quoth she wyth a goodly Boye And is it like me quoth he as like as maye be quoth she For as soone as he was borne he called for a sword and a buckler Phryne desired a Caruer that was in loue wyth hir to gyue hir one of the best Images he had the whiche thing the louer promised to do but the craftie Harlot thinking that he woulde not lette hir knowe whiche was the beste suborned her man to set his shop on fire wherfore when moste parte of his Images were brent and yet some of the beste escaped the caruer cryed out Alas if Cupide and my Satyres had bene brent I had bene vtterly vndone And so by this diuel she pollicie she vnderstanding that the Image of Cupide was more worth than the reste required to haue it for hir rewarde Ex Eras li. 6. Apoth Theodora a passing strumpet talking with Socrates of hir great haunt made hir beste that she could call away more of his schollers than he coulde of hirs No maruell quoth Socrates for thy wayes séeme pleasaunt and easie but the way to vertue séemeth full of brambles and briers Recitatur apud Xenophon Telia li. 13. de varia histo Gnathena a queane séeing two yong men fighting for hir comforted him that had the worse in this wise Be merie good felowe for this game was not for glorie but for spending of money Meaning that in other games he that had the beste had some rewarde for his paynes But héere he that had the best must pay some money or else should go without hir And so it was better for him to go without the cōquest than haue it Ex Er. l. 6. Ap. Of Humanitie and Gentlenesse DEmonax sayde that we ought not he offended with men when they offende vs but to correct and amend their faults imitatin herein good phisitians which are not offended with mē bicause they are infirmed but indeuour to cure their disease And as it is proper to man to offende so is it the maner of God and of suche men as desire to be like vnto God to forgiue their offences Ex Eras li. 8. Apoth Certen tospottes chaunced to fall in company with Pisistratus wise who hauing dronken more than they had bled began to shewe their lasciuious maners abundantly towards hir But on the morow whē they came to them selues and remēbred what they had don they went to Pisistratus and besoughte him wyth teares to forgiue their follie To whome Pisistratus sayde take héede hereafter that you behaue your selues more soberly But as for my wyfe I can beare hir record that she was not out of my gates yesterday of all the day Shewing great humanitie in forgiuing the sily soules and no lesse wisedome in defending his wiues honestie Ex Plut in Grae Apoth When one told Agisipolis that Philip king of Macedonie had in a shorte tyme destroyed the citie Olirthius he answered but it would be a good while ere he woulde builde suche an other Meaning that it were far better with gentlenesse to preserue suche a citie than with suche austeritie to destroy it Ex Plut. in La. Theodocius the younger was of suche and so wonderfull humanitie that when his friends demaunded him why he dyd not behead suche as had conspired hys death he aunswered I had rather restore suche as are dead to lyfe than to put to death suche as are alyue Aboundauntly herein declaring the ductie of a good Prince who oughte to be gentle and ready to forgiue suche as offende priuately agaynst him selfe but yet to be austere and sharpe to punishe such as offende generally agaynst the common wealth When Ouileus Camillus a Romans Senatour meaned to rebell and purchase vnto him selfe the Romane Empire Alexander Seuerus hearing therof sent for him and thanked him that he was so willing to take so great a charge in hande And in the Senate house called him sellowe Emperoure curteously intertayned him into his palace caused him to be apparelled with his imperiall robes and when he went in progresse tooke him as his companion to ryde with him And when he him selfe wente on foote he woulde cause him to ryde on horsebacke And finally when by the lawe he was condemned to dye he gaue him his life and forgaue him his fault Traianus the Emperour which succeded Nerua did so surmount his predecessours in humanitie and gentlenesse that when his friends blamed him and saids he was too gentle vnto his subiectes he answered that he behaued him selfe towardes them as he woulde wishe that they should do towards him Sigismunde the Emperour sayde that those Princes of all others were moste happie and fortunate which expel from out of their courte the malicious and proude and retayne suche as be mercyfull and gentle Aeneas Siluius de dictis Sigismun Impe. Alexander hauing taken Porus king of Indio captiue offered to giue him his request in any thing that he shoulde reasonably demaunde Wherefore king Porus desired him that he might be vsed lyke a king At which words Alexander smiled and sayde I meaned so to doo albeit thou haddest not desired it though not for thy sake yet for my owne honor and honestie Ex Bruso li 3. cap. 13. When one had solde gems of glasse vnto Galenes Aurelius Ceasars wyfe making hir be léeue that they were right gemmes she afterwardes perceyuing that she was so deluded desired hir husbande to haue him punished for his disceite Whervppon the Emperour commanded that be should be taken made him beléeue that he should be deuoured of a lyon Then béeing put into a caue and all men looking when a ramping lion should come to deuoure him on a sodayne he caste in a sily capon And when all men maruelled at so ridiculous a thing he caused the crier to cry he offended in deceit and with deceite lo he is punished Ex Trebellio pollio This Aurelianus the Emperour comming to besiege Tira and finding the gates shut agaynst him said in his chafe that he would not leaue a dog aliue in al that citie Which voyce of his greately encouraged his souldiers hoping therby to get some great pray and when they had nowe subdued the citie they desired the Emperor according to promise to suffer them to ransacke the same Go to quoth he I remember in déede that I sayde that I woulde leaue neuer a dogge in all the citie Wherfore go your ways and kil them al. And so he accomplished his promise and yet gētly intreted his einmies Ex Flauio Vopisc At the siege of Caieta when the inhabitants had for want of vittaile expelled out of their citie all the yong frie olde people and all other that were not mete for warre Alphonsus king of Arragon who came to subdue them gently receyued them into his campe Whereof of when certayne of his souldiers blamed him and sayde that if he had not receyued them the Caietanes woulde haue yéelded vnto
