâ Lycurgi affirms that Lycurgus himself first brought them to light amongst men They were digested into that order we now have them not by himself but by other men and as Suidas and Aelian report chiefly by Pisistratus the Athenian Tyrant for he wrote sundry Poems scatter'd here and there in the Countreys where he travell'd which may be one reason why so many Countreys should challenge him to be theirs they having the original Copies of some of his Works which in succeeding Times were gather'd together to make up compleat Poesies and were called from hence Rapsodia Two of these Poems are observed to comprehend the two parts of man the Iliads describing the strength and vigor of the Body as doth the Odysses the subtilty and policy of the Mind by the one he first represented Tragedy by the other Comedy The particular Subjects of the several Books as well of his Iliads as Odysses I had design'd to have given you a Compendium of but find Mr. Hobbs has anticipated me therein by his English Translation of Homer therefore shall only give you the Judgements that some of the best Authors as well ancient as modern have passed upon him and so conclude That the Poems of Homer were highly esteem'd of by the Ancients is evident from all their Writings Aelian lib. 13. ch 14. tells us that the Ancients sung the Verses of Homer divided into several parts to which they attributed particular Names as the Fight at the Ships the Dolonia the Victory of Agamemnon and the Catalogue of the Ships Moreover the Patroclea and the Lystra or redemption of Hector's Body the Games instituted for Patroclus and the breach for Vows comprehended in his Iliads Now as concerning the Odysses the Actions at Pytus the Actions at Lacedemon the Cave of Calypso the Boat the Discourses of Alcinous the Cyclopias the Neucia and the Washings of Circe the Death of the Woers the Actions in the Field and concerning Laertes The same Author lib. 12. ch 48. also writes that the Indians sing the Verses of Homer translated into their own Language and not only they but likewise the Persian Kings Morever lib. 9. ch 15. he says that the Argives give the first Palm of all Poetry to Homer making all other second to him and at all their Sacrifices invoked Apollo and Homer to be present with them Nay Pindar affirms that when unable to give a Portion with their Daughter they bestow'd on her some of his Poems Alcibiades used to strike that Schoolmaster on the Ear who wanted Homer in his School as if a man should find a Fanatick's Study without any of Hildersham's Dodd's Baxter's Owen's or Vincent's Books in it Alexander the Great having taken that vastly rich Cabinet from Darius could find out no better use for it than to make it a Repository for Homer's Works which he carried with him where-ever he went Arcesilaus could never take his rest at night till he had read some portion of Homer and so soon as he was up in the morning he used to say Se ad Amasium ire meaning that he was going to his beloved Homer Aelian writes that Plato at the beginning studied Poetry when having composed certain heroick Poems he compared and examined them by Homer's but finding them far short of his he tore them in pieces Plato in Ione calleth him Poetarum omnium praestantissimum divinissimum in Phaedone Divinum Poetam Neither did Aristotle less esteem him being as Plutarch hath it used to say of him That Homer was the only Poet who made and devised words that had motion so emphatical were they and so lively express'd Also Plutarch saith That Homer of all other Poets doth excel using such discretion in his Speeches that at one and the same time he reprehends the evil and recommends the good Lucian in Encom Demosth affirmeth all Poets celebrated Homer's Birth-day and sacrificed to him the first Fruits of their Verses Cicero speaking of him saith Homero nemo similis And Velleius Paterculus lib. 1 ch 5. calls him that most bright and matchless Wit who both for the greatness of his Work and perspicuity of his Verses did alone deserve the Name of Poet in whom this is most glorious Quod neque ante illum quem ille imitaretur neque post illum qui eum imitari possit inventus est Cleomenes as both Plutarch and Aelian write used to say that Homer was the Poet of the Lacedemonians declaring how men should fight but Hesiod of the Slaves instructing men how to till the Ground Pliny lib. 25. calls Homer the Father and Prince of all Learning and learned men as well as the best Author extant for Antiquity Likewise Pliny lib. 7. ch 21. tells us out of Cicero that the whole Iliads of Homer were written in a Parchment so small that it might be contain'd in a Nut-shell And Cedrâ—nus also writes of a Library in Constantinople wherein amongst other Curiosities was the Gut of a Dragon 120 foot long on which in Letters of Gold the Iliads and Odysses of Homer were inscribed which Rarity was consumed by Fire in Basiliscus the Emperor's Time Dionysius Halicarnasseus calls Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the Top of all whence every River Sea and Fountain springs no wonder thereâ—ore if the Painter Galaton pictured him vomiting and all the other Poets like so many Dogs licking up what he had spued out To which may be apply'd that of the Poet
THE Two First BOOKS OF PHILOSTRATUS Concerning the Life of Apollonius Tyaneus Written Originally in GREEK And now Published in ENGLISH TOGETHER WITH PHILOLOGICAL NOTES Upon each CHAPTER By CHARLES BLOUNT Gent. Cum omnia in incerto sint fave tibi crede quod mavis Senec. non vocibus ullis Numen eget dixitque semel Nascentibus auctor quicquid scire licet sterileis nec legit arenas Vt caneret paucis mersitque hoc pulvere verum Estque Dei sedes nisi terra Pontus aer Et Coelum virtus Superos quid quaerimus ultra Iupiter est quodcumque vides quocumque moveris Luc. Ph. lib. 9. LONDON Printed for NATHANIEL THOMPSON next Dore to the Sign of the Cross-Keys in Fetter-Lane Anno Domini 1680. The PREFACE READER WHether kind or unkind I shall call you neither for fear lest I be mistaken However to You alone and that without the Patronage of any great Person I Dedicate this Book which if it be any ways diverting to You will answer my expence of Time and Yours of Mony if otherwise it is now too late for either to repent The humour of this Age is such that a Dedication or Preface before a Book and a Grace before a Meal are thought to be equally necessary and useful As if the one was no less a Preservative against the succeeding folly in the Author than the other against the crooked Pin in the Pudding First then for