translating Titus Livius though he was a King I do not hold with age in divers men who for want of discretion and wit was childish again but of perfect men in whom age seemed rather a warrant of their doings For even as he that playeth much upon instruments is not to be commended so well as he that playeth cunningly and artificially so all men that live long are not to be praised so much as he that liveth well For as apples being green are yet sower untill by time they wax sweet so young men without warrant of time and experience of things are oftentimes to be misliked If faults be in old men saith Cicero as many there be it is not in age but in the life and manners of men Some think age miserable because either the body is deprived from pleasure or that it bringeth imbecility or weaknesse or that it is not far from death or calleth from due administration of Common-wealths these four causes saith Cicero make age seem miserable and loathsome What shall we say then of those that in their old age have defended their countries saved their Cities guided the people and valiantly triumphed over their enemies as L. Paulus Scipio and Fabius Maximus men of wonderfull credit in their old years What may be spoken of Fabritius Curius and Cornucanus aged men of great agility of famous memory in their latter days How can Appius Claudius be forgotten who being both old and blind resisted the Senatours to compound with King Pyrrhus for peace though they all and the Consuls of Rome hereunto were much inclined If I should passe from Rome a place where age was much estéemed unto Athens amongst the sage Philosophers if from Athens to Lacedemonia where age altogether bare sway and rule if from thence unto the Ethiopians and Indians where all their lives are ruled and governed by old men If from thence to any part of the world I might be long occupied in reciting the honour and estéemation of age Herodotus doth write that the Aethiopians and Indians do live most commonly a hundred and thirty years The people called Epeii in the Countrey of Aetolia do live two hundred years naturally and as it is by Damiates reported Lictorius a man of that Countrey lived thrée hundred years The Kings of Arcadia were wont to live thrée hundred years the people of Hyperborii lived a thousand years We read in the old Testament that Adam our first father lived nine hundred and thirty years and Eve his wife as many Seth nine hundred and twelve years Seth his son called Enos nine hundred and five Cainan the son of Enos nine hundred and ten Mahalalehel the son of Cainan eight hundred fourscore and fifteen so Enoch the son of Iared lived nine hundred thréescore and five years Enoch his son named Mechuselah lived nine hundred threescore and nine years with divers of the first Age I mean till Noah's time who began the second world after the floud who lived as we read nine hundred and five his son Sem six hundred years and so lineally from father to son as from Sem to Arphaxad from Arphaxad to Sala from Sala to Heber the least lived above thrée hundred years This I thought for better credit and greater proof of old ago to draw out of the Old Testament that other prophane authorities might be beleeved as Tithoniâ—s whom the Poets fain that he was so old that he desired to become a Grashâ—pper But because age hath no pleasure in the world frequenteth no banquets abhorreth lust loveth no wantonness which saith Plato is the only bait that deceives young men so much the happier age is that age doth loath that in time which young men neither with knowledg with wisdome nor yet with counsel can avoid What harm hath happened from time to time by young men over whom lust so ruled that there followed eversion of CoÌ„monwealths treason to Princes Friends betrayed countreys overthrown and Kingdoms vanquished throughout the world Therefore Cicero saith in his book entituled De Senectate at what time he was in the City of Tarentum being a young man with Fabius Maximus that he carried one lesson from Tarentum unto the youth of Rome where Architas the Tarentine said that Nature bestowed nothing upon man so hurtfull to himself nor so dangerous to his Countrey as lust or pleasure For when C. Fabricius was sent as an Embassadour from Rome to Pyrrhus King of Epyre being then the Governour of the City of Tarentum a certain man named Cineas a Thessalian by birth being in disputation with Fabritius about pleasure affirmed that hee heard a Philosopher of Athens affirm that all which we do is to be referred to pleasure which when M. Curius and Titus Coruncanus heard they desired Cineas to perswade King Pyrrhus to yéeld to pleasure and make the Samnites believe that pleasure ought to be esteemed Whereby they knew that if King Pyrrhus or the Samnites being then great enemies to the Romans were addicted to lust or pleasure that then soon they might be subdued and destroyed There is nothing that more hindreth magnanimity or resisteth vertuous enterprises then pleasure as in the Treatise of pleasure it shall more at large appear Why then how happy is old age to despise and contemn that which youth by no means can avoid yea to loath and abhor that which is most hurtfull to it self For Cecellius contemned Caesar with all his force saying to the Emperor that two things made him nothing to estéem the power of the Emperor Age and Wisdome By reason of Age and Wisdome Castritius feared not at al the threatnings of C. Carbo being then Consul at Rome who though he said he had many friends at commandement yet Castriâ—iâ—â— answered and said That he had likewise many years that could not