Aedile foure years after I was made 6 Praetor which office I bear * Tutidanus and Cethegus being * Coss. and at that time he being a very old man pleaded the 7 Cincian lawes He not only waged warre stoutly when he was very old but by delaylng battail overthrew youthfull 8 Hannibal of whom our friend 9 Ennius thus writeth One man to us by long delayes restored the Common wealth He never lov'd vain glory more then he esteem'd our health The glory of the man therefore Shall still remain and flourish more But with what vigilancy did he take Tarentum when in my hearing he answered 10 Salinator who having lost the town fled into the Castle and bragging said O Quintus Fabius by my means thou hast taken Tarentum very true said he smiling for if thou hadst not lost it I had not wonne it neither was he more excellent in warre then in peace who being the second time 11 Consul 12 Spurius Carvillius his colleague in office not assisting him he of himselfe resisted with all his might 13 Caius Flaminius the 14 Tribune of the people who against the whole authority of the Senate went about to divide the Picean 15 and Galicane fields to each particular man when he was 16 augur he durst boldly affirme that that was done with the best aspects which was done for the safety of the Common-wealth I know many excellent things of the man but nothing more admirable then how he bore the death of his sonne 17 Marcus a singular man and a Consull I have in my hands the praise of the man which when we read what Philosopher do we not contemn yet was he not more excellent abroad and in the eyes of the people then at home and in his private house what speeches what precepts what knowledge of Philosophy and for a Roman very learned he kept all things in memory not only civill but externall warrs whose conference when I did greedily enjoy I did divine as it hath sithence hapned that he being dead there should be none of whom I might learne But wherefore speak I so much of Maximus because you may see that it was detestable to be spoken that such an old age was miserable IV. TABLE of Annotations 1. QUintus Fabius Maximus of the house of the Fabii a noble and right valiant kindred his family alone with their kindsfolks and adherents often overthrew Veients till at last being entrapped by deceit neere the river Cromera they were all slain in the battell except one that remained at Rome being a child of whom long after came this Quintus Maximus who lived to be 5 times consul and once Dictator he was called also Cunctator or the delayer because he by delayes overcame Hannibal 2. Tarentum a most famous city in Graecia built by Tarent the sonne of Neptune and by him so named it had great warres with the Romanes in the time of Cato 3. Capua the metropolitane city of Campania built according to Livie by Capys the captain of the Samnites of whom it took the name it had great warres with the Romans in the time of the Carthaginian warre 4. Qâ—aestor an ancient office among the Romans instituted first in the time of Numa Pompilius he was togather the tribute and mony of the people for the warres or otherwise The Treasurer 5. Aedile he that had the care of the reparations of the Temples of the gods and the Theaters of the common-people and the playes 6. Praetor An office in the city like our L. Major but of greater authority for by his power he might make and abolish Lawes at his pleasure 7. The Cincian law was first made by M. Cincius against bribery 8. Hannibal a valiant captain and governour of the Carthaginians he often overthrew the Romans but he was utterly overcome by Scipio Affricanus and as Plutarch writes at last he poisoned himself with poison he had in a ring Eutropius writes he was stoned to death by the Carthaginians for some offence but Livie sayes he was crucified on a crosse 9. Ennius vide 2. 10. Salinator Consull with Claudius Nero he defended the Tarentins against the Romanes he flew Asdruball coming to help Hanniball his brother 11. Consul when Tarquinius Superbus that ravished Lucrecia was slaine and his stock banished the office of Consull instead of King began among the Romans it was performed by two men they had as great authority as the King onely they were but in Office one yeare 12. Spurius Carvillius Consull with Cato in the yeare of Rome 526. 