the death of his sister and so good successe he hadde herein that all the kings of Syria yéelded them vnto him But whylest he was thus occupied in Syria his owne subiectes rebelled in Aegypt Wherfore he was fayne to rayse his siege and departe home Then Seleucus thinking to be reuenged on the Syrian cities which tooke parte agaynst him prepared an armie to inuade them But so it fell out that the greatest parte of his nauie were drowned on the sea and he with a small power ariued at the citie and there when the citizens submitted them selues vnto hym he receyued them to mercie And gathering a new armie he renued the warre agaynst Ptolome of whome he was subdued and compelled to flée to Antioche as one with whome fortune was disposed to make a playgame Bruso lib. 2. cap. 37. When Timotheus Conous sonne had subdued many cities vnto the Athenian kingdome certayne persons enuying him and ascribing all his prowesse vnto fortune paynted him a sleepe and fortune subduing cities for him But he offended so to loese the glorie of his valyaunt attemptes the nexte tyme that he had obteyned a conqueste he sayde vnto the Athenians that in all the victories that euer he gotte fortune coulde rightely chalenge none of hys glorie Wherevppon fortune was so offended with him that after that tyme he neuer atchéeued any notable acte but had euill successe in all the affayres he wente about and in the ende loste the fauour of the people and was banished his countrey Brus lib. 2. cap. 37. When tidings was brought to king Phillip of sundrie good fortunes which happened vnto him at one instaunte as that Tetrippo his sonne had wonne the pryce at Olimpus Dardenio had got a greate conqueste on the sea and Olimpia hys wife had broughte him foorth a man childe he helde vp his handes to heauen and sayde And O fortune I beséeche thée for so many and so greate benefites of thyne suffer but some small myschiefe to lyghten vppon mée Knowing hir manner to be suche that on whome shée meaneth to worke some greate myschiefe on them shée firste she weth a fauourable and fauning face as playnely appeareth in the storie of Polycrates Simonides the Philosopher was inuited to a banquet of Paulanias the king Who in the banquet desired him to tell them something out of his Philosophie that mighte be a lesson for them whylest they lyued Well then quoth hee remember Pausanias that thou arte a man For séeing Pausanias by reason of hys happie estate to thinke well of him selfe he thought good by those wordes to putte hym in mynde of his duetie But albeit Pausanias contemned thys sage saying of the Philosopher yet afterwardes béeing taken captiue and lyke to bée famyshed he was forced to allowe and commende hys wordes and to appostrophate vnto hymselfe in thys sorte O guest guest I sée nowe there was greate weighte in thy wordes but I reposed suche confidence in myne owne fickle fortune that I thoughte them of no force Wherefore now I muste dye a miserable death Of Fortitude and Manhoode IF Antisthenes sawe any woman goe gayly apparelled he woulde straightwayes goe vnto hir husbandes house and byd him shewe his horse and his harnesse and if he thoughte them sufficient he woulde suffer his wife to goe at hir pleasure bicause she had one at home to defende hir But if he lyked not of it he woulde persuade hir to leaue of hir gay clothes least some bodye woulde come and steale hir away Ex Laer. li. 6. cap. 1. Archilomida Brasidas mother hearing that Brasidas hir sonne was slayne in warre the firste question shée demaunded was whether he dyed manfully of no Yea quoth the Thrasisians For amongest all the Lacedemonians there was none in prowesse and vertuous qualityes comparable vnto hym You knowe not sirs quoth shée what felowes the Lacedemonians are I thinke in déede Brasidas my sonne was a good honest yong manne but yet not so good but that there be many better amongest the Lacedemonians Whiche aunswere of hirs is greatly to be commended aswell for hir wisedome and fortitude in so reioycing at the honest deathe of hir sonne as also for hir modestie and naturall affection vnto hir countrey which could not abyde that hir sonne shoulde be so highely praysed that his prayse shoulde any thing derogate from the true commendation of hir natiue soyle Plutar. in Lacon Apoth When a certayne Athenian made a funerall Oration in the prayse of them whome the Lacedemonians hadde slayne in the warre a Lacedemonian standing by sayde If these were suche iollie felowes which were slayne what thinke you of our men which slue them Alexander the sonne of Mammea hearing that Artaxerses king of Persia was comming with an huge armie to inuade the Romane Empire saide vnto his souldiers that strong and valiaunt men oughte to wishe the beste in all thinges but yet to be content and to suffer if any thing happen contrary to their expectation And neither to waxe proude in prosperitie nor to dispayre in aduersitie Herodian lib. 6. When Publius Crassus sonne had a long time manfully fought agaynst his enemies and was in fine slaine of them they fastned his head vpon a speare and therewith approched nye vnto the Romane armie and greatly triumphing that