Such is fury to Cowardice and prodigality to covetousnesse nor can there be any man at once possessed of all Vices no more then a body tormented by all diseases Moreover there is a mean affection which inclineth not plainly either to Vice or Vertue for it is not necessary that all men must be good or bad they are such who have arrived at the height of these for it is not easie to passe suddenly from Vertue to Vice because betwixt extreames there is a great intervall and distance Of Vertues some are principall others concomitant principall are those which are in the rationall part of the Soul and by which the other Vertues are perfected Concomitant are those which are in the other part which are subject to Affections These act honest things according to Reason not that which is in them for they have none but that which they receive from Prudence which is confirmed in them by custom and exercise Now for as much as neither science nor art consisteth in any part of the soul but in the rationall those vertues which are in the other part that is subject to affections cannot be taught because they are neither Arts nor Sciences neither have they a peculiar Doctrine Prudence is a Science which prescribeth unto every one what is proper to him as a Pilot or Master of a Ship to inferiour ignorant Sailors The like in a common Souldier and a Generall For as much as Ills are intended and remitted offences cannot be equall but some must be greater others lesser for which reason they who make Lawes punish some more gently other more severely And though Vertues are certain Heights as being perfect and like unto that which is right yet in another respect they are called mediocrities because all or the most of them are placed betwixt two Vices whereof one sinneth in excesse the other in defect as on the one side of Liberality is Covetousnesse on the other Prodigality For in affections we recede from the mean when we relinquish that which is placed in Vertue either by excesse or defect But neither he who beholding his Parents wronged is nothing moved thereat nor he who is incens'd at the smallest matters void of passion or moderate but the quite contrary He who at the death of his Parents grieveth not is void of passion He who destroyeth himself with grieving is overpassionate and immoderate he who grieveth moderately is moderately passionate In like manner he who feareth upon all occasions and more then needs is timerous he who feareth nothing is rash He only is stout that can keep a mean betwixt fear and rashnesse the like in all the rest And for as much as that which is mean in affections is likewise best and mediocrity is nothing but a mean betwixt excesse and defect there are these Vertues termed Mediocrities because in humane perturbations and passions they affect us a middle kind of way CHAP. XXX That Vertue is voluntary Vice involuntary VErtue being chiefly of those things which are in our power not compulsive for it could not deserve praise if it came either by nature or divine decree it followeth that Vertue is voluntary begotten by a servent generous and firm impulsion From this that Vertue is voluntary it followeth that Vice is involuntary For who in the most excellent part of himselfe would ever voluntarily choose that which is the greatest of all Ills When a man is carried on to Vice he first inclineth to it not as if it were ill but good and if he fall into ill doubtlesse he is deceived with thinking that this way by a lesser ill he may arrive at a greater good and goeth in this manner unwillingly to it For it is not possible a man should pursue ill as it is ill without any hope of good or fear of a greater ill All ill things therefore which an ill man doth are involuntary for injustice being involuntary to act unjustly is so much more involuntary as the action of Vice is beyond the idle habit thereof Yet though wicked actions are involuntary the wicked neverthelesse ought to be punished and that not after one manner but according to the variety of hurt which they do to those they wrong That which is involuntary consisteth in ignorance of perturbations all which may be diverted either by reason or civill custome or diligence CHAP. XXXI Of Love and Friendship FRiendship properly so termed is made by a mutuall reciprocall benevolence This is when either is as much concerned for the happinesse of the otâ—er as of his own which equality is preserved only by similitude of manners For the like is friend to its like if they be both moderate but the intemperate cannot agree either with themselves or the moderate There are other things which are thought friendships but are are not such in which there appeareth some shew of vertue Of these is the naturall goodwill of Parents to their Children and of Kindred one to another as also that which is called civill and sociable These are not alwaies accompanyed with mutual benevolence Likewise the amatory art is a kind of friendship That which is honest is proper to a generous soul dishonest to a perverse mean to one meanly affected For as the habit of the rationall soul is three-fold right dishonest and mean so many different kinds are there of love which appeareth most clearly in the difference of the ends they propose unto themselves The dishonest aimes only at corporeall pleasure and therefore is absolutely bruitish The honest considereth the minde only as far as vertue appeareth in it The mean desireth both the beauty of the soul and of the body of which love he who is worthy is mean