Dedications their Flattery is so gross and fulsom that all Men of Ingenuity or Honour must nauseate and abhor them There you shall see the wise men of Greece and Heroes of Troy laid flat on their backs when in comparison of our gallant Patron perhaps some Country Esquire or Justice Aristotle's a Coxcomb Plato an Ass Hercules Ajax Achilles Alexander and Caesar are all but so many Cowards and Striplings Or if she be a Woman to whom He Addresses Himself though She be really and truly as ugly as the Devil and as Whorish as Thais her self yet He has that art of washing a Blackmore white that with two or three lines of his Pathetick Quill he can make her more Beautiful than Helen of Troy or the Egyptian Queen and more Chaste than Penelope her self Insomuch that most Dedications differ little from some Funeral Sermons wherein for a new Mourning Gown a Gold Ring and Five or Ten Pounds to the Vicar of the Parish our beloved Brother though a Devil in this World is made a Saint in the next Secondly for Prefaces they ever were and still are but of two sorts let other Modes and Fashions vary as they please Let the prophane long Peruke succeed the godly cropt Hair the Cravat the Ruff Presbytery Popery and Popery Presbytery again yet still the Author keeps to his old and wonted method of Prefacing when at the beginning of his Book he enters either with an Halter about his Neck submitting himself to his Readers Mercy whether he shall be hang'd or no or else in a huffing manner he appears with the Halter in his hand and threatens to hang his Reader if he gives him not his good Word This with the excitement of some Friends to his undertaking and some few Apologies for want of Time Books and the like are the constant and usual shams of all Scriblers as well Antient as Modern But now as for my part I enter the Lists upon another score and think my self oblig'd in Duty to give you some account why I have here presented you with so imperfect an History My Author PHILOSTRATUS Written Originally in Greek has ever till now of late been esteem'd so inoffensive a Writer that the most strict Catholick Inquisitors have never oppos'd either the Reading or Translating of him Thus we see him already rendred into Latine by Monsieur Morell and into French by Monsieur Vigenere both which Translations are now Printed in France by publick Authority and Approbation Neither indeed could they rationally except against him as being no more than a bare Narrative of the Life of a Philosopher not of a new Messiah or any ways in opposition to the old no PHILOSTRATUS does not any where so much as mention the name of CHRIST And if one Heathen Writer HIEROCLES did make an ill use of this History by comparing APOLLONIUS with CHRIST what is that to PHILOSTRATUS who never meant nor design'd it so as I can any where find However EUSEBIUS hath already confuted HIEROCLES which Confutation I had intended to have annext to PHILOSTRATUS by way of Antidote although to Rational Men I think there needed none Secondly if it be objected as I know it will that it may be of ill Consequence to let the Vulgar perceive that any other Person acted Miracles besides MOSES CHRIST and the APOSTLES How comes it then to pass that that passage in the Old Testament of the Magicians and that other in the New of Simon Magus have hitherto escaped the Index Expurgatorius Moreover how came Dr. More 's Mystery of Godliness to be permitted wherein he writes a whole comparison betwixt our Saviour Christ and Apollonius setting down at large the Miracles both of the one and the other Besides the Scriptures themselves do frequently acknowledge that such Miracles shall be acted by False Prophets as would deceive if it were possible the very Elect So as if the Vulgar were hereby made acquainted with the Miracles of Apollonius it would be no new thing but rather advantagious to the Scriptures than otherwise by how much the lustre of a true Diamond appears the more beautiful when compar'd with counterfeit Stones However Philostratus delivers them with so much of indifferency and modesty that he endeavours all that in him lies to withdraw his Readers from the belief of them to instance only in the last Chapter of his Fourth Book where speaking of Apollonius's raising a young Wench from the dead He there gives you several Natural Reasons to shew how it might be done without a Miracle and so much for Philostratus Now as to my self I am so far from comparing him with our Blessed Saviour or from giving credit to any other New Miracles that my daily request of God is to give me Faith enough to believe the old But then if it be enquir'd for what Reason I undertook to Translate him my Answer is that I thought the many Descriptions in him of remote Countries and Ancient Customs so far different from our own as well as the Philosophical Discourses of Morality might be both diverting and beneficial to all those that perused him There are various hints of ancient History vvherein Philostratus is esteem'd Authentick and vvhich I had design d to have illustrated by my Notes had it been permitted me But Right is not a sufficient Argument against Might Therefore 't was a vvise Caution of the Ass in the Fable who vvhen there vvas a Lavv made against all horn'd Beasts fear'd lest his Ears might be expounded to be Horns since
Tabernacle and Priests of the Old Testament however it is not known who was the first deviser of them Pliny and Solinus report that Alexander when he wan the Camp of Darius found among other Jewels and Spoils a Cask of rich Oyntments that very much delighted him But Herodotus doth declare that it was in frequent use before Darius's time For Cambyses Son to Cyrus sent Embassadors to Aethiopus King of the Macrobians with great Presents whereof a Box of Oyntments was one I know not the certain time when they were first introduced into Rome but we read in Pliny lib. 13. ch 3. Nat. Hist. that the 565 th year of that City Antiochus being vanquished and all Asia subdued P. Livinius Crassus and Iulius Caesar being then Censors commanded that no Foreign Confection of Oyntments should be sold in the City of Rome Pancirollus tells us that the Romans derived this custom of Anointing themselves from the Greeks who after they had washed the Body with Water ever anointed it over with perfumed Oyntments kept in a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Vessel so call'd which they had for that purpose Now the reason of this was as the Scholiast in Aristoph hath it to close up the pores again after they had been opened by the hot weather or