they had him they asked the Romanes of what stocke that yong man came saying that it was impossible that so valiaunt a sonne shoulde come of so cowardly a father But Crassus was nothing troubled with this heauy sight but ranne among the Roman souldiers and sayde this losse is mine ye Romanes this calamitie is mine and I onely haue cause to be sorie for this but in your health and prowesse consisteth the publike welth and glorie of the whole citie Plut. in N. Crass When Xerxes made warre agaynste Greece the Athenians sent a spie to view Agiselaus Themistocles brother Who comming into the host slue one Mardonius Xerxes Courtier thynking to haue slayne the king him selfe Wherefore he was apprehended and sacrificed on the aulter of Sol and there stoutly endured all the torment not once sighing for all the payne And when he was losed he told them that al the Atheniens were such fellowes and if you beléeue me not burne my left hand also Of Friendes and Friendship SOcrates was wont to say that no possession is so good as a true and a faythfull friende and that nothing is so pleasant and profitable as is suche a friende Wherefore they go a contrarie waye to worke which are more sorie for the losse of their money than for their friend and thinke that they haue lost much if they bestowe a benefit on any man without some present profite whereas in déede they gayne thereby a friende whyche maye by the fruitfullest gayne possible Erasm Lib. 3. Apo. When it was tolde Dion whiche afterwardes expelled Dionisius out of his kingdome that Calixtus his friend whō aboue all others he trusted moste wente about to
theyr fingers the Bracelets of theyr armes the Pearles from theyr heades the collers from theyr necks theyr brooches from theyr brests the girdles from their middles and borders of theyr gownes Whereby there was enough not only to performe the said vow but also to prosecute the warre against theyr enimies Fuluius Torquatus being consul in the warre against the Volseos the Knightes of Mauritane brought a wilde man to Rome that had but one eye whome they had taken in hunting in the desertes of Egipt And the matrones of Rome were at that time as sadde and sober as theyr husbandes were valiant and vertuous Amongst others was the wife of that saide Torquate who was great with child and neare the time of hir deliuerance A woman so honest for the sober solitarinesse that shée kept in Rome that shée had no lesse glory in the citie than hir husbande had abrode in the warres For in the fourtéene yeare that hir husbande was in warfare in Asia frō the first time the he went thether shée was neuer séene at the windowes gasing out nor suffred man childe aboue the age of eight yeares to come within hir gates Yea where shée had left with hir thrée sonnes the eldest of whom was not aboue the age of three yeares assone as they came to the age of eight yeares shée sent them away vnto theyr graunde father to the intent that vnder the coloure of hir owne children no others should enter into hir house Those yeares passed after the good olde Torquate was returned home the saide Wilde man with one eye went by the doore of the sayde Torquate and one of hir maidens tolde hir that it was a maruell to sée him Wherefore shée hadde great desire to sée him and bicause there was no body to shewe him hir shée lost hir lust and dyed for sorow choosing rather so to doe than eyther to goe abrode or to gaze oute of the windowes to sée him wherfore shée had this glorious Epitaphe Heere lieth the vvife of Torquate the chaste Matrone That did aduenture hir life to assure hir Fame Ex M. Aurelio Almaricke king of Ierusalem who destroyed Babylon hadde a sonne named Baldewine and a daughter called Sibilla Baldewine from the beginning of his raigne was a leapre and therefore not able of bodye all be it valiant in harte to rule that function Sybilla his sister was marryed to one VVilermus of the mounte Ferat by whome shée hadde a sonne called also Baldevvinus After him shée was married to an other husbande named Guido de Lizimacho Earle of Joppa and Ascalon Vppon thys it befell that the sayde Baldevvine the Leapre sonne of Amaricke béeing thus féeble and infirme as is saide called his nobles togither with his mother and the Patriarche declaring vnto them his inhabilitie and by theyr consentes committed the vnder gouernment of the Citie to Guido the husbande of Sybilla his sister But he being founde vnsuffiente or not luckie in the gouerning thereof the office was translated to a nother named Raimundus Earle of Tripolis In the which time the Souldans with the Sarazens mightely preuailed againste the Christians and ouer-ranne the countrey of Palestina In the meane time Baldevvine the leaprous king departed whereby the kingdome fell next to Baldevvinus the sonne of Sybilla by hir first husbande But hée also dying in hys minoritie the succession thereof by discente fell to Sybilla the wife of Guido aboue mentioned To whome the Péeres and Nobles of the Realme iayning togither in Counsell offred vnto the sayde Sybilla as to the lawfull heyre vnto the Crowne to bée theyr Qúeene wyth thys condition that shée should sequester from hir by lawfull diuorcement the foresayde Guido hir husbande But shée refused the kingdome offred vnto hir on that condition till at the laste the Nobles with the Magistrates in generall graunted vnto hir and by theyr othe confirmed the same that whome so euer shée woulde choose to be hir husbande all they woulde take and obey as theyr king Also hir husbande Guido amongste the rest wyth like petition humbly requested hir that the kingdome not for his sake or for his priuate losse mighte be destitute of gouernement At length shée with teares consenting to theyr intreatie was contented and solemnly was crowned for theyr Quéene who after the manner againe receyued theyr fidelitie by theyr