likewise that is neither absolutely honest nor dishonest Hence that love which aimeth only at the body ought to be tearmed a Demon rather then a Deity which never descendeth to an human bodie transmitting divine things to men and human to God Of the three kinds of love that which is proper to a good man being remote from vicious affections is artificiall whence it is placed in the rationall part of the soul. The contemplations thereof are these to discern who is worthy of love and to contract friendship with him and enjoy it This discernment is made from his aimes or desires whether they are generous and directed to a good end or violent and servent The contraction or acquisition of friendship is made not by wanton excessive praise but rather by reprehension shewing him that it is not convenient he should live in that manner he doth when he enjoyeth the love of him whom he affects he must alwaies exhort him to those things by exercise whereof he may arrive at perfect habit Their end is that of lover and beloved they may at last become friends CHAP. XXXII Of Passions IN justice is so great an ill that it is better to suffer wrong then to do wrong for one belongeth to a wicked man the other to a
of the Intellectuall raiseth her from this terrene life to the eternall by the flame of love refined into an Angell The Second PART Sect. I. THE apprehensive faculties of the Soul are employ'd about truth and falshood assenting to one dissenting from the other The first is affirmation the second negation The desiderative converse in good and ill inclining to this declining to that The first is Love the second Hate Love is distinguish'd by its objects if of riches termed covetousnesse of honour ambition of heavenly things piety of equalls friendship these we exclude and admit no other signification but the desire to possesse what in it selfe or at least in our esteem is fair of a different nature from the love of God to his Creatures who comprehending all cannot desire or want the beauty and perfections of another and from that of friends which must be reciprocall We therefore with Plato define it * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * The desire of beauty Desire is an inclination to reall or apparent good As there are divers kinds of good so of desire Love is a species of desire Beauty of good Desire is Naturall or Knowing All creatures have a particular perfection by participation of the divine goodnesse This is their end including that degree of felicity whereof they are capable to which center they tend This desire we call Naturall a great testimony of Divine Providence by which they are unwittingly as an Arrow by the Archer directed to their mark With this all Creatures desire God as being the Originall good imprinted and participated in every particular This is in every Nature as more or lesse capable addressed to ends more or lesse noble yet is the ultimate end of all the same to enjoy God as far as they may Thus as the Psalmist Every thing worships and praiseth God like suppliants turning and offering themselves up to him saith Theodoret. Sect. II. THe other Species of Desire is employed only about things known given by Nature that to every apprehensive faculty there might be a desiderative to embrace what it judgeth good to refuse what it esteemeth evill in its own nature enclin'd to good None ever desires to be miserable but the apprehensive Vertue many times mistaking Evill for Good it oft falls out that the desiderative in its selfe blind desires evill This in some sence may be said voluntary for none can force it in another sence not voluntary deceived by the judgment of its Companion This is Plato's meaning when he saith No man sins willingly Sect. III. IT is the Property of every desiderative Vertue that He who desires possesseth in part the thing he desires in part not for if he were wholly deprived of its Possession he would never desire it this is verified two waies First nothing is desired unlesse it be known and to know a thing is in some part to possesse it So Aristotle The Soul is all because it knowes all And in the Psalmist God saith All things are mine I know them Secondly there is alwaies some convenience and resemblance betwixt the desirer and desired Every thing delights and preserves it selfe by that which by naturall affinity is most conformable to it by its contrary is grieved and consum'd Love is not betwixt things unlike Repugnance of two opposite natures is naturall hate Hate is a repugnance with knowledge Hence it followeth that the nature of the desired is in some manner in the desirer otherwise there would be no similitude betwixt them yet imperfectly else it were vain for it to seek what it entirely possesseth Sect. IV. AS desire generally followes knowledge so severall knowing are annexed to severall desiring Powers We distinguish the knowing into three degrees Sence Reason Intellect attended by three desiderative Vertues Appetite Election Will Appetite is in Bruits Election in Men Will in Angels The sense knowes only corporeall things the Appetite only desires such the Angelick Intellect is wholly intent on Contemplation of spirituall Conceptions not inclining to Materiall Things but when divested of matter and spiritualiz'd their Will is only fed with intemporall spirituall Good Rationall Nature is the Mean betwixt these Extreams sometimes descending to Sense sometimes elevated to Intellect by its own Election complying with the desires of which she pleaseth Thus it