most pleasant for the thing it selfe is plaine and evident to all the world To saie nothing of Homers testimonie who speaking of sleepe writeth thus Most sweetly doth a man sleepe in his bed When least he wakes and 〈◊〉 most to be dead The same he iterateth in many places and namely once in this wise With pleasant sleepe she there did meet Deaths brother germain you may weet And againe Death and sleepe are sister and brother Both twinnes resembling one another Where by the way he lively declareth their similitude and calling them twins for that brothers and sisters twinnes for the most part be very like and in another place besides he calleth death a brasen sleepe giving us thereby to understand how sencelesse death is neither seemeth he unelegantly and besides the purpose whosoever he was to have expressed as much in this verse when he said That sleepes who doth them well advise Of death are pettie mysteries And in very deed sleepe doth represent as it were a preamble inducement or first profession toward death in like manner also the cynick philosopher Diogenes said very wisely to this point for being surpressed and overtaken with a dead sleepe a little before he yeelded up the ghost when the physician wakened him and demaunded what extraordinary symptome or grievous accident was befallen unto him None quoth he onely one brother is come before another to wit sleepe before death and thus much of the first resemblance Now if death be like unto a farre journey or long pilgrimage yet even so there is no evill at all therein but rather good which is cleane contrary for to be in servitude no longer unto the flesh nor enthralled to the passions thereof which seizing upon the soule doe empeach the same and fill it with all follies and mortall vanities is no doubt a great blessednesse and felicitie for as Plato saith The body bringeth upon us an infinit number of troubles and hinderances about the necessarie maintenance of it selfe and in case there be any maladies besides they divert and turne us cleane away from the inquisition and contemplation of the truth and in stead thereof pester and stuffe us full of wanton loves of lusts feares foolish fansies imaginations and vanities of all sorts insomuch as it is most true which is commonly saide That from the bodie there commeth no goodnesse nor wisedome at all For what else bringeth upon us warres seditions battels and fights but the bodie and the greedie appetites and lusts proceeding from it for to say a truth from whence arise all warres but from the covetous desire of money and having more goods neither are we driven to purchase and gather still but onely for to enterteine the bodie and serve the turne thereof and whiles we are amused emploied thereabout we have no time to studie Philosophie finally which is the woorst and very extremitie of all in case we find some leasure to follow our booke and enter into the studie and contemplation of things this body of ours at al times in every place is ready to interrupt and put us out it troubleth it empeacheth and so disquieteth us that impossible it is to attaine unto the perfect sight and knowledge of the truth whereby it is apparent and manifest that if ever we would cleerely and purely know any thing we ought to be sequestred and delivered from this bodie and by the eies onely of the mind contemplate view things as they be then shall we have that which we desire and wish then shall we attaine to that which we say we love to wit wisedome even when we are dead as reason teacheth us and not so long as we remaine alive for if it cannot be that together with the bodie we should know any thing purely one of these two things must of necessitie ensue that either never at all or else after death we should attaine unto that knowledge for then and not before the soule shall be apart and separate from the bodie and during our life time so much neerer shall we be unto this knowledge by how much lesse we participate with the body and have little or nothing to doe therewith no more than very necessitie doth require nor be filed with the corrupt nature thereof but pure and neat from all such contagion untill such time as God himselfe free us quite from it and then being fully cleered and delivered from all fleshly and bodily follies we shall converse with them and such like pure intelligences seeing evidently of our selves all that which is pure and sincere to wit truth it selfe for unlawfull it is and not allowable that a pure thing should be infected or once touched by that which is impure and therefore say that death seeme to translate men into some other place yet is it nothing ill in that respect but good rather as Plato hath very well prooved by demōstration in which regard Socrates in my conceit spake most heavenly divinely unto the judges when he said My lords to be affraid of death is nothing else but to seeme wise when a man is nothing lesse it is as much as to make semblance of knowing that which he is most ignorant of for who wotteth certainly what is death or whetherit be the greatest felicitie that may happen to a man yet men doe feare and dread it as if they knew for certaintie that it is the greatest evill in the world To these sage sentences he accordeth well who said thus Let no man stand in doubt and feare of death Since from all travels it him delivereth and not from travels only but also from the greatest miseries in the world whereto it seemeth that the verie gods themselves give testimonie for we reade that many men in recompense of their religion and devotion have received death as a singular gift and favour of the gods But to avoid tedious prolixitie I will forbeare to write of others and content my selfe with making mention of those onely who are most renowmed and voiced by every mans mouth and in the first place rehearse I will the historie of those two yoong gentlemen of 〈◊〉 namely Cleobis and Biton of whom there goeth this report That their mother being priestresse to Juno when the time was come that shee should present herselfe in the temple and the mules that were to draw her coatch thither not in readinesse but making stay behinde they seeing her driven to that exigent and fearing lest the houre should passe under-went themselves the yoke and drew their mother in the coatch to the said temple she being much pleased and taking exceeding joy to see so great pietie and kindnesse in her children praied unto the goddesse that she would vouchsafe to give them the best gift that could befall to man and they the same night following being gone to bedde for to sleepe never rose againe for that the goddesse sent unto them death as the onely recompense and reward of their godlinesse
feareth Neptune and standeth in dread least he shake cleaue and open the earth and so discover hell he will rebuke also himselfe when he is offended and angrie with for Apollo the principal man of all the Greekes of whom Thetu complaineth thus in the Poet Aesohylus as touching Achilles her sonne Himselfe did sing and say al good of me himselfe also at wedding present was Yet for all this himselfe and none but be hath slaine and done to death my sonne alas He will like wise represse the treares of Achilles now departed and of Agamemnon being in hell who in their desire to revive and for the love of this life stretch foorth their impotent and seeble hands And if it chaunce at any time that he be troubled with passions and surprised with their enchantments and sorcerie he will not sticke nor feare to say thus unto himselfe Make hast and speed without delay Recover soone the light of day Beare well in minde what thou seest heere And all report to thy bed feere Homer spake this in mirth and pleasantly fitting indeed the discourse wherein he describeth hell as being in regard of the fiction a tale fit for the eares of women and none els These be the fables that Poets do feigne voluntarily But more in number there are which they neither devisenor counterfeit but as they are perswaded and do beleeve themselves so they would beare us in hand and infect us with the same untruthes as namely when Homer writeth thus of Iupiter Two lots then of long sleeping death he did in balance put One for Achilles hardy knight and one for Hector stout But when he pis'd it just mids behold str Hectors death Weigh'd downward unto bell beneath Then Phoebus slopt his breath To this fiction Aeschylus the Poët hath aptly fitted one entire Tragedie which he intituled Psychostasia that is to say the weighing of Soules or ghosts in balance Wherein he deviseth to stand at these skales of Iupiter Thetu of the one side and Aurora of the other praying each of them for their sonnes as they fight But there is not a man who seeth not cleerely that this it but a made tale and meere fable devised by Homer either to content and delight the Reader or to bring him into some great admiration and astonishment Likewise in this place T' is Iupiter that mooveth warre He is the cause that men do jarre As also this of another Poët When God above some house will overthrow He makes debate twixt mort all men below These and such like speeches are delivered by Poëts according to the very conceit and beliese which they have whereby the errour and ignorance which themselves are in as touching the nature of the gods they derive and communicate unto us Semblably the strange wonders and marvels of Hell The descriptions by them made which they depaint unto us by fearefull and terrible termes representing unto us the fantasticall apprehensions and imaginations of burning and flaming rivers of hideous places and horrible torments there are not many men but wot well ynough that therein be tales and lies good store no otherwise than in meates and viands you shall finde mixed otherwhiles hurtfull poyson or medicinable drugs For neither Homer nor Pindarus nor Sophocles have written thus of Hell beleeving certainely that there were any such things there From whence the dormant rivers dead of blacke and shady night Cast up huge mists and clouds full darke that overwhelme the light Likewise The Ocean coast they sailed still along Fast by the clifs of Leucas rocke among As also Here boyling waves of gulfe so deepe do swell Where lies the way and downfall into hell And as many of them as bewailed and lamented for death as a most piteous and woful thing or feared want of sepulture as a miserable and wretched case uttered their plaints and griefes in these and such like words Forsake me not unburied so Nor unbewailed when you go Semblably And then the soule from body flew and as to hell she went She did her death her losseof strength and youthfull yeeres lament Likewise Doe not me kill before my time for why to see this light Is sweet sorce me not under earth where nothing is but night These are the voices I say of passionate persons captivate before to error and false opinions And therefore they touch us more neerely and trouble us so much the rather when they finde us likewise possessed of such passions and feeblenes of spirit from whence they proceed In which regard we ought to be prepared betimes and provided alwaies before hand to encounter and withstand such illusions having this sentence readily evermore resounding in our cares as it were from a trunke or pipe That Poetrie is fabulous and maketh smal reckoning of Truth As for the truth indeed of these things it is exceeding hard to be conceived comprehended even by those who travell in no other businesse but to search out the knowledge and understanding of the thing as they themselves do confesse And for this purpose these verses of Empedocles would be alwaies readie at hand who saith that the depth of such things as these No eie of man is able to perceive No care to heare nor spirit to conceive Like as these also of Xenophanes Never was man nor ever will be Able to sound the veritie Of those things which of God I write Or of the world I do endite And I assure you The very words of Socrates in Plato imply no lesse who protesteth and bindeth it with an oath that he cannot attaine to the knowledge of these matters And this will be a good motive to induce yoong men to give lesse credit unto Poëts as touching their certaine knowledge in these points wherein they perceive the Philosophers themselves so doubtfull and perplexed yea and therewith so much troubled Also the better shall we stay the mind of a yoong man cause him to be more warie if at his first entrance into the reading of Poëts we describe Poetrie unto him giving him to understand that it is an art of Imitation a science correspondent every way to the seat of painting and not onely must he be acquainted with the hearing of that vulgar speech so common in every mans mouth that Poësie is a speaking picture and picture a dumbe Poësie but also we ought to teach him that when we behold a Lizard or an Ape wel painted or the face of Thersites lively drawen we take pleasure therein praise the same wonderfully not for any beautie in the one or in the other but because they are so naturally counterfeited For that which is soule of it selfe ilfavored in the owne nature cannot be made faire seemly but the skil of resembling a thing wel be the same faire or be it foule is alwaies commended wheras contrariwise he that takes in hand to purtray an ilfavoured bodie and makes thereof a faire beautifull image shall exhibite a
have fallen out so I was in great hope of other matters and little looked I for this so they shall be able to rid us of all sudden pantings and leapings of the hart of unquiet disorderly beating of the pulses and soone stay and settle the furious troublesome motions of impatience Carneades was woont in time of greatest prosperitie to put men in minde of a change for that the thing which hapneth contrarie to our hope and expectation is that which altogether and wholy doth breed sorrow and griefe The kingdome of the Macedonians was not an handfull to the Romaine Empire and dominion and yet king Perseus when he had lost Macedonie did not only himselfe lament his owne fortune most pitiously but in the eies also of the whole world he was reputed a most unfortunate and miserable man But behold Paulus Aemelius whose hap it was to vanquish the said Perseus when he departed out of that Province and made over into the hands of another his whole armie with so great commaund both of land and sea was crowned with a chaplet of flowers and so did sacrifice unto the gods with joy and thanks-giving in the judgement of all men woorthily extolled and reputed as happie For why when he received first that high commission and mightie power withall he knew full well that he was to give it over and resigne it up when his time was expired where as Perseus on the contrarie side lost that which he never made account to lose Certes even the Poet Homer hath given us verie well to understand how forcible that is which hapneth besides hope and unlooked for when he bringeth in Ulysses upon his returne weeping for the death of his dog but when he sate by his owne wife who shed teares plentifully wept not at all for that he had long before at his leasure against this comming home of his prevented and brought into subjection as it were by the rule of reason that passion which otherwise hee knew well enough would have broken out whereas looking for nothing lesse than the death of his dog he fell suddenly into it as having had no time before to represse the same In summe of all those accidents which light upon us contrarie to our will some grieve and vexe us by the course and instinct of nature other and those be the greater part we are woont to be offended and discontented with upon a corrupt opinion and foolish custome that we have taken and therefore we should do verie well against such temptations as these to be ready with that sentence of Menander No harme nor losse thou dost sustaine But that thou list so for to faine And how quoth he can it concerne thee For if no flesh without it wound Nor soule within then all is sound As for example the base parentage and birth of thy father the adulterie of thy wife the losse or repulse of any honor dignitie or preeminence for what should let notwithstanding all these crosses but that thy bodie and minde both may be in right good plight and excellent estate And against those accidents which seeme naturally to grieve and trouble us to wit maladies paines and travels death of deere friends and toward children we may oppose another saying of Euripides the Poët Alas alas and well a-day But why alas and well away Nought else to us hath yet beene delt But that who daily men have felt For no remonstrance nor reason is so effectuall to restraine and stay this passionate and sensuall part of our mind when it is readie to slip and be carried headlong away with our affections as that which call 〈◊〉 remembrance the common and naturall necessitie by meanes whereof a man in 〈◊〉 his bodie being mixed and compounded doth expose and offer this handle as it were 〈◊〉 vantage whereby fortune is to take hold when she wrestleth against him for otherwise a the greatest and most principall things he abideth fast and sure King Demetrius having 〈◊〉 and woon the citie Megara demaunded of Stilpo the wise Philosopher whether he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any goods in the sackage and pillage thereof Sir quoth he I saw not so much as one man carrying any thing of mine away semblably when fortune hath made what spoile nee can and taken from us all other things yet somewhat there remaineth still within our selves Which Greeks do what they can or may Shall neither drive nor beare away In which regard we ought altogether so to depresse debase and throw downe our humaine nature as if it had nothing firme stable and permanent nothing above the reach and power of fortune but contrariwise knowing that it is the least and woorst part of man and the same fraile brittle and subject to death which maketh us to lie open unto fortune and her assaults whereas in respect of the better part we are masters over her and have her at command when there being seated and founded most surely the best and greatest things that we have to wit sound and honest Opinions Arts and Sciences good discourses tending to vertue which be all of a substance incorruptible and whereof we can not be robbed we I say knowing thus much ought in the confidence of our selves to cary a minde invincible and secure against whatsoever shall happen be able to say that to the face of Fortune which Socrates addressing his speech indeed covertly to the Judges seemed to speake against his two accusers Anytus and Melitus Well may Anytus and Melitus bring me to my death but hurt or harme me they shall never be able And even so Fortune hath power to bring a disease or sicknesse upon a man his goods she can take away raise she may a slander of him to tyrant prince or people and bring him out of grace and favour but him that is vertuous honest valiant and magnanimous she can not make wicked dishonest base-minded malicious envious and in one word she hath not power to take from him a good habitude setled upon wisdome and discretion which wheresoever it is alwaies present doth more good unto a man for to guide him how to live than the pilot at sea for to direct a ship in her course for surely the pilot be he never so skilfull knoweth not how to still the rough and surging billowes when he would he can not allay the violence of a tempest or blustering winde neither put into a safe harbor and haven or gaine a commodious bay to anker in at all times and in every coast would he never so faine nor resolutely without feare and trembling when he is in a tempest abide the danger and under-goe all thus farre foorth onely his art serveth so long as he is in no despaire but that his skill may take place To strike main-saile and downe the lee To let ship hull untill he see The foot of mast no more above The sea while he doth not remove But with one hand in other fast Quaketh and panteth
all agast But the disposition and staied minde of a prudent man over and besides that it bringeth the body into a quiet and calme estate by dissipating and dispatching for the most part the occasions and preparatives of diseases and that by continent life sober diet moderate exercises and travels in measure if haply there chance some little beginning or indisposition to a passion upon which the minde is ready to runne it selfe as a ship upon some blinde rocke under the water it can quickly turne about his nimble and light crosse-saile yard as Asclepiades was woont to say and so avoid the danger But say there come upon us some great and extraordinary accident such as neither we looked for nor be able by all the power we have either to overcome or endure the haven is neere at hand we may swim safely thither out of the body as it were out of a vessell that leaketh and taketh water and will no longer holde a passenger as for foolish 〈◊〉 it is the feare of death and not the love of life that causeth them to cling and sticke so close to the body hanging and clasping thereunto no otherwise than Ulysses to the wilde figge tree why hee feared with great horror the gulfe Charybdes roaring under him Whereas the winds would not permit to stay Nor suffer him to rowe or saile away displeased infinitely in the one and dreading fearefully the other But he that some measure be it never so little knoweth the nature of the soule and casteth this with himselfe That by death there is a passage out of this life either to a better state or at least-wise not a woorse certes he is furnished with no meane way-faring provision to bring him to the securit of mind in this life I meane the fearelesse contempt of death for he that may so long as vertue 〈◊〉 the better part of the soule which indeed is proper unto man is predominant live pleasantly 〈◊〉 when the contrary passions which are enemies to nature doeprevaile depart resolutely 〈◊〉 without feare saying thus unto himselfe God will me suffer to be gone When that I will my selfe anon What can we imagine to happen unto a man of this resolution that should encumber trouble or terrifie him for whosoever he was that said I have prevented thee ô Fortune I have stopped up all thy avenewes I have intercepted and choked all the waies of accesse and entry surely he fortified himselfe not with barres and barricadoes not with locks and keies ne yet with mures and walles but with Philosophicall and sage lessons with sententious sawes and with discourses of reason whereof all men that are willing be capable Neither ought a man to discredit the trueth of these and such like things which are committed in writing and give no beleefe unto them but rather to admire and with an affectionate ravishment of spirit embrace and imitate them yea and withall to make a triall and experiment of himselfe first in smaller matters proceeding afterwards to greater untill he reach unto the highest and in no wise to shake off such medirations nor to shift off and seeke to avoid the exercise of the minde in this kinde and in so doing he shall haply finde no such difficultie as he thinketh For as the effeminate delicacy and nicenesse of our mind amused alwaies and loving to be occupied in the most easie objects and retiring eft-soones from the cogitation of those things that fall out crosse unto such as tend unto greatest pleasure causeth it to be soft and tender and imprinteth a certaine daintinesse not able to abide any exercise so if the same minde would by custome learne and exercise it selfe in apprehending the imagination of a maladie of paine travell and of banishment and enforce it selfe by reason to withstand and strive against ech of these accidents it will be found and seene by experience that such things which through an erronious opinion were thought painefull grievous hard and terrible are for the most part but vaine in deed deceitfull and contemptible like as reason will shew the same if a man would consider them each one in particular Howbeit the most part mightily feare and have in horror that verse of Menander No man alive can safely say This case shall never me assay as not knowing how materiall it is to the exempting and freeing of a man from all griefe and sorrow to meditate before-hand and to be able to looke open-eied full against fortune and not to make those apprehensions and imaginations in himselfe soft and effeminate as if hee were fostered and nourished in the shadow under many foolish hopes which ever yeeld to the contrarie and bee not able to resist so much as any one But to come againe unto Menander we have to answer unto him in this maner True it is indeed there is no man living able to say This or this shal never happen unto me howbeit thus much may a man that is alive say and affirme So long as I live I will not do this to wit I will not lie I will never be a cousiner nor circumvent any man I will not defraud any one of his owne neither will I fore-lay and surprise any man by a wile This lieth in our power to promise and performe and this is no small matter but a great meanes to procure tranquillitie and contentment of minde Whereas contrariwise the remorse of conscience when as a man is privie to himselfe and must needs confesse and say These and these wicked parts I have committed festereth in the soule like an ulcer and fore in the flesh and leaveth behind it repentance in the soule which fretteth galleth gnaweth and setteth it a bleeding fresh continually For whereas all other sorrowes griefes and anguishes reason doth take away repentance onely it doth breed and engender which together with shame biteth and punisheth it selfe for like as they who quiver and shake in the feavers called Epioli or contrariwise burne by occasion of other agues are more afflicted and more at ease than those who suffer the same accidents by exterior causes to wit winters cold or summers heat even so all mischances and casuall calamities bring with them lighter dolors and paines as comming from without But when a man is forced thus to confesse My seife I may well thanke for this None els for it blame woorthy is which is an ordinary speech of them who lamentably bewaile their sinnes from the bottome of their hearts it causeth griefe and sorrow to be so much more heavy and it is joyned with shame and infamie whereupon it commeth to passe that neither house richly and sinely furnished nor heapes of gold and silver no parentage or nobilitie of birth no dignitie of estate and authoritie how high soever no grace in speech no force and power of eloquence can yeeld unto a mans life such a calme as it were and peaceable tranquillitie as a soule and conscience cleere from wicked deeds sinfull cogitations
miseries more greevous whereby it is apparent that he who comforteth another whose heart is afslicted with sorrow and anguish giving him to understand that his infortunitie is common to more besides him by laying before his face the semblable accidents which have befallen to others changeth in him the sense and opinion of his owne greevance and imprinteth in him a certeine setled perswasion that his misfortune is nothing so great as he deemed it to be before Aeschylus likewise seemeth with very great reason to reproove those who imagine that death is naught saying in this wise How wrongfully have men death in disdaine Of many evils the remedie soveraigne For in imitation of him right well said he whosoever was the authour of this sentence Come death to cure my painfull malady The onely leech that bringeth remeay For hell is th' haven for worlds calamity And harbour sure in all extremity And verily a great matter it is to be able for to say boldly and with confidence How can he be a slave justlie Who careth not at all to die As also If death me helpe in my hard plight No spirits nor ghosts shall me affright For what hurt is there in death and what is it that should so trouble and molest us when we die A strange case this is I can not see how it commeth to passe that being so well knowen so ordinarily familiar naturall unto us as it is yet it should seeme so painfull dolorous unto us For what wonder is it if that be slit or cut which naturally is given to cleave if that melt which is apt to be molten if that burne which is subject to take fire or if that perish rot which by nature is corruptible and when is it that death is not in our selves for according as Heraclitus saith quicke and dead is all one to awake and to sleepe is the same in yoong and olde there is no difference considering that these things turne one into another and as one passeth the other commeth in place much after the maner of an imager or potter who of one masse of clay is able to give the forme and shape of living creatures and to turne the same into a rude lumpe as it was before he can fashion it againe at his pleasure and confound all together as he list thus it lieth in his power to do and undoe to make and marre as often as he will one after another uncessantly semblably nature of the selfe-same matter framed in times past our ancestours and grandsires and consequently afterwards brought foorth our fathers then she made us and in processe of time will of us ingender others and so proceed still to father posteritie in such sort that as the current as it were of our generation will never stay so the streame also of our corruption will run on still and be perpetuall whether it be the river Acheron or Cocitus as the Poets call them whereof the one signifieth privation of joy the other be tokeneth lamentation And even so that first and principall cause which made us to live and see the light of the sunne the same bringeth us to death and to the darkenesse of hell And hereof we may see an evident demonstration and resemblance by the very aire that compasseth us round about which in alternative course and by turnes representeth unto us the day and afterwards the night it induceth us to a similitude of life and death of waking and sleeping and therefore by good right is life called a fatall debt which we must duely satisfie and be acquit of for our forefathers entred into it first and we are to repay it willingly without grumbling sighing and groaning whensoever the creditour calleth for it unlesse we would be reputed unthankfull and unjust And verily I beleeve that nature seeing the uncertainty and shortnesse of our life would that the end thereof and the prefixed houre of death should be hidden from us for that shee knew it good expedient for us so to be for if it had bene fore-knowen of us some no doubt would have languished and fallen away before with griefe and sorrow dead they would have bene before their death came Consider now the troubles and sorrowes of this life how many cares and crosses it is subject unto certes if wee went about to reckon and number them wee would condemne it as most unhappie yea we would verifie and approove that strong opinion which some have held That it were farre better for a man to die than to live and therefore said the Poet Simonides Full feeble is all humane puissance Vaine is our care and painfull vigilance Mans life is even a short passage Paine upon paine is his arrivage And then comes death that spareth none So fierce so cruell without pardone Over our heads it doth depend And threats alike those that doe spend Their yeeres in vertue and goodnesse As in all sinne and wickednesse Likewise Pindarus For blessing one which men obtaine The gods ordaine them curses twaine And those they can not wisely beare Fooles as they be and will not heare Or thus They can not reach to life immortall Nor yet endure that which is mortall And Sophocles Of mortall men when one is dead Doth thine heart groane and eie teares shead Not knowing once what future gaine May come to him devoid of paine As for Euripides thus he saith In all thy knowledge canst thou find The true condition of mankinde I thinke well No For whence should come Such knowledge deepe to all or some Give eare and thou shalt learne of me The skill thereof in veritie All men ordain'd are once to die The debt is due and paied must be But no man know's if morow next Unto his daies shall be annext And whither fortune bend's her way Who can fore-see and justly say If it be so then that the condition of mans life is such indeed as these great clearks have delivered and described unto us is it not more reason to repute them blessed and happy who are freed from that servitude which they were subject to therein than to deplore and lament their estate as the most part of men doe through follie and ignorance Wise Socrates said that death resembled for all the world either a most deepe and sound sleepe or a voiage farre remote into forraine parts in which a man is long absent from his native countrey or else thirdly an utter abolition and finall dissolution both of soule and bodie Now take which of these three you will according to him there is no harme at all in death for thus he discoursed through them well and beginning at the first in this wise he reasoneth If death quoth he be a kinde of sleepe and those that sleepe feele no ill we must needs confesse likewise that the dead have no sense at all of harme neither is it necessarie to goe in hand to proove that the deepest sleepe is also the sweetest and
who kept him companie loving to his father kinde to his mother affectionate to his kinsefolke and friends studious of good literature and to say all in a word a lover of all men respecting with reverence no lesse than fathers those friends who were elder than himselfe making much of his equals and familiars honoring those who were his teachers to strangers aswell as to citizensmost civill and courteous gracious and pleasant to all generally beloved aswell for his sweet attractive countenance as his lovely affabilitie All this I confesse is most true but you ought to consider and take this withall That he is translated before us in very good time out of this mortall and transitorie life into everlasting eternity carying with him the generall praise and blessed acclamation of all men for his pietie and observance toward you as also for your fatherly regard of him and departed he is as from some banquet before he is fallen into drunkennesse and follie which hee could not have eschewed but it would have ensued upon olde age and if the saying of ancient Poets and Philosophers be true as it seemeth verily to be namely That good men and those that devoutly serve God whensoever they die have honour and preferment in the other world and a place allotted them apart where their soules abide and converse surely you are greatly to hope very well that your sonne is canonized and placed in the number of those blessed saints concerning the state of which happie wights deceased Pindarus the Lyricke Poet writeth in his canticles after this maner When we have here the shadie night The shining sunne to them gives light The medowes by their citie side With roses red are beautified Shaded with trees which please the sense With golden fruits and sweet incense Some horses ride for exercise Disporting in most comely wise Others delight in harmonie In musicke and in symphonie They live where plentie everie houre Of all delights doth freshly floure Where altars of the gods do fume In every coast with sweet perfume Of odors all most redolent Burning in fire farre resplendent Which is maintein'd continually Thus they converse right pleasantly And a little after he proceedeth to another lamentable dittie wherein speaking of the soule he useth these words Happie is their condition Whom death from all vexation 〈◊〉 hath all bodies die Perforce there is no remedie The soule of perpetuitie The image from divinitie Onely deriv'd doth live alway And is not knowen for to decay Whiles limmes to wake and worke are prest She takes her sleepe and quiet rest And doth by many dreames present To those who sleepe her owne judgement Aswell of things which her displease As of such as do her well please Or thus Aswell for vertuous deeds well done As for soule facts which be misdone And as for that divine Philosopher Plato he hath disputed much and alledged many reasons in his treatise of the soule as touching the immortalitie thereof like as in his books of policie in the dialogue intituled Menon in that also which beareth the name of Gorgias and in divers places of many others But as concerning those discourses which he hath expresly made in his dialogue I will give you an extract thereof apart by it selfe according to your request and for this present I will deliver those points which are to the purpose and expedient to the matter in hand to wit what Socrates said to Callicles the Athenian a familiar friend and scholar of Gorgias the Rhetorician Thus therefore saith Socrates in Plato Give eare then and listen unto a most elegant speech which you I suppose will thinke to be a meere fable or tale but I esteeme an undoubted trueth and as a true report I will relate it unto you So it was that according to the narration of Homer Jupiter Neptune and Pluto parted betweene themselves the empire which fell unto them from their father now this law there was concerning men during the reigne of Saturne which also stood in force time out of minde and remaineth even at this day among the gods That looke what man soever lead a just holy life after his death he should take his way directly to certain fortunate islands there to remain in blisse happinesse freed frō all misery and infelicite but contrariwise he that lived unjustly without feare and reverence of the gods should goe to a certeine prison of justice and punishment named Tartarus that is to say Hell now the judges who sat judicially and gave their doome of such persons aswell in Saturnes daies as in the beginning also of the reigne of Jupiter were those men alive who gave sentence and judgement of other men living even upon that very day wherein they were to depart this life by reason wherof there passed many judgements not good until such time as Pluto other procurators or superintendents of those fortunate Isles came and made report unto Jupiter that there were thither sent such persons as were not woorthy unto whom Jupiter made this answer I will take order from hencefoorth and provide that it shall be so no more for the cause of this disorder and abuse in judgement is this that they who are to be tried come clad and arraied unto the barre for to receive their doome whiles they are yet living yea many of them haply having filthie soules are apparelled as it were with faire and beautifull bodies with nobilitie of birth and parentage yea and adorned with riches and whiles they stand before the tribunall to be judged many there be who come to depose and give testimonie in their behalfe that they lived well the judges therefore being dazzeled and amazed with these witnesses and depositions being themselves also likewise arraied do give sentence having before their minds their cies eares teeth and whole bodie covered no marvell therefore if these be impediments to impeach sound and sincere judgement to wit as well their owne vesture as the raiment of the judges First and formost therefore good heed would be had that men may know no more before hand the houre of their death for now they foresee the terme and end of life whereupon let Prometheus have first in charge that from henceforth men may have no fore-knowledge of their dying day and then all judgements heere after shall passe indifferently of them that be all naked For which purpose it were requisit that they be all first dead as well the parties in question as the judges themselves so that they come to heare causes and sit in judgement with their soules onely upon the soules likewise of those who are departed even so soone as they are seperated from the bodies being destitute now and forlorne of all kinsfolke and friends to assist them as having left behind them upon earth all the vesture and ornaments which they were woont to have by which meanes the judgement of them may passe more just and right which I knowing well enough
