within the house and at laste for werynesse wente and satte hym before the dore she beynge more out of pacyence by his quyetnes and gentle sufferaunce streyghte out of the wyndowe powred downe a pyssebowle vppon his hedde At whiche thynge whenne the neyghbours and the passers by hadde good game Socrates also hym selfe smyled sayenge I easyly gessed that after so great thunderynges we shulde haue rayne When his frende Alcibiades marueyled y t he coulde suffre in his house so shrewed and skouldynge a woman as was his wyfe Xantippa I ê™ he am longe sithens so accustomed herewith all that I am no more greued than whenne I heare the noyse of the whele that draweth the water vp out of the welle For this noyse is very paynfull to suche as be not vsed there vnto but he y t is wont dayly to heare the same is so lyttell dysquyeted therwith that he knoweth not whether he herde it or not Demaunded the same questyon at an other tyme he aunswered She teacheth me at home pacyence that I maye vse when I come abrode For beynge well practised and vsed to her maners I shall be the meeter to suffre other mens fascyons Socrates mette Xenophon in a cer tayne lane and whenne he behelde the yonge man to be of a verye good natu rall disposition and wytte he held out his staffe and stopped hym that he coulde not passe wherat when y e yong man steyed he asked hym where sundrye merchaundyse were made sold whiche comonly men do vse Where vnto when Xenophon had redily answered he demaunded where menne were made good When the yongmaÌ„ made answere that he knewe not Folowe me then ê™ Socrates that thou mayste lerne this From that tyme Xenophon beganne to be the heater of Socrates Socrates rebukynge very sharpely his familiar frend at the table Pla to greued her with sayd to his mayster Socrates Syr had it not ben better to haue chalenged hym of this betwen you and hym secretly To whom answered Socrates And hadde it not ben better Plato that thou also had deste shewed me of this betwene the and me secretly Thus moste wittyly he repreued hym of the same fault in hym selfe that he founde in an other Demaunded what was the pryncypall vertue of yonge men Truely ê™ he that they attempte nothynge ouer moche Signifieng that the heate of youth can vnnethes suffre them to kepe measure in thynges Lettres which comenly men thinke were inuented to helpe the memorye he sayde by occasyon dyd moch hurte the memorye For in olde tyme menne when they harde a thynge woorthy to be knowen wrote it not in bokes but in the mynde by reason of whiche exercyse theyr memorye beynge establysshed and confermed they casyly helde faste what so euer they wolde and what soo euer any man knewe he hadde it in a redynesse But after that the vse of lettres was founde oute whyle they truste to theyr bokes they haue not soo greattely studyed to imprynte the thynges in theyr mynde whiche they haue lerued Thus it commeth to passe that the exercyse of the memorye set aparte the knowlege of thynges is not so fresshe and redy as it hath ben and euery man knoweth nowe moche lesse then in the olde tyme they dyd sythe that so moche we knowe as we beare in mynde He sayde that men oughte to obey the lawes of the realme or cytte but women oughte too obey the rytes vsages and maners of theyr husbandes with whome they lyue Certes the rule of the wedded woman is the husbande and she liueth ryghtly yf he be obedyent to the publique lawes Unto Euclides who was very stu dyouse of sophisticall subtilties he fayde O Euclides thou mayste well vse the companye of Sophisters but the companye of men thou canste not vse Meanynge that sophistrie is vnprofytable vnto publique affayres to the comen felawshyppe of man in whiche who so euer desyreth to be con uersaunt must not playe with his sophemes and quyddities but fascyon hym selfe to the maners of men It was enformed hym of a certayn person that spake euyl of hym behynd his backe By lyklyhode ê™ Socrates the man hath not lerned to speke well Imputynge the vice of his tonge not to malyce but to rudenes neyther iud ged he that it perteyned any thynge vnto hym what other menne spake of hym whiche spake not of iudgement but of ignoraunce ARISTIPPVS ARistippus disciple vnto Socrates a man surely of a very sharp iudgement and pleasaunt wytte when he was demauÌ„ded what profyte he toke by the studie of wisdom This profyte ê™ he that with all sortes of men I can frankly and boldly speake For he neyther feared the mightie ney ther yet thought skorne of the basest sorte Bycause he bare a mynde indyfferently free as well from hope as froÌ„ feare for he serued noman ne yet flat tered any person otherwyse then his harte gaue hym Dionisius kyng of Sicill in whose court this Aristippus was of longe season asked him how it chauÌ„ced that philosophers do hawnt the houses of ryche men but the ryche men hawnte not y e philosophers houses To whom Aristippê° made answere in this wyse Bycause philosophers knowe what they lacke and ryche men know not The lerned men knowe they can not lyue without money and therfore they seke vpon the riche men which be able to gyue them the thyng that they haue nede of But yf the rych men knew as well y t they neded wisdom they wolde moch rather hawnt y e houses of lerned men For the pouertie of the mynd is moch more wretched then is the pouer tie necessitie of the body so moche the more beggerly be the riche men by cause they vnderstande not how preci ous how necessary a thig they want When on a tyme a certayne person rayled vpoÌ„ him he sayd neuer a word but went his waye But when the ray ler styll poursued him sayenge Why dost thou flee Bicause ê™ he thou hast powre to speake euyll I haue powre not to heare the. Most wyttyly he noted the mans vnshamfastnes whiche where as he toke libertie vnto him self to rayle vpon others he wolde not yet grauÌ„t this libertie vnto them to withdraw them selfs to thenteÌ„t they might not heare suche shamfull raylynges DemauÌ„ded wherin the wyse man differeth from the vnlerned Sende them bothe ê™ he naked vnto men vn knowen thou shalt se. Signifienge that the wyse man caryeth about with him in his breast the thyng that shall coÌ„mend hym where so euer he goeth Wherfore yf ye send y e lerned the vn lerned togithers naked into a strauÌ„ge couÌ„trey where eyther of them be a like vnknowen the wise man vtterynge his treasures shall fynde forthwith both liuynges and frendes the other naked person shalbe scorned for a mad man and shall be in ieopardye to peryshe for hungre It is skase credyble that Bion reporteth of hym when his seruauÌ„t bearynge a great summe of money in his iourney was sore