appears that corporeall Objects are desired either by Sensuall Appetite or Election of Reason inclining to Sense Incorporeall by Angelick Will or the Election of Reason elevated to Intellectuall Height Sect. V. BEauty in generall is a Harmony resulting from severall things proportionably concurring to constitute a third In respect of which temperament and mixture of various Natures agreeing in the composition of one every Creature is Fair and in this sence no simple being is Beautifull not God himselfe this Beauty begins after him arising from contrariety without which is no composition it being the union of contraries a friendly enmity a disagreeing concord whence Empedocles makes discord and concord the principles of all things by the first understanding the varietie of the Natures compounding by the second their Union adding that in God only there is no Discord He not being the Union of severall Natures but a pure uncompounded Unity In these compositions the Union necessarily predominates over the contrariety otherwise the Fabrick would be dissolved Thus in the fictions of Poets Venus loves Mars this Beauty cannot subsist without contrariety she curbs and moderates him this temperament allaies the strife betwixt these contraries And in Astrologie Venus is plac'd next Mars to check his destructive influence as Iupiter next Saturn to abate his malignancy If Mars were alwaies subject to Venus the contrariety of principles to their due temper nothing would ever be dissolved Sect. VI. THis is Beauty in the largest sence the same with Harmony whence God is said to have framed the World with musicall harmonious temperament But Harmony properly implies a melodious agreement of Voices and Beauty in a restrict acception relates to a proportionable concord in visible things as Harmony in audible The desire of this Beauty is Love arising only from one knowing faculty the Sight and that gaye Plotonius Enâ—ead 3. lib. 5. 3. occasion to deprive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sight Here the Platonist may object If Love be only of visible things how can it be applyed to Ideas invisible natures We answer Sight is twofold corporeal and spirituall the first is that of Sense the other the Intellectuall faculty by which we agree with Angels this Platonists call Sight the corporeall being only an Image of this So Aristotle Intellect is that to the Soul which sight is to the Body Hence is Minerva Wisdom by Homer call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bright-ey'd With this sight Moses Saint Paul and other Saints beheld the face of God this Divines call Intellectuall â—â—tuitive cognition the Beâ—tificall vision the Reward of the Righteous Sect. VII AS Sight so Beauty itâ—object
there resides She to the brest Sends them reform'd but not exprest The heart from Matter Beauty takes Of many one Conception makes And what were meant by Natures Laws Distinct She in one Picture draws VIII THe heart by Love allur'd to see Within her self her Progeny This like the Suns reflecting Rayes Upon the Waters face survaies Yet some divine though clouded light Seems here to twinckle and invite The pious Soul a Beauty more Sublime and perfect to adore Who sees no longer his dim shade Upon the earths vast Globe display'd But certain Lustre of the true Suns truest Image now in view The Soul thus entring in the Mind There such uncertainty doth find That she to clearer Light applies Her aimes and near the first Sun flies She by his splendour beautious grows By loving whom all Beauty flows Upon the Mind Soul World and All Included in this spacious Ball. IX BUt hold Love stops the forward Course That me beyond my scope would force Great Power if any Soul appears Who not alone the blossoms wears But of the rich Fruit is possest Lend him thy Light deny the rest The Third PART TO treat of both Loves belongs to different Scienences Vulgar Love to Naturall or Morall Philosophy Divine to Theology or Metaphysicks Solomon discourseth excellently of the first in Ecclesiastes as a Naturall Philosopher in his Proverbs as a Morall Of the second in his Canticles esteemed the most Divine of all the Songs in Scripture Sâ—anza I. The chief order established by Divine Wisdom in created things is that every inferiour Nature be immediately governed by the superiour whom whilst it obeys it is guarded from all ill and lead without any obstruction to its determinate felicity but if through too much affection to its own liberty and desire to prefer the licentious life before the profitable it rebell from the superiour Nature it falls into a double inconvenience First like a Ship given over by the Pilot it lights sometimes on one Rock sometimes on another without hope of reaching the Port. Secondly it loseth the command it had over the Natures subjected to it as it hath deprived its superiour of his Irrationall Nature is ruled by another unâ—it for its Imperfection to rule any God by his ineffable Excellence provides for every thing himselfe needs not the providence of any other Betwixt the two extreams God and Bruits are Angells and Rationall Souls governing others and governed by others The first Hierarchy of Angells immediately illuminated by God enlighten the next under them the last by Platonists termed Daemons by the Hebrewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Guardians of Men are set over us as We over Irrationalls So Psalm 8. Whilest the Angells continued subject to the Divine Power they retained their Authority over other