othe Wherupon Guido without all hope of kingdom and wife departed home quietly to his owne house This done the Quéene assembling hir states and Prelates together entred talke with them about the choosing of the king according vnto that they had promised and sworne vnto hir and to obey him as theyr king whome shée shoulde nominate the Quéene wyth a loude voice sayde vnto Guido that stoode amongst them Guido my Lord I choose thée for my husbande and yéelding my selfe and my kingdome vnto you openly I protest you to be the king And woorthy no doubte was shée to be commended and extolled bothe for hir singular vertue of chastitie and high prudence so tempering the matter that both shée obtained to hir husband the kingdome and retained to hir selfe hir husband Dominus Fox Ex bibliothaeca Cariensi Licurgus made a lawe amongste the Lacedemonians that the father that died shoulde giue nothing to hys Doughter And that neither liuing nor dying he should giue any thing to marie hir with to the intent that none should marry hir for hir riches but for hir goodnesse and vertue And whereas nowe some be vnmarried bicause they are poore so then they abode vnmaried bicause they were shamefull and vicious Ex M. Aurelio Of Magistrates and Officers CLeobulus sayde that that common wealth was most fortunate and best ordered wher the Magistrate was more afearde to be euill spoken of than to suffer the penaltie of the lawe Bias sayde that that common wealth was happiest where men stoode more in feare of the law than of the Magistrate And Pitticus counted that realme in best case where the wicked do beare no sway nor authoritie Antisthenes being demaunded howe they oughte to order them selues that come to be Magistrates in the common wealth answeared they muste doe as men that doe come to the fire that is they must take héede least they stand to neare for burning theyr shinnes nor yet stand to farre of least they be a cold still Ex Stob. serm 43. Agasicles being asked howe a manne mighte rule wythoute a garde to defend him Answeared if he do so rule his subiectes as a father dothe his sonnes Meaning that if he were gentle and amiable vnto his Citizens there can be no surer defence than they will be vnto him Ex Plutarcho in Lacon When Cleon shoulde take in hande to administer the common wealthe he called all his fréendes vnto him and dissolued his olde knot of amitie and frendshippe as a great stay to kéepe him from equitie and iustice Therefore also when Themistocles shoulde be made Magistrat he denyed it saying
he woulde neuer sitte in that seate where he mighte doe no more for his fréendes than for his foes Ex Plutarcho in Lacon Chrysippus being demaunded whye he woulde beare no office in the common wealth Answeared bicause that if I rule not well I shall displease God but if I rule as I shoulde doe the people will be offended Brusonius Lib. 3. cap. 5. Socrates was wonte to saye that it was a shame to sée that wher as in handy craftes no manne taketh anye thing in hande wherein he hathe not benetraded yet in administration of the common wealth oftentimes many are made officers whiche wotte but very little what belongeth thereto Ex Eras lib. 3. Apoth Antisthenes willed his Citizens to set Asses to ploughe and when they aunsweared that Asses were not apt to that laboure what matter is that quoth he For you make many Officers in the common wealth which neuer learned the manner thereof and yet when you haue made them they serue the turne wel inough Meaning that it was a thing muche more absurde to make an vnskilfull man a magistrate than to sette an Asse to ploughe Brusonius Lib. 6. cap. 5. Ex Laertio Lib 4. Cap. 1. When the regall Diademe shoulde be sette on Antigonus his head before it was put on he sayde these woordes O noble though vnhappie crowne if a mā knewe howe full of trouble and misery thou arte he would not take thée vp albeit he founde thee lying in the streate Max. Valerius lib. 7. cap. 2. Ex Stobaeo serm 46. Alphonsus the mightie king of Arragon vsed to say that Magistrates oughte as muche to excell priuate personnes in life and conuersation as they d ee in dignitie and vocation Meaning that the life of the subiects shal best be reformed when Princes and others giue others example of theyr godly and vertuous liuing As by this story folowing may appeare Ex Panorm lib. 6. Cato being Censor in Rome was so seuere a punisher of transgressoures and so feared for his good and vertuous liuing that like as children in the schole hearing their master comming runne vnto their bookes so when he wente through the citie euery one ranne vnto his businesse Who when he tooke any euill doer he strayghtewayes imprisoned him and in steade of examination the first thing he tooke hold of was their hands which if they had bene laborious and full of harde knots though his crime were very gréeuous yet his chastisemēt was mitigated and made more easie but if the vnhappie prisoner chanced to haue idle hands that is softe and smoothe he shoulde for a small faulte haue greeuous punishment For the Romanes had this prouerbe he that hath good hands muste néedes haue good conditions Ex Marco Aurelio The sayde Alphonsus also called effites and dignities touchstones to try the natures and dispositions of men which can in nothing be so well perceiued as in promotion and dignitie Ex Panormita de rebus gestis Alphonsi li. 6. Of Misfortune and miserie of man. CRates sayde that what state soeuer man follow he shall be sure to finde bitternesse therin In the field labour at home cares in a strange countrey feare if he haue ought in youth folly in age weaknesse in mariage vnquietnesse in lacking a wife sollitarinesse If a man haue children he shall haue cares if he haue none he is halfe maymed so that one of these two sayth he is to be wished either not to be borne or quickly to dye Xerxes séeing