an other citie and there had bought a pece of grounde the kynge called hym home agayne and restored vnto hym al his golde by cause now he began to vse his ryches and lefte to make a thynge profytable vnprofytable An excellent player vpon instrumentes he allured with greate promyses vnto hym bad hym syng and play in the best wyse he coude For the more coningly he played and sang the greater reward he shuld haue When he had played before the kyng a good sort of dayes very curyously and the kyng gaue hym nothyng he began to aske his rewarde Why ê™ Dionisius the rewarde that I promysed the I haue faythfully payd How so ê™ the felowe there was not one peny gyuen me yes I haue gyuen the ê™ the king pleasur for pleasur For I haue no les delited the with hope then thou me with syngyng The same Dionisius wonderynge at the excedyng faythfulnes of Damon and Pithias I praye you ê™ he receyue me also in to your frendshyp For Dionisius had sette vnto the one a daye of death and when he desyred leue for a fewe dayes to goo home to his house to sette all thinges in ordre the other becam his pledge vpon this coÌ„ditioÌ„ yf he retourned not at the day sette his felaw shulde dye for hym He cam agayne desyryng rather to dye then to deceyue his frende The kynge not onely pardoned the man whome before he had condempned but also with greate wonder desyred to be the thyrde frend amonges them Dionisius this mans son was expul sed his realme So when one sayd vn to hym What doth thy lernynge now helpe the Truly ê™ he thus moche it helpeth me that I can easyly beare so great a chaunge of fortune He dyed not for thought he kylled not hym self as other men be wont in this case but went to Corynth there taughte a grammer schole Agathocles AGathocles hadde a potter to his father Now when he had coÌ„quered Sicile and was proclaymed kynge he was wont vpon his table by his golden pottes to set erthen pot tes and shewyng them vnto the yong men to saye Where before I made such pottes shewyng the erthen now by my vigilaunce prowesse I make suche pottes poyntyng to the golden He was not ashamed of his former state but thought it more gloriouse by vertue to wynne a kyngdom then by inheritauÌ„ce to receyue that is leaft Archelaus KIng Archelaus when at a feast one of his familiars but somewhat vnshamefast begged a cer tayne cuppe of hym coÌ„maunded his seruaunt forthwith to gyue it to Euripides which also was there present When the other woÌ„dered at this dede Thou ê™ the kynge arte worthy to aske and not to receyue but this man is worthy to receyue without askyng Themistocles THemistocles that noble capitain of the Athenienses beynge required of Simonides the poete that in a certeyne mater he wold gyue for his sake a false iugement answered Neyther thou shalt be a good poete yf besyde the measures of musyke thou makest thy verses neyther I a good ruler yf I pronounce any thing agaynst the lawes His doughter had sundry wooers but he preferred an honeste man of smal substaunce before a great ryche yong maÌ„ His freÌ„des meruelyng why he dyd so I had rather haue ê™ he a man withoute moneye then moneye without a man Aristides ARistides for his iust and true dea lyng surnamed the rightuouse administred the common weale alwayes trustyng to hym self onely not sekyug eyther counsayle or ayde of any other He moche abhorred felaushyps leste he myghte be at anye tyme inuegled by the force and power of frendes to do any thing otherwyse then the tenour of iustyce and honestie requyred Lorde god howe greately dyd this man flee all parcyalytie and factions whiche for none other thynge eshued frendshyps but bycause he wolde not by them be enforced to do any thyng that were not ryght or be constreyned to absteyne from that which he iuged auailable to the common wealth He was at variaunce with Themistocles with whome on a tyme wheÌ„ he was coupled to go in embassage in to a straunge countrey as they were goyng Wylt thou o Themistocles ê™ he that in these mouÌ„taynes we laye down our malyce displeasure For yf thou wylt at our retourne we shall take it agayne He preferred the com mon vtilitie afore his priuate affeccyons For of theyse commonly spryn geth all the destruccyon of mans lyfe When the men of Athens were so sore styred agaynst hym y t they wente about to banyshe hym by a certayne kynde of coÌ„demnation which they cal led Ostracismus bycause euery man shulde wryte in a shell the name of hym whome they wolde haue exiled for so comonly were men of great au thorytie amonges them banyshed a certayne man of the countrey vnlettered brought him his shelle and desy red him to wryte Aristides name in it To whom Aristides sayd Why good felowe knowest thou Aristides WheÌ„ he aunswered no but that it greued hym y t he shuld be called rightuouse Aristides helde his peace and wrote his name in the shell and so delyuered it the felowe agayne So myldly he bare his imuste coÌ„demnation Certes it was a ryght graue testimonie of an innocent life that of so great a multitude there was none whiche coulde laye to his charge any other thynge then the surname of a rightuouse maÌ„ which name yet he gaue not hym self but his frendes yea the people them selfes gaue him it When he shulde go into exile he helde vp his handes to the goddes besought them that they wolde so pro spere the maters of the men of Athens that Aristides shulde neuer come in theyr myndes For in thynges afflict and troublesom the people be wonte to flee vnto excellent wyse and renou med men which thynge came to passe For the thyrde yere after his outlawrie when Xerxes went about to inuadeÌ„ Athens Aristides was called home agayne from his exile At a certeyn assemble wherin Aristides withstode but in vayne the rea sons of Themistocles departynge awaye with an open and cleare voyce he testyfied that the matiers and affayres of the Athenienses shulde neuer well prospere ne go forwarde onles bothe he and Chemistocles were cast in to preson He desyred rather to go to preson then that for the debate and stryfe of two the common weale shulde be hyndered What tyme he sat as iudge to determyn a certayn mater betwene par tie and partie and the one partie to the enten he wolde kyndle Aristides agaynst his aduersary made rehersal besyde his matier of many thynges whiche thother had spoken agaynste Aristides Aristides interrupting him sayd Good felowe let these matiers alone now if he hath any thyng hur ted the speke For at this present time I sytte as iudge to the and not to my selfe Chemistocles sayd in a certayne as semble where the citizens were gathered togyder that he had found out a counsayll whiche hyghly perteyned