still bee somewhere and continue though they indured otherwise all maner of paines and calamities than wholy to bee taken out of the universall world and brought to nothing yea and willing they are and take pleasure to heare this spoken of one that is dead How he is departed out of this world into another or gone to God with other such like manner of speeches importing that death is no more but onely a change or alteration but not a totall and entire abolition of the soule And thus they use to speake Then shall I call even there to mind The sweet acquaintance of my friend Also What shall I say from you to Hector bold Or husband yours right deere who liv'd so old And herof proceeded and prevailed this errour that men supposed they are well eased of their sorrow and better appaied when they have interred with the dead the armes weapons instrustruments and garments which they were wont to use ordinarily in their life time like as Minos buried together with Glaucus His Candiot pipes made of the long-shanke bones Of dapple doe or hinde that lived once And if they be perswaded that the dead either desire or demand any thing glad they are and willing to send or bestow the same upon them And thus did Periander who burnt in the funerall fire together with his wife her apparell habilliments and jewels for that he thought she called for them and complained that she lay a cold And such as these are not greatly affraid of any judge Aeacus of Ascalaphus or of the river Acheron considering that they attribute unto them daunces theatricall plaies and all kinde of musicke as if they tooke delight and pleasure therein and yet there is not one of them all but is readie to quake for feare to see that face of death so terrible so unpleasant so glum and grizly deprived of all sense and growen to oblivion and ignorance of all things they tremble for very horrour when they heare any of these words He is dead he is perished he is gone and no more to be seene grievously displeased and offended they be when these and such like speeches are given out Within the earth as deepe as trees do stand His hap shall be to rot and turne to sand No feasts he shall frequent nor heare the lute And harpe ne yet the sound of pleasant flute Againe When once the ghost of man from corps is fled And pass'd the ranks of teeth set thicke in head All meanes to catch and fetch her are but vaine No hope there is of her returne againe But they kill them stone dead who say thus unto them We mortall men have bene once borne for all No second birth we are for to expect We must not looke for life that is eternall Such thoughts as dreames we ought for to reject For casting and considering with themselves that this present life is a smal matter or rather indeed a thing of nought in comparison of eternitie they regard it not nor make any account to enjoy the benefit thereof whereupon they neglect all vertue and the honourable exploits of action as being utterly discouraged and discontented in themselves for the shortnesse of their life so uncerteine and without assurance and in one word because they take themselves unfit and unworthy to performe any great thing For to say that a dead man is deprived of all sense because having bene before compounded that composition is now broken and dissolved to give out also that a thing once dossolved hath no Being at all and in that regard toucheth us not howsoever they seeme to be goodly reasons yet they rid us not from the feare of death but contrariwise they doe more confirme and enforce the same for this is it in deed which nature abhorreth when it shal be said according to the Poet Homers words But as for you both all and some Soone may you earth and water become meaning thereby the resolution of the soule into a thing that hath neither intelligence nor any sense at all which Epicurus holding to be a dissipation thereof into I wot not what emptinesse or voidnesse small indivisible bodies which he termeth Atomi by that meanes cutteth off so much the rather all hope of immortalitie for which I dare well say that all folke living men and women both would willingly be bitten quite thorow and gnawen by the hel-dog Cerberus or cary water away in vessels full of holes in the bottome like as the Danaides did so they might onely have a Being and not perish utterly for ever and be reduced to nothing And yet verily there be not many men who feare these matters taking them to be poeticall fictions and tales devised for pleasure or rather bug beares that mothers and nourses use to fright their children with and even they also who stand in feare of them are provided of certeine ceremonies and expiatorie purgations to helpe themselves withall by which if they be once cleansed and purified they are of opinion that they shall goe into another world to places of pleasure where there is nothing but playing and dauncing continually among those who have the aire cleere the winde milde and pure the light gracious and their voice intelligible whereas the privation of life troubleth both yoong and old for we all even every one of us are sicke for love and exceeding desirous To see the beautie of sunnes light Which on the earth doth shine so bright as Euripides saith neither willing are we but much displeased to heare this And as he spake that great immortall eie Which giveth light thorowout the fabricke wide Of this round world made haste and fast did hie With chariot swift cleane out of sight to ride Thus together with the perswasion and opinion of immortallity they bereave the common people of the greatest and sweetest hopes they have What thinke wee then of those men who are of the better sort and such as have lived justly and devoutly in this life Surely they looke for no evill at all in another world but hope and expect there the greatest and most heavenly blessings that be for first and formost champions or runners in a race are never crowned so long as they be in combat or in their course but after the combat ended and the victory atchieved even so when these persons are perswaded that the proofe of the victorie in this world is due unto them after the course of this life wonderfull it is and it can not be spoken how great contentment they finde in their hearts for the privitie and conscience of their vertue and for those hopes which assure them that they one day shall see those who now abuse their good gifts insolently who commit outrage by the meanes of their might riches and authoritie and who scorne and foolishly mocke such as are better than themselves paie for their deferts and suffer woorthily for their pride and insolencie And forasmuch as never any of them who
reason to induce us thereunto for men are wont to attribute a kinde of divinty unto things which are passing common and the commoditie whereof reacheth farre as for example to water light the seasons of the yeere as for the earth her above the rest they repute not onely divine but also to be a goddesse there is none of all these things rehearsed that salt giveth place unto one jot in regard of use and profit being as it is a fortification to our meats within the bodie and that which commendeth them unto our appetite but yet consider moreover if this be not a divine propertie that it hath namely to preserve and keepe dead bodies free from putrifaction a long while and by that meanes to resist death in some sort for that it suffereth not a mortall bodie wholly to perish and come to nothing but like as the soule being the most divine part of us is that which mainteineth all the rest alive and suffereth not the masse and substance of the bodie to be dissolved and suffer colliquation even so the nature of salt taking hold of dead bodies and imitating heerein the action of the soule preserveth the same holding and staying them that they runne not headlong to corruption giving unto all the parts an amitie accord agreement one with the other and therefore it was elegantly said by some of the Stoicks That the flesh of an hogge was even from the beginning no better than a dead carion but that life being diffused within it as if salt were strewed throughout kept it sweet and so preserved it for to last long Moreover you see that wee esteeme lightning or the fire that commeth by thunder celestiall and divine for that those bodies which have beene smitten therewith are observed by us to continue a great while unputrified and without corruption What marvell is it then if our auncients have esteemed salt divine having the same vertue and nature that this divine and celestiall fire hath Heere I staied my speech and kept silence With that Philinus followed on and pursued the same argument And what thinke you quoth he is not that to be held divine which is generative and hath power to ingender considering that God is thought to be the originall authour creatour and father of all things I avowed no lesse and said it was so And it is quoth he an opinion generally received that salt availeth not a little in the matter of generation as you your selfe touched ere-while speaking of Aegyptian priests they also who keepe and nourish dogs for the race when they see them dull to performe that act and to doe their kinde do excite and awaken their lust and vertue generative that lieth as it were asleepe by giving them aswell as other hot meats salt flesh and fish both that have lien in bring pickle also those ships vessels at sea which ordinarily are fraight with salt breed commonly an infinit number of mice and rats for that as some hold the females or does of that kinde by licking of salt onely will conceive and be bagged without the company of the males or bucks but more probable it is that saltnesse doth procure a certeine itching in the naturall parts of living creatures and by that means provokeht males females both to couple together and peradventure this may be the reason that the beauty of a woman which is not dull and unlovely but full of favor attractive and able to move concupiscence men use to name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say saltish or well seasoned And I suppose that the poets have fained Venus to have beene engendred of the sea not without some reason and that this tale that she should come of salt was devised for the nonce to signifie and make knowen under those covert tearmes that there is in salt a generative power certes this is an ordinarie and generall thing among those poets to make all the sea-gods fathers of many children and very full of issue To conclude you shall not finde any land creature finde any land-creature or flying fowle for fruitfulnesse comparable to any kinde of fishes bred in the sea which no doubt this verse of Empedocles had respect unto Leading a troupe which senselesse were and rude Even of sea-fish a breeding multitude THE SIXTH BOOKE OF SYMPOSIAQUES OR BANQUET-QUESTIONS The Summarie 1 WHat is the reason that men fasting be more at hirst than hungrie 2 Whether it be want of food that causeth hunger and thirst or the transformation and change of the pores and conduit of the bodie be the cause thereof 3 How commeth it that they who be hungrie if they drinke are eased of their hunger but contrariwise those who are thir stie if they eat be more thirstic 4 What is the reason that pit-water when it is drawen if it be left all night within the same aire of the pit becommeth more cold 5 What is the cause that little stones and plates or pellets of lead if they be cast into water cause it to be the colder 6 Why snowe is preserved by covering it with straw chaffe or garments 7 Whether wine is to run throw a strainer 8 What is the cause of extraordinarie hunger or appetites to meat 9 Why the poet Homer when he spcaketh of other liquors useth proper epithits onely oile he calleth moist 10 What is the cause that the flesh of beasts flaine for sacrifiece if they be hanged upon a fig-tree quickly become tender THE SIXTH BOOKE OF Symposiaques or banquet-questions The Proeme PLato being minded to draw Timotheus the sonne of Canon ô Sossius Senecio from sumptuous feasts and superfluous banquets which great captaines commonly make invited him one day to a supper in the Academie which was philosophicall indeed and frugall where the table was not furnished with those viands which might distemper the bodie with feaverous heats and inflamations as Iōn the poet was wont to say but such a supper I say upon which ordinarily there follow kinde and quiet sleeps such fansies also and imaginations as ingender few dreames and those short and in one word where the sleeps do testifie a great calmnesse and tranquillitie of the bodie The morrow after Timotheus perceiving the difference betweene these suppers and the other said That they who supped with Plato over-night found the pleasure and comfort therof the next day and to say a trueth a great helpe and ready meanes to a pleasant and blessed life is the good temperature of the body not drenched in wine nor loaden with viands but light nimble and ready without any feare or distrust to performe all actions and functions of the day-time But there was another commodity no lesse than this which they had who supped with Plato namely the discussing and handling of good and learned questions which were held at the table in supper time for the remembrance of the pleasures in eating and drinking is illiberall and unbeseeming men of worth
those places where the aire toucheth them the bones of water and earth within and of these fower medled and contempered together sweat and teares proceed CHAP. XXIII When and how doth man begin to come to his perfection HERACLITUS and the STOICKS suppose that men doe enter into their perfection about the second septimane of their age at what time as their naturall seed doth moove and runne for even the very trees begin then to grow unto their perfection namely when as they begin to engender their 〈◊〉 for before then unperfect they are namely so long as they be unripe and fruitlesse and therefore a man likewise about that time is perfect and at this septenarie of yeeres he beginneth to conceive and understand what is good and evill yea and to learne the same Some thinke that a man is consummate at the end of the third septimane of yeeres what time as he maketh use of his full strength CHAP. XXIIII In what manner Sleepe is occasioned or death ALCMEON is of this mind that Sleepe is caused by the returne of blood into the confluent veines and Waking is the diffusion and spreading of the said blood abroad but Death the utter departure thereof EMPEDOCLES holdeth that Sleepe is occasioned by a moderate cooling of the naturall heat of blood within us and Death by an extreme coldnesse of the said blood DIOGENES is of opinion that if blood being diffused and spred throughout fill the veines and withall drive backe the aire setled 〈◊〉 into the breast and the interior belly under it then ensueth Sleepe and the breast with the precordiall parts are 〈◊〉 thereby but if that aereous substance in the 〈◊〉 exspire altogether and exhale forth presently 〈◊〉 Death PLATO and the 〈◊〉 affirme that the 〈◊〉 of Sleep is the 〈◊〉 of the spirit sensitive not by way of 〈◊〉 and to the earth 〈◊〉 by elevation aloft namely when it is carried to the 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 between the 〈◊〉 the very 〈◊〉 of reason but when there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 sensitive 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Death doth ensue CHAP. XXV Whether of the twaine it is that 〈◊〉 or dieth the Soule or the Bodie ARISTOTLE vorely 〈◊〉 that Sleepe is common to Bodie and Soule both and the cause thereof is a certaine humiditie which doth steeme and arise in manner of a vapour out of the stomack and the food therein up into the region of the head and the naturall heat about the heart cooled thereby But death he deemeth to be an entire and totall refrigeration and the same of the Bodie onely and in no wise of the Soule for it is immortall ANAXAGORAS saith that Sleepe belongeth to corporall action as being a passion of the Bodie and not of the Soule also that there is 〈◊〉 wife a certaine death of the Bodie to wit the separation of it and the Bodie 〈◊〉 LEUCIPPUS is of opinion that Sleepe pertaineth to the Bodie onely by concretion of that which was of subtile parts but the excessive excretion of the animall heat is Death which both saith he be passions of the Bodie and not of the Soule EMPEDOCLES saith that Death is a separation of those elements whereof mans Bodie is compounded according to which position Death is common to Soule and Bodie and Sleep a certaine dissipation of that which is of the nature of fire CHAP. XXVI How Plants come to grow and whether they be animate PLATO and EMPEDOCLES hold that Plants have life yea and be animall creatures which appeareth say they by this that they wag to and fro and stretch forth their boughs like armes also that when they be violently strained and bent they yeeld but if they be let loose they returne againe yea in their growth are able to overcome waight laid upon them ARISTOTLE granteth that they be living creatures but not animall for that animal creatures have motions and appetites are sensitive and endued with reason The STOICKS and the EPIGUREANS hold that they have no soule or life at all for of animallcreatures some have the appetitive concupsicible soule others the reasonable but Plants grow after a sort casually of their owne accord and not by the meanes of any soule EMPEDOCLES saith that Trees sprang and grew out of the ground before animall creatures to wit ere the Sunne desplaied his beames and before that day and night were distinct Also that according to the proportion of temperature one came to be named Male another Female that they 〈◊〉 up and grow by the power of heat within the earth in such sort as they be parts of the earth like as unborne fruits in the wombe be parts of the matrice As for the fruits of trees they are the superfluous excrements of water and fire but such as have defect of that humiditie when it is dried up by the heat of the Summer lose their leaves whereas they that have plentie thereof keepe their leaves on still as for example the Laurell Olive and Date tree Now as touching the difference of their juices and sapors it proceedeth from the diversitie of that which nourisheth them as appeareth in Vines for the difference of Vine trees maketh not the goodnesse of Vines for to be drunke but the nutriment that the territorie and soile doth affoord CHAP. XXVII Of 〈◊〉 and Growth EMPEDOCLES is of opinion that animall creatures are nourished by the substance of that which is proper and familiar unto them that they grow by the presence of naturall heat that they diminish 〈◊〉 and perish through the default both of the one and the other And as for men now a daies living in comparison of their auncestos they be but babes new borne CHAP. XXVIII How 〈◊〉 creatures came to have appetite and pleasure EMPEDOCLES supposeth that Lust and Appetites are incident to animall creatures through the defect of those elements which went unto the framing of ech one that pleasures arise from humiditie as for the motions of perils and such like as also troubles and hinderances c. **** CHAP. XXIX After what sort a Fever is engendred and whether it is an accessary to another malady ERASISTRATUS defineth a Fever thus A Fever quoth he is the motion of bloud which is entred into the veines or vessels proper unto the spirits to wit the arteries and that against the will of the patient for like as the sea when nothing troubleth it lieth still and quiet but if a boisterous and violent winde be up and bloweth upon it contrary unto nature it surgeth and riseth up into billowes even from the very bottom so in the body of man when the bloud is mooved it invadeth the vitall and spirituall vessels and being set on fire it enchafeth the whole body And according to the same physicians opinion a Fever is an accessary or consequent comming upon another disease But DIOCLES affirmeth that Symptones apparent without foorth doe shew that which lieth hidden within Now we see that an Ague followeth upon those accidents
another when they be parted and asunder and they embrace one the other in the darke many times Moreover that this Core or Proserpina is one while above in heaven and in the light another while in darkenesse and the night is not untrue onely there is some error in reckoning and numbring the time For we see her not six moneths but every sixth moneth or from six moneths to six moneths under the earth as under her mother caught with the shadow and seldome is it found that this should happen within five moneths for that it is impossible that she should abandon and leave Pluto being his wife according as Homer hath signified although under darke and covert wordes not untruely saying But to the farthest borders of the earth and utmost end Even to the faire Elysian fields the gods then shall thee send For looke where the shadow endeth and goeth no farther that is called the limit and end of the earth and thither no wicked and impure person shall ever be able to come But good folke after their death in the world being thither carried lead there another easie life in peace and repose howbeit not altogether a blessed happie and divine life untill they die a second death but what death this is aske me not my Sylla for I purpose of my selfe to declare shew it unto you hereafter The vulgar sort be of opinion that man is a subject compounded and good reason they have so to thinke but in beleeving that he consisteth of two parts onely they are deceived for they imagine that the understanding is in some sort a part of the soule but the understanding is better than the soule by how much the soule is better and more divine than the bodie Now the conjunction or composition of the soule with understanding maketh reason but with the bodie passion whereof this is the beginning and principle of pleasure and paine the other of vertue and vice Of these three conjoined and compact in one the earth yeeldeth for her part the body the Moone the soule and the Sunne understanding to the generation or creation of man and understanding giveth reason unto the soule **** even as the Sunne light and brightnesse to the Moone As touching the deathes which we die the one maketh man of 3. two and the other of 2. one And the former verily is in the region and jurisdiction of Ceres which is the cause that we sacrifice unto her Thus it commeth to passe that the Athenians called in olde time those that were departed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Cereales As for the other death it is in the Moone or region of Proserpina And as with the one terrestriall Mercury so with the other celestiall Mercurie doth inhabit And verily Ceres dissolveth and seperateth the soule from the bodie sodainly and forcibly with violence but Proserpina parteth the understanding from the soule gently and in long time And heereupon it is that the is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one would say begetting one for that the better part in a man becommeth one and alone when by her it is separated and both the one and the other hapneth according to nature Every soule without understanding as also endued with understanding when it is departed out of the body is ordeined by fatall destiny to wander for a time but not both alike in a middle region betweene the earth and the Moone For such soules as have beene unjust wicked and dissolute suffer due punishment and paines for their sinfull deserts whereas the good and honest untill such time as they have purified and by expiration purged foorth of them all those infections which might be contracted by the contagion of the body as the cause of all evill must remaine for a certeine set time in the mildest region of the aire which they call the meddowes of Pluto Afterwards as if they were returned from some long pilgrimage or wandring exile into their owne countrey they have a taste of joy such as they fecie especially who are professed in holy mysteries mixed with trouble and admiration and ech one with their proper and peculiar hope for it driveth and chaseth foorth many soules which longed already after the Moone Some take pleasure to be still beneath and even yet looke downward as it were to the bottome but such as be mounted aloft and are there most surely bestowed first as victorious stand round about adorned with garlands and those made of the wings of Eustathia that is to saie Constancie because in their life time here upon earth they had bridled and restreined the unreasonable and passible part of the soule and made it subject and obedient to the bridle of reason Secondly they resemble in sight the raies of the Sunne Thirdly the soule thus ascended on high is there confirmed and fortified by the pure aire about the Moone where it doth gather strength and solidity like as iron and steele by their tincture become hard For that which hitherto was loose rare and spongeous groweth close compact and firme yea and becommeth shining and transparent in such sort as nourished it is with the least exhalation in the world This is that Heracletus meant when he said that the soules in Plutoes region have a quicke sent or smelling And first they behold there the greatnesse of the Moone her beauty and nature which is not simple nor void of mixture but as it were a composition of a starre and of earth And as earth mingled with a spirituall aire and moisture becommeth soft and the blood tempered with flesh giveth it sense even so say they the Moone mingled with a celestiall quintessence even to the very bottome of it is made animate fruitfull and generative and withall equally counterpeised with ponderosity and lightnesse For the whole world it selfe being thus composed of things which naturally moove downward and upward is altogether void of motion locall from place to place which it seemth that Xenocrates himselfe by a divine discourse of reason understood taking the first light thereof from Plato For Plato was he who first affirmed that every starre was compounded of fire and earth by the meanes of middle natures given in certeine proportion in as much as there is nothing object to the sense of man which hath not in some proportion a mixture of earth and light And Xenocrates said that the Sunne is compounded of fire and the first or primitive solid the Moone of a second solid and her proper aire in summe throughout neither solid alone by it selfe nor the rare apart is capable and susceptible of a soule Thus much as touching the substance of the Moone As for the grandence bignesse thereof it is not such as the Geometricians set downe but farre greater by many degrees And seldome doth it measure the shadow of the earth by her greatnesse not for that the same is small but for that it bringeth a most servent and swift motion to the end
ready and ever in hand and be subject evermore to alternative alterations therefore they be laid abroad and displaied for to be seene often But the intelligence of that which is spirituall and intellectuall pure simple and holy shining as a flash of lightning offereth it selfe unto the soule but once for to be touched and seene And therefore Plato and Aristotle call this part of Philosophie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that those who discourse of reason have passed beyond all matters subject to mingled variable opinions leape at length to the contemplation of this first principle which is simple and not materiall and after they have in some sort attained to the pure and sincere trueth of it they suppose that their Philosophy as now accomplished is come to 〈◊〉 perfection And that which the priests in these daies are very precise and wary to shew keeping it hidden and secret with so great care and diligence allowing not so much as a sight thereof secretly by the way also that this god raigneth ruleth over the dead and is no other than he whom the Greeks name Hades and Pluto the common people not understanding how this is true are much troubled thinking it very strange that the holy sacred Osiris should dwell within or under the earth where their bodies lie who are thought to be come unto their finall end But he verily is most farre remooved from the earth without staine or pollution pure and void of all substance or nature that may admit death or any corruption whatsoever Howbeit the soules of men so long as they be heere beneath clad within bodies and passions can have no participation of God unlesse it be so much onely as they may attaine unto the intelligence of by the study of Philosophy and the same is but in maner of a darke dreame But when they shall be delivered from these bonds and passe into this holy place where there is no passion nor passible forme then the same god is their conductour and king then they cleave unto him as much as possible they can him they contemplate and behold without satietie desiring that beautie which it is not possible for men to utter and expresse whereof according to the old tales Isis was alwaies inamoured and having pursued after it untill she enjoied the same she afterwards became replenished with all goodnesse and beautie that heere may be engendred And thus much may suffice for that sense and interpretation which is most beseeming the gods Now if we must besides speake as I promised before of the incense and odors which are burnt every day let a man consider first in his minde and take this with him that the Aegyptians were men evermore most studious in those matters which made for the health of their bodies but principally in this regard they had in recommendation those that concerned the ceremonies of divine service in their sanctifications and in their ordinary life and conversation wherein they have no lesse regard unto holsomnesse then to holinesse For they thinke it neither lawfull nor beseeming to serve that essence which is altogether pure every way sound and impolluted either with bodies or soules corrupt with inward sores and subject to secret maladies Seeing then that the aire which we most commonly use and within which we alwaies converse is not evermore alike disposed nor in the same temperature but in the night is thickned and made grosse whereby it compresseth and draweth the body into a kind of sadnesse and pensivenesse as if it were overcast with darke mists and waighed downe so soone as ever they be up in a morning they burne incense by kindling Rosin for to clense and purifie the aire by this rarefaction and subtilization awaking as it were and raising by this meanes the inbred spirits of our bodies which were languishing and drowsie for that in this odor there is a forcible vertue which vehemently striketh upon the senses Againe about noone perceiving that the Sunne draweth forcibly out of the earth by his heat great quantity of strong vapours which be intermingled with the aire then they burne 〈◊〉 For the heat of this aromaticall gum and odor is such as that it dissipateth dispatcheth whatsoever is grosse thicke and muddy in the aire And verily in the time of pestilence Physicians thinke to remedy the same by making great fires being of this opinion that the flame doth subtiliate and rarefie the aire which it effecteth no doubt the better in case they burne sweet wood as of the Cypresse trees of Juneper or Pitch tree And heereupon reported it is that the Physician Acron when there raigned a grievous plague at Athens wan a great name and reputation by causing good fires to be made about the sicke persons For he saved many by that meanes And Aristotle writeth that the sweet sents and good smels of perfumes ointments flowers and fragrant medowes serve no lesse for health than for delight and pleasure For that by their heat and mildnesse they gently dissolve and open the substance of the braine which naturally is cold and as it were congealed Againe if it be so that the Aegyptians call myrth in their language Bal which if a man interpret signifieth as much as the discussing and chasing away of idle talke and raving this also may serve for a testimonie to confirme that which we say As for that composition among them named Cyphi it is a confection or mixture receiving sixteene ingredients For there enter into it hony wine raisins cyperous rosin myrrh aspalathus seseli Moreover the sweet rush Schaenos Bitumen Mosse and the docke Besides two forts of the juniper berries the greater the lesse Cardamomum and Calamus All these speeches are compounded together not at a venture and as it commeth into their heads but there be read certaine sacred writings unto the Apothecaries and Perfumers all the while that they mix them As for this number although it be quadrate and made of a square and onely of the numbers equal maketh the space contained within equall to his cercumference we are not to thinke that this is any way materiall to the vertue thereof but most of the simples that goe to this composition being aromaticall cast a pleasant breath from them and yeeld a delectable and holsome vapour by which the aire is altered and withall the body being mooved with this evaporation is gently prepared to repose and taketh an attractive temperature of sleepe in letting slacke and unbinding the bonds of cares wearinesse and sorrowes incident in the day time and that without the helpe of surfet and drunkenesse polishing and smoothing the imaginative part of the braine which receiveth dreames in maner of a mirrour causing the same to be pure and neat as much or rather more than the sound of harpe lute viole or any other instruments of musicke which the Pythagoreans used for to procure sleepe enchanting by that device and dulcing the unreasonable part
he for sooke the world 288.10 his exclamation against negligent fathers in the education of their children 5.50 Cratevas why he killed Archelaus 1155.20 against importunate Cravers 168 40 Credit in a city won at the first and suddenly 356.10.20 Cretinas his honest cariage to his concurrent Hermes for the good of the common weale 362.1 Crexus what he added to musicke 1257.10 Crisson the Himerean a flatterer 96.30 Critolaus killed his sister Demodoce 911.10 Crocodile resembleth god and honored by the Aegyptians 1316.30 Crocodiles tame and familiar 970. 10. their maner of brecding and their foreknowledge 977.1 Croesus erected the statue of his woman baker in beaten gold 1195.40 the Cromyonian sow 565.30 Crowes of Barbarie how crafty they be 959.40 Crowes age 1327.30 Cruelty in men whēce it arose first 951.10 Cruelty in the killing of brute beasts for our food condemned 577.1 Cryassa the new 487.50 Cryassians conspire against the Melians 487.30 Cube 819.20 how to be doubled 767.30 Cumin-seed to be sowen with curses 746.30 Cupid or love highly honored by the Thespians 1131.10 Curiosity fostereth anger mixed with 〈◊〉 and malice 132.20 134.20 Curious persons ought to looke into themselves 134.50 against Curiosity the 〈◊〉 of an Aegyptian 135.50 Curious folke wherein they love to intermeddle 136.10 Curiosity in other mens matters how to be avoided 136.50 Manius Curius his Apophthegmes 428.20 Curtius a Romane knight he deflowreth his owne daughter Cyane 908.10 911.50 Cuttle-fish how crafty he is 972.30 Cyanippus killed himself 912.30 Cybele the great mother of the gods 1129.30 Cydippe 896.30 Cydnus the river of what vertue the water is 1345.1 Cylindre 1021.1 Cynegyrus lost both his hands 906.30 Cynesias the Poet. 985.1 Cynosarges at Athens 1133.30 Cyon the dog-starre representeth Isis. 1295.50 Cyphi the composition of what and how many ingredients it consisteth 1319.10 Cyphi how the Aegyptians use 1319.30 when it is burnt for perfume 1319.40 Cypselus miraculously saved 345 30. how he tooke that name ib. 40 Cyrenaiks philosophers 1122.30.584.10 Cyrus sbunned the sight of faire Panthea 41. 10.142.20 beloved of the Persians 377.10 how he exercised himselfe with his play-feeres 207.1 his apophthegmes 403.10 Cyrus the yonger his pollicy to win the Lacedaemonians unto him 404.10 D DAEmons how long they live 1327. 40. sundry sorts of them and their divers offices 1329.20.30 Daemons of what nature they be 1327.20 Daemons who they be 1221.50 what nature they be of 1297.1 Daemons about the Moone 1183.40 Daemons how they speake with men 1217.50 Daemons the attribute Daemonius how Homer useth 812.40 1297.20 Daemons of sundry kinds 157.40 Daemons twaine allotted to every one of us 157.30 Daie at Rome began at midnight 879.40 Daiphantus 484.40 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what reports in Homer 679.1 why so called ib. 50 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what maner of drinking 337.50 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who they were ib. Dames of Rome debarred from riding in coches 869.50 put to no cookerie nor grinding of corne 879.20 Damindas his apophthegme 456.20 Damis his apophthegme 456.20 Damocrates an impudent jester 354.50 Damonidas his 〈◊〉 425.10.456.20 Damoteles murdered 904.40 Darius father of Xerxes hated idlenesse 394.30 his apophthegmes 403.10 he remitted certeine taxes imposed upon his subjects ib. 20 Darius fortunes minion 1264.30 Darius came up of nothing ib. Darius his commendation of K. Alexander 1279.20 Darius the sonne of Hystaspes how he atteined to the crowne 1280.40 Darknesse whether it be visible 837.40 Darknesse about the oake what it meaneth 894.30 〈◊〉 seeds forbidden in fires for stonphes 697.10 Date tree branch in all games for victory 772.1 why it hath the superiority in such games ib. 30 Date tree highly commended ib. 10. liveth long ib. 30. it never sheadeth leaves ib. 40. it bringeth to the Babylonians 360. cōmodities 773.40 it beareth no fruit in Greece ib. pressed downe it curleth upward ib. 50. the reason thereof 1013.40 The Date trees braines 622.30 Datys warred upon the Athenians 906.30 Daulides what birds 777.1 three Dances of the Lacedaemonians 308.20.476.40 of Dauncing three parts 799.50 Daunce and poesie compared 801.1 Daunce Candiot 801.30 Dawning of the day why called Clytus 771.20 In Dearth and famine how the Lydians passed the time 622,1 Death what it is 848.1 whether it be common to soule and bodie 848.20 why men reported Dead upon their returne enter not into their houses at the dore 851.40 Death the remedy or end of all miseries 515.20 Deaths houre why unknowen unto us 516.1 in Death no harme 516. 50. to what Socrates compared it ib. it resembleth sleepe 517.1 called the brother of sleepe by Diogenes 517.20 compared to a long voiage 517.20 Death a favour and gift of the gods 518.20 compared to our estate before birth 519.10 Death onely ill infeare and expectance 519.30 Death of yoong folke is their blessednesse 520.30 Death how it is accounted diversly 75.20 Death day of Diogenes the Cynike observed 766.1 Death good in what respect 603.40 Deaths twaine 1182.20 Deaw the daughter of Jupiter and the Moone 1011.20 Deaw how it fretteth the skinne and raiseth a scurse 1005.50 Deaw daughter of the aire and the Moone 697.50 Deawes most in the full Moone 697.40 Debt a sinne in Persia. 285.20 Decelique warre raised by Alcibiades 419.50 December the tenth moneth 856.20 the last moneth 862.10 Decias voweth himselfe for his armie 299.30 he cared not for fire ib. Decij vowed themselves to death for their countrey 901.40.50 Decrees proposed to the Athenian people 938.10 Decree for the honour of Demosthenes ib. An honourable Decree in the behalfe of Demochares 938.50 An honourable Decree proposed for Lycurgus 939.30 Defluxions of all things 1009.40 Deiotarus K. of Galatia 1073.40 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who they be 28.40 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a supper whereof derived 775.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in dauncing what it is 801.1 Delius an epithet of Apollo 1353.50 The Deliaque oration of Hyperides 937.10 Delights of eie and eare more dangerous than of other parts 752.40 how to withstand the danger of such delights 753.20 Delphinius a surname of Apollo 978.40 Demades findeth fault with Phocius slender fare 211.30 Demades noted pleasantly by Antipater 211.40 Demades a very glutton 211.30 Demades his images melted 376.1 Demades the oratour compared to a burnt sacrifice 416.10 his apophthegme of the Athenians 615.30 Demades a scoffer requited by Demosthenes 355.10 Demades his politique practise 373.30 Demaratus his apophthegmes 456.30 his free speech to king Philip. 111.1 his speech to K. Alexander 1267.30 Demetria a stout dame slew her owne sonne for cowardise 480.10 Demetrius counselled K. Ptolomaeus to read books of policie 422.40 Demetrius Phalereus with 〈◊〉 300. statues 375. 50. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 happily in 〈◊〉 273.20 K. Demetrius spared the 〈◊〉 of Ialysus drawen by Protogenes 415.20 his 〈◊〉 ib. his liberality 415.30 sur named Polyarcetes and his complaint of fortune 942.1 Demetreioi why the dead are called 1182.30 Demetrius his vaine glory 1278.10 Demi-gods or Heroes 812.40 Democratie what it is 941.20 Democrita and