Helespontus swimming with his ships and all the playnes therabout mustring with his mē said that he was a right happie man therwith began bitterly to wepe Which soden alteratiō Artabanus his vncle espying wondred and demanded the cause therof Oh quod Xerxes now I remember howe short transitorie mans life is For sée of so great a multitude as here is within this hundred yeres there shal not be one man aliue Ex Plut. in Rom. Apoth When Philip king of Macedonie had subdued Cheronea a citie of Athens and thereby hadde purchased innumerable wealth he began to be hautie and high minded saying that fortune hadde no power to doo him harme But afterwardes béeing aduertised that his pride woulde haue a fall and howe vayne a thing man was he kepte a boy euery day to come to hys chamber doore and with a loude voyce to cry Remember Philip thou art a man. Also his sonne Alexander as he was at the siege of a certayne citie viewing in what place the walles thereof were moste weakest was wounded in the legge with an arrowe But at the first not séeling the smarte thereof procéeded in the siege vntill in fine his legge waxed so sore that he was compelled to take his horse and leaue the fielde And then he sayde Euery one telleth me that I am immortall and sonne to Iupiter but thys wounde playnely sheweth that I am a myserable mortall manne Ex Plutarch in vita Alexand. When flatterers came about Canutes sometimes king of Englande and began to exalte him with highe wordes calling him a king of all kinges moste mightie who had vnder his subiection bothe the people the lande and the sea Canutus reuoluing this matter in hys minde whether for pride of his heart exalted or whether to trie and refell their flattering wordes commaunded his chaire to be broughte to the sea side at what time it should begin to flowe and therein sitting downe charged and commaunded the floudes rising to goe backe and not to touche him But the water kéeping his ordinarie course growing higher and higher began to wash him welfauouredly Wherfore the king starte backe and sayde Lo ye call me a mightie king and yet I can not commaunde this little water to stay but it is like to droune me Dominus Fox Ex Polli li. 7. Hunting li. 6. A scholer of Zenons comming honie to his father was of him demaunded what profite he had attained by his long studie in Philosophie who answered that he would tell him and saying no more his father was offended and thinking his coste caste away he began to beate him Which thing his sonne paciently suffred Then his father demaūded him agayne to she we some experience of his learning to whom his sonne answered Lo this fruite haue I gotten by my Philosophie thus paciently to endure my fathers displeasure Ex Era. l. 8. A poth When one stroke Socrates with hys héeles and his friends sayde that they wondred howe he could put vp so great an iniurie he aunswered them what and if an asse should kicke you woulde you go to laws with him for it Another tyme when one gaue him a blowe he was nothing offended but sayde it was great pitie that menne coulde not tell when to doo on their helmets Ex Eras Pericles béeing rayled on and brawled with of a brabling marchaunt saide nothing but went his wayes home and when the other folowed him incessantly
came vnto Athens with great plentie of golde where when he had intised many vnto him through his great gifts be sent also 70. talentes vnto Photion Who turning him about vnto the bringers away quoth he you naughtie-packes with this geare and tell Harpalus in my name that it shall be to his great gréefe and paine onlesse he abstaine his handes from corrupting the citie Diomedon Cizecenus promised Artaxerxes the great king of Persia that he woulde corrupte Epaminundas with money and so béeing well furnished therewith he repaired to Thebes where when he hadde corrupted Michitus a yong man he thoughte likewise to haue dealte with Epaminundas But he answeared Diomedon it was néedelesse for thée to bring me this money For if the kings pleasure tende to the weale publike I promisse thée I will doe it francke and fréely if not no worldlye wealthe shall cause me to accorde thereto And as for thée Diomedon bicause not knowing me thou déemedst me like thy selfe I forgiue thée but I charge thée gette thée hence leaste that when thou canste not preuaile with me thou corruptest others Héereat when Diomedon gan to feare that he shuld not escape Epaminundas willed him not to feare For I will quoth he dismisse thée safe not only for thy sake but also for my owne honestie least some suppose that whereas I would not take the mony of thée I should now take it from thée When Aetolis sawe earthen vessels on Q. Tuberius table at his retourning home he sente him plate of siluer but Tuberius neglecting suche pompe sente them vnto him againe The Ambassadors of king Alexander bringing vnto Xenocrites 50. talentes which in those days specially amōgst the Atheniens was coumpted a greate summe of money Xenocrites broughte them to supper into the colledge intertaining them homely and with his ordinarie fare On the morowe they asked him who shuld receiue the mony wherto he answeared why did you not perceiue by yesterdays supper that we lack no money At which woordes when he sawe them sory he tooke of them thirtie poundes to the intent they shoulde not thinke that he despised the kings liberalitie and so dismissed them When Alexander hadde taken king Darius wife captiue albeit shée wer the fairest Quene liuing yet he neuer medled with hir But shutting hir and hir daughters in the Temples he suffered them to liue vnséene of any and woulde say in iest that the Persian damsels were eyesores Xenocrates Plato his scholler was a man of wonderous continencie In somuche that whereas Phryne a passing faire strumpet had laide a wager with certain yongmen that shée would allure him vnto