by anointing before they went into cold Water to keep out the cold as we see Apollonius did We read also that both Greeks and Romans used to anoint their Heads habent unctae mollia serta comae Ovid. which they did either to keep out any Fumes ascending thither from drink or to open the pores that so they might evacuate the sooner wherefore it was generally used at great Entertainments He that would read more concerning the virtue several kinds and manner of using these Oyntments let him look into Athenaeus Dipnos lib. 3. ch 14 15 c. 7 Baths were used by our Forefathers as constantly before Meals as we use Water to wash our hands nor was there any extravagancy wherein the Ancients did more excell than in that of their Baths So magnificent were the Roman Baths so stately and glorious were their Fabricks that they resembled so many Cities But above all the two most famous were the Antoninian and Dioclesian the Antoninian Baths as Palladius in his Antiq. Vrb. Rom. saith were built by Alexander being of a prodigious height and adorned with great Marble Pillars the Dioclesian which were also of a vast height had 140000 men employ'd for many years together in building them These Baths alone were so capacious as they contain'd for the use of washing 1600 several Seats and those all of polished Marble an accurate description whereof is already given us by Vitruvius lib. 5. ch 10. Agrippa as witnesseth Pliny built during his Aedilship for the free use of the Publick one hundred and seventy Baths and the same Author likewise adds that at Rome in his time their number was infinite And for the largeness some of them saith Olympiâ—dorus were ingenti or as Cassiodorus writes mirabili magnitudine Ammianus lib. 16. saith that their Baths were in modum Provinciarum extructa built in the manner of Provinces Neither were their insides less glorious than their outsides for Seneca in his 86 Ep. lib. 13. describes the common Bathing-rooms to be rather like the Palaces of Princes than places only for the washing off sweat and filth of their Bodies and accordingly Statius agrees in this his description of them Nil ibi plebeium nunquam Temesaea notabis Aera sed argento foelix propellitur unda Argentoque cadit labrisque nitentibus instat Delicias mirâ—ta suas in balneo Etrâ—sci Rosinus in his Chapter de Thermis affirms they used to anoint the very Walls of their Baths with rich odoriferous Unguents and that even of such Baths that were but for the use of Servants Rosin Antiq. Rom. But as Dr. Hakewell observes the most considerable expence about their baths was the charge which they were at in heating the Water especially being so large that one of them contain'd at least ten times so much in compass as the Kings Bath in Bathe and that to be heated so hot as they could hardly endure their Bodies in it which Plutarch testifieth in the 8th Book and 9 th Chapter of his Symposiachs Hakewelâ— Apol. for Provid lib. 4 ch 8. Moreover Plutarch saith that while they were in them they drew in Air that was mingled as it were with Fire and Water whereas in ancient times men could sleep eat and drink in their Baths without over-heating their Bodies Now however some few among them used Bathing for their health sake yet Artemidorus tells us that a Bath in his time was little else but a passage to Supper so as they which eat often wash'd as often it being therefore observed of Commodus the Emperor how often he eat by his Bathing seven or eight times in one day And among the Christians Sisinius a Bishop was censured as intemperate for washing twice in a day Many there have been saith Plutarch in his Precepts of Health who have brought themselves to this pass that they could neither eat nor drink unless they had first either Bathed or sweat in a Stove among whom Titus the Emperor was one as they did testifie who had the cure of him when he lay sick And in the same Book he bringeth in Zeuxippus giving precepts of Diet and perswading men not to think it strange if they come now and then to the Table without having been at the Bath or Hot-house before so common a thing was it in those days at Rome to make use of their Baths before they came to their Meals Many have declaimed against Bathing in excess and some have preferr'd hot Baths and others cold Baths as we see Apollonius did but few have ever decry'd them altogether Clemens Alexandrinus reckons up the several good effects of Bathing as cleansing warming and comforting the Body besides the great pleasure of it Suidas says that Baths are uncertain cures for pains but certain guides to pleasure which agrees with that old Inscription which was written over the Baths Balnea Vina Venus corrumpunt corpora nostra Sed vitam faciunt Balnea Vina Venus Coel. Rhod. lib. 28. Camerarius in his Hor. Succisiv lib. 2. ch 14. demonstrates that the Pagans have been more modest in their Stoves and Baths than many of the Christians were for though under the Rule of that monster Heliogabalus the Baths of Rome were open both to men and women promisâ—uously yet both before and since it was a thing prohibited by the Roman Laws and was then only practised for a time Regis ad exemplum for Romulus the first King of the Romans ordained that whatever man should suffer himself to be seen naked by a woman should dye Plutarch speaking of the modesty of M. Cato writeth That in old time Fathers were ashamed to bathe before their Children and the Father-in-Law before his Sons-in-Law he further addeth that
Conspiracy to assist the Persians against their own Country was forced to save his Life by flying into Persia where by Artaxerxes Longimanus the then King he was honourably receiv'd and bountifully entertain'd having three Cities given him one for Bread another for Wine and a third for Victuals to which some add two more for Cloaths and Linen and that afterwards he died a natural death at Magnesia However others write that Themistocles being unable to perform his promise to the King of conquering Greece which by this time had Cimon and many other experienced Captains amongst them poysoned himself for grief But of this see more in Plutarch Cornelius Nepos Thucydides and Valerius Maximus Now for as much as in this Chapter and elsewhere in this Book are written the Lives of some of the Persian and Grecian Monarchs it may not be improper to give you a compendious Account of the Succession of the four Monarchies which although I design for a distinct Treatise hereafter by it self in a general Body of History if Life Health and Peace will permit me may nevertheless at this time