was not able to bear In that Instant I perceived the Mountain to tremble the Oaks and Pines seeming to descend from the summet of the Hill The Winds suppress'd their Breathing and a hollow Voice issuing out of the Cave pronounc'd these Words O Son of the wise Ulysses thou art to be like him great by Patience Princes who have always been happy are seldom worthy to be so They are corrupted by unmanly Pleasures and drunk with the Pride of Prosperity Happy shalt thou be if thou canst surmount these Misfortunes and always remember thy present Condition Thou shalt certainly see Ithaca again and thy Glory shall ascend to the Heavens When thou shalt command Men remember that thou hast been like them in Poverty Weakness and Calamity Take a Pleasure in being good to them love thy People detest Flatterers and know that there is no other way to be truly great than by Moderation and Fortitude to overcome thy Passions These divine Words penetrated to the bottom of my Heart renew'd my Joy and reviv'd my Courage I felt-none of that Horrour which makes Mens Hair stand upright and chills the Blood in their Veins when the Gods communicate themselves to Mortals I rose from the Ground with Cheerfulness I fell upon my Knees and lifting up my Hands to Heaven I ador'd Minerva who I doubted not had sent me this Oracle In that Moment I found my self a new Man Wisdom enlighten'd my Mind I found a gentle Force restraining all my Passions and checking the impetuosity of my Youth I acquir'd the Love of all the Shepherds in the Desert My Patience Sweetness and Diligence mov'd even the cruel Buffus to relent who commanded the rest of the Slaves and had made it his Business at first to torment me I endeavour'd to procure some Books to enable me to support the tediousness of my Captivity and Solitude for I was exceedingly uneasy for want of some Instructions to nourish and sustain the Faculties of my Soul Happy said I are they who quitting all violent Pleasures know how to content themselves with an innocent Life Happy are they who are diverted with what they learn and please themselves in enriching their Minds with Knowledge wheresoever they are driven by the unjust Persecutions of Fortune They carry their own Entertainment with them and the uneasiness that lyes upon all other Men even in the midst of the greatest Pleasures is unknown to those who know how to employ themselves in Reading These Men are truly happy whilst I am depriv'd of this Felicity Revolving these Thoughts in my Mind I penetrated into the thickest of the Forest and on a sudden perceived an aged Man holding a Book in his Hand His Forehead was large and high unfurnish'd with Hair and somewhat wrinkled His white Beard descended to his Girdle He was tall and of a majestick Port His Complexion was fresh and well Colour'd His Eyes lively and piercing His Voice sweet and his Discourse plain but agreable I never saw so venerable an old Man His name was Termosiris He was a Priest of Apollo and the Temple where he serv'd was of Marble dedicated to that God and founded by the Kings of Egypt in this Forest He accosted me in a friendly manner We talk'd together He related Things past with such clearness that they seemed present but his Relations were always attended with brevity and never tedious He could predict Things future by his profound Wisdom which gave him a thorough Knowledge of Men and the Designs the are capable of forming With all this Prudence he was Cheerful and Complaisant and the gayest Youth does nothing with so much Grace as this aged Man He lov'd those that were Young if he found them Teachable and if they had any taste of Virtue He soon conceiv'd a tender Affection for me and gave me Books for my Consolation He call'd me his Son and I often said to him Father The Gods that took Mentor from me have pitied my Solitude and sent me in You another support This Man like Orpheus or Linus was doubtless inspir'd by the Gods He would sometimes read to me the Verses he had made and give me the most excellent Compositions of those Poets who had been the principal Favourites of the Muses When he put on his long Robes of the purest White and took his golden Harp in his Hand the Tygers the Bears and the Lyons came to lye down by him and lick'd his Feet The Satyrs abandon'd the Woods to come and Dance about him The Trees themselves seem'd to move and you would have thought that the Rocks had been touch'd with the Charms of his sweet Accents and were going to descend from the tops of the Mountains He sung the Grandeur of the Gods the Virtue of Hero's and the Wisdom of those who prefer Glory before Pleasure He often told me that I ought to take Courage and that the Gods would not abandon either Ulysses or his Son He exhorted me to imitate Apollo and perswade the Shepherds to apply themselves to the Muses Apollo said he considering with Indignation that the brightest Days were frequently disturb'd by Jupiter's Thunder resolv'd to be reveng'd upon