thynge that Lycurgus dyd in his citye is of euery howsholder to be done in his house and of euery gouernoure in his flocke Nature I woll well is a thynge of great myght and efficacye but surely institution or brin gynge vp is moche myghtier whiche is hable to amende reforme streyghten a croked and euyll nature and to turne the same into a good nature What maner children shalbe borne ly eth in no maÌ„s powre but that by right bryngyng vp they maye proue good lyeth in our powre Suche citizens as abhorred maryage and hadde leuer lyue as bachelers Lycurgus forbad to be presente ta sightes and enterludes and added also other shames and reproches vnto them by this crafte dylygently prouydynge that the citizens shuld imploye them selfes to begette chyldren For where as it was an vsage and lawe amonges the Lacedemonians that the yongers sholde gyue moche honoure and reuerence to theyr elders this honour he plukt from theym whiche by wedlock wolde not encreace the nombre of the citizens Lycurgê° beyng demauÌ„ded why he made a law y t nothyng shuld be gyuen w t a mayde in maryage answered Bi cause neither for pouertie none might be lefte vnmaryed nor for ryches any desyred but y t euery yong maÌ„ hauyng respect to y e maners of y e mayde might chose her only by her vtuous coÌ„ditioÌ„s For this same cause he remeued oute of the citye all paynted colours and or namentes wherwith other women be wont eyther to set forth or to fashyon theyr beutie The same Lycurgus where as he appoynted a certayn age for maydens and also for yong men to marye at beynge demaunded why he dyd so aunswered To the intent that the yssue born of full growen parentes which be of perfyte age may be stronge and talle Demaunded also why he forbadde the man to slepe all nyghte with his wife but ordeyned that eyther of them shulde the most parte of the daye kepe companye with theyr lyke the manne with men and the woman with womeÌ„ and with them also shulde reste all the hole nyghtes but with his spowse he shulde not haue to do but by steithe and shamefastly Fyrst ê™ he that they myght be stronge in bodyes accompa nyenge togyther but seldome SecoÌ„d ly that loue betwen them may alweys abyde freshe and newe Thyrdly that they may engendre the stonger issue Furthermore in those tymes y e chastytie of maried women was so greate and they so farre of frome the lite demeanour whiche afterwarde they fell to that at begynnynge the synne of aduoutrie was thougth impossyble euer to haue chauÌ„ced amonges them And therfore when a certayne auncyent Lacedemonian named Geradas was asked of a straunger what punyshment aduoutrers shuld haue amoÌ„ges them for he coulde se no lawe made by Lycurgus in this behalfe He answered O frende there is none aduowtrer amonges vs. When the other went fur ther asked what yf there were any Then ê™ he he shall gyue so great an ore as shal streache his necke ouer the mountaygne of Taygette and drynk of the floude of Eurota When the other smyled and sayde it was impossyble to fynde so great an oxe And is it not ê™ Geradas as moche impossyble that in our citie shulde be founde any aduowterer wherin ryches delytes pleasures and all curiouse deckynges of the bodye be hadde in hyghe reproche and agayne shamefastnes de murenes and due obedyence to publyque officers in hygh estymacion and worshyppe This Geradas full prudently vnderstode that vyces coulde not there growe where no beddes to so we vices in were suffred ne admytted and that those thynges lye as ded despyced whiche in stede of honour be had in despyte and skorne When one requyred hym that he wolde make and ordeyne in the citie a Democracie that is to saye a gouernaunce of the people or commons in stede of the gouernauÌ„ce of the lordes Ordeyne thou ê™ he fyrste a Demoracie in thy house In fewe wordes he taught that that fascyon of common weale is not profytable to the citye which no man wold haue in his owne familie Certes a citye or a realme is nothynge elles then in effecte a great howse Demaunded why he inacted a law that in tymes of warres they shulde oftentymes chaunge theyr tentes and pauylyons To the entent ê™ he we maye hurte oure ennemies the more The Lacedemonians bycause they were nymble and lite remeued with no great busynes theyr oost where as theyr enemies coulde not do the same without theyr great incoÌ„moditie and also with longer respyte for as moche as they caryed about with them so ma my baggages and burthens Demaunded why he ordeyned that the Lacedemonians shuld make their sacryfyce and oblation with small and chepe thinges Bicause ê™ he we shuld neuer want wherwith to honour god Who wolde not saye but that in solemne worshyppynges of god all royaltie and sumptuouse magnyficence is lyttell ynough But this prudente panym vnderstode that god delyteth rather in frugalytie then in fatte sacryfices lest vnder pretence of religioÌ„ as in our dayes it was come to passe all abomination shulde be maynteyned The same Lycurgus beyng asked why he forbadde that the citie shulde be fensed with walles Aunswered Bycause that citye wanteth no walles whiche is fensed not with stones but with men ¶ Socrates SOcrates the Atheniense a great philosopher and of moste pure liuynge was wont to teache y t men oughte to absteyne from meates that wolde prouoke the man not hungrie to eate from drynkes that wold allure the not thurstye to dryncke He sayd the veste sawce is hungre for as moch as it bothe best sweteneth all thynges and is of no coste And therfore he him selfe dyd euer eate and dryncke with swetnes bycause he byd neyther of them but when he hungred and thursted Moreouer he accustomed him selfe to beare hungre and thurste For at what tymes other men coueted moste to dryncke then wold he neuer drynke of the fyrst cuppe that was fylled And when he was demaunded why he dyd so he aunswered bycause he wold not accustome hym selfe to folow his affec tions and Iustes He sayd those that excercysed them selfes to chastnes of liuyng and sobre diette had both farre more pleasure lesse sorowe then they that with moste a doo sought all the pleasures of the worlde for as moch as the pleasures of intemperate persons besydes the torment of theyr conscience besydes theyr euyll name and pouertie where vnto they be at lengthe broughte do bryng for the most parte euen to their bodies also more peyne then pleasure On the contrarie parte the thynges that be beste y e same be made also most pleasaunt if thou acquayntest thy self with them He sayde it was an hyghe reproche for a man by seruynge and obeynge wylfully his inordinate pleasures to make hym selfe suche one as no man wolde be glad to haue for the drudge or slaue of his house When he was admonyshed by his frend y t for the