prove usefull to such as read the foregoing part of this Chapter Know then that History is the Commemoration of things past with the due Circumstances of Time and Place in distinct Distances Intervals Periods or Dynasties by lineal Descents for the more ready help of Memory and Application And this as the learned Prideaux observes may be divided into Either 1. Ecclesiastical 2. Political 3. Of Successions in States Countreys or Families 4. Of Professions as the Lives of famous men in any Faculty 5. Natural as that of Pliny the Lord Bacon's Natural History c. 6. Various such as we have from Valerius Maximus Plutarch and Aelian Or 7. Vain Legendary or Fabulous such as are comprehended under the Name of Romances But of these the two first being only to my purpose at this time I shall not trouble you with the other five First For Ecclesiastical History that insisteth chiefly on Church-matters and hath precedency before others in respect of its Antiquity Dignity and pretended Certainty Now that is generally reckoned after this manner Beginning 1. From the Creation to the end of the Flood 1657 years 2. From the Flood to the calling of Abraham 367 years 3. From the calling of Abraham to the Israelites departing out of Aegypt 430 years 4. From the Aegyptians coming out of Aegypt to the building of Solomon's Temple 480 years 5. From the building Solomon's Temple to the erecting of the second Temple by Zorobabel 497 years 6. From the building Zorobabel's second Temple to the Nativity of our Saviour Christ 529 years 7. From the Nativity of our Saviour to this present time 1680 years Secondly To Ecclesiastical History thus briefly comprehended Political in the same method succeeds treating of Civil Matters in Kingdoms States or Commonwealths and this is according to prophane Chronology carried along in these Periods Beginning 1. From Nimrod or rather Belus to Cyrus 2. From Cyrus to Alexander the Great 3. From Alexander the Great to Iulius Caesar and the fourth Monarchy beginning 4. From Iulius Caesar to Constantine the Great in whom it ended For thus Historians have ever divided the Series of prophane Story into these four Empires called the Assyrian the Persian the Grecian and the Roman As for the first of these viz. the Assyrian Monarchy it was first begun by Nimrod and destroy'd by Cyrus as for what passed before the beginning of this Empire we have no other account but in sacred Writ wherewith since every one either is or ought to be already acquainted I shall take no further notice of it in this place We read therefore that after the Division of the Earth Nimrod the Son of Chush and Nephew of Cham fixed his Seat at Babel and therein first began that Kingdom or Empire which was call'd by some the Babylonian from Babel the place of the King's Court or Residence by others the Chaldaan from the Countrey Chaldaea wherein the City Babylon was seated and by others the Assyrian from Ashur the Son of Sem who is call'd by prophane Authors Niâ—us and whom Iustin out of Trogus would have to be the first Founder of this Empire as also the first King that made War upon his Neighbours Iustin lib. 1. Now as this Monarchy was at first instituted by Nimrod or Belus which from Iulius Africanâ—s and the best Authors I find to be the same so was it enlarged by Ninus and his Wife Semiramis in whose time it was at the height of glory and grandeur for afterwards by reason of the effeminacy of its Princes it declined till by the ruine and fall of that Monster Sardanapalus who was Mars ad opus Veneris Martis ad arma Venus the Empire became divided between those two Rebels Arbaces and Belâ—chus in whose Successions it lasted till by the death of Belshazzar last King of the Babylonians and of Darius last King of the Mâ—des the whole Empire was again united and so descended upon Cyrus the Great who began the second Empire of the Medes and Persians This first Empire began in the year of the World 1788. it lasted 1646 years and was subverted or translated into Persia in the year of the World 3434. Now the several Races and Successions of Kings that govern'd this first Assyrian Monarchy are as followeth I. Familia Beli. 1. Nimrod or Belus 2. Ninus 3. His Wife Semiramis 4. Ninâ—as or Ninus the II. 5. Arius of whom together with these that follow there is little known till we come to Sardâ—â—â—palus 6. Araliâ—s 7. Balâ—â—â— the I 8. Armatrites 9. Belachus the I. 10. Baleus the II. 11. Altadas 12. Mamitus 13. Mancaleus 14. Shaerus 15. Maâ—â—elus 16. Sparetus 17. Ascaâ—â—des 18. Aâ—yntas 19. Belochâ—s the II. 20. Bellopares 21. Lamprides 22. Sosares 23. Lamparâ—s 24. Pâ—nnias 25. Sâ—sarmus 26. Mitreus 27. Tauâ—anâ—s 28. Teutaeus 29. Tiâ—aeus 30. Dâ—â—â—ilus 31. Eâ—paâ—â—s 32. Lâ—â—sthenes 33. Pyrithidias 34. Ophraâ—â—â—s 35. Ophragaâ—â—â—s 36. Ascrazapeâ— 37. Sardanapalus after whose death the Empire was divided between Arbaces and Belochus Arbaces enjoy'd the Government of the Medes and Belochus of the Assyrians their Successions were are as followeth 1. Arbaces 2. Mandauces 3. Sosarmus 4. Artycas 5. Arbianes 6. Arsaeos or Deioces 7. Phraortes 8. Cyaxares And 9. Astyages the Father of Darius Medus 1. Phul-Belochus 2. Tiglat-Philassar 3. Salmanassar 4. Sennacherib 5. Assar-Haddon 6. Merodach 7. Ben-Merodach 8. Nabopalassar 9. Nabuchodonosor 10. Evil-Merodach And 11. Belsazar For Astyages and Belsazar gave a period to this first Monarchy whereof Cyrus became sole Monarch Now concerning this second Monarchy some will have it that Darius Medus the Son of Astyages began it and that Cyrus Astyages his Grandson by his Daughter Mandana did enlarge and perfect it for that they being both Kings one of Media and the other of Persia when joyning their Forces together they overthrew Belsazar Darius thereupon annex'd Babylon to his part of