hir pleasure shée coulde by no whorishe trickes prouoke him thereto But when the yongmen required the wager shée answered that hir wager was laide of a man and not of an image Valentinus the Emperor at the houre of his death sayd that one conquest only reioyced him and being asked what that was He answered that nowe I haue subdued my fleshe the wickedst greatest enimie that euer I had S. Ierome telleth of a certaine yongman which by the commaundement of Decius Valerianus was laide in a pleasant garden and there brought vnto him a faire faced harlot who with hir dalying indeuored to prouoke him to sinne but such was his continencie that when shée went aboute to kisse him he bitte of his tong and spit it in hir face As Alexander trauailed by the way and thereby had gotten a great thirst it happened that one presented vnto him a helmet full of water who receiuing the helmet in his hande and beholding his horsemen aboute him he bowed downe his head beheld the drinke and restored the drinke not tasting thereof but sayde vnto his chéefe men if I alone shoulde drinke all these would be a thirst Remembring well the Ouidian verse Est virtus placitis abstinuisse bonis Great vertue t' is from present pray mans fansie to refrayne When Pompei was sicke and therby had no appetite vnto his meat his Phisitian commaunded them to dresse him a thrushe but such either was the time of the yere or else the scarcitie of things that for money none could be had only they tolde him that Lucullus had one in his cage but he would none of him saying and can I not liue onlesse I haue Lucullus his wanton toyes Of accusing and speaking euill of others A Certayne Sophist called Zoilus indyted many rayling commentaries which he presented to Ptolomie king of Egypt hoping to haue had some greate rewarde of the king for his paynes but when the kyng gaue him nothing he was so néedie that he procured some to demaunde the kinges liberalitye whereat the king had greate wonder that Homer so many yeares after his death could féed so many thousand men and Zoilus who professed him selfe better learned than Homer shoulde stande in so great néede And on that occasion caused him to be punyshed for hys labour Memnon a capitayne of Darius fighting agaynst Alexander and hearing one of his souldiers rayling agaynst the king his enimie stroke him with his speare and sayde I kéepe thée to fight agaynst Alexander and not to rayle on him When Antigonus his souldiers reuiled hym not thynking that he was present he opening his tente with hys rodde sayde go further to rayle on vs or else it shall be to your payne But Seneca in his third booke of Ire sayth that he sayde Stande further sirs least the king heare you Also the same king Antigonus hearing his souldiers curse him bicause that in a darke nighte he had broughte them into suche a mierie place that they could hardly go out he came him selfe they not knowing him and holps them euery one out And now quoth he curse Antigonus which broughte you into the mire but pray for him which pulled you out When a certaine drunken gest had railed on the crueltie of Pesistratus king of Athens and his frends willed the king to punishe him therefore he answered that he was no more offended with him therefore than he woulde be if a blindefolde man shoulde vnawares runne against him Pirrhus the king hearing that some wihtoute cause had railed on him he caused the parties accused to be sent for demaunding them whether they had saide of him as the reporte wente they did Wherto one of them answeared yea O king and should haue said muche more had we had more wine to haue prouoked vs thereto Whereat king Pirrhus laughing suffred thē to depart in peace It was tolde Augustus that Aemilius spake euill of him who turning him aboute vnto the accusers as thoughe he were in a great chafe sayd I would you could proue it on him Aemilius shoulde then knowe that I haue a tong too For I would say as muche of him Philip king of Macedome being railed on by one Nicander beganne to bestowe many giftes on him after this Nicander changing his note began now as faste to praise him Wherefore Philip turning
downe their eyes and lamented that not only an vpright and iust man but euen Iustice hir self as it wer should so be dealt with all Only one spit in his face as he came by Wherewith Aristides nothing moued in smiling sorte desired the magistrate to take him away that he might no more so frowardly trouble them Of Crafte or subteltie ALexander king of Macedonie meaning to destroy Lapsacus the Citie wherein Anaximenes his maister dwelled prepared with all his mighte to accomplishe his pretended purpose But it happened as he came nighe the Citie he espied Anaximenes his master within the walles wherefore knowing that he would dissuade him from his purpose thincking to preuent him he made an othe that he woulde not graunte Anaximenes hys fuse Héereof Anaximenes as it shoulde seeme hauing some priuie intelligence came vnto him and desired that he wold destroye Lapsacus And so Alexander who hadde sworne to denie his request to saue his othe was forced to spare the Citie which he so faine woulde haue destroyed On a time two straungers deliuered a certaine summe of money to a woman to kéepe on that condition that shée should deliuer to neither of them their portion vntill they bothe came together to fetche it But shortly after one of them faining that his fellowe was dead came and had bothe theyr portions deliuered him It happened not long after that the other whome the woman supposed to haue ben dead came and required his part Wherfore the woman not hauing wherewith to paye him and not knowing howe to doe meante to hang hir selfe oute of the way But Demosthenes deliuered hir of hir greate sorrowe and care willing hir that when he came againe she shoulde bidde him bring hys fellowe according to his