feastyng of his gestes he made very sklender prouysyon he answered yf they be good men it shall be ynough yf not more then ynough The same Socrates when he was asked why he hym selfe dyd not gouerne the comon welth syth he knewe beste howe to gouerne it answered that he is more profytable to his couÌ„trie that maketh many good gouernours of the same then he whiche gouerneth it well hym selfe DemauÌ„ded by what meanes a man myght attayne to an honest fame If ê™ he thou studie to be such one in dede as thou wolde be counted in name He sayde it was farre vnfyttynge that where as no man professeth or practyseth any handy craft w t out his great shame onles he hath lerned it afore yet to the gouernauÌ„ce of a coÌ„mon weale men be admytted appoynted which neuer employed their wyttes to lernyng He was accustomed to saye that no possessyon is more precyouse then a trewe and good frende to a man nor that no greatter frute or pleasure can be any other where taken And therfore he sayde that many men do ouerthwartly and clene out of ordre which beare more greuously the losse of money then the losse of theyr frende and whiche crye they haue loste the benefite that they haue conferred and gyuen for nothynge where as in dede they haue with the same gotten them a frende better than any golde He was wont to saye that he moste resembleth god whiche nedeth fewest thynges for as moche as god nedeth nothynge at all He sayde many lyued to eate and drynke but he contrarily dyd eate and drynke to lyue for as moch as he vsed these thynges not for pleasure but for the necessitie of nature Suche as bought dearly thynges ouer tymely rype he sayde despayred that they shulde not lyue tyll the accustomed tyme of y e rypenes of thynges were come Elles it were great folye to bye thynges bothe worse and also dearer where as shortly after a man may bye the same bothe better and for lesse price Thus he euermore called backe agayne y e desyres of men voyde of reason vnto sobre iugement Also he vsed to saye he that hath begon a thyng hath halfe done meanynge halfe the worke is done of hym that hath ones set vpon it For there be many that in taryenge and takyng a breath what is best to do spende all theyr lyfe vaynly Demaunded of a certayne yonge man whether he iudged it better for hym to marye a wyfe or not to marye He answered Whether so euer thou dost thou shalte surely repente Sygnifieng that bothe syngle life and also wedlocke haue theyr incommodities and displeasures whiche to beare a manne muste fyrste arme and prepare hym selfe Syngle lyfe hathe these incommodyties solitarinesse lacke of chyldren extinguyshement of bloude a straunger to be thyne heire Wedlocke agayn hath these contynuall care dayly complayntes vpbraydynge of that she broughte the heuy lookes of her kynsfolke the pratlyng tonge of thy mother in lawe Cukkoldemakynge the vncertayne proufe of thy chyldren and other innu merable incoÌ„modities Wherfore here is no such choyse as is betwene good and euyll but suche as is betwene the heuyer and the lyter incoÌ„modities He wolde haue menne craue of god nothynge but good thynges without further addition where as the people coÌ„monly craue ryche maryages treasures honoures kyngdomes longe life as thoughe they wolde appoynte god what he oughte to do But god knoweth beste what is good for vs what not He wolde that mennes sacryfices shulde stande them in very lytell or no thynge bycause god as he nedeth not mennes thynges so he wayeth rather the myndes of the offerers then the ry ches For ellys where as the naughtyeste persons do moste flowe in riches it were very euyll with mankynde yf god delyted more in the sacryfyces of the euyll personnes then in the sacryfyces of good men Lyke as we commytte the makyng of pyctures or ymages sayde Socrates vnto them whome alredye we knowe to haue made verye godly pyctures so we oughte to admytte none into our amitie familiare acquayntaunce but such as we haue espyed to haue borne them selues faythfull profytable frendes towardes other Walkyng about through the mar ket when he espyed the great multytude of merchaundyse and thynges y t there were solde he thus was wonte to saye with hym selfe Oh how many thynges be here that I haue no nede of but other men be vexed in mynde thynkyng thus howe many thynges do I lacke Socrates reioysed with hym selfe that lyuynge accordynge to nature and accustomynge hym selfe to fewe thynges he neyther coueted nor yet neded gold purpull precyouse stones gorgyouse hanginges and the reste of ryche mens delytes whyche he was wont to saye were more necessarye for the playenge of tragedies or enterludes then for the behoufe of mans lyfe He sayde knowledge was the beste thynge a man coulde haue agayne ignoraunce the worste thynge for as moche as who so euer dothe any vnryghtuose thynge dothe the same bycause he knoweth not what his duytie is towarde euery man And they that be stronge of harte be therfore so bycause they knowe that suche thynges ought to be done whiche the common sorte of people iuge to be eschued and they that be intemperate personnes are herein deceyued that they thynke those thynges to be swete pleasaunt and combly whiche be nothynge so in dede Wherfore the beste thyng in the world he sayd is the knowlege what thynges ought be desyred and what to be eschued To such as maruayled why he disputed of good maners euer neuer of the planetes and heuenly bodyes as the other philosophers were accustomed he answered Those thynges that be aboue vs perteyne nothynge vnto vs. When on a tyme as he went in the stretes a lewde felowe gaue hym a blowe on the cheke he answered nothynge elles but that men knewe not when they shulde come out with theyr salettes on theyr heddes The same Socrates when a verlet spurned hym on the shynnes as he walked his frendes that were with hym meruayled he suffred the iniurie so pacyently What wolde ye haue me do ê™ he they mouynge hym to haue the felowe to the lawe It were a mad nesse ê™ he yf when an asse shuld hytte me on the shynnes ye wolde saye vnto me haue hym vnto the lawe He put no dyfference betwene an asse and a brutyshe man furnysshed with no vertue and he thought it a great shame man not to suffre that thynge of man whyche he wolde suffre of abrute beast He was wont to monishe his frend Eschines whiche was pressed with po uertie that he shulde borowe of his owne selfe and shewed hym the waye how by withdrawyng from hym selfe superfluouse meates and other thynges accordyng to the coÌ„mon prouerbe Magnum uectigal parsimonia Sparyng is great rentes or reuenues Certes the moste redy waye to encrease a mannes substaunce is to abate his expenses Socrates whenne he hadde suffered his wyfe Xantippa a longe season skowldynge