the only gift that the gods have given us freely even so may a man very wel say and with great reason unto those that are superstitious Seeing that the gods have bestowed upon us sleepe for the oblivion and repose of our miseries why makest thou it a very bel place of continuall and dolorous torment to thy poore soule which can not flie nor have recourse unto any other sleep but that which is troublesome unto thee Haraclitus was wont to say That men all the whiles they were awake enjoied the benefit of no other world but that which was common unto all but when they slept every one had a world by himselfe but surely the superstitious person hath not so much as any part of the common world for neither whiles hee is awake hath hee the true use of reason and wisdome nor when he sleepeth is he delivered from feare secured but one thing or other troubleth him still his reason is asleepe his feare is alwaies awake so that neither can he avoid his owne harme quite nor finde any meanes to put it by and turne it off Polycrates the tyrant was dread and terrible in Samos Periander in Corinth but no man feared either the one or the other who withdrew himselfe into any free city or popular State as for him who standeth in dread and feare of the imperiall power of the gods as of some rigorous and inexorable tyranny whither shall he retire withdraw himselfe whither shall he flie where shall he find a land where shal he meet with sea without a god into what secret part of the world poore man wilt thou betake thy selfe wherein thou maiest lie close and hidden and be assured that thou art without the puissance and reach of the gods There is a law that provideth for miserable slaves who being so hardly intreated by their masters are out of all hope that they shall be ensranchised and made free namely that they may demand to be solde againe and to change their master if haply they may by that meanes come by a better and more easie servitude under another but this superstition alloweth us not that libertie to change our gods for the better nay there is not a god to be found in the world whom a superstitious person doth not dread considering that he feareth the tutelar gods of his native countrey and the very gods protectors of his nativitie he quaketh even before those gods which are knowen to be saviours propitious and gracious he trembleth for feare when he thinketh of them at whose hands we crave riches abundance of goods concord peace and the happie successe of the best words and deeds that we have Now if these thinke that bondage is a great calamitie saying thus O heavie crosse and wofull miserie Man and woman to be in thrall-estate And namely if their slaverie Be under lords unfortunate how much more grievous thinke you is their servitude which they endure who can not flie who can not runne away and escape who can not change and turne to another Altars there be unto which bad servants may flie for succour many sanctuaries there be and priviledged churches for theeves and robbers from whence no man is so hardy as to plucke and pull them out Enemies after they are defeated and put to flight if in the very rout and chase they can take holde of some image of the gods or recover some temple and get it over their heads once are secured and assured of their lives whereas the superstitious person is most affrighted scared and put in feare by that wherein all others who be affraid of extreamest evils that can happen to man repose their hope and trust Never goe about to pull perforce a superstitious man out of sacred temples for in them he is most afflicted and tormented What needs many words In all men death is the end of life but it is not so in superstition for it extendeth and reacheth farther than the limits and utmost bounds thereof making feare longer than this life and adjoining unto death an imagination of immortall miseries and even then when there seemeth to be an end and cessation of all sorrowes travels be superstitious men perswaded that they must enter into others which be endlesse everlasting they dream of I wot not what deepe gates of a certein Pluto or infernall God of hell which open for to receive them of fierie rivers alwaies burning of hollow gulfs and flouds of Styx to gape for them of ugly and hideous darkenesse to overspread them full of sundry apparitions of gastly ghosts and sorrowfull spirits representing unto them grizlie and horrible shapes to see and as fearefull and lamentable voices to heare what should I speake of judges of tormentors of bottomlesse pits and gaping caves full of all sorts of torture and infinite miseries Thus unhappy and wretched superstition by fearing overmuch and without reason that which it imagineth to be nought never taketh heed how it submitteth it selfe to all miseries and for want of knowledge how to avoid this passionate trouble occasioned by the feare of the gods forgeth and deviseth to it selfe an expectation of inevitable evils even after death The impietie of an Atheist hath none of all this geere most true it is that his ignorance is unhappie and that a great calamitie and miserie it is unto the soule either to see amisse or wholly to be blinded in so great woorthy things as having of many eies the principall and cleerest of all to wit the knowledge of God extinct and put out but surely as I said before this passionate feare this ulcer and sore of conscience this trouble of spirit this servile abjection is not in his conceit these goe alwaies with the other who have such a superstitious opinion of the gods Plato saith that musicke was given unto men by the gods as a singular meanes to make them more modest and gracious yea and to bring them as it were into tune and cause them to be better conditioned and not for delight and pleasure nor to tickle the eares for falling out as it doth many times that for default and want of the Muses and Graces there is great confusion disorder in the periods and harmonies the accords and consonances of the minde which breaketh out other whiles outragiously by meanes of intemperance and negligence musicke is of that power that it setteth every thing againe in good order and their due place for according as the poet Pindarus saith To whatsoever from above God Iupiter doth cast no love To that the voice melodious Of Muses seemeth odious Insomuch as they fall into fits of rage therewith and be very fell angrie like as it is reported of tygers who if they heare the sound of drums or tabours round about them will grow furious and starke mad untill in the end they teare themselves in peeces so that there commeth lesse harme unto them who by reson of deafenesse or
hard hearing have no sense at all of musicke and are nothing mooved and affected therewith a great infortunitie this was of blind Tiresias that hee could not see his children and friends but much more unfortunate and unhappie were Athamas and Agave who seeing their children thought they saw lions and stags And no doubt when Hercules fell to be enraged and mad better it had beene and more expedient for him that he had not seene nor knowne his owne children than so to deale with those who were most deere unto him and whom he loved more than all the world besies as if they had beene his mortall enemies Thinke you not then that there is the same difference betweene the passions of Atheists and superstitious folke Atheists have no sight nor knowledge of the gods at all and the superstitious thinke there are gods though they be perswaded of them amisse Atheists neglect them altogether as if they were not but the superstitious esteeme that to bee terrible which is gracious amiable cruell and tyranlike which is kind and fatherlike hurtful and damageable unto us which is most carefull of our good and profit rough rigorous savage and fell of nature which is void of choler and without passion And hereupon it is that they beleeve-brasse founders cutters in stone imagers gravers and workers in waxe who shape represent unto them gods with bodies to the likenesse of mortall men for such they imagine them to be such they adorne adore and worship whiles in the meane time they despise philosophers and grave personages of State and government who do teach and shew that the majestie of God is accompanied with bountie magnanimitie love and carefull regard of our good So that as in the one sort we may perceive a certeine sencelesse stupiditie and want of beleife in those causes from whence proceed all goodness so in the other we may observe a distrustfull doubt and feare of those which cannot otherwise be than profitable and gracious In sum impietie and Atheisme is nothing else but a meere want of feeling and sense of a deitie or divine power for default of understanding and knowing the soveraigne good and superstition is a heape of divers passions suspecting and supposing that which is good by nature to bee bad for superstitious persons feare the gods and yet they have recourse unto them they flatter them and yet blaspheme and reproch them they pray unto them and yet complaine of them A common thing this is unto all men not to be alwaies fortunate whereas the gods are void of sicknesse not subject to old age neither taste they of labour or paine at any time and as Pindarus saith Escape they do the passage of the first Of roaring Acheron and live alway in mirth But the passions and affaires of men be intermedled with divers accidents and adventures which run as well one way as another Now consider with me first and formost the Atheist in those things which happen against his minde and learne his disposition and affection in such occurrences if in other respects he be a temperate and modest man beare he will his fortune patiently without saying a word seeke for aide he will and comfort by what meanes he can but if he be of nature violent and take his misfortune impatiently then he directeth and opposeth all his plaints and lamentations against fortune and casualtie then he crieth out that there is nothing in the world governed either by justice or with providence but that all the affaires of man run confusedly headlong to destruction but the fashion of the superstitious is otherwise for let there never so small an accident or mishap befal unto him he sits him downe sorrowing and thereto he multiplieth and addeth other great and greevous afflictions such as hardly be remooved he imagineth sundry frights feares suspicions and troublesome terrors giving himselfe to all kinde of wailing groaning and dolefull lamentation for he accuseth not any man fortune occasion or his owne selfe but he blameth God as the cause of all giving out in plaine termes that from thence it is that there falleth and runneth over him such a celestiall influence of all calamitie and misery contesting in this wise that an unhappie or unluckie man he is not but one hated of the gods woorthily punished and afflicted yea and suffring all deservedly by that divine power and providence now if the godlesse Atheist be sicke he discourseth with himselfe and calleth to minde his repletions and full feedings his surfeiting upon drinking wine his disorders in diet his immoderate travell paines taken yea and his unusuall and absurd change of aire from that which was familiar unto that which is strange and unnatuturall moreover if it chance that he have offended in any matter of government touching the State incurred disgrace and an evill opinion of the people and country wherein he liveth or beene falsly accused and slandered before the prince or sovereigne ruler he goeth no farther than to himselfe and those about him imputing the cause of all thereto and to nothing els and thus he reasoneth Where have I beene what good have I done and what have I not done Where have I slipt what dutie begun is left by me undone whereas the superstitious person will thinke and say that everie disease and infirmitie of his bodie all his losses the death of his children his evill successe and infortunitie in managing civill affaires of State and his repulses and disgraces are so many plagues inflicted upon him by the ire of the gods and the verie assaults of the divine justice insomuch as he dare not go about to seeke for helpe and succour nor avert his owne calamitie he will not presume to seeke for remedie nor oppose himselfe against the invasion of adverse fortune for feare forsooth lest hee might seeme to fight against the gods or to resist their power and will when they punish him thus when he lieth sicke in bed he driveth his physician out of the chamber when he is come to visit him when he is in sorrow he shutteth and locketh his doore upon the Philosopher that commeth to comfort him and give him good counsell Let me alone will he say and give me leave to suffer punishment as I have deserved wicked and profane creature that I am accursed hated of all the gods demi-gods and saints in heaven Whereas if a man who doth not beleeve nor is perswaded that there is a God be otherwise in exceeding griefe and sorrow it is an ordinarie thing with him to wipe away the teares as they gush out of his eies and trickle downe the cheekes to cause his haire to be cut and to take away his mourning weed As for a superstitious person how shoud one speake unto him or which way succour and helpe him without the doores he sits clad in sackloth or else girded about his loines with patched clothes and tattered rags oftentimes he will welter and wallow in the
because for want of experience knowledge what things be good honest we love all our life time to seeke for to be provided of necessaries and like as they who have beene slaves a long time after they come once to be delivered from servitude do of themselves and for themselves the verie same services which they were woont to performe for their masters when they were bound even so the soule taketh now great paines and travel to feed the bodie but if once she might be dispatched and discharged from this yoke of bondage no sooner shall she finde her selfe free and at libertie but she will nourish and regard herselfe she will have an eie then to the knowledge of the truth and nothing shall plucke her away or divert and withdraw her from it Thus much ô Nicharchus as touching those points which were then delivered concerning nourishment But before that Solon had fully finished his speech Gorgias the brother of Periander entred into the place being newly returned from Taenarus whither he had beene sent before by occasion of I wot not what oracles for to carrie thither certaine oblations unto Neptune and to doe sacrifice unto him we all saluted him and welcomed him home but Pertander his brother comming toward and kissed him causing him afterwards to sit downe by himselfe upon the bed-side where hee made relation unto him alone of certaine newes Pertander gave good eare unto his brother and shewed by his countenance that he was diversly affected and verie passionate upon that which he heard him to report and by his visage it seemed one while that he sorrowed and grieved another while that he was angrie and offended he made semblant for a time as if he distrusted and would not give credit unto him and anon againe he seemed as much to woonder and stand in admiration in the end he laughed and said unto us Verie gladly would I out of hand recount unto you the tidings which my brother hath told me but hardly dare I neither will I be over hastie so to doe for feare of Thales whom I have heard otherwise to say That well we might make report of newes that be probable and like to be true but touching things impossible we ought altogether for to hold our peace Hereupon Bias But as wise a saying quoth he was this of Thales That as we ought not to beleeve our enemies in things that be credible so we are not to discredit our friends even in those things that are incredible For mine owne part I thinke verily by this speech of his that hee tooke those for his enemies who were leawd and foolish and reputed for friends such as were good and wise I would advise you therefore ô Gorgias that either you would declare your newes here before all this companie or rather reduce that narration which you come withall to pronounce aloude unto us into those new kinde of verses which are called Dithyrambes Then Gorgias set tale on end and began to speake in this maner After we had sacrificed for the space of three daies together and the last day performed in a generall assembly all the night a festivall solemnitie with plaies and dances along the strond by the sea side as the moone shone at full upon the sea without any winde in the world stirring at all so as there was a gentle generall calme and every thing still and quiet behold we might discover a farre off a certeine motion or trouble in the sea bending toward a promontorie or cape and as it approched neerer thereto raised withall a little scumme and that with a great noise by reason of the agitation of the water and waves that it made in such sort as that all the companie of us woondered what it might be and ran toward the place whereunto it seemed to make way and bend the course for to arrive but before that we could by any conjecture gesse what it was the swiftnesse thereof was such we might evidently descrie with our eie a number of dolphins some swimming round about it thicke together others directing the whole troupe toward the easiest and gentlest landing place of the banke and some there were againe that followed behinde as it were in the rereward now in the mids of all this troupe there appeered above the water I wot not what lumpe or masse of a bodie floting aloft which we could neither discerne nor divise what it was untill such time as the said dolphins all close together and shooting themselves into the shore landed upon the banke a man both alive and also mooving which done they returned toward the rocke or promontorie aforesaid leaping and dauncing wantonly as it should seeme for verie joy more than they did before which the greatest part of our company quoth Gorgias seeing were so greatly afraid that they fled from the sea amaine all amazed my selfe with some few others tooke better heart and approched nere where we found that it was Arion the harper who of himselfe tolde to us his name and easie he was otherwise to be knowne for that he had the same apparell which he was wont to weare when he plaied in publike place upon his harpe So we tooke him up incontinently and brought him into a tent for harme he had none in the world save only that by reason of the swiftnesse violent force of his cariage he was wearie and seemed ready to faint where we heard from his mouth a strange tale and to all men incredible unlesse it were to us who saw the end and issue thereof For this Arion reported unto us that having beene of long time resolved to returne out of Italy and so much the rather because Periander had written unto him for to make haste come away upon the first opportunity presented to him of a Corinthian carricke that made faile frō thence he presently embarked but no sooner were they come into the broad and open sea and that with a gentle gale of winde but he perceived that the mariners conspired together for to take away his life whereof the pilot himselfe also of the same ship gave him advertisement secretly namely that they intended to put the thing in execution that night Arion thus finding himselfe destitute of all succour and not knowing what to doe it came into his minde as it were by a certeine heavenly and divine inspiration whiles hee had yet some time to live for to adorne his bodie with those ornaments which he accustomed to put on when he was to play upon his harpe for a prize in some frequent Theater to the end that the same habit might serve him for his funerall weed now at his death and withall to sing a dolefull song and lamentable dittie before his departure out of this life and not to shew himselfe in this case lesse generous than the swans being therefore thus arraied and decked accordingly and doing the marriners to wit before hand that he had a wonderfull desire to
performed but a token rather and a memoriall that the remembrance thereof might continue long as theirs did whom erewhiles we named whereas in those three hundred statues of Demetrius Phalereus there gathered not so much as rust canker or any ordure or filth whatsoever but were all of them ere himselfe died pulled downe and broken And as for the images of Demades melted they were everie one and of the mettall were made pispots and basins for close stooles yea and many such honours have beene defaced as being displeasant and odious to the world not in regard onely of the wickednesse of the receiver but also of the greatnesse and richnesse of the thing given and received and therefore the goodliest and surest safegard of honour that it may endure and last longest is the least costlinesse and price bestowed thereupon for such as bee excessive massie and immeasurall in greatnesse may bee well compared unto huge colosses or statues not well ballaised and counterpoised nor proportionably made which soone fal downe to the ground of thēselves And here in this place I cal Honors these exterior things which the common people so far forth as beseemeth them according to the saying of Empedocles so call Howbeit I also affirme as wel as others that a wise governor man of State ought not to despise true honor which consisteth in the benevolence good affection of those who have in remēbrance the services and benefits that they have receivedneither ought he altogether to contemne glorie as one who forbare to please his neighbours among whō he liveth as Democritus would have him for neither ought horse-keepers or esquierries of the stable reject the affection of their horses lovingly making toward them nor hunters the sawning of their hounds spaniels but rather seeke to win keepe the same for that it is both a profitable and also a pleasant thing to be able for to imprint in those creatures who are familiar do live converse with us such an affectiō to us as Lysimachus his dog shewed toward his master which the poet Homer reporteth that Achilles horses shewed to Patroclus For mine own part I am of this mind that Bees would be better entreated escape better in case they would make much of those suffer them gētly to come toward them who norish them and have the care and charge of them rather than to sting and provoke them to anger as they do whereas now men are driven to punish them and chase them away with smoake also to breake and tame their frampold and unruly horses with hard bits and bridles yea and curst dogs which are given to run away they are faine to lead perforce in collars or tie up and hamper with clogs But verily there is nothing in the world that maketh one man willingly obeisant and subject to another more than the affiance that he hath in him for the love which hee beareth and the opinion conceived of his goodnesse honestie and justice which is the reason that Demosthenes said verie well That free cities have no better meanes to keepe and preserve themselves from tyrants than to distrust them for that part of the soule whereby we beleeve is it which is most easie to be taken captive Like as therefore the gift of prophesie which Cassandra had stood her countrey-men and fellow-citizens in no steed because they would never give credit or beleefe unto her for thus she speaketh of her selfe God would not have my voice propheticall When I for etell of things to take effect Nor do my countrey any good at all Or why alwaies they do my words reject In their distresse and woes they would correct Their folly past then am I wise and sage Before it come they say I do but rage even so on the otherside the trust and confidence that the citizens reposed in Archytas the good will and benevolence which they bare unto Battus served them in right good stead for that they used and followed their counsell by reason of the good opinion which they conceived of them This is then the first and principall good which lieth in the reputation of States-men and those who are in government namely the trust and confidence which is in them for it maketh an overture and openeth the doore to the enterprise and execution of all good actions The second is the love and affection of the people which to good governours is to them a buckler and armor of defence against envious and wicked persons Much like unto a mother kind who keepes away the flies From tender babe whiles sweetly it a sleepe in cradell lies putting backe envie that might arise against them and in regard of might and credit making equall a man meanly borne of base parentage with those who are nobly descended the poore with the rich the private person with the magistrates and to be briefe when vertue verity are joined together with this popular benevolence it is as mightie as a strong and steedy gale of a forewind at the poope and driveth men forward to the managing and effecting of all publike affaires whatsoever Consider now and see what contrarie effects the disposition of peoples hearts doth produce and bring foorth by these examples following For even they of Italie when they had in their hands the wife and children of Denys the Tyrant after they had vilanously abused and shamefully forced their bodies did them to death and when they had burnt them to ashes threw and scattered the same out of a ship into the sea Whereas one Menander who reigned graciously over the Bactrians in the end when he had lost his life in the warres was honorably enterred for the cities under his obeisance joined altogether and by a common accord solemnized his funerals and obsequies with great mourning and lamentation but as touching the place where his reliques should be bestowed they grew into a great strife and contention one with another which at the last with much adoo was pacified upon this condition and composition that his ashes should be parted and divided equally among them all and that everie citie should have one sepulcher and monument of him by it selfe Againe the Agrigentines after they were delivered from the Tyrant Phalaris enacted an ordinance That from thence foorth it should not be lawfull for any person whatsoever to weare a roabe of blew colour for that the Guard Pensioners attending about the said Tyrant had blew cassockes for their liveries But the Persians tooke such a love to their Prince Cyrus that because he was hauke-nosed they ever after and even to this day affect those who have such noses and take them to be best favoured And verily of all loves this is the most divine holy and puissant which cities and States do beare unto a man for his vertue as for other honors so falsely called and bearing no true ensignes in deed to testifie love which the people bestow upon them who
to approch mine enemies so neere that they may see how great or little my cognisance is Another there was who when there was tendered unto him at the end of a banquet the harpe to play upon according to the custome of Grecce refused it and said The Laconians have not yet learned to play the fooles One asked a Spartan once if the way that led to Sparta were safe or no but he answered thus Even according as a man doth goe downe thither for they who goe thither as lions bee hardly entreated and rue their comming but hares we hunt from under the shade of their borroughs In wrestling it chanced that a Laconian was caught hold on by the necke and notwithstanding that he strove what he could to make the other leave his hold yet hee forced him and made him stoupe groveling downeward to the ground the Laconian seeing himselfe feeble in the reines of the backe and at the point to be laide along bit the others arme who held him so hard whereupon hee began to crie What thou Laconian doest thou bite like women No quoth he but I bite as lions use to do A certaine Laconian who was maimed and lame of his legge went to warfare whereupon some mocked him but hee said unto them It is not for those to goe into the warres who are good of foot-manship and can runne away apace but such as are able to make good their ground and keepe well their ranke Another Laconian being shot thorow the body with an arrow when he was at the point to yeeld up his vitall breath said thus It never grieves me to leese my life but to die by the hand of an effeminate archer before I came to hand-strokes that is it that troubleth me Another being come to an hostelrie or inne to be lodged in gave his hoste that kept the inne a piece of flesh to dresse for his supper but hee called for cheese besides and oyle And what needes that quoth the Laconian if I had cheese do you thinke that I would desire to have any viands more Another hearing the marchant named Lampis borne in Aegina highly praised and esteemed happie for that he was exceeding rich and had many great ships going at sea I never quoth hee make reckoning of that felicitie which hangeth by ropes and cords Another likewise answered unto one who said unto him Thou liest Laconian And why not quoth he wee are free as for others that happen to speake untruths they are wel punish for it and crie out alas There was a Laconian who laboured hard to make a dead body stand upright upon his feet but when he saw that he could not bring his purpose to effect do what he could Now by Jupiter quoth hee there wanteth somewhat that should bee within Tynnichus the Laconian when his sonne Thrasybulus was slaine in the warre tooke his death verie well and like a man whereupon was this Epigram made Thy body was upon the sheild ô Thrasybulus brought All breathlesse to the armed troup from place where thou hadst fought Seven deadly wounds at Argives hands thou didst receive in fight And on the fore part of thy corps thou shewd'st them all in sight Thy father old Sir Tynnichus it tooke with blood beraid And putting it in funerall fire with good cheere thus he said Let cowards weepe and waile thy death but I thy father kinde Will shed no teares nor semblance make of sad and grieved minde But thee enterre my sonne as doth beseeme thy fathers child And as a true Laconian who loves to die in field The master of the baines where Alcibiades the Athenians was woont to bathe and wash himselfe powred great store of water upon his bodie more than ordinarily upon others a Laconian being then by said It seemeth that he is not cleane and neat but that he is exceeding foule and filthie that he bestoweth so much water upon him When King Philip of Macedonia entred with a maine army into Laconia at what time as it was thought all the Lacedaemonians were killed up and dead he said unto one of the Spartanes O poore Laconians what will you do now what else quoth the Laconian but die valiantly like men for we alone of all other Greeks have beene taught to live free and not to serve in bondage under any others After that King Agis was vanquished Antipater the king demaunded of the Lacedaemonians for hostages fiftie children of theirs Eteocles one of the Ephori for the time being returned this answere That hee would not deliver into his hands any of their children for feare they would learne ill manners and lewd conditions for that they should not be brought up and nourtered in the discipline of their owne countrey and wanting it they would not proove so much as good citizens but if he would be so cōtent he should receive for pledges women or old men twice as many And when he menaced hereupon and said That he would worke him all the despite that possibly he could they answered all with one accord If thou impose upon us those conditions which are more grievous than death we shall die with so much the better will One old man desirous to see the combats at the Olympicke games could not get a roome to sit in but passed along by manie places and no man would make him roome but fell to laugh and made good game at him untill he came at length to that quarter of the whole theater whereas the Lacedaemonians were set and there all the children yea and many of the men rose up unto him and offered him their place all the whole assembly of the Greekes observed well this behaviour of theirs and with great applause and clapping of hands approoved and praised the same then the good olde father Shaking his head with haires all gray His beard also as hoare as they and weeping withall Ah God helpe quoth he what a world is this that Greeks should all of them know well enough what is good and honest but the Lacedaemonians onely practise it Some write that the same hapned in Athens also at the festivall solemnitie called Panathenaea where those of Attica plaied mock-holiday and made themselves mery with a poore olde man who they seemed to call unto them as it were to give him a place among them but after hee was come to them no roome he could have with them but was well mocked and frumped for his labour howbeit when he had passed along by all the rest at length he came to a place where certeine ambassadours of Lacedaemon were set and they made him roome and set him among them the people there assembled taking great pleasure to see this act clapped their hands aloud with great acclamation in token that they approoved it then one of the Spartans who there was By the two twin-gods Castor and Pollux quoth he I sweare these Athenians know what is good and honest but they doe not according to their
Pindarus also writeth as touching Agamedes Trophonius That after they had built the temple of Apollo in Delphos they demanded of that god their hire and reward who promised to pay them fully at the seven-nights end meane while he bade them be merie and make good cheere who did as he enjoined them so upon the seventh night following they tooke their sleepe but the next morning they were found dead in bed Moreover it is reported that when Pindarus himselfe gave order unto the commissioners that were sent from the State of Boeotia unto the oracle of Apollo for to demand what was best for man this answere was returned from the prophetisse That he who enjoined them that errand was not ignorant thereof in case the historie of Agamedes and Trophonius whereof he was author were true but if he were disposed to make further triall he should himselfe see shortly an evident proofe thereof Pindarus when he heard this answer began to thinke of death and to prepare himselfe to die and in trueth within a little while after changed his life The like narration is related of one Euthynous an Italian who was sonne to Elysius of Terinae for vertue wealth and reputation a principall man in that citie namely that he died suddenlie without any apparent cause that could be given thereof his father Elysius incontinently thereupon began to grow into some doubt as any other man besides would have done whether it might not be that he died of poison for that he was the onely childe he had and heire apparant to all his riches and not knowing otherwise how to sound the trueth hee sent out to a certeine oracle which used to give answere by the conjuration and calling forth of spirits or ghosts of men departed where after he had performed sacrifices and other ceremoniall devotions according as the law required he laied him downe to sleepe in the place where he dreamed and saw this vision There appeared unto him as he thought his owne father whom when he saw he discoursed unto him what had fortuned his sonne requesting and beseeching him to be assistant with him to finde out the trueth and the cause indeed of his so sudden death his father then should answere thus And even therefore am I come hither here therefore receive at this mans hands that certificate which I have brought unto thee for thereby shalt thou know all the cause of thy griefe and sorrow now the partie whom his father shewed and presented unto him was a yoong man that followed after him who for all the world in stature and yeeres resembled his sonne Euthynous who being demanded by him what he was made this answere I am the ghost or angell of your sonne and with that offered unto him a little scrowle or letter which when Elysius had unfolded he found written within it these three verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which may be done into English thus Elysius thou foolish man aske living Sages read Euthynous by fatall course of 〈◊〉 is dead For longer life would neither him nor parents stand in stead And thus much may suffice you both as touching the ancient histories written of this matter and also of the second point of the foresaid question But to come unto the third branch of Socrates his conjecture admit it were true that death is the utter abolition and destruction aswell of soule as body yet even so it cannot be reckoned simply ill for by that reckoning there should follow a privation of all sense and a generall deliverance from paine anxietie and angush and like as there commeth no good thereby even so no harme at all can ensue upon it forasmuch as good and evill have no being but in that thing onely which hath essence and subsislence and the same reason there is of the one as of the other so as in that which is not but utterly becommeth void anulled and taken quite out of the world there can not be imagined either the one or the other Now this is certeine that by this reason the dead returne to the same estate and condition wherein they were before their nativitie like as therefore when we were unborne we had no sense at all of good or evill no more shall we have after our departure out of this life and as those things which preceded our time nothing concerned us so whatsoever hapneth after our death shall touch us as little No paine feele they that out of world be gone To die and not be borne I holde all one For the same state and condition is after death which was before birth And do you thinke that there is any difference betweene Never to have bene and To cease from being surely they differ no more than either an house or a garment in respect of us and our use thereof after the one is ruined or fallen downe and the other all rent and torne from that benefit which we had by them before they were begun to be built or made and if you say there is no difference in them in these regards as little there is be you sure between our estate after death and our condition before our nativitie a very pretie and elegant speech therefore it was of Arcesilaus the philosopher when he said This death quoth he which every man tearmeth evill hath one peculiar propertie by it selfe of all other things that be accounted ill in that when it is present it never harmeth any man onely whiles it is absent and in expectance it hurteth folke And in very truth many men through their folly and weakenesse and upon certaine slanderous calumniations and false surmises conceived against death suffer themselves to die because sorsooth they would not die Very well therefore and aptly wrot the poet Epicharmus in these words That which was knit and joined fast Is loosed and dissolv'd at last Each thing returnes into the same Earth into earth from whence it came The spirit up to heaven anon Wherefore what harme heerein just none And as for that which Cresphontes in one place of Euripides speaking of Hercules said If under globe of earth with those he dwell Who being none have left laid once in grave A man of him might say and that right well That puissance and strength he none can have By altering it a little in the end you may thus inferre If under globe of earth with those he dwell Who being none have left laid once in grave A man of him might say and that right well That sense at all of paine he can none have A generous and noble saying also was that of the Lacedaemonians Now are we in our gallant prime Before as others had their time And after us shall others floure But we shall never see that houre As also this Now dead are they who never thought That life or death were simply ought But all their care was for to dy And live as they should
honestly Right excellent also are those verses of Euripides as touching them who endure long maladies I hate all those by meat and drink Who to prolong their daies doe think By Magick arte and sorcery The course of death who turne awry Where as they should be glad and faine When as they see it is but vaine Of earth to live upon the face For yoongers then to quit the place As for Merope in pronouncing these manlike and magnanimous words she mooveth the whole theater to this consideration of her speeches when she saith I am not th' onely mother left Who of faire children am bereft Nor yet a widow am I alone Who my deere husband have for gone For others infinite there bee Who have felt like calamitiee Unto this a man may very aptly adjoine these verses also What is become of that magnificence Where is king Craesus with his opulence Or Xerxes he whose monstrous worke it was By bridge the firth of Hellespont to pas To Pluto now they are for ever gon To houses of most deepe oblivion Their goods and their wealth together with their bodies are perished howbeit beleeve me some will say many are mooved perforce to weepe and lament when they see a yoong person die before due time and yet I assure you this hastie and untimely death admitteth so readie consolation that even the meanest and most vulgar comicall poets have seene into the thing and devised good meanes and effectuall reasons of comfort for consider what one of them saith in this case to him that mourned and lamented for the unripe and unseasonable death of a friend of his in these words If thou hadst knowne for certaine that thy friend Who now is dead should have beene blesse day Throughout that course of life which was behind In case the gods had staid his dying day His death had beene vntimely I would say But if long life should bring him greefes incurable To him haply was death than now more favorable Seeing then uncertaine it is whether the issue and end of this life will be expedient unto a man and whether he shall be delivered and excused thereby from greater evils or no we ought not to take ones death so heavilie as if we had utterly lost all those things which we hoped for and promised our selves by his life to enjoy and therefore me thinks that Amphiaraus in a certaine tragedy of a poet did not impertinently and without good purpose comfort the mother of Archemorus who tooke it to the heart and grieved excessively that her sonne a yoong infant died so long before the ordmarie time for thus he saith unto her No man there is of womans body born But in his dates much travell he doth beare Children some die the parents long beforn And are by them enterred then they reare And get yoong babes for those that buried were Lastly themselves into the graves doe fall This is the course this is the end of all Yet men for them doe weepe and sorrow make Whose bodies they on biere to earth doe send Although in truth a way direct they take As eares of corne full ripe which downward bend As some begin so others make an end Why should men grieve and sigh at natures lore What must shall be thinke it not hard therefore In summe every man ought both in meditation within himselfe and in earnest discourse also with others to hold this for certaine that the longest life is not best but rather the most vertuous for neither he that plaieth most upon a lute or citterne is commended for the cunnigest musician no more than he who pleadeth longest is held the most eloquent orator nor he that sitteth continually at the helme is praised for the best pilot but they that doe best deserve the greatest commendation for we are not to measure goodnesse by the length of time but by vertue by convenient proportion and measure of all words and deeds for this is that amiable beautie which is esteemed happie in this world and pleasing to the gods which is the reason that the poets have left unto us in writing that the most excellent worthies or demie gods and such as by their saying were begotten by gods changed this their mortal life and departed before they were old for even he Who was of mightie Jupiter and Phaebus loved best Permitted was not long to live and in old age to rest For this we alwaies see that ordinarily the maturitie of yeeres and the same well emploied is preferred before old age and long life for thus we repute those trees and plants best which in least time beare most frute as also those living creatures which in little space yeeld greatest profit and commodity to mans life furthermore little difference you shall finde betweene short time and long in comparison of eternitie for that a thousand yea and ten thousand yeeres according to Simonides are no more than a very prick or rather the smallest indivisible portion of a prick in respect of that which is infinit We reade in histories that there be certaine living creatures about the land of Pontus whose life is comprised within the compasse of one day for in the morning they are bred by noone they are in their vigor and at best and in the evening they be old and end their lives would not these creatures thinke you if they had the soule of man and that use of reason which we have feele the very same passions that we doe if the like accidents befell unto them certes those that died before noone would minister occasion of mourning and weeping but such as continued all day long should be reputed happy Well our life should be measured by vertue and not by continuance of time so that we are to esteem such exclamations as these foolish and full of vanitie Oh great pittie that he was taken waie so yoong it ought not to have beene that he should die yet and who is he that dare say This or that ought But many things else have beene are and shall be done heereafter which some man might say ought not to have been done howbeit come we are not into this life for to prescribe lawes but rather to obey those lawes which are decreed and set down already by the gods who governe the world and the ordinances of destinie and divine providence But to proceed those who so much deplore lament the dead do they it for love of thēselves or for their sake who are departed if in regard of their own selves for that they find how they are deprived of some pleasure or profit or els disappointed of support in their old age which they hoped to receive by those who are departed surely this were but a small occasion no honest pretence of lamentation for that it seemeth they bewaile not the dead persons but the losse of those cōmodities which they expected from them but in case they grieve in the behalf of those that