fear his friends Therefore a wise man sometime wept for that man dieth within few years and having but little experience in his old age he is then deprived thereof For the Crow liveth thrise so long as the man doth the Hart liveth four times so long as the Crow the Raven thrice so long as the Hart and the Phoenix nine times longer then the Raven And thus Birds do live longer time then man doth in whom there is no understanding of their years But man unto whom reason is joyned before he commeth to any ground of experience when he beginneth to have knowledge in things he dieth and thus endeth he his toyling Pilgrimage and travel in fewer years then divers beasts or birds do CHAP. XIX Of the manners of sundry People under sundry Princes and of their strange life THe sundry fashions and variety of manners the strange life of people every where thorow the world dispersed are so charactered and set forth amongst the writers that in shewing the same by naming the Countrey and the people thereof orderly their customes their manners their kind of living being worthy of observation I thought briefly to touch and to note
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
Athens Lentulus the defendour of Italy exiled from Rome Dion of Siracusa hunted out of his country by Dionisius even that renowned Hannibal that long protector of Carthage was compelled after long service for his country to range about like a pilgrim every where to séek some safe-guard for his life Too many examples might be brought from Gréek and Latine histories for the proof hereof The chiefest bulwark of a Common-wealth saith Demosthenes is assured faith without flattery and good will tried in the Commons and plainnesse without deceit boldnesse and trust in the Nobility Flattery is the onely snare that wise men are deceived withall and this the pharisées knew well who when they would take our Saviour Christ tardy in his talk they began to flatter him with fair words saying Master we know that thou art just and true and that thou camest from God Even so Herod willing to please the Iews in killing James the brother of John and in imprisoning Peter he so pleased the people with flattery that they cried out this is the voice of God and not the voice of men so sweet was flattery amongst the Iews The flattering friends of Ammon knowing the wickednesse of his mind and his perverse dealing toward Mardocheus did not perswade Ammon from his tyranny but flattered him with fair words and made him prepare a high gallows for Mardocheus where Ammon and his children were hanged But the young man that came to flatter king David saying Saul and his children are dead was by David for his flattery commanded to die CHAP. XLIIII Of the Pilgrimages of Princes and Misery of Mortality THere is neither beast on the earth nor fowl in the ayr nor fish in the sea that séeks his own decay but man onely as by experience we sée all things to have a care of their own lives The Lion when he féeleth himself sick he never ceaseth till he féedeth upon an Ape whereby he may recover his former health The Goats of Créet féeding on high upon the mountains when any of them is shot through with an arrow as the people of that Countrey are most excellent archers they seek out an herb called Dictamum and assoon as they eat any part of it the arrow falleth down and the wound waxeth whole incontinently There are certain kinds of Frogs in Egypt about the floud of Nilus that have this perceiverance that when by chance they happen to come where a fish called Varus is which is great a murtherer and spoiler of Frogs they use to bear in their mouths overthwart a long reed which groweth about the banks of Nile and as this fish doth gape thinking to feed upon the Frog the reed is so long that by no means he can swallow the Frog and so they save their lives If the Goats of Creet if the Frogs of Egypt have this understanding to avoid their enemies how much more ought man to be circumspect of his life who hath millions of enemies neither seen nor known We read in the first book of Aelian that the rude swine if at any time by chance they eat of that herb called Hiosciamus which so contracteth draweth their veins together that they can hardly stir they will strive for remedy to go under the water where they feed upon young Crabs to recover health In the same book you may read of a sea Snail which from the water doth come to land to breed and after she hath egged she diggeth the earth and hideth her egs and returneth to the sea again and there continueth fourty days and after fourty days she commeth to the self same place where she hid her egs and perceiving that they are ready to come out of the shell she openeth the shell and taketh her young ones with her into the sea And thus have they a care not onely of their own states and lives but also of others and by some shew of sence they help that which is most dangerous and hurtfull The little Mice have this kind of fore-knowledge that when any house waxeth old and ruinous they forsake their old dwelling and creeping holes and flee and seek refuge in some other place The little Ants have such fore-sight that when penury and want of relief draweth near they wax painfull and laborious to gather victuals as may serve them during the time of famine If these small creeping worms and simple beasts provide for themselves what shall we say of man the King and ruler over all beasts who hath not onely a body to provide for but also a soul to save More happy are these worms and beasts in their kind then a number of Princes are for that they by nature onely