as god is beste so it is his ê“pertie to do wel to all men to hurte no man This ymage shyneth and is espted moch better in wise good men then in carued or grauen stockes and stones For as moche as god is without bodye He sayde couetyse is the mother citie and hedde of all euyls Not moche swaruynge from Salomon whiche calleth it the rote of all euylles Demaunded what beast hath the moste venemouse bytyng If of wyld beastes ê™ he thy questyon be a backbyter yf of tame beastes a flaterer For a backbyter outwardly preteÌ„deth hatred but the flatterer inwardly vnder the personage of a frend hurteth moche more greuously Demaunded what countryman he was he aunswered a worldly man Signyfienge that a wyse man where so euer in the worlde he be liueth in his owne countrey Diogenes was asked how he wold be buryed Cast my dead bodye ê™ he in the fyldes without pompe of buryalles What ê™ his frendes to the fowles of the ayre and to wylde beastes No not so ê™ Diogenes but lay my staffe by me wherwith I may dry ue them awaye Howe can that be ê™ they thou shalt haue no feelyng A nd how ê™ he then shall theyr pyckynge and tearyng hurte me yf I fele them not To the redresse of mannes lyfe he sayde be requysite eyther feythfull frendes or sharpe ennemyes bycause the one do aduertyse and the other re preue vs So eyther of them by dyuerse wayes but a lyke be profytable whyle we lerne by them our defaultes and vices Aristotle ARistotle the phylosopher mayster to AlexaÌ„der the great was wont to saye that the rotes of lernyng were bytter but the fruytes swete very pleasaunt Demaunded what thynge waxeth sone olde he answered thanke Meanyng that the remembraunce of iniurye sticketh very fast but the memorie of a good turne is gone anone He was accustomed to saye that thre thynges be moste necessarie for the obteynynge of wysdome nature doctryne and exercyse When Aristotle was informed that certayne lewde felawes hadde rayled vpon hym As longe ê™ he as I am not with them let them bete me with whyppes yf that can do them good Signifienge y t those thynges oughte vtterly to be despised of a wyse man which do nothynge hurte hym at all onles he thinketh him selfe hurted DemauÌ„ded what a frend is One soule ê™ he in two bodyes He sayd that some men so spare as thoughe they shuld lyue euer agayn other some so spende and lashe out as though they shuld dye w tin an houre after When Aristotle was asked howe moche the wyse and lerned do dyffer from the vnlerned ydiotes he aunswered so moche as the quycke dyffre from the dead Meanynge that a man without knowlege is a blocke rather then a man He sayd bewtie is of more strength efficacie then any epystle or letters to set forth or coÌ„mend a person He had this often in his mouth O frendes there is no frend Meanyng that there be many frendes in name but fewe or none in dede He sayd nomaÌ„ shuld eyther prayse hym selfe or dysprayse hym selfe bycause the one vttereth a mans vayne glorie the other bewreyeth his foly The same Aristotle aducrtysed meÌ„ to consydre and marke pleasours not commynge but departynge that is to saye not before but behynde For when pleasures be commynge with theyr peynted faces they flatter vs but when they departe they leue behynde them repentaunce and sorowe When one blamed hym bycause he gaue his almoyse to an euyll man I pytyed ê™ he not the maners but the man Assuredly a good man succourreth also the wycked in necessitie For this duetie we owe thoughe not to the merites of hym that is holpen yet to nature Also it is possyble he maye be good which now is euyll Thales THales beyng demaunded what is oldest of all aunswered God why so bycause he was without begynnyng Demaunded what is fayrest of all he aunswered the world for it is the worke of god and nothing can be fayrer than it What greatest place for it receiueth al what swiftest the mynde for it runneth through all the thoughtes of maÌ„ what strongest necessitie or destyney for it passeth all what wisest time for it findeth out al. He sayde there is no difference betwene lyfe and deathe bycause they be bothe naturall alyke and death is no more euyll then is the byrthe of man And wheÌ„ one asked hym why he then dyed not he answered agayne euen bicause there is no difference For if I shulde rather desyre the one then the other so shulde I make a difference Demaunded what thynge were harde He answered a man to knowe him selfe Undoubtedly the people iud geth nothyng easyer then this For we see other mennes thynges better then oure owne euery man is a flatterer of hym selfe Agayne whan Thales was demauÌ„ded what thynge is easye he aunswered to gyue good counsell to an other man When he was asked howe a man myght most easyly beare his mysfortune If ê™ he he wolde behold his en myes pressed with greater mysfortunes For many men by the contempla cyon of other mens felicite and welth make theyr calamytie more greuouse vnto them When Thales was demaunded how a maÌ„ myght best and most iustly lyue If ê™ he the thynges which he rebuketh in others he commytteth not the same hymselfe Solon SOlon the sage was wont to say that tyrauntes frendes be very lyke vnto castynge counters whiche be sette at the pleasure of the caster of accoÌ„ptes otherwhyles worth many thousandes otherwhyles very lytle other whyles nothyng Demaunded how it myght be that least wronge myghte be doone amonges men If ê™ he they that suffere not the wronge woll be as sore greued therwith as they that suffred it in ded for vndoubtedly who so euer transgresseth the lawes hurteth not one coÌ„ moner nor subiecte but the commone weale as moch as in hym is But now while wheÌ„ other be hurted we though we be common officers appoynted to se due corretion for vices eyther sytte styll or reioyse also therat withoute doubt we gyue audacitie and boldnes to very many to commytte all kynde of myschyef because eyther for folysh pytie or for lacke of christyan charitie thynkyng the mater apperteyneth nothyng to vs we woll not see the good lawes of good princes executed vpon offenders Pittacus PIttacus made a lawe that they whiche commytted any cryme in theyr dronckenesse shulde haue double punishment He allowed victories gotten without shedynge of bloude For suche as were gotten with moche bloude of the citesens he iudged no victories He was wont to saye to suche as went about to be maryed Equalem tibi ducito Marie thy matche or felowe For he had lerned by experyence what incommodities coÌ„monly chaunce by ouer hyghe mariages Antisthenes ANtisthenes the Atheniense being demaunded what maner lernyng is moste necessarye aunswered to vnlerne euylles For that thyng is not onely fyrst but also moste harde He sayd that vertue is a thynge of workes