and the woorse sort of people are given thereto more than the better also if you goe thorow all barbarous nations you shall not finde those who are most haughtie-minded and magnanimous or cary any generositie of spirit in them such as be the Almans or Gaules addicted hereunto but Aegyptians Syrians Lydians and such other for some of these by report use to go downe into hollow caves within the ground and there hide themselves for many daies together and not so much as see the light of the sunne because forsooth the dead partie whom they mourne for is deprived thereof In which regard Ion the Tragicall Poet having as it should seeme heard of such fooleries bringeth in upon the stage a woman speaking in this wise Come forth am I now at the last Your nourse and childrens governesse Out of deepe caves where some daies past I kept in balefull heavinesse Others there be also of these Barbarians who cut away some parts and dismember themselves slit their owne noses crop their eares misuse disfigure the rest of their bodies thinking to gratifie the dead in doing thus if they seeme to exceed all measure that moderation which is according to nature There are besides who reply upon us and say That they thinke we ought not to waile and lament for every kind of death but onely in regard of those that die before their time for that they have not as yet tasted of those things which are esteemed blessings in this life to wit the joies of marriage the benefit of literature and learning the perfection of yeeres the management of common weale honors and dignities for these be the points that they stand upon and grieve most who lose their friends or children by untimely death for that they be disappointed and frustrate of their hopes before the time ignorant altogether that this hastie and overspeedie death in regard of humane nature differeth nothing at all from others for like as in the returne to our common native countrey which is necessarily imposed upon al and from which no man is exempted some march before others follow after and all at length meet at one and the same place even so in traveling this journey of fatall destinie those that arrive late thither gaine no more advantage than they who are thither come betime now if any untimely or hastie death were naught simply that of little babes and infants that sucke the brest and cannot speake or rather such as be newly borne were woorst and yet their death we beare verie well and patiently whereas we take their departure more heavily and to the heart who are growen to some good yeeres and all through the vanitie of our foolish hopes whereby we imagine and promise to our selves assuredly that those who have proceeded thus farre be past the woorst and are like to continue thus in a good and certaine estate If then the prefixed terme of mans life were the end of twentie yeeres certes him that came to be sifteene yeeres old we would not judge unripe for death but thinke that he had attained to a competent age and as for him who had accomplished the full time of twentie yeeres or approched neere thereto we would account him absolute happy as having performed a most blessed and perfect life but if the course of our life reached out to two hundred yeeres he who chanced to die at one hundred yeeres end would be thought by us to have died too soone and no doubt his untimely death we would bewaile and lament By these reasons therefore and those which heeretofore we have alledged it is apparent that even the death which we call untimely soone admitteth consolation and a man may beare it patiently for this is certaine that Troilus would have wept lesse yea even Priamus himselfe shed fewer teares in case he had died sooner at what time as the kingdome of Troy flourished or whiles himselfe was in that wealthy estate for which he lamented so much which a man may evidently gather by the words which he gave to his sonne Hector when he admonished and exhorted him to retire from the combat which he had with Achilles in these verses Returne my sonne within these wals that thou from death maist save The Trojan men and women both let not Achilles have Of thee that honour as thy life so sweet to take away By victorie in single fight and hast thy dying day Have pittie yet my sonne of me thy wofull aged sire Ere that my wits and senses faile whom Jupiter inire Will else one day at th' end of this my old and wretched yeeres Consume with miserable death out-worne and spent with teeres As having many objects seene of sorrow and hearts griefe My sonnes cut short by edge of sword who should be my reliefe My daughters trail'd by haire of head and ravisht in my sight My pallace rac'd their chambers sackt wherein I tooke delight And sucking babes from mothers brests pluckt and their braines dasht out Against the stones of pav'ment hard lie sprawling all about When enemie with sword in hand in heat of bloudy heart Shall havocke make and then my selfe at last must play my part Whom when some one by dint of sword or launce of dart from farre Hath quite bereft of vitall breath the hungry dogs shall arre About my corps and at my gates hale it and drag along Gnawing the flesh of hoarie head and grisled chin among Mangling besides the privie parts of me a man so old Unkindly slaine a spectacle most piteous to behold Thus spake the aged father tho and pluckt from head above His haires milke-white but all these words did Hector nothing move Seeing then so many examples of this matter presented unto your eies you are to thinke and consider with your selfe that death doth deliver and preserve many men from great greevous calamities into which without all doubt they should have fallen if they had lived longer But for to avoid prolixitie I will omit the rest my selfe with those that are related already as being sufficient to proove shew that we ought not to breake out beside nature and beyond measure into vaine sorrowes and needlesse lamentations which bewray nothing else but base and seeble minds Crantor the philosopher was wont to say That to suffer adversitie causelesse was no small easement to all sinister accidents of fortune but I would rather say That innocencie is the greatest and most soveraigne medicine to take away the sense of all dolour in adversitie moreover the love and affection that we beare unto one who is departed consisteth not in afflicting and punishing our selves but in doing good unto him so beloved of us now the profit and pleasure that we are able to performe for them who are gone out of this world is the honour that we give unto them by celebrating their good memorials for no good man deserveth to be mourned and bewailed but rather to be celebrated with praise and
before you were acquainted therewith have ordained mine owne sonnes to be judges namely for Asia two Minos and Rhadamanthus and one for Europe to wit Aeacus These therefore after they be dead shall sit in judgement within a meddow at a quarrefour or crosse-way whereof the one leadeth to the fortunate isles the other to hell Rhadamanthus shall determine of them in Asia Aeacus of those in Europe and as for Minos I wil grant unto him a preeminence in judgement above the rest in case there happen some matter unknowen to one of the other two and escape their censure he may upon weighing and examining their opinions give his definitive sentence and so it shall be determined by a most sincere and just doome whether way each one shall goe This is that O Callicles which I have heard and beleeve to be most true whereout I gather this conclusion in the end that death is no other thing than the separation of the soule from the body Thus you see ô Apollonius my most deere friend what I have collected with great care and diligence to compose for you sake a consolatorie oration or discourse which I take to be most necessarie for you as well to asswage and rid away your present griefe to appease likewise and cause to cease this heavinesse and mourning that you make which of all things is most unpleasant and troublesome as also to comprise within it that praise and honour which me thought I owed as due unto the memoriall of your sonne Apollonius of all others exceedingly beloved of the gods which honour in my conceit is a thing most convenient and acceptable unto those who by happie memorie and everlasting glorie are consecrated to immortalitie You shall doe your part therefore and verie wisely if you obey those reasons which are therein conteined you shall gratifie your sonne likewise and doe him a great pleasure in case you take up in time and returne from this vaine affliction wherewith you punish and undoe both bodie and mind unto your accustomed ordinarie and naturall course of life for like as whiles he lived with us he was nothing well appaied and tooke no contentment to see either father or mother sadde and desolate even so now when he converseth and so laceth himselfe in all joy with the gods doubtlesse he cannot like well of this state wherein you are Therefore plucke up your heart and take courage like a man of woorth of magnanimitie and one that loveth his children well release your selfe first and then the mother of the yoong gentleman together with his kinsfolke and friends from this kind of miserie and take to a more quiet peaceable maner of life which will be both to your sonne departed and to all of us who have regard of your person as it becommeth us more agreeable A CONSOLOTARIE LETTER OR DISCOURSE SENT UNTO HIS OWNE WIFE AS TOUCHING THE DEATH OF HER AND HIS DAUGHTER The Summarie PLutarch being from home and farre absent received newes concerning the death of a little daughter of his a girle about two yeeres old named Timoxene a childe of a gentle nature and of great hope but fearing that his wife would apprehend such a lesse too neere unto her heart he comforteth her in this letter and by giving testimonie unto her of vertue and constancie 〈◊〉 at the death of other children of hers more forward in age than she was he exhorteth her likewise to patience and moderation in this newe occurrence and triall of hers condemning by sundry reasons the excessive sorrow and unwoorthy fashion of many fond mothers 〈◊〉 withall the inconveniences that such excessive heavinesse draweth after it Then continuing his consolation of her he declareth with what eie we ought to regard infants and children aswell before as during and after life how happie they be who can content themselves and rest in the will and pleasure of God that the blessings past ought to dulce and mitigate the calamities present to stay us also that we proceed not to that degree and height of infortunitie as to make account onely of the misadventures and discommodities hapning in this our life Which done he answereth to certeine objections which his wife might propose and set on foot and therewith delivereth his owne advice as touching the incorruption and immortalitie of mans soule after he had made a medly of divers opinions which the ancient Philosophers held as touching that point and in the end concludeth That it is better and more expedient to die betimes than late which position of his he confirmeth by an ordinance precisely observed in his owne countrey which expresly for bad to mourne and lament for those who departed this life in their childhood A CONSOLATORIE LETTER or Discourse sent unto his owne wife as touching the death of her and his daughter PLUTARCH unto his wife Greeting THe messenger whom you sent of purpose to bring me word as touching the death of our little daughter went out of his way as I suppose and so missed of me as he journeyed toward Athens howbeit when I was arrived at Tanagra I heard that she had changed this life Now as concerning the funerals and enterring of her I am verily perswaded that you have already taken sufficient order so as that the thing is not to doe and I pray God that you have performed that duetie in such sort that neither for the present not the time to come it worke you any grievance displeasure but if haply you have put off any such complements which you were willing enough of your selfe to accomplish untill you knew my minde and pleasure thinking that in so doing you should with better will and more patiently beare this adverse accident then I pray you let the same be performed without all curiositie and superstition and yet I must needs say you are as little given that way as any woman that I know this onely I would admonish you deare heart that in this case you shew both in regard of your selfe and also of me a constancie and tranquillitie of minde for mine owne part I conceive and measure in mine owne heart this losse according to the nature and greatnesse thereof and so I esteeme of it accordingly but if I should finde that you tooke it impatiently this would be much more grievous unto me and wound my heart more than the 〈◊〉 it selfe that causeth it and yet am not I begotten and borne either of an oake or a rocke whereof you can beare me good witnesse knowing that wee both together have reard many of our children at home in house even with our owne hands and how I loved this girle most tenderly both for that you were very desirous after foure sonnes one after another in a row to beare a daughter as also for that in regard of that fancie I tooke occasion to give her your name now besides that naturall fatherly affection which men cōmonly have toward little babes there was one
present succour in time of adversitie unto as many as refuse not to remember and call to minde their joies passed and who never at all for any accident whatsoever complaine of fortune which we ought not to doe in reason and honestie unlesse we would seeme to accuse and blame this life which we enjoy for some crosse or accident as if we cast away a booke if it have but one blur or blot in it being otherwise written throughout most cleane and faire for you have heard it oftentimes said that the beatitude of those who are departed dependeth upon the right and sound discourses of our understanding and the same tending to one constant disposition as also that the chaunges and alterations of fortune beare no great sway to inferre much declination or casualitie in our life but if we also as the common sort must be ruled and governed by externall things without us if we reckon and count the chaunces and casualties of fortune and admit for judges of or felicitie our miserie the base and vulgar sort of people yet take you no heed to those teares plaints and moanes that men or women make who come to visit you at this present who also upon a foolish custome as it were of course have them ready at command for every one but rather consider this with your selfe how happie you are reputed even by those who come unto you who would gladly and with all their hearts be like unto you in regard of those children whom you have the house and family which you keepe the life that you leade for it were an evill thing to see others desire to be in your estate and condition for all the sorrow which now afflicteth us and your selfe in the meane time complaining and taking in ill part the same and not to be so happy and blessed as to find and feele even by this crosse that now pincheth you for the losse of one infaut what joy you should take and how thankefull you ought to be for those who remaine alive with you for heerein you should resemble very well those Criticks who collect and gather together all the lame and defective verses of Homer which are but few in number and in the meane time passe over an infinite sort of others which were by him most excellently made In this maner I say you did if you would search narrowly and examine every particular mishap in this life and finde fault therewith but all good blessings in grose let go by and never once respect the same which to do were much like unto the practise of those covetous misers worldings and peni-fathers who 〈◊〉 and care punish both bodie and minde untill they have gathered a great deale of good together and then enjoy no benefit or use thereof but if they chance to forgo any of it they keepe a piteous wailing and wofull lamentation Now if haply you have compassion and pitie of the poore girle in that she went out of this world a maiden unmarried and before that she bare any children you ought rather on the contrarie side to rejoice and take delight in your selfe above others for that you have not failed of these blessings nor bene disappointed either of the one or the other for who would holde and mainteine that these things should be great to those who be deprived of them and but small to them who have and enjoy the same As for the childe who doubtlesse is gone into a place where she feeleth no paine surely she requireth not at our hands that we should afflict grieve our selves for her sake for what harme is there befallen unto us by her if she her selfe now feele no hurt And as for the losses of great things indeed surely they yeeld no sense at all of dolor when they are come once to this point that there is no more need of them or care made for thē But verily thy daughter Timoxena is bereft not of great matters but of small things for in trueth she had no knowledge at all but of such neither delighted she in any but in such seeing then that she had no perceivance nor thought of those things how can she properly and truely be said to be deprived thereof Moreover as touching that which you heard of others who are woont to perswade many of the vulgar sort saying That the soule once separate from the bodie is dissolved and feeleth no paine or dolor at all I am assured that you yeeld no credit and beliefe to such positions aswell in regard of those reasons and instructions which you have received by tradition from our ancestors as also of those sacred and symbolical mysteries of Bacchus which we know wel enough who are of that religious confraternitie and professed therein Being grounded therefore in this principle and holding it firmely for an undoubted trueth That our soule is incorruptible and immortall you are to thinke that it fareth with it as it doth with little birds that are caught by the fowler alive and came into mens hands for if it have bene kept and nourished daintily a long time within the bodie so that it be inured to be gentle and familiar unto this life to wit by the management of sundry affaires and long custome it returneth thither againe and reentreth a second time after many generations into the bodie it never taketh rest nor ceaseth but is inwrapped within the affections of the flesh and entangled with the adventures of the world and calamities incident to our nature for I would not have you to thinke that olde age is to be blamed and reproched for riuels and wrinckles nor in regard of hoarie white haires ne yet for the imbecillitie and feeblenesse of the body but the worst and most odious thing in it is this That it causeth the soule to take corruption by the remembrance of those things whereof it had experience whiles it staied therein and was too much addicted and affectionate unto it whereby it bendeth and boweth yea and reteineth that forme or figure which it tooke of the bodie by being so long devoted thereto whereas that which is taken away in youth pretendeth a better estate and condition as being framed to a gentler habit more soft tractable and lesse compact putting on now a naturall rectitude much like as fire which being quenched if it be kindled againe burneth out and recovereth vigor incontinently which is the cause that it is farre better Betimes to yeeld up vitall breath And soone to passe the gates of death before that the soule have taken too deepe an imbibition or liking of terrene things here below and ere it be made soft and tender with the love of the bodie and as it were by certeine medicines and forcible charmes united and incorporate into it The trueth hereof may appeate yet better by the fashions and ancient customes of this countrey for our citizens when their children die yong neither offer mortuaries nor performe any sacrifices
hanging which must strangle them for other wise we might aswell say that 〈◊〉 condemned to die suffer no punishment all the whiles they lie in hard and colde yrons nor untill the executioner come and strike the head from the shoulders or that he who by sentence of the judges hath drunke the deadly potion of hemlocke is not punished because he walketh stil and goeth up and downe alive waiting untill his legs become heavie before the generall colde and congelation surprise him and extinguish both sense and vitall spirits in case it were so that we esteeme and call by the name of punishment nothing but the last point and extremity thereof letting passe and making no reckoning at all of the passions feares painfull pangues expectance of death pricks and sorrowes of a penitent conscience wherewith every wicked person is troubled and tormented for this were as much as to say that the fish which hath swallowed downe the hooke is not caught untill we see the said fish cut in pieces or broiled roasted and sodden by the cooke Certes every naughty person is presently become prisoner unto justice so soone as he hath once committed a sinfull act and swallowed the hooke together with the bait of sweetnesse and pleasure which he taketh in leaudnesse and wrongfull doing but when the remorse of conscience imprinted in him doth pricke he feeleth the very torments of hell and can not rest But as in sea the Tuny fish doth swiftly crosse the waves And travers still while tempest lasts so he with anguish raves For this audacious rashnesse and violent insolence proper unto vice is verie puissant forward and readie at hand to the effecting and execution of sinfull acts but afterwards when the passion like unto a winde is laied and beginnes to faile it becommeth weake base and feeble subject to an infinite number of feares and superstitions in such sort as that Stesichorus the Poet seemeth to have devised the dreame of queene Clytemnestra very conformable to the trueth and answerable to our daily experience when he bringeth her in speaking in this maner Me thought I saw a dragon come apace Whose crest aloft on head with bloud was stein'd With that anon there did appeare in place Plisthenides the king who that time reign'd For the visions by night in dreames the fantasticall apparitions in the day time the answers of oracles the prodigious signes from heaven and in one word whatsoever men think to be done immediately by the will and finger of God are woont to strike great troubles and horrors into such persons so affected and whose consciences are burdened with the guilt and privitie of sinne Thus the report goeth of Apollodorus that he dreamed upon a time how he saw himselfe first flaied by the Scythians then cut as small as flesh to the pot and so boiled he thought also that his heart spake softly frō out of the cauldron and uttered these words I am the cause of all these thy evils and againe he imagined in his sleepe that his own daughters all burning on a light flaming fire ran round about him in a circle Semblably Hipparchus the sonne of Pisistratus a little before his death dreamed that Venus out of a certaine viall sprinkled bloud upon his face The familiar friends likewise of king Ptolomaeus surnamed Ceraunos that is to say Lightning thought verily in a dreame that they saw Seleucus accuse and indite him judicially before wilde wolves and greedie geires that were his judges where he dealt and distribued a great quantitie of flesh among his enemies Pausanias also at Bizantium sent for Cleonice a virgin and gentlewoman free borne of a worshipfull house intending perforce to lie with her all night and abuse her body but being halfe a sleepe when she came to his bed he awakened in a fright and suspecting that some enemies were about to surprise him killed her outright whereupon ever after he dreamt ordinarily that he saw her and heard her pronounce this speech To judgement seat approch thou neere I say Wrong dealing is to men most hurtfull ay Now when this vision as it should seeme ceased not to appeere unto him night by night he embarked and sailed into Heraclea to a place where the spirits and ghosts of those that are departed be raised and called up where after he had offered certaine propitiatorie sacrifices and powred foorth funerall effusions which they use to cast upon the tombes of the dead he wrought so effectually that the ghost of Cleonice appeared and then she said unto him that so soone as he was arrived at Lacedaemon he should have repose and an end of all his troubles and so in very truth no sooner was he thither come but he ended his life and died If therefore the soule had no sense after it is departed out of the bodie but commeth to nothing and that death were the finall end and expiration aswell of thankefull recompenses as of painfull punishments a man might say of wicked persons who are quickly punished and die soone after that they have committed any misdeeds that God dealeth very gently and mildly with them For if continuance of time and long life bringeth to wicked persons no other harme yet a man may at leastwise say thus much of them that having knowne by proofe and found by experience that injustice is an unfrutefull barren and thanklesse thing bringing foorth no good thing at all nor ought that deserveth to be esteemed after many travels and much paines taken with it yet the verie feeling and remorse of conscience for their sinnes disquieteth and troubleth the mind and turneth it upside downe Thus we reade of king Lysmachus that being forced through extreame thirst he delivered his owne person and his whole armie into the hands of the Getes and when being their prisoner hee had drunke and quenched his thirst he said thus O what a miseric is this and wretched case of mine that for so short and transitorie a pleasure I have deprived my selfe of so great a kingdome and all my roiall estate True it is that of all things it is an exceeding hard matter to resist the necessitie of a naturall passion but when as a man for covetousnesse of money or desire of glorie authoritie credit among his countrimen and fellow-citizens or for fleshly pleasures falleth to commit a foule wicked and execrable fact and then afterwards in time when as the ardent thirst and furious heat of his passion is past seeing that there abide and continue with him the filthy shamefull and perilous perturbations onely of injustice and sinfulnesse but nothing at all that is profitable necessarie or delightsome is it not very likely and probable that he shall eftsoones and oftentimes recall into this thought and consideration how being seduced and caried away by the meanes of vain-glory or dishonest pleasures things base vile and illiberall he hath perverted and overthrowen the most beautifull and excellent gifts that men have to wit right
reach and extend to all those who descend from it neither is the thing ingendred of the same nature that a piece of worke is wrought by art which incontinently is separate from the workeman for that it is made by him and not of him whereas contrariwise that which is naturally engendred is formed of the very substance of that which ingendred it in such sort as it doth carie about it some part thereof which by good right deserveth either to be punished or to be honoured even in it selfe And were it not that I might be thought to jest speake in game and not in good earnest I would aver and pronounce assuredly that the Athenians offered more wrong and abuse unto the brasen statue of Cassander which they caused to be defaced and melted and likewise the dead corps of Dionysius suffered more injurie at the hands of the Syracusians which after his death they caused to be carried out of their confines than if they had proceeded in rigor of justice against their of spring and posterity for the said image of Cassander did not participate one whit of his nature and the soule of Dionysius was departed a good while before out of his bodie whereas Niseus Apollocrates Antipater Philip all such other descended from vicious wicked parents reteined still the chiefe and principall part which is in them inbred and remaineth not quiet idle and doing nothing but such as whereby they live and are nourished whereby they negociate reason and discourse neither ought it to seeme strange and incredible that being of their issue they should likewise reteine their qualities and inclinations In summe I say and affirme that like as in Physicke whatsoever is holesome and profitable the same is also just and woorthy were he to be laughed at and mocked that calleth him unjust who for the Sciatica or disease of the huckle-bone would cauterize the thumbe or when the liver is impostumate scarifie the bellie and if kine or oxen be tender and soft in the clees anoint the extremities and tips of their hornes even so he deserveth to be scorned and reproved as a man of a shallow conceit who in chastisement of vice esteemeth any other thing just than that which may cure and heale the same or who is offended and angry if a medicine be applied or a course of Physicke used into some parts for curing others as they do who open a veine for to heale the inflammation of the eies such an one I say seemeth to see and perceive no further than his owne outward senses leade him and remembreth not well that a schoolemaster often times in whipping one of his scholars keepeth all the rest in awe and good order and a great captaine and generall of the field in putting to death for exemplarie justice one souldier in every ten reformeth all besides and reduceth them to their duetie and even so there happen not onely to one part by another but also to one soule by another certeine dispositions aswell to worse and impairing as to better and amendment yea and much more than to one body by the meanes of another for that there to wit in a bodie there must by all likelihood be one impression and the same alteration but here the soule which often times is led and caried away by imagination either to be confident or distrustfull and timorous fareth better or woorse accordingly And as I was going forward to speake Olympiacus interrupting my speech By these words of yours quoth he you seeme to set downe as a supposall a subject matter of great consequence and discourse to wit the immortalitie of the soule as if it remained still after the separation from the body Yea mary quoth he even this have I inferred by that which you do now grant or rather have granted heretofore for our discourse hath bene from the beginning prosecuted to this presupposed point That God dealeth distributeth to every of us according as we have deserved And how quoth he doth this follow necessarily that in case God doth behold all humaneaffaires dispose of every particular thing here upon earth the soules therfore should become either immortal incorruptible or els continue in their entire estate long after death O good sir quoth I be content is God thinke you so base minded or imploied in so small trifling matters and having so little to do that when we have no divine thing in us nor ought that in any sort resembleth him or is firme and durable but that we continually decay fade and perish like unto the leaves of trees as Homer saith and that in a small time he should all on a sudden make so great account of us like to those women who cherish and keepe the gardens as they say of Adonis within brittle pots and pannes of earth as to make our soules for one day to flourish and looke greene within our fleshly body which is not capable of any strong root of life and then within a while after suffer them to be extinguished and to die upon the least occasion in the world But if you please let us passe other gods and consider wee a little this our God onely him I meane who is honoured and invocated in this place namely whether hee knowing that the soules of the dead are presenly exhaled and vanished away to nothing like unto a vapour or smoake breathing forth of our bodies doth ordeine incontinently oblations to be offered and propitiatorie sacrifices to be made for the departed and whether he demand not great honors worship and veneration in the memoriall of the dead or whether hee doth it to abuse and deceive those that beleeve accordingly For I assure you for my part I will never graunt that the soule dieth but remaineth stil after death unlesse some one or other as by report Hercules did in old time come first and take away the propheticall stoole or trefeet of Pythius and destroy the oracle for ever rendring any more answers as it hath delivered even unto these our daies such as by report was given in old time to Corax the Naxian in these words Impietie great it is for to beleeve That soules doe die and not for ever live Then Patrocles What prophecie quoth he was this and who was that Corax for surely the thing it selfe that very name be both of them strange and unknowen to me That cannot be quoth I but thinke better of the matter for it is long of me who have used his surname in stead of his proper name for I mean him who flew Archilochus in battel whose name indeed was Callondas but men surnamed him Corax This mā was at the first rejected by the prophetesse Pythia as a murderer who had killed a worthy personage consecrated devoted unto the Muses but afterwards having used certaine humble praiers requests together with divers allegations of excuse pretēding to justifie his fact in the end he was enjoined by the
oracle to go to the house habitation of Tettix there by certaine expiatorie sacrifices oblations to appease pacifie the ghost of Archilochus now this house of Tettix was the cape or promontory Taenarus for it is said that Tettix the Cādian arriving with his fleet in times past at the head of Taenarus there built a citie inhabited it neere unto the place where the maner was to conjure spirits raise the ghosts of those that were departed The semblable answer being made to those of Sparta namely that they should make meanes to pacifie the soule of Pausanias they sent as farre as into Italy for sacrificers exorcists who had the skil to conjure spirits they with their sacrifices chased his ghost out of the temple This is one reason therefore quoth I that doth confirme and proove that both the world is governed by the providence of God and also that the soules of men do continue after death neither is it possible that we should admit the one denie the other If it be so then that the soule of man hath a subsistence being after death it is more probable soundeth to greater reason that it should then either taste of paine for punishment or enjoy honor for reward for during this life here upon earth it is in continuall combat in maner of a champion but after al combats performed finished then she receiveth according to her deserts Now as touching those honors or punishments which it receiveth in that other world 〈◊〉 by her-selfe and separate from the bodie the same concern and touch us nothing 〈◊〉 who remaine alive for either we know them not or give no beliefe thereto but such as be either conferred or inflicted upon their children or posteritie for that they be apparant and evident to the world those doe containe and curbe wicked men that they doe not execute their malicious desseignes And considering that there is no punishment more ignominous or that commeth neerer to the quicke and toucheth the heart more than for men to see their ofspring or those that depend upon them afflicted for their sake punished for their faults that the soule of a wicked person enemie to God and to all good lawes seeth after his death not his images statues or any ensignes of honor overthrowne but his owne children his friends kinsfolk ruinate undone persecuted with great miseries tribulations suffring grievous punishment for it there is no man I thinke but would chuse rather to forgoe all the honors of Jupiter if he might have them than to become again either unjust or intemperate lascivious And for the better testimonie truth hereof I could relate unto you a narration which was delivered unto me not long since but that I am afraid you will take it for a fabuolus tale devised to make sport In regard wherof I hold it better to alledge unto you nothing but substantial reasons and arguments grounded upon very good likelihood and probabilitie Not so quoth Olympiacus in any case but rehearse unto us the narration which you speake of And when others also requested the same at my hands Suffer me yet first quoth I to set abroad those reasons which carie some good shew of truth and then afterwards if you thinke well of it I will recite the fable also if so be it is a fable As for Bion when he saith that God in punishing the children of wicked men and sinners for their fathers is much more ridiculous than the physician who for the maladie of father or grandsire goeth about to minister medicine unto the child or nephew surely this comparison faulteth heerein that things be partly semblable and in part divers and unlike for if one be cured of a disease by medicinable meanes this doth not by and by heale the maladie or indisposition of another For never was there man yet being sicke of a feaver or troubled with bleered and impostumate eies became cured by seeing an ointment applied or a salve laid unto another But contrariwise the punishment or execution of justice upon malefactors is for this cause done publikely before all the world that justice being ministred with reason and discretion should effect thus much namely to keepe in and retaine some by the chasticement and correction of others But that point wherein the foresaid comparison of Bion answereth to our matter in question himselfe never understood for many times it falleth out that a man being fallen sicke of a dangerous disease how beit not incurable yet through his intemperance and disorder afterwards suffreth his bodie to grow into greater weaknesse and decay untill at last he dieth whereupon his sonne after him being not actually surprised with the same disease but onely disposed thereto a learned physician some trustie friend or an expert annointer and master of exercises perceiving so much or rather indeed a kind friend and gentle master governor who hath a carefull eie over him taketh him in hand bringeth him to an exquisite maner of austere diet cutteth off all superssuity of viands deintie cates banketting dishes debarreth him of unseasonable drinkings and the company of women purgeth him continually with soveraigne medicines keepeth his body downe by ordinarie labour and exercise and so doth dissipate and dispatch the first beginning and small inclination to a dangerous disease in not permitting it to have head to grow forward to any greatnesse And is not this an usual practise among us to admonish those who are borne of sickly and diseased parents to take good heed unto themselves and not to neglect their indisposition but betimes and even at the very first to endevor for to remoove and rid away the root of such inbred maladies which they bring with them into the world for surely it is an easie matter to expell and drive out yea and to conquer and overcome the same by prevention in due time Yes verily answered they all Well then quoth I we commit no absurditie nor doe any ridiculous thing but that which is right necessarie and profitable when we ordeine and prescribe for the children of those who are subject to the falling sicknesse to madnesse phrenesie and the gout exercises of the bodie diets regiments of life and medicines appropriate for those maladies not when they are sicke thereof but by way of precaution to prevent that they should not fall into them for the bodie ingendred of a corrupt and diseased bodie neither needeth nor deserveth any punishment but physicke rather by good medicines and carefull attendance which diligence and heedfull regard if any one upon wantonnesse nicetie and delicacie doe call chastisement because it depriveth a man of pleasures and delights or haply inferreth some pricke of dolour and paine let him goe as he is we passe not for him Now if it be expedient to cure and medicine carefully one body issued and descended from another that is corrupt is it meet and convenient