are taught to avoid their foes we neither by nature neither by God the cause of all goodnesse can love our friends Therefore very well it is said of the wise man that either not to be born or else being born straight to die is the happiest state that can chance to man For living in this vale of misery we see the Pilgrimage and travel of life to be such that better far it were to be a poor quiet man then a proud ambitious Prince And since death is the last line of life as well appointed for Princes as for poor men who in reading of the lives of Emperors Kings and Princes and the Nobles of the world seeth not their unhappy states which come into the world naked and depart from the same naked yet like proud Pilgrims are busie one to destroy another not content with countreys and Kingdomes they go from place to place like Pilgrims to be more acquainted with misery and to seek death Alexander the great conquerourâ— taking his voyage from his Kingdome of Macedonia unto India in a desire to destroy all the world he was in the City of Babylon prevented by Antipater and Iola with poyson and there he died Philopomenes a great Emperor sometime in Gréece being taken prisoner in the wars of Messena was so cruelly handled that he besought Dinocrates who then was Prince of that countrey and conquerour over him one drâ—ught of poyson to end his life Thus he that could not be content to be Emperor and ruler of Gréece was moved to seek death in a strange Countrey amongst his foes Ladislaus King of Apulia endeavouring to subdue the Florentines and séeking to be King over the Florentines lost the Kingdome of Apulia and by them was at length poysoned and so bereft both of Kingdome and life With this unhappy kind of death many Princes have been prevented and no lesse threatned are these Princes by their own houshold friends then by forraign foes No lesse do their children their wives brethren and kinsmen study to destroy them Thus Claudius Caesar an Emperor of Rome was poysoned by his own wife Agrippina Antiochus King of Syria was poysoned by his Quéen Laodice so that he was in love with Berenices King Ptolomy's sisterr Constantine the Emperor the son of Heraclius being
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
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
Cibeles in Phrigia Venus in Ciprus Ceres in Sicilia Again Pan was in reverence amongst the Arcadians Osiris amongst the Egyptians Bacchus in the Isle of Naxus Vulcan in Lemnos In fine blocks and stones dogs and cats oxen and calves were honoured and worshipped as Gods Thus they wandred in this vale of misery like pilgrims far from the countrey that we ought to travel to where that true and living God is the God of salvation and health which is without end to be worshipped He is the God of all men and yet of the fewest worshipped he is the Saviour and yet he is neglected yea and more rejected of us that be Christians then the blocks and stones that were honored of the Gentiles And for proof hereof I mean to shew the severe laws that were both in Athens and Rome the two lights of the world for observing of their Gods and Religion Neither the Philosophers in Athens nor the Senators in Rome nor the Magistrates and Princes of the world then would in any wise permit injuries towards the Gods or suffer any evil report toward their religion in such care were they lest they should offend their Gods and break their laws Certain husbandmen found in the lands of L. Petilius by plowing therein two stones whereupon an Epitaph of Numa Pompilius was written in one in the other were found fourteen books seven latin books entituled Jus pontificum the law of the Priests concerning religion and sacrifices of their Gods these books with great diligence and care were not onely commanded to be kept but also in all points to be observed The other were Greek books entituled Disciplina sapientâ—ae the rule of wisedome which for that they tasted of Philosophy condemned the vain superstitious religions of their Gods Petilius fearing lest by reading of wisedome and Philosophy their folly and religion should be destroyed being then Proe or in Rome at which time Cornelius and Bebâ—us were Consuls by authority of the Senate in open sight of all the City of Rome burned the Greek books For the old and ancient men would have nothing kept within their city that might hinder their Gods For before all things they preferred their Gods and their religions and so honoured their Priests their sacrifices and their vestal Virgins more then they honoured the Emperours and Senators as it appeareth by a History in Valerius that when Rome was taken and conquered by the Gauls and the vestal Virgins were enforced to bear those things away shifting more for the sacrifices and rites of their religion in carrying their books their garments and their Gods then they cared for their countrey friends children and goods Insomuch that L. Alvanius when he saw the vestal Virgins taking pains to maintein the honour of Vesta undefiled her sacrifices unpolluted in saving the ceremonies and religion of their Goddesse from the enemies as one that had more regard and respect to their vain religion then carefull of his wife and children which then being in a Chariot to be carried and conveyed from Rome he commanded his wife and children to come down from the Chariot and to go a foot and placed in their room the vestal Virgins with all their burthens belonging to Vesta their sacrifices and other necessaries and brought them honourably to the countrey of Créet where with great honour they were received and for