and that it nedeth not many wordes nor moche lernynge He sayd a wyse man lyued not after the lawes ordeyned of men but after the rule of vertue Meanynge that thynges be not therfore to be done or eschued bycause the lawes bydde or forbydde the same but bycause the self rayson telleth that this is honest this dishonest Agayne the lawes pre scrybe not all thynges but the rule of vertue techeth euerywhere what is ho nest and what otherwyse Certes a coÌ„ streyned vertue is no vertue ¶ Anacharsis ANathacsis the Scythian sayde that a vine beareth thre cloisters one of pleasure an other of dronkenes the thyrde of displeasure Signifyenge that a moderate vsynge of wyne is pleasaunt bicause it slaketh the thyrste a larger vsynge gendreth dronkennes most large vse of wyne causeth stryfe murther and dyseases A certayne man of Athens vpbray ded him bycause he was a Scythian borne My countrey ê™ he is to me a reproche but thou arte a reproche to thy countrey Demaunded what in a man is the worst thyng and what the best he answered the tonge Meanyng that the selfe same parte of a man bryngeth most vtilitie if it be with ryght reason gouerned and agayne is most peryllouse and hurtfull yf otherwyse This Anacharsis was accustomed to saye that it were better for a man to haue one frend moche worth then ma ny frendes nothynge worth He was also wont to say that lawes be lyke spyders webbes wherin the weakest and most feble beastes be chat ched and stycke faste but the strongest breake out So lawes do by nde the poore and meane persons but the ryche cobbes escape vnpunysshed ¶ zeno ZEno Cittieus to a certayn yong maÌ„ which was alwayes pratlyng sayd I trowe good felowe thy eares be fallen into thy tonge Declaryng herby that it shulde be a yong mans propertie to heare moche speake lytell Demaunded what is a frende he aunswered an other I. Signifyenge that an entier and hartie frende no les loueth his frend then hym selfe Kynge Antigonus to such as won dered why he made so moche of zeno aunswered bycause where as he hath receyued moch of me yet he lyueth neuer the softer a lyfe When he harde that he was dead he syghed sayeng What a loker and examiner of my life haue I now lost Forzeno was a man of most sharpe tugement most farre from all flatterie Zeno was a man of moste sharpe iudgement and most farre from all flatte rie Zeno had a bond man which imbeseled awey certaine thinges from him he commauÌ„ded he shulde be whypped When the bond man excused him self vnder this colour sayeng It was his destiney that he shulde steale whiche destyney it laye not in hym to withstande It is also ê™ zeno thy destiney to be whypped The seruaunt alledged the necessitie of destyney to the excuse of his fault zeno retourned that necessitie also to his punishment that that was also his destyney A yonge man whose tongue neuer stinted babblyng he toke vp with this propre sayenge For this purpose we haue two eares but one tonge that we shuld heare very moch and speake very lytle ¶ Cleanthes CLeanthes was so desyrous of ler nyng beynge a very poore man that he was gladde to drawe wa ter carye tankerdes at nightes and marninges to thintent he might get wherwith to fynde hym selfe to schole in the dayes In so moche that on a tyme he sayde to his familiars when he had gotten a lyttell money by such occupations and throwynge it down Loo Cleanthes is hable to fynde at schole an other Cleanthes yf hym lusteth When one dyd hytte in his teath that he was very fearfull Therfore ê™ he I synne very lyttel Undoubted ly suche fearfulnesse is good whiche frayeth men from fowle thynges and maketh them ware and circumspecte When he reasoned with a certayn yonge man whome he sawe was not very attent ne ready to heare hym He asked whether he perceyued what he sayd when the yonge man sayd yea why then ê™ he perceyue not I howe thou doste perceyue ¶ Isocrates ISocrates the Rhetoricien who was so fearefull and tymorouse of nature y t he durste neuer make oration openly in presence of the people beynge demaunded why sythe he hym selfe was not able to make air oration in an assemble of people he yet taught other Bycause whetstones ê™ he them selfes can not cutte yet they make knyfes and weapons sharpe able to cut other thynges Demaunded what maner thynge is rhetorike he aunswered To make of lytell thynges great and of great thynges lytle When Isocrates sawe one Sopho cles the wryter of Tragedies folowynge after a very fayre person with whose beutye he was taken in loue he sayde O Sophocles a man oughte not onely to kepe his handes coÌ„tineÌ„t but also his eyes A sayenge truely not vnworthie for a chrysten man Philoxenus PHiloxenus on a tyme beynge at supper with kynge Dionisius when he espyed that a Mullette fyshe of an excedynge bygnes was set at the kynges mease where as a very lytle mullette was set before hym he toke the litle mullet and layde it to his eares At which dede when Dionisius the kyng had great meruayle and demaunded the cause why he so dyd Iu my handes ê™ he is Galatea concernynge whome I fayne wolde haue asked certaine quetyons of this fyshe And he sayth he knoweth as yet lytle or nothynge by reason of his tender age but he hath a great graundfather he sayth whiche lyeth nowe in youre dysche who can tell very moche of the mater yf I myghte talke w t hym The kynge beyng herwith delyted and made mery sente hym his Mullet ¶ Here endeth the fyrste boke Londini in aedibus Richardi Tauerneri Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum The secoÌ„d booke of the Garden of wysedome wherin are conteyned wytty pieasaunt and nette sayenges of renowmed personages collected by Rycharde Tauerner Anno. M. D. XXXIX Cum priuilegio adimprimendum solum