former promisse and he should haue his money Semiramis Quéene of the Assirians making warre into India that shée might make them afeard with the sight of Elephantes whiche they supposed to be no where but in Jndia caused Oxehides to be sowen in the likenesse of Elephants and to be stuffed with hay hauing eche of them within it a Camell an armed Knighte sitting on his backe Trimellius a citizen of Rome remouing and abiding with his whole familie in the countrey one of his seruauntes finding a sowe of his neighbors abrode killed hir and broughte hir home Whose carkesse being dressed Trimellius layd vnder the blākets wherin his wife lay And when his neighboure made inquisition search for the sow he swore that he had but one and shée laye vnder his blankettes And therwith bringing them into the chāber he shewed the bed where this wife laye And so with this iest deceiued his neighbor and caused his wife for euer afterwardes to be called Trimellius sowe When Photion coulde by no meanes kéepe the Atheniens from making an vnprofitable warre wyth the Boetians he commaunded that all men from the age of seuentéene to seuentie shoulds within fiue days after come before hym in complet harnis Whereat they stomaking the mater that aged men shuld be brought to that poynt he aunswered them what wrong shall I do you when I my selfe which am fourescore yeares olde shall be present with you And by that meanes quited them from prosecuting their pretended war. After that the Magarenses and the Atheniens had a long while made war for the I le of Salamis almoste vnto the vtter decay of them bothe it was in fine concluded by the Atheniens that who so made any law of rechalenging the sayd Iland should loose his life for it Wherfore Solon being verie carefull in thys case what to doe knowing that by holding his peace he should do the common wealth no good and on the other syde by counselling them thereto he shoulde be in danger of his life he sayned himselfe to be madde and like a madde man ranne about the stréetes and so causing a great assembly of people to come about him he persuaded them with such verses as he neuer before vsed and so preuailed therein that with all expedition they prepared them selues to renue the war agaynst the Megarenses In the tyme of the war betwene the Lacedemonians and the Athenians the Lacedemonians hauing the better to the intente to bring Pericles the Athenian Capitayne in suspition lefte all his landes vntouched which thing he foretolde the Athenians and to auoyde the enuic which they thoughte hereby to cause him incurre he gaue all those his landes to the vse of the common wealth When Medea would be reuenged of Pelias she promised to make him yong agayne and the better to persuade hym therto in his presence she transformed hir selfe from an olde woman vnto youthly yeres agayne Wherefore he commaunded his daughters to do what soeuer shée shoulde commaunde them Wherevppon when he was a sléepe she commaunded them to take him and teare hym in péeces and afterwardes to put him in a cauldron that she might by that meanes restore hym to hys youth And so was she reuenged and he stayne by his owne daughters and through his owne commaundement Of Crueltie and Immanitie TVllius Cicero wyth his owne handes wrote a Decrée agaynst Anthonius the which he lykewyse pronounced agaynst hym in the common place But Anthonius reuenged hym causing hys heade and his handes to bée cutte off and fastened in the same place And as Dion wryteth Fuluia Anthonies wyfe holding hys heade in hir lappe wyth moste opprobrious wordes rayled and cursed it spitting on it and opening his mouthe pulled out his tongue whiche she all bepricked with pinnes When Vitellius vnderstoode that Otho his enimie was slaine in the fielde Bebryacus and comming thither sawe the dead carkasse lying on the grounde whereas others abhorred the stenche of it he with a detestable voyce cryed out that the dead corpse of his enimie especially béeing a citizen had a swéete sauour in his nose But afterwardes he him selfe hauing his handes bounde behinde him a halter aboute his necke and his haire cutte of like a condemned person was for a mocking stocke so drawen alongst all the way to the temple And finally béeing set vpon the Gemoniā ladders had his head hacked of with little strokes and thence was tumbled downe into Tyber After that the Tribunes had slayne Apuleius the Senate and the people of Rome consented that Metellus shoulde be reuoked from banyshement whereto Publius Furius then béeing Tribune woulde in no wyse consente no not though his sonne with teares desired it on hys knées Which sonne of Metellus was surnamed for thys Pius Pityfull The nexte yere Caius Cornelius succeding Furius in the Tribuneshippe for this caused him to be called to accounte but so had his harde and cruell harte incensed the people agaynst him that they not abiding his answer rēt him in peces Suche was the wretched crueltie of Domitius Nero that he commaunded Ruffinus his sonne in lawe to be caste in the sea also he put to death his owne sister béeing great with childe