memory hereof till this time the people of Creet for that they did succour the vestal Virgins in adversity were by the Goddesse Vesta recompensed no lesse for their humanity in receiving of her maids into their town then she gratified Alvanius for his reverence to her religion insomuch that the coach where her Virgins and her sacrifices were carried was afterward more honoured and esteemed than any triumphant or imperial chariot In the self same time and troubles of Rome when the Capitol was besieged with the enemies Caius Fabius perceiving how religion was then estéemed girded himself like a sacrificer and carryed in his hand an host to be offered to Jupiter and was suffered to passe through the middest of his enemies to mount Quirinal where solemnities and sacrifices were done to Jupiter and that being accomplished he likewise went to the Capitol through the middest of the Army with all his company and by this means got the victory over his enemtas more by religion then by strength So much was superstition and idolatry honoured and observed every where that the Persians sailed with a thousand ships to do sacrifice and solemnity to Apollo at Delphos The Athenians slew and destroyed all those that envied or repugned their religion Diagoras was exiled for that he wrote that he doubted whether any Gods were or no and if Gods were what they were Socrates was condemned for that he went about to traduce their religion and speak against their Gods Phidias that noble and cunning workman was no longer suffered at Athens then while he wrought the picture of Minerva in Marble for it was more durable then Ivory which when Phâ—dias thought to draw in Ivory he was threatned with death to vilipend so great a Goddesse and to make her in Ivory which was wont to be honoured in Marble The Romans made a law at the destruction of Canna for that great slaughter of the Romans which at that war happened that the matrons of Rome who bewailed and lamented the deaths of their husbands their childrenâ— their brethren and friends incessantly should not pâ—â—se thirty days in mourning lest the Gods should be angry ascriving all fortunes good and bad to their Gods Wherefore it was decreed by the Senatours that the Mothers and Wives the sisters and the daughters of them that were slain at Canna at the thirty days end should cast away their mourning apparel and banish their tears and come altogether in white garments to do sacrifice to the Goddesse Ceres For it was thought and truly believed among the Gentiles and heathens that the Gods would justly revenge those that would at any time neglect their sacrifices Brennus for that he went to Delphos and spoiled Apollo's temple and neglected his Godhead was plagued grievously and worthily revenged So King Xerxes whose Navies covered the whole Seas whose Armies of men dried up rivers and shadowed almost the whole earth because he sent four thousand souldiers to Delphos to rob Apollo was therfore discomfited in his wars forsaken of his souldiers prosecuted of his enemies and compelled to flee like a vagabond from hill to hill till he came to his Kingdome of Persia to his great infamy and shame The like was in Carthage when the City was oppressed by the Romanes Apollo's temple neglected and he himself not esteemed he revenged the same for the first that laid hand upon him lost his hand and his arm Thus in Delphos and in Carthage did Apollo revenge his injuries His son Aesculapius a great God in divers countreys for that Turulius chief ruler of the Navies of Antonius hewed the Groves which were
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
Panopion and suffered himself to be slain in stead of his master A man would think that greater love could be found in no man then for a man to die for his friend and truth it is But to find such love in beasts towards men is wonderfull indéed Insomuch that in Leucadia a Peacock loved a young Virgin so well that when she died the Peacock also died And Pliny saith that in the City of Seston an Eagle being brought up by a young maid loved the maid so well that it would fly abroad and kill fowls and bring them home to the young maid and when the Virgin died the Eagle flew into that same fire where the maid was appointed to have her dead body burned and also died with her The Persians were wont for favour and affection they baro unto their horses to bury them and the people named Molossi made brave Sepulchres for their dogs Alexander the great made a tomb for his horse Bucephalus so did Antiochus and Caesar likewise Such love and faithfull trust was found in dogs that the great King Masinissa of Numidia never went to bed but had a dosen great dogs in his chamber as his guard to kéep and watch him from his enemies for sure he was that money might not corrupt them friendship might not allure them and threatnings might not fear them There was a Dog in Athens named Caparus unto whom the tuition of the Temple of Aesculapius was committed with all the wealth and treasure therein which in the night being trained away the Temple was robbed the substance and the riches was stoln thence but in the morning the dog found out the falshood thereof and made all Athens privy of the theeves by raving and runing toward them We read in Plini of Ulisses dog which Ulisses left at home when he went with Agamemnon to Phrygia to the wars of Troy and being twenty years absent he found Penelope his wife and his dog faithfull and loving at his return That noble Gréek Lisimachus had a dog named Durides that loved him so well that even at Lisimachus death the dog died also Hiero