the Cyclops who made the Bolts took up his Bow and pierc'd them with his Arrows Upon this Mount Etna ceas'd to vomit Cylinders of Fire and Men no longer heard the terrible Hammers striking upon the Anvil and ecchoing in Groans from the Abysses of Earth and Sea The Iron and the Brass abandon'd by the Cyclopes began to rust Vulcan in Fury quits his dreadful Forge and notwithstanding his Lameness mounts Olympus with Expedition comes cover'd with black Dust and Sweat into the Assembly of the Gods and makes a most bitter Complaint Jupiter incens'd against Apollo drove him from Heaven and precipitated him down to the Earth His empty Chariot perform'd the usual course of it self and gave Men Night and Day with a regular change of Seasons Apollo depriv'd of his glorious Beams was forced to turn Shepherd and keep the Sheep of King Admetus He plaid upon the Flute and all the other Shepherds came down to the shady Elms and silver Streams to hear his Songs To that time they had liv'd a savage and brutal Life They knew only how to guide their Flocks to sheer them to draw their Milk and to make Cheeses The whole Country was one frightful Desert Apollo in a short time made all the Shepherds acquainted with the Pleasures of a rural Life He sung the Flowers that compose the Garland of the Spring the beautiful Greens and the sweet Perfumes of that agreeable Season He sung the delicious Nights of Summer when the Zephyrs refresh Mankind and the Dews ally the Thirst of the Earth He forgot not in his Songs the golden Harvest and autumnal Fruits which recompence the Toil of the Husbandman nor the Recreations of Winter when the wanton Youth dance before the glowing Fire He represented the Groves and shady Forests that cover the Hills the hollow
honourably receiv'd for the Cretans of all Nations in the World are the most noble and religious Observers of Hospitality they desired us to take our Places and invited us to enter the Lists Mentor excus'd himself upon account of his Age and Hasael on the score of his Health My Youth and Vigour left me without Excuse however I cast a look upon Mentor to discover his Mind and I perceiv'd he desir'd that I should engage I therefore accepted their Proposal and strip'd my self of all my Cloaths they poured Streams of sweet and shining Oyl on all my Limbs and being covered with Dust I put in for one among the Combatants 'T was said on every Side that the Son of Ulysses was come to dispute the Prize and several Cretans who had been at Ithaca during my Infancy knew me again The first Exercise was Wrestling A Rhodian about Five and Thirty Years of Age surmounted all those who dared to encounter him He had still all the Vigour of Youth his Arms were nervous and brawny at the least of his Motions you might discover all his Muscles and he was no less nimble than strong He did not think it worth his while to overcome me and looking with Pity upon my tender Age he was about to retire when I offer'd to contend with him Thereupon we laid hold of one another squeez'd each other till we were almost out of Breath clap'd our Shoulders and Feet one against another distended all our Nerves and twined our Arms about like Snakes either of us striving to lift his Antagonist from the Ground Sometimes he endeavoured to trip me over by pushing me on the right side sometimes he endeavoured to bend me on the left But when he had thus spent himself in vain I gave him such a violent Push as made his Back bend and so he tumbled down on the Stage I fell upon him and tho' he us'd all his Strength to get uppermost yet I kept him under me without much difficulty All the People cry'd Victory to the Son of Ulysses and so I help'd the dismay'd Rhodian to get up The Combate with the Cestus was more difficult The Son of a rich Citizen of Samos having acquir'd a great Renown in this Exercise all the rest yielded to him and I alone offer'd to dispute the Victory with him At first he treated me with such fierce Blows on my Head and Breast as made me spit Blood and spread a thick Cloud over my Eyes I stagger'd he press'd me I was almost out of Breath but I was animated by Mentor's Voice who cry'd to me You Son of Ulysses will you suffer your self to be vanquish'd Anger supply'd me with fresh Strength and I avoided several Blows which would have crush'd me down As soon as the Samian had made a false Blow at me and that his Arm was stretch'd out in vain I surpriz'd him in that stooping Posture and as he began to step back I lifted up my Cestus that I might fall upon him with greater force he endeavour'd to recover but whilest he was in this disadvantagious Posture he gave me an opportunity to throw him down He had scarce touched the Ground when I reach'd him my hand to raise him but he got up by himself cover'd with Dust and Blood full of confusion and disorder not daring to renew the Fight Immediately after began the Chariot-Races The Chariots were distributed by Lot mine happen'd to be the worst