13. Caius Flaminius Tribune when Cato was Consull who afterward being Censor expulsed Caius out of the Senate 14. Tribune was as it were the Solicitor for the people being first created after the Volsian Sabin warres They grew to so great authority that sitting in the Senate they would crosse whatsoever was decreed if they liked it not they ever withstood the Senate for the people it was a very factious office and full of strife often setting the people together by the eares with the Senate and the Senate with them They might not come into the Temples 15. The Galicane fields were wonne from the French-men and were to be divided to the souldiers 16. Augur was in great reverence with the Romans they were as Priests and by looking into the intrals of beasts and birds they prophesied of things to come They were first derived from the Hetrurians they had a Colledg and as it were a consultation-house to meet confer of Comets and Signs in the ayr for the good of the common people 17. Marcus Fabius he was the son of Maximus he was second Consul once in the yeer of Rome 506 and againe in the yeere 508 in his first Consulship he overcame the Carthaginians by Sea CHAP. V. NEither can every man be such as was Scipio or Maximus that the overthrows of Cities and battails by land fights by Sea triuÌ„phs and victories may be recorded of them yet the old age of a privat life wel and quietly before lead is very light and pleasing Such as we read the age of 1 Plato was who writing in the 81 yeares of his age dyed such was the age of 2 Socrates who is said to have written the booke 3 Planathenaicus in the ninety fourth year of his age whose Master 4 Gorgias Leontinus lived an hundred and seven yeares neither did he cease from his study who when he was asked why he would live so long answered that he had no cause yet to accuse age of an excellent answer and worthy of so learned a man For fooles lay the faults of their own on age which Ennius did not of whom I spake before Like to a valiant horse which oft in running man the best At Mount Olympus being old is let alone at rest He compareth this age to the age of a valiant and victorious horse and him you may well remember for the eleventh yeer after his death T. Flaminius and Marcus
it so fit for nothing as for Homers bookes he lived a hundred and eight yeeres the place of his birth and Parents are unknown 10. Pythagoras called the Prince of Philosophers being indeed the first that called himselfe a Philosopher he was born at Samos and was the sonne of a Carver he had as it is reported 600 Disciples among whom was Architas the Tarentine He first taught that the soules of men departed went into other bodies which that he might the better perswade he affirmed that when he was first born he was Athalide the sonne of Mercurie and did obtaine of him this boone that he onely of all men might remember all the bodies that ever he should be changed out of Which he obtained and after affirmed that Athalide being dead he was changed into Euphorbus who being staine at Troy he was born again in the body of Hermotinus and after his death into the body of Delias a fisher man who was also called Pyrrhus and lastly he was made Pythagoras And that so all other mens soules did in like manner onely they alwayes forgat from whose body they last came he abstained from all flesh and fed only on roots and herbs he would be called Philosophus that is a lover of wisdome but not Sophius that is wise for he said that none but God was wise He dyed at Metapontum being 99 yeere old 11. Democritus born at Abderites his Father was a very rich man so that he feasted Xerxes great Army that drunke Rivers dry After his Fathers death he went to travaile and returned very poor where under the city wals he builded himselfe a silly cottage where he lived contemplating the works of nature He affirmed that all things were made of Atomes such as we see fleet in the sunne in a shiny day he was wont to laugh always what chance soever hapned as on the contrary Heraclitus alwaies wept He willingly abstaining from meat died when he was 104. yeers old 12. Xenocrates born in Calcedonia Plato's schollar he was somewhat blunt and very earnest and dry in his Communication he loved Plato very much he lived chastly and holily and wrote many good works and died being fourescore and twelve years old 13. Zeno the sonne of Pyrelus and the adopted sonne of Parmenides he learned his Philosophy of his adopted father wherein he was so excellent that Plato and Aristotle affirme he first invented logick he was the beginner of the Stoicks and is therefore called the prince of that sect he was a Governour in the Common-wealth he for the good of his Countrey conspired against Dionysius a Tyrant but was taken in the action and being examined of his confederats he accused all the Tyrants chief friends and told him that if he would hear him in private he would discover more whereupon the King bowing down his head to hear him he bit of his nose for this he was pounded in a stone mortar to make him confesse but he biting of his tongu