had another dog that died even so and ran willingly unto that flame of fire where his master did burn to die with him I might well speak of Alcibiades dog which wheresoever he came no man might or durst speak any evill of Alcibiades in presence of his dog Titus Sabinus dog never forsook his master in prison and when any man gave him bread or meat he brought it to his master in prison and when he was thrown into the river Tiber the dog was séen as Fulgotius saith to do what he could to lift up his masters head out of the water thinking his master had béen alive At what time Pyrrhus subdued the City of Argos there was in those wars an Elephant which after he perceived that his master was slain went up and down among the dead souldiers to seek his master which being found dead the Elephant brought his body being dead to a safe place where the Elephant after much mourning died for sorrow The like examples we read in Plini of horses and specially of thrée the one Alexander the great King of Macedonia had the second Julius Caesar Emperour of Rome possessed the third Antiochus King of Syria had these thrée horses suffered no man to ride or touch them but their own master and were so gentle to them that they kneeled to let them mount on their backs Thus beasts did bear fancy to men obey and love them and were most true and trusty to men and did shew such love as neither Seleucus to his son Anâ—â—gonus or Pericles to his son Priasus nor Socrates to his son Lamproces did ever shew How gentle was a Woolf unto King Romulus to nourish him in spight of his Grandfather Amulius How loving was a Bear to Alexander to bring him up against his fathers will King Priamus How kind was a Bitch to King Cyrus to foster him unawares to his Grandfather King Asâ—iages The Bees come to Plato his Cradle to féed him with honey being an infant The little Ants brought grains to féed King Mydas being likewise in his Cradle O what is man said the Prophet David that thou art so mindfull of him that thou hast brought all things in subjection to him beasts of the fields fouls of the ayr and fishes of the Seas all things made to fear and to love him and yet he neither to fear God nor to love himself We read in Quintus Curtius of an Elephant that King Potus of India had which Alexander the great took captive afterward when this Elephant saw the King first he knéeled down and shewed such honour and homage as was marvellous to the beholders It is read in Caelius of a King in Egypt named Merthes that had a Crow taught to carry his letters and how to bring answer in writing home again Plini doth write that a Nightingale loved Stesicorus so well that it would alwaies sing at the beck of Stesicorus to pleasure him Heraclides the Philosopher had a Dragon taught to follow him every where Ajax likewise had in Locresia a Serpent brought up and taught to honour him as his master Agrippina the Empress and wife unto Claudian had a Thrush that never departed from her during the Empresse life Plini hath in his book of natural histories infinit such exaÌ„ples to prove the love that all moving creatures do ow shew to man as the wild Bull in Tarentum the raging bear in Daunia which Pythagoras so tamed that all places all countries and all persons were sure and safe from any danger or hurt by these wild beasts This commeth by no vertue that is in man but onely by that which God made for man that all living creatures fear man and love man so that if comparisons be made it shall be evident that there hath béen more love in beasts towards man then in man towards man yea then brother to brother then the husband toward the wife or the wife toward her huband considering the nature of man and the beast together CHAP. XXXI Of Memory and Oblivion SOme hold opinion that in the ancient time whiles yet the world flourished not in learning that memory then was most set by and estéemed for whatsoever was séen or heard was then committed to memory and not recorded in books But Socrates said after the use of letters were had the vertue of memory decayed for that care which then was by tradition and memory with care and diligence to observe is now by all put in books that now our memory is put in writing and then was it fixed in mind insomuch that the noble Athenian Themistocles passing by Simonides school who as some suppose taught first the Art of memory being demanded whether he would learn the art and faculty of memory answered that he had rather learn how to forget things then to kéep things in memory for I cannot said he
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
healeth himself The striken Hart féeding on high mountains hath that consideration that at what time he is shot through with any dart or arrow by féeding of an hearb called Dictamum his bloud stencheth and his wounds are healed And the Bear is so crafty that by the same nature he is taught being sick to lick and eat up little ants for his appointed physick Even so flying fowls do know their appointed salve for their sores being taught by nature The Raven the Duck the Swallow yea the silly Mice do before hand presage their ruinous state by nature and know well the decay of any house barn or place where they be and will change hospitality before the time if necessity happen upon them The little Ants are full of toil and travell to gather in the Summer to serve them in the Winter Of this with divers others Pliny maketh mention in his 8. book chapter 27. and Aristotle in his book De natura animalium We read in Aelianus divers worthy histories of the like but especially of the Cranes of Sicilia which