should seeme they shewed some discontentment when they were enlarged and hudled close together but well appaied and much pleased when they were enlarged and severed at their liberty Among these by his owne saying he had a sight of a soule belonging to a kinsman and familiar friend of his yet he knew him not certeinly for that he died whiles himselfe was a very childe howbeit the said soule comming toward him saluted him in these tearmes God save you Thespesius whereat he marvelled much and said unto him I am not Thespesius but my name is Aridaeus True in deed quoth the other before-time you were so called but from hencefoorth Thespesius shall be your name for dead you are not yet but by the providence of God and permission of Destinie you are hither come with the intellectuall part of the soule and as for all the rest you have left it behinde sticking fast as an anchor to your bodie and that you may now know this and evermore heereafter take this for a certeine rule and token That the spirits of those who are departed and dead indeed yeeld no shadow from them they neither wincke nor yet open their eies Thespesius hearing these words began to plucke up his spirits so much the more for to consider and discourse with himselfe looking therefore every way about him he might perceive that there accompanied him a certeine shadowy and darke lineature whereas the other soules shone round about and were cleere and transparent within forth howbeit not all alike for some yeelded from them pure colour uniforme and equall as doth the full moone when she is at the cleerest others had as it were scales or cicatrices dispersed here and there by certeine distant spaces betweene some againe were wonderfull hideous and strange to see unto all to be specked with blacke spots like to serpents skinnes and others had light scarifications and obscure risings upon their visage Now this kinsman of Thespesius for there is no danger at all to tearme soules by the names which men had whiles they were living discoursed severally of ech thing saying That Adrastia the daughter of Jupiter and Necessitie was placed highest and above the rest to punish and to be revenged of all sorts of crimes and hainous sinnes and that of wicked and sinfull wretches there was not one great or small who either by force or cunning could ever save himselfe and escape punishment but one kinde of paine and punishment for three sorts there be in all belonged to this gaoler or executioner and another to that for there is one which is quicke and speedie called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Penaltie and this taketh in hand the execution and chastisement of those who immediatly in this life whiles they are in their bodies be punished by the bodie after a milde and gentle maner leaving unpunihsed many light faults which require onely some petie purgation but such as require more ado to have their vices and sinnes cured God committeth them to be punished after death to a second tormentresse named Dice that is to say Revenge mary those who are so laden with sinnes that they be altogether incurable when Dice hath given over and thrust them from her the third ministresse of Adrastia which of all other is most cruell and named Erinnys runneth after chasing and pursuing them as they wander and runne up and downe these I say she courseth and hunteth with great miserie and much dolor untill such time as she have overtaken them all and plunged them into a bottomlesse pit of darkenesse inenarrable and invisible Now of these three sorts of punishments the first which is executed by Paene in this life resembleth that which is used in some barbarous nations for in Persis when any are by order of law and judicially to be punished they take from them their copped caps or high pointed turbants and other robes which they plucke and pull haire by haire yea and whip them before their faces and they themselves shedding teares and weeping crie out piteously and beseech the officers to cease and give over semblably the punishments inflicted in this life in bodie or goods are not exceeding sharpe nor come very nere to the quick neither do they pierce reach unto the vice and sinne it selfe but the most part of them are imposed according to a bare opinion onely and the judgement of outward naturall sense But if it chance quoth he that any one escape hither unpunished and who hath not bene well purged there before him Dice taketh in hand all bare and naked as he is with his soule discovered and open as having nothing to hide palliate and maske his wickednesse but lying bare and exposed to the view thorowout and on every side she presenteth and sheweth him first to his parents good and honest persons if haply they were such declaring how abominable he is how dextenerate and unwoorthy of his parentage but if they also were wicked both he and they susteine so much more grievous punishment whiles he is tormented in seeing them and they likewise in beholding him how he is punished a long time even untill every one of his crimes and sinnes be dispatched and rid away with most dolourous and painfull torments surpassing in sharpnesse and greatnesse all corporall griefs by how much a true vision indeed is more powerfull and effectuall than a vaine dreame or fantasticall illusion whereupon the wales marks scarres and cicatrices of sinne and vice remaine to be seene in some more in others lesse But observe well quoth he and consider the divers colours of these soules of all sorts for this blackish and foule duskish hew is properly the tincture of avarice and niggardise that which is deepe red and fierie betokeneth cruelty and malice whereas if it stand much upon blew it is a signe that there intemperance and loosenesse in the use of pleasures hath remained a long time and will be hardly scowred off for that it is a vile vice but the violet colour and sweetish withall proceedeth from envie a venimous and poisoned colour resembling the inke that commeth from the cuttle fish for in life vice when the saile is altered and changed by passions and withall doth turne the body putteth foorth sundry colours but heere it is a signe that the purification of the soule is fully finished when as all these tincttures are done away quite whereby the soule may appeare in her native hew all fresh neat cleare and lightsome for so long as any one of these colours remaineth there will be evermore some recidivation and returne of passions and affections bringing certaine tremblings beatings as it were of the pulse and a panting in some but weake and feeble which quickly staieth and is soone extinguished and in other more strong quicke and vehement Now of these soules some there be which after they have beene well and throughly chastised and that sundry times recover in the end a decent habitude and
owne safetie and life mooveth us but even for our pleasure we have a poore sheepe lying under our hand with the throat turned upward a philosopher of the one side should say Cut the throat for it is a brute beast and another admonish us on the other side saying Stay your hand and take heed what you doe for what know you to the contrarie whether in that sheepe be the soule lodged of some kinsman of yours or peradventure of some God Is the danger before God all one and the same whether I refuse to eat of the flesh or beleeve not that I kill my child or some one of my kinsfolke But surely the Stoicks are not equally matched in this fight for the defence of eating flesh For what is the reason that they so band themselves and be so open mouthed in the maintenance of the belly and the kitchin what is the cause that condemning pleasure as they doe for an effeminate thing and not to be held either good or indifferent no nor so much as familiar and agreeable to nature they stand so much in the patronage of those things that make to the pleasure and delight of feeding And yet by all consequence reason would that considering they chase and banish from the table all sweet perfumes and odoriferous ointments yea and al pastrie worke and banketting junkets they should be rather offended at the sight of bloud and flesh But now as if by their precise philosophicall rules they would controule our day books and journals of our ordinarie expences they cut off all the cost bestowed upon our table in things needlesse and superfluous meane while they sinde no fault with that which savoureth of bloudshed and crueltie in this superfluitie of table furniture We doe not indeed say they because there is no communication of rights betweene beasts and us but a man might answer them againe verie well No more is there betweene us and perfumes or other forraine and exoticall sauces and yet you would have us to absteine from them rejecting and blaming on all sides that which in any pleasure is neither profitable nor needfull But let us I pray you consider upon this point a little neerer to wit whether there be any communitie in right and justice betweene us and unreasonable creatures or no and let us doe it not subtilly and artificially as the captious manner is of these sophisters in their disputations but rather after a gentle and familiar sort having an eie unto our owne passions and affections let us reason and decide the matter with our selves THAT A MAN CANNOT LIVE PLEASANTLY ACCORDING TO THE DOCTRINE OF EPICURUS The Summarie GReat disputations there have beene holden among the Philosophers and Sages of the world as touching the sovereigne good of man as it may appeere even at this day by the books that are extant among us and yet neither one nor other have hit the true marke whereat they shot to wit The right knowledge of God Howbeit some of them are a great deale farther out of the way than others and namely the Epicureans whom our author doth perstringe in many places as holding a doctrine cleane contrary unto theirs according as his writings doe testifie And forasmuch as Epicurus and his disciples placed and established this sovereigne good in pleasure of the bodie this their opinion is heere examined and confuted at large for in forme of a dialogue Plutarch rehearseth the communication or conference which he had with Aristodemus Zeuxippus and Theon as they walked together immediately after one lecture of his upon this matter who having shewed in generall tearmes the absurdities of this Epicurian doctrine maint eineth in one word That it is no life at all for to live according to the same Then he explaneth and sheweth what the Epicureans meane by this word To live and from thence proceedeth forward to refute their imagination and whatsoever dependeth thereupon and that by sound and weighty arguments intermingling many pretie conceits and pleasant jests together with certeine proper similitudes for the purpose After he had prooved that they were deceived themselves and seduced their disciples he holdeth moreover this point That even they deprive themselves of the true good which consisteth in the repose and contentment of the mind rejecting as they doe all Histories Mathematicall arts and liberall sciences and among the rest Poëtrie and Musicke shewing throughout all this discourse that such persons are deprived of common sense Passing forward he holdeth and mainteineth that the soule taketh joyin a contentment proper to it selfe and afterwards in discoursing of the pleasure that active life doth bring he refuteth more and more his adversarie addressing to this purpose a certeine conference and comparison betweene the pleasures of bodie and soule whereby a man may see the miserie of the one and the excellencie of the other This point he enricheth with divers examples the end whereof sheweth That there is nothing at all to be counted great or profitable in the schoole of Epicurus whose scholars never durst approove his opinion especially in death also That vertuous men have without all comparison much more pleasure in this world than the Epicureans who in their afflictions know not how to receive any joy or comfort by remembrance of their pleasures past And this is the very summe of the dialogue during the time that the above named persons did walke who after they were set began the disputation a fresh and spake in the first place of Gods providence condemning by diversreasons the atheisme of the Epicureans who are altogether inexcusable even in comparison of the common sort given to superstition continuing and holding on this discourse he depainteth very lively the nature of the Epicureans and commeth to represent and set down the contentment that men of honor have in their religion where also he holdeth this point That God is not the author of evill and that the Epicureans are sufficiently punished for their impietie in depriving themselves of that pleasure which commeth unto us by meditation of the divine wisedome in the conduct and management of all things Consequently he sheweth that this their prophane philosophie overthroweth and confoundeth all persons as well in their death as during their life Whereupon he proceedeth to treat of the immortality of the soule and of the life to come describing at large the misery of the Epicureans and for a finall conclusion he compriseth in fower or five lines the summary of all their error and so shutteth up and concludeth the whole disputation THAT A MAN CANNOT live pleasantly according to the doctrine of Epicurus COlotes one of the disciples and familiar followers of Epicurus wrote and published a booke wherein he endevoured to proove and declare That there was no life at all to speake of according to the opinions and sentences of other Philosophers Now as touching that which readily came into my minde for the answere of his challenge and the discourse against his
are enamored of learning could satisfie to the full his desire as touching the knowledge of the truth and the contemplation of the universall nature of this world for that indeed they see as it were through a darke cloud and a thick mist to wit by the organes and instruments of this body and have no other use of reason but as it is charged with the humors of the flesh weake also and troubled yea and woonderfully hindered therefore having an eie and regard alwaies upward endevoring to flie forth of the bodie as a bird that taketh her flight and mounteth up aloft that she may get into another lightsome place of greater capacitie they labour to make their soule light and to discharge her of all grosse passions and earthly affections such as be base and transitorie and that by the meanes of their studie in philosophie which they use for an exercise and meditation of death And verily for my part I esteeme death a good thing so perfect and consumate in regard of the soule which then shall live a life indeed sound and certaine that I suppose the life heere is not a subsistent and assured thing of it selfe but resembleth rather the vaine illusions of some dreames And if it be so as Epicurus saith That the remembrance and renewing acquaintance of a friend departed out of this life is every way a pleasant thing a man may even now consider and know sufficiently of what joie these Epicureans deprive themselves who imagine otherwhiles in their dreames that they reveive and enterteine yea and follow after to embrace the very shadowes visions apparitions and ghosts of their friends who are dead and yet they have neither understanding nor sense at all and meane while they disappoint themselves of the expectation to converse one day indeed with their deere father and tender mother and to see their beloved and honest wives and are destitute of all such hope of so amiable company and sweet societie as they have who are of the same opinion that Pythagoras Plato and Homer were as touching the nature of the soule Certes I am verily perswaded that Homer covertly and as it were by the way shewed what maner of affection theirs is in this point when he casteth and projecteth amidde the presse of those that were fighting the image of Aeneas as if he were dead indeed but presently after hee exhibiteth him marching alive safe and sound And when his friends saw him so vigorous And whole of limbs and with heart generous To battel prest whom earst they tooke for dead They leapt for joy and banished all dread leaving therefore the foresaid image and shew of him they raunged all about him Let us likewise seeing that reason prooveth sheweth unto us that a man may in very truth converse with those that are departed that lovers and friends may touch handle and keepe companie one with another having their perfect senses be of good cheere and shunne those who can not beleeve so much nor reject and cast behind all such fantasticall images and outward barks and rinds onely in which they do al their life time nothing else but grieve and lament in vaine Moreover they that thinke the end of this life to be the beginning of another that is better if they lived pleasantly in this world better contented they are to die for that they looke for to enjoy a better estate in another and is things went not to their mind heere yet are they not much discontented in regard of the hopes which they have of the future delights and pleasures behind and these worke in them such incredible joies and expectances that they put out and abolish all defects and offences whatsoever these drowne I say and overcome all discontentments otherwise of the minde which by that meanes beareth gently and endureth with patience what accidents soever befal in the way or rather in a short diverticle or turning of the way where as contrariwise to those who beleeve that our life heere is ended and dissolved in a certaine deprivation of all sense death because it bringeth no alteration of miseries is dolorous as well to them of the one fortune as the other but much more unto those who are happie in this present life than unto such as are miserable for that as it cutteth these short of all hope of better estate so from those it taketh away a certeintie of good which was their present joyfull life And like as many medicinable and purgative drougs which are neither good nor pleasant to the stomacke howbeit in some respect necessarie howsoever they case and cure the sicke doe great hurt and offend the bodies of such as be in health even so the doctrine of Epicurus unto those who are infortunate and live miserably in this world promiseth an issure out of their miseries and the same nothing happie to wit a finall end and totall dissolution of their soule And as for those who are prudent wife and live in abundance of al good things it impeacheth and hindreth altogether their alacritie contentment of spirit in bringing and turning them from an happie life to no life at all from a blessed estate to no estate or being whatsoever For first formost this is certeine That the very apprehension of the losse of goods afflicteth and vexeth a man as much as either an assured expectance or a present enjoying and fruition thereof rejoiceth his heart yet would they beare us in hand that the cogitation of this finall dissolution and perdition into nothing leaveth unto men a most assured and pleasant good to wit the refutation or putting by of a certaine fearefull doubt and suspicion of infinit and endlesse miseries and this say they doth the doctrine of Epicurus effect in abolishing the feare of death and teaching that the soule is utterly dissolved Now if this be a singular and most sweet content as they say it is to be delivered from the feare and expectation of calamities and miseries without end how can it otherwise be but irksome and grievous to be deprived of the hope of joies sempiternall and to lose that supreame and sovereigne felicitie Thus you see it is good neither for the nor the other but this Not-being is naturally an enemie and quite contrarie unto all that have Being And as for those whom the miserie of death seemeth to deliver from the miseries of life a poore and cold comfort they have God wot of that insensibility as if they had an evasion and escaped thereby and on the other side those who lived in all prosperitie and afterwards came of a sudden to change that state into nothing me thinks I see very plainly that these tarrie for a fearefull and terrible end of their race which thus shall cause their felicitie to cease for nature abhorreth not privation of sense as the beginning of another estate and being but is afraid of it because it is the privation of those good things which are
present For to say That the thing which costeth us the losse of all that we have toucheth us not is a very absurd speech considering that this very cogitation and apprehension thereof concerneth us much already for this insensibilitie doth not afflict and trouble those who have no more Being but such as yet are namely when they come to cast their account what detriment and losse they receive by being no more and that by death they shall be reduced to nothing for it is not the three-headed-helhound Cerberus nor the river of teares and weeping Cocytus which cause the feare of death to be infinit and interminable but it is that menacing intimation of Nullity or Not being of the impossibility to returne againe into a state of Being after men once are gone and departed out of this life for there is no second nativitie nor regeneration but that Not-being must of necessitie remaine for ever according to the doctrine of Epicurus for if there be no end at all of Non-essence but the same continue infinit and immutable there will be found likewise an eternall and endlesse miserie in that privation of all good things by a certeine insensibilitie which never shall have end In which point Herodotus seemeth yet to have dealt more wisely when he saith That God having given a taste of sweet eternitie seemeth envious in that behalfe especially to those who are reputed happie in this world unto whom that pleasure was nothing els but a bait to procure dolor namely when they have a taste of those things which they must for goe for what joy what contentment and fruition of pleasure is there so great but this conceit and imagination of the soule falling continually as it it were into a vast sea of this infinition is not able to quell and chase away especially in those who repose all goodnesse and beatitude in pleasure And if it be true as Epicurus saith That to die in paine is a thing incident to most men then surely there is no meane at all to mitigate or allay the feare of death seeing it haleth us even by griefe and anguish to the losse of a sovereigne good and yet his sectaries would seeme to urge and enforce this point mainly to wit in making men beleeve that it is a good thing to escape and avoid evill and yet forsooth that they should not thinke it evill to be deprived of good They confesse plainly that in death there is no joy nor hope at all but what pleasure and sweetnesse soever we had is thereby and then cut off whereas contrariwise even in that time those who beleeve their soules to be immortall and incorruptible looke to have and enjoy the greatest and most divine blessings and for certeine great revolutions of yeeres to converse in all happinesse and felicity sometime upon the earth otherwhiles in heaven untill in that generall resolution of the universall world they come to burne together with Sun and Moone in a spirituall and intellectuall fire This spacious place of so many and so great joies Epicurus cutteth off and abolisheth cleane in that he anulleth all hopes that we ought to have in the aide and favour of the gods whereby both in contemplative life he exstinguisheth the love of knowledge and learning and also in the active the desire of valourous acts of winning honour and glory restraining driving and thrusting nature into a narrow roome of a joy which is very strait short and unpure to wit from the soules delight to a fleshly pleasure as if she were not capable of a greater good than the avoiding of evill WHETHER THIS COMMON MOT BE WELL SAID LIVE HIDDEN OR SO LIVE AS NO MAN MAY KNOW THOV LIVEST The Summarie THis precept was first given by Neocles the brother of Epicurus as saith Suidas and as if it had bene some golden sentence it went currant ordinarily in the mouthes of all the Epicureans who advised a man that would live happily not to intermeddle in any publike affaires of State but Plutarch considering well how ill this Emprese sounded being taken in that sense and construction which they give unto it and foreseeing the absurd and dangerous consequences ensuing upon such an opinion doth now confute the same by seven arguments or sound reasons to wit That therein such foolish Philosophers discover mightily their excessive ambition That it is a thing dishonest and perillous for a man to retire himselfe apart from others for that if a man be vicious he ought to seeke abroad for remedie of his maladie if a lover of goodnesse and vertue he is likewise to make other men love the same Item That the Epicureans life being defamed with all or dure and wickednesse it were great reason in deed that such men should remaine hidden and buried in perpetuall darknesse After this he sheweth that the good proceeding from the life of vertuous men is a sufficient encouragement for every one to be emploied in affaires for that there is nothing more miserable than an idle life and that which is unprofitable to our neighbors That life birth generation mans soule yea and man himselfe wholly as he is teach us by their definitions and properties That we are not set in this world for to be directed by such a precept as this and in conclusion That the estate of our soules after they be separate from the bodie condemneth and overthroweth this doctrine of the Epicureans and prooveth evidently that they be extreame miserable both during and after this life All these premisses well marked and considered instruct and teach them that be of good calling in the world and in higher place to endevor and straine themselves in their severall vocations to flie an idle life so farre forth that they take heed withall they be not over curious pragmaticall busie and stirring nor too ready and forward to meddle in those matters which ought to be let alone as they be for feare lest whiles they weene to raise and advance themselves they fall backe and become lower than they would WHETHER THIS COMMON Mot be well said Live hidden or So live as no man may know thou livest LOe how even himselfe who was the authour of this sentence would not be unknowne but that al the world should understand that he it was who said it for expresly he uttered this very speech to the end that it might not remain unknowen that he had some more understanding than others desirous to winne a glorie undeserved and not due unto him by diverting others from glory and exhorting them to obscurity of life I like the man well verily for this is just according to the old verse I hate him who of wisdome beares the name And to himselfe cannot performe the same We reade that Philoxenus the sonne of Eryxis and Gnatho the Sicilian two notorious gluttons given to bellie-cheere and to love their tooth when they were at a feast used to snite their noses into the very dishes and platters
is my conceit that like as light effecteth thus much that we not onely know one another but also are profitable one unto another even so in my judgement to be knowne abroad bringeth not onely honor and glorie but also meanes of emploiment in vertue Thus Epaminondas unknowne unto the Thebanes untill he was fortie yeeres old stood them in no stead at all but after that they tooke knowledge of him once and had committed unto him the leading of their armie he saved the citie of Thebes which had like to have been lost and delivered Greece being in danger of servitude shewing in renowme and glorie no lesse than in some cleere light vertue producing her effects in due time For according to the poet Sophocles By use it shineth Like iron or brasse that is both faire and bright So long as men doe handle it aright In time also an house goes to decay And falleth downe if dweller be away Whereas the very maners natural conditions of a man be marred corrupted gathering as it were a mosse growing to age in doing nothing through ignorance obscurity And verily a mute silence a sedentarie life retired a part in idlenesse causeth not onely the bodie but the mind also of man to languish grow feeble like as dornant or close standing waters for that they be covered overshadowed not running grow to putrifie even so they that never stirre nor be emploied what good parts soever they have in them if they put them not foorth nor exercise their naturall and inbred faculties corrupt quickly and become old See you not how when the night commeth on approcheth neere our bodies become more heavie lumpish and unfit for any worke our spirits more dull and lazie to all actions and the discourse of our reason and understanding more drowsie and contracted within it selfe like unto fire that is ready to goe out and how the same by reason of an idlenesse and unwillingnesse comming upon it is somewhat troubled and disquieted with divers fantasticall imaginations which observation advertiseth us daily after a secret and silent manner how short the life of man is But when the sunne with light some beames Dispatched hath these cloudy dreames after he is once risen and by mingling together the actions and cogitations of men with his light awakeneth and raiseth them up as Democritus saith in the morning they make haste jointly one with another upon a forren desire as if they were compunded and knit with a certaine mutuall bond some one way and some another rising to their serverall works and businesse Certes I am of advice that even our life our very nativity yea the participation of mankind is given us of God to this end That we should know him for unknowne he is and hidden in this great fabricke and universall frame of the world all the while that hee goeth too and fro therein by small parcels and piece-meale but when hee is gathered in himselfe and growen to his greatnesse then shineth hee and appeereth abroad where before he lay covered then is he manifest and apparent where before he was obscure and unknowen for knowldege is not the way to his essence as some would have it but contrariwise his essence is the way to knowledge for that knowledge maketh not each thing but onely shewth it when it is done like as the corruption of any thing that is may not be thought a transporting to that which is not but rather a bringing of that which is dissolved to this passe that it appeereth no more Which is the reason that according to the auncient lawes and traditions of our countrey they that take the sunne to be Apollo give him the names of Delius and Pythius and him that is the lord of the other world beneath whether he be a god or a divell they call Ades for that when we are dead and dissolved we goe to a certeine obscuritie where nothing is to be seene Even to the prince of darknesse and of night The lord of idle dreames deceiving sight And I suppose that our auncestors in old time called man Phos of light for that there is in every one of us a vehement desire and love to know and be knowen one of another by reason of the consanguinitie betweene us And some philosophers there be who thike verily that even the soule in her substance is a very light whereupon they are ledde as welby other signes arguments as by this that there is nothing in the world that the soule hateth so much as ignorance rejecting all that is obscure and unlightsome troubled also when she is entred into dark places for that they fill her full of feare and suspicion but contrariwise the light is so sweet and delectable unto her that she taketh no joy and delight in any thing otherwise lovely and desireable by nature without light or in darknesse for that is it which causeth all pleasures sports pastimes recreations to be more jocund amiable to mans nature agreeable like as a common sauce that seasoneth and commendeth al viands wherewith it is mingled whereas he that hath cast himselfe into ignorance and is enwrapped within the clouds of mistie blindnesse making his life a representation of death and burying it as it were in darknesse seemeth that he is wearie even of being and thinketh life a very trouble unto him and yet they are of opinion that the nature of glorie and essence is the place assigned for the soules of godly religious and vertuous folke To whom the sunne shin's alwaies bright When heere with us it darke night The me dowes there both faire and wide With roses red are beautified The fields all round about them dight With verdure yeeld a pleasant sight All tapissed with flowers full gay Of fruitfull trees that blossome ay Amid this place the rivers cleere Runne soft and still some there some heere Wherein they passe the time away in calling to remembraunce and recounting that which is past in discoursing also of things present accompanying one another and conversing together Now there is a third way of those who have lived ill and be wicked persons the which sendeth their soules headlong into a darke gulfe and bottomlesse pit Where from the dormant rivers bleak Of shadie night thick mists doe reak As blacke as pitch continually And those all round about doe flie ensolding whelming and covering those in ignorance and forgetfulnesse who are tormented there and punished for they be not greedy geiers or vultures that evermore eat and gnaw the liver of wicked persons laid in the earth and why the same already is either burned or rotted neither be there certeine heavie fardels or weightie burdens that presse downe and overcharge the bodies of such as be punished For such thin ghosts and fibres small Have neither flesh nor bone at all yet are the reliques of their bodies who be departed such as be capable of punishment for that belongeth
and so maketh an equall distribution and supply thorowout But this transformation and change of the pores from which it is said that hunger and thirst doth proceed what kinde of thing is it I would gladly know For mine owne part none other differences see I but of more and lese and according as they be either stopped or opened when they bee obstructed or stopped receive they cannot either drinke or meat when they be opened and unstopped they make a voide and free place and surely that is nothing els but the want of that which is proper and naturall For the reason my good friend Philo why clothes which are to be died be dipped first in alome water is because that such water hath a piercing scouring and abstersive vertue by meanes whereof when all the superfluous filth in them is consumed and rid away the pores being opened reteine more surely the tincture which is given unto the clothes onely because they receive the same better by reason of the emptinesse occasioned by want THE THIRD QUESTION What is the cause that when men be hungry if they drinke are delivered from their hunger but contrariwise when they be athirst if they eate are more thirsty than before WHen those discourses were thus passed he who invited us to supper began in this wise It seemeth unto me my masters that this reason as touching the voidance and repletion of pores carieth with it a great apparence of truth and namely in the solution of another question besides to wit Why in them who be hungry if they drinke their hunger ceaseth immediately and contrariwise they who are a thirst if they eat are still more thirstie I am of opinion quoth he that those who alledge and urge these pores and their effects doe render the reason and cause of this accident very easilie and with exceeding great probabilitie however in many points they enforce the same not so much as probably for whereas all bodies have pores some of one measure and symmetry others of another those which be larger than the rest receive food solid as well as liquid both together such as bee narrower and more streight admit drinke the avoidance and evacuation of which causeth thirst like as of the other hunger and therefore if they who be a thirst doe eat they finde no succour and benefit thereby because the pores by reason of their streightnesse are not able to receive drie and solid nutriment but continue still indigent and destitute of that which is their due and fit for them whereas they who be hungry in case they drinke finde comfort thereby for that the liquid nouriture entring into those large pores and filling those concavities of theirs doe slake and diminish mightily the force of their hunger As touching the event and effect quoth I true it is as I thinke but I cannot accord and give my consent to the supposition of the cause pretended For if quoth I a man should hold that with these pores and conduits upon which some stand so much so greatly embrace and mainteine so stoutly the flesh is pierced and by meanes thereof full of holes surely he would make it very loose quavering flaggie and so rotten that it would not hang together moreover to say that the same parts of the body doe not receive meat and drinke together but that they doe passe and runne as it were thorough a streiner or canvase bolter some one way and some another me thinks is a very strange position a meere devised fiction for this verie mixture of humiditie tempering and making tender the meats received together with the cooperative helpe of the inward naturall heat and the spirits doth cut subtiliate and mince the foode with all manner of incisions shreddings and divisions no tooles no knives nor instruments in the world so fine and small insomuch as every part and parcell of the said nourishment is familiar meet convenient for ech part member of the bodie not applied fitted as it were to certeine vessels and holes to be filled thereby but united perfectly concorporate to the whole and every part thereof but if this were not so yet the maine point of the question is not assoiled for all that for they who eat unlesse they also drinke to it are so farre off from allaying their thirst that contrariwise they increase the same and to this point there is not yet a word said Consider now said I whether the positions reasons which we set downe are not probable apparent first we suppose that moisture being consumed by drinesse is cleane perished gone that drinesse being tempered susteined by moisture hath certeine diffusions exhalations secondly we hold that neither hunger is a general universal want of dry food nor thirst of moisture but a certeine scantnesse and defect of the one and the other when there is not enough and sufficient for those who altogether doe want the same bee neither hungrie nor thirstie but die presently Let these supposals be laid for grounds it will not be from hencefoorth hard to know the cause of that which is in question for thirst increaseth upon them that eat because meats by their drinesse doe gather together sucke and drinke up the humidity dispersed and which is left but small and feeble in all the bodie causing the same to evaporate away like as we may observe without our bodies how dry earth and dust do quickly snatch dispatch and consume quite the liquor or moisture that is mingled therewith contrariwise drinke necessarily slaketh hunger for by reason that moisture drenching and soking that little meat which it findeth dry and hard raiseth from it certeine vapors and moist exhalations and those it doth elevate and carrie up into all the body applying the same to the parts that stand in need and therefore Erasistratus not unproperly tearmed moisture the wagon of the viands for being mixed and tempered with such things as otherwise of themselves by reason of their drinesse or other evill disposition be idle and heavy it raiseth and lifteth up and heereupon it commeth that many men who have beene exceeding hungry onely by bathing or washing themselves without any drinke at all have woonderfully aswaged and allaied their hunger for the moisture from without entring into the body causeth them to be more succulent and in better plight for that it doth enlarge the parts within so that it doth mitigate the fell mood and appease the crhell rage of hunger To conclude this is the reason that they who are determined to pine themselves to death by utter abstinence from all solid meats live and continue a long time if they receive but water onely even untill the time that all be quite evaporate spent and dried up which might nourish and be united unto the bodie THE FOURTH QUESTION What is the cause that pit or well-water being drawen if it be left all night within the aire of the pit becommeth colder than it