Creatures but when Luciser and his Companions through inordinate love of their own Excellence aspir'd to be equall with God and to be conserved as He by their own strength they fell from Glory to extream Misery and when they lost the Priviledge they had over others seeing us freed from their Empire enviovsly every hour insidiate our good The same order is in the lâ—sser World our Soul the inferiour faculties are directed by the superiour whom following they erre not The imaginative corrects the mistakes of outward sense Reason is illuminated by the Intellect nor do we at any time miscarry but when the Imaginative will not give credit to Reason or Reason confident of it selfe resists the Intellect In the desiderative the Appetite is govern'd by the Rationall the Rationall by the Intellectuall which our Poet implies saying Love whose hand guides my hearts strict reins The cognoscitive powers are seated in the Head the desiderative in the Heart In every well order'd Soul the Appetite is govern'd by Intellectuall Love implyed by the Metaphor of Reins borrowed from Plato in his Phaedrus Love to advance my flight will lend The wings by which he did ascend Into my heart When any superiour vertue is said to descend we imply not that it leaves its own height to come down to us but drawes us up to it selfe its descending to us is our ascending to it otherwise such conjuction would be the imperfection of the vertue not the perfection of him who receives it II. Love â—lowing from the sacred Spring Of uncreated good From the Fountain of divine goodnesse into our Souls in which that influx is terminated When born c. The order participation conversion of Ideas see Part 2. Sect. how Heaven he moves the Soul Informs and doth the World controul Of these three properties Love is not the efficient God produceth the Ideas in the Angelick Minde the Minde illustrates the Soul with Ideal Beauty Heaven is moved by its proper Soul But without Love these principles do not operate He is cause of the Mindes conversion to God and of the Souls to the Minde without which the Ideas would not descend into the one nor the Specifick reasons into the other the Soul not illuminated by these could not elicite this sensible form out of matter by the motion of Heaven III. WHen the â—irst emanation from God the plenty of Ideas descended into the Angelick Minde she desiring their perfection reverts to God obtaining of him what she covets which the more fully she possesseth the more fervently she loves This desire Celestiall Love born of the obscure Minde and Ideas is explain'd in this Stanza true Heaven God who includes all created beings as Heaven all sensible lib. 2. Sect. Only Spirituall things according to Platonists are true and reall the rest but shadowes and images of these the sacred Sun The light of Ideas streaming from God enlivened leaves The Metaphore of Leaves relates to the Orchard of Iupiter where these Ideas were planted 2. 10. Enlivened as having in themselves the principle of their operation Intellection the noblest life as the Psalmist Give me understanding and I shall live So the Cabalist to the second Sephirah which is Wisdome attributes the name of Life adorn bestowing form To adorn denotes no more then accidentall perfection but Ideas are the Substance of the Minde and therefore he adds bestowing form which though they come to her from without she receives not as accidents but as her first intrinsecall act which our Author implies terming her desires innate And by this love exalted turns Into the Sun for whom she burns Love transformes the Lover into the thing loved Wealth and Want Porus and Penia 2. 10. IV. The properties of Celestiall Love are in this Stanza discovered in new fetters caught The Soul being opprest by the Body her desire of Intellectuall Beauty sleeps but awakened by Love is by the sensible Beauty of the body led at last to their Fountain God which glow Dying yet glowing greater grow Motion and Operation are the signes of life their privation of death in him who applies himselfe to the Intellectuall part the rationall and the sensitive fail by the Rationall
Thus preserved in so great a businesse the dutie both of a judge and friend but from that act I receive this trouble that I fear it is not free from perfidiousnesse and guilt in the same businesse at the same time and in a publick affair to perswade others contrary to what was in my own judgment best CHAP. II. His morall sentences precepts and verses OF his Apothegmes these are remembered by Laertius he said providence of future things collected by reason is the vertue of a man Being demanded wherein the learned differ from the unlearned he answered in a good hope What is hard to conceal secrets to dispose of leasure well and to be able to bear an injury Being invited to a feast by Periander with the rest of the wise-men he would not promise to come before he knew what other company would be there saying a man is necessitated to brook an ill companion in a ship at sea or in a tent in a camp but to mix indifferently with all sorts of people at a feast is indiscretion Upon the same occasion Plutarch recites these sentences of his A Prince must not think upon any transitory mortall things but only upon the eternall and immortall That common-wealth is best where the people minde the Law more then the Lawyers A family must resemble as much as possible a Citty governed by a King Hearing a man say he had no enemie he asked him if he had any friend conceiving love and hate