King for you perhaps will ask nothing but you ought to beware that you seem not out of pride to refuse the King's Bounty This therefore is to be heeded as also in what Countrey you now are and that we lye at the King's mercy But above all you must take heed of Calumny lest you be thought to reject good Offers out of arrogancy Besides you must consider that the Victuals which we now have will serve us till we come into India but they will not suffice to bring us back nor do we well know where to get others Illustrations on Chap. 21. 1 ALl Excess is more irkesom to wise men that Vertue consists in Mediocrity hath been the common opinion and as the French Virtuoso in his Philosophical Conference observes 'T is the property of every thing destitute of Reason to be carried into Extreams The Stone to the Center Fire to the Circumference the Earth imbibes as much Water as it can an Animal eats as much Food as it can cram in the Spider weaves as long as it hath wherewithal the Nightingal often sings till she bursts and every Passion guided by it self alone is carried to the utmost point in Discourse or Writing profound Sence borders upon the Confines of Nonsence and a strong Line shews a weak Author Wit like a Faulcon towring in its flight When once it soars above its usual height Lessens till it becomes quite out of sight Prol. to Psyche Therefore of all such Writings St. Ierom used to say Qui non vult intelligi debet negligi Likewise what can be more absurd or ridiculous than the extremity of any Mode or Fashion such as are Narrow Trâ—uck Breeches and the broad-brimm'd Hat The dangling Knee-Tye and the Bibb-Cravâ—â— From hence it was that Doedalus in the Fable enjoyn'd his Son Icarus to take his flight neither too high for fear lest the wax of his Wings should be melted with the heat of the Sun nor yet too low for fear of wetting them in the Sea which course all men have follow'd that were happy Liberality which all men commend is a mean between Avarice and Prodigality the Avarous being excessive in receiving and defective in giving as the Prodigal on the contrary is excessive in giving and defective in receiving The Prodigal by doing good to others does hurt to himself the Miser does no good to others and much less to himself wherefore he alone that keeps a mean in his expences deserves the name of vertuous and makes his Liberality esteem'd Now Magnificence hath the same respect to great expences that Liberality hath to less being the mid-way between two extreams Again Rashness does oftentimes prove of as ill consequence as Cowardise but true Valour holding a mean between both prevents it The regular desire of moderate Honours hath for its extreams contempt of Honour and Ambition Clemency is between Choler which is offended with every thing and Stupidity which is offended with nothing Veracity between Boasting and Dissimulation Facetiousness between Buffoonry and Rusticity Amity between Flattery and Hatred Modesty between Bashfulness and Impudence Anger between Malice and Neglect In fine all Vertues have their extreams which gave occasion for that saying In medio consistit Virtus in consideration whereof the wise man prays neither for plenty nor want but for a Mediocrity to which the Ancients to shew their esteem thereof gave the attribute of Golden In the same manner we see Apollonius here prays neither for Poverty nor Riches but only to have a few things and to stand in need of none We should avoid as well the Gulf of Charybdis as the Rocks of Scylla 2 Eunuchs are in Love Cael. Rhodiginus lib. 13. ch 19. saith that Eunuchs were first made by Semiramis And Herodotus informs us lib. 8 that among the Barbarians and Eastern people Eunuchs were of great esteem and value Also Mr. Ricaut in his late ingenious Tract of the Turkish Polity shews that the Grand Seigniour makes use of Eunuchs for all his great Offices and Employs Herodotus writes that Hermotimus being taken Prisoner in War was sold to Panionius who caused him to be gelded for that Panionius making Merchandize of such kind of Ware gelded all the fair Boys he could lay his hands on and afterwards carrying them to Sardis and Ephesus sold them almost for their weight in Gold so highly were Eunuchs esteem'd of amongst the Barbarians saith Herodotus lib. 7. Xenophon bringeth in Cyrus to be of that opinion and therefore makes him commit the keeping of his Body to Eunuchs rather than to others Nevertheless the Roman Emperors have always rejected Eunuchs placing them in the rank of those that were neither Men nor Women as appears by Valerius Maximus who saith that one Genutius having gelded himself was adjudged unworthy to have the benefit of a man's last Will and Testament because saith Valerius the Tribunals of Justice should not be polluted with the presence of Eunuchs for such were all Cybele's Priests whereof Genutius was one Val. Max lib. 7. ch 7. Basil lib. 4. ch 4. in a Letter to Simplicia maketh a bitter Invective against such and so doth Claudia the Poet lib. 7. Parerg. ch 23. and others Luitprand Deacon of Pavia tells us that Theobald Duke of Spoleto making War upon the Grecians cut off the privy Members of all such Enemies as fell into his hands and so dismiss'd them whereupon a poor Grecian Woman throwing her self at the Duke's Feet said thus unto him Oh Theobald what have we poor Women done unto thee that thou shouldst thus wage War upon us with such extremity we are no Warriers nor ever learn'd to handle any other weapons than tâ—e Distaff and Spindle wherefore then dost thou de prive us of our pleasures by taking away our Hâ—sbands instruments of Generation are there no Eyes no Noses no Ears must thou needs extend the power of thy War upon that only which Natâ—re hath lent us the use of Whereupon Theobald was so taken with this Womans Arguments thâ—t he ever after forbore that kind of Cruelty Dr. Brown saith that all Castrated Animals as Eunuchâ— Spadoes c. are longer lived than those which retain their Virilities Now concerning the Lust of Eunuchs whereof Apollonius here speaks there have been many famous Examples of the like nature sufficient to verifie his Assertion that Eunuchs are in Love Favorinus the Philosopher who lived in Adrian's time was an Eunuch and yet nevertheless accused of Adultery So likewise is it reported of the Eunuch Bagoas that he was actually taken committing Adultery as in the three and twentieth Chapter of this first Book of Philostratus we have another Example of the like nature Nay 't is a thing seen almost every day amongst Horses to have Geldings cover Mares and that to all outward appearance as well as any stone-Horse But what I most wonder at is a Story related by Suidas viz. that Hermias the Eunuch begat Pythiades for Galen lib. 15 de usu part