division of the earth 15 The zones or climates of the earth how many and how great they be 16 Of earth quakes 17 Of the sea how it is concret and how it comes to be bitter 18 How come the tides that is to say the ebbing and flowing of the seas 19 Of the circle called Halo Chapters of the fourth Booke 1 Of the rising of Nilus 2 Of the soule 3 Whether the soule be corporall and what is her substance 4 The parts of the soule 5 Which is the mistresse or principall part of the soule and wherein it doth consist 6 Of the soules motion 7 Of the soules immortalitie 8 Of the senses and sensible things 9 Whether the senses and imaginations be true 10 How many senses there be 11 How sense and notion is performed as also how reason is ingendred according to disposition 12 What difference there is betweene imagination imaginable and imagined 13 Of sight and how we doe see 14 Of the reflexions or resemblances in mirrors 15 Whether darknesse be visible 16 Of hearing 17 Of smelling 18 Of tasting 19 Of the voice 20 Whether the voice be incorporall and how commeth the resonance called eccho 21 How it is that the soule hath sense and what is the principal predomināt part therof 22 Of respiration 23 Of the passions of the body and whether the soule have a fellow-feeling with it of paine Chapters of the fift Booke 1 Of divination or 〈◊〉 of future things 2 How dreames 〈◊〉 3 What is the substance of naturall seed 4 Whether naturall seed be a body 5 Whether femals as well as males doe yeeld naturall seed 6 After what maner conceptions are 7 How males and females are engendred 8 How monsters are ingendred 9 What is the reason that a woman accompanying often times carnally with a man doth not 〈◊〉 10 How twinnes both two and three at once be occasioned 11 How commeth the resemblance of parents 12 What is the cause that infants be like to some other and not to the parents 13 How women proove barren and men unable to ingender 14 What is the reason that mules be barren 15 Whether the fruit within the wombe is to be accounted a living creature or no. 16 How such fruits be nourished within the wombe 17 What part is first accomplished in the wombe 18 How it commeth to passe that infants borne at seven moneths end doe live and are livelike 19 Of the generation of living creatures how they be ingendred and whether they be corruptible 20 How many kindes there be of living creatures whether they all have sense and use of reason 21 In what time living creatures receive forme within the mothers wombe 22 Of what elements is every generall part in us composed 23 How commeth sleepe and death whether it is of soule or bodie 24 When and how a man beginneth to come unto his perfection 25 Whether it is soule or bodie that either sleepeth or dieth 26 How plants come to grow and whether they be living creatures 27 Of nourishment and growth 28 From whence proceed appetites lusts and pleasures in living creatures 29 How the feaver is ingendred and whether it be an accessarie or symptome to another disease 30 Of health sicknesse and olde age THE FIRST BOOKE OF Philosophers opinions The Prooeme BEing minded to write of naturall philosophie we thinke it necessary in the first place and before all things els to set downe the whole disputation of Philosophie by way of division to the end that we may know which is naturall and what part it is of the whole Now the Stoicks say that sapience or wisdom is the science of all things aswell divine as humane and that Philosophie is the profession and exercise of the art expedient thereto which is the onely supreame and sovereigne vertue and the same divided into three most generall vertues to wit Naturall Morall and Verball by reason whereof Philosophie also admitteth a three-folde distribution to wit into Naturall Morall Rationall or Verball the Naturall part is that when as we enquire and dispute of the world and the things conteined therein Morall is occupied in intreating of the good and ill that concerneth mans life Rationall or Verball handleth that which perteineth unto the discourse of reason and to speech which also is named Logique or Dialelectique that is to say Disputative But Aristotle and Theophrastus with the Peripateticks in maner all divide Philosophie in this maner namely into Contemplative and Active For necessarie it is say they that a man to atteine unto perfection should be a spectatour of all things that are and an actour of such things as be seemely and decent and may the better be understood by these examples The question is demanded whether the Sunne be a living creature according as it seemeth to the sight to be or no He that searcheth and enquireth into the trueth of this question is altogether therein speculative for he seeketh no farther than the contemplation of that which is semblably if the demand be made whether the world is infinit or if there be any thing without the pourprise of the world for all these questions be meere contemplative But on the other side mooved it may be How a man ought to live how he should governe his children how he is to beare rule and office of State and lastly in what maner lawes are to be ordeined and made for all these are sought into in regard of action and a man conversant therein is altogether active and practique CHAP. I. What is Nature SInce then our intent and purpose is to consider and treat of Naturall philosophie I thinke it needfull to shew first what is Nature for absurd it were to enterprise a discourse of Naturall things and meane-while to be ignorant of Nature and the power thereof Nature then according to the opinion of Aristotle is the beginning of motion and rest in that thing wherein it is properly and principally not by accident for all things to be seene which are done neither by fortune nor by necessitie and are not divine nor have any such efficient cause be called Naturall as having a proper and peculiar nature of their owne as the earth fire water aire plants and living creatures Moreover those other things which we do see ordinarily engendered as raine haile lightning presteres winds and such like for all these have a certeine beginning and every one of them was not so for ever and from all eternitie but did proceed from some originall likewise living creatures and plants have a beginning of their motion and this first principle is Nature the beginning not of motion onely but also of rest and quiet for whatsoever hath had a beginning of motion the same also may have an end and for this cause Nature is the beginning aswell of rest as of moving CHAP. II. What difference there is betweene a principle and an element ARistotle and Plato are of opinion that there is a
Howbelt it was said afterwards againe on the other side that Caesar had plucked the hey from Crassus his horne for he was the first man that opposed himselfe and made head against him in the management of the State and in one word set not a straw by him 72 What was the cause that they thought those priests who observed bird flight such as in old time they called Aruspices and now a daies Augures ought to have their lanterns and lamps alwaies open and not to put any lidor cover over them MAy it not be that like as the old Pythagorean Philosophers by small matters signified and implied things of great consequence as namely when they forbad their disciples to sit upon the measure Chaenix and to stirre fire or rake the hearth with a sword euen so the ancient Romans used many aenigmes that is to say outward signes and figures betokening some hidden and secret mysteries especially with their priests in holy and sacred things like as this is of the lampe or lanterne which symbolizeth in some sort the bodie that containeth our soule For the soule within resembleth the light and it behooveth that the intelligent and reasonable part there of should be alwaies open evermore intentive and seeing and at no time enclosed and shut up nor blowen upon by wind For looke when the winds be aloft fowles in their flight keepe no certaintie neither can they yeeld assured presages by reason of their variable and wandering instabilitie and therefore by this ceremoniall custome they teach those who do divine and foretell by the flight of birds not to go forth for to take their auspices and observations when the wind is up but when the aire is still and so 〈◊〉 that a man may carie a lanteme open and uncovered 73 Why were these Southsaiers or Augures forbidden to go abroad for to observe the flight of birds in case they had any sore or 〈◊〉 upon their bodies WAs not this also a significant token to put them in minde that they ought not to deale in the divine service of the gods nor meddle with holy and sacred things if there were any secret matter that gnawed their minds or so long as any private ulcer or passion setled in their hearts but to be void of sadnesse and griefe to be sound and sincere and not distracted by any trouble whatsoever Or because it standeth to good reason that if it be not lawfull nor allowable for them to offer unto the gods for an oast or sacrifice any beast that is scabbed or hath a sore upon it nor to take presage by the flight of such birds as are maungie they ought more strictly and precisely to looke into their owne persons in this behalfe and not to presume for to observe celestiall prognostications and signes from the gods unlesse they be themselves pure and holy undefiled and not defective in their owne selves for surely an ulcer seemeth to be in maner of a mutilation and pollution of the bodie 74 Why did king Servius Tullus found and build a temple of little Fortune which they called in Latine Brevis fortunae that is to say of Short fortune WAs it not thinke you in respect of his owne selfe who being at the first of a small and base condition as being borne of a captive woman by the favour of Fortune grew to so great an estate that he was king of Rome Or for that this change in him sheweth rather the might and greatnesse than the debilitie and smalnesse of Fortune We are to say that this king 〈◊〉 deified Fortune attributed unto her more divine power than any other as having entituled and imposed her name almost upon every action for not onely he erected temples unto Fortune by the name of Puissant of Diverting ill lucke of Sweet Favourable to the first borne and masculine but also there is one temple besides of private or proper Fortune another of Fortune returned a third of consident Fortune and hoping well and a fourth of Fortune the virgine And what should a man reckon up other furnames of hers seeing there is a temple dedicated forsooth to glewing Fortune whom they called Viscata as if we were given thereby to understand that we are caught by her afarre off and even tied as it were with bird-lime to businesse and affaires But consider this moreover that he having knowen by experience what great power she hath in humane things how little soever she seeme to be and how often a small matter in hapning or not hapning hath given occasion to some either to misse of great exploits or to atcheive as great enterprises whether in this respect he built not a temple to little Fortune teaching men thereby to be alwaies studious carefull and diligent and not to despise any occurrences how small soever they be 75 What is the cause that they never put foorth the light of a lampe but suffered it to goe out of the owne accord WAs it not thinke you uppon a certeine reverent devotion that they bare unto that fire as being either cousen germaine or brother unto that inextinguible and immortall fire Or rather was it not for some other secret advertisement to teach us not to violate or kill any thing whatsoever that hath life if it hurt not us first as if fire were a living creature for need it hath of nourishment and moveth of it selfe and if a man doe squench it surely it uttereth a kinde of voice and scricke as if a man killed it Or certeinly this fashion and custome received so usually sheweth us that we ought not to marre or spoile either fire or water or any other thing necessarie after we our selves have done with it and have had sufficient use thereof but to suffer it to serve other mens turnes who have need after that we our selves have no imploiment for it 76 How commeth it to passe that those who are desended of the most noble and auncient houses of Rome caried little moones upon their shoes IS this as Castor saith a signe of the habitation which is reported to be within the bodie of the moone Or for that after death our spirits and ghosts shall have the moone under them Or rather because this was a marke or badge proper unto those who were reputed most ancient as were the Arcadians descended from Evander who upon this occasion were called Proseleni as one would say borne before the moone Or because this custome as many others admonisheth those who are lifted up too high and take so great pride in themselves of the incertitude and instabilitie of this life and of humane affaires even by the example of the moone Who at the first doth new and yoong appeere Where as before she made no shew at all And so her light increaseth faire and cleere Untill her face be round and full withall But then anon she doth begin to fall And backward wane from all this beautie gay Untill againe she vanish cleane away Or
like as Homer when he calleth Juno or any other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth her to have a bigge and large eie and by the epithit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaneth one that braggeth and boasteth of great matters Or rather because that the foot of a beefe doth no harme howsoever horned beasts otherwise be hurtfull and dangerous therefore they invocate thus upon him and beseech him to come loving and gracious unto them Or lastly for that many are perswaded that this is the god who taught men first to plough the ground and to sowe corne 37 Why have the Tanagraeans a place before their city called Achilleum for it is said that Achilles in his life time bare more hatred than love unto this cicy as who ravished and stole away Stratonicon the mother of Poemander and killed Acestor the sonne of Ephippus POEmander the father of Ephippus at what time as the province of Tanagra was peopled and inhabited by tenures and villages onely being by the Achaeans besiedged in a place called Stephon for that he would not go foorth with them to warre abandoneth the said fort in the night time and went to build the citie Poemandria which he walled about The architect or master builder Polycrithus was there who dispraised all his worke and derided it in so much as in a mockerie he leapt over the trench whereat Poemander tooke such displeasure and was so highly offended that he meant to fling at his head a great stone which lay there hidden of olde upon the nightly sacrifices of Bacchus But Poemander notknowing so much pulled it up by force and threw it at him and missing Polycrithus hit his son Leucippus and killed him outright Hereupon according to the law and custom then observed there was no remedie but needs he must depart out of Boeotia in manner of an exiled man and so as a poore suppliant and stranger to converse wandring abroad in another countrey which was neither safe nor easie for him to doe at that time considering that the Achaeans were up in armes and entred into the countrey of Tanagra He sent therefore his sonne Ephippus unto Achilles for to request his favour who by earnest supplications and praiers prevailed so much that he entreated both him and also Tlepolemus the sonne of Hercules yea and Peneleus the sonne of Hippalcmus who were all of their kindred by whose meanes Poemander had safe conduct and was accompanied as farre as the citie of Chalcis where he was assoiled absolved and purged by Elpenor for the murder which he had committed In remembrance of which good turne by those princes received he ever after honoured them and to them all erected temples of which that of Achilles continueth unto this day and according to his name is called Achilleum 38 Who be they whom the Boeotians call Psoloes and who be Aeolies THE report goeth that Leucippe Arsinoe and Alcathie the daughters of Minyas being enraged and bestraight of their right wits longed exceedingly to eat mans flesh and cast lots among themselves which of them should kill their owne children for that purpose So the lot falling upon Leucippe she yeelded her sonne Hippasus to be dismembred and cut in pieces by occasion whereof their husbands simply arraied and in mourning weeds for sorrow and griefe were called Psoloes as one would say foule and smokie and the women 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say distracted and troubled in their minds or Oconoloae so as even at this day the Orchomenians call those women who are descended from them by those names and everie second yeere during the festivall daies called Agrionia the priest of Bacchus runneth after them with a sword drawen in his hand coursing and chasing them yea and lawfull it is for him to kill any one of them that he can reach and overtake And verily in our daies Zoilus the priest killed one but such never come to any good after for both this Zoilus himselfe upon a certaine little ulcer or sore that he had fell sicke and after he had a long time pined away and consumed therewith in the end died thereof and also the Orchomenians being fallen into publicke calamities and held in generall for condemned persons translated the priesthood from that race and linage and conferred it upon the best and most approoved person they could chuse 39 What is the cause that the Arcadians stone them to death who willingly and of purpose enter within the pourprise and precincts of Lycaeum but if any come into of ignorance and unawares then they send to Eleutherae AS for these may it not be that they are held free and absolved who do it upon ignorance and by reason of this their absolution this maner of speech arose to send them to Eleutherae which signifieth Deliverance much like as when we say thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say into the region of the secure or thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say thou shalt go to the Mannour of the Pleasant Or haply it alludeth to the tale that goeth in this wise that of Lycaons sonnes there were but two onely to wit Eleuther and Lebadus who were not partakers of the horrible crime that their father committed in the sight of Jupiter but fled into Baeotia in token whereof the Lebadians enjoy still their burgeosie in commune with the Arcadians and therefore to Eleutherae they send those who against their willes or unawares are entred within that pourprise consecrat unto Jupiter into which it is not lawful for any man to go Or rather as Architemus writeth in his Chronicles of Arcadia for that there were some who being ignorantly entred into the said place were delivered and yeelded unto the Phliasians who put them over to the Megarians and from the Megarians they were carried to Thebes but as they were transported and conveyed thither they were staied about Eleutherae by meanes of violent raine terrible thunder and other prodigious tokens by occasion whereof some would have the citie to take the name Eleutherae Moreover whereas it is said that the shadow of him who commeth within this precinct of Lycaeum never falleth upon the ground it is not true howbeit it goeth generally currant and is constantly beleeved for an undoubted truth But is it not thinke you for that the aire turneth presently into darke cloudes and looketh obscure and heavie as it were when any enter into it or because that whosoever commeth into it incontinently suffereth death And you know what the Pythagoreans say namely that the soules of the dead cast no shadow nor winke at all Or rather for that it is the sun that maketh shadowes and the law of the countrey bereaveth him that entreth into it of the sight of the sunne which covertly and aenigmatically they would give us to understand under these words For even he who commeth into this place is called Elaphos that is to say a Stag and therefore Cantharion the Arcadian who fled unto
sent by king Ptolomaeus surnamed Soter to the city Sinope for to carie the god Serapis together with their captaine Dionysius were by force of winde and tempest driven against their willes beyond the cape or promontorie Malea where they had Peloponnesus on the right hand and when they wandered and were tossed to and fro upon the seas not knowing where they were making account they were lost and cast away there shewed himslefe before the prow of their ship a dolphin which seemed to call unto them and who guided them unto those coasts where there were many commodious havens and faire baies for ships to harbour and ride in with safetie and thus he conducted and accompanied their ship from place to place untill at length he brought it within the rode of Cirrha where after they had sacrificed for their safe arrivall and landing they understood that of two images there they were to have away that of Pluto and carrie it with them but the other of Proserpina to leave behinde them when they had taken onely the mould and patterne thereof Probable it is therefore that the god Apollo carried an affection to this dolphin for that it loveth musicke so well whereupon the poet Pindarus comparing himselfe unto the dolphin saith that he was provoked and stirred up to musicke by the leaping and dauncing of this fish Like as the dolphin swimmes apace Directly forward to that place Whereas the pleasant shawmes do sound And whence their noice doth soone rebound What time both winds and waves do lie At sea and let no harmonie or rather we are to thinke that the god is well affected unto him because he is so kind and loving unto man for the onely creature it is that loveth man for his owne sake and in regard that he is a man whereas of land-beasts some you shall have that love none at all others and those that be of the tamest kinde make much of those onely of whom they have some use and benefit namely such as feed them or converse with them familiarly as the dogge the horse and the elephant and as for swallowes received though they be into our houses where they have enterteinment and whatsoever they need to wit shade harbour and a necessary retrait for their safetie yet they be afraied of man and shun him as if he were some savage beast whereas the dolphin alone of all other creatures in the world by a certeine instinct of nature carrieth that sincere affection unto man which is so much sought for and desired by our best philosophers even without any respect at all of commoditie for having no need at all of mans helpe yet is he neverthelesse friendly and courteous unto all and hath succoured many in their distresse as the storie of Arion will testifie which is so famous as no man is ignorant thereof and even you Aristotimus your owne selfe rehearsed to very good purpose the example of Hesiodus But yet by your good leave my friend Of that your tale you made no end for when you reported unto us the fidelitie of his dogge you should have proceeded farther and told out all not leaving out as you did the narration of the dolphins for surely the notice that the dogge gave by baying barking and running after the murderers with open mouth was I may tell you but a blinde presumption and no evident argument About the citie Nemium the dolphins meeting with the dead corps of a man floting up and downe upon the sea tooke it up and laied it on their backs shifting it from one to another by turnes as any of them were wearie with the carriage and very willingly yea and as it should seeme with great affection they conveied it as farre as to the port Rhium where they laied it downe upon the shore and so made it knowen that there was a man murdered Myrtilus the Lesbian writeth that Aenalus the Acolian being fallen in fansie with a daughter of Phineus who according to the oracle of Amphirite was by the daughters of Pentheus cast downe headlong into the sea threw himselfe after her but there was a dolphin tooke him up and brought him safe unto the isle Lesbos Over and besides the affection and good will which a dolphin bare unto a yoong lad of the citie Iasos was so hot and vehement in the highest degree that if ever one creature was in love with another it was he for there was not a day went over his head but he would disport play and swimme with him yea and suffer himselfe to be handled and tickled by him upon his bare skinne and if the boy were disposed to mount aloft upon his backe he would not refuse nor seeme to avoide him nay hee was verie well content with such a carriage turning what way soever hee reined him or seemed to encline and thus would hee doe in the presence of the Iasians who oftentimes would all runne foorth to the sea side of purpose to behold this sight Well on a daie above the rest when this ladde was upon the dolphins backe there fell an exceeding great shower of raine together with a monstrous storme of haile by reason whereof the poore boy fell into the sea and there died but the dolphin tooke up his bodie dead as it was and together with it shut himselfe upon the land neither would he depart from the corps so long as there was any life in him and so died judging it great reason to take part with him of his death who seemed partly to be the cause thereof In remembrance of which memorable accident the Iasians represent the historie thereof stamped and printed upon their coine to wit a boy riding upon a dolphin which storie hath caused that the fable or tale that goeth of Caeranus is beleeved for a truth for this caeranus as they say borne in Paros chanced to be upon a time at Byzantium where seeing a great draught of dolphins taken up in a casting-net by the fishers whom they meant to kill and cut into pieces bought them all alive and let them go againe into the sea Not long after it hapned that he sailed homeward in a foist of fiftie oares which had aboord by report a number of pyrates and rovers but in the streights betweene Naxos and Paros the vessel was cast away and swallowed up in a gust in which shipwracke when all the rest perished he onely was saved by meanes as they say of a dolphin which comming under his bodie as he was newly plunged into the sea bare him up tooke him upon his backe and carried him as farre as to a certaine cave about Zacynthus and there landed him which place is shewed for a monument at this day and after his name is called Coeranium upon this occasion Archilachus the poet is said to have made these verses Of fiftie men by tempest drown'd And left in sea all dead behind Coeran alone alive was found God Neptune was to him so kind
certaine power which causeth it to swell as it were and have an appetite to engender For other cause there can 〈◊〉 none rendred why rocks clifts and mountaines be barren and drie but this that they have either no fire at all or else participate 〈◊〉 little the nature thereof in summe so farre off is water from being of it selfe sufficient for the owne preservation or generation of other things that without the aide of fire it is the cause of the owne ruine and destruction For heat it is that keepeth water in good estate and preserveth it in her nature and proper substance like as it doth all things besides and looke where fire is away or wanteth there water doth corrupt and putrifie in such sort as the ruine and destruction of water is the default of heat as we may evidently see in pools marishes and standing waters or wheresoever water is kept within pits and holes without issue for such waters in the end become putrified and stinke againe because they have no motion which having this propertie to 〈◊〉 up the naturall heat which is in everie thing keepeth those waters better which have a current and runne apace in that this motion preserveth that kind heat which they have And hereupon it is that To live in Greeke is expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sigfieth to boile How then can it otherwise be that of two things it should not be more profitable which giveth being and essence to the other like as fire doth unto water Furthermore that thing the utter departure whereof is the cause that a creature dieth is the more profitable for this is certaine and manifest that the same without which a thing cannot bee hath given the cause of being unto the same when it was with it For we do see that in dead things there is a moisture neither are they dried up altogether for otherwise moist bodies would not putrifie considering that putrefaction is the turning of that which is drie to be moist or rather the corruption of humours in the flesh and death is nothing else but an utter defect and extinction of heat and therefore dead things be extreme cold insomuch as if a man should set unto them the very edge of rasours they are enough to dull the same through excessive cold And we may see plainely that in the verie bodies of living creatures those parts which participate least of the nature of fire are more senselesse than any other as bones and haire and such as be farthest remooved from the heart and in manner all the difference that is betweene great and small creatures proceedeth from the presence of fire more or lesse for humiditie simply it is not that bringeth forth plants and fruits but warme humiditie is it that doth the deed whereas cold waters be either barren altogether or not verie fruitful and fertill and yet if water were of the owne nature fructuous it must needs follow that it selfe alone and at all times should be able to produce fruit whereas we see it is cleane contrarie namely that it is rather hurtfull to fruits And now to reason from another head and go another way to worke to make use of fire as it is fire need wee have not of water nay it 〈◊〉 rather for it quencheth and 〈◊〉 it out cleane on the other side many 〈◊〉 be who cannot tell what to doe with water without fire for being made hot it is more profitable and otherwise in the owne kinde hurtfull Of two things therefore that which can do good of it selfe without need of the others helpe is better and more profitable Moreover water yeeldeth commodity but after one sort onely to wit by touching as when we feele it or wash and bathe with it whereas fire serveth all the five senses doth them good for it is felt both neere at hand and also seene afarre of so that among other meanes that it hath of profiting no man may account the multiplicity of the uses that it affoordeth for that a man should be at any time without fire it is impossible nay he cannot have his first generation without it and yet there is a difference in this kinde as in all other things The very sea it selfe is made more 〈◊〉 by heat so as it doth heat more by the agitation and current that it hath than any other waters for of it selfe otherwise it differeth not Also for such as have no need of outward fire we may not say that they stand in need of none at all but the reason is because they have plenty and store of naturall heat within them so that in this very point the commodity of fire ought to be esteemed the more And as for water it is never in that good state but some need it hath of helpe without whereas the exellencie of fire is such as it is content with it selfe and requireth not the aid of the other Like as therefore that captaine is to be reputed more excellent who knowes to order and furnish a citie so as it hath no need of forren allies so we are to thinke that among elements that is the woorthier which may often times consist without the succour and aide of another And even as much may be said of living creatures which have least need of others helpe And yet haply it may be replied contrariwise that the thing is more profitable which we use alone by it selfe namely when by discourse of reason we are able to chuse the better For what is more commodious and profitable to men than reason and yet there is none at all in brute beasts And what followeth heereupon Shall we inferre therefore that it is lesse profitable as invented by the providence of a better nature which is god But since we are fallen into this argument What is more profitable to mans life than arts but there is no art which fire devised not or at least wise doth not maintaine And heereupon it is that we make 〈◊〉 the prince and master of all arts Furthermore whereas the time and space of life is very short that is given unto man as short as it is yet sleepe as Ariston saith like unto a false baily or publicane taketh the halfe thereof for it selfe True it is that a man may lie awake and not sleepe all night long but I may aswell say that his waking would serve him in small stead were it not that fire presented unto him the commodities of the day and put a difference betweene the darkenesse of the night and the light of the day If then there be nothing more profitable unto man than life why should we not judge fire to be the best thing in the world since it doth augment and multiply our life Over and besides that of which the five senses participate most is more profitable but evident it is that there is not one of the said senses maketh use of the nature of water
soveraigne lord and omnipotent master of all neither be all things absolutely governed and ruled by his reason and counsell Moreover he mightily opposeth himselfe against Epicurus and those who take from the administration of the world divine providence confuting them principally by the common notions and conceptions inbred in us as touching the gods by which perswaded we are that they be gracious benefactours unto men And for that this is so vulgar and common a thing with them needlesse it is to cite any expresse places to proove the same And yet by his leave all nations doe not beleeve that the gods be bountifull and good unto us For doe but consider what opinion the Jewes and Syrians have of the gods looke into the writings of Poets with how many superstitions they be stuffed There is no man in maner to speake of who imagineth or conceiveth in his minde that god is either mortall and corruptable or hath bene begotten And Antipater of Tarsis to passe others over in silence in his booke of Gods hath written thus much word forword But to the end quoth he that this discourse may be more perspicuous and cleare we will reduce into few words the opinion which we have of God We understand therefore by God a living nature or substance happie incorruptible and a benefactor unto men and afterwards in expounding each of these tearmes and attributes thus he saith And verily all men doe acknowledge the gods to be immortall It must needs be then that by Antipaters saying Chrysippus of all those is none For he doth not thinke any of all the gods to be incorruptiblesave Jupiter onely but supposeth that they were all engendred a like and that one day they shall all likewise perish This generally throughout all his bookes doth he deliver howbeit one expresse passage will I alledge out of his third booke of the gods After a divers sort quoth he for some of them are engendred and mortall others not engendred at all But the proofe and demonstration here of if it should be fetched from the head indeed apperteineth more properly unto the science of Naturall Philosophy For the Sunne and Moone and other gods of like nature were begotten but Jupiter is sempiternall And againe somewhat after The like shall be said of Jupiter and other gods as touching their corruption and generation for some of them do perish but as for his parts they be incorruptible With this I would have you to compare a little of that which Antipater hath written Those quoth he who deprive the gods of beneficence and well doing touch but in some part the prenotion and anticipation in the knowledge of them and by the same reason they also who thinke they participate of generation and corruption If then he be as much deceived and as absurd who thinketh that the gods be mortall and corruptible as he who is of opinion that they beare no bountifull and loving affection toward men Chrysippus is as farre from the trueth as Epicurus for that as the one bereaveth God of immortallity and incorruption so the other taketh from him bounty and liberality Moreover Chrysippus in his third booke of the gods speaking of this point and namely how other gods are nourished saith thus Other gods quoth he use a certaine nourishment whereby they are maintained equally but Jupiter and the world after a nother sort than those who are engendred and be consumed by the fire In which place he holdeth that all other gods be nourished except Jupiter and the world And in the first booke of Providence he saith that Jupiter groweth continually untill such a time as all things be consumed in him For death being the separation of the body and soule seeing that the soule of the world never departeth at all but augmenteth continually untill it have consumed all the matter within it we cannot say that the world dieth Who could speake more contrary to himselfe than he who saith that one and the same god is nourished and not nourished And this we need not to inferre and conclude by necessary consequence considering that himselfe in the same place hath written it plainly The world onely quoth he is said to be of it selfe sufficient because it alone hath all in it selfe whereof it standeth in no need of it selfe it is nourished and augmented whereas other parts are transmuted and converted one into another Not onely then is he contradictorie and rupugnant to himselfe in that he saith other gods be nourished all except the world and Jupiter but also here in much more when he saith that the world groweth by nourishing it selfe whereas contrariwise there had bene more reason to say the world onely is not augmented having for foode the distruction thereof but on the contrary side other gods doe grow and increase in as much as they have their nourishment from without and rather should the world be consumed into them if it be true that the world taketh alwaies from it selfe and other gods from it The second point conteined in that common notion and opinion imprinted in us as touching the gods is that they be blessed happie and perfect And therefore men highly praise Euripides for saying thus If God 〈◊〉 God indeed and really He needs none of this poets vertly His 〈◊〉 in hymnes and verses for to write Such 〈◊〉 wretched are which they endite Howbeit our Chrysippus here in those places by me alledged saith that the world alone is of it selfe sufficient as comprehending within it all that it hath need of What then ariseth upon this proposition that the world is sole-sufficient in it selfe but this that neither the Sun nor the Moone nor any other of the gods whatsoever is sufficient of it selfe and being thus insufficient they cannot be blessed and happie Chrysippus is of opinion that the infant in the mothers wombe is nourished naturally no otherwise than a plant within the earth but when it is borne and by the aire cooled and hardned as it were like 〈◊〉 it mooveth the spirit and becommeth an animall or living creature and therefore it is not without good reason that the soule was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in regard of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say refrigeration But not forgetetting to be contrary unto himselfe he supposeth that the soule is the more subtile rare and fine spirit of nature For how is it possible that a subtile thing should be made of that which is grosse and that a spirit should be rarefied by refrigeration and astriction or condensation Nay that which more is how commeth it about that 〈◊〉 as he doth the soule of an infant to be engendred by the means of refrigeration he should thinke the sun to become animat being as it is of a firy nature engendred of an exhalation transmuted into fire For thus he faith in his third booke of Nature The mutation quoth he of fire is in this maner by the aire it is turned into water and