was conteyned the minte and money coyned for that countrey to the value of a great substaunce Whiche when the souldier had founde in breaking vp a house where the first grosse metall was not yet perfitly wroughte he came to the Earle declaring vnto him the treasure to knowe what was his pleasure therein To whome the valiaunt captayne answered that the house was his what so euer he founde therein Afterwardes the souldier finding a whole minte of pure siluer ready coined signifying the same to the Earle thinking so great treasure to be to much for his portion To whome the sayde Earle answered and sayde that he had once giuen him the whole house for his portion and that he hadde once giuen he would not call backe as children vse to play and if the money were thrise as muche it should be his owne Dominus Fox Ex Chro. Albanea Dionisius the elder comming to his sonnes house and séeing there greate store of plate bethe of siluer and golde cryed oute and sayde O my sonne thou haste no princely stomacke which canst kéepe all this plate to thy selfe and make friends with none of it Meaning that without the good will of the citizens he shoulde neuer aspire to be prince and hardely kéepe his kingdome if he had it But the vnskilfull yong man thoughte it better to haue a house well garnished than to haue faythfull friendes abroade in the citie Brus lib. 3. cap. 28. Iohn Patricke béeing sometimes a hardeand a sparing man as he was at his prayers on a time there appeared vnto him a comely virgin hauing on hir head a garlande of Oliue leaues which named hir selfe Mercie saying to him and promising that if he would take hir to wyfe he shoulde prosper maruellously well Wherefore after that day he became so bountifull and beneficiall to the poore and néedie that he counted them as his Masters and hym selfe as a seruaunt and stewards vnto them He vsed twyce a weeke to sitte at hys doore all the day long to take vppe matters and to sette vnitie where there was any variaunce One day it happened as he was sitting all day before hys gate and sawe no man come vnto him he lamented bicause that that day he had done no good But his Deacon standing by sayde that he had more cause to reioyce seting that he had brought the citie to suche perfection that there néeded no reconcylement amongest them An other tyme as he was reading the Gospell the people as their manner is wente foorthe to talke and iangle he perceyuing that wente foorthe aâ—â—e and saâ—e amongst them and sayd where the flock is there ought the shepheard to be Wherfore either come you in that I also may come in with you or else if ye tarie out I wil likewise tarie with you Dominus Fox ex Polly chro li. 5. cap. 10. Osevvie sometimes king of Deira in Englande was a prince of wonderous liberalitie towardes his people and no lesse deuoute and religious towardes god Who on a tyme had giuen to Adianus a Scottishe Bishop a princely horse with trappers and all that perteyned thereto This Adianus as he was riding vpon his kingly horse there méeteth him a begger crauing his almes Adianus hauing nothing else to giue hym lighted downe and giueth to him his horse trapped and garnished as he was The king vnderstanding this and not contented therewith as he was entring at diner with the sayde Adianus what mente you father byshop sayde he to giue away my horse I gaue you vnto the begger had not I other horses in my stable that might haue serued him but you muste giue away that which of purpose was picked out for you To whome the Byshopp aunswered and sayde what be these wordes O king that you speake Why sette you more price by a horse which is but the foale of a horse than you did by him which is the sonne of Marie yea the sonne of God He sayd but this and the king fell downe at the Bishops féete destring him to forgiue him that and he woulde neuer after speake any worde for giuing away any treasure of his Dominus Fox Pa. 164. Ex Hunting de hist Angli Of Mariage wyues and vvomen WHen the realme of Carthage was flourishing in riches and happy in armes they ruled the common wealth by wise Philosophers and sustayned it by discrete armies on the sea At which tyme Arminius the Philosopher was aswell estéemed amongest them as Demosthenes amongest the Gréekes or Cicero amongest the Latines Fourescore yeres he liued quietly as a baron moste peacible of minde And was as strange to women as familiar with his bookes Then the Senate séeing he was much broken with the common wealth withdrawen from al naturall recreation they desired him with gret instance to be maried that mentorie mighte be had of so wise a man in time to come But she more importunate they were the more he resisted and sayde I will not be marryed For if she be foule I shall abhorre hir If shee be riche I muste suffer hir if she be poore I muste mayntayne hir if she be faire I muste take heede of hir if she be a shrewe I canne not suffer hir And the least pestilence of all these is inough to slea a thousande menue Ex Marco Aurelio When one asked Socrates whether it were better to marrie or to liue single He answered whether of bothe thou doest it shall repente thée For if thou marrie not thou shalte liue solitarily thou shalte dye withoute issue and a straunge â–ª shall inherite thy lande on the other side if thou take a wise thou shalte haue perpetual vexation and continuall complayning Hir dourie shall be caste in thy dishe hir kinsefolkes shall bend the browes at thée and hir mother shall speake hir pleasure by thée And besides this little knoweth the father what shall be the ende of his children Brus li. 7. ca. 22. Laer. li. 2. ca. 5. When Cneius Pompeius passed the Orient on the mountaynes Rifees he founde a manner of people called Masagetes whiche hadde a lawe that euery inhabitaunte shoulde haue two tunnes or fattes bicause they had no houses to dwell in In one of them was conteyned the husbande their sonnes and their menne seruauntes and in the other the wyfe the daughters and their mayd seruaunts On the holidayes they did eate togither and once a wéeke lay togither Hereat when Pompei wondred demaunded the cause therof they answered because the Gods haue giuen vs but a shorte life for none of vs may lius aboue lx yeres at the moste those yeares we indeuour to liue in peace and tranquilitie And in hauing our wyues still with vs wée shoulde liue euer dying For wée shoulde passe the nyghtes in hearing their complayntes and the day in abyding their chidinges and braulâ—â—ges but in kéeping them this wyse a parse from vs they nourishe their children more peaceable and eschews the noyse which slayeth their fathers Ex Marco