pressed with the but then Cast away ê™ he that is to moch and beare that thou cannest On a tyme as this Aristippus sayled in the sees and perceyued that the shyppe wherin he was caryed was a pyrates shyppe he drewe forthe his golde and began to tell it and forth w t threwe it in to the see and greuously sighed makynge as though it had fall from hym vnwares and agaynst his wyll By this deuyse he saued his lyfe takynge from the pyrates the occasyoÌ„ of sleynge or byndynge hym When Aristippus and Eschines were fallen out one asked Aristippus Where is now your frendshyp Truly it slepeth ê™ he but I wyl awake it So espyenge a conueniente tyme he came of his owne mynde to Elchines and sayde Shall we not incontynent be frendes agayne and leaue our tryfelyng Or shall we rather abyde that we may gyue men occasyon to speake of vs two at alchouses tauerners To whom when Eschines made aunswere that with all his harte he was contented to be at one agayne RemeÌ„bre then ê™ Aristippus that where as I am elder then thou yet I came fyrst to the. Then sayd Eschines Surely thou arte a man farre better thenne I am For of me began our fallyng out and of the our fallyng in agayne By this meanes amitie was renewed betwene them On a tyme when he sayled vpoÌ„ the sees with certayne of his owne countrymen the shyppe brake they were caste vpon lande And when he espyed vpon the shoore certayne mathematicall figures drawn forth in the sande Frendes ê™ he be of good comforte I see the steppes of men and enterynge into the nexte cytie he enquyred out what lerned men were there abydyng with whom after he had there a lytle whyle talked they perceyuyng his excellent lernynge and wysdom with all courtesie entreated not him onely but his companye also and moreouer vitayled them for theyr retourne At last when they that came with Aristippus dressed them selfes homewarde and asked hym whether he wold any thing to his frendes and citezens Bydde them ê™ he that they studye to gette them suche ryches as can not peryshe by shypwrecke but escapeth all haser des with the owner ¶ Philip kynge of Macedonie PHilip kynge of Macedonie father to Alexander the greate a manne of no small wytte and a greate conquerour When on a tyme he had purposed to take a stronge castle and holde and his espyes hadde shewed hym that it was very hard for hym to brynge to passe yea and impos syble He asked them whether it were so harde that an asse laden with golde myght not come vnto it Meanynge that there is nothynge so stronge but with golde it maye be wonne There were some of his foreyn sub giettes whom he hadde founde not ve ry trustie which complayned and toke the matier heuely that his seruauÌ„tes called them traytours To whom Phi lip made this answere Truly my couÌ„ trye men the Macedonians be very homly men and rudely brought vppe whiche can call a mattok nothyng els but a mattoke and a spade a spade Meanyng that in very dede they were traytours Uplandyshe and homely persons can not qualifie but call euery thyng by the proper name He counsayled his son Alexander that such as were of any authoryte in the common weale as well the good as the euyll he shuld make them his fren des and that he shulde vse the good and abuse the euyll Certes the chiefe feate of kynges is to reiecte none but to applye all mens seruyces to the comon profyte Sinicythus accused Nicanor to y e kynge that without ende he contynued raylynge vpon hym when the kynges frendes moued hym to sende for the felowe and to punyshe hym in example of other Philyp thus aunswered Nicanor is not the worste of the Macedonians It is good therfore to se whether we haue done our dutye in all thynges or not So when he had serched out that Nicanor was greatly impouerished and yet not rewarded for the seruyce he had done hym in tymes past he coÌ„mauÌ„ded a certayn gyft to be borne hym home This done when agayne Smicythus enformed the kynge that Nicanor now without ceasynge praysed hym aboue all measure ye se therfore ê™ the kynge that it lyeth in vs to be well spoken of or euyll spoken of He oftentymes exhorted his sonne Alexandre to gyue good eare to Aristotle his scholemayster to employe hym selfe to lernynge and wysdome lest ê™ he thou myghtest chaunce to do many thynges which that I haue done nowe repenteth me The noble prynce perceyued that no man withoute lernynge is mete to gouerne a realme and he was not ashamed to confesse that through errour he dyd many thynges a mysse bycause from his chyldhode he was not ryghtly instructed with lernynge Syttynge in iugement he had the hearyng of one Machetas mater but beyng somwhat heuie of slepe he was not very attentyfe to the equitie of the lawe and so gaue sentence agaynste Macheta But when Macheta cryed out and sayde I appele from this iugemeÌ„t The kynge angerly for it was straunge to appeale frome a kynge sayde to whom doest thou appeale Truly ê™ Macheta euen vnto thy self o kyng yf thou wolt awake and heare the matter more attentifly Then the kynge arose and after he had wayed better with hym selfe the matter and vnderstode that Macheta had wrong the iugemente whiche was gyuen he wolde not reuerse but the money that Macheta was condempned in he hym selfe payed When on a tyme he was at debate with his wyfe and with his son a certayne Corynthiane came vnto hym whom he asked how the Grekes agreed togyther In dede ê™ the Corynthian thou carest moche how the Grekes agree togyther when those persones that be most nere vnto the heare such myndes towardes the. Here the kynge beynge nothynge offended with the Corynthians free tonge framed hym selfe to his sharpe checke and layeng downe his angre felle in agayne with his wyfe and son ¶ Alexander the great ALexander the great kynge of Ma cedony and son to the foresayde Philip beynge demauÌ„ded where he layd vp his treasurs With my freÌ„ des ê™ he Signifieng that a manne can laye vp his goodes no where so sauely as with his frendes for when nede reqyreth he is sure to haue them agayne with gaynes When he was enformed that a cer tayne person had rayled vpon hym Truly ê™ he it is kyngly when a maÌ„ doth well to be reported euyll Porus a kyng beyng vaynguished by Alexander when Alexander after the fylde wonne sayd vnto hym How shall I intreate the Porus kyngly ê™ he Agayne Alexander demauÌ„dyng hym whether he desyred any thynge elles All tohyther ê™ Porus is comprysed in this worde kyngly Alexander marueylynge both at the wysdom and at the noble stomake of the man enlarged his dominion ouer that it was before A certayne Indian whiche was noysed to be so cunnynge an archer that he coulde shote thorough a ryng was taken prysoner in y e warres