and spitting it in his tormentors face died being 98. yeers old 14. Cleanthes a Stoick Philosopher and Schollar to Zeno he bore labour and griefe with such chearfulnesse that he was called an other Hercules He was very poor and when he wanted mony to buy paper he wrote the saying of Zeno on bones and shels 15. Rome built first by Romulus and Remus two brethren a City too well known of some sufficiently of all 16. Diogenes the Cynick Philosopher who when his father was imprisoned fled to Athens and became Antisthenes Scholar He lived ninety years and died as some say of the biting of a mad dog others say holding his breath he stiflled himselfe His Schollars made a Tombe for him and on the top thereof they set a dog His witty and satyricall learning are known of most men CHAP. VIII BUt that we may omit these divine studies I can name some of the I Sabine fields countrey 2 Romans my neighbours and familiars then whom none take more pains in the fields either in sowing gathering or sorting the fruits yet among them it is no marvell for there is none so old but that he thinkes to live one year more but they labour in things which they know do not at all belong unto them and as our friend Statius Caecilius saith in his Synephebis they plant trees which shall not give fruit till another age and after they are dead which makes the husband-man when any askes him for whom he sets those trees to answer for the immortall gods that would not that I only should receive the fruits of the earth from my predecessors but leave them also to my posterity That same 3 Caecilius wrote thus of age If old age brings no other faults this one enough will be By living long they oft behold the things they would not see And many times the things they would but youth it selfe is subject to that inconvenience But he wrote yet worse of age then that In age I take this thing to be the greatest misery To think the younger sort of men do hate their company Nay rather pleasant then hatefull is their company For as wise old men are delighted with young men indued with a vertuo us disposition and their age is made the easier that are worshipped and beloved of such so wise young men are rejoyced in the precepts of old men by which they are led to the studies of virtue neither do I perceive that I am lesse pleasant to you then you are to me Now you see that age is not faint and negligent but laborsome and alwayes doing something and indeavouring in such things as every mans study was in his former liâ—e but how if old men learne in their age also as we see 4 Solon boasting in his verses that he learned something every day grew an old man as I my self have done who now in my age have learned the Greek tongue which truly I took greedily as it were to satisfie a continuall thirst that those things might be known to me which you now see me use in examples And when I heard also whaâ— 5 Socrates had profited in musick I would have learned that â—oo for your ancients learned musick but truly I bestowed my pains in learning VIII TABLE of Annotations 1. SAbin fields a place where Cato had a countrey house not far of from Rome 2. Countrey Romans it is thought that he meant Fabritius 3. Caecilius Statius a comicall poet he wrote the comedy of Synephebis of two young men brought up together from their youth 4. Solon one of the seven wise men of Greece he was the sonne of Epistides and born at Salamina therefore called Salaminus he made many good lawes at Athens he builded a city in Sicilia and called it after his name Solos he died when he was ninety yeers old and was buried at Salamina 5. Socrates CHAP. IX NEither do I now desire the strength of youth no more then when I was young I did desire
the chief 3 steward in his drinking after the maÌ„ner of our ancestors and the use of moderate little cups as it is written in the banquet of Xenophon also that cooling in the Summer and again either the Sunne or the fire in the winter which I am wont to use among the 4 Sabines where I dayly fill up a Table with my neighbours and we spend the time as much as we can with divers conference sometimes even till midnight XIII TABLE of Annotations 1. CAius Duillus who triumphing for the first Carthaginian victory was not content with one dayes triumph but caused torches to be lighâ—ed in the night and musicians to play before him 2. Great mother was the image of Sibella of Phrygia or the mother of the gods which was brought to Rome from Pisunt whereupon the Romanes made great playes called Megalesia and also solemne feasts yearly 3. Stewards was as we chuse King and Queen in our sports at Christmas they were chosen in feasts among the Guests either by lot or voices they were