is ready to die for love of him I marvel much who hinders her that she goeth not to his house in a maske that she sings not lamentable ditties at his dore amorous plaints that she adorneth not his images with garlands and chaplets of flowers and that she entreth not into combat with her corrivals and winne him from them all by fight and feats of activity for these be the casts of lovers let her knit her browes let her forbeare to live bravely and daintily putting on the countenance and habit meet for this passion but if she be modest shamefaced sober and honest as that she is abashed so to doe let her sit womanly and decently as it becommeth at home in her house expecting her lovers and woers to come and court her there For such a woman as doth not dissemble but bewraieth openly that she is in love a man would avoid and detest so farre would he be from taking her to be his wife or laying for the ground of his mariage such shamelesse incontinence Now when Protogenes had made an end of his speech and paused a while See you not ô Anthemion quoth Daphnaeus how they make this a common cause againe and matter of disputation enforcing us to speake still of nuptiall love who denie not our selves to be the mainteiners thereof nor avoid to enter into the daunce as they say and to shew our selves to be the champions of it Yes mary do I quoth Anthemion I pray you take upon you to defend at large this love and withall let us have your helping hand about this point as touching riches which Pisias urgeth especially and wherewith he seemeth to affright us more than with any thing else What can we doe lesse quoth my father then for were it not a reproch offred unto woman kind and would it not greatly redound to their discredit and blame in case we would reject and cast off Ismenodora for her love and her wealth sake But she is brave she is sumptuous costly and bearing a great port What matters that so long as she is faire beautifull and yoong But she is come of a noble house and highly descended What harme of that if she live in good name and be of good reputation for it is not necessary that wives to approove their honesty and wisdome should be sower austere curst shrewd for chaste dames and sober matrons doe indeed detest bitternesse as an odious thing and intollerable And yet some there be that call them furies and say they be curst shrewes unto their husbands when they be modest wise discret and honest Were it not best therefore to espouse some od Abrotonon out of Thracia bought in open market or some Bacchis a Milesian passing in exchange for raw hides and prized no deerer And yet we know there be many men whom such women as these hold most shamefully under their girdles and rule as they list For even minstrell wenches of Samos and such as professed dauncing as Aristonica Oenanthe with her tabour and pipe Agathocleia have over-topped kings and princes yea troaden their crownes and diademes under foot As for Semiramis a Syrian she was at first no better than a poore wench servant and concubine to one of the great king Ninus slaves but after that the king himselfe had set his 〈◊〉 and fancie upon her he was so devoted unto her she againe so imperiously ruled over him and with such contempt that she was so bold to require at his hands that he would permit her to sit one day upon her roiall throne under the cloth of estate with the diademe about her head and so to give audience and dispatch the affaires of the kingdome in stead of him which when Ninus had graunted given expresse charge withall that all his subjects whatsoever should yeeld their loiall obedience to her as to his owne person yea and performe whatsoever she ordeined and decreed she caried herselfe with great moderation in her first commandements to make triall of the pensioners and guard about her and when she saw that they gainsaid her in nothing but were very diligent and serviceable she commanded them to arrest and apprehend the body of Ninus the king then to binde him fast and finally to doe him to death Al which when they had fully executed she reigned indeed for a long time in great state and magnificence ruled all Asia And was not Belestie I pray you a Barbarian woman bought up even in the very market among other slaves and yet those of Alexandria have certeine temples chappels altars which king Ptolomaeus who was enamoured upon her caused to be entituled by the name of Venus Belestie And Phryne the famous courtensan who both heere and also at Delphos is shrined in the same temple and chappell with Cupid whose statue all of beaten gold standeth among those of kings and queenes by what great dowry was it that she had all her lovers in such subjection under her But like as these persons through their effeminate softnesse and pusillanimity became ere they were aware a very prey and pillage to such women so on the other side we finde others of base degree and poore condition who being joined in mariage to noble rich wives were not utterly overthrowen with such matches nor struck saile or abated ought of their generositie and high spirit but lived alwaies loved and honored by those wives yea and were masters over them to their dying day But he that rangeth and reduceth his wife into a narrow compasse and low estate as if one bent a ring to the slendernesse of his finger for feare it should drop off resembleth those for all the world who clip and shave the maines of their mares and plucke the haire off their tailes and then drive them to water into some river or poole for it is said that when they see themselves in the water so ill favouredly shorne and curtailed they let fall their courage stomacke and hautie spirit so as they suffer themselves afterward to be covered by asses And therefore like as to preferre the riches of a woman above her vertue or to make choise thereof before nobility of birth were base and illiberall so to reject wealth joigned with vertue and noble parentage is meere folly King Antigonus writing unto a captaine of his whom he put with a garison into the fortresse Munichia in Athens the which he fortified with all diligence possible commanded him not onely to make the collar and cheine strong but the dogge also weake and leane giving him thereby to understand that he should empoverish the Athenians and take from them all meanes whereby they might rebell or rise against him But a man who hath taken to wife a rich and beautifull woman ought not to make her either poore or foule and ill-favoured but rather by his discretion good government wisdome and by making semblance that he is ravished with no admiration of any
either filled themselves with trouble and smoke or else running with their heads forward into beastly and filthy pleasures pined away and were consumed But such as by wise and discret discourse of reason accompanied with honest and shamefast modestie have taken from Love the burning furious and firie heat thereof and left behinde in the soule a splendeur and light together with a moderate heat and not a boiling agitation thereof stirring as one said a slippery motion of the seed when as the atomes of Epicurus by reason of their smoothnesse and tickling are driven together which causeth a certeine dilatation woonderfull degenerative like as in a plant or tree which putteth foorth leaves blossomes and fruit for that she receiveth nutriment because the pores and passages of docilitie obedience and facilitie to be perswaded by enterteining gently good admonitions and remonstrances be open such I say within a small time pierce farther and passe beyond the bodies of those whom they Love entring as farre as into their soules and touch their towardnesse their conditions and manners reclaiming their eies from beholding the bodie and conversing together by the communication of good discourses behold one another by that meanes provided alwaies that they have some marke and token of true beautie imprint ted within their understanding which if they cannot finde they forsake them and turne their Love unto others after the maner of bees which leave many greene leaves and faire floures because they can gather out of them no hony but looke when they meet with any trace any influence or semblance of divine beauty smiling upon them then being ravished with delight and admiration and drawing it unto them they take joy and contentment in that which is truly amiable expetible and to be embraced of all men True it is that Poets seeme to write the most part of that which they deliver as touching this god of Love by way of meriment and they sing of him as it were in a maske and little 〈◊〉 they speake in good earnest touching the very truth whether it be upon judgement and reason or some divine instinct and inspiration as for example among other things that which they give out concerning the generation of this god in this maner Dame Iris with faire winged shoes and golden yellow haire Conceived by sir Zephyrus the mightiest god did beare Unlesse it be so that you also are perswaded by the Grammarians who holde that this fable was devised to expresse the variety and gay 〈◊〉 as it were of sundry colours represented in this passion of Love For what else should in respect quoth Daphnaeus Listen then said my father and I will tell you Forced we are by manifest evidence to beleeve that when we behold the rainbow it is nothing else but a reflexion of raies and beames which our eies suffer when our sight falling upon a cloud somwhat moist but even smooth withall and of an indifferent and meane thickenesse meeteth with the Sunnebeames and by way of repercussion seeth the radiant raies thereof and the shining light about it and so imprinteth in our mind this opinion that such an apparition indeed is settled upon the clowd And even such is the sophisticall device and subtile invention of that in the generous and toward minds of gentle lovers it causeth a certaine reflexion of memorie from beauties appearing here and so called in regard of that divine lovely indeed blessed and admirable beautie Howbeit the common sort pursuing and apprehending the image onely thereof expressed in faire persons as well boies as yong damosels as it were in mirrors can reape no fruit more certaine and assured than a little pleasure mingled with paine among which is nothing else as it seemeth but the error and wandring dizzinesse or conceit of most folke who in clowds and shadowes seeke and hunt after the contentment of their lust and desire much like unto yong children who thinke to catch the rainbow in their hands being drawen and allured thereto by the deceitfull shew presented to their eies Whereas the true lover indeed who is honest and chast doth farre otherwise for he lifteth up his desire from thence to a divine spirituall and intelligible beauty and whensoever he meeteth with the beauty of a visible bodie he useth it as the instrument onely of his memorie he imbraceth and loveth it by conversing also with it ioifully with contentment his understanding is more and more inflamed Such amorous persons as these whiles they hant these bodies here neither rest so sitting still in a desire and admiration of this cleare beautie nor when they are come thither after their death returne they hither againe as fugitives for to hover and keepe about the dores chambers and cabinets of yong maried wives which are nothing else but vaine dreames and illusions appearing to sensuall men and women given overmuch to voluptuous pleasures of the body and such as untruely be called lovers For he who intrueth is amorous and is thither come where true beauties are and converseth with them as much as it is possible and lawfull for a man to doe is winged anon mounteth up on high he is purified and sanctified continually abiding resident above dauncing walking and disporting alwaies about his god untill he come backe again into the greene and faire meddowes of the Moone and of Venus where being laid a sleepe he beginneth to receive a regeneration and new nativity But this is an higher point and deeper matter than we have undertaken at this present to discourse upon To returne therefore unto our love this propertie also it hath like as all other gods according to Euripides To take great joy and much content When men with honors him prosent And contrariwise he is no lesse displeased when abuse or contempt is offered unto him For most kinde and gracious he is unto them that receive and intertaine him courteously and againe as curst and shrewd to those who shew themselves stiffe-necked and contumacious unto him For neither Jupiter surnamed Hospitall is so ready to chastice and punish wrongs done unto guests and suppliants nor Jupiter Genetal so forward to prosecute accomplish the curses and execrations of parents as love quickly heareth the praiers of those lovers who are unthankfully requited by their loves being the punisher of proud rude and uncivill persons For what should one speake of Euchcyntus and Leucomantis her I meane who even at this day is called in Cypres Paracyptusa And peradventure you have not heard of the punishment of Gorgo in Candia who was served much after the maner of the said Paracyptusa save onely that she was turned into a stone when she would needs looke out at a window and put forth her body to see the corps of her lover enterred But of this Gorgo there was somtime one inamoured whose name was Asander a yoong gentleman honest and of good parentage descended who having beene before time of worshipfull and wealthy estate was
that quickly and with speed she might passe the darke place and bring away with her the soules of the blessed which make haste and crie because all the while they are within the shade they can not heare any more the 〈◊〉 of celestiall bodies and withall underneath the soules of the damned which are punished lamenting wailing and howling in this shadow are presented unto them And this is the reason that in the eclipses of the Moone many were wont to ring basons and 〈◊〉 of brasse and to make a great noise and clattering about these soules And affrighted they are to beholde that which they call the face of the Moone when they approch neere unto it seeming to be a terrible and fearefull sight whereas it is no such matter But like as the earth with us hath many deepe and wide gulfes as namely one here to wit the Mediterranean sea lying betweene Hercules pillars and so running into the land hither to us and another without that is to say the Caspian sea and that also of the red sea So there be these deepe concavities and vallies of the Moone and those in number three whereof the greatest they call The hole or gulfe of 〈◊〉 wherein the soules do punish and are punished according as they either did or suffred hurt whiles they were here the other two be small to wit the very passages whereby the soules must go one while to the tract of the Moone lying toward heaven and another while to that which 〈◊〉 the earth And verily that which looketh to heaven they call the Elysian field whereas the other earth-ward to us the field of Proserpina not her I meane who is under the ground just against us Howbeit the Daemons do not converse alwaies in the Moone but descend other-whiles hither below for the charge and superintendance of oracles there be assistant likewise to the highest mysteries and ceremonies and those they do celebrate having an observant eie to wicked deeds which they punish and withall ready they are to preserve the good in perils 〈◊〉 of warre as the sea In which charge and function if they themselves commit any fault and heere upon earth do ought either by injust favour or envie they feele the smart thereof according to their merits for thrust downe they are againe to the earth and sent with a witnesse into mens bodies But of the number of the better sort are they who served and accompanied Saturne as they themselves report such as in times past also were the Idaei Dactyli in Crete the Corybants in Phrygia those of 〈◊〉 in the city of Lebadia named Trophoniades besides an infinit number of others in sundry parts of the earth habitable whose names temples and honors remaine continue unto this day but the powers puissances of some do faile and are quite gone as being translated into another place making a most happy change which translation some obteine sooner other later after that the understanding is separate from the soule and separated it is by the love and desire to enjoy the image of the Sunne by which that divine blessed and desirable beautie which every nature after divers sorts seeketh after shineth For even the verie Moone turneth about continually for the love of the Sunne as longing to companie and converse with him as the very fountaine of all fertilitie Thus the nature of the soule is spent in the Moone reteining onely certeine prints marks and dreames as it were of her life and hereof thinke it was well and truely said The soule made haste as one would say Like to a dreame and flew away which it doth not immediatly upon her separation from the bodie but afterwards when she is alone by herselfe and severed from the understanding And in trueth of all that ever Homer wrote most divinely he seemeth to have written of those who are departed this life be among the spirits beneath these verses Next him I knew of Hercules the strength and image plaine Or semblance for himselfe with gods immortall did remaine For like as every one of us is not ireand courage nor feare nor yet lust no more than flesh or humours but that indeed whereby we discourse and understand even so the soule it selfe being cast into a forme by the understanding and giving a forme unto the bodie and embracing it on every side expresseth and receiveth a certeine impression and figure so as albeit she is distinctly separate both from understanding and also from the bodie she reteineth still the forme and semblance a long time insomuch as well she may be called an image And of these soules as I have already said the Moone is the element because soules doe resolve into her like as the bodies of the dead into the earth As for such as have bene vertuous and honest and which loved a studious and quiet life imploied in philosophie without medling in troublesome affaires soone are resolved for that being left and rid of understanding and using no more corporall passions they vanish away incontinently but the soules of ambitious persons and such as are busied in negotiations of amorous folke also given to the love of beautifull bodies and likewise of wrathfull people calling still to remembrance those things which they did in their life even as dreames in their sleepe walke wandring to and fro like to that ghost of Endymion for considering their inconstancie and aptnesse to be over subject unto passions the same transporteth and plucketh them from the Moone unto another generation not suffering them quietly there to passe and vanish away but stil allureth and calleth them away for now is there nothing small staied quiet constant and accordant after that being once abandoned of the understanding they come to be seized with the passions of the body so that of such soules void of reason came and were bred afterwards the Tityi and Typhons and namely that Typhon who in times past by force and violence seized the city Delphos and overturned up-side-downe the sanctuarie of the oracle there most ungracious imps destitute of all reason and understanding and abandoned to all passions upon a proud spirit and violence wherewith they were pusfed up Howbeit at length after long time the Moone receiveth the soules and composeth them the Sunne also inspiring into them againe and sowing in their vitall facultie understanding maketh them new soules yea and the earth in the third place giveth them a new bodie for nothing doth she give after death of all that which she taketh to generation And the sunne receiveth nothing of others but taketh againe that understanding which he gave But the Moone giveth and receiveth joineth and disjoineth uniteth and separateth according to her divers faculties and powers of which the one is named Ilithyia to wit that which joineth another Artonius or Diana which parteth and diuideth Of the three fatall sisters or destinies she whom they name Atropos is placed within the Sunne and giveth the
they be very engenious and witty mary in every plot they cannot avoid the note of bald devices affected curiositie in their inventions Like as therefore he that painted Apollo with a rocke upon his head signified thereby the day-breake the time a little before sunne rising even so a man may say that these frogs doe symbolize and betoken the season of the Spring at what time as the Sunne begins to rule over the aire and to discusse the winter at least waies if we must according to your opinion understand the Sunne and Apollo to be both one god and not twaine Why quoth Serapion are you of another minde and doe you thinke the Sunne to be one Apollo another Yes mary doe I quoth he as well as that the Sunne and Moone do differ Yea and more than so for the Moone doth not often nor from all the world hide the Sunne whereas the Sunne hath made all men together for to be ignorant of Apollo diverting the minde and cogitation by the meanes of the sense and turning it from that which is unto that which appeareth onely Then Seripion demanded of those Historians our guides and conductors what was the reason that the forsaid cell or chappell was not intitled by the name of Cypselus who dedicated it but called the Corinthians chappel And when they held their peace because as I take it they knew not the cause I began to laugh thereat And why should we thinke quoth I that these men knew or remembered any thing more being astonied and amased as they were to heare you fable and talke of the meteors or impressions in the aire For even themselves we heard before relating that after the tyranny of Cypselus was put downe and overthrowen the Corinthians were desirous to have the inscirption as well of the golden statue at Pisa as of this cell or treasure house for to runne in the name of their whole city And verily the Delphians gave and granted them so much according to their due desert But for that the Elians envied them that priviledge therefore the Corinthians passed a publicke decree by vertue whereof they excluded them from the solemnity of the Isthmian games And heereof it came that never after that any champion out of the territorie of Elis was knowen to shew himselfe to doe his devoir at those Isthmicke games And the massacre of the Molionides which Hercules committed about the city of Cleonae was not the cause as some doe thinke why the Elians were debarred from thence for contrariwise it had belonged to them for to exclude and put by others if for this they had incurred the displeasure of the Corinthians And thus much said I for my part Now when we were come as far as to the hall of the Acanthians and of Brasidas our discoursing Historians and expositours shewed us the place where sometimes stood the obelisks of iron which Rhodopis the famous courtisan had dedicated Whereat Diogenianus was in a great chafe and brake out into these words Now surely quoth he the same city to their shame be it spoken hath allowed unto a common strumpet a place whether to bring and where to bestow the tenth part of that salarie which she got by the use of her body and unjustly put to death Aesope her fellow servant True quoth Serapion but are you so much offended hereat cast up your eie and looke aloft behold among the statues of brave captaines and glorious kings the image of Mnesarete all of beaten gold which Crates saith was dedicated and set up for a Trophae of the Greeks lasciviousnesse The yong gentleman seeing it Yea but it was of Phryne that Crates spake so You say true quoth Serapion for her proper name indeed was Mnesarete but surnamed she was Phryne in meriment because she looked pale or yellow like unto a kinde of frogge named in Greeke Phryne And thus many times surnames doe drowne and suppresse other names For thus the mother of king Alexander the great who had for her name at first Pollyxene came afterwards to be as they say surnamed Myrtale Olympias and Stratonice And the Corinthian lady Eumetis men call unto this day after her fathers name Cleobuline and Herophile of the city Erythre she who had the gift of divination and could skill of prophesie was afterwards in processe of time surnamed Sibylla And you have heard Grammarians say that even Leda her selfe was named Mnesinoe and Orestes Achaeus But how thinke you quoth he casting his eie upon Theon to answere this accusation as touching Phryne Then he smiling againe In such sort quoth he as I will charge and accuse you for busying your selfe in blaming thus the light faults of the Greeks For like as Socrates reprooved this in Calltas that gave defiance onely to sweet perfumes or pretious odors for he liked well enough to see the daunces and gesiculations of yong boies and could abide the sight of kissing of pleasants buffons and jesters to make folke laugh so me thinks that you would chase and exclude out of the temple one poore silly woman who used the beauty of her owne body haply not so honestly as she might and in the meane time you can abide to see god Apollo environed round about with the first fruits with the tenth and other oblations arising from murders warres and pillage and all his temple throughout hanged with the spoiles and booties gotten from the Greeks yea and are neither angry nor take pity when you reade over such goodly oblations and ornaments these most shamefull inscriptions and titles Brasidas and the Acanthians of the Athenian spoiles the Athenians of the Corinthians the Phocaeans of the Thesalians the Oraneates of the Sicyonians and the Amphyctions of the Phocaeans But peradventure it was Praxiteles alone who was offensive unto Crates for that he had set up a monument there of his owne sweet heart which he had made for the love of her whereas Crates contrariwise should have commended him in that among these golden images of kings and princes he had placed a courtisan in gold reproching thereby and condemning riches as having in it nothing to be admired and nothing venerable for it well beseemeth kings and great rulers to present Apollo and the gods with such ornaments and oblations as might testifie their owne justice their temperance and magnanimity and not make shew of their golden store and abundance of superfluous delicates whereof they have their part commonly who have lived most shamefully But you alledge not this example of Croesus quoth another of our historians directours who caused a statue in gold to be made set up here of his woman-baker which he did not for any proud and insolent ostentation of his riches in this temple but upon an honest just occasion for the report goeth that Alyattes the father of this Croesus espoused a second wife by whom he had other children whom hereared and brought up This lady then purposing secretly to take
void of reason but looke how much thereof is mingled with flesh and with passions being altered with pleasures and dolours it becommeth unreasonable But every soule is not mixed after one sort one as much as another for some are wholly plunged within the bodie and being troubled and disquieted with passions runne up and downe all their life time others partly are mingled with the flesh and in part leave out that which is most pure and not drawen downward to the contagion of that grosse part but remaineth swimming and floating as it were aloft touching the top or crowne onely of mans head whereas the rest is depressed downward to the bottome and drowned there and is in maner of a cord hanging up aloft just over the soule which is directly and plumbe under to upholde and raise it up so farre forth as it is obeisant thereto and not overruled and swaied with passions and perturbations for that which is plunged downe within the bodie is called the soule but that which is entire and uncorrupt the vulgar sort calleth the understanding supposing it to be within them as in mirrours that which appeareth by way of reflexion but those that judge aright and according to the trueth name it Daemon as being cleane without them These stars then which you see as if they were extinct and put out imagine and take them to be the soules which are totally drowned within bodies and such as seeme to shine out againe and to returne lightsome from beneath casting and shaking from them a certeine darke foggy mist as if it were some filth and ordure esteeme the same to be such soules as after death are retired and escaped out of the bodies but those which are mounted on high and move to and fro in one uniforme course throughout are the Daemons or spirits of men who are said to have intelligence and understanding Endevour now therefore and straine your selfe to see the connexion of each one whereby it is linked and united to the soule When I heard this I began to take more heed and might see starrs leaping and floting upon the water some more some lesse like as we observe pieces of corke shewing in the sea where fishers nets have beene cast and some of them turned in maner of spindles or bobins as folke spin or twist therewith yet drawing a troubled and unequall course and not able to direct and compose the motion straight And the voice said that those which held on a right course and order by motion were they whose soules were obeisant to the raines of reason by the meanes of good nurture and civill education and such as shewed not upon the earth their beastly grosse and savage brutishnesse but they that eftsoones rise and fall up and downe unequally and disorderly as struggeling to breake out of their bounds are those which strive against the yoke with their disobedient and rebellious maners occasioned by want of good bringing up one while getting the maistry and bringing them about to the right hand another while curbed by passions and drawen away by vices which notwithstanding they resist another time againe and with great force strive to withstand For that bond which in maner of a bridle-bit is put into the mouth as it were of the brutish and unreasonable part of the soule when it pulleth the same backe bringeth that which they call repentance of sins the shame after unlawfull and prohibited pleasures which is a griefe and remorse of the soule restrained and brideled by that which governeth and commandeth it untill such time as being thus rebuked and chastised it become obedient and tractable like unto a beast made tame without beating or tormenting as quickely and readily conceiving the signes and markes which the Daemon sheweth These therefore at the last long and late though it be are ranged to the rule of reason But of such as are obedient at the first and presently from their very nativity hearken unto their proper Daemon are all the kind of prophets and divinors who have the gift to foretell things to come likewise holy and devout men Of which number you have hard how the soule of Hermodorus the Clazomenian was wont to abandon his body quite and both by day and night to wander into many places and afterwards to returne into it againe having beene present the while to heare and see many things done and said a farre off which it used so long untill his enimies by the treachery of his wife surprised his body one time when the soule was gone out of it and burnt it in his house Howbeit this was not true for his soule never departed out of his body but the same being alwaies obedient unto his Daemon and slacking the bond unto it gave it meanes and liberty to run up and downe and to walke to and fro in many places in such sort as having seene and hard many things abroad it would come and report the same unto him But those that consumed his body as he lay asleepe are tormented in Tartarus even at this day for it which you shall know your selfe good yong man more certainely within these three moneths quoth that voice and for this time see you depart When this voice had made an end of speaking Timarchus as he told the tale himselfe turned about to see who it was that spake but feeling a great paine againe in his head as if it had bene violently pressed and crushed he was deprived of all sense and understanding and neither knew himselfe nor any thing about him But within a while after when he was come unto himselfe he might see how he lay along at the entry of the foresaid cave of Trophonius like as he had himselfe at the beginning And thus much concerning the fable of Timarchus who being returned to Athens in the third moneth after just as the voice foretold him departed this life And then we woondred heereat and made report thereof backe to Socrates who rebuked and chid us for saying nothing to him of it whiles Timarchus was alive for that he would willingly himselfe have heard him more particularly and examined every point at the full Thus you have heard Theocritus a mingled tale and historie together of Timarchus But se whether we shall not be faine to call for this strangers helpe to the decision of this question for verie proper and meet it is for to be discussed by such devout and religious men And why quoth Theanor doth not Epamtnondas deliver his opinion thereof being a man trained up and instituted in the same discipline and schoole with us Then my father smiling at the matter This is his nature quoth he my good friend he loveth to be silent and wary he is what he speaketh but woonderfull desirous to learne and insatiable of hearing others And heereupon Spintharus the Tarentine who conversed familiarly with him heere a long time was woont to give out this speech of him That he had never
good grace among other captive ladies howbeit he would not force her nor offer any violence to her dishonour but espoused her for his wife wherein he did as a Philosopher When he saw his enemy Darius lying dead with many an arrow and dart sticking in his body he neither sacrificed to the gods nor sounded the triumph for joy that so long a war by his death was come to an end but taking the mantle from his owne shoulders cast it over the dead corps as if he would thereby have covered and hidden the wofull destiny of a king And this also was done like a Philosopher He received one day a letter of secrets from his owne mother which whiles he perused it chanced that Hephaestion also sitring at that timeby him read it simply together with him and thought nothing Alexander debarred him not onely he tooke the signet from his owne finger set it to his mouth sealing as it were his silence by the faith that he owed unto a friend See how herein he shewed the part of a Philosopher for if these be not Philosophicall acts I know not what els be Socrates was well enough content that faire Alcibiades should lie with him but Alexander when Philoxenus his lieutenant generall over the sea coasts of Asia wrote unto him that there was a yong boy within his government in Ionia for sweet favour and beauty incomparable demanding of him by his letters to know his pleasure whether he should send the said youth unto him he wrote sharply unto him in this wise What hast thou knowen by me most leaud and wicked varlet as thou art that thou shouldest presume thus to allure and entice me with such pleasures Xenocrates we have in admiration for turning backe a present of fifty talents which Alexander sent unto him and shall we not wonder aswell at the giver shall we not thinke that he made as small account of money who gave so liberally as he who refused it Xenocrates had no need of riches professing as he did Philofophy but Alexander had use therefore even in regard of Philosophy cecause he might exercife his iberality in bestowing the same so bountifully upon such perfons We honour theremembrance of those who have left behinde them testimonies of their contempt of death and how often thinkeyou hath Alexander delivered as much when he saw the drts and arrowes flying so thicke about his eares and himselfepressed hard upon by the violence of enemies We are perswaded verily that there is in all men whatsoever some light of sound judgement for that nature herselfe frameth them to discerne that which is good and honest but a difference there is betweene the common sort and Philosophers for that Philosophers excell the rest in this that their judgements be more firme setled and resolute in dangers than others wheras the vulgar sort are not armda otiid before-hand with such deepe impressions and resoutions as these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The best presage by augury and bird-flight Is in defence of countrey for to fight Againe This full account all men must make By death one day their end to take But the occurrences and occasions of perils presented unto them doe breake their discourse of reason and the imaginations of dangers imminent doe drive out all counsell and considerate judgement For feare doth not only maskre and astonish the memory as Thucydides saith but also driveth out every good intention all motions and endevors of well doing whereas Philosophy bindeth them fast with cords round about that they cannot stirre OF THE FORTVNE OR VERTUE OF K. Alexander The second Oration The Summarie PLutarch doth prosecute in this declamation the argument and discourse begun in the former the some whereof is this that the vertue of Alexander surmounted his fortune which was alwasies in maner contrary unto him But before that he entreth into this matter he opposeth unto the sufficiency and singular parts of this prince the base demeanour and brutish vilany of certaine other kings and potentates adjoining over and besides thus much that al his exercises and imploiments are proofes every one of his hauty courage and mognanimity Then discourseth he particularly in what account and reputation good workemen were with Alexander and what his selfe conceit was of his owne workes in comparison of theirs Afterwards he commeth to shew that if Alexander be considered from his very first beginning to his last end he will be found to be the very handy worke of valour and fortitude In proceeding forward he saith that fortune received more honor by Alexander than he by her The which is verified by considering the state of his armie after his death Upon this he entreth into a common place of mans greatnesse which serveth to cleere and illustrate the former points and matters handled And by the consideration of the evill cariage and government of many other princes as by a foile he giveth a most beautifull lustre unto the vertues of Alexander which he desciphereth in particular This done he answereth those who object that fortune raised Alexander to that greatnesse And to give the mightier force and weight to the reasons by him produced he disputeth against fortune her selfe wherein he examineth his severall exploits wherein as vertue is evidently seene to accompany and assist so fortune to oppose her selfe and resist him And this doth he particularize at large After this digression he commeth againe to his precedent matter and bringeth out new proofes of the vertue and magnanimity of this mighty Monarch even from his youth unto his dying day comparing him as a Paragon with the wisest Sages and most valiant warriours both of Persia and of Greece Shewing also that he surpassed them all in continency liberality piety prudence justice beneficence and valour For the last point he relateth the great jeopardy wherein Alexander was plunged one time among the rest out of which vertue caused him to retire safe as it were in despite of fortune which is the very conclusion of this treatise confirming the principall intention of our authour which is to proove that the foresaid grandeur of Alexander ought not to be ascribed unto fortune but to vertue THE FORTUNE OR vertue of K. Alexander The second Oration WE forgat yesterday as it should seeme among other matters to say that the age wherein Alexander lived was in this respect happy for that it brought forth many excellent arts and as many great and singular wits or rather it may be said that this was not so much the good fortune of Alexander as of those cunning artisans and rare spirits to have for their witnesse spectator such a personage who both knew best how to judge truely of good workemanship and also was most able to reward the same as liberally And verily to this purpose reported it is that somtime after in the age ensuing when Archestratus a fine headed Poet and a pleasant lived in great want and penury for that no man