to the honour dignitie of the citie but the thyng was of such sorte that it myght not be publyshed and declared before them all Here y e people agreed that he shulde disclose it to Aristides and yf he alowed it they all wolde alowe it Nowe whenne Chemistocles had declared vnto Aristides that he thoughte of burnyng the place where the Grekes shyppes stode for so shuld it come to passe that the Athenienses shulde be rulers and lordes ouer all Grece Aristides commynge forth to the people sayde Undoubtedly nothynge is more profitable then the couÌ„sayle of Chemistocles but agayn nothynge is more vnhonest then the same Whiche voyce when the people harde they forbad Chemistocles to make any mo wordes herof Assuredly here the citizens of Athens for in them then was the gouernaunce of the same shewed them selfes to be of a wonderfull noble courage in that they abandoned and vtterly refused profite ioyned with disworshvp and therwithall declared also howe great the authoritie of renowmed vertue is in that they doubted not to commytte the fortune of the hole comen weale to the iugement of one man Aristides was choson on a tyme to be tresaurour of the citie which office when he hadde executed very purely and vncorruptly yet he was accused of Themistocles and condemned of extorcion But through fauour of the most worshypfull and honest citezens he was not onely released of the amer ciament which was assesed vpon him but was appoynted also agayn to the same office Whiche by simulation euen for the nones he so administred that omyttynge his former seueritie and rowghnes he showed hym selfe gentle and facyle to such as loued to waxe ryche with the detryment of the comon wealth By whose laboure it came to passe that the people y e thyrde tyme with high fauours assigned eft sones the same office to Aristides Then spake he and sayd For the well executyng of myne office ye condemned me and now bycause contrarie to equite I haue graunted many thynges to the spoylers of the citye ye haue iudged me worthy of honour Certes this man knew by what meanes he myghte growe in fauour with the people saue y t he had rather be ryghtu ouse then gloriouse When Aristides beynge wrongful ly condemned to dye was ledde to exe cution one of his enmyes spat on his face He dyd nothyng elles but wyped his face and smilyng sayd to the officer that wente with hym Admonishe this person that hereafter he gape not so vnmanetly Pericles PEricles the Atheniense to his frend requyrynge hym to beare false witnesse for hym wherunto was knytte an othe that is to saye a perturye aunswered he wolde be his frende but vnto the aultre Signifieng that so farre forth a man may do pleasure to his frende as he go not beyonde the boundes of religion and honestye When the eclyps of the sonne sodeynly chauÌ„ced Pericles seyng other very many but in especyall the gouer nour of the nauie dismaid and sore astomed therat with his cloke couered the gouernours face and asked hym whyther he thought this to be a strauÌ„ge token when he answered no. what differeÌ„ce then is there ê™ he saue that the thynge that nowe causeth this dat kenesse is greatter then my clooke Meanynge full prudently that by the comynge betwene of the moone the sonne is hydde frome vs euen as the clooke beynge caste betwene letted the other mens syghte and that the thynge whiche naturally is done is no straunge token or suche monstruouse thynge as men shuld feare Diogenes DIogenes a philosopher of the secte of Cynickes vnto one whiche counsayled hym that nowe in his age he shulde repose hym selfe and cease from labour aunswered If I ranne in a runnynge place for the maystrie shulde I when I were now nere the gowle flacke my runnynge or rather increase it Rightly he iudged that the studye of vertue the nerer one draweth to his ende is so moch the more to be inforced and hasted bycause it is a greatte shame then to ware faynt and colde from an honeste purpose He dysalowed the madnes of men that wolde bye and sell thynges precyouse for least and agayne the vilest thynges for moost For an ymage or picture he sayde whiche was a very vile thynge was solde for moche money where as a busshel of meale whiche was a ryght precyouse thyng was bowght for very litle money The ymage is nothyng necessarye to mans lyfe but without meale we can not lyue Wherfore ê™ he it were more conuenient that meale were moche derer theÌ„ ymages or pyctures The philoso pher estemed the pryses of thynges by theyr naturall vse where as the people estemeth them by folyshe persuasyon AlexaÌ„der the great on a tyme came to Diogenes to se hym and thus he spake vnto hym I am come o Diogenes to helpe the bycause I se thou lackest many thynges To whom Dio genes made answere Whether of vs two is more nedye I which besyde my scryppe and clooke desyre nothyng or thou whiche not contented with thyn owne realme that thy father lefte the casteste thy selfe in to so many hasardes to get the a larger dominion in so moche that the hole worlde semethe skase ynough for thy insacyable coue tyse The superstytion of men that were feared with dreames he thus mocked The thynges ê™ he that ye do waking ye nothinge regarde but the thynges that slepynge ye dreame ye carefully and busyly serche out A certayne rych man vnlerned but royally cladde he called a shepe with a golden fleese When Diogenes sawe the officers lede one taken for stelynge a cuppe out of the treasorie Lo ê™ he the great theues leade the lyttell thefe Wolde god this coulde not be truely spoken vpon some christen officers by whom otherwyles he is broughte to the galowes whiche haue stolen the value of twenty pens where they waxe riche with great theftes or pyllages rather and extortions without punishment What tyme Philyp kynge of the Macedonians hadde an armye lyeng at Cheronia Diogenes came thither anone he was takeÌ„ of the sowldiours brought to the kyng which as sone as he sawe Diogenes who was vnknowen vnto hym cryed out angerly a spye a spye To whome Diogenes forthwith aunswered In dede Phylyp I am a spye for I am come hyther to espye thy madnes whiche not beyng coÌ„tented w t the realme of Macedonie by thy incrochynge of other mens realmes puttest thy selfe in daunger to lose both thyn own kynge dome also thy lyfe The kyng wonderynge at the mans franke speche boulde language commaunded he shulde escape without any hurte to be done vnto hym He said loue is the busynes of ydell personnes forasmoche as this affection coÌ„monly assayleth those that be giuen to ydelnes and ease So it coÌ„meth to passe that whyles they loyter in ydelnesse they falle in to a thynge mooste full of busynes and yet in the meane season they do no good thynge at all He sayde good men be the ymages of god For