and written by that eminent Poet and Divine Dr. Donn the Dean of Pauls wherein with no weak Arguments he endeavours to justifie out of Scripture the Legality of self-Homicide As to the second Objection of self-Preservation those that are for self-Murder urge that self-Preservation is no other than a natural Affection and appetition of good whether true or seeming so that if I propose to my self in this self-Killing a greater good although I mistake it I perceive not saith the Doctor wherein I transgress the general Law of Nature which is an Affection of good true or seeming and if that which I affect by death as Martyrs who expect a Crown of Glory and to lye snug in Abraham's bosom under the umbrage of his Beard be really a greater good wherein is the Law of self-Preservation violated Therefore some that are Enemies to our Faith will have Afflictions to be God's Call out of this Life and by the same Reason as we preserve our well-being ought we then to destroy our ill-being Another Reason which prevails with them as shewing self-Homicide to be consistent with the Law of Nature is this that in all Ages in all places and upon all occasions men of all conditions have affected iâ— and inclin'd to do it when man as though he were Angelus sepultus labours to be discharged of his earthly Sepulchre his Body And though this may be said of all other sins that men are propense to them and yet for all that frequently they are against Nature yet if this sin saith the Doctor were against the particular Law of Nature and that so it wrought to the destruction of our Species any otherwise than intemperate Lust Surfets or incurring penal Laws and the like it could not be so general since being contrary to our sensitive Nature it hath not the advantage of pleasure and delight to allure us withal which other sins have When I frame to my self a Martyrology saith he of all which have perish'd by their own means for Religion Countrey Fame Love Ease Fear and Shame I blush to see how naked of Followers all Vertues are in respect of this Fortitude and that all Histories afford not so many Examples either of Cunning subtle Devices or of forcible and violent Actions for the safeguard of Life as for the destroying Petronius Arbiter who served Nero a man of Pleasure in the Office of Master of his Pleasures upon the first frown went home and cut his Veins How subtlely and curiously Attilius Regulus destroy'd himself whom Codrus exceeded in forcing his own Death Comas Captain of the Thieves died by stopping his own Breath Herennius the Sicilian beat out his own Brains against a Post. Annibal for fear of being reduced to the necessity of being beholden to others died with poyson which he always carried in a Ring as Demosthenes died with poyson carried in a Pen. Aristarchus starved himself and Homer is said to have hanged himself because he understood not the Fishermens Riddle Democles scalded himself to death Portia Caâ—o's Daughter and Catulus Luctatius died by swallowing burning Coals Poor Terence because he lost his 108 translated Comedies drowned himself And the Poet Labienus because his Books were burnt by publick Edict burnt himself also Zeno upon a small hurt of his Finger hanged himself when he was almost an hundred years of age for which reason Laertius proclaims him to be Mira faelicitate vir qui incolumis integer sine morbo excessit Portius Latro kill'd himself for a quartan Ague and Festus Domitian's Beloved only to hide the deformity of a Ringworm in his Face Hipponiâ—s the Poet rimed Bubalus the Painter to death with his Iambicks and so Cassius Licinius to escape Cicero's Judgment choak'd himself with a Napkin These and many other Examples could I instance were it necessary as those who die voluntarily for Religion and the Wives among the Indians who burn themselves upon their Husbands death One of the most cruel Roman Emperors said of his Prisoners that he would make them feel death and if any fortuned to kill himself in Prison he would say That Fellow hath escaped me Lastly Cato alone that pattern of Vertue may serve instead of all other Examples Moreover I do verily believe that he who hangs himself in a Garret as the late Parson of Newgate did feels less pain horror and trouble than such as die of Feavers in their Beds with Friends and Relations weeping about them CHAP. XXIV Apollonius whilst the King lay sick told him many things of the Souls Immortality Divers Speeches pass'd to and fro between them Apollonius is at length dismiss'd by the King with Camels and other Necessaries for his Iourney into India NOw the King being fallen sick Apollonius standing by him utter'd so great and so divine things concerning the Soul that the King-plucking up his courage said to the standers by that Apollonius had by his words caused him not only to contemn a Kingdom but even 1 Death it self when the King shew'd the Trench to Apollonius which was made under Euphrates and whereof we spake before and ask'd him whether he thought it not a great wonder Apollonius depressing the strangeness thereof said to the King It would be a wonder indeed if you were able to pass over so deep and unpassable a Current on your feet Afterwards when he shew'd him the Walls of Ecbatana saying that they were the Dwelling of the Gods Apollonius replied They are not certainly the Dwelling of the Gods and whether they be the Dwelling of men I cannot tell for the City of 2 Lacedemon Oh King is inhabited without Walls Again when the King had been administring Iustice to certain Towns and boasted to Apollonius that he had spent two days in hearing and determining Causes Apollonius answer'd You were very slow in finding out what was just Aâ— another time after the Tributes coming in thick from his Subjects the King opening his Treasury shew'd his Wealth to Apollonius alluring him to the desire of Riches But Apollonius admiring at nothing which he saw said to the King To you Oh King these are 3 Riches but to me nothing but Straw When the King demanded what he should do to make good use of his Riches Apollonius's Answer was If you make use of them considering you are a King Now having had many such Conferences with the King and having found him ready to do what he advised him to also thinking that he had sufficiently convers'd with the Magicians he said to Damis Go to now Damis let us begin our March towards the Indians for they that sail towards the Eaters of 4 Lotus being taken with the sweetness of that Plant forget their own proper manners but we though we have not tasted of any thing that is here do yet tarry in these parts longer than is fitting I my self had the same thoughts said Damis but reckoning the time which we conjectured from the Lioness which we saw I waited till that space