to be as it were masters of the feast and tell pleasant stories to the Guests to passe the time withall 4. Sabins where Cato had a farme before he came to Rome and there he lived not farre from the city CHAP. XIV BUt there is not so great a tickling as it were of pleasure in old age no nor so much as a desire for nothing that is not wanted is desired Sophocles answered well to one that was well in yeares who demanded of him if he sometimes used not * dalience nay God forbid quoth he but I have willingly fled from them as from a cruel and furious master For to those who do desire it it is grievous to want it but to them that be satisfied it is better to be without so that they want not that desire not Therefore I say that it is better not to desire then to injoy But if youth do injoy these pleasures in greater measure Age also doth not altogether want them For as in the Play of the 1 Poet Turpius Ambinius he that sitteth in the neerest gallery is more delighted yet is he also delighted that sits in the furthest So youth beholding pleasures more neere is peradventure more delighted but age beholding them afar off is delighted as much as is sufficient But how great is the pleasure of age when the mind releafed from the slavery of lusts ambition contention emnity and all other such like concupiscence may be secure and as they say live at home with it selfe at rest But if it have supply as I may call it food of learning and study there is nothing more pleasant then a quiet old age we have known that 2 Caius Gallus your fathers familiar friend Scipio dyed when he had been studious in Astrology and Cosmography how often did he write both night and day and how much did he delight to tell us long before of the Eclipses of the Sunne and of the Moone Yet is age delighted in more light yet notwithstanding ingenuous studies How did Nevius rejoyce in his Bellum Punicum How did 3 Plautus delight in his Truculentus How in his Pseudalus I have seen also the old man * Livius who set forth a book six yeeres before I was borne Centonus and Tutidanus being Consuls and he lived till my youth what shall I speak of Licinius Crassus or of the Pontificall or civill Lawes or of this Publius Scipio who the other day was made High Priest All these whom I have here remembred being old men I have seen flourishing in these studies but what paines did * Marcus Cethegus also take in pleading being an old man whom Ennius doth rightly call the marrow of eloquence what therefore are the pleasures of banquets or playes or whores to be compared to these But these are the studies of learning which surely with the wise and well nurtred will grow up and increase together with their age as the commendable verse of Solon doth import * that he grew old learning every day something then which pleasure of mind what can be greater XIIII Table of Annotations 1. TUrpius Ambinius a poet who florished in the time of L. Sergius Artilius Praenestius and others 2. Caius Gallus Sulpitius was tribune the year before being Praetor he prognosticated the ectipse of the moon by the commandement of the Consull he was anorator and studied much the Greek Tongue 3. Plautus a Com call poet and very fimous but poore he was a miller and all day ground and in the night he wrote playes whereof his Truculentus and his Pseudolus were two CHAP. XV NOw I come to the pleasures of husband-men with which I am incredibly delighted which seems to me to come neerest the life of a wise man neither is it hindred by age The countrey-mans businesse lieth on the earth which never refuseth to be delved neither ever doth it render what it hath received without usury though some time with lesse yet for the most part with greater gain Yet am not I only delighted with the fruit but also with the nature and force of the earth it selfe which after it hath received the seeds into its softened and wrought bosome first it keeps it in being harrowed of whence this word * Harrowing which doth this is named afterward being heat with its vapor and embracement it spreads abroad and brings forth an herby greennesse which fastened with the little strings of the root by little and little increaseth and being erected upon a knotty stalke is at the last as it were included in a sheath out of which when it growes it yeeldeth fruit like grains and it is fortified from the biting of the lesser birds with the defence of the beards What should I now rehearse the setting springing and increase of vines I must needs say that you may know the pleasure and quietnesse of mine age I cannot be satisfied with delight I omit the force of all things nourished by the earth which of a little graine of a fig or Grape bringeth