when they be about to take their flight from Sicilia over mount Caucasus they are so crafty and subtil by nature that they bear in their mouths certain stones to stop that cry and noise which Cranes most commonly use in flight lest by hearing of their voice and the noise they make the Eagles of Caucasus should destroy them The Goats of Creet when they be shot through with darts and arrows are of themselves moved to feed on a certain hearb which streight stencheth the bloud healeth the wound and expelleth the venome out of the wound There is such craft and subtilty in a little Frog of Nilus that when the Trout commeth toward him to destroy him the Frog by and by out of hand beareth a long reed overthwart this mouth and so marcheth forward toward this great champion that by no means he can destroy him for that the reed is longer then his mouth can swallow the same and so the little Frog escapeth the terrour of his enemy What a sleight hath a fish called Polipos which being desirous to feed on any fish he goeth and hideth himself under some shrub or rock or any other place whereby he seemeth to be as though he were a tile or a stone till the fish come to that place then he leaps on them and kils them So that there is no beast no fowl no fish but hath as it were a certain priviledge by nature to defend himself and to foil his foe and by nature taught to practise it craftily There is again a kind of knowledge in beasts to know their friends and to love them and to fear their enemies and to avoid them The Serpents in Terinthia the Scorpions in Arcadia and the Snakes in Syria as Plini affirms will not hurt their country men and known friends though they find them asléep as divers and sundry times histories make mention thereof Strange therefore is the work of nature which mightily displaieth her self in all living creatures and for the proof thereof I will note one history written by Quintilian in his 14. book of histories that in Achaia there was a city named Patra in the which a certain young man bought a little dragon which with great care and diligence he nourished till it waxed big lying in his chāber in the night time and playing all the day time At length the Magistrates of the City fearing lest some hurt should be done by him considering the fierce and cruel nature of them did let him to go to the wildernesse where divers other Dragons were And there being a long time this young man that brought up this dragon with divers of his fellows passing by where this dragon was certain théeves assailed them and he by his voice was known by this dragon which as soon as he heard he came out of the den and séeing him with divers of his fellows like to be murthered he flew to the very faces of the théeves and so strongly fought with them that some of them the dragon slue some were sore hurt and some constrained to flie thus he saved this young man and his fellows in recompence of his former courtesie Surely I think better of this dragon then of some ingrateful persons that live now in the world CHAP. XXXV Of Revenge THe best way to revenge any injury offered is to suffer quietly the same and to shew vertue toward vice goodnesse toward evill honesty toward scurillity which is the onely poison unto the enemy as for an example Laertius doth manifest the same by comparisons of things who is he that séeth his enemies fields gréen his pastures well grassed his house well furnished and all things in comely order but is grieved therewith How much more saith he when the envious séeth his foe adorned with all vertues compassed with all patience and prospering in all goodnesse is he therewith molested And in that place of his sixth book he reciteth a worthy and a noble example of due revenge by Diogenes the Cinick Philosopher who by chance came where certain young men were at banquet making merry his head being bald by reason of his age he was so flouted and scoft by most part of the company that with stripes and strokes they threw him out of the house the poor old Philosopher revenged his wrong in this wise he took a piece of white chalk and writ the names of all those that so used him upon his cloak and so opened his cloak that all men might read their names and know how wickedly they had used him and what flouts and scoffs he had suffered of those persons whose names were to be read upon his cloak and so brought them in such blame with all men that they wished in heart that they never had séen Diogenes who made all the world to sée their folly and were ever after noted for ridiculous persons not worthy of honest company and so were they excluded from good and civill men Agesilaus King of the Lacedemonians when hee had heard of certain foes of his that alwaies spake il of his person and of his state he after this sort revenged himself he chose and elected them to be chief Captains over his men of arms and committed all the charge of his host to his enemies whereby he made his foes to become his friends yea to be his servants and slaves to do what he would command them So Demosthenes did when he was provoked and injuriously handled by one who in a banquet was disposed to fall out and fight with him No said Demosthenes I will never take that in-hand wherein he that getteth the victory must bear the shame O worthy sentence and most aptly applied to a wise man We read in Brusonius of Dion of Alexandria who with silence revenged more his foes then with words for being provoked to anger by a villain and abject which followed him through the stréets chiding and threatning
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