necessarily must follow one anoâ—her His morall precepts are thus delivered by Demetrius Phalereus Knâ—w thy selfe Speak not much in thy drink for thou wilt transgresse or as Laertius rule thy tongue especially at a feast Threaten not free persons for it is not just Laertius threaten none for that is like a woman Speak not ill of thy neighbour if thou dost thou shalt hear what will trouble thee Go slowly to the feasts of thy friends swiftly to their misfortunes Laertius go more readily to a friend in adversity then in prosperity Celebrate marriage frugally Speak well of the dead Reverence thy elder Laertius honour age Hate him who is inquisitive into the businesse of others Preferre losse before unjust gain for that addes Laertius brings grief but once this for ever Deride not the unfortunate If thou art strong behave thy selfe mildely that thou maist rather be respâ—cted then fear'd Laertius of thy neighbours Learn to Order thy house well Let not thy tongue run before thy mind Bridle thy anger Covet not impossibilities In the way hasten not forward Shake not thy hand Laertius in discourse for it is like a mad-man Obey the Lawes Be reconciled to those who have wrong'd you but revenge contumelies To which Laertius addes these To preserve thy selfe Not to hate divination make use of quietnesse Pliny speaking of authority saith that men ranked Chilon amongst Oracles consecrating three precepts of his at Delphil in golden letters which are these Eveâ—y man to know himselfe and to desire noâ—hing too much the companion of anothers mony and strife is misery He only kept within bounds the two most fierce affections of the soule Love and Hate saying Love with such limitation as if hereafter you might chance to hate hate so farre as that perhaps you might hereafter love Ausonius ascribes to him the effect of these verses Me may the mean not fear nor great despise Have death and health alike before thy eyes The benefits thou givest remember never Of those thou dost receive be mindfull ever Learn of thy selfe and friend t' orecome crosse fate Age youth resembling is a light estate Youth age resembling is a greater weight His particular sentence was To a surety losse is near Of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laertius mentions this as most eminent Gold's worth we by the touchstone find Gold is the touchstone of the mind He asked Aesop what Iupiter was doing who answered pulling down the high and raising the low CHAP. III. His death and writings HE died according to Hermippus at Pisa embracing his son victor in the Olympic games of the caestus the weaknesse of his age overcome with excesse of joy all who were present at that great assembly attended on his funeralls as is affirmed by Pliny and Laertius who hath this Epigram upon him To thee illustrious Pollux thanks I pay That Chilons son the Olive bore away The father died ore-joy'd his child to see So crown'd a happy death such befall me Upon his statue this inscription The birth of Chilon warlick Sparta grac'd Who of the seven in the first rank was plac'd He was short in speech whence Aristagoras calls that manner of speaking Chilonian Ausonius also alludes hereto in the speech he makes under his name He writ Elegies extending almost to two hundred verses there is likewise an Epistle of his extant to this effect Chilon to Periander YOu send me word of an expedition you are preparing against forraigners intending to go in person with your Army a monarch I think hath little safetie even at home That Tyrant I esteem happy who dies at home a naturall death PITTACVS PITTACVS CHAP. I. Pittacus his life PITTACUS was of Mitelene the chief City of Lesbos son of Caicus or rather Hyrâ—hadius a Thracian his Mother a Lesbian born in the thirtie two Olympiad Laertius saith he flourished in the fortie two Olympiad at that time he gave testimony of his great courage and love to his Country in killing assisted by the brethren of Alcaeus the Poet Melanchrus tyrant of Lesbos and Mitelene Pittacus grown eminent by this action was by the Mitelenaeans made â—enerall and sent with a fleet against the Aâ—henians with whom they had a long contest concerning the Achillaean field the ground of their difference this Pisistratus took Sigeum by force from the Mitelaeans and setled there as King Hegesistratus his naturall Son by an Argive woman who kept it not without much dispute for betwixt the Mitelenaeans and Athenians there was a long war those sallying out of the Achillaean Town these out of Sigaeum those lay claim to the Town as built by Archaeanactes of Mitelene of the stones of old Troy for the Lesbians challenged the greatest part of Troas as their hereditary right where they had built many houses some saith Strabo standing at this day others demolished these opposed their claim alledging the Aeolians had no more right to this Ilian country then themselves or any other of the Greeks who assisted Menelaus in the recovery of Hellen. The Athenians sent thither as Generall Phryno a tall robust person who had been victor in all the Olympick exercises perhaps the same whom Eusebius names in the thirtie six Olympiad Pittacus having been severall times worsted in baâ—tle at last challenged Phryno to single combat and met him being armed â—ith the â—eapons of a fisherman hiding a net under his sâ—ield
brought him this letter Amasis King of Aegypt saith thus to Bias wisest of the Greeks the King of Aethiopia contendeth with me for preheminence in wisdome master'd in other things he in conclