make them empoisoned Such kind of hearbs take héede of for in â—…éede of medicine they worke mischiefe in place of health they drawe indaunger except some signe appeare in them aâ—… an ylâ—…auoured blacke colour or else some ranke stinking sâ—…uour So that Art and cunning it selfe by the meanes of Fortuâ—…e is oftentimes deceiued Wherefore suche purgations as procéede by the receipt of Helleborus haue in them somewhat more certaintie the which as it is reported * Melampâ—…s vsed to restore Praetus and Anticyreus to heale Herculâ—…s But in curing Democritus we will come to no such remedie onely wisedome shall be the most effectuall medicine that can be ministred in this his present passion Fare you well Hippocratos to Damageto This Epistle is historicall THE ARGVMENT Democritus by natiuitie an Abderite a philosopher of his time most famous and excellent being wearie of house keeping and ouercharged as it were with tediousnesse of keeping companie with his citizens giuing ouer that carefull life as I may rightly terme it and burthened with businesse got him â—…to a desart placâ—…as an Heremite or wildernesse wanderer not farre distant from the citie â–ª Abdera and there leading his life fell a laughing at what so euer 〈◊〉 sawe done Which straunge thing the citizens his countriemen noting supposing that he was distracted and robbed of his right witâ—…es to speake plaine phrentique and madde sent in embassage to Hippocrates Cous a man in the profession of Physicke and practise of that Art most renouned to come to Abdera and to take vpon him the curing of Democritus Hippocrates being wonne to the satisfaction of their desires both by embassage and also by letters signified sayleth to Abdera and being there arriued and abidâ—…ng with his patient certifieth Damagetus to wlâ—…ose credite â–ª in his absence 〈◊〉 committed the eustodie of his house and the whole charge of all thinges else to him belonging both of the doings and also of the sayings touching him selfe and the aboue named Democritus as appeareth in this present Epistle next and immediately following THe suctesse of al things friend Daâ—…agetus was answerable to our suspicion For why Democritus was not distracted or out of his right wits but was of a more excelleÌ„t mynd then all other men and farre beyond the rest in perfection of indgement by whose meanes we are made better acquainted wiâ—…h wisedome and others also by and through our procurement indued with the more knowledge I haue sent you your shippe backe againe best beloued which as it may rightly haue the name to pertaine to Aesculapius so next vnto the ensigne of Sol I woulde haue you place the cognisaunce or badge of Salus bycause my voyage which I tooke in hands hauing winde and weather at will a swift barcke and prouided to the purpose was prosperously performed For the very same day wherein I made prâ—…mise to set forwarde such was my happie successe I arriued at Abdera and being there landed we had conference with the citizens who were gathered together in a cluster at the gates of the citie gasing and tooking on vs as on a worlds wonder This multitude did not consist onely of men but also of women both olde and young and by the Gods I sweare there were among them children of tender yeares in whose countenaunces a certaine sadnesse of mynde was represented These were in such taking as if Democritus had bene outragious indéede who was nothing so but at the same instant was earnestly addicted to Philosophie and in contemplatiâ—…n with wisedome So soone as they sawe my person they beganne somewhat to recouer staying them selues by reason of my comming vpon the sure anchor of hope â—…ut Philopoemenes besought me with instancie to take my â—…odging at his house with whome to be intertained it was agréed vppon by consent But I sayde to the Abderites that I had nothiâ—…g 〈◊〉 doe saue onely so visite Democritus whiche wordes when they heard mée vtter they gaue me grâ—…at praise and they themselues also were surprised with souden ioy Then they conducted mée through the middes of the market place some following other some going before the rest clustering about mée al giuing great shoutes outcries with one voice Mightie Iupiter thoâ—… greâ—…t Kiâ—…g succour vs assist vs I hearing this noyse exhorted theÌ„ to haue good hearts and not to be discouraged sitheâ—…e there was no cause at y time of mischief to be feared though there were yet nouerthelesse thaâ—… it was in 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 reâ—…edied which wordes when I had spoken â–ª I departed For the house was no greate distance from that placâ—… to say the trueth the Citie it selfe was of no great compasse or 〈◊〉 â–ª 〈◊〉 to the walls and for 〈◊〉 wherof Democritus inhabited For right against the turret of the town there was a mightie mountain or huge hil plentifully planted in 〈◊〉 order 〈◊〉 poplar trées of notable talnesse and passing thicknesse from the foresaid turreâ—… Demoâ—…s might be â—…cried Hee â—…ate vnder a Plane trée with spreading boughes and gréene leaues all alone coursely arayed pale coâ—…red like one almost famished his beard shaâ—…n thus like an Heâ—…mite face he vpon a stone in sleed of a stoole in solitarines the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fréend of companie On his right hand out of the hill 〈◊〉 a pleasant spring which made a geâ—…tle softly â—…unde with y falling of y sweete streams Aboue this hil as it may be coniectured was a place consecrated to the Nymphes a place I say ouershadowed with vine branches growing in y place not by meanes artificiall but by appointment naturall At the same momeÌ„t or prick of time Democritus had vpoÌ„ his knées or in his lap as he sate an excéeding beautiful booke wide open other bookes round about him vpoÌ„ the gréene ground He had also gathered together as it were in a droaue much cattel many of which he did rip cut and mangle sometimes stoâ—…ping forward or leaning downe he â–ª wrote a running haÌ„d otherwhiles againe restraining his pen from paper he sate sâ—…ill as a man full of muses and earnest in contemplation Thus when he had done anon after he arose walked vp and downe his head being fraught with myllians of imaginations he behelde the bowels of the beastes whome he had anatomised tooke a viewe of their entrailes hauing so done layde them euery one in his proper place passing orderly and sat downe againe to his painefull pennes exercise The Abderites that stoode rounde about me as it were in circular manner being sore surprised with pensiuenesse gored with griefe and tormented with stings of sorrow could scarsly reâ—…raine from wéeping at the viewe of such a spectacle Sée sée say they the fashions of Democritus looke on the present state of his life beholde his straunge behauiours would not any man iudge by marking his vsage that he is phrentique and vtterly dispossessed of reason For he is not maister of his owne will ouer his owne déedes
as aboundant an haruest of my conceiued hope as he hath augmented his vertues increased the ornamentes of his noble minde But nowe I haue those Iuels of nature and art in admiration bicause I haue aspired to a further sight in them albeit the vnderstanding which I haue gotten is vnperfect For as to giue precise iudgemeut in the woorke of a painter of a grauer or caruer belongeth to none so well as to a cunning artificer practised in that mysterie euen so it perteineth to a wise and prudent man and to none else to discerne one semblable and like to him selfe from one contrarie or counterfet Neuerthelesse so farre foorth as my dimme and darke eyesight is able to pearce into the view of his vertues I perceiue in y Philosopher Euphratas many things which carrie with them a countenaunce of excellencie and surmounting estimatioÌ„ which conteine in them such efficacie and mouing passions that they are able â—…omewhat to allure men of learning are inclinable to delectation When he disputeth it is done with exquisitenesse grauitie and eloquence he representeth the loftinesse and déepnesse of Platoâ—…s Methode most commonly his vtteraunce is not only inriched with plentie but garnished with varietie and choice Maruellous swéete are his wordes as they flowe from his eloquent lippes and of suche force vertue efficacie and vehement operation that they ouercome and leade away the myndes of suche as struggle and resist Moreouer the tall proportion of his body his amiable countenance his long hairie lockes hanging downe his shoulders his hoarie bearde wherewith his face was beautified al which ornaments notwithstanding they are thought to depende vpon Fortune aâ—…d to be toyes méere transitorie yet they were vnto him not trifles of vanitie and shadowes seruing to small purpose but instruments where with he obteined estimation and wonne worship conuenient for his proper personage in his visage is no stearnesse no sadnes but much seueritie so that to méete marke him would moue a mans mynde to exhibite vnto him due honour and to abandon all manner of feare and terrour His order of life was wonderfull religious his humanitie was incomparable and the goodly disposition of his nature was right excellent He doth not rebuke the persons in whome vices be resident but reprehendeth the vices where with the persons are infected neyther is it his fashion to correct and sharply to nip such as doe amisse but mildely to amend them and to vse them to a gentle reformation If he admonishe thée thoâ—… layest too thyne eare with attentiuenesse and followest his preceptes with a certaine gréedinesse yea after his persuasions haue pearced into thy heart thou desirest to assault thy selfe with the like engines that thy mynde may not be repugnant and contrarie to his meaning He hath thrée children whereof two are Masculine whome he trained vp most diligently and very painefully instructed His father in lawe Pompeius Iulianus by name was a man high honorable both in the whole course of his happy yeres and in this one respect accounted most noble and gracious that he being a Prince of a Prouinciall inrisdiction and possessing the chiefest place of préeminence among Gentlemen of no meane or base degrée vouchedsafe to elect and choose out for his contentation a sonne in lawe not being a potentate in honours and titles of nobilitie but a Prince in wisedome and ensignes of knowledge But what meane I to interlace so many wordes concerning a man whose companie I am not admitted to vse nor yet may enioy his learned conference Doe I it to increase myne owne anguishe and torment bycause the way is stopped vp that I can not haue entrance to such a benefite For I am restrained and kept backe with a certaine impediment namely an office of excéeding great authoritie and maruellous troublesome for the paines ther vnto pertaining I sit in place of iudgement I compile bookes I indite epistles I scrible many vnperfect pamphlets and letters voyde of all art and learning Sometimes I am accustomed for such a thing otherwhiles doth chance to make my complaint to Euphratas of these weightie and vrgent affaires He puts me in comfort Furthermore thus much doth he affirme That y greatest the verie best portion of philosophie is to take charge ouer the common welth to knowe controuersies to decide causes to pronounce iudgement to deliuer wordes in good order to exercise the precepts of iustice and to put that in proofe experiment which philosophers theÌ„ selues haue discouered in many a holsome rule document Howbeit in this point he shall fâ—…nde me impersuasible not to be exhorted y it is more auailable for me to be a practitioner of the premisses belonging to a magistrate then to consume whole dayes in his coÌ„panie that by hearing him I might learne y wherof I am ignorant Wherefore I counsell you so much the rather for so much as you are not to complaine of lacking leasure that the next time you come into the citie which I woulde wishe to be somewhat the sooner to suffer him without grudging to supply your imperfections and to polishe that in you which might be more beautifull It is not my propertie to be enuious against other which is a tricke incident to a great number for the good qualities which they haue and I haue not But contrariwise I reape pleasure and delectation if I see those thinges whereof I haue a denyall and therefore am not in possibilitie to possesse abounding in my friends with all store and sufficiencie C. Plinius to Catilio Seuero ¶ THE ARGVMENT This letter is certificatorie wherein hee writeth to a friende of a friend afflicted with sicknesse hee reckoneth vp sundrie circumstaunces to his commendation as well for his inwarde qualities of mynde as for his outwarde behauiour Finally hee addeth a conclusion of well wishing to his friende that they both might thereby reape some benefite MYne abiding and continuance in the citie hath béene somewhat prolonged where I was troubled in mynde and also disquieted The infirmitie and weakning sicknesse wherewith Titus Aristo is sore pinched and pined ministreth vnto me no small molestation and heauinesse to whom my loue singularly inclined as to a man worthy of ad miration For theÌ„ he nothing poudered with more grauitie nothing indued with more faithfulnesse nothing leauened with more learning and knowledge in so muche that he séemeth vnto me so farre from being a man that euen wisedome vnderstanding it self yea al good arts and sciences as it were in a certain mutual agréemeÌ„t are in him most liuely represented How skilful is he both in priuate causes perteining to the law in controuersies rising among the coÌ„mons Howe doth he abounde in reasons and circumstaunces Howe plentifull is he in vttering examples howe déepely is he grounded in antiquities with what vnderstanding is he furnished concerning auncient monumentes There is nothing in the worlde vniuersall which a man is
come too soone to your handes when we greatly wished and gladly willed that they might be conueyed vnto you with all spéede possible If friend Curio my desarts towardes you were such as they are more commended of you then considered of me I would if I had any great petition to make trie what I could obtaine if shamefastnesse were not my hinderance For to a shamefast felow it is grieuous and troublesome to craue some great thing of him of whome he thinketh him selfe by duetie well to haue deserued least the thing which he craueth might seme to be required rather then desired and to be counted a recompence and not a benefite But bycause your merites towardes me are manifest vnto all men and in the straū genesse of my doleful dayes appeared not onely in their brightnesse but also in their greatnesse and séeing It is the propertie of a gentle and courteous nature to affoorde much vnto him to whome much is due I doubted not to craue that of you by letter whiche of all thinges is to me the greatest and most necessarie Neyther doe I feare any vnabilitie in bearing the burthen of your innumerable benefites sithence chiefly I am of this confidence that there is no fauour nor good turne so great whiche my mynde cannot conceiue in taking or in exchaunging of courtesie and making amendes adorne beautifie I my studies al my labour care trauell diligence for end all my mynde haue I founded fastened and fired vpon Milo his Consulship wherin I haue determined not onely to séeke for the commoditie of the office in his behalfe but also as I ought for the due praise of pietie And surely I thinke no man at any time hath béene so carefull of his health and wealth as I haue béene of his renoune and honour in the which I haue béene resolued my self and all myne to consist I knowe that you being but one man can if you will be to him such a furtheraunce and helpe as ouer beside the same we néed demaund nothing We haue al these adiuments and helpes the loue of good men obteined through his behauiour in the protectourship of the people for our cause as I hope you vnderstand the desire of the cōmons and multiude by reason of his large giftes and presentes and the liberal disposition of his nature the fauour and good will of the honourable youth of this citie and of diuers Gentlemen who haue giuen him their consentes finally our suffragation or consenting voices though lesse auailable yet not disalowable but iustly deserued and therefore peraduenture worthy acceptation A guide we must néedes haue and of a gouernour we can not be destitute yea one certaine ruler high officer must be made in these stormes blustering tempests which I haue discouered And if one man among al that rest may be desired wished to this roome of authoritie vndoubtedly we shoulde not picke out one whome with you we might account comparable Wherefore if you can conceiue this opinion of me that I am not a man vnmindfull of my friende that I am disposed to courtesie and goodnesse if there were none other cause of such conceit then that I lay to my helping hand so earnestly for Milo his furtherance finally if you are of this iudgement that such benefites as you haue bestowed on me are not frustrate and cast away then let me desire thus much of your gentlenesse that you would stande my friend in this matter whereof I am carefull that you would employ your trauel and paine for my commendation or to tell a flat truth in manner my life and preseruation As for T. Annius thus muche I promise in his behalfe that no man in the world toward you shall shewe more humanitie more grauitie more constancie more beneuolence and goodwill if it would please you to vouchsafe him your fauour And as for my selfe my worthinesse honour dignitie and renowne shall by your meanes so much be inlarged as I must perforce acknowledge you to be the very same my benefactour in the procurement of my praise that wast sometime the pawne and protectour of my life But that I am assured that it is not vnknowne to you how seriously and earnestly I labour in this petition of Milo and that therein not only great paines but also some resistance and striuing is required I would haue written vnto you more at length And now I cōmit to your patronage the whole matter and the cause and mine own person I commend to your courteste And take this one clause for a conclusion that if I may obteine at your handes the summe of my supplication Milo shall not be so much bound vnto you for your highnesse as I wil be your déepe debter for your goodnes For the safegarde of mine owne life was not to me so precious and déere wherein he shewed him selfe a principall fauourer as my thankfulnesse shall be pleasant and delectable in making iust recompence where vnto I shall be drawne by your onely alone friendship as in hope I am persuaded Fare you well Cicero to Coelio Rufo THE ARGVMENT He commendeth Fabius for fiue things namely for his honestie his learning his wit his sobernesse and his friendship I Am well acquainted with Marcus Fabius a very honest man and passing well learned I vse him familiarly and I loue him excéedingly both for the worthynesse of his wit and also for the excellencie of his learning and besides these for the singularitie of his sobernesse and maruellous modestie my request vnto you is that you woulde so take charge of his matter as if it were mine I knowe you are no table patrones He must be a manqueller that meaneth to commit his lyfe to your supportation and the canuassing of his cause to your defence But in this man no excuse is seruiceable for I will take none You shall set all thinges aside if you loue me indéede sithence my friend Fabius is willing to vse your aduise and help I am in great expectation of the state of * things at Rome and my desire to vnderstand of them is vehement and earnest and first of all I would gladly knowe howe it fareth with you For we haue heard no newes now this long time bycause of the sharpnesse of the winter Fare you well Cicero to Appio Pulchro THE ARGVMENT Dolabella accused Appius and at the selfe same time had married Ciceroes daughter Cicero goeth about to proue that he was ignoraunt of that which his friendes had done in that case and gathereth many reasons to the same purpose WHen worde was brought to vs of the temeritie rashnesse of them whiche molested you and sought your disquietnesse although the hearing of such newes at the first put me beside all patience and kindled my choler bycause nothing in the world could chaunce so much against my opinion and mynde yet notwithstanding so soone as I gathered
well Dated the. iiij of the Calends of Iune At Perga Cicero to Lucceio THE ARGVMENT Hee desireth Lucceius the Historiographer to make a seuerall volume of his owne exploits martiall feates and deedes that he had done which worke might seeme of more worthinesse PUrposing and attempting at what time I was in your companie to conferre about the same matter whereof I write at this present and perceiuing my selfe restrained and still drawne backe with somewhat a rusticall kynd of shamefastnesse I haue nowe declared all being absent and therefore supported with the more boldnesse for letters doe not blusâ—… I am inflamed with an incredible desire not as I take it deseruing reprehension to haue our name made famous by your pen and with your workes to win euerlasting worthynesse Which thing although you tell me often that you intended to accomplishe and fulfill yet I pray you dispence with my much haste and suppose my spéedinesse in this point pardonable For your order and style of writing notwithstanding it was alwayes of me maruellous vehemently and earnestly desiered yet hath it quite ouercome myne opinion hath set me in such a fire y I couet craue with all celeritie spéede our deedes aduentures to be registred in your immortal monunients For not only the coÌ„memoration rehearsal of succession haleth me into a certaine hope of perpetual renoune but also y earnest desire wherewith I féele my self al kindled y we may inioy whiles we be aliue to our full expectation either the absolute authoritie credite of your testimonie or else the signification of your beneuolence or els the swéetnesse and pleasantnesse of your flourishing inuention excellent wit. Neyther was I ignorant at what time I was writing these circumstaunces with what heauie burthens of suche thinges I meane as I had taken in hande and prsuatly determined I was pressed But bycause I did sée and also vnderstande that the Historie of the Italian warre and the ciuil commotion by you was almost finished and that your penne had painted many leaues of paper in the description of those tumultes and insurrections and for that you your selfe reported vnto me that you would begin to declare suche matters as remained I woulde in no wise hinder my solfe but gaue you warning of my will that you might deliberate and take aduisement whether you thought it more conuenient to ioyne such cases and discourses as concerned vs with the residue that by your industrie is already compassed or as many of the Greeke writers haue done as for example CalistheneÌ„s vpon the Troian battel Tymeus of King Pyrrhus Polybius of the Numantine war al which haue diuided those foughten fieldes and fierce conflictes from the bodies of their continued Histories seperate that ciuil conspiracie from those battels and incounters had with our forreigne enimies It is not muche auailable for our coÌ„mendation yet for the making of the more haste it is much material to touch me my doings I meane wherin I would haue you to cut off al expectation of circumstaunces touching place and foorthwith giue onset to the very cause and the time And if your mynde be occupied in one argumeÌ„t in one person I perceiue already with what plentie of matter beautie of words swéetnesse of style all things are like to be accomplished I am not ignorant how greatly these my speaches smell of shamelesnesse first in laying vpon your shoulders a burtheÌ„ of such weight for your priuate businesse may be a meanes of flat denial secondly in desiering you so to adorne aduaunce me that among al men I may become famous What if al that I haue done séeme vnto you not méete to be so popularly praysed yet remember that He which once runneth once out of the rayles of shamefastnesse may throughly continue impudent Wherfore my request vnto you is that you would vse a more vehemente patheticall order in this discourse of my déedes then peraduenture you wyll thinke vpon and in your description spare not to set light by the limited lawes of an Historie And account not that fauour as a trifle to be contemned if it shal coÌ„mend me vnto you with the more vehemence déeme it not I say ridiculous sithence you haue written thereof in a certaine treatise very swéetly pleasantly declared y it wrought no lesse affectioÌ„ in you theÌ„ pleasure somtime did in Hercules of whom Xenophon maketh relatioÌ„ in his memorables despise not that fauour grace as for our loue let it haue such libertie that it may get more largely then truth iudgeth worthy grauÌ„t And if we may get you to take paines in this matter it will proue I am absolutely persuaded a work worthy of such a writer wherin his abilitie is made manifest a testimonie left of his abundant knowledge Concerning the beginning of y coniuration tumult vntill y time of our returne a smal volume as I think wil serue wherin you may intermedle both with the ripping vp of ciuil coÌ„mutations chaunges either in the explication of causes which gaue originall to nouelties or els in y remedies of inconueniences also in reprehending suche things as you shal iudge prostable in matters wherof you haue no misliking alledge sundry reasons for their further authoritie and comprobation Besides that if as your accustomed order hath beene you shal thinke it necessarie and requisite to set things out amply and largely then can you not doe amisse if you shall describe the false faithlesse malicious and trayterous dealing of many against vs Moreouer the sundry chaunces and chaunges wherevnto I haue béene subiect will minister vnto you much matter wherein to be conuersant and sufficient argument wherein to be occupied all be sprinckled and tempered with a certaine kinde of pleasantnesse and varietie whiche may be allurementes to the myndes of men in reading to vse deliberation and delayes of delight For nothing is more meete to recreate the Reader then the varieties of times and the alterations of Fortune which although in coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of experience they are not to be desiered yet in respect of perusing and reading they are to be imbraced For in the quiet remembrance of sorrowes escaped consisteth muche pleasure and to such as in their owne person haue susteined no trouble but taken a viewe of other mens chaunces without sorrowe the conceit of pitie breedeth much delectation For whiche of vs entring into the consideration of captaine Epaminondas lying vpon his deathes wound at Mantinea is not touched with a certaine coÌ„passion tempered with swéetenesse who then commauÌ„ded the speare to be pluckt out of his flesh when to a question by him propounded this answere was deliuered that his target remayned safe and was not in his enimies possession that euen in the anguishe of his mortall wound he ended the course of his yeres with no lesse contentation then commendation and as his death was of him
of sorrowe Concerning that which you write of our house that is to say of oure plaine plot lying in the citie Thus much I saye by way of resolution that then I shal thinke me selfe restoared â–ª when that is recouered But â—…las these thinges are not in our owne hands It gréeueth me also that whatsoeuer costes and charges are required thou must â—…e are a portion thereof although thou béest brought to extreme miserie and féelest lacke and losse procured by spightfull spoilers And if so be that the matter may be finished and dispatched all things shall fall into our possession But if the selfe same fortune forment vs still without immutation which at this instantâ—… doth afflict vs will you bée so vnwise as to castaway the remayner of that which you haue considering your present aduersitie I pray thée hartily my life let them that maye best stande to expences if they bée so pleased and haue a consideration of pour owne health which is much inféebled if you loue mée your Cicero For you are both day and night before mine eyes and continually represented to my cogitation I sée thou refusest no kinde of labour but offerest thée selfe to the susteyning of all whatsoeuer I sée nothing lacking in thée Wherefore to the intente that wée maye obtaine that wheruppon your hope is fixed and your paines also employed neglect not your owne health I know not vnto whom I should write except to them onely who visite mee with their letters or else to such as you name in your Epistles when occasion is ministred Further then I am I meane not to trauell because where I am doeth not discontent you hâ—… wâ—…eit my desire is â–ª that you write often speciâ—…lly â–ª if in that whereof wée hope any aâ—…suraunce be graunâ—… Farewell my ioyes farewell Dated at Thessalonica the third of the Nones of October Caecina to Cicero ¶ THE ARGVMENT First hee intreateth of his booke which â—…ee made vpon Caesar and after menâ—…ion thereof sufficiently made hee desireth Cicero to bee a mediatouâ—… vnto Caesar that hee maye obtaine leaue and libertie to returne IN that my booke was somewhat longe before it came to your handes ascribe it I pay you to oure timorousnesse and feare and bée moued also with compassion of the time presente Your sonne as I hearde was not in quiet mindâ—… and good reason whie if it had béene published and made common abroade forsomuch as it is not so precisely pondered nor so aduisedly regarded with what disposition of minde it was written and compiled as how it is taken and receiued least that thing be a cause of my further annoyaunce who as yet féele the smart and punishment of my former inuention and phrase of inditing wherein I haue such lucke and destinie as no man besides For whereas a faulte in writing is dashed out with a race of the penne and penaltie of foolishnes is an euill report mine offence and errour is rewarded with banishment and exile is my correctioÌ„ the summe of whose trespasse is this because I being armed gaue language to mine aduersarie much missliked There is neuer a one of vs in mine opinion but would wishe the victorie to chaunce to his owne side yea and that more is wheÌ„ they were sacrificing to the Gods and busie in holie ceremoâ—…ies would euen then powre out their pâ—…titions that Caesar with al possible spéede might take y ouerthrow And whosoeuer did not meditate and thinke vpon this happie is hée and in all pointes most fortunate If hée know this and therein be persuaded why should hée take stomache and 〈◊〉 against him that wrote a thing against his will seing thâ—…t hée hath vouchsafed to pardon and forgiue all such as made supplication to the Gods and exhibited vnto them much veâ—…eration against the â—…ife and â—…afegard of his person But to make returne thither where I begonne this was the occasâ—…on of my conceiued feare I wrote of you by my credite and honestie sparingly and timorously not as taking courage and hart at grasse but as renouncing and forsaking mée selfe What man is ignoraunt that this method and order of inditing or writinge should be frée and liberall vehement and patheticall loftie and hystoricall That is supposed a loose kinde of writing to talke of any man vnreuerently for therein is leudnesse discouered and that is tangled when a man speaketh all to his ownâ—… praise and popularitie for then will followe suspicioâ—… of arrogancie That is the frée and â—…iberall kinde of writing to sounde another mannes commendation from the which to withdrawe and diminishe neuer so â—…itle it is to be imputed to infâ—…rmitie and weakeneâ—…e or else to bee ascribed to enuie and maliciousnesse And â—… cannot tell whether my laboure will séeme acceptable vnto you and approuable in your iudgement For that whiche I was not able to comprehend and performe I thought good first not to touche secondly to be parciall of my pen and to do that I did not ouer largely Howbeit I stayed vp my selfe as well as I might many things I impaired many thinges I omitted and many thinges were not so muche as once mencioned As therfore it is seene in the climing steps and staues of long ladders if some be takeÌ„ away some cut off and broken other some left loose and vnfastened it is made an instrument of falling downe rather then of going vp euen so a desire of writing encountered with many misfortunes as it were torne to tatters with a thousand tempests of troubles what thing can it affoorde either in hearing delectable or in iudgement probable When I came to the noble name of Caesar all my ioyntes quaked and I trembled sore for feare not for any terrour of punishment but for the vncertaintie of his opinion for I am not so wel acquainted with him that I should knowe his whole disposition In what wauering is my mynde suppose you in what a maze of mistrust is my conscience when it reasoneth with it selfe in this forme and order This will Caesar allowe This word offereth cause of suspicion what if I change it But I dout in so doing I shall set downe a worsse Go to then do I praise any is that an offence admit it be so taken what if he wil not allowe the commendation He detesteth the style and order of writing of his enimie armed to resist his power what then will he doe to him that is vanquished ouercome and as yet not restored My fearefulnesse also I féele augmented whâ—…n I fall in consideration of you who in your Oratour vse circumspection and cautions for your priuate supportance by Brutus and séeke a fellowe for your excusation Which thing for so much as the patrone and defender of al mâ—… in al cases vouchsaâ—…eth to do what ought I your ancient client to thinke in such a case of my selfe In this reproâ—…h 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and this torment of blinde suspicion 〈◊〉 many things are written to
towardes the maiestie of Caesar. As for all other points of friendly duetifulnesse what man hath inioyed them in such ample priuilege Caesar besides me excepted in that you vouched safe to come often to my manour and refused not to spende many houres in protracting and lengthening communication tempered with all pleasantnesse that might be possible Beyond the things aboue mencioned you were the cause efficient if you haue not forgotten for by your meanes I was vrged that I wrote these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 philosophicall discourses After the returne of Caesars maiestie of what thing were you more carefull then that I might growe and increase to ripenesse of familiaritie with Caesars highnesse whiche as you attempted louingly so you perfourmed it luckily To what purpose pertaineth this prolonged preamble wherâ—…in I â—…nt to haue vsed breuitie bycause I am in no small admiration that you to whome all these thinges ought to be knowne should be so credulous and light of beliefe as to be persuaded of me as of an offender in those points which are at defiance and battell bidding with our friendship For besides all the circumstaunces whereof I haue made a repetition being very euident playne and apparaunt I haue sundrie other particularities and speciall thinges manifolde in déede but yet not so manifest which I am not able in words to comprehend nor to dâ—…liuer to your capacitie by mine vtterance Whatsoeuer is in you or belonging to you is so farre fâ—…om mâ—…ing â–ª any 〈◊〉 that in them I plant my chiefest pleasure But principâ—…lly and aboue al other ornaments and possessions of inestimable value both the singular faithfulnesse where with your friendship is sealed your counsell grauitie 〈◊〉 vnuariablenesse and noble nature also â—…ight with pleasantnesse humanitie and gentlenesse your â—…éete letters leuened with loue delight me excéedingly Wherfore I will nowe plucke off this plaister lay the wounde wide open and returne to your complaints First I answere this I gaue no credite neither was I brought to beleue that you yealded your consenting voyce to the law wherof you wâ—…te Beside that if I had beléeued so muche I would haue considered that you would neuer haue so done without some necessarie cause and iust prouocation Suche is your dignitie such is your renoune that whatsoeuer you attempt and goe about it is noted marked obserued On the other side the maliciousnesse of men is so ripe cankared that some things be far worsse reported theÌ„ they were by you practised These things if you refuse to heare to ponder I am to séek what â—…o say in mine owne defence For certainly if any thing soâ—…nde in mine eares effensiuely spoken in the dispraise of your person I am no lesse earnest to maintaine your quarell â—…gainst your enimies then you haue ben wont to protect me from the iniurious dealing of mine aduersaries But to 〈◊〉 further of dâ—…fence I say this that it is diuided into two sortes For some things there be which of custome I shake off with a manifest negation as for example in this suffrage or voyce of consent other some which I will confesse and vphold to be done of you with no lesse religion and godlinesse then with humanitie and gentlenesse as in â—…uerséeing games pageants exercises But you can not be ignoraÌ„t whom I know to be very learned * if Caesar were in possession of principalitie and ruled as king that your behauiour and vsage may be discour sâ—…d vppon two sundry wayes after a double order eyther that your faythfulnesse deserueth commendation and your courtesâ—…e admiration for so muche as the loue which you shewed to your â—…riente was not only manifest in the time of his life but apparant also after his death or else after this sorte that that libertie of a mans naturall countrie which diuers do imbrace is to be preferred before the life of his friend Concerning these points I wold you had the perâ—… of my disputations As for these two circumstaunces which are as it were the two â—…aine proppes of your praise who 〈◊〉 more willingly or more often then I hath giuen aduottâ—…ements touching your person both that you were an earnest procurer that ciuil warre shoulde not be taken in hande and also a diligent labourer for the inoderation of the victorie wherein I 〈◊〉 no man which aâ—…ented not to me Wherfore I thanks my â—…amiliar friend Trebatius heartily by whose meanes occasion of inditing this Epistle was offered whervnto if you do not giue credit you shal iudge me voide of all friendly behauiour and desâ—…itute of all humanitâ—…e then which nothing can be more grieuoâ—…s vnto my nature nor more 〈◊〉 to your manners Fare you well Matius to Cicero THE ARGVMENT The excusation of Maâ—…us both for him self and also against his maâ—… accusoâ—… GReat â–ª was the pleasure whiche did redound to me by reading of your letters bycause I vnderstande that you haue conceiued the same opinion concerning me whiche I hoped and wished whereof although I did not labour in doubt and trauell in vncertaintie yet notwithstanding bycause I had it in great price estimation I did what I could that it might be inâ—…olable and continuall As for me in conscience I am well assured that nothing is of me committed which might offend or stir any man to stomache and muche lesse did I beléeue that you being one whome nature hath beaâ—…tified with manifolde and precious ornaments and Art also polishâ—…d with goodly perfections coulde vpon temeritie and rashnesse â—…e persuaded to thinke amisse of me specially â—…ithence you are the man towardes whom my good will hath not only leaned but lasted not only inclined but continued And for so much as I perceiue the case standeth as I would I wil answere to such criminal causes as you in my behalfe resisted of your singular goodnesse aâ—…d as it was méete for the acquaintance wherein we are lincked and yoaked For I am not ignorant what they haue burthened me withall since the death of Caesar. They count it a thing worthy of reproche that I take the death of a very friendly Gentleman so grieuously that I am greatly disquieted and out of patience that he whom I loued is spoyled of his life For say they A mans countrie is to be preferred before friendship as though victorie were alreadie theirs and that Caesars death had béene aduauntage to the common wealth But I will not deale frauâ—…ulently nor deceitfully I am not ashamed to confesse mine vnskilfulnesse and to acknowledge that I haue not yet clymed vp to this step of wisdome For I did not followe Caesar in the ciuil dissention and tumulte yet neuerthelesse although I was offended at the enterprise I was loath to forsake my friende neither did I at any time so alowe suche kindes of insurrections or so well like of the cause of commotion and bloudie battel but that my desire â—…ath béen earnest and my labour
earnest for that Anthonie was reported to haue a great power of horsemen Lepidus had no such troupe in a redines prepared For not many dayes age although smal slender were his whole number yet notwithstanding tenâ—…e of the best and chiefest of his horsemen came ouer vnto mée of which things I being not ignorant made no proloÌ„ging nor lingering excuses but thought forth with that Lepidus in y commendable course of his good and wel disposed counsels was greatly to be furthered assisted What profite did depend vpon my setting forward I perceiued presently either because I might pursue vanquish his troupe of horsemen with mine or else because by the presence of mine hoast I might correct drawe to obedience y part of Lepidus his armie which is skarse sound reuolted froÌ„ the coÌ„mon wealth Wherefore a bridge being made ouer Isara that great floud which is néere the borders of the Allobroges in one dayes space thorough my procurement I and my souldiers passed ouer to the other side the fourth of the Ides of Maie Now when I was infourmed that L. Anthonie was sent before with the aide of certaine horsemen and footemen and so came to Forum Iulij I sent my brother strengthened with the power of foure thousand horsemen the first day before the Ides of Maie to méete him I my selfe accompanied with foure swfte and spéedie legions and the horsemen which I haue remayning intende to take vppon vs the tracing thorough tedious iourneyes and forthwith to followe after if our fortune bée but so so indifferent I meane in the behalfe of the weale publique then shall wée both beate downe the bouldnesse of those desperate conspiratours and finde an end also of carefulnesse Moreouer if that pestileÌ„t spoiler hauing premonishmeÌ„ts and forewarnings of our comming shall beginne to retire and drawe backe into Italie it shal be * Brutus his charge to méete him whom I know to flourishe in wisedome counsel and policie and to want neither courage puisaunce nor valliauntnesse Howbeit if that chaunce come to passe I will sende my brother with horsemen well â—…rouided to followe after and to defend Italie from violence Sée that you neglecte not your health and as I loue you so loue mée againe Fare you well Cicero to Ligario ¶ THE ARGVMENT â—…ee writeth that hee is in hope of Ligarius safetie to the obteyninge whereof hee promiseth all the helpe that hee canne procure in the meane space hee exhorteth Ligarius to take his froward fortune vntoward luck with moderation and patience ALthough it behoued mée in this your time of trouble to write somewhat vnto you â–ª according to the qualitie of our acquaintance either by way of consolation that you might not be comfortlesse or by way of assistaunce that you might not be succourlesse Yet hetherto I haue not accomplished that point of courteous duetie because I perceiued that woordes and sentences could not preuaile against your pensifenesse which was vnappeasable nor diminish any part of the same it was so indurable In processe of time when hope began to beare blossoms abundantly that the day was approching wherin we should haue the presence of your person in health and prosperitie I could no longer bridle the secrete motions of my mind but néedes must declare vnto you my determination discouer the whole summe of my counsell I will therefore write that vnto you whereof I haue a sealed warrant namely that the anger and displeasure of Caefar against you will hereafter be assuaged For to tell the plaine truth both the matter it selfe the day the opinion of people and as I gather by sundrie apparaunces the inclination of his owne proper nature allure him to gentlenes and clemencie which to bée as I say not onely the estate of other ministreth mée occasion to presuppose but the reports of his néerest friends and such in déede as with him are most familiar persuade mée that you are towards the attainement of Grace with his highnesse Unto whom since the time that newes came first out of Africa I together with your brethren intermitted no opportunitie to put in practise the parts of Suppliaunts whose vertue integritie vprightnesse loue and constancie towards you being incomparable and singular besides that their carefulnesse for your safetie being planted vppon perpetuitie and continuance were so forceable and pithie that there is no kinde of thing which Caesars highnesse of his owne accord wil not graunt and giue of his frée bountie if our petition be somewhat later obteined then wée would the cause thereof is to be ascribed to his great and earnest affaires of whom all things are required with submission which haue made harder accesse to his highnesse so that wée might not at will vse his gracious goodnesse And besides his busie matters Africa hath incensed and kindled his anger insomuch that hée séemeth of purpose to worke their disquietnesse whom he perceiueth thoroughly bent to frame his continuall vexation But wée vnderstand that hée in a storme is somewhat calme against madnesse marcheth with mildnesse is pight with patience against inconuenience Wherfore giue credite to my words and repose this report in y cosket of your memorie that you shal not remaine long in these troubles sithence they are like to haue their limitation When I haue declared that which is hidden in my thought it resteth behind that of the towardnesse of my wil to doe you pleasure my deedes rather then my wordes giue a testimonie And if I could accoÌ„plish so much as I might challeng of duetie in that coÌ„monwealth wherein my merits as you hold opinion are not only manifest but also manifold you should be soone deliuered froÌ„ these discoÌ„modities daungers For the selfe same cause hath bene a canckar to my wealth estate which hath béene a plague to your health and safetie Neuerthelesse what courtesie soâ—… euer the image representation of mine auncient dignitie what duetifulnes soeuer fauour may afford and friendship comprehend my labour my counsel my desire my furtheraunce and my faithfulnesse shal be at the commaundement of your good brethren in euery respect Sée that your hart bée couragious as becoÌ„meth a man let it be now as it hath bene alwayes in times past first for the causes which in writing I haue mencioned secondly because you haue béene so well affected towards the weale publique as that you may not only at this instante hope prosperously to flourish but also thoughe you were drowned and vtterly ouerwhelmed with the waues of aduersitie yet thorough the comfort of conscience knowing that your meaning hath béene vertuous your doings coÌ„mendable to weare out al tempests whatsoeuer with a manfull courage Fare you well Cicero to Trebiano THE ARGVMENT He is verie glad of Trebianus his returne into his countrie by suite at length obteined he exhorteth him to blot thinges past out of the booke of his
WHiles I was resident in my Prouince of Cilicia wherunto as you knowe thrée iurisdictions of Asia were assigned I vsed the companie of no man so familiarly as of Andron the sonne of Arthemon the Laodicean with him I tooke vp my lodging when I was in that citie and I had in his house very curteous intertainment besides that he was a man in my thinking meruelous fit for my fashion of life and such a one as I delighted much to be conuersant withal From whoÌ„ after I had departed I began to féele more kindnes kindling in my hart to the coÌ„â—â—rmation of further freendship because in many circumstances I had experience of his acceptable seruice and was throughly instructed by trial taken that he was not vnmindefull of mée being absent In consideration of whiche premisses I was right glad when I sawe him at Rome For you are not ignorant sithence your bountie hath extended and stretched it selfe to a great number in this Prouince howe many Gentlemen there be found of a thankefull nature and of manners not to be misâ—…iked These thinges haue I written of purpose to let you vnderstand that I haue a necessary cause offred me to employ this present labour and that you might so iudge of him as of one woorthie of your courtesie and deseruing gentle entertainement I shal therefore be muche beholding to your goodnesse if you expresse and make manifest vnto him as it were by euidence or witnesse how you loue mée and in what credit I am with you and howe you estéeme of my person that is to say if you receiue him to fauour vouchesâ—…fe to be his patrone and defender finally if it shall please you in al cases and quarelles your honour kept vnblemished and prouided also that you be not thereby molested to be his furtherer This shall make marueilously for my commoditie and to the satisfaction of my réquest shal be most effectual which that you would do I beséeche you hartily Fare you well Cicero to P. Silio ¶ THE ARGVMENT He giueth Silius thankes for the honour exhibited to Nero whom he commendeth highly in all kinde of circumstances MY fréend Nero hath giuen you infinite thanks yea such thankes as are bothe maruelous incredible reporting vnto mée in your highe commendation that there was no degrée of honour which was possible to be bestowed but you exhibited the same vnto him for his speciall aduauncement The profite and aduantage whiche you are like hereafter to obteine is neither smal nor indifferent For then that yong Gentleman nothing is more worthie acceptation and out of questioÌ„ I must néeds acknowledge the you haue done me a principal pleasure for there is not one among all the Nobilitie whom I haue in more estimation Wherefore if it shall please you to accomplishe those affaires which he is desirous should fall in your charge and disposing together with my labour and industrie I shall thinke my selfe so gratified as if you had â—…oen me the greatest good turne in the worlde And first touching Pausanias Alabandensis supporte his estate maintaine his condition til Nero his comming For I know thus much that he is wonderfull earnest in his behalfe and therefore is my request also the more vehement Moreouer touching the Nisaeaâ—…s of whom Neâ—…o maketh speciall account defending and protecting them moste diligently so take the charge ouer them that of their estate you shew your selfe moste carefull tâ—… the intent the whole citie may vnderstand that the supportation and countenance of Nero is to them a singular saâ—…garde I haue commended Strabo Seruilius vnto you oftentimes and do the same againe at this instant with more feruentnesse because it hath pleased Nero to take vpon him the maintenaunce of his matter Thus much by way of petitiâ—…n I craue at your handes that you would deale in his cause and not leaue him that is innocent blamelesse to the gaine of any one vnlike to your owne person This shal be vnto mée a point of duetie moste acceptable and I shall haue occasion in like manner to thinke that your vsage is leauened with gentlenesse The full scope of this Epistle is that you would adorne Nero to the vttermost of your power as you haue determined and done already with al ensignes of honor The Prouince where you are hath a goodly great Theatre of beholders no small multitude not as this our prouince it hath I say many viewers of a yong Gentleman right nobly disposed indued with wisedome and such a one as is not gréedie of glorie nor couetous of commendation Wherefore if he shal be furthered by your fauour as he is at this present I hath in times past he shal be able to confirme and establishe those excéeding great retinues which he receiued of his auncestours and shall binde them with the aboundance of his benefites If you shal assist him in this order your labour shal be marueilâ—…us wel bestowed and you shall impart to me in semblable maner a singular benefite Fare you well Cicero to C. Paeduceâ—…ino ¶ THE ARGVMENT This Epistle conteineth a commendation of M. Fabius I Loue M. Fabius entirely with whom mine acquaintance is not onely very great but also auncient I demaund not of you what your determinations be touching his controuer sies you shall saue as your credite and dignitie requireth your statute and ordinaunce but my petition vnto you is that he haue easie accesse to your person that he may obtein those thinges which are not repugnant to equitie your will in no point withstanding and that he may sée iust cause and take euident proofe of my fréendshippe how appliable it is to procure his profite especially through you with whome my woordes are not vnlikely to preuaile Not to faile in this case I beséeche you moste earnestly Fare you well Cicero to C. Munatio THE ARGVMENT He commendeth L. Regulus his free man whose name was L. Luciâ—… neius vpon certaine circumstances seeming vnto him not vnnecessary to be repeated L Lucineius Trypho is the frée man of L. Regulus my moste familiar frend and best acquainted the consideratiâ—…n of whose calamitie causeth me to shewe mée selfe more officious towards him and to exhibite larger dueties of humanitie to doâ—… him pleasure For my beneuelence doeth neither ebbe nor flowe but continueth at a stay vnuariable and therefore as my good will hath béene in times past so is it at this present Howbeit Trypho is suche a one as I loue by him selfe seuerally For the seruice which he shewed to do me good in those our stormy times was singular and excée ding great in those dayes I say of ours loaden as it were with daungers when I had a perfect perseuerance in discerning the bounteâ—…us inclinatioÌ„ of people or at least skil sufficient in perceiuing their faithfulnesse We do so commend him to your protection as men defying ingratitude and sworne enimies to forgetfulnesse
ought being bound of duetie to commend them that haue well deserued You shal seale your friendshippe vnto mée with a principall pleasure if he may vnderstand because for my saftie he hath thrust himself as it were vpon sharpe pikes and for my sake hath passed many a voyage by sea in the coulde time of winter that some part of his seruice hathe beene to your aduantage whiche the goodwill that I beare towardes you requireth Dolabella to Cicero THE ARGVMENT Dolabella Cicero his sonne in lawe persuadeth his father either to take part with Caesar or else to conuey him selfe from warre into some citie where he may liue in peace If you haue your health I reioyce I am well and so is our Tullia as for Terentia she was not all after the best but I am certaine she is nowe receuered and wareth strâ—…ng againe to be short all thinges with you are in suche good case that they cannot be better Although there be no cause why you should haue mée in suspicion at any time that I séeke to persuade you as more regarding the part of Caesar then hauing respecte to your safetie and good estate to ioyne your selfe in confederacie either with him and vs or else for your owne preseruation to séeke after ease and tranquillitie yet notwithstanding at this present especially sithence the victorie is so farre from being pessessed that it is in small likelyhoode to be atchieued I can coÌ„ceiue none other opinion but this that I am drawne by duetie to deale with you touching your estate and affaires by order of persuasion because I cannot in this poinct vse taciturnitie and silence saueing the zeale and affection which in mée towards you is naturally required harmelesse and vndiminished As for you my Cicero accept my woordes in such sorte and haue such liking of my counsell that whether you allowe it or whether you disanull it as well my meaning as also my writing may séeme in your iudgement to haue had issue from a gentle heart courteously disposed and to your goodnesse most bounden and obedient You are not vnaduised that C. Pompeius notwithstanding his name of noblenesse his title of dignitie his renowne in feates of armes hispuisance in martiall exploites his power by the meanes of the protection of kinges countries is in daunger that this which fortune denieth not to any one of inferiour degrée cannot fall to his lott to obteine namely to prepare flight saueing his honour honestie 〈◊〉 that hée is driuen out of Italie now that hée hath the repuâ—… out of Spaine his tried armie and proued souldiours taken and hée himselfe compassed round about on all sides and so enuironed that hee cannot escape the like lucke whereof whether any Emperour of ours tasted at any time I am ignoraunt Wherefore what hée or your selfe may hepe for hereafter coÌ„sider and wey wâ—…l in your owne mind according to the worthinesie of your wisedome for so shall you with great facilitie take such counsell and vse such aduisement as to your owne person wil proue in sine most profitable Thus much more I desire of you that if hée haue escaped his daunger and kéepe himselfe close in the Nauie that he be not bewrayed to be carefull of your owne affaires not to neglecte your owne estate which ought most of all to moue you and now at length towards your selfe rather then to any other to vse more friendship You haue done seruice sufficient already as well in consideration of duetie as alsâ—… in respect of acquaintaunce Both parties are satisfied and that common wealth which you haue alwayes liked and loued alloweth your doing and is not discoÌ„tented It remayneth that where the weale publique is at this present there wée also abide and be resident rather then whiles wée buisily hunt after an estate old and aunciente wee haue none at all but be quite dispossessed In consideration of which premisses I wishe you my best beloued Cicero that if peraduenture Pompeius being expelled also out of these places flée of force and constraint to other regions to take your way to Athens or else to some other citie as it shall please you for the enioyinge of quietnesse which thinge if you shall doe not reiecting my counsell tending to your commoditie I would haue you certifie mée by your letters that I if by any meanes it is possible may hasten to sée you well settled Whatsoeuer perteyning to your dignitie and worthinesse remaineth to be obteined of the Emperour it is as easie as hearte can conceiue such is the clemencie and gentlenesse of Caesar to gett it for your furtheraunce besides that my requeste in your 〈◊〉 vnto him humblie made shall preuaile and winne no 〈◊〉 authoritie It belongeth to you as a badge of your bountie to procure that the selfe same messenger whome I sent vnto you with my letters may returne bringing backe againe from you to mée a conuenient aunsweare Fare you well Cicero to Dolabella THE ARGVMENT Hee writeth to Dolabella in his highe aduauncement and commendation because hee ouerthrewe a piller that was erected and sett vpp in open place of assemblie to Caesar as it were to a god Read theâ—… 4 booke ad Atticum and Lactantius lib. 1. Cap. 15. ALthoughe I grudge not ne repine my Dolabella at your glorious renowne but reape thereby great ioy and pleasure vnspeakable yâ—…t I cannot but acknowledge and confesse that by the popular reporte and opinion I am accompted and thought a partener of your praise I séeke conference with no man and yet I haue daily communication not with a fewe for there are very good men a great multitude who for the regard of their health and maintenaunce of their owne safetie haue recourse to these quarters besides them there resort hether many of mine acquaintance out of diuerse townes incorporate not â–ª of any great distance but they all one with another aduauncing you with praises aboue hilles and mountaines yea to the very heauen giue great thankes vnto mée immediatly thereuppâ—…n For they say that they are grounded vppon such assuraunce and are in such certaintie of knowledge that you by shewing your selfe attentiue to my preceptes and to my counsells being obedient practise the part and duetie of an excellent citizen and frame your selfe to such commendable vsage as thereby you are proued a singular Consul To whom althoughe I can make a most true aunswere that in your déedes you followe your owne aduise and iudgemente as not néeding any other mans counsel yet notwithstanding I do not assent thereunto manifestly least I should seeme to diminish your coÌ„mendation if al the praise were ascribed to the benefite of my iudgement neither yet wil I séeme vtterly to make deniall for in deede I am more vaineglorious then I néede Howbeit y is not repugnant to your renowne which made much for the honour of Agamemnon y king of kings and
prince without 〈◊〉 to haue a sage Nestor for his wiâ—…e â—…unsellour as for â—…ée I thinke my name not a litle nobled â—…n y you being but a young man and bearing the worthie ofâ—…ce of a Consul enioy the floure â—…s I may say y pearle of praises that you I say being as it were my pupill and scholer weare the goodly garland of commendation â–ª L â–ª Caesar vnâ—… when I caâ—…e to him in his sicknesse to Naples although euery part of his body both limme ioynt were disseased yet notwithstanding before salutation or grâ—…ting finished these words vnto me he vttered O my friend Cicero how reioyce I in thy behalfe for that Dolabella hath thee in such estimation and if I were in as great countenaunce with my sisters sonne our safetie had not beene now to recouer but long ago restoared Touching your Dolabella I see iust cause to bee ioyfull and likewise to bee thanckefull whom nexte and immediatly after you wee maye well and deseruedly call by the name of a Consul After continuance of communication he spake very much of your notable déede and famous enterprise affirming that nothing was done at any time before tendinge more to the renowne the honour and thâ—… safegard of the common wealth And this reporte of L. Caesar in your highe commendation is common in the mouth of all men yea it is the conspiring voyce of the people to the increase of your praise But I pray you giue me leaue to succéede you though not as a right yet as a counterfect or bâ—…stardlike hire in the inheritaunce of honour and suffer mée to enter as it were into possession of some part or portion of your praises howbeit my Dolabella for whatsoeuer I haue before spoken procéedeth of pleasure and iesting I am muche more willing all my commendations and titles of dignitie if I haue at least any in owneage to runne wholie into y riuers of your râ—…nowne then to draw any one drop of your dignitie for the inlargement of mine owne reputation and honour For my loue and affection towardes you hath béene hoat and feruent as you might well perceiue yea so much y more is my kindnesse kindled through y consideratioÌ„ of these your famous feates that in loue nothing is possible to be more ardent or fierie no not in the highest degrée and good reason why Because Nothing in the world vniuersal beleeue mee then vertue is more beautifull more precious more louely or amiable I haue alwayes borne goodwill as you knowe to M. Brutus for the singularitie of his wisedome the swéetenesse of his behauiour his incomparable honestie and his surpassing constancie Yet notwithstanding in the Ides of Marche so much was added to the loue which I bare him that I wondered how it might be possible that loue to increase which séemed so to abound and duerflowe What man would thinke that the loue which I both professed and perfourmed towards you could in any one point â—…ée augmented Yet it hath so proued that neuer vntill now I séenied to loue you in times past but tâ—… fauour you â–ª Wherfore what remayneth wherin I should giue you exhortation 〈◊〉 hâ—…ue a regard of your renowne and not to be negligent of yâ—…ur glorse Should I sot before your eyes as it were a specâ—… or looking glasse men of great noblenesse and passing 〈◊〉 as they are accuâ—…omed to doe that vse such an order of imitation I haue none more honourable then your owne person bée an example to your selfe of proweâ—…e and wrestle with your selfe in worthinesse Nay shal I tel you what It is now highe time for you to degenerate to bâ—… vnlike your selfe sithens your aduentures haue béene so manfull your déedes so famous which being as it is exhortation is not necessarie to be vsed but reioycing is requisite and may not bée refusâ—…d For that hath chaunced vnto you which hath fortuned to none besides at least to a very fewe in my thinking that great rigour and sharpe reuenge in punishment should bée not onely not enuyed but also highly praised and mâ—…st acceptable with men of vertuous disposition yea with euery commoner and person of inferioritie If this lott had fallen into your lappe by a certaine luck I would haue reioyced at your good fortune and felicitie but the valliauntnesse of your heart the worthinesse of your wisedome and the efficacie of your counsel are the causes of this your prosperous chaunce For I haue read ouer your Oration then which nothing in my iudgemeÌ„t is polished with more prudeÌ„ce your order was so séemely both in clyming as it were by degrées or footinge forward to the very cause and reuolting from the cause to y person of your selfe that the very euent of the thing gaue you leaue libertie to punish none to the contrarie withstanding In coÌ„sideration of which your déede y Citie is deliuered from daunger and sett frée from feare neither was the commoditie which you procured being exceding great temporal and momentanie but perpetual and euerlasting yea such as shall succéede you shall take it as an example for imitation endenouring to doe the like So that now by this your famous feate thus much you are to vnderstand that the common wealth leaneth and stayeth it selfe vpon your shoulders and not the maintenaunce onely but the aduaâ—…ncement also of such persons the beginning of whose libertie did procéede from you is reâ—…erred vnto you and vppon you dependeth But touching these matters wée will haue conference shortlie more at large as I hope and as for you my Dolabella because you are a preseruer of the weale publiquâ—… and our defâ—…nder I counsel you to sée to your owne safetiâ—… carefully and diligently Fare you well Cicero to Papirio Paeto THE ARGVMENT Hee answeâ—…reth to two Epistlâ—…s of Paetus to the first â–ª in this order that he is of right touched with a certaine deâ—…ite of his wellâ—…are the force of whose loue towards himselfe hee hath tasted and the pleasauntnesse of whose witt hee hath highly esteemed to the second â—…e answeareth in this sorte that it maketh no matter whether hâ—…e be at Rome or at Naples sithence at Rome all thâ—…ngs are vnder one mans gouernment wherefore hee saith that hee continueth in this opinion to buy a house to inhabite in at Naples I Will frame an aunsweare â—…o your two seuerall letters one of the which I receiued two dayes past at the hands of Zethus the other was deliuered mée by Phileros By the former letter I vnderstoode that my carefulnes for your welfare was verie acceptable whereof I am glad you haue attained the certaine knowledge but beléeue mée my letters cannot make you such substanciall assurance of my desire touching your safetie as it is in déede triall hath testified For although I sée my selfe of many had in reuerâ—…ce as I cannot otherwise report and excéedingly beloued Yet amonge them all
bene betrayed and very fewe doutlesse from losse of life preserued not endeuouring rather to win to them selues the good willes and procure for their owne aduauntage the assistance of so mightie victorious a citie as hath saued many places from ruine and decay yea the whole lande of Graecia from the spoyle of desolation O prince ponder this in your cogitation let it be weyed precisely in your thought that many praise your prudence many extoll your wisdome bicause you dealt in suche order with the people of Thessalie as séemed not repugnant to equitie and for them most expedient which maner of men are not of so tractable a nature are not of so milde a disposition but hedstrong sedicious giuen to mouing of mutinies rebellions EueÌ„ so most mightie Monarch iudge of vs sithence you know wel enough y as y region of the Thessalians so the power of the Atheniens is from you not so many degrées distant which by your bountifulnesse you can not do amisse to reconcile sithence It is a point of more noblenesse puisaunce and valiauntnesse to obtaine and winne the fauour of incorporate cities then to scale castle walles towers bulwarks and fortifications For as this doth not only purchase hatred and enuie euery thing for the most part that is done being ascribed to the violent souldiers Euen so on the contrarie part if you could vse the meanes to winne the hearts of the people and to get mens good willes what is he that shall not wonder at your wisedome Concerning myne assertioâ—…s and reasons in the behalfe of our citie right requireth that you continue worthy of credite For it is too too manifest and apparant that it is so farre from my custome to play the flatterer with my citizens that there is no one man besides me to be founde of whome they are more often reprehended yea it is wâ—…l knowen that the multitude haue me in no esâ—…imation I meane those that be clawbacks and mealemouthed merchants making account of their painted sheath but some of them know not what I am othersome hate me as yll as they hate you Neuerthelesse this enuie incident to vs both hath in it a certaine difference for they repine at you bicause of your power your riches your wealth and your prâ—…ncely port at me they grudge bicause I professe my selfe to be induâ—…d with more wisdome then they and more are there that delight â—…n their companie then that takâ—… pleasure in my familiaritie I would it were as easie for me as it is for you to remoue the opinion of the multitude so vnaduisedly conceiâ—…ed Nowe the matter resteth in your highnesse you may â—…ée thervnto if you will As for me partly in consideration of mine age and partly in respect of other causes mine owne estate must be carefully regarded To coâ—…clude I sée not to what purpose it were to make more words in this matter howbeit I will adde this ouerplus that betweene your kingdome and your felicitie the prosperitie of the Graecians and their 〈◊〉 there may be some communion intercourse nothing to the contrarie withstanding Isocrates to Philippo ¶ THE ARGVMENT Hee beginneth this Epistle following with an Argument drawen Ab vtili according to hâ—…s vsuall order Then he counseleth King Philippe that hee setting aâ—…ide all other matters what so euer should make warre as soone as may be against the king of the Peâ—…sians The conueyaunce of his matter shall appeare plaine and manifest enough if one part with anther be aduisedly conferred ALthough I haue had sufficient conference as I am persuaded with Antipater as well touching the profites of our citie as conterning the commodities of your person yet willing was I not withstanding to write vnto your high nesse what after the conclusion of peace were not amisse to be done to write I say vnto your maiestie matters not much dissenting from thâ—…se that I haue mencioned in myne Oration howbèit much briefer For mine aduise at that time consisted in this point that all controuâ—…rsies of our cltie of the Lacedemonâ—…ans of the Thebanes of y Argiues being cancelled the Graecians might be reconciled and set at concorde For I was in opinion that if you could obteine so much of the chiefest and most principall cities the residue would in like manner giue assent and at no hand stande in contradiction At that time things were in another estate but now are they in such 〈◊〉 that to vse reasoâ—…s of persâ—…asion it is not nâ—…cessarie For in conâ—…deration of the conâ—… or battel attempted al are compelled to returne to their right mind to remember them selues and of those things duly to consider â—…hich I supposed requisite both to be sayd and also to be done of your highnesse that war I meane madnesse being remoued and coâ—…tousnesse cut â—…ff where with the mindes of men are inâ—…ected should be made in Asia Furthermore many there be that demaunde this question whether I gaue yoâ—… counsell to bend the force of armes against the Barbarians or whether I after you had so determined and purposed allowed your intent As â—…or me who hitherto haue had no conference with your maiestie touching that matter I say that I know nothing of a certaintie yet neuerthelâ—…sse that to your â—…ounsels I denyed not my consent wher in you vsed long since much deliberation Which answere after they had receiued they assaulted me with a request namely that I would giue you aduise not to chaunge your meaning but in your determination to persist For more renouned déedes more famous and noble actes or tending more to the profite of the Graecians could neuer be aduentured neither might better opportunitie to put things in practise at any time be ministred If therfore I were indued with that ripenesse of witt and abilitie of vtteraunce wherein when I was young I flourished and if I were not by reason of myne olde age so distressed of strength and Rhetoricall ornamentes which beautifie and pounce the style of an Orâ—…tor I would not make letters the instrument of my meaning to your highnesse but I would in presence of your puisance with such patheticall speaches as I might moue your maiestie to take vpon you this enterprise with valiaâ—…tnesse Nowe in consideration of the premisses I deale with you by way of exhortation as I am able couÌ„seling you not to neglect such opportunitie nor to reuolt from it before you see it accomplished Moreouer to boyle in the miserable desire of any thing besides is contrarie to honestie and honour for the most pâ—…rte are at suche deâ—…aunce with extremities that mediocritie is the trâ—…asure whiche they count commendable â–ª neuerthelesse to seeke to the attainement of renoune to clime vp to the castle of glorie none ought at any time to giue ouer with â—…ediousnesse â–ª none ought to aâ—…iure with lothsomnesse especially if they be called to places of 〈◊〉 and aduaunced aboue others to
much as he admonished them of their duties some what largely in language hée was dispossessed of such honours as in his countrie sometimes he enioyed and besides that hée fell from the hope of passing great rewards wherwithal he was attainted Thus were the plausible speaches of phantasticall parasites of more efficacie then the merites and good deedes of so notable a man wâ—…re of authoritie For these causes mâ—…cioned albeit he were from time to time determined to haue accesse vnto you yet I wott not with what maner of â—…iorousnesse and feare he was hindered not because he supposed them that were placed in highest degrée of dignitie to be al alike amâ—…ge themselues but for thâ—… hauing taken triall experience of others croked coÌ„ditions he durâ—…t not intertaine the aâ—…aunce and hope which of vs to hiâ—… was offâ—…ed So that in this case he may be compared to some y sailâ—… vppon the swelling seas who being discâ—…mfited with the stormâ—… and tempestes thereof neuer enter shippe to the same ende againe with quiet minds albeit they know sée y sailing â–ª oftentimes hath prosperous successe happie fortune But because he is coÌ„mended to yâ—…ur maiestie I think it a meritoriâ—… déede I am of opinion it wil redoâ—…nd to his coÌ„moditie The occasioÌ„ of which my thinking â–ª is principally ingeÌ„dred by your clemencie your humanitie â–ª your mildnesse which is not here at home within the walls of your owne dominion but in forreigne iurisdictions barbarous countries to your singular renowne by the clanging trâ—…mp of swift report proclaimed Moreouer I am of this iudgement concerning you that you are not to learne howe nothing within the eompasse of the heauens procureth more pleasance obteineth more profite then the purchasing of such friends as bee honest and faithfull by wayes of well doing I meane benefites and of such men to be carefull to deserue none otherwise then wel in whose behalfe for courtesie to them exhibited many yea innumerable will shewe themselues thankfull For such as be furnished with the armour of vertue such as glister and appeare glorious with the leames of learning acknowledge no lesse praise and reuerence to them that honour and highly esteeme such as in vertue and learning bee famous then they would if they themselues were partakers of these excellent benefites But such to bée the disposition of Diodotus I dare warrant as by his owne industrie and priuate meanes hée will winne your maiesties fauour in such sort that you must néedes vouchsafe him courtesie With semblable persuasions I assaulted his sonne to haue accesse to you that â—…y submitting himselfe as a scholer to your discipline he might thereby reape aduantage and of his susteined labour recouer an acquitall Which aduise when I had giuen and hée with attentiue eare had receiued he confessed forthwith that of your friendshippe there was not in all the world then he a man more desirous howbeit to his wordes thus much more he aâ—…nexed for further discouerie of his secrete mind y hée was there unto drawne with semblable affection as hée hath béene to open games and spectacles rewarded with crownes and garlands For said hée I was in loue with the adununcemente of victorie but to offer the triall of my selfe in those exercises required I wanted courage and why Because I perceiued the vnworthinesse of mine abilitie farre inferiour to the fame renowne issuing from those solemne coronations In like maner hee wished most hartily by your mediation to mount to honour but hee suspected something in himselfe to harbour wherby hée should be hindered For his * want of experience is to him an impediment and the glorious shew of your stately authoritie a sore discouragement To which imperfections his body may be ioyned being not so finely proportioned as it should escape reprehension which in many respectes as hée supposeth wil be let ts to his furtheraunce Howbeit whatsoeuer to him shall séeme auailable to doe that let him haue leaue and libertie So that whether hée addresse him to come to you or whether hée leade his life in this soile being addicted to quietnesse and abhorring the coÌ„trarie let him finde such fauour at your graces hands that as well all necessariâ—…s whatsoeuer by your procuremente may be supplied for his maintenaunce as also that both hée his father may be so prouided for as they may lead their life frée from annoyaunce and feare of daunger For thus ought you to thinke that wée commend him to you as a thing deliuered to your kéeping by vs in this our old age â–ª which is to be had in high honour and reuerence committed I say to you by our authoritie if at least wise it carrie any shewe of countenaunce of good will yea of the same goodwil which to you through the whole course of my yeares I haue professed and to your weale also put in practise and executed I would not wishe you to be moued with admiration either at the largenesse that I vse in this letter or for that I haue vttered some what therein sauouring of curiositie or auncient experience For setting all other thinges aside I bent the whole force of my will and witt to this ende that it might be apparant and not vntestified the commodities of my friendes to kindle in mée excéeding carefulnesse whome I loue and tender with as much duetie as is possible Isocrates to Alexandro THE ARGVMENT Hee reioyceth that Alexander loueth learning whome vnder a couler of commendation he exhorteth by keeping companie with vertuous men and vsing the familiaâ—…itie of such as be indued with knowledge to seeke after â—…loquence finesse of speach policie in gouerning the commonwealth rather then the intangled disputations of Logique and quarelling questions of the Sophisticall Science not without a priuie rebuking as I suppose of Aristotles profession WHen I sent letters to your father right noble king I thought my selfe to atteÌ„pt a thing repugnant to reason if I séemed not to be mindefull of your highnesse and to acknowledge some courtesie by salutation considering that you enâ—…oy the selfe same title of renowne the selfe same maiestie of a Monarche the selfe same seate of royaltie and al thinges else to principalitie apperteyning yea I thought my doings to sauour of no sparckle of duetie if I wrote not somewhat to your puisaâ—…ce whereby people might conceiue an opinion those I meane to whom I am vnknowne that â—…ld age hath not depriued me of wisedome and so deluded my iudgment that I am vtterly drowued in dotage but that they might thus rather thinke that the witt which remaineth in me at this houre being not consumed and wasted as the strength of my body by sunory casualties multitude of yeares specially infeebled is not vnworthie of that abilitie of y order of that facultie and of that conueyaunce in writing wherein when I was young not subiect to these
desirous to attaine vnto and with knowledge willing to comprehend whereof he is not able to giue preceptes and sufficient to teach and instruet So often as I make inquisition search after any abstruse and mystical matter he is my treasure he is my storehouse O what trueth and honestie is in his language what authoritie resteth in his countenaunce and what maiestie what decencie there is in his delayes and in his doubtfull demaundes what subtiltie and quicknesse of wit what is it whereof he is ignorant and yet notwithstanding he laboureth oftentimes in a laberynth of vncertaintie he doubteth in diuersitie and sundrie sortes of causes which he thresheth and sifteth in such sort that the verie originall and beginnings of them are by him rehearsed discerned examined and considered Furthermore howe parciall and sparing in diet how moderate in apparel and cloathing When I enter into his chamber and cast my rolling eyes from corner to corner yea when I beholde his bed and the necessarie furniture there vnto belonging I sée a liuely representation and image of the frugalitie and thriftinesse which was in high estimation among our ancestours These things are beautified with the noblenes of his nature which referreth nothing to ostentation painted popularitie and vaine glorious opinions but trieth al things with the touchstone of conscience and weygheth whatsoeuer commeth in question to be decided in the balance of iustice and equitie The reward of a good déede he fetcheth not from the reporte of the people but sifteth it out of the circumstances wherby the cause is knowne To knit vp all in a summarie no man would be so madde and ouerséene as to account any one of those which by outward gesture habite of the body make a iollie shew a glose of singular wisdome comparable to the man whom I haue mencioned He is no idle talker eyther in hall or gallerie Neyther doth he make other mens leasure and his owne quietnesse delightsome with tedious disputations but sitting in his long gowne or riche robe is occupied in suche matters as are of him to be determined He is a furtheraunce to many in being their aduocate and an helpe in hassard to such as vse his counsell in chastitie in vprightnesse in iustice in constancie he is préeminent and no mans inferiour If a man were in his companie and saw his behauiour he would be astonished such is his patience in suffering the sharpe assaultes of his sicknesse in resisting the violence of sadnesse and sorrowe in wrestling with thirst which requireth moyst recepts in passing through the incredible heate of burning feuers without shrinking Not many dayes agoe he called me and diuers of myne acquaintaunce vnto him whome he loued entirely and desired vs to resorte to physâ—…cians for counsell and of them to learne the extremitie and vttermost daunger of his infirmitie and disease that if it were past remedie he might prepare him voluntarlly to leau this life but if it were in difficultie and yet not in despaire he might resist and struggle with it till suche time as perfect health were to be recouered For the petitions of his louing wife the lamentations and teares of his deare daugh ter and the state of vs his good friends are not to be neglected all which premisses are directed to one limitted marke namely that he would not cancell our hopes if at least wise they were of assuraunce and not built vpon vanitie with voluntarie death That thing doe I estéeme and iudge hard vneasie and worthy of principall commendation For to runne as it were with a certaine force and violence to death is common to many but to vse deliberation concerning the end of life to consider of the causes which depend therevpon aduisedly and as reason prescribeth so to be persuaded eyther to liue or dye is the propertie of a well disposed minde and a certaine token of a man armed with valiauntnesse As for the physicians of whome we asked counsel they put vs in good comfort promising that all things will turne to the bâ—…st and that there is little feare of daunger to death It remaineth that God say Amen to their warrants that he disburthen me of this care conceiued of whiche when I féele my selfe deliuered I will to my Laurenâ—…inum a fresh that is to my bookes to my noting tables and such exercises of learning as are both quiet and fruitfull For continuing where I am I haue no leasure to reade neyther yet any lust to write such is mine inwarde anguishe You vnderstande what it is that I feare and you knowe what I wish besides that what I haue purposed hereafter to attempt you are not ignorant As for your self I would haue you write more largely that letters may haue passage and repassage betwéen vs twaine and that I may be informed how you haue bene exercised how you are presently occupied and whervnto you will apply your time your wit your labour and your leasure My distressed condition shall be indifferently redressed seasoned with measurable consolation if you cease from complaining haue no cause by smart anguish to lament C. Plinius to Pompeio Falconi THE ARGVMENT This Epistle runneth wholy vpon resolutions For as it appeareth a question was demaunded whether a Tribune might pleade at the barre wherevnto answere is made with sundrie reasonâ—… YOu aske my counsell and aduice whether I thinke it requisite that in y office of the tribuneship you shuld plead causes It is a thing not lightly to be regarded that you consider what that office is whether it be a vaine shadow and a naked title destitute of honour or a religious authoritie against which magistracie as no compulsorie meanes should be vsed so ought they y beare the same office not to trie any man by constraint At what time I was a Tribune or protectour of the people I might peraduenture haue offended in thinking my selfe to be that whiche I was not and then did I abstaine from pleading causes and medled not in matterâ—… which in common place of iudgement are â—…o be 〈◊〉 First byâ—…ause I supposâ—…d it a great 〈◊〉 and disorder that he to whome all men ought in rising to reuerence and in giuing place to vse most worshipfully â–ª should stand on his feete like an abiect whiles all other sit in prepared plaâ—…es and that he y might by authoritie commaunde al men to be huiâ—…t and silent should haue his tong limited and tied â—…o the running of an houre glasse anâ—… that he whâ—…in in talke to interrupt and hinder â–ª was counted a thing 〈◊〉 tâ—…lerable should haue contumelies and reproches ringing about his eares whiche if he sought not to recompence by reuengement then was he thought straight way a cowardly beast and if he would not let them passe without 〈◊〉 and payment of some smart then was he thought proud and insolent This was also a horrible heart griefe when as eyther he whose
doubted least it runne in report of slouthfulnesse and ignoraunce or else of timorousnesse and fearefulnesse Fare you well C. Plinius to Saturnino THE ARGVMENT Writing to Saturninus he declareth what a pleasure it is to him to see and heare friendship flourish among men of vertue and honestie In the end of the Epistle he is grieued that Saturninus is busily occupied in matters of suites of lawe that he cannot haue his companie NExt immediatly vnto our friend Priscus because such was your commaundement I haue most willingly and liberally perfourmed the dueties of thankfulnesse For it is vnto mée the pleasauntest thing in the world vniuersall that you being men not of the basest degrée nor yet of the meanest maners and behauiours besides that such whom I loue most sincerely and farre aboue al other cleaue so closely together in frendly conuersation that you thinke your selues mutually bound and tied in knottes of perpetual kindnesse For hée coâ—…fesseth and protesâ—…eth also that by the benefite of your friendshippe hée perceiueth himselfe a communicant and partaker of singular delectations contending and struggling as it were to outrunne and conquere you in the most honest combate of concord and kindnesse wherunto processe of time will giue large and plentifull increase That you are intangled and earnestly occupied in buisie matters I am for this cause somewhat sorrie for that your seruice being yoked to such necessitie cannot satisfie our desires Howbeit if by the helpe of the Iudge the one controuersie may be finished and by your paines the other also accomplished you shall beginne first where you are to enioy rest and quietnesse and afterwards as you finde your selfe sufficed towards vs to addresse your iourney Fare you well C. Plinius to Fusco THâ—… ARGVMENT Hee teacheth Fuscus how to bestowe his time commending that kinde of studie which is applied to translating out of one tonguâ—… inâ—…o another wheruppon by the way he toucheth many circumstances Hee sheweth also by specialtie wherein it is good to bee exercised And though Plinie wrote this Epistle to one particular man laying before him as it were a platforme of studie yet I see no cause to the coÌ„trarie but these precepts of Plinie may serue as well to teach all young studentes an order and methodâ—… in studie to be obserued YOu demaunde of mée a question and what is it but to be instructed how I thinke it were best for you to bestowe time now that you are in solitarinesse and sequestred from companie Mine aunswere to your question is this That in my iudgement you shall finde this exâ—…rcise very profitable if you frame your self to interprete out of the Gréeke tongue into the Latine or iâ—… you tranâ—…late out of the Latine speach into the Gréeke In which point of practise the propertie of the language is to be pondered gaynesse of woords to be followed abundaunce of tropicall and figuratiue floures to be obserued and finally a patheticall and veheâ—…ent order in writing to be continued Moreouer through imitation of the best most approued Authors abilitie to coÌ„prehend the like thinges is obteined and that wherin the reader wanteth vnderstanding is much deceiued the translatour hauing the direction of knowledge and the ende of art is not rauished yea by the exercise of translating wée purchase perseueraunce by the vse of the same our iudgement incliâ—…eth to ripenesse There is also some aduauntagâ—… to bée gotten to write that downe which you read in wordes of a contrarie tongue to the intent that the whole substaunce and argument of that which the booke conteineth may be ingraffed iâ—… your memorie to conferre and examine that which you haue written with that which you haue read and so diligenâ—…ly to consider wherein your Author hath aptly framed his inuention and you not vnorderly dealt in your translation Great gladnesse wil be offered if in some thinges you amend your Authour Great shame and discredite also will insue if in all pointes he shewe more skilfulnesse and bring his matters to more perfection It shal be lawfull also for the translatour tâ—… choose and pick out such thinges as be most manifest and apparant then afterwardes to canuasse and sift them with discretiâ—…n A bould and presumptuous kinde of contention I must acknowledge this to bée yet neuerthelâ—…sse not euill or malicious and why because it is secretly practised These and such like contentioâ—…s I wot wel many haue attempted and thereby wonne commendation whiles they wanted not sufficient abilitie to followe after as it were in a châ—…e and despaiâ—…ed not likewise to outrunne the ringleader and thereby to gett ground By translating this commoditie ariseth to renew that in memorie which sometime you read haue forgotten to retâ—…ine many thinges â—…n minde when time serueth to be vttered to passe ouer many circumstances vppon consideration to interline here for necessitie there for exornation to reiect that which is written by writing it againe This exercise I must confesse is laborious and paineful yea it is replenished with toile and tediousnesse On the other sâ—…de againe in that by the difficultie hardnesse of the work perfection is recoâ—…ered where much was out of square resâ—…itution of strength gotten which was diminished the commoditie is answearable in proportion measure to the wearisomnesse of the labour For end to put too newe â—…immes ioyntes and members to the perfourmed body not displacing them that it had before is another pleasure which redouÌ„deth to the Translatour I know that at this instant your studie standeth principally in playing the Oratour howbeit I labour not by persuasion to win you to the pracâ—…ise of this skirmishing warlike and fâ—…ghting style For as ploughed lands are sâ—…atered sometime with this seede sometime with that because varietie is profitable so our witts in like maner are to bee exercised one while with this meditation another while with that because diuersitie draweth with it much pleasure My counsell moreouer in this case is that you buckle your selfe to translate some what out of histories and that in writing epistles you vse great diligence For it commeth to passe many times and oft that vppon vrgent necessitie wée must as it were leuen our Orations with historical narrations and béesprinckle the same also with Poetical descriptions as for epistles by them this commoditie is gotten not onely a methode in writing and speaking compact in breuitie but the selfe same also full of smoothnesse and puritie Furthermore it is permitted to the translatour to take the benefâ—…te of relaxation and refreshing his musing minde with versifying I do not meane in that wherein ampliâ—…cations and large discourseâ—… are vsed For I am not ignoraunt that to the 〈◊〉 of such an eâ—…terprise much leasure and labour is required but that rather which as it is quicke and wittie so is it short also and not tedious which dispenseth with all maner oâ—… cares and businesse whatsoeuer They are