and with his dagger gave him such a stabbe as he laied him along and killed him out of hand but see the malice of Fortune there runnes me forth out of a milihouse or backhouse thereby another villaine with a pestle and comming behinde him gave him such a souse upon the very necke bone that he was astonished therewith and there lay along in a swoone having lost his sight and other senses for a time But vertue it was that assisted him which gave both unto himselfe a good heart and also unto his friends strength resolution and diligence to succour him for Limnaeus Ptolemeus and Leonnatus with as many besides as either had clambred over the walles or broken thorow came in and put themselves betweene him and his enemies they with their valour were to him in stead of a wall and rampier they for meere affection and love unto their king exposed their bodies their forces and their lives before him unto all dangers whatsoever For it is not by fortune that there be men who voluntarily present themselves to present death but it is for the love of vertue like as bees having drunke as it were the amatorious potion of naturall love and affection are alwaies about their king and sticke close unto him Now say there had beene one there without the danger of shot to have seene this sight at his pleasure would not he have said that he had beheld a notable combat of fortune against vertue wherein the Barbarians by the helpe of fortune prevailed above their desert and the Greeks by meanes of vertue resisted above their power and if the former get the better hand it would be thought the worke of fortune and of some maligne and envious spirit but if these become superior vertue fortitude faith and friendship should cary away the honour of victory for nothing els accompanied Alexander in this place As for the rest of his forces and provisions his armies his horses and his fleets fortune set the wall of this vile towne betweene him and them Well the Macedonians in the end defaited these Barbarians beat the place downe over their heads and rased it quite and buried them in the ruins and fall thereof But what good did all this to Alexander in this case Caried he might well be and that speedily away out of their hands with the arrow sticking still in his bosome but the war was yet close within his ribbes the arrow was set fast as a spike or great naile to binde as it were the cuirace to his bodie for whosoever went about to plucke it out of the wound as from the root the head would not follow withall considering it was driven so sure into that solid brest bone which is over the heart neither durst any saw off that part of the steile that was without for feare of shaking cleaving cracking the said bone by that means so much the more and by that means cause exceeding and intolerable paines besides the effusion of much bloud out of the bottome of the wound himselfe seeing his people about him a long time uncerteine what to doe set in hand to hacke the shaft a two with his dagger close to the superficies of his cuirace aforesaid and so to cut it off cleane but his hand failed him and had not strength sufficient for to do the deed for it grew heavie and benummed with the inflammation of the wound whereupon he commanded his chirurgians to set to their hands boldly and to feare nought incouraging thus hurt as he was those that were sound and unwounded chiding and rebuking some that kept a weeping about him and bemoned him others he called traitours who durst not helpe him in this distresse he cried also to his minions and familiars Let no man be timorous and cowardly for me no not though my life lie on it I shall never be thought and beleeved not to feare dying if you be affraied of my death ***************** OF ISIS AND OSIRIS The Summarie THe wisdome and learning of the Aegyptians hath bene much recommended unto us by ancient writers and not without good cause considering that Aegypt hath bene the source and fountaine from whence have flowed into the world arts and liberall sciences as a man may gather by the testimony of the first Poets and philosophers that ever were But time which consumeth all things hath bereft us of the knowledge of such wisdome or if there remaine still with us any thing at all it is but in fragments and peeces scattered heere and there whereof many times we must divine or guesse and that is all But in recompence thereof Plutarch a man carefull to preserve all goodly and great things hath by the meanes of this discourse touching Isis and Osiris maintained and kept entier a good part of the Aegyptians doctrine which he is not content to set down literally there an end but hath adjoined thereto also an interpretation thereof according to the mystical sense of the Isiake priests discovering in few words an in finit number of secrets hidden under ridiculous monstrous fables in such sort as we may cal this treatise a cōmentary of the Aegyptians Theologie and Philosophy As for the contents thereof a man may reduce it into three principall parts In the first which may serve insted of a preface he yeeldeth a reason of his enterprise upon the consideration of the rasture vesture continence and ab stinence of Isis priests there is an entrie made to the rehearsall of the fable concerning Isis Osiris But before he toucheth it he sheweth the reason why the Aegyptians have thus darkly enfolded their divinity Which done he commeth to descipher in particular the said fable relating it according to the bare letter which is the second part of this booke In the third he expoundeth the fable it selfe and first discovereth the principles of the said Aegyptian Philosophy by a sort of temples sepulchers and sacrifices Afterwards having refuted certaine contrary opinions he speaketh of Daemons ranging Isis Osiris and Typhon in the number of them After this Theologicall exposition he considereth the fable according to naturall Philosophy meaning by Osiris the river Nilus and all other power of moisture whatsoever by Typhon Drinesse and by Isis that nature which preserveth and governeth the world Where he maketh a comparison betweene Bacchus of Greece and Osiris of Aegypt applying all unto naturall causes Then expoundeth he the fable more exactly and in particular maner conferring this interpretation thereof with that of the Stoicks wherupon he doth accommodate and fit all to the course of the Moone as she groweth and decreaseth to the rising also and inundation of Nilus making of all the former opinions a certaine mixture from whence he draweth the explication of the fable By occasion hereof he entreth into a disputation as touching the principles and beginnings of all things setting downe twaine and alledging for the proofe and confirmation of his speech the testimony of
of the heart and no hunger 739. 30 Bulimos what it signifieth 738. 20 Bulimos the disease what it is whereupon it proceedeth 738. 739 Buprostis 738.30 Buris his resolution for his countrey 474.1 A man not to be cased of his Burden 777.40 Busiris sacrificeth strangers and guests 917.1 killed by Hercules ib. 10 Bysatia killeth herselfe 913.20 Bysius what winde 890.20 Buzygion 323.10 C CAbirichus Cyamistos 1225 10. killed by Theopompus ib. 30 Cabiri 666.20 Cabbas or Galba a bawd and witall 1144.10 and a merrie busson withall ib. Caecias the wind gathereth clouds 240.10 Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus his rare felicity 630.20 Caecilius Metellus his apophthegmes 436.20 Caena that is to say A supper whereof derived 776.1 Caeneus the Lapith 247.1.1055 30 Caepio and Cato brethren agree well together 185.20 Caepion an auncient Musician 1250.40 Caesar commended by Cicero for erecting againe the statues of Pompeius 243. 1. 10. hee made head against M. Crassus 874.10 C. Caesar his apophthegmes 440. 40. he putteth away his wife Pompeia 441 Cajus and Caja 860.50 Caja Caecilia a vertuous beautifull lady 860.50 her brasen image in the temple of Sanctus 861.1 Cakes of Samos 613.40 Calamarus fish foresheweth tempest 1008.50 Calamoboas why Antipater was so called 207.30 Calauria what place 894.10 Calbia a cruell woman burned quicke 498.40 500.30 Calendae See Kalendae Callicles answer 378.10 Callicrates 1106.30 Callicratidas his apophthegmes 459.1 his death ib. 30 Callimechus stood 〈◊〉 upon his feet 906.30 Callimici a surname of certeine princes 1278.40 Calliope the Muse. 795.40 wherein emploied 798.50 Callipides a vaine jester 449.10 Callirrhoe a beautifull damosell her wofull historie 947.40 she hangeth herselfe 913.10 Callisthenes refused to pledge Alexander the great 120.30 in disfavour with K. Alexander 655.20 his apophthegme against quaffing ib. Callisthenes killeth himselfe upon the body of Aristoclia his bride 945.10 Callisto what Daemon 157.30 Callistratus a friendly man in his house and keeping great hospitality 707.40 Callixenus a sycophant 300.10 Sea Calves their properties 977. 20 Cambyses upon a vaine jealousie put his brother to death 188. 20 Furius Camillus 631.10 Camma the Galatian Lady her vertuous deeds 500.40 poisoneth her selfe and Synorix 501.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it signifieth 28. 50 Candaules shewed his wife naked to Gyges 654.10 Candaules killed by Gyges 902. 10 Candidatus 〈◊〉 for offices at Rome in simplerobes 867.30 Candyli 703.50 Canobus or Canopus a pilot and starre 1296.10 Cantharides the flies how used in Physicke 28.30 Cantharolethros 156.50 Canus the Minstrell studious and bent to his worke 387.10 on Capitol mount no Patritij at Rome might dwell 880.40 Capparus the name of a dog 962. 50. he discovereth one that had committed sacriledge ib. provided for by the Athenians 963.10 Sp. Carbilius why he divorced his wife 855.10 Carians murdered by the Melians 847.50 Carmenta the goddesse honoured by Romane matrons 869.50 the mother of Euander ib. named Themis and Nicostrata ib. the etymologie of Carmenta 870.1 Carmina whereof the word commeth 870.1 Carneades his witty apophthegme against flatterers 96.40 when he was borne 766.10 Carnia what 〈◊〉 766 〈◊〉 dames suffered their heads to be shorne 284.1 Carthaginians of what nature they be 349.40 Caryce 703.50 Carystian quarry what stone it yeelded 1345.50 Caspian sea 1183.30 Cassandra the prophetesse not beleeved 376.30 Cassius Severus his apophthegme of a cunning flatterer about Tyberius 〈◊〉 Cassius Brutus a traitour 909. 40 Castoreum an unpleasant drug 9. 50 Castor and Pollux how they loved 〈◊〉 Castorium what 〈◊〉 among the 〈◊〉 1256.30 Casual adventure what it is 1052 30 Catacautae 894.50 Catamites hate Paederasts most deadly 1155.20 Cataptuston a mouth of the river Nilus why so called 1292.50 Catephia what it is 163.20 Cateunastes what God 1142.1 Cathetus ravisheth Salia 917.40 Cats can abide no sweet perfumes 323.30 Cato the elder his apophthegmes 432.30 an enemy to gluttony ib. Cato his accusation and plea. 384. 40. his apophthegme of Julius Caesar Dictator 1083.1 Cato Vticensis killed himselfe 295.50 more carefull of his souldiers then of himselfe ib. Cato the elder against the libertie of women 432.30 Cato being a boy very inquisitive of his Teachers 36.40 Cato the elder his severitie 432. 40. he would not have his owne image made 375.10 Cato the elder misliked statues 432.50 Cato the yoonger his upright dealing against Muraena 242.50 a Cat why she symbolizeth the Moone 1312.30 Catulus Luctatius his apophthegmes 437.1 Caudinae 〈◊〉 907 Cause what it is 813.20 Causes of three sorts ib. Cause efficient chiefe ib. Causes materiall and efficient 1348.1 Cecrops why said to have a double face 443.20 Celaenae a city in Phrygia 907.50 Celeus a great housekeeper 707.40 Censors at Rome if one died other gave up their places 868.1 what first worke they undertooke after they were sworne 882.40 their charge 882.50.883.1 Centaures whence they come 568.50 Centaury the herbe 1178.50 Ceraunophoros an image representing K. Alexander 1275.40 Cerberus 880.30.604.50 Cercaphus 896.30 Cercopes 98.20 Cerdous what God 154.50 Ceres differeth from Proserpina 1181.40 Ceroma what cōposition 672.50 Ceres worshipped in the same temple with Neptune 709.10 Ceres surnamed Anysidora 797.10 patronesse of agriculture ib. Ceres 〈◊〉 897.40 Chaeron how he altered the prospect of Chaeronea 134.10 Chabrias his 〈◊〉 420.30 Chalcedonian dames their modestie 903.20 Chalcitis a miner all medicinable 698.1 Chalcodrytae 712.40 〈◊〉 what they thinke of the Gods 1306.40 Chamaeleon changeth colour upon feare 973.20 Change in States difficult dangerous 349.20.350.20 Chaos 646.10.1000.10.1032.50 whereof derived and what it signifieth 989.30.1300.20 Charadrios a bird curing jaundice 724.1 Chares a personable man 389.50 Charicles Antiochus how they 〈◊〉 their fathers goods 181.10 Charidotes the surname of Mercurie 904.20 Charila 891.1 Chatillus his apophthegmes 469.40.423.1 Charillus an infant protected by his uncle Lycurgus 1277.30 Charites or Graces what were their names and why so called 292.1 Charmosyna what feast 1299.10 Charon the brother of Epaminondas commended for resolution and love to his countrey 1204.50 he enterteineth the exiled men at their 〈◊〉 1216.30 his speech made to the conspiratours 1223.30 Charroles why commended by Anacharsis 737.10 Cheiromacha a faction in Miletum 897.50 Chenosiris what it is 1302.10 Chersias the Poet scoffed at by Cleodemus 338.1 Childhood how to be ordered by Nourses 4.50 Childrens words taken for Osses 1293.10 Children good of bad parents 555.40 Children punished for their parents 554.1 Children begotten in drunkennes 2.40 Children are not to heare leawd speeches 4.50 Children to be taught by lenity faire meanes 10.40 Children why they ought to have no golde about them 375.1 how they come to resemble their parents and progenitours 843.50 how it commeth that they be like neither to the one nor the other 844.10 they used to goe with their fathers forth to supper 861.50 Chilon invited to a feast enquired alwaies who were the guests 328.30 Chimaera a mountaine 489.30 Chimarchus or Chimaerus an archpirate 489.1 Chiomara wife to Ortiagon her vertuous deed 501.50
be 896.30 Psychostasia a Tragoedie of Aeschylus 21.20 Psychoponipos what god 1142.1 Psyche 29.1 Ptolomaeus Philadelphus espouseth his owne sister 13.20 Ptolomaeus Lagus his sonne how frugall he was 414.1 Ptolomaeus the first that erected a library 591.40 Ptolomaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 547.10 K. Ptolomens Philopater sacrificeth elephants 965.50 K. Ptolomaeus abused by flatterers 93.40 98.1 a lover of learning 98.1 he represseth his anger 125.10 Ptolemaeus Soter translated the Colosse of Sarapis unto Alexandria 1298.40 Pulse why forbidden to be eaten 881.50 Punishment ought to be inflicted at leasure 542.30 Punishment of servants how to be ordered 126.40.50 Purgations for students 623.20 Purgative physicke taught us by brute beasts 968.1 Purgatorte of the Painims and philosophers 1182.40 Purple death in Homer 13.30 Purple fishes how sociable they be 975.40 Putrefaction what it is 774.30 Pyanepsion what moneth 1314.20 Pyladion 759.10 Pylaochos 1301.30 the Pyramis was the first bodie 1339.20 Pyramis 819.20 Pyramus a lake 799.40 Pyrander stoned to death 915.1 Pyraichmes king of the Euboeans 908.30 his horses ib. Pyroeis what starre 821.40 Pyrtho his apophthegme 255.1 Pyrrhias sacrificed to his benefactour 898.20 K. Pyrrhus delighted to be called the eagle 968.50 his apophthegmes 416.50 Pyrsophion 898.1 Pysius what it signifieth 890.20 Pythagoras sacrificed an oxe for the invention of one Theoreum 768.40 Pythagoras his precepts smell of the Aegyptian Hierogliphickes 1291.20 Pythagoras a Tuskane 〈◊〉 776 30 Pythagoras how much addicted to Geometrie 590.10 he condemned crueltie to dumbe beasts 243. 30. hee 〈◊〉 a draught of fishes 779.1 the first author of the name of Philosophers 806.30 he taught in Italy 807.20 his opinion of God 812.1 Pythagorean precepts ib. 40 Pythagoras abode long in Aegypt 778.20 Pythagorical darke sentences expounded 15.10.20 Pythagorean precepts not to be taken literally 887.30 Pythagoreans pittifull unto dumb beasts 958.20.248.30 Pythes the rich 506.40 his vertuous wife ib. his strange death 507.40 Pytheas his apophthegme 420.40 what befell unto Pythia the prophetesse at the Delphicke oracle 1350.10 Pythia how she is to be chosen and disposed 1350.20 Pythicke games which were most ancient 715.50 Pythocles unmeasurably praised by Colotes and the Epicureans 1126.20 Pythoegia what day it is 693.30 〈◊〉 what they be 1327.1 Pythius an epithet of Apollo 1153.50 Python modest in his selfe praises 306.1 how he avoided envie 306.1.371.1 Python wounded by Apollo 891.10 Q QVaternary of the Pythagoreans 806.50.1036.10 Quaternary number 1036.10 why dedicated to Mercury 789.20 Quaternity of Plato and Pythagoras compared 1037.50 Questions or riddles proposed by K. Amasis of AEgypt to the K. of AEthiopia 333.50 What Questions are to be propounded unto a Philosopher 57.50.58.1 Questions to be discoursed upon at the table of what sort they should be 644.20 What Questions men delight to be asked 662.30 What Questions we mislike most 663.30 A Question or case as touching repugnant lawes 793.1 Questions Platonique assoiled 1016.10.20 c. Questours at Rome 〈◊〉 ambassadours 805.50 A Quince why eaten by the new bride 316.20 Quinquertium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 808.10.812.10 Quintilis what moneth 856.10 the same that Julie 859.20 Quintius his apophthegmes 〈◊〉 a parle betweene him and K. Philip. 431.1 he set free all the Greeke captives ib. his 〈◊〉 tale of his host at Chalcis 431.20 his jest as touching Philopoemen 〈◊〉 Quires three in Lacedaemon 308.20 Quirinalia the feast of fooles 880.10 Quiris a speare or javelin 880.10 the name of Mars ib. 〈◊〉 the name of Juno 880.10 R RAine how ingendred 828.10 Rain-water nourisheth 〈◊〉 and seeds most 〈◊〉 Raines which be best for seeds or yoong plants 1004.50 Raine showers named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rainbow 828.30 how it 〈◊〉 1151.30 how it is represented to our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Raria 322.10 Rationall or verball Philosophy 〈◊〉 Ravens age 1327.40 Reading what maner of 〈◊〉 619.30 A Reading schoole first taught by Sp. Carbilius 〈◊〉 To teach for to Read and spell an honourable office 870.30 Reason ought to guide and rule our free will 51.40 Reason or discipline powerfull to attaine vertue 3.1 Reason given to man in 〈◊〉 of many other parts 231.30 Of Reasonable natures foure kinds 1327.20 Reason how divided 799.10 Reasoning or disputing at the table 622.20 Rebukes and checks at wise 〈◊〉 hands be well taken 106.30.40 Recreation and repose to be allowed children in due time 11.10 Recreations allowed Governours and Statesmen 388.20 Recreations and pastimes allowed by Plato 624.50 Red sea 1183.30 Regulus a Pancratiast died with bathing and drinking upon it 630.20 Religious men have great comfort in the exercise of their religion 599.50 Religion the foundation of all policie and government 1127.40 Religious in the good breedeth no desperate feare 45.30 Religion a meane betweene 〈◊〉 and superstition 268.40 Remorse of conscience in divers 547.1.10 Repentance and remorse of conscience 160.50 Repletion or emptinesse whether is more to be feared 703.30 Repletion cause of most diseases 616.10 Reproofe of others a thing incident to olde folke 310.50 Respiration how it is performed 840.10 Revenge not best performed in anger 125.30 Revenge not to be done 〈◊〉 545.10 how it should be taken 126.10 Revenge of enemies to forbeare is commendable 243.1 Rex Sacrorum at Rome 871.40 Rhadamanthus a judge of the dead 532.20 Rhesus killed his brother Similus 913.40 banished by his father ib. Rhetana her enterprise 914.50 Rhetoricke hath three parts 786.50 Rhetrae 450.10 Rhetrae delivered by Lycurgus in prose 1197.40 Rhodopis the harlot and her obelisks 1194.50 Riches how to be regarded 6.40 how to be used 214.1 A Riddle as touching a Phrygian flute 331.30 Riddle of the king of AEthiopia unto Amasis king of AEgypt 332.1 Riddle of Cleobuline 335.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it signifieth 28.50 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 785.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Musicke 1252.20 Right line 1021.10 A Ring worne streight 1137.10 Rods and 〈◊〉 why borne before the head magistrates at Rome 877.50 Roiot youth ought to avoid 12.10 Roma a Trojan lady 484.20 Rome city whether beholden more to vertue than to fortune 628.10 Rome the worke of fortune and 〈◊〉 jointly together 628.30 Rome the pillar of the whole world 628.40 Rome why founded and reared by the favour of fortune 632.20 Rome much subject to scarefires 867.10 The Romane Daemon 636.50 Romane kings left their crowne to none of their children 149.10 Romane words derived from the Greeks 776.10 Romanes of their returne home gave intelligence beforehand to their wives 853.30 The Romanes fortunate affaires under the conduct of Cn. Pompeius 636.40 Romane tongue used in all countreys 1028.1 Romulus a martiall prince 856.20 Romulus and Remus their birth generation ascribed to fortune 632.20 when begotten ib. 30 Romulus and Remus wonderfully preserved 632.40 how 〈◊〉 and brought up 633. 〈◊〉 916.40 Romulus translated 632.30 Romulus killed Remus 859.50 Romulus murdred by the Senate 915.20 The Rose garland of what use it is 683.30.684.20 Rose why called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke 684.50 Rosin burnt by Aegyptians in the
reclaimed by the proesse of Miltiades ib. his stratageme to save Greece 418.1 Themistocles in his government over-ruled much by his friends 359.20 Themistocles and Aristides laid by all private quarrels for the good of the weale publicke 361.50 suspected for a traytour to the state of Greece 241.40 his apophthegme as touching his banishment 273.20 he basheth not to blazon his owne vertues before the Athenians 304.40 his words as touching Miltiades 244.30 he lived richly in exile 273.20 Themistocles for his wisedome surnamed Vlysses 1243.1 depraved by Herodotus 1244.40.50 his apophthegme to his sonnes 1266.40 Themis 295.20 Themotecles captaine conspiratour against Aristodemus 506.20 Theodestes a wanton person how he saluted his love 751.50 Theodorus his saying of his scholars 1303.40 Theoclymenus furious 837.1 Theocritus the Sophister punished for his intemperate speech 13.30 Theodorus counterfeiting the creaking of a wheele 23.1 Theodorus Atheos 148.30.810 40 Theodorus neglected the sepulture of his body 299.40 Theodorus being banished how 〈◊〉 answered king Lysimachus 279.10 Theopompus first instituted the Ephori 294.1 his apophthegm 423.20.458.10 Theophrastus twice saved his countrey 1128.50 Theori 905.40 Thera and Therasia 1191.10 Theramenes his buskin 379.50 his apophthegme 458.30 put to death by his colleague in government 513.50 Thero the Thessalian an amorous person 1146.1 Thessander captaine of the Argives 907.10 Thessales and Achilles compared 37.40.50 Therycion his apophthegme 458.30 Theseus banishod from Athens 280.30 his temple there ib. Theseus his pictures 982.30 Thesmophoria 1314.10 Theos the generall name of God whereof derived 1311.20 a Thessalians apophthegme as touching Thessalians Thesmothesion 762.10 Thespesius how he became a new man 556.10 his tale ib. 40 Thesis the mother of Ac hilles 896.50 she complaineth of Apollo 20.50 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of divers significations 29 10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name of the night 1163.10 Thoosa what Daemon 157.30 Thraseus justified by Nero his enimie 362.50 Thrasonides his miseries 210.50 Thrasybulus his counsell to Periander 327.50 Thrice signifieth Many times 1300.50 Thucydides commended for his diluciditie of stile 983.30 Thunder how caused 827.40.1004.50 what things be good against it 704.20 Thunder ib. Thyades religious priestresses 1301 Thyasi what sacrifices 902.1 Thybians ey-biters 723.20 Thyrsophoria what feast 71210 Thyrst whereof it proceedeth 731.1 quenched and slaked by sleepe 731.10 Thyrst not allayed by meate 733.10 Tiberius declared Heire apparent by Augustus 442. 50. his 〈◊〉 626.1 Tides of the sea how occasioned 〈◊〉 Tigranes K. of Armenta his base minde 1276.40 Tigers love not to heere drummes and tabours 323.40 Time what it is 1024.20.815.30 the instruments of Time 1024.1 essence of Time 815.30 Timagenes jesteth to broad with Augustus Caesar. 108.20 Timarchus murdered by Procles 1197.30 Timarchus his tale as touching the familiar spirit of Socrates 1218.20 how he died 1220.50 Timber not to be sallen but in the full moone 〈◊〉 Timesias a busie politician 365.10 Timoclia her vertuous deed 503.10 Timoleon 371. his speech of Smallach coronets 718. 1. modest in praising himselfe 360.1 Timon the brother of Plutarch 185.40 Timons nource of Cilicia 782.40 Timotheus a Poet and musician emboldened by Euripides 398.30 his vaineglory 301. 50. his speech of Chares a tall and personable man 389.50.420.20 a fortunate captaine 420.20 his apophthegmes ib. Timotheus his apophthegme of the Academie fare 616.1 Timotheus the musician rebuked by K. Archelaus for craving 408.20 Timoxena the daughter of Plutarch 539.20 Tiresias his ghost 791.40 Tissaphernes compounded with Agesilaus 445.10 his treacherie ib. Titans 1333.50 Titus the emperour given over much to bathing 612.20 〈◊〉 and Typhones 1184. 30 Thesimachus his policy 915.10 Tongue naturally seated against much 〈◊〉 193.40 Tongue the best and worst peece of all the body 52.20.197.20 Tongue one eares twaine 53.20 Tongue lavish hath undone many states 195.50 how to frame the Tongue in making answeres 204.20.205.1 Tongue an hard matter to bridle 13.1 Tongue lavish compared with other infirmities 193.10 Tone 1037.1.40 Toredorix a Tetrach of Galatia 502.20 executed by Mithridates 502.40 Tortoises of the sea their maner of breeding 976.50 Tortoises of the land cured by the herbe Origan 569.40 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it signifieth in vines and other things 1013.10 Tragoedies condemned at feasts banquets 759.1 Tragoedie what maner of deceit 19.20 Tragoedie what it was at first 645.1 Tragoedians compared with captaines 985.20 Tranquility of minde 145.1 what is the fountaine thereof 148.1 Transmigration of soules into new bodies 578.40 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 775.10 Trees bearing pitch or rosen will not be grafted in the scutchian 675.10 they will beare no impe of another tree ib. 20. they be unfruitfull 676.1 Trees growing within the sea 1178.40 Trees some shed their leaves others not and why Triangles of three sorts what they represent 1328.40.685.30 Triangle named Pallas 1317.20 Tribunes at Rome why they wore no imbraydered purple robes 877.10.20 counted no magistrates ib. Tribunate a popular function 877.30 a sanctuary to the cōmons ib. 40. inviolable and sacred ib. 50 Trimeres what musicke 1251.30 Trioditus or Trivia why the moone is called 1177.10 Trochilus and the crocodile their society 975.10 Tritogenia a name of Pallas 317 20 Tritons sea gods why so called 1317.20 Trojan warre why caused by the gods 1073.30 Trojan dames their worthy deed 484.1 Trojans and Greeks compared together 38.40 Trojans setled in Italy 484.20 Troilus the page of Hesiodus a rocke of that name 344.10 Trophaees of Sylla 630.40 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof derived 731.50 Trophoniades what Daemons 1183.40 Trophonius and Agamedes rewarded with death 518.20 Trophonius Oracle and cave 1218.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 543.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it signifieth 736.50 Trueth a commendable quality in yong folke 13.40 Trueth but one lies be infinite 782.10 Trueth and the knowledge thereof is incomparable 1287.50 The plaine or field of trueth 1334.40 Tullus Hostilius executeth Metius Suffetius 908.40 The two tunnes in heaven full of destinies 271.30 Tuny fish not ignorant of Astronomie 974.1 skilfull in Arethmeticke and perspective ib. 20 Tuskane women their vertuous ast 488.1 Tutelar god of the Romans not to be named or inquired after 870.50 Tutours and teachers of children how to be chosen 5.10 Twines how engendred 843.30 Tynnicus the Lacedaemon how he tooke the death of his sonne 472.40 Typhon a Meteore 828.1.10 Typhonij 1316 Typhon 1121.20 Typhon what it signifieth 1288.10 Typhon borne 1292.20 he conspired against Osiris 1292.40 his outrages 1298.10 repressed and plagued by Isis. ib. Typhon of a ruddy colour 1299.30.40 how portrased in Hermopolis 1307.50 Tyrants and good princes wherein they differ 296.1 Tyranny to be repressed at the first 121.10 Teribazus how obsequious and devoted to the king of Persia his name 264.50 Tyrtaeus the Poet what Leonidas thought of him 950.20 Tyrians enchained the images of their tutelar gods 871.1 A Tyrant living to be an old man is a wonder 1206.40 V VAlerius Poplicala 865.40 Valerius Poplicala suspected for affecting the kingdome of
most sant oblations that is for so saith Epaminondas the Thebane fighting valiantly and exposing your selves to the most honorable and bravest services that be in defence of countrey of your auncestors tombes and sepulchers and of your temples and religion mee thinks also I see their victories comming toward mee in solemne pompe and procession not drawing or leading after them for their prize and reward an ox or a goat neither be the said victories crowned with ivie or smelling strong of new wine in the lees as the Bacchanales doe but they have in their traine whole cities islands continents and firme lands as well mediterranean as maritime sea-coasts together with new colonies of ten thousand men a piece to be planted heere and there and withall crowned they be and adorned on every side with trophaes with triumphes pillage and booty of all sorts the ensignes badges and armes that these victorious captaines give the images also that they represent in shew be their stately beautiful temples as the Parthenon the Hecatompedos their city walles on the south side the arcenals to receive lodge their ships their beautifull porches and galleries the province of the demy isle Chersonesus the city Amphipolis as for the plaine of Marathon it goeth before the laureat garland and victorie of Miltiades Solanius accompanieth that of Themistocles trampling under his feet and going over the broken timber and shipwracke of a thousand vessels as for the victory of Cimon it bringeth with it an hundred Phaenician great gallies from the rivers Eurymedon that of Demosthenes and Cleon comes from Sphacteria with the targuet of captaine Brasidas wonne in the field and a number of his souldiers captive and bound in chaines the victory of Conon walled the city and that of Thrasibulus reduced the people with victorie and liberty from Phyle the sundry victories of Alcibiades set upright the State of the city which by the infortunate overthrow in Sicilie reeled and was ready to fall to the ground and by the battel 's fought by Neleus and Androclus in Lydia and Carta Greece saw all Jonta raised up againe and supported And if a man demaund of each one of the other victories what benefit hath accrued unto the city by them one will name the isle Lesbos and another Samos one will speake of the Euxine sea and another of sive hundred gallies and he shall have another talke of ten thousand talents over and above the honour and glory of trophaees These be the causes why this city doeth solemnize and celebrate to many festivall daies and heereupon it is that it offreth sacrifices as it doeth to the gods not iwis for the victory of Aeschylus or Sophocles nor for the prizes of poetry no nor when Carcinus lay with Aerope or Astidamus with Hector But upon the sixth of May even to this present day the city holdeth festivall the memory of that victory in the plaines of Marathon and the sixth day of * another * moneth maketh a solemne offring of wine unto the gods in remembrance of that victorie which Chabrias obteined neere unto the isle Naxos and upon the 12. day of the same moneth there is another sacrifice likewise performed in the name of a thankes-giving to the gods for their liberty recovered because upon the same day those citizens which were prisoners and in bondage within Phyle came downe and returned into the city upon the third day of March they wonne the famous field of Platea and the sixteenth day of the said March they consecrated to Diana for on that day this goddesse shone bright and it was full moone to the victorious Greeks before the isle of 〈◊〉 The noble victory which they archieved before the citie of Mantinea made the twelfth day of September more holy and with greater solemnity observed for upon that day when all other their allies and associates were discomfited and put to flight they onely by their valour wonne the field and erected a trophae over their enemies who were upon the point of victory See what hath raised this city to such grandence Lo what hath exalted it to so high a pitch of honor and this was the cause that Pindarus called the city of Athens the pillar that supported Greece not for that by the tragedies of Phrynichus or Thespis if set the fortune of the Greeks upright but in regard of this that as himselfe writeth in another place along the coast of Artemisium Where Athens youth as poet Pindar said Of freedome first the glorious ground worke laid And afterwards at Salamis at Mycale and Plataees having setled it firme and strong as upon a rocke of diamonds they delivered it from hand to hand unto others But haply some man will say True it is indeed all that ever poets doe are no better than sports and pastimes But what say you to oratours they seeme to have some prerogative gative and ought to be compared with martiall captaines whereupon it may seeme as Aeschynes scoffing merily and quipping at Demosthenes said That there is some reason why the barre or pulpit for publicke orations may commence action and processe against the tribunall seat of generals and their chaire of estate Is it then meet and reasonable that the oration of Hyperides intituled Plataicus should be preferred before the victory which Aristides wonne before the city Platea or the oration of Lysies against the thirty tyrants goe before the massacre and execution of them performed by Thrasybelus and Archias or that of Aeschines against Timarchus being accused for keeping harlots and a brothell house before the aide that Phocion brought into the city of Byzantium besieged by which succour he impeached the Macedonians and repressed their insolent vilanies and outrages committed in abusing the children of the Athenian consederates or shall we compare the oration of Demosthenes as touching the crowne with those publicke and honorable coronets which Themistocles received for setting Greece free considering that the most excellent place of all the said oration and fullest of eloquence is that wherein the said oratour conjureth the soules of those their auncestors and citeth them for witnesses who in the battell of Marathon exposed their lives with such resolution for the saftie of Greece or shall we put in balance to weigh against woorthy warriours these that in schooles teach yoong men rhetoricke namely such as Isocrates Antiphon and Isaeus But certeine it is that this city honored those valiant captaines with publicke funerals and with great devotion gathered up the reliques of their bodies yea and the same oratour canonized them for gods in heaven when he sware by them although he followed not their steps and Isocrates who extolled and highly praised those who manfully sought willing were to spend their hartbloud in the battell of Marathon saying that they made so little account of their lives as if their owne soules had bene else-where other mens in their bodies magnifying this their resolution and the small
reckoning which they made of this life yet when himselfe was very old upon occasion that one asked him how he did answered I doe even as an aged man having above 90. yeeres upon my backe may do and who thinketh death to be the greatest misery in the world and how waxed he thus old certes not by filing and sharpening the edge of his sword not by grinding and whetting the point of his speares head not with scouring forbishing his head-piece or morion not with bearing armes in the field not by rowing in the gallies but forsooth with couching knitting and gluing as it were together rhetoricall tropes and figures to wit his antitheta consisting of contraries his Parisa standing upon equall weight and measure of syllables his homooptata precisely observing the like termination and falling even of his clauses polishing smoothing and perusing his periods and sentences not with the rough hammer and pickax but with the file and plainer most exactly No marvell then if the man could not abide the rustling of harneis and clattering of armour no marvell I say if hee feared the shocke and encounter of two armies who was afraid that one vowell should runne upon another and led he should pronounce a clause or number of a sentence which wanted one poore syllable for the very morrow after that Miltiades had wonne that field upon the plaines of Marathon he returned with his victorious armie into the citie of Athens and Pericles having vanquished and subdued the Samians within the space of nine moneths gloried more than Agamemnon did who had much adoe to winne Troie at the tenth yeeres end whereas Isocrates spent the time well neere of three Olympiades in penning one oration which hee called Panegiricus notwithstanding all that long time he never served in the warres nor went in any embassage he built no city nor was sent out as a captaine of a galley and warre-ship and yet that verie time brought foorth infinit warres But during the space that Timotheus delivered the islle Eubaea out of bondage all the while that Chabrias warred at sea about the island Naxos and Iphicrates defeited and hewed in pieces one whole regiment of the Lacedaemonians neere the port of Lechaeum and in which time the people of Athens having enfranchised all cities endued Greece throughout with the same libertie of giving voices in the generall assemblie of the States as they had themselves hee sat at home in his house poring at his booke seeking out proper phrases and choise words for the said oration of his in which space Pericles raised great porches and the goodly temple Hecatompedes and yet the comicall poet Cratinus scoffing even at this Pericles for that he went but slowly about his works speaketh thus as touching his wal halfe done and halfe vndone In words long since our Pericles hath rear'd us up a wall But in effect and very deed he doth nothing at all Consider now I pray you a little the base minde of this great professour of rhetoricke who spent the ninth part of his life in composing of one onely oration but were it meet and reasonable to compare the orations of Demosthenes as he was an oratour with the martiall exploits of Demosthenes being a captaine namely that which he made against the considerate folly of Conon with the trophees which himselfe erected before Pylos or that which hee wrote against Amathusius as concerning slaves with his woorthy service whereby hee brought the Lacedaemonians to be slaves neither in this respect for that he composed one oration for the graunting of free bourgesie to those who were newly come to inhabit Athens therefore he deserved as much honour as Alcibiades did who combined the Mantineans and Elians in one league to be associates with the Athenians against the Lacedaemonians and yet this must needs be confessed that his publicke orations deserved this praise that in his Philippiques he inciteth the Athenians to take armes and commendeth the enterprise of Leptiues WHETHER OF THE TWAINE IS MORE PROFITABLE FIRE OR WATER The Summarie IN this Academicke declamation Plutarch in the first places alledgeth the reasons which attribute more profit unto water Secondly he proposeth those that are in favor of the fire Whereunto bee seemeth the rather to encline although hee resolveth not wherein he followeth his owne maner of philosophizing upon naturall causes namely not to dispute either for or against one thing leaving unto the reader his owne libertie to settle unto that which he shall see to be more probable WHETHER OF THE TWAINE is more profitable Fire or Water THe water is of all things best And golde like fire is in request Thus said the poet Pindarus whereby it appeareth evidently that he gives the second place unto fire And with him accordeth Hesiodus when he saith Chaos was the formost thing In all the world that had being For this is certeine that the most part of ancient philosophers called water by the name of Chaos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say for that it followeth so easily But if we should stand onely upon testimonies about this question the proofe would be caried equally on both sides for that there be in maner as many who thinke fire to be the primitive element and principle of all things and the very seed which as of it selfe it produceth all things so it receiveth likewise all into it selfe in that universall conflagration of the world But leaving the testimonies of men let us consider apart the reasons of the one and the other and see to whether side they will rather draw us First therefore to begin withall may not this be laied for a ground that a thing is to be judged more profitable whereof we have at all times and continually need and that in more quantitie than another as being a toole or necessarie instrument and as it were a friend at all seasons and every houre and such as a man would say presenteth it selfe evermore to doe us service As for fire certeinly it is not alwaies commodious unto us nay contrariwise it otherwhiles doth molest and trouble us and in that regard we withdraw our selves farre from it whereas water serveth our turnes both in Winter and Summer when wee are sicke and when wee are whole by night and by day neither is there any time or season wherein a man standeth in no need of it And this is the reason that they call the dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one would say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say without juice or wanting moisture and so by consequence deprived of life Moreover without fire a man hath oft continued a long time but without water never And withall that which hath bene from the first beginning and creation of man is more profitable than that which was invented afterwards And there is no question but that nature hath given us the one to wit water for our necessarie use but the other I meane fire either fortune or