both as to the lightness of the Wheels and the mettle of the Horses We started a Cloud of Dust flew about us that darkned the very Sky at first I let all my Competitors go before me a young Lacedemonian nam'd Creantor cast off all the rest behind him a Cretan Policlete by name follow'd him close Hippomachus a Relation of Idomeneus who aspir'd to o'retake him giving the Reins to his Horses who were reeking with sweat leaned on their loose Mane and his Chariot-Wheels turn'd so very swift that they seem'd to be without Motion like the Wings of an Eagle that cuts the Air. My Horses being animated and having gather'd Breath by degrees I outstrip'd most of those who started with so much Fury Hippomachus driving his Horses too fast the most mettlesome of 'em fell down and by his fall depriv'd his Master of the Hopes of the Crown Policletes leaning too much upon his Horses and having no firm sitting tumbled down at a Shock lost his Reins and 't was great luck that he escap'd Death Pisistrates seeing with Eyes full of Indignation that I was got up close to him redoubled his Eagerness Now he invoked the Gods promising 'em rich Offerings then he cheer'd up his Horses with his Voice He was affraid lest I should pass between him and the Mark for my Horses which I spared at first were now able to beat his so that he had no other Hopes left him than to stop up my Passage In order to it he ventur'd to break his Wheel against the Mark and broke it accordingly I turn'd about presently to avoid his broken Chariot and a moment after he saw me at the Goal The People shouted a second time and cry'd out Victory to the Son of Ulysses 't is He the Gods have destin'd to Reign over us In the mean time the most illustrious and the wisest among the Cretans conducted us into an old and consecrated Wood remote from the sight of prophane Men where the old Men whom Minos had establish'd to be the Judges of the Peo le and Guardians of the Laws assembled us We were the same who had contended at the Exercises no other being admitted The Sages opened the Books wherein all the Laws of Minos are collected As I drew near those old Men whom Age rendred Venerable without impairing the Vigour of their Mind I felt my self seized with an awful Respect and Confusion They sat in order and motionless in their Places their Hair was hoary some of them had none at all a calm and serene Wisdom shin'd in their grave Countenances they spoke with Deliberation and said nothing beside the purpose when they happen'd to differ in Opinion they were so moderate in maintaining their Sentiments that one would be apt to think that they were all of one Mind This long Experience of past Transactions and their constant Application and Study gave them a clear distinct Idea of every Thing But what most conduc'd to perfect their Reason was the Tranquillity of their Minds freed from the fond Passions and wild Caprices of Youth they were acted by Wisdom alone and the Advantage they reap'd from their accomplish'd Virtue was that they had such a perfect Mastery over their Passions that they enjoy'd without trouble the pleasant and noble Delight of being govern'd by Reason As I was admiring them I wish'd my Life were contracted that I might arrive on the sudden to so valuable an old Age I accounted Youth unhappy for being so remote from that calm and clear-sighted Virtue
The Chief among those old Men opened the Volume of Minos's Laws which was a great Book usually kept among Perfumes in a golden Box. All those old Men kiss'd it with great Respect for they said That next the Gods from whom good Laws are derived nothing ought to be more sacred among Men than even those Laws themselves which tend to make them Good Wise and Happy Those who have in their Hands the Administration of the Laws for the Government of the People ought themselves to be govern'd by those very Laws upon all Occasions 'T is the Law and not the Man that ought to Reign Such was the Discourse of the Sages Afterwards he who presided at the Assembly propounded three Questions which were to be decided by the Maxims of Minos The first Question was Which of all Men was most free Some answer'd That 't was a King who had an absolute Power over his People and had conquer'd all his Enemies Others maintain'd That 't was a Man who being never married travell'd all his Life-time thro' divers Countries without being ever subject to the Laws of any Nation Others fancied That it was a Barbarian who living upon Hunting in the midst of Woods was independent upon any Government and liable to no manner of Want Others thought it was a Man newly made Free who coming out of a rigorous Servitude enjoy'd more than any other the sweets of Liberty Others at last ventur'd to say That it was a dying Man because Death freed him from all Troubles and that all Men had no more Power over him When it came to my turn I was not puzzled how to answer because I still remember'd what Mentor had often told me The