of the Judges who as we may gather from Plutarch vitâ Cimoniâ— were ten in number and called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So highly esteem'd were these three Poâ—ts by the Ancients that by a Law made by Lycurgus and ratified in Athens Aeschylâ—â— Sophocles and Euripides had their Statues erected in Brass for the continuation of their memory Neither were any permitted to act their Tragedies without first reciâ—ing them to the publick Scribe Plut. viâ—a 10 Rhet. Euripides was the first who set out the Argument of the Fable in the beginning of the Tragedy leading the Auditor as it were by the hand to the last and principal point of that one Action which he would represent The several other Judgments that have passed upon this Author I shall omit and only touch upon some few Reflections made on him by that ingenious modern Critick Monsieur Rapin in his Reflections on Aristotle's Poesie which is lately rendred into the English Tongue by the no less judicious Mr. Râ—ymer his Observations are these How much doth Euripides teach us to contemn the Favours and Grandeurs of this World in the Character of his unhappy Queen Hecuba who so pathetically deplores her Misfortunes How doâ—â— he wean us from the unguided Passion of a too violent Love by his Fable of 〈◊〉 where the Passion of Phaedra for her Son-in-law causes the Misfortunes of 〈◊〉 and the Disorders of Theseus's Family What a compassion for Vertue doth the same Fable inspire us with when one cannot see Hyppâ—litus die by the Plot of his Stepmother Phaedra without being highly touched therewith since he was a Martyr only for Chastity and Vertue How agreeable are all his words and persons with their Characters Polyxena and Ipbigenia truely generous How conformable are his very thoughts as well to the Persons as Subjects whereon he treats Thus Queen Evadâ—â— in the Suppliants of Euripides after the death of her Husband Capaneâ—s may be seen to express all the extremity of her grief by force of a sorrow the most generous that ever was her affliction oppresses her without extorting one word from her that betrays the least weakness Nay rather than be guilty of any undecent passionate Clamours he makes Hecuba fall into a Swound on the Stage thereby the better to express all the weight of her sorrow which could not be represented by words The narration of the death of Polyxena in his Hecuba is the most lively and moving in the World The Tragedies of Euripides have more of Action of Morality and of wonderful Incidents than those of Sophocles Nevertheless Euripides is not exact in the contrivance of his Fâ—bles his Characters want variety he falls often into the same thoughts on the same Adventures he is not enough a Râ—ligious observer of Decencies and by a too great affectation to be moral and sententious he is not so ardent and passionate as he ought to be for this reason he goes not to the heart so much as Sophocles there are precipitations in the preparation of his Incidents as in thâ— Suppliants where Theseus levies an Army marches from Athens to Thebes and returns on the same day The discoveries of his Plots are nothing natural but perpetual Machins Diana makes the discovery in the Tragedy of Hippolytus Minâ—rvâ— that of Iphigenia in Taâ—rica Thâ—tiâ— that of Andrâ—mache Castâ—r and Pollux that of Helena and Electra and so of others Lastly Aristotle condeâ—â—s Euripides for introducing Menalippa to speak too much like a Philosopher of the Sect of Anaxagâ—ras whose Opinions were in his time but new 3 Related by Nearchus this Nearchus was an Officer in Alexander's Army whom Arrianus mentions in his 8th Book concerning the Deeds of Alexander 4 The River Arcesinus of this River see Piiny lib. 6. ch 20. who speaks but to the same purpose as doth our Author Philâ—stratâ—â— 5 Overfloweth India like to Nilus as Gangâ—s and Indus are the most famous Rivers of Asia and Danubius of Europe so is Nilus of Africk which as Diodorâ—s lib. 1. writes takes its Name from one Nileus King of Egypt Eustathius saith it is so call'd from Nilus the Nephew of Atlantis but the most general opinion of the Learned is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is deriveâ— from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. novum limum singulis annis mittat Of this River of Nile two things have been much disputed among the Ancients viz. it s several Ostiaries and the true cause of its Inundation First For its several Ostiaries Homer hath given no number of its Channels nor we the Names thereof in use witâ— all Historians Eratostheâ—es in his description of Egypt hath likewise pass'd them over Aristotle is so indistinct in their Names and Numbers that in the first of his Mâ—teors he plainly affirmeth the Region of Aegypt which we esteem the ancientest Nâ—tion in the World was a meer gain'd grouâ—d and that by the settling of mud and limous matter brought down by the River Nilus that which was at first a continued Sea became raised at last into a firm and habitable Countrey Herodotus in his Eâ—terpe makes mention of 〈…〉 in his Geography naming but two Peleâ—fiâ—eum and Canopicum plainly affirmeth â—â—ere were more than seven There are saith he many remarkable Towns within the Currents of Nile especially such which have given the Names unto the Ostiâ—ries thereof not unto all for they are eleven and four besides but unto seven the most considerable that is Canopicum Bolbitinum Selenneticum Sebenneticum Pharniticum Mendesium Taniticum and Pelusium Ptolomy an Egyptian born at the Pelusian mouth of the Nile makes nine Hondius in his Map of Africa makes but eight and in that of Europe ten And Ortelius in his Map of the Turkiâ—â— Empire setteth down eight in that of Egypt eleven But Maginus Gulielmus Tyrius and Bellonius as well as all modern Geographers and Travellers say there are now but three or four mouths belonging to the River Nile For below Grand Cairo the River divides it selâ— into four branches whereof two make the chief and navigable Streams the one running to Pelusium which is now called Damiata the other to Canopium that at present is named Roscetta the other two saith Mr. Sandys â—un between these and are inconsiderable See Brown's Vulg. Err. lib. 6. The Ancients were much in the dark concerning the Head of this River as appears by all the Writings as well of their Poets as Historians Nile pater quà nam possum te dicere causa Aut quibus in â—erris occuluisse caput Tibull 1 7. Arâ—anum â—â—ura caput non prodidit ulli Neâ— licuit populis paâ—vum te Nile videre Amovitque sinus gentes maluit ortus Mirari quam nosse 〈◊〉 Lucan lib. 10. Te fontium qui celat origines Nilus Horat. lib. 4. Od. 14. Therefore Ammianus Marcellinus lib. 22. saith Origines fontium Nili ut mihi quidem videri solet ficut adbuc factum