ministred vnto you cause worthy of laughter â—…o the intent that I being by your admonition instructed may sée myne amisse decently reformed or else that you being â—…ked may absteine from such fondnesse which to a man is as great commendation being vnreasonably vsed as the hauing of a qualitie that deserueth reprehension Then sayth he Nowe without all controuersie if you could controule me and my manners you shoulde heale me of suche a sicknesse as you did neuer any since you practised physicke by ministring to them medicinable compositions and receites Then sayde I againe what man may you not be controuled Is it not an absurd thinge and to reasons rule most â—…isagréeable at the deathes of people at their diseases at their madnesse at their slaughters or at any thing woâ—…se theÌ„ these if worse may be chauncing in the course of this mortalitie moreouer at marriages festiuall dayâ—…s education of children rites of consecration holy ceremonies honourable magistrates high authorities finally at what thing else besides that beareth the name of that which is good and commendable to vse a continuall laughter or an immoderaâ—…e géering For at the estate of such as are to bâ—… 〈◊〉 you fall a laughing againe at their â—…ondition towaâ—…s whoÌ„ you should shew your selâ—…e ioyfull you vse the like behauiour Wherefore vpon thâ—…se premisses I see entraunce to this plaine conclusion that beetwéene good and euill you make no diffâ—…rence Then said hée your assertiâ—…ns are repugnaunt neither to trueth nor reason but notwithstanding the course of this your communication how cunningly so euer you séeme in your dealing yet in the cause of my maddnesse your knowledge is blinde ignoraunce to the vnderstanding wherof if it bée your fortune to attaine you shall carrie away with you the aduauntage of a greater benefite then this your embasâ—…age can counâ—…eruaile namely this my laughter whereby you shall worke this effect as well in others as also in your owne selfe increase of wisedome prudence in great plentie In consideration wherof you will peraduenture make manifest vnto me for mine instruction the mysteries of mingled medicines and the practise of Physâ—…cke suspecting with your selfe that mâ—…n buify their braines about maters wherin they ought not â—…o meddle hunting after such things as are not worthy of a creature indued with reason but deseruing vnmeasurable laughter Then said I â–ª By the Gods immortall if all the world wist not that they are subiect to sicknesse neither yet knew the meanes in diseases of daunger to séeke after remedies whaâ—… might a maÌ„ else iudge of it then as bewitched and depriued quite of reason Then said hée Indéede Hippocrates the ignoraunce of the world is grosse palpable for touching Nature their skill is but superficiall and like a shadowe destitute of substaunce O Democritus said I these things shal you teach mée at times conuenient For I much mistrust least whiles you are occupied in detecting the ignoraunce of this world full of vanitie you will also interpose and sawce the same with laughter Nowe therefore discouer the occasion of the same and deliâ—…er vnto mée a plaine discourse of the trade and order of your life Hée casting vppon mée a â—…ower visage and a sterne looke sayed you suppose that of my laughter there bée two causes that is to say a good and â—… badde As for mée thus much I am to say that the man who is a lâ—…mpe or masse of foolishnesse is the onely occasion of this motion yea at him alone doe I laugh in whom ignoraunce is graffed in whom vertuous exercises are not lodged who in all his purposes and practises playeth praâ—…ckes of puerilitie and childishnesse consuming himselfe with labours vaine noysome and superfluâ—…us For such a one breaketh into the bosome of the earth openeth the secret bowells of the same being embouldened thereunto by insatiable couetousnesse which is alwayes féeding like a gréedy worme and neuer satisfied Such a one searcheth the very heart and entrayles of the ground for gold and siluer vnceassantly And to the end that the greater store of goods might fal into his possession sithence hée is cloyed with carefulnesse hée spareth no labour to fulfil his felicitie One while hée setteth his seruauntes and hyrelinges with mattoâ—…ks and spades to digge déepe pittes in the grounde in which kinde of woorke and sweating toile soâ—…e are sâ—…aine with the soudaine ruine and fall of a banckâ—… othersome being as it were bought sould to that laborious kind of life spend their days in that allotted torment of toile as in their natural couÌ„triâ—… thus whiles they search for gold siluer they search for dust sand they rake vp clods of clay in a confused heape as it were a muckhil they cutt the secret sinewes of the earth melt the very marrowe and open the â—…idden veynes making their great grandame Lâ—…terr ' a plaine Anatoâ—…e then which wrong worsse they could not work against their sworne deadly enimie He whom they wonder at and also reuerence they tread vpon with their trampling féete what great cause iâ—… there offered hereby of laughter That part of the earth which is hidden they desire and that part which lyeth open â–ª they despise Some buy houÌ„ds some buy horses sâ—…m purchasâ—… an infinite deale of land whiles they séeke to be other mens lords and maisters they become vassalls to themselues and drudging seruants Ouer hastie bée they to enter wedlocke as spéedie shortly after to sue a diuorcement â–ª Whome they loue him in semblable maner they hate They beget childreÌ„ yet forsake the faith pitie of parents This kind of carefulnesse is méere vanitie yea it sauoureth wholy of absurd dealing of dealing I say nothing differing froÌ„ meere madnesse They â—…all at variance betwene theÌ„selues they deale blowes one to another as it were in battel against thâ—…ir parents they raise rebellion they lay traines of treason to ouerthrow their princes maÌ„slaughter they estéeme as a mockerie They dig the ground like gréedie metal mongers insatiable searchers for silâ—…er wheÌ„ they haue gotten that which they gaped after they fall to purchasing they sel the fruits of their lands with lucre and stil for monie is al their chopping changing Alas in what labyrinthes doe they lose themselues in what silthy puddles do they wallow He that hath not monie in possessioÌ„ studieth by what meanes he may satisuÌ„e his desire aâ—…ter hâ—… hath caught that within his clawes after which he was euer yawning he is so farre from putting the same to any coÌ„mendable vse that he reapeth therof no benefite to himselfe insomuch as hée burieth it in the gâ—…ound thinking it safe from y purloyning robber if there it be hidden These perplexiâ—…ies of foolish people when I precisely ponder when I consider these circuÌ„stances touching y maners of men circumspeâ—…ly when I behold these vndiscrete behauiours wherwith they are imbrued I cannot but burst out into laughter Moreouer men quarelling
Abderitish citizens muche thankes is giuen you for this your embassage For I haue both seene also had conference with Democritus a man so furnished with knowledge and inriched with wisedomes wealth that he alone can make men sober moderate graue and continent These things had I to write touching Democritus déere fréende Damagetus which I giue you to vnderstand with towardnesse of will no doubte to the contrarie Fare you well Diogenes to Hipparcha ¶ THE ARGVMENT He writeth to Hipparcha a fauourer of his secte and profession willing her to continue vnuariable euen to the end in those preceptes of Philosophie which she had learned shewing her wayes and meanes to keepe her from doing the contrarie I am muche delighted in you and the ioy whiche you minister vnto mée excéedeth measure and why because you being a woman giue your selfe to the knowledge of Philophie mainteining our opinion with the precisenesse wherof the mindes of men are amased As therefore your beginning is praiseworthie so do your vttermost endeuour to make an answerable ending which vnto you shall not séeme so hard to compasse I am well assured if you frequent the companie of Crates a man indued with rare wisdome and swarue not from the documentes and preceptes of vs the authors of Philosophie Write often vnto vs for letters haue in theÌ„ muche force and vertue yea no lesse effectuall be they then present reasoning and conference Diogenes to Hipponi THE ARGVMENT He writeth his opinion briefly touching death sheweth that as a man is before he is begotten so is he when soule and body bee separated wherupon he exhorteth Hippo not to be touched with any terrour of thinges to come hereafter adioyning his reason lastly he concludeth with his owne phantasticall determination YOur will is that I write somewhat vnto you touching death and the graue after mine owne iudgement as if you should not proue a perfect Philosopher except we teach you as our scholer I am therefore of this opinion that it is enough for vs to leade our liues according to the prescripte rule of nature and vertue whiche thing is not beyonde our capacities to comprehend And as for thinges after deathe I thinke they are then euen as they were before their life For as a man is before his byrthe so is he after his death Let not the feare of any thing to come turne you to disquietuesse of minde sithence you shal be senselesse and quite voide of life and féeling As for mée selfe I haue determined when I am dead to haue my staffe lying close by my carkasse that what beast byrde or vermine so euer come to do me harme and annoyaunce I maye ehace them away Phalaris to Pythagoras THE ARGVMENT Writing to Pythagoras the Philosopher to come vnto him he beginnâ—…th first with the difference of bothe their estates shewing that daily keeping companie and vse of conference will make thinges that be contrarie to growe to agreement he seemeth also to excuse himselfe of suche reportes as were blased abroade touching his vnmercifull tyrannie and so wishing to be with 〈◊〉 concludeth THe principalitie of Phalaris differeth many degrées from the Philosophie of Pythagoras yet notwithstanding there is no cause to y contrarie but though things be in such case we may take triall experience of our selues For it may so fall out that conuersation and daily keeping companie may drawe those things into an vnitie wherein there is excéeding great contrarietie We according to the report that is noised abroade of your worthinesse take you to be a man of rare knowledge and in your facultie most excellent neither will we otherwise be persuaded I woulde not haue you giue iudgement of our dooings till you be further instructed For the false opinion whiche is conceiued of mée dooeth so moue mée that I am not a litle offended I cannot haue safe accesse vnto you because of the tyrannie whereof I am accused If I should come vnarmed without defence of Guarde I were easily taken of mine aduersaries if I should come furnished with harnesse and weapon and a band of souldiours attending on my person I shoulde be suspected As for you the case standeth in no doubt or daunger For you may haue passage vnto mée and suffer no annoyaunce you may leade your life in my companie with out occasion of terrour and of my dooinges you may take due trial no maner of inconuenieÌ„ce vnto you redounding If you beholde mée as I am a tyrant you shal rather finde mée a priuate commoner then one aduaunced to such a kinde of gouernement and if you consider of mée as of a priuate person yet so shal you finde mee as hauing somewhat incident of necessitie to a tyraunt For I can not by anâ—… meanes possesse this principalitie without crueltie And surely if humanitie and gentlenesse may without perill accompanie tyrannicall regiment then not onely in consideration of other circumstances but for this cause also do I wishe to bée with you For by your admonitions I shall attempt a way to rule with more clemencie if together with the preceptes of Pythagoras trueth be so vnited lincked as I may haue promise to lead my life in quietnes assuraunce of safetie Phalaris to Locrito THE ARGVMENT This letter of consolation is written to Locritus whose sonne waâ—… slaine in battell The comfort whiche Phalaris doth minister vnto him is drawne from three seuerall reasons The first from his valiantnesse the second because his death was honourable the third from the integritie of his life Finally he exhorteth Locritus not to be ouermuche grieued for the losse of his sonne IN that you take the death of your sonne so sorrowfully you are vndoubtedly to be pardoned Yea I my selfe pity your case as much as may be and considering the same am no lesse gréeued then any other of your fréendes what soeuer although I séeme in a muche harder condition for this cause y I knowe this to be true that with such as be ouerwhelmed in Seas of anguish and suffer extréeme torments of aduersitie bare wordes are not auailable Neuerthelesse you ought to be comforted and this should be a Souereigne consolation vnto you in this calamitie First because your Sonne died in the quarel of his countrie like a valiant Martialist secondly because in the very triumphe and victorie his death was moste honourable according to the appointment of his destinie and lastly because his life was so vpright y the same was blemished with no stain of filthinesse his death in soughten fielde finishing his noble vertues For it is a thing very vncertaine whether a good mans life may be chaunged to a woorse For in thinges belonging to man Fortune for the most part and not their owne willes hath Dominion Whosoeuer therefore dyeth without reprehension his estate is moste honourable moste glorious and triumphant Persuade your selfe so that you haue receiued of him recompence sufficient bothe for the benefite
of his generation and also for the gyfte of his education sithence he perseuered in vertue and honest behauiours euen to the laste day of his life and let this be your requitall to to take his death in suche sorte that you fall not into extremitie of passions Phalaris to Polydeuces THâ—… ARGVMENT The state of a Tyrant is in this Epistle plainely expressed wherein Phalaris complaining of his vnruly people chooseth rather to liue in solitarinesse then among suche subiectes whose delight is in disquietnesse YOu séeme to meruaile as it appeareth by your letters at the alteration and chaunge of my life in that I heretofore excéeding in courage and bouldnesse farre beyond the custome of Tyrants mistrusted no companye but put my life in all mens handes as doubting no daunger nowe contrariwise such a mutation to folowe that my very fréendes and néerest kinsfolkes may not haue accesse to my person As for mée selfe so fearefull am I and so attainted with timourousnesse that I am persuaded to liue in solitarines as an Hermite wandring in the wildernesse For we finde faith sound and assured faithe I meane and not such faith as being cloaked with dissimulation prooueth plaine treason not onely fainting in all men but failing also in suche as wée accounted our fréendes and fauourers In consideration of which premisses perceiuing my self wrapped in labyrinthes of troubles and hauing to the vttermost taken triall of all things tending to mine auaile I haue now at the last made mine election and choice preferring the inhabitable woodes and comfortlesse caues of the Libyans and the Numidians before a life led in companie and common concourse of people For as the present state of thinges is I sée muche more safety to insue a life led among Lions more swéetnesse to solow 〈◊〉 taken among serpents then among people of this age wherein we liue whose delight is chiefly in tumults and vpprores We haue taken triall euen til we be wearie by many and diuers alterations of fortune Phalaris to Polycleto THE ARGVMENT To Polycletus a famous Physician vnto whome hee did write often is this letter directed wherein he commendeth the mannes knowledge and honestie hauing good cause so to doe for hee dealt in suche sortâ—… with him when hee had him in cure that hee escaâ—…ed dauâ—…ger whereunto he was two wayes in subiection that his 〈◊〉 wâ—…s preserued to whom he sendeth large gyfts of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supposing them insufficient to requite 〈◊〉 his desertes I Am in doubt Polycletus whether I should rather wonder at thy cunning in the practise of Physicke or merâ—… at thy 〈◊〉 and honestie in behauiours For by the vertue of thy Physicke thou didst restore the health of a 〈◊〉 that was muche empaired and thy manners ouercame the rewardes of a bloudy slaughter By the benefite of these two singular ornaments florishing in thée grounded vpon iâ—…stice thou sauâ—…dst mee from two shrewd shippewrackes namely from the violence of a disease incurable and from mine enimies whose conceiued malice is vnappeasable For it lay altogether in thy handes to haue dispatched a Tyraunt in his sicknesse But it séemed that thy meaning was not to play the manquilâ—…er sithence what medicines so euer thou ministredst vnto mée made much for the restitution of my healthe and safetie albeit thy faithfulnesse in fulfilling the office of a Physicyan for thy patientes aâ—…ayle empaired thine owne profite and commoditie which should haue béene very greate But suche was the goodnesse of thy nature that thou wouldest in no wise preferre an vniust reward before iustly deserued praise sâ—…thence peraduenture that occasion of time had fitt cause of due dispatche and working my deathe by reason of that sicknesse What commendation therfore can I giue thée that is counteruailable with the singularitie of thy vertue and 〈◊〉 considering thy vsage towardes me when my life lay in thy handes to â—…aue me or kil me at thy wil and pleasure so faith fully testified Of this one thing I am assured that thou haste attained to that ripenesse of vnderstandinge and perfection of skill in this thy facultie whiche may wel â—…eféeme that God by whome the Art of Physicke was first inuented and put in practise But I hauâ—… sent vnto thée together with the commendation of thy knowledge and the praise of thy faithfulnesse certaiâ—…e pledges of my good will towardes thée inclined namely a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made of pure Golde two standing cuppes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the fashion of this time tenne couples of 〈◊〉 cruses twentie young Maydens whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neuer stained and fiftie thousand peeces of Athâ—…men 〈◊〉 furthermore I haue written to Teucer that in the dispensation and ordering of mine affaires he should pay you the salarie and wages that is giuen to the gouernours of my fléete the guarde of my body and a Captaine euer hundrethes A small and â—…lender recompence I confesse for so singular a benefite but thinke vpon this that to my small signification of thankfulnesse this mine owne confession is to be added that I am vtterly ignoraunt howe or by what meanes I might bring to passe that my rewardes should counterpeise thy merites Phalaris to Perosthenes THE ARGVMENT He pardoneth of his â—…lemencie twoe women the wyues of two men that were rebels and Traitours vpon the viewe of their valiauntnesse wherein he quiteth himselfe of the name and propertie of a tyraunt for in a tyraunt what sparckle of pitie resteth aâ—…ter the apprehension of an offendour against his person YOu haue sent vnto me women prisoners condeÌ„ned wretches being the wiues of Eubolus and Ariphantus rebels against our person whome although I was determined to haue committed to the executioner that he might do with theÌ„ according to y definitiue sentence of iudgement I haue yet notwithstanding altering my former appointment pardoned them and vouchsafed them their liues you meruaile no doubt y I could quenche the coles of mine anger kindeled against them so extréemly but if you once heare the occasioÌ„ of this change in mée vpon such a souden issuing froÌ„ an incredible noblenes valiauncie of their mindes you shal haue greater cause to wonder For when I demaunded of them whether they were accessaries of counsel with their husbands to worke me mischiefe they answered with bolde affirmations that they did not onely giue their consentes but that they were fully inteÌ„ded also to take vp weapon against the tyrant in their owne persons to offer him violence Again when I asked theÌ„ what iniurie I had done them either litle or great wherby they should atteÌ„pt such an enterprise Their answer was that they knewe no priuate wrong that shold iâ—…cite them to such a déed but a publike vniuersal iniurie they anouched wherby they found theÌ„selues so stoung and pricked that they could not refraine from séeking remedie â–ª This publique or open iniurie this wrong that was vniuersall and touched the estate of euery man they said was this
Because a free citie was forced to serue Againe being demanded what punishment their hatred hostilitie which they shewed against mée with such outrage did deserue they made this answer that they thought deathe a fit reward for their offence In consideration of which circumstances perceiuing also their valiant harts souldierlike stomaches how litle they regarded to dye I déemed theÌ„ worthie to liue and therefore spared them and gaue them bothe pardon Wherefore whatsoeuer you haue in your handes that you tooke from them at suche time as you sent them vnto mée like prisoners restore them vndiminished that they may haue no occasion of iniurie offred them wherby they should against vs and our dealinges raise any complaint Synesius to Anastasio THE ARGVMENT Hee writeth vnto one that neglected the duetie of a â—…reende therein shewing the course of the world that in a mans welfare he shal be fauoured but in his miserie quickly forsakeÌ„ Lastly he seemeth not to disâ—…alow mutual sufferance of sorrow an opinion mainteined in manner of the moste for that it is naturally ingraffed that one man muche more one freende should bemone another freends yll fortune or else what place is left for compas sion in saying that the one halfe of his sorrowe is diminished if his freend be merrie NOt Amasis doubtlesse who whites he shewed himself very loathe to lament the calamitie of Polycrates to whome he wished happinesse sent vnto him an assurance of fréendship at suche time as he was forsaken of fortune but eueÌ„ then whâ—… he was in the perâ—…e of his prosperitie Wherby he gaue a manifeâ—… testimonie y his hart would haue béen heauie his eyes readie to gushe out braâ—…kish teares if miserie had preuented so comfortable a message But in you y contrary appeareth who so long as fortune vouchsafed vs her fauour remained with vs as not discontent with our coÌ„ dition but so soone as she withdrew her 〈◊〉 â—…unged her smiling countenance into a sower visage then did you leaue vs sticking in the myre as forlorne and forsaken For suche as haue come out of Thracia hauing had resorte vnto vs some coÌ„munication also vpon occasion inâ—…erchaunged haue made vnto vs this reporte y such is your dealing now in absence as that you cannot afforde 〈◊〉 word no not so muche as a good thought What is this else but to be at defyaunce with fréendshippe and to take vp weapon against vs as a souldiour of hatreds hoast It had béene sufficient not to be touched with compassion in our miserie but to aggrauate and increase sorrow where griefe should rather be assuaged is a token of no relenting nature Amasis might not alow it nor any man else like wel of it sitheÌ„ce it is against al humanitie but peraduenture in this dooing you sée better to your owne commoditie Well do what you wil so that your dooings be not destitute of delight a merrie motion of spirite For the one halfe of my sorrowe shall seeme to be diminished if you do not languishe as I waste in anguishe Synesius to Theotimo THE ARGVMENT To a singular Poet named Theotimus this letter is written by Synesius wherein is first signified by comparison of Simonides Hiero that commoditie did spring from the acquaintance which was between him and Authemius he endeth with a commendation of the same Theotimus for his excellencie in the Art Poeticall Hiero had more commoditie by kéeping companie with Simonides then Simonides had by vsing the familiaritie of Hiero. Euen so by the heauenly vertue whiche gouerneth the fréendship wherwith we be vnited I sweare thou arte not more happie by béeing acquainted with Authemius then Authemius is by the benefit of knowing your person For what maketh more for the honour of a man in highe aduauncement and supported with power then to haue suche a fréend as is faithful and vnfeigned such a one I am certaine Theotimus is a man passing courteous and with God most acceptable But in this point you do excéede goe beyonde Simonides in that Simonides measured his seruice by profite and aduantage Againe in this you agree séeme to shoote both at a semblable marke in y Simonides commended Hiero to euerlasting memorie and in that also the Poesies of Theotimus so long as any Grecians shall be left on liue haue made Authemius famous by the report of euery mans mouth famous I say in the eares of al that shal heare of his person It is his part to seeke the increase of the Romanes renoune it is your duetie to extoll his name with the instrument of your profession For to the practise of Poetrie is graunted as it were by diuine influence the wreath of worship the garland of honour the excellencie whereof moste euidently in you appeareth Dionysius to Philoxeno THE ARGVMENT He declareth how glad he was when he receiued a letter from his freend Philoxenus adding moreouer that his ioy would haue beene the greater if as he wished he might enioy his presence Furthermore to winne the more credite of freendshippe he vseth a comparison of two louers whose delight is to see and talke one with another Lastly hee concludeth that tokens are a fittâ—… thing to keepe acquaintance in custome THe letter whiche you sent vnto mée was bothe wished welcome and I woulde that as I sawe the characters of your hande so I might to my full contentation heare your liuely voice For if I might once obteine my desire in that case I should reape pleasure in more plentie like to a yong man whose comfort is then passing great swâ—…te when he séeth talketh with a faire damsel whom vnseignedly he loueth And this fruite of delight we do also reape that when absence of person and distaunce of place hindereth vs from visiting and kéeping companie with them whom hartily we loue to haue their pictures in our sight that by one meanes or other though somwhat sleÌ„der we might suck some solace and gather though not the whole perfect haruest yet some gleanings of pleasure in our beloued And surely tokens are méete thinges for this purpose in mine opinion whiche I estéeme so much more in value and price as I do your person from whom they were receiued Dionysius to Abramio ¶ THE ARGVMENT He declareth the occasion of his long lingering before he did write excusing himselfe by the allegation of two circumstances name ly opportunitie of time and good order of inditing He signifieth also that his minde continueth vnchaungeable so that there is no cause of fainting in freendshippe to be mistrusted IT is a thing necessarie and conuenient that such as write to vertuous and honourable personages should haue a regard both to opportunitie of time and also to a plausible methode or good order of inditing For it is an offence vnsufferable to take a thing in hand wherein not onely rashnesse and want of aduisement is bewrayed but
otherwise thâ—… we are in expectation and desire fal out ouerthwartly yea chaunce cleane contrarie to our account and reckoning I tooke vpon me â–ª a iourney into the coastes of this countrie not without great expence of charges not without sore burthens of labour in hope that I shoulde recouer my health which sicknesse had empayred I forsooke a faire and famous citie I gaue ouer my necessarie affaires and weightie businesse I was content to withdrawe me from your companie whereon I am persuaded the chiefest and worthiest portioÌ„ of mine estate dependeth these incomparable commodities are so farre notwithstanding from being recompenced and counterpeised with other aduauntages that many crooked chaunâ—…es haue succéeded which if they were referred to the sense of féeling might not vndeseruedly be called by the name of misfortunes torments and inconueniences But bicause reason ruleth the inward passions of my heart when outwarde smart doth sting me and worke my great griefe I am so much the lesse discomforted This reason instructeth me that nothing is to be counted euill but that only which falleth on vs through our own default this reason techeth me that iudgement in thinges incident to this transitorie life is doubtful and not assured this reason instructeth me that nothing in this world continueth in one state but is subiect to ebbes and flowes of chaunge this reaâ—… resolueth me that euen aduersities miseries calamitieâ—… â—…ough they drawe vs nighe the gulfe of despaire and destruction suffer a soudeine alteration and that from them flowe flatte contrarieties namely prosperities happinesse and choice of coÌ„modities Againe that those things which put on a pretended shewe and visard of felicitie to speake more familiarly which in our opinion are embalmed with blessednesse turne into most bitter extremities of vexation and wretchednesse that is to say banishment pouertie beggerie shame reproch c. In this cogitation and coÌ„sideration wheÌ„ my mynd is occupied I féele my selfe inwardly somwhat refreshed as the measure of my abilitie wil giue me leaue I take vnto me that kind of courage valiantnesse of stomach which in time of Fortunes frowning glooming cloudes of ouerthwart chaunce doth most gloriously shine and glister Touching which vertue as many traditions are lefte registred by the pennes of most excellent philosophers in writing so none of them al are to be compared with C. Iesus the pledge of our redemption the prince patterne of heauenly philosophie the authour and welspring of true and perfect godlynesse who was him selfe a most liuely example and expresse image of the same whom if we be content to acknowledge our maister to his teaching as scholers submit our selues we shall soone learne and vnderstanâ—… what valiauntnesse is indéede and we shall quickly perceiue where lies the plaine and infallible pathway which leadeth to the true and perfect attainement of all right commendable Arts and praise worthy professions And vndoubtedly my good friend Francisco Varga in that you account all other studies but lost in comparison of this whereto you giue all the preferment I can not but for this speciall occasion haue you in singular reuerence countenance and estimation yeâ—… I muste néedes thinke of you more honourably for the cause aboue cited then for the office of your Oratourship by the vertue wherof you deale in all the affaires and businesse of Caesar the most â—…ictorious and noblest emperour that hath liued in wealth of thâ—… Venetians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For in the selâ—…e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ich you â—…t thâ—…s â—…resent â—…ioy and possessâ—… oâ—…her 〈◊〉 â—…ntlemen in yâ—…ur â—…ualt â–ª buâ—… I â—…aue 〈◊〉 hearâ—…â—…o much aâ—… oâ—… one that hath bene yâ—…ur supeâ—…ur â–ª 〈◊〉 after my departing from you yoâ—… will not thinâ—…e noâ—… belâ—…e â—…owe often my â—…art 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your words and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â–ª 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though 〈◊〉 thâ—…ngs here where I do now 〈◊〉 â—…ere 〈◊〉 to myne â—…wn wish wil yea if I were 〈◊〉 â—…at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as by the 〈◊〉 accesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 it could not be made better â–ª If I say I sayled with full sayle 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of felicitie as I am almost drowned in the depth of irrecouerable daunger and distresse yet notwithstanding my life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ith 〈◊〉 of ioyfulnesse and delight bycause I beâ—…ng absent from you a great distance taste the swéeteneâ—…e of yoâ—…r excéeding gentlâ—…nesse finde my selfe inwardly comforted with the memorie of your prudent and hoalsome counsels reape maruellous fruit and aduauntage by the preceptes and admonitions which you haâ—…e vttered vâ—…ry auailable no doubt and necessarie for the leading of my lifâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and séemelinesse in health and safetie I begiâ—…e 〈◊〉 â—…o 〈◊〉 â—… greater â—…iking theÌ„ I haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anâ—… improue my former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my â—…welling and house kéeping in Bâ—…rnacum marâ—…e Your â—…ngular adâ—…ertisements your friendly forewarnings your honestie and your good will call me home againe to kéepe house in the citie As for fâ—…nnie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seruâ—…th 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tâ—…me thâ—…t place is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if I be troubled with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to resort for my pleasuâ—…e In the meane while I will so sée to 〈◊〉 with due obseruatioâ—… oâ—… diâ—…t and abstinent 〈◊〉 as shall make best for my commoditie and peraduenture it will 〈◊〉 fall out in traâ—…t of time bycause All thinges depend vpon Gods prouidence that I may waxe lustie againe and recouâ—… my health in Venice within the walles of mine owne dwelling hauing my friendes round about me with whomâ—… I may reioyce and liâ—…e in such sort as to my contentation is most agréeable that no necessitie of the weather no occasion of season shal constraine me to remoue which if I may obteine you shall finde me if it please yoâ—… to admit and like wâ—…ll of my presumption and hope of your humanitie and gentlenesse as I knowe you doe not thinke it 〈◊〉 a familiar companion in manâ—…r â—…n ordinarie guest and a con tinuall chamberfellow and doubtlesse with this confidence I am wonderfully comforted succoured and supported Fare you well P. Manutius to Hieronymo Faleto Oratour to Hercules Duke of Ferraria ¶ THE ARGVMENT â—…ing muche moued with angrie passions against one belike of whome he was â—…bused and iâ—…iuriously dealt withall he 〈◊〉 to Hieronymo Faleto the Duke of Ferraria his â—…ratour wiâ—… whome he was wâ—…ll acquainted desiring him to be hiâ—… sâ—…ccourer and assistant otherwise he sayth his lucke will be but 〈◊〉 lastly â–ª he maketh mencion of a booke whiche hee wrote conceâ—…ing foure kindes of common wealthes and so concludeth with â—… 〈◊〉 farewell THe wordes which not long agone you vttered haue tâ—…ken roote in my remembraunce and howe muche the more diligently I call the matter into sâ—…crete consideration with so muche the more earnestnesse and spéedinesse I haue 〈◊〉 al 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
being the fourth of the Ides of March. For vppon that day it pleased our Gratious Lord and high bishop with other worthie Prelates and excellent men to nominate and create you Cardinall which thing all good and vertuous men most hartily desired Let vs now stopp the course of our complaintes Let vs not saye that vertue is vnprouided of a place which heretofore hath béene the lamentable song of a great number and surely not wichout iust occasion For some haue béene aduaunced to degrées of statelynesse through the noblenesse of their byrth othersome haue growne in countenaunce by the meanes of their riches and possessions and some by one thing some by another haue crept vpp to authoritie onely Uertue hath béene to a verie fewe an instrument and helpe to preferment This blemishe and offensiue inconuenience is nowe abolished and the auncient custome of high Bishopps which verie fewe haue obserued that long hath béene desired by and through y wysedome of P. Pius the fourth of that name by succession in the seate of supremacie which is so excellent that it can neuer bée sufficiently commended is renewed Which béeing come to passe I am assured that according to the ful measure of perseuerance and knowledge wherw t you bée stoared you are not to be taught what belongeth to the function whereunto you are called nor yet what things your present dignitie requireth or to your life past vertuously gouerned is agréeable Thus much I haue to say and I may bouldly affirme it that with one heart toung voyce al good men throughout the whole coÌ„monwelth reioyce are excéeding glad for this your aduancement that they giue infinit thankes with al reuerence to our Gracious Lord and chiefe bishop for that it hath pleased him in these troublesome and daungerous dayes to choose such a sure prop and substantiall piller as you to stay vpp the Churche when it was like to fall and ready to runne to ruine offering vnto you this honourable roome whereunto you are now elected of his owne voluntarie motion not being required bestowing vpon you I say this place of preeminence which to diuerse noble Gentlemen earnestly labouring and making great suite for the same hée thought more méete to bée denyed then to bée graunted You know that vertue huÌ„teth not after rewards neither doeth it arrogate and take to it selfe any externall thinge wherewith to bée adorned and beautified Neuerthelesse if in y due administration of two specialties namely Punishment and Recompence the safetie of the common-wealth consisteth as Philosophers men of excéeding great wisedome and learning haue left witnessed in writing good cause then no doubt there is to reioyce in both sythenâ—…e to vertuous men the verie best aduauncementes that bée are largely giuen and that wickednesse is so noted and reuenged that none hath to vaunt himselfe of his ill doing nor yet to make reckoning that in offending hée should escape vnpunished In consideration whereof you as well as other haue necessarie cause greatly to reioyce in this your honour and not to make light accompt of such a benefite deserued yet not desired though for the commoditie of the seate apostoticall you refused no labours albeit passing burthenous you withdrew your selfe from the aduenture of no daunger You cast all your care fixed all your thoughtes had your minde wholy occupied and your trauell altogether employed in the maintenance and preseruation of all none excepted So soone as it was aduouched vnto mée for a veritie that you were chosen and created Cardinall I was immediately swallowed vpp as it were in a gulffe of gladnesse My hearâ—… was so inflamed with ioyfulnesse that it triumphed yea such was the plentie of my pleasure that it is not possible with penne to bée expressed howbeit thoughe it bée so abundaunt as the tongue séemeth an insufficient instrument to testifie it yet notwithstaÌ„ding in thought and immagination it may be coÌ„prehended if it would please you to call in examination the greatnesse of my goodwill which remayneth at all times vndiminished and the reuerence I haue of your person daily increasing as your honour is inlarged through the brightnesse of your vertue Which that you would doe I beséech you most instantly Dated at Rome the xii of the Kalends of Aprill Fare you well P. Manutius to Carolo Borromeio Cardinall ¶ THE ARGVMENT Hauing a certaine petition to Carolo Borromeio a Cardinall which hee is desirouâ—… to haue furthered he renueth his suite wherunto hee seemeth to bee drawne by necessitie not being so venturouâ—… by reason of his bashfulnesse modestie to moue it to memorie Howbeit taking stomache and as the Prouerbe saith heart at grasâ—…e after many thinges vttered in the Cardinals commendation he proceedeth in his petition which is nothing else but that hee might liue quietly in Rome for bee like some there were that sought his disturbaunce SUch is your bountifulnesse vnto mée plentifully testified and the perfecte experience that I haue of your conditions that I cannot put you in minde or rather that I may not clayme perfourmaunce of those thinges which vnto mée not once nor twise most courteously you promissed And surely such is my nature that I am ashamed to craue that the second time to the attainement whereof I haue once alreadie plaide the parte of a suppliant althoughe it touched mine estate so narrowely that thereuppon my making and marriâ—…ge séemed to depend Neuerthelesse I labour not in mistruste that the renewing of an olde suite wil be tedious in your hearing sythence it is the suite of such a man specially as doeth exhibite vnto you singular reuerence béesides that as sheweth himselfe according to the measure of his imbecillitie and weakenesse not vnmindefull of your surpassing praises It is a thing much to bee wished that such as couette principall benefites should either haue in themselues a sufficiencie to serue their contentation or else should be in great credit and fauour with such princes nobles and Gentlemâ—…n whose woordes and authoritie are most effectuall for their poore suppliants furtheraunce In the want of which two thinges you doe not wade as wise men hould opinion For you are by nature meruaylous proane and inclinable to those thinges which are most precious and honourable besides that this your readinesse and aptnesse béeing coupled with singular policie and not seperated from vertue doeth so purchase the fauour and well lyking of your Unckle our * Metropolitane a man fraught and furnished with all wisedome and vnderstanding that hée thinketh nothing to good to bestowe vpon you but doeth as it were loade you with burthens of benefites and hath committed to your charge and credite a great parâ—… of his weightie affayres such is the opinion and good lyking that hée hath conceiued of your singular worthinesse to the intent that by the communicating and imparting of them vnto you hée might bée some what eased Wherfore imbrace and make much of this acceptable time as
deserued no such benefite A long time after these Franciseus Petrarcha appeared as it were a bright shineing starre in thicke and palpable fogges this man is somewhat long and tedious curious also therewith all and not voide of difficulties drawing to his methode very many obseruations out of rustie and mouldie antiquaries After him succéeded Gasparinus who among many other seniours was the firste that sette penne to paper in Italie to write latine Epistles whose letters euen for this cause deserue to be read because they are reckoned in the number of them that be learned After this man followed diuerse others aâ—… Leonardus Aretinus not all of the finest the twoe Philelphes namely the Father and the Sonne pretily garnished with painted woordes but in vttering wise sayinges not so full of grace or maiestie Then Poggius the babbler the trifler the railer Pius Socundus pontifex whose name was also Aeneas Syluius had a good naturall inuention and style of his owne but he wanted Art. Aegidius Calâ—…ntius and Campanus neither of them are to bee contemned althoughe one of them séemâ—… vaineglorious and arrogant Sabellicus in all his dooings is like himselfe bothe for copie of matter wordes also for facilitie easinesse plainenesse and pleasauntnesse Pomnonius Loetus beeing desiroâ—…s of the puritie of the Latiâ—…e tongue refused to studie Greeke writers beecause he would not make a mingle mangle of the properties of two seuerall languages and so corrupt the one with the other his wordes that he vsed were chosen and his style was cleane and not to be amended Io. Picus and Angelus Politianus imbrace them bothe for they are not vnworthie of credite with the Reader thoughe hee be nouer so deintie and delicate neither of them is to be dissalowed â–ª One of them passeth in swéete sentences carrying with them matter of weight woorthie to be considered the otâ—…er for his wittie inuention and pleasauntnesse of style is not to be neglected yea he is muche to be estéemed 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 saue onely for his gréedinesse of glorie and 〈◊〉 whiche maketh him many times to wander out of 〈◊〉 â—…ust limittes of an Epistle He occupieth his penne 〈◊〉 then in toyes and conceites of his owne immagiâ—… or fancie againe in some thinges wherein hee shewâ—…th â—…reat learning â–ª knowledge and grauitie he may séeme scarâ—…e delightsome because in a trifling matter of no weight nor importaunce he bestoweth muche labour to giue a shewe principally of his fine compaâ—…ing witte and eloquence quipping and nipping suche as dissalowe of his dooinges These thinges like younge heades passing well and therein they delight them selues as it were in questioning and reasoning for the maistrie but to men of more grauitie iudgement they appeare as méere ridiculous and not approueable The tender and yonger wits in whome reason hathe not yet taken fast roote are infected with two vices very daungerous and noysome among men the one of them is vaineglorie or aâ—…rogancie the other is bitter rayling and 〈◊〉 abuse of the tounge by reading suche Epistles whiche is so much the more odious and to be abhorred because suche bytter braâ—…ling and wrangling woordes spring from very small and light caufes yea from such then which more vaine and vile cannot be as vppon a letter of the Alphabet vppon a syllable about a vowell about a consonant about a liquide about a double about the skanning of a Uerse about the vnderstanding of a sentence c. Yea many times by reading such tryfles wherin more wordes are vttered then witt is declared the manners of younge learners are disordered wherefore they are not to be regarded that sett downe such friuolous fansies of their owne running inuention In Hermolaus Barbarus there is more grauitie more knowledge of Arts bewrayed in his writing then in any one béeside I admitt no comparison neuerthelesse I must néedes say that hée is somewhat intricate and hard to bée vnderstoode Amonge these the counterfect Philosopher Marsilius Ficinus sheweth himself like vnto a sea Gull among a sort of faire swaÌ„nes this mans epistles sauouring of Platonicall questions and reasons thoughe in matter they be pithie yet in words and phrases they want beautie and delight not the reader The epistles of Franciscus Picus althoughe they are not fully so sine and eloquent as his Unckles yet in consideration of their style they are not to be dispraised because it is good and not blame worthie and in respecte of the weightie sentences which he doeth vse they deserue to be coÌ„mended but this man lacking luck did also lacke wel lyking Rodolphus Agricola if he had amended his owne doings if his owne works had fallen vnder his correction he might haue worne the wreath of worthines with the chiefest and the best amonge the auncient writers and why Because of the soundnesse of his knowledge the déepenesse of his learning and the perfectnesse of his iudgement Wée sawe of late yeares the epistles of Ioannes Capnio both bredd as a man may say and also buried the common consent of the learned sort did so much mislike them that they did quite condemne them howe then could they continue longe aliue Nay how could they but quickly dye for ere many monethes were expyred they grewe out of credite Christophorus Longolius béeing too too curious in imitation marreth the readinesse of his naturall inuention Hée hath many of Ciceroes words which whether he obserue of a good meaning or for a fashion it remayneth to be decided as a case of doubt This is once true the sense of his epistles may be amended and made better sitter for his phrase because in small matters he vseth great and thumpiug words wherin is no good agréement For it is not sufficient and enough for him with excéeding diligence to imitate the woords and y phrase of Cicero except he had also expressed Cicero in all other points Should hée feigne to himself a weale publique and immagine y gouernment of the same he himselfe being but a priuate man and shutt vp close in an odde corner farre vnlike a man allotted to such a calling Wherein hée deserued as much to be laughed at as if hée had put vppon him the attyre of a Gyant and had spoken his words with a feigning voice like a Gyant to the end men might beléeue â—…e was indéede a Gyant neuerthelesse hée is not altogether not to bée regarded but for his words sake wherein he commeth somewhat néere Tullie deserueth to be read All the writers of epistles in this age they are but â—…enche whistlers to Erasmus Roterodamus and Gulihelmus Budeus who in déede excell all their predecessours that liued either in the dayes of their syers or their grandsyers in wisedome in learning in eloquence in varietie of writing and choice of inuention and either of them in his peculiar style and proper kinde of excercises notable men both and singular Erasmus is easie plaine perceiuable and neuer swaruing from
honour and noblenesse all mystes and fogges of ignoraunce may be driuen away out of all the corners of this kingdome that by this benefite the promoting of learning I meane wrought by your procurement you may winne singular renoune to your owne person and perpetuall praise to your posteritie God giue your honour prosperitie and happynesse in aboundance Fare you well M. G. Haddon to the right honourable the Lord Robert Dudleie Earle of Leycestre c. THE ARGVMENT Writing to the Earle of Leycestre that nowe is he taketh the beginning of his Epistle from his owne person then exhorteth him to bestow his conuenient leasure in the studie learning of the sciences liberall bringeth in an erronious opinion long since helde of the auncient Romaines and answereth the same by the authoritie of Cicero therevpon he taketh occasion yet againe to exhort him to the studie of Arts reckoning three seuerall thinges not vnmeete for his person and to the intent his words might carrie the greater credite and countenaunce hee vseth examples both forreigne and domesticall one among the rest drawne from her owne highnesse I meane the Queenes maiestie nowe in possession of the English Empire in the mencion whereof he toucheth sundrie circumstances Lastly he concludeth with a speciall exhortation wherein he sheweth his loâ—…e to GOD Almightie to his souereigne â–ª and to his countrie THat my seruice is so acceptable with your honour I sée good and substantiall cause to reioyce and sithence I sée it hath such happie successe I will not be slaâ—…ke in continuing the course thereof euen for the time it is allowed of you and is thought aunswerable to your will and pleasure Howe muche mine abilitie is inferiour to your honours commendable report so much is and ought your fauour and courtesie to minister vnto me the more delectation in which point I shall neuer giue sufficient testimonie of the loue whiche I beare you till I haue sâ—…t abroade in open viewe of the worlde some singular monument and sounded in the eares of people an especiall kynde of melodie whereby it may not onely be knowne and vnderstoode but also sealed and assured what benefites I haue receiued of your honour specially and of yours in like manner generally In the meane season as I may and as I can I will be your fauoâ—…rer and furtherer that so much time may be bestowed confecrated to tearning studie as the affaires of the weale publique your necessarie buisinesse do affoord and though it be not so muche as you woulde yet let it be as muche as it may In the auncient yeares of the Romane common wealth it was an opinion of a greate number an opinion I say which preuailed not a little in those dayes and the selfe same as yet euen in the Courtes of Princes hath taken too déepe roote that the knowledge of Artes and sciences is nothing necessarie to Noble men neyther that they ought to tye and intangle their myndes in suche toyes and trifles But â—…he authoritie of Cicero leauened with greate grauitie and pouldered with wisedome is at contradiction with this barbarous opinion that Noble men at their méetinges should not be mute and tong-tyed neyther that they ought to spende the time in vaine prattle tending to no purpose but that as their degrée is highe and honourable so is it conuenient and séemely their knowledge shoulde be aunswerable Wherefore although you haue not full leasure to apply all your labour to the studie of Arts and sciences yet must you so acquaint your selfe with them and as it were dye your wit in their vnchaungeable colours that in euerie liberall science you may haue a certaine sight and iudgement especially in those whiche are most plausible popular and prayseworthy as are for example eloquence the ciuil lawe and histories But in this kinde of studie it is néedelesse to giue you exquisite preceptes bycause you haue attending vpon you one for the same purpose sufficiently furnished the benefite of whose seruice you haue in vse Wherein appeareth a perfect proofe of your prudence and prouidence For you shall not â–ª finde among all your riche and precious possessions any one thing of the like value and estimation if he be suche a man indeede as by your letters vnto me directed and deliuered I doe gather In that after the example of Neoptolemus you impart a little leasure to Philosophie it is well and not to be misliked For that leasure shall procure vnto you great profite and nolesse pleasure But the life of Neoptolemus as it was neuer frée from weightie affaires but alwayes occupyed in mattâ—…rs of importaunce besides that still busied in battell skirmishes conquestes like a right Martialist so I must néedes confesse the trade of your life to be accompanied with much businesse but howe it is warlike I sée not neyther would I wishe it to be so I tell you trueth And yet Iulius Caesar which was a Monarche of the world vniuersall euen in the midst of extreme heate and rage of battell brought ouer with him into this English Island then called Britanie Trebatius the lawyer to the intent he might not loose no not that little leasure but by the vse of the same reape some learning L. Luâ—…ullus in that most daungerous conflict whiche he aduentured against Mithridates was so farre from forgetting Philosophie that for the continuall increase of wisedome he had a Philosopher in his companie throughout all his iournies to the ende that the course of his studies shoulde not be hindered Of * Alexander the great it is not vnknowne with what daily diligence he heard Aristotle his maister But these be olde auncient examples and also forreigne I will bring you home to our owne countrie yea euen to the heart of the court and I will set before you a principall patterne after the whiche as I suppose you are verie well content to frame your self precisely You sée that her Maiestie hath matters manifold and innumerable wherabout to beate her braine and yet you are not ignoraunt howe her highnesse is addicted to studie and with what a desire she longeth after learning When I am in the court and consider this I am somwhat ashamed of my selfe For so often as I haue recourse to her highnesse I finde her commonly at her booke and yet suche resort and daily attendaunce is there on her Grace and suche a multitude of suites of all sortes that it is to bée thought her Maiestie hathe not so muche leasure as once to thinke vppon learning But of this her earnest and diligent 〈◊〉 that waye employed she hath reapt profite plentifully namely the knowledge and vnderstanding of all things in whiche she is able fo reason and conferre with men of learning besides that great glorie yea suche glorie as is lincked to euerlastingnesse bycause shée being but a woman is so prouided of alâ—… furniture belonging to learning and wisedome that all other
her backe againe for such inualuable benefits call your conscience to a streight accompt reckoning what the Uniuersitie what the learning and vnderstanding what the weale publique what Almightie God himselfe for such singular assuraâ—…nces of kindnesse and bountie whereby your worshippe so flourisheth doth of right require The Uniuersitie doeth denie you nothing nay what is it that she hath not beautified and inriched you withall sithence shée hath bestowed vppon you all thinges whatsoeuer shée her selfe possesseth in consideration wherof shée doeth not simply and without cause craue a good turne againe but requireth such seruice as might counterpeise her deserued duetie Shée doeth not set before you some one particular cause but she putteth her owne selfe in your credite and all thinges vnto her belonging the committeth vnto you neither is it néedeful that she should discouer vnto you her counsells sithence you know them all thoroughly yea be they neuer so priuie and secrete Doe that therefore you knowe let your will labour with your abilitie and that which you owe of duetie see discharged so shall you bring that to passe which good learning which the Uniuersitie which the common wealth which Religion which Christe and your prince looke for at your hands to be accomplished and perfourmed Iesus prolong your life many yeares in health and prosperitie M. R. Aschame to Syr Ioh. Cheeke c. ¶ THE ARGVMENT The course of this epistle wherein sundrie circumstaunces are touched about learning and the commodities of the same in one Gentleman of great fame and worthinesse appearing giueth mee to coniecture that the meaning of the writer was onely to moue Syr Iohn Cheeke to whome this letter was directed to bee mindefull of the Vniuersitie of Cambridge and vnto the same to continue beneficiall The reasons which hee vseth are all grounded vppon persuasion AMonge all the number of notable men Right worshipfull that haue had enteraunce into the Common wealthe by the benefite and furtheraunce of this Uniuersitie you are one whome before all other this Uniuersitie hath in more countenaunce and estimation when you are present in more reuerence and admiration when you are absent vppon whiche you haue béestowed in the time of your presence and impart nowe also in the time of your absence more then any other béesides whatsoeuer For at your béeing in the Uniuersitie you gaue notable and singular preâ—…eptes of learning and knowledge for all others instruâ—…ion and such examples of wisedome and iudgement for others imitation and following vnto which whiles many were appliable they reaped greate profite howbeit fewe or none grewe to the like perfection and ripenesse There is not so much as one among vs all so ignoraunt but can testifie neither yet so enuious that can auouche the contrarie that this happie and blessed successe of our studies these swéete founteines of all our excercises in learning whereto many haue atteined and also tasted by their great labour paine hope to haue flowed from the praise of your excellent witt from your safegard from your example and from your counsell so that these monuments of your humanitie of your wisedome and of your learning imprinte in our mindes an cuerlasâ—…ing remembraunce of your most worthie person As for the helpes and furtherances which the Uniuersitie hath alwayes had both for the more certaine supplie and the perpetuall maintening of the same in fame and dignitie through your meanes they are more then either all our fauourers besides could conceiue or wée our selues might looke for at any time wherein to haue our portion For whiles the kinges maiestie being of you taught and instructed hath such a loue and regard to learning what others also in like manner by and thorough your counsell will or ought to doe for the behoofe of our Uniuersitie wée are not ignoraunt This our hope haue wée and this our lesson learne wée out of your Plato to that viâ—…ious and ill disposed king Dionysius neuerthelesse the profite and aduauntage of the same wée haue but of late thoroughe your helpe and assistaunce sufficiently proued in our most Uertuous Prince Edward Wherefore sithence such recourse of mutuall duetie such assured seruice of bountie so many bonds of gentle and liberal deseruings haue passed betwéene you and the Uniuersitie to beginne with the remembraunce of your infancie and so forward to the praise of the worshipp and dignitie which you do nowe possesse and â—…nioy there is nâ—…t in you to be found any one benefite of Nature any one commâ—…ditie of labâ—…ur any one commeÌ„dation of witt any one suppâ—…rtation of Fortune any one ornament of renowne but our Uniuersitie hath béene a procurer and furtherer of the same to your profite or else a partaker thereof with you to her owne glorie and honour We doubte not but our Uniuersitie may hope for and also commaund you this seruice considering the goodly pretious Iuels wherwith she hath inriched you that you would continue to the vttermoste of your power and abilitie a mainteiner of her dignitie as you your self arise by degrées to aduauncement We do not coÌ„mitt vnto you the cause of one particular person but all our causes in generall wherein we hope you wil bestow no lesse labour then either you ought in our behalfe to employ or as we look for at your hands to be perfourmed The Lord Iesus be your preseruer and kéeper M. R. Aschame to the two young Gentlemen M. Iohn and M. Dominicke Vacchan brethren and their sister M. Mabell Vacchan the floure of Virginitie After his salutations ended he excuseth his delayes of writing wherin he bestoweth a good part of his letter al the rest of his letter toucheth thâ—… praise of the yong gentlemen yong Gentlewoman to who he wrote So that the whole summe of this Epistle may be reduced vn to two heads or principal pointes The first an excuse the second a commendation the excuse touching his owne person the commendation tending to other in this his Epistle specified Lastly he concludeth with a prayer to God to prosper them and their dooings MOste happie children descended of moste worthie Parentes commendations c. In that I haue not hitherto answered your letters whiche are vnto me for many considerations and causes most acceptable and pleasaunt this my delay is not to be imputed to forgetfulnes nor yet to be ascribed to negligence of dutie I can not complaine of want of matter wherin to be oâ—…cupied in writing because in great aboundaunce I haue had it offered neither can I excuse my self with want of opportunitie conuenient leasure of sending because it hath coÌ„tinually béen proffred so y the deâ—…alt remaineth only in mée why these coÌ„modities haue not béen vsed not because my goodwill and louing affection towards you is diminished but because I séemed in mine own thinking these last monethes past and expired with all kinde of learning somewhat offended But hauing entred againe into fauour and
bly afflicted * Mening tho citic of Rome * Either liue among vs as you wer wont or at least liue merily alone * Not somuch for the losse of the coÌ„mon wealth as eyther for the slaughter and death of his friendes or els for their absence in forreigne places for some became hard har ted that they might not returne into their countrie which was quite spoiled of libertie The death of his daughter moueth him to write in this complayning order * Because as they hate filthy thinges vndecent so they esteeme seruitude most vilâ—… * After the Pharsalian coÌ„ flict For by and by after returned Cicero into Italie * The comâ—…unicating partakinge of sorrow is a coÌ„ solation For both of them were touched with the common wealthes miseries and Titius also be sides had cause of priuate sor rowe * It is extreme follie not to be ruled by an vniuersal law * Because many as well as hee haue lost their children * Which is most lamenta ble in somuch that a wise maÌ„ can finde no pleasure in hiâ—… life * As thoughe there had beâ—… no common 〈◊〉 weâ—…lth â—…t 〈◊〉 time * For somuch as theyare not vtterly depriued of this light and life but that they haue escaped the miseriesof these daungerous dayes * A reason of the necessiâ—…ic of the time * Out of those bookes wherin precepts are giuen for the attainment of renowne * I iudge of your mind as I iudge of mine owne by mincowne I measure yours * Which peraduenture I had not thogh I did many notable thinges when Cae sar was in roome of râ—…giment * Where D. Brutus â—…as L. president * By the newe Consulâ—… who entred into of fice in the Kâ—… of Ianuarie * It is true but yet not more loue for our countrie in that respect is preferred be fore oure parents and our children ergo much more before oure friendes * Beâ—…se it seemeth that by the fauour of Caesar you obteined that which you haue gotten * Which you are like to win by taking vppon you to de fend the common wealth in daunger * Not onely decreed vpon but coÌ„cluded and finished Liu. lib. 28. * For both the Consuls were gone out to fighte with Anthonie and therfore were absent from the Citie * For Plancus had but giuen a signification of his will to the inteÌ„t that if he had bene aduaunced to honour or receiued any inâ—…igne of worthiueâ—…se it might seemâ—… vnto him an allurement or prouocation to shew profâ—… of his prowes rather then a reward for any not able deede by him perfourmed * For we haue knowne one another of a long continuance Epist. 22 lib. 10. * Anthonie had not theâ—… beene lefte aliue Epist. 12. lib. 10. * Meaning Anthonie to whom it was a benefite to liue * When hee went to BrundisiuÌ„ to bring with him the Macedonian power to the Citie * For he could neuer be quiet by the meanes of Anthonie * Who died â—…eade the 9. Philippie * Being but ninetene yeares of age Vel leius in his 2. lib. Tacit lib. 13. * Of his owne priuate counsel and proper expeÌ„ces Philippic 3. * In his returne from BrundisiuÌ„ epi. 25. lib. 12. Philippic 3. * This letter was made wheÌ„ Piso and Gabinius were Consuls * For that is the mening of these words a Vestae ad TabulaÌ„ ValeriaÌ„ by the iudgement of a lear ned man now liueing â–ª whose authoritie is grounded vppon certaine monumentes to bee seene yet in Italie * Yet did Terentia liue aboue a hundred yeares as Plinic reporteth 7. lib. cap. 48. * This booke was written in the praise of Caesar as the other wherof hee confesseth himselfe to haue felte the smarte was written to his contume lie reproch * Meaning Caelar * In that part of his booke wherein hee doth coÌ„mend Cicero * Bycause he was doubtfull howe Caesar would take his doings wel or yll * Or he writeth to mee with weapon in hande Or hee writethe like a warriour fiercely to his onimie * For such as be in miserie may scarse vse such boldnes * Bicause olde acquaintance presumeth veâ—…y faâ—…e * Bicause of the malapeâ—… arrogancie of Pompeius his complices * When I preferred most wrongfull peace before most rightful warre * As thogh the battel fought at Pharsalia wer his whole port and couÌ„tenance by the wil of fortune * For we can not chose but be greued neuerthelesse we can ouercome our griefe by valliantnesâ—…e * Brutus and Cassius did not communicate their counsel in kil liâ—…g Caesar with Cicero Plutarch * A Tribune of the people who waâ—… after wardes slaine of Octauian * Of tentimes testified but specially against the Paâ—… thians * Bycause your desire is to medle with war in no case wherein you shewe your self a wisemaÌ„ * He noteth the basenesse of the man. * Or that may vse and enioye the ple sures and profites of heaueÌ„ and 〈◊〉 * Plancus But sa whom Caesar restored * It is peradueÌ„ ture the same A. Bal. to whoÌ„ he writeth in the 3. Epi. li. 1. 13. Epi. li. 6. * He comforteth him by the common condition of all men * Touching a mans owne selfe and his natiue contry * â–ª From the person of Caesar * From the person of 〈◊〉 * A good man doth nothing vpon hope but followeth his duetie * In Pompeius his cause * When we â–ª made an 〈◊〉 to Caesar of Gallia â—…or the space of fiue whole yeares * Of Caesarâ—… victorie * Mâ—…ning that in time to come hee was in likelyhood to come to greâ—…t dignitie and promotioÌ„ * Athens Epi. â—…lib 6. * Gouernour of Achaia Epi. 4. lib. 4. Epi. 6. lib. 6. * Foâ—… he gaue vs counsell in no wise to intermedle with ciuil warre Epi. 4. lib. 4. * For in time of peace the Romanes coÌ„monly dyd weare gounes * Namely in no authoritie or estimation * Or to bee owing as due debt â–ª and demaundable bicause hee hath made pro mise â–ª to Torquatus to doe something for â—…im and hiâ—… * P. Lentulus who was earnest with the Senate for Ciceroqs restitution * Bicause Meâ—…llus was his aduersarie before * Meaning such as did ayde Clodiuâ—… for in the 4. booke Ad Atticum and the 3. Epistle this Metellus is called the bro ther of Publius Clodius who was enimie to Ciâ—…ro * The Consul P. Lentulus most willing to see to Cicero his safetie * It is maruel that he would write to such a gouernour whose vsage in the prouince wher he ruled waâ—… saultie blame worthy as Dio Obsequens in Epitome Liuiana report * He signifieth that hee wrote against his will. * For store plentie of mat ter this place is to be confer ted with that whiche is set downe Epi. 8. lib. 5. * For store plentie of mat ter this place is to be confer ted with that whiche is set downe Epi.
8. lib. 5. * For store plentie of mat ter this place is to be confer ted with that whiche is set downe Epi. 8. lib. 5. * Of an vnthankfull fellow or a beast vâ—…worthy of any benefite * The iudgement whiche proceeded against Anthonie M. Coelius being his accuâ—…er in the which iudgement Cicero defended Anthonie * The latine worde is applyed to such as haue the fal ling sicknesse who are sayde whiles they are in their agonie and pas sion to be nei ther aliue nor deade * This letter was sent to Q. Pompei us Bâ—…thy nicus of whom Tul lie maketh mencioÌ„ in his booke of notable and famous orators he was named Bithynicus of Bithynia a place which he subdued after the report of Festus * Which you haue receiued of Caesars friends and assistants * The warâ—…e against Mithridates being finished * Hee doth quip Pompeius as vnmindfull of a benefite receiued * For Cicero made an Oration pro Lege Manilia concerning the putting of him in charge with the Mithridaticall warre * As Crassus or Caesar who thought that the conspirers were not to be killed * Namelie to the famous citie of Rome * For Scipio Africanus and 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 friendes * For Scipio Africanus and 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 friendes * From the auncientnesse of friendship * Caecina * From the causes of frend ship * From semblance of desires and studies * From mutu all good will. * From the cause of commendation * Marcus Antonius who in the warre at Mutina was dispossessed * Against this peace he is maruâ—…llous earnest in his Philippicis * In suffering aduersiti with manhoode * Which are don in Spaine * In the foughten fielde at Pharsalia * Nâ—…melie bloudy cru ell Epi. â—… 14 lib. 6. * Athens whiche canne blase abroade wâ—…the more bewtie of wor des brauenesse of speache the worthinesse of your persone then I canne paincte out with the flowers of mine Elloquence * He taketh vpoÌ„ him wast needeleâ—… labour * Whome he had certified oftentimes by letter of his determined voyage * He that giueth connsell must be wise and true * Caius Caesar whome he followed in the ciuil war. * You thought me your constant and faithful frend â–ª although I â—… tooke part with Pompeius and you stacke to Caesars side * Reade the 17. Epi. of the 12. lib. * Cicero calleth the selfe same Matius a most lerned man in his 1â—… Epi. 7. lib. * An argumeÌ„t drawne from antiquitie or auncientnesse * An â—…rgumeÌ„t from mutuall good will. * Bicause they hunted after honors wherin ther is emu lation and hartgrudge * An argumeÌ„t from benefits good deeds * An argumeÌ„t from familaritie * Some ferme place or manour of his owne whether Matius curteously came to see him * Some large common belike so named * An argumeÌ„t from constancie and vnuariablenesse * The ciuil hurlie burâ—…ie and battell finished eâ—…ded * His answere of purgation to the intented complaint of Matius * He turneth a discommoditie to commeÌ„â—…tion * Epi. 10. li. 10 * Which peraduenture Ci cero him selfe delighted in * So hee doth write to Aâ—…ticus He was al ways thought to be authour of quiâ—…tnesse * Wherin con sisteth my pnâ—… gation * He testisieth his good will towards Cicero * An obiectioÌ„ * The confutation * Ciuil warre he meaneth * He was the author that ciuil war was not taken in hand but stayed * Of whicâ—… lawe read the third book oâ—… commentaries of ciuil warres * He was tâ—… authour that moderation of the victorie was not neglected * AdescriptioÌ„ of them that slewe Caesar and of himselfe comprehended â–ª in this clause * So are the woordes set down in three auncient copies and not to be susteined as in some bookes it is imprinted * Somewhat it to be graun ted to the degree of yeres * An obiectioÌ„ against him * His confutaâ—…ion * Vnderstanding Caesar. * An argument from the lesse to the greater By Caesars permission I vsed their com panie whomâ—… he counted hiâ—… enimies you will not â—…uffer me to loue where I list * Which waâ—… a free Citie Ep. 7. Lib. 4. * This Allienus as it shold seem was lord Praesident of Sicilia as may bee coniectured by the circumstances of the. 79. Ep. lib. 13. whom Oppius in his boke treating of warâ—… in Afri ca calleth som time by the name of Praeâ—…or and sometime by the â—…ame of Proâ—…onsul * Which by the decree of the Senate were grauÌ„ted * Bring that battel to an end which the Consuls haue for the most part discomfited * Ilias 4 * At Mutina when 〈◊〉 was put to flight * In present danger which compelleth good and true harted citizeÌ„s to fight in the defeÌ„ce of their countrâ—…e Epi. 20. lib. 10. Epist. 2. 18. 21. lib. 10. * Because in the conflict at Mutina Anthoniâ—… was discomfiâ—…ed * Whiles hee thoughte wel of the coÌ„mon wealth his countrie * Or whiche is corrupted withe bribes and rewardeâ—… to assiste Anthonie * Plinie compareth Isara to Rhodanus lib. 3. cap. 4. * There is meÌ„ cion made of fiue logions Epist. 8. lib. to of foure Epist. 13. lib. 11. Decimus Brutus praesident of Gallia Cisalpina nowe called Lumbardie * This is the same Ligarius in whose behalfe Cicero made his oration bearing title pro Q. Ligario * Gentlemen he meaneth of Caesars neerest acquaintance * Concerning Pompeius coÌ„plices vanquished in Africa * Without the mediation or intreataunceâ—… of any person * Because thei had renued warre * WheÌ„ I haue shewed that which I mislike not Epist. 10. lib. 5. * Dignitie renowne worship estate * When you vnderstande that there is hope of safetie * Cicero his sonne in law Epi. 16. lib. 2. 13. lib. 8. * Whereof mencion is made Epi. 10. lib. 3. * Because the suite concerning your safe tie was obteined by the meanes of my sonne in lawe made to Caesars highnes * Puteolanus of whoÌ„ somewhat is spokeÌ„ in the Epistles Ad Atticum oftentimes * In aduersitie when fortune is not fauourable * Epi. 13. lib. 6. * The profite of good ho nest desires is chiefly-obteined in calamitie * By dealing in matters noting examples and searching the kno ledge of antiquities wee waxe learned * Which is that one man should assiste helpe and loue another * Meaning that his frieÌ„dship should surmount all others * We will aide and support you so farre forth aâ—… mans counsel is able For all thinges that chaunce cannot be auoided * Because I haue euermore well aâ—…counted of your persoâ—… * The like course of wordes are to be found Ep â–ª 14. lib. 6 * Because we folowed Poâ—… peius * For I had no suche foresight wherby I might make means in time to vse the benefite of their help if in time to come I should stand in neede * The like clause
For euery maÌ„ doth ratâ—…er coÌ„meÌ„d his owne natu ral countrie theÌ„ a foreignâ—… and straunge region ‖ A part of Gal lia where the people did weare long mantels * He speaketh those woords because Caesar had made many that came from Gallia traÌ„salpina free denizens in Rome ‖ GentlemeÌ„ ful of merie conceites To Laelius in the 1. de oâ—… si he asscribeth a pleasant coun 〈◊〉 and in lib. de claâ—…is Ora hee commendeth him for his trâ—…mme eloquent tongue I meruaâ—…le he forgot Caesar brother to Catuluâ—… who exceeded al other in vtteâ—…ng dâ—…light some â—…eastes with a coâ—…uenient grace Lib. 1. de oâ—…fi lib. 2. de Ora. * We are contempâ—…ible per sonâ—… and thoughte vnworthiâ—… of any place though neuer so vile and obsâ—…ure Epi. 25. lib. 9. some thincke that these woordes are spoken ironically * As by the name of kings * He speaketh of Caesâ—… wâ—…oÌ„ the Senat had created censor or magistrate for the reformation of abâ—… ses in â—…our for the terme of three yeares Diod. lib. 43. * This epistle was written to Philip king of Macedonia fa ther to the great Alexander the noble conquerour in the beginning whereof Isocrates goeth a bout by way of excuse to purchase fauour and by comparison to moue attentiuenesse * A point of rhetorâ—…que cal led Occupatio with som what a liberall admonition vnder a counterfet shewe of praise and coÌ„mendation * For things of certeintie vndoubted truth * Which he made to the king therein declaring what ought to be the exercises of a king and whervnto his â—…udie should be addicted * For the king is the ground worke and fouÌ„ dation of the weale publike vpon him the people stay as vpon the prop of their 〈◊〉 suche a one therefore shuld want no hoâ—…lesome counsell * The figure Occupatio yet again vsurped wherby he endâ—…uoureth to challenge to him selfe authoritie * A way to win fauour by the figure Oc cupatio and to attentiuenesse by vsing comparison * A senteÌ„tious dehortation from â–ª rashnes in fighting in battel by com parison by dilemma an argument not to be auoyded by diuision from examples * For as the nature of circumstaÌ„ces be such are the actes deedâ—… depending on the same and many times the circumstaunce altereth the action c. * Consultations at home are as necessarie as skirmishes abroade with the aduer sarie * For that being lost what commoditie what delectâ—…tion can redound to any man * It is highe honour therefore in the 〈◊〉 behalfe to exhibite duetie seruice â—…pecially in time of tâ—…multuous battell * Life preserâ—…ed all other losses mâ—…y in â—…ime be â—…ecouered and supplyed * The inconueniences of temerous and vnaduised dealing * The conclusion of his former discourse and a transition to the second part of his epistle coâ—… cerning the mouing of warre against the Persian people * Bicause the praise proper to a prince ought not to be popular but peculiar as his estate is se uerall * For that tendeth to your owne dishonour * Necessarie points incident to a king or gouernour these documents and instructions are not set downe with such eloquence as thâ—…i sâ—…uour of wisdome * The transiti on to the third part of his Epistle touching the Atheniens * Or althougâ—… I haue forgotten to limit my lines bycause the argu ment wherein my style is coÌ„ uersant is of importance c. * For nothing is more perni cious to a prince then to giue eare to Parasites slauÌ„derers clawebacks such like noysome monsters * The saying of a Pagane not vnworthy of the mouth of a christian these words of Isocrates agâ—… with the doctrine euangelicall * The beneuo lence good wâ—…l of people is a cause that the prince pro spereth the bet ter * An incitatioÌ„ to further noblenâ—…e drawne from the coÌ„memoration of his pâ—…aises a point of a rhetoriciâ—…n worthy imi tation * Fauour of people far bet ter then conquestes and triumphes * The figurâ—… occupatio wherby he go eth about to his wordes to adde authoritie * A thing very vsual with â—…so crates still to be putting in the princes minde the thing which is in present haÌ„d ling. * Of this name there were fiue in number as is to be read in Authors 1. A Sydoâ—…iaÌ„ Po et 2. a Tyrian Philosopher 3. a 〈◊〉 philosopher 4 an 〈◊〉 5. an Hieropoâ—…itane sophister the sixt a Macedonian and the sonne of â—…olaus and this is he of whom he spea â—…eth in this place * Two infectiue diseases in the mindes of â—…en * Two infectiue diseases in the mindes of â—…en * A persuasible ar gument vsed for his purpose consisting in coÌ„mendation of Philippes doings * He sheweth with what an earnest desire he is touched â—…or the furtherance of his cause in calling his former yeares in question and pleading his present vnabilitie * The weapon of aged persons * A vice and a vertue * A vice and a vertue * Note the or der of Isocrates how he taketh occasion alwayes to stir the spirite of the prince * The great king mening the king of Persia. * Hiâ—… scholer or disciple in whose behalfe this Epistle right commeÌ„datoâ—…ie was penned * A thing that requireth equal hâ—…easure oâ—… courtesiâ—… * Or haue not refused to kepe me companiâ—… * Diodotus my scholer * A coÌ„firmation drawne from an iâ—…fallible reason * In eloqueÌ„ce and counsell Diodotus couÌ„ ted excellent * That relatiue pronown hath reâ—…pecte to libertie of speach his pro per antecedeÌ„t in the clause going before * The litle good that parasites â—…atterers clâ—…wbackes and â—…uch aâ—… speake plaâ—… sible thinges do in commoÌ„ wealthes * Tellers of plaine trueth without dissimulation are to be had in estimation * An admonition for princes gouernors magistrats sâ—…ch as beare offâ—…ce of countenaunce in coÌ„mon wealthes * Which was the cause that Diodotus was so vexed and molested * An vnmeete recompence for such hono rable and â—…ingular seruice as well of mind as of bo die * Timorousnesse a shrewd hindeâ—…er of 〈◊〉 * Diodotus coÌ„ pared to a paf singer vppon the fea The course of the comparison is not vnworthie the noâ—…ing for imitaâ—…on â–ª oâ—… 〈◊〉 * Vertues that ought to be resident in euery princes minde * Honest and faithful frieÌ„ds are an inualua ble iewel a most precious treaâ—…ure * Namely by the commemoration of your clemâ—…cie your gentlenesse your afâ—…abilitie and other vertuous ornaments * Exercises of acturitie wher an the winner receiued a crowne oâ—… a gaâ—…land these gâ—…mos were â—…alled Gymni ca certamina and in auncient â—…ime very much frequeÌ„â—…ed * The first make men vnmeete for places of honour the second dâ—…i ueth them into an amasâ—…ment * A summarie of the whole petition made to king Phillippe by Isocrates in the behalfe of Diodotus and his sonne * Which requireth a care ful regard a
prouideÌ„t eye and whatsoeelse is necessarie * A conclusioÌ„ testifying the disposition of his heart to his friend whome he loueth * King Philip of Macedonia your puissant predecessour * For if wisedome should want in old men in what age were it to be lound * Of Rhetoâ—…ique or the oratoâ—…e profession * An allusion to the good inclination of AlexaÌ„der who was but youÌ„g when this Epistle was writ 〈◊〉 * Wheron the praise of a Prince principally doth depend * The commendation of his worthie qualities continued * Men of approued life honest conuer sation * Logique which techeth men to make faâ—…sitie 〈◊〉 veritie salsitie by sophisticall conclusions * A thing prop per to iaÌ„gling sophisters and questionistes in their quarrelling exercises Logique schole points * EloqueÌ„ce Philosophie the one consisting in sweete and orderly vtteraunce the other in wise and prudent preceptes * By wisedom knowledge * Of too litle or to much * A conclusioÌ„ kindling further incoragement in the minde of Alexander drawne from hope boune esperaunce * Or both which haue vouchâ—…afed me friendly entertainmeÌ„t and courteous vsage * A necessarie cause wherby old men are to be holden exâ—…used * The first I abhorre the last I do esteeme * The first I abhorre the last I do esteeme * Or a larger field wherein I may haue scope to deliner my meaning in words * An entrance to his purpose * Experience maketh old men passing cunning * Because such thinges are more agreable to younger yeares and riper wittes * Cum nihil dici possit quod non sit dictum prius Sythence nothing can bee spoken but that which heretofore hath bene vtâ—…ered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth the Greeke text Quidnam oratione saith the Latine interpretation which wee haue Englished Utteraunce * Premeditations not to be neglected * Or what kind of men * Which ingeÌ„ der actions or deâ—…des correspondent to their kinde * The inconuenience of temeritie * A priuie obiection * Or some substantiall reason in the confirmation of mine assertion * A resolutioÌ„ or answere to the former ob iection coÌ„teining a comparison of a priuate man and a tyrant of whom Xenophon sub tit Simonidis Hieronis largely discourseth * Which outward circumstances breede errour * The troubled state of tyrannical po wer dâ—…scribed * Note the course of this comparison * Or to enioy their happines and blessed condition in their owne blockishneâ—… * Or my meaning to be none otherwise then I professe with tongue * An exhortation to clemeÌ„ câ—…e vnder the couler of com mendation * Witnesses of your 〈◊〉 by whome your fame may bee blowne abroade to your eternall renowne * ChildreÌ„ not following the vicious qualities of their fathers more to be comâ—…eÌ„ded then such whose good behauiours are correspondent to their pareâ—…ts example * Pâ—…inces minds in what pointes they ought to bee occupied for though the epistle be speciall yet the pre â—…epts are generall * Which iniurie the lawe of nature graffed in our mindes in our 〈◊〉 forbiddeth * Because they aâ—…e the verie best and most souereigne without comparison * Hee enioyed all prosperitie by inheritaÌ„ce * For therein standeth most commendanonâ—… otherwise it turneth to shame when wealth is abused * Because aâ—… the shadowe doth followe the substance to daungerâ—… accompanie 〈◊〉 chesse * A thing specially to be obteyned * Do your endeuour not to be equal with them onely but to excell passe them also * From bringing any into that case that they are not onely 10. be dispossessed of all that they were worth but their liues also to be in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * As not con tent with an vniformitie in gouernment * Ab effectu because it thirsteth after the losse of life * Which is the end of ho nest counsell * Or studies tending in knowlâ—…dge or oâ—…e the selfe same science and profession * Or how fauourable soeuer you doe shewe your selfe for his auaile and prosite * Like it is that he meaneth Clearchus the Lacedaemonian Duke for of that name there wer two other Clearchus Solensis and Clâ—…archus Ponticus as Suidas sayth * This Autocrator was one of his deerâ—…st acquaintance and his verie friend * Not Agenor the king of Phaenicia Vit gâ—…l li 1. Aen. nor Agenor the son of Antenor Homer lib. 11. Iliad but a third of that name by profession a Musician * Or were more earnest and instant with me to graunt their re quest that their friends might also be gratified * In that you are growne in to fauor with your people and haue obteined their good wil then whiche a gouernour hath not a better thing to desire * From the au thoritie and commendatioÌ„ of their owne countrie * As who said it wer a shame that you shuld so offend * Bodily exercises as running leaping iumping wrestling c vsed in former ages * Wise precepts and hoal some counsels * An objectioÌ„ supposed * The resoluâ—…ion * The infirmities of Isocrates wherby he was hindered from pracâ—…iising the Art Oratorie * Seruices most necessarie in â–ª commoÌ„ wealthes * An appointed place for the pleading of controuersies and matteâ—…s called in question * Two Athenien dukes or valiant captaines * Two Athenien dukes or valiant captaines * A Rhetorician wel deseruing of the Mitylenes * Isocrates * Agenor his father and brethren * The reason that moued him to write to the Mitylonean magistrates * He concludeth with the renning of his petition for suites must be moued to memorie till they be obteined * This Epistle was writen to Dionysius the tyrant of Sicilia of whome Trog lib. 31. of this name there be 9. recorded in olde writers 1. a Lo gician of Bithynia 〈◊〉 a ge ographer of Corynthus 3. Gramarian of Alexandria 4. an historiogra pher of Myletum 5. Chroni cler of Halicarnassus 6. King of Hera clea and Antiochia 7. a President of Athens 8. a President of Corinth 9. a President of Alex andria our first named Dionysius making ten in number if not more Sicilia * This Epistle was writen to Dionysius the tyrant of Sicilia of whome Trog lib. 31. of this name there be 9. recorded in olde writers 1. a Lo gician of Bithynia 〈◊〉 a ge ographer of Corynthus 3. Gramarian of Alexandria 4. an historiogra pher of Myletum 5. Chroni cler of Halicarnassus 6. King of Hera clea and Antiochia 7. a President of Athens 8. a President of Corinth 9. a President of Alex andria our first named Dionysius making ten in number if not more of Sicilia * This Epistle was writen to Dionysius the tyrant of Sicilia of whome Trog lib. 31. of this name there be 9. recorded in olde writers 1. a Lo gician of Bithynia 〈◊〉 a ge ographer of Corynthus 3. Gramarian of Alexandria 4. an historiogra pher of Myletum 5. Chroni cler of Halicarnassus