forth such great Trunked bodies and boughs of Trees twigs plants grafts sets roots do they not so spring as may delight any man with admiration The vine which by nature is falling and growes downwards unlesse it be under-propped to the end she may erect her selfe catcheth hold with her windings as with hands on whatsoever it meets which as it creeps with manifold turnings the art O husbandry corrects with a grafting knife least it should become wilde and overgrown therefore in the spring in those branches which be left it bringeth forth as it were at the joints of the twigs the buds of which after commeth the grape which increasing by the moisture of the earth and the heat of the sun is at the first but bitter but after growing ripe it becomes sweet being clothed with the broad leavs it is defended from the scorching of the sun yet
CATO MAIOR or THE BOOK OF OLD AGE First written by M.T. Cicero And now Excelently Englished by William Austin of Lincolnes Inne Esquire With annotations upon the names of the men and places Printed for William Leake JGoddard sculpsit CATO Major OR The Book of Old Age First written by M.T. CICERO And now excellently Englished by William Austin of Lincolns Inne Esquire With Annotations upon the names of the men and places LONDON Printed for William Leake and are to be sold at his Shop at the Sign of the Crown in Fleet-street between the two Temple gates 1648. THE STATIONER To the READER THis most excellent Book entituled Cato Major de senectute little in bulke but filled with pithie and substantiall diseourse smoothly couched elegantly and delightfully conveyed in every line written long since in the Latin Tongue by that most rare and grave Consul and Senator of Rome the glory of his time M. T. Cicero Prince of Orators needs no mans commendations all his workes being so famous and renowned amongst the learned so that I might well be silent had not I judged it fit to give the Reader an account how it came in this māner to be divulged It falling accidentally into my hands and I finding the translation and notes to be the labour of a worthy Gentleman of great parts learning and sufficiency whose name was therunto And the Book it selfe for variety of elegant passages deep Philosophical discourses being both delight full and usefull Personated by the most learned ancient and grave Senators Grandees of that age abasing and depressing all youthfull lusts commending and strengthening the venerable life of old age shewing the current of vertue wherein it ought to runne with the distance betwixt it and youth and how many wayes it doth exceed the same with the advantages it hath beyond youth declaring how they slighted death in this their age comforting themselves in all its Imperfections with that expected Immortality at hand the more aged they then were And having received the approbation of this learned Piece from divers persons of judgement and understanding I was upon these and other like considerations moved for the general good to publish it thus abroad unto the world beleeving that it will be a delight to the Aged and a great benefit to the unlearned in the Latin Tongue who may in their own Language read the sage wisedome of former times and see how the infirmities of age are recompensed with more rare perfections of minde and that it doth not so much destroy as change the delights of youth for better and so be prepared to bid that welcome which is approaching towards them If the excellency of this work with the worthinesse of the Author and Translator shall gain acceptation with the lovers of wisdom it will answer the expectation and reward the care of the Publisher THE PRAEFACE Or Epistle of 1. MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO TO 2. TITUS POMPONIUS ATTICUS CHAP. I. O TITUS if I ease the care which sticketh in your breast Which now doth vex and trouble you wherewith you are opprest Shall it be thought Worth ought FOr I may well salute you O ATTICUS with those Verses wherewith that right worthy though not welthy man 3 ENNIUS saluted 4 Flaminius although I surely know that you are not so troubled day and night as was he for I have perceived the moderation of your mind and I understand that you not only brought a Sir-name from 5 Athens but also humanity and wisedome yet notwithstanding I suppose that you are sometimes much troubled with these matters where with I my self am the remedie for which griefes is both greater and to be referred till another time Now it seemeth good unto me to write something of old age For I will assay to ease both you and my self of the burden which is common to us both either of the age present or of the age to come though I know for