most free of all Men answer'd I is he who can be free even in slavery it self and in what Condition or Country soever he be a Man is most free when he fears the Gods and none but them In short that Man is truly free who disingag'd from all manner of Fear or anxious Desire is subject to the Gods and his Reason only The old Men look'd upon one another smiling and wonder'd to find that my Answer was exactly the same with that of Minos Afterwards they propos'd the second Question in these Words Which is the most unhappy of all Men Every one answer'd as he thought One said 'T is a Man who has neither Estate Health nor Honour Another said 'T is a Man who is Friendless Others maintain'd That 't is a Man who has disobedient ungrateful and unworthy Children There came a Sage of the Isle of Lesbos who said That the most unhappy of all Men is he who thinks himself so for Unhappiness doth not depend so much upon the Things we suffer as upon our own impatience and uneasiness which aggravates our Misfortunes This Speech was highly commended and applauded by the whole Assembly and every one thought that this Lesbian would carry the Prize in thus solving this Question but being ask'd my Opinion I answer'd according to Mentor's Maxims The most unhappy of all Men is a King who thinks himself happy when he makes all the rest of Mankind miserable His blindness makes him doubly unhappy for not knowing his Misery he cannot apply Remedies to it nay he fears to be acquainted with it Truth cannot pierce through the Crowd of his Flatterers and reach his View his Passions tyrannize over him he is a stranger to his Duty he never tasted the Pleasure of doing good nor felt the Charms of true Virtue he is unhappy and deserves to be so his Unhappiness encreases daily he runs to his own Ruin and the Gods prepare an eternal Punishment to confound him All the Assembly confest I had overcome the wise Lesbian and the old Men declar'd I had hit upon the true sense of Minos The third Question they ask'd was Which of the two is to be preferr'd either a King victorious and invincible in War or a King less experienced in War but able to Rule his People wisely in Peace The Majority answer'd That the King invincible in War was to be preferr'd What are we the better said they for having a King who knows how to govern well in Peace if he knows not how to defend his Kingdom when a War comes For then his Enemies will overcome him and make his People Slaves Others on the contrary maintain'd That the peaceful King was much better because he would be affraid of War and consequently take care to avoid it Others said That a conquering King would consult and advance as well the Honour of his People as his own and make his Subjects Masters of other Nations whereas a peaceful King would sink their Courage into a shameful Effiminacy They desir'd to know my Opinion and I answer'd thus A King who knows not how to govern but either in Peace or in War and is incapable to rule his People in both is but a Demi-King but if you compare a King who is only skill'd in War to a wise King who without being acquainted with War is able to maintain it upon occasion by his Generals I think he is to be preferr'd to the other A King whose Mind is entirely bent upon War would always be for making War and in order to extend his Dominion and advance his Glory not care if all his People were ruin'd What are a People the better for the Conquest their King makes over other Nations if they are miserable under his Reign Moreover long Wars are still attended with great Disorders the Conquerors themselves grow loose and disorderly in those Times of Confusion See at what a dear Rate Greece has triumph'd over Troy she was depriv'd of her Kings for above ten Years whilst all is ruin'd by War the Laws grow faint Agriculture is neglected all Arts languish and decay even the best Princes when they have a War to carry on are oblig'd to commit the greatest of Ills which is to tolerate Licentiousness and make use of wicked Men. How many profligate Villains would be punish'd during the Peace whose Audaciousness must needs be rewarded during the Disorders of War Never had any Nation a conquering Sovereign but they must suffer much upon account of his Ambition A Conqueror intoxicated with his Glory ruins as much his victorious People as the Nations he has vanquish'd A Prince who wants the necessary Qualifications for Peace cannot make his Subjects relish the Fruits of a War happily ended he is like a Man who could defend his own Field against his Neighbour and usurp even that of his Neighbour himself but could neither Plow nor Sow his Grounds and so Reap no Harvest Such a Man seems to be born to destroy lay wast and turn the World topsy-turvy and not to make the People happy by his wise Government Now let 's consider a peaceful King 'T is true he is not fit for great Conquests that is to say he is not born to disturb the Tranquillity of his own People by endeavouring