will turn them out of his service or cut their Throats if they do not do as they should do Truly a most pathetick Orator to bruit Beasts The like does Hector in another place How comical is the Entertainment which he gives the Gods at a Comedy Odyssey 8. some of whom he makes Buffoons by introducing Mars and Venus surprized in the Nets laid for them by Vulcan The Battel between Irus and Vlysses Odyss 18. savours strongly of the Burlesque humour as does also the Character of Therfitis and the wounding of Venus in the Iliad How undecent is that comparison of Homer's of an Ass feeding in a Wheat-field which the Children would drive out with Poles and Staves to be compared to Ajax in the midst of an Engagement overwhelm'd with a shower of the Enemies blows as it is in the Iliad 'T is but one degree above the filthy expression of a great man in these late Times who sitting as Commissioner in the Star-chamber had so mean a conception that in open Court he was fain to fetch his comparison from a Tinker and his Trull The Descriptions of Homer are too childish too long too affected and too often used as the description of Alcinous's Garden in the 7th and that of the Port of Ithaca in the 13th of the Odysseys the description of the Port and that of the Grotto inhabited by the Nymphs which takes up 18 Verses Homer is reprehended even by the Greeks themselves for his intemperance and tediousness in Discourse Neither in his Iliad is the unity of Action so perfect as to be without blame where after the death of Hector which ought to have closed the Action there are still two Books to come the 23d which comprehends the Exercises celebrated for the death of Patroclus and which contribute nothing to the principal Action and the 24th which contains the Lamentation of the Trojans and the ransoming of Hector's Body which have no connexion to the principal Action that being compleat without it Nay it may further be objected why a Poem that had no other design but to celebrate the Honour of the Greeks should be closed with that Honour which is done to Hector's Funeral Solemnities which was the chiefest of their Enemies Was it not a mistake in him thus to forget the design he proposed Amphora caepit Institui currente rot à cur urceus exit Horat. Art Poet. Again He is sometimes accused for want of Variety and Surprize Thus in numbring the Grecian Fleet in the 2d Iliad all the Squadrons are for the most part terminated in one Verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And all the Banquets of the Iliad are serv'd up in the same fashion without any variety Nay Vlysses's being known by his Wife Penelope in 23d of the Odyssey though so fit a Subject to set all the Subtleties of Art on work has nothing in it but flat and simple Surprizes cold and heavy Astonishments with very little of Delicacy Last of all Some would likewise make Homer seem a Plagiary Aristotle makes mention of a small Iliad attributed by Suidas to one Antimachus which was the abridgement of a greater upon which some conceive it possible that Homer might frame his Work Besides we read in Athenaeus lib. 3. that one Hegesianax had wrote in Verse before Homer what had passed at the Siege of Troy Cicero also makes mention of one Callisthenes living in the time of Alexander that had written upon the same Subject of Troy who although 't was some Ages after Homer 't is to be conceiv'd had and made use of some other Collections different from those of Homer Suidas affirms that one Corinnus a Disciple of Palamedes had also written an Iliad in Verse about the time that Troy was taken and that another Poet contemporary with Homer named Syagrus had likewise written upon the same Subject but that all those Works were suppressed by the Endeavours of Homer by which means his alone were transmitted to Posterity Of this and the Premisses see Suidas Scâ—liger Spondanus Eustathius and Didimus but more especially a little comparison between Homer and Virgil written originally in French and extreamly in favour of Virgil. Others there have been that reprehend some few things in Homer Rapin confesses he is not altogether so scrupulous and regular in his Contrivances as Virgil is his Machins are less just and all the Measures he takes to save the probability are less exact In short Homer has more Fancy Virgil more Discretion and Judgement so that if I should choose rather to have been Homer than Virgil I should also much rather wish that I had written the Aâ—neid than the Iliad and Odyssey for which I have the Approbation of Propertius to justifie me Cedite Romani scriptores cedite Graii Nescio quid majus nascitur Aeneide Hakwil objects against the ridiculous Fable of the Pigmies and their mannâ—â— of fighting with the Cranes in Homer Scaliger who is no Friend to Homer objects against the long Narrations which Homer makes his Heroes speak in the heat of Fury and Battel as neitheâ— natural nor probable Philostratus objects against his Pourtraicts Longinus cannot endure the Wounds Tears Adulteries Hatred and other Weaknesses to which he makes the Gods obnoxious contrary to their Character I cannot saith Longin but think that at the Siege of Troy he endeavour'd to make his men Gods and his Gods men Longinus also writes that the Odyssey which is as it were an Epilogue to the Iliad was written long after the Iliad when the Poet's Fancy being drain'd the Poem viz. the Odyssey became flat and thoughtless consisting of tedious Speeches and Relations the symptoms of a decayed Fancy In his Iliad his Discourses are like the Beams of the Sun at mid-day short but vigorous in his Odysses like the Sun a setting when her shadow is long and vigor small Yet notwithstanding all this I look saith Longin upon the faults in Homer as small insignificant mistakes which his thoughts being intent on great things were carelesly let slip and that if all the faults which are in Homer Demosthenes Plato and those other famous Writers were summ'd up they would not amount to the thousandth part of the good things they have said It is not saith Casaubon in Entheus ch 5. so much want of Wit and Capacity that maketh so few in these days admire the Wisdom of Homer as our present Ignorance of former Times An old Hat Ruff or Fardingal will make any one now seem ridiculous no wonder therefore if so ancient a Poet as Homer seem contemptible in the eyes of many of our young Masters who are better read in the Fashions of the Times the modish Cravat and Perriwig than in ancient Books 5 Where he describeth the making of Achilles 's Arms This is in the 18 th Iliad CHAP. XI Apollonius is brought to the King of the Indians A Description of the Houses of the City and of the Temple whose very Pavement was adorned with Pearls