truth that you will bear the weight of it moderately and wisely as you do all things but as soon as I determined to write of old age you came into my mind worthy of this gift which might be equally used by us both and beleeve me the making of this book was so delightfull to me that it did not only wipe away all the griefes of mine age but made it easie and pleasant Wherefore Philosophy can never be sufficiently praised which whosoever followeth may live all his life time without molestation of which we have * spoken much already and intend to speak more hereafter But this book of old age I have sent to you not attributing all the speech to 6 Tithon as 7 Aristo Chius doth least it should seem of small authority but to 8 Marcus Cate the old man whereby it may carry the greater grace and preeminence at whom I make 9 Scipio 10 Laelius wondering that he beare his age so easily and he answering them who if he speak more learnedly then he was wont to do in his bookes you must attribute it to the Greek tongue in which it is well known he was very studious in his age But what need more words for now the speech of Cato himself shall declare all our determination of old age I. TABLE of Annotations 1. MArcus Tullius Cicero The Author of this Book and many other most noble and excellent workes both of Philosophy and Oratory he was the sonne of a Knight at Rome he passed most of the most honourable offices in Rome he was a faithfull and earnest lover and defender of the Common-wealth which began to decay at his death having lost so good a member he was banished and after beheaded by the commandement of Antonius and Octavius 2. Titus Pomponius Atticus an honourable man and a great friend to Cicero he lived in great credit both with the Romans and with the Athenians from whence he brought the Sir-name of Atticus 3. Ennius an ancient Poet borne at Tarentum he was brought to Rome by Cato vide numero 8. 13. 4. Flaminius a grave Senator to whom Ennius wrote a Book of consolation when he grieved for his brothers expulsion out of the Senate 5. Athens a city in Greece between Macedon and Achaia built by Cecrops who raigned 50. years there it was called Athens by Minerva who is also called Athene it was the place or university of learning 6. Tithon the sonne of Laomedon beloved of Aurora he was counted a fool because when he was very old be requested to be turned into a Grashopper and might have had immortality 7. Aristo Chius a Philosopher of the Ile Coas who dedicated a Book to the former Tithon Cicero writes thus of him elegant and courteous Aristo but that gravity which ought to be in a Philosopher was not in him many excellent things were written by him but they carry no grace 8. Marcus Portius Cato whom Cicero here makes one of his speakers in his dialogue was a man of great honor
because one of them when he might have had Pyrrhus poysoned by the Samnites he refused it as dishonourable 5. Coruncani such another noble family one of them being a very wiseman was sent Ambassadour to the Queene of Illyria and was slaine in his returne backe contrary to the Law of Armes Another dyed in a battaile against Amilcar in Sicilia 6. Appius Claudius a Senator of Rome who having not been a long time in the Senate by reason of his blindnesse when he heard that the Senators for the confirmation of a Peace betweene them and Pyrrhus would admit him into the City he came thither and with all his might disswaded them 7. Pyrrhus King of the Epirots descended by the fathers side from Hercules and by the mothers side from Achilles who when the people would have slaine him for his fathers cruelty towards them he was by his mother conveyed to Heroa the wife of Glaucus King of Illyria from whence being 11 yeer old he came to his own Kingdom where he grow up in all vertue and after ayded the Tarentines against the Romans at last he was slaine with a Tyle sheard at the taking of Argos 8. Censor an Office at the first created by the Senate to look to the Tables of the Lawes and such like they grow to such pride and authority that they would tax all men correct the manners and discipline of the Senators make whom they listed chiefe and displace whom they listed from the Office of Senator as Cato Major did the first Censors were Papirius and Sempronius 9. Carthage cbiefe City of Lybia built by Dido 70 yeeres after Rome it had three long warres with the Romans Haniball being their Captain but he being slain the Senate by the counsell of Cato sent P. Scipio into Affrica who in the third war ' utterly destroyed it and raced it to the ground 10. Naeuius a comicall Poet who writ Satyricall playes in the time of the first Carthaginian warre which warre he also wrote in verse he was banished at length for his railing CHAP. VII BUt you will say their memory is wasted t is truth and I beleeve it unlesse you exercise it or be dull of your selfe by nature Themistocles knew all the names of the citizens of Athens and do you think that when he was aged he would so much forget himselfe as to salute 1 Lysimachus by the name of 2 Aristides And for my own part I not only remember the names of those men which now live but also their fathers and grand-fathers neither do I fear to read monuments least as they say I should lose my memory for by them the memory of the dead is revived neither ever did I hear any old man that had forgot where he had hid his treasure All things that they care for they remember who to them and to whom they owe any thing How much have the Lawyers Priests Augurs and old Philosophers remembred Memorie remaineth in old men if they continue studious and industrious and that not only in states of honourable men but also in the private and quiet life 3 Sophocles wrote Tragedies in the extreamest age who because of his study when he seemed to neglect his houshold affairs was brought into Question by his own sonnes that according to our custome that the good of old men that dote and cannot well use them should be taken from them so that the Iudges would remove his goods from him as from a dotard and givethem to his sonnes Then the old man is reported to have recited a Tragedy of 4 Oedippus Coloneus which he had last written and had in his hands and to have demanded whether that seemed the verse of a dotard or no for which he was delivered and freed by the sentence of the Judges whether hath age therefore made 5 Hesiodus 6 Simonides 7 Stesicorus or those whom I spake of before 8 Isocrates Gorgias 9 Homer or the Prince of Philosophers 10 Pythagoras 11 Democritus Plato 12 Zenocrates or afterwards 13 Zeno 14 Cleanthes or him whom you saw at 15 Rome 16 Diogenes the Stoick to be dumb or cease in their studies were not all these mens studies like to their life VII Table of Annotations 1. LYsimachus son of Agathedes who for some offence Alexander caused to be cast to a hungry lion whom he very valiantly slew and plucked the tongue out of his head with bare hands wherefore ever after he was greatly honoured and esteemed of Alexander 2. Aristides a noble Athenian in the time of Themistocles with whom he falling out about one Stesilea a beauteous maid whom they both loved was by him banished and after being restored by Xerxes the Persian King he passed many great offices in Athens but at last died so poor that he had not enough to pay for his buriall 3. Sophocles an excellent Tragedian in Athens he was called for his excellent sweetnes of speech Apis or the Bee he wrote twenty three Tragedies some say more he lived almost a hundred years and obtained twenty three victories whereof the last so evercame him with joy that he died immediately his sonnes were three Jophontes Leostines and Aristo 4. The Tragedie of Oedipus Coloneus was written by Sophocles This Oedipus was sonne to the King of Thebes and having slain Laius his Father not knowing him to be so he marryed his own mother and on her begat two sons and one daughter after having knowledge what he had done he pulled out his eyes and dyed miserably his mother hanged her selfe and his two sonnes slew each other and after when after the custome of the Country their bodies should be burnt the flame parted and would not burn whole so great was their hatred in their life that dead one fire would not burne them 5. Hesiodus being sent by his father into a mountaine to keepe sheepe dreamed that he was sodainely made a Poet and afterward wrote a catalogue of noble weomen and many other workes 6. Simonides a Poet who would boast that in the fourescore yeere of his age he taught verses some thinke that he wrote the Art of memory it is said that when he was one day bidden to a banquet he was suddainly called out from dinner and before he returned the house was fallen down and all the ghests so pasht with the ruines that when they came to bury them no man knew which was which but Simonides by reason of his excellent memory remembring in what place every man sate and their aparel shewed to each man which was his friend he dyed when he was ninety yeares old 7. Stesicorus A Poet of Siculia 8. Isocrates an excellent Orator of Athens he was borne the same day that Diana was and lived seventy yeeres 9. Homer Prince of the Poets was blind he wrote the warre of the Grecians with the Trojans which he called Illiads he is and hath been of great estimation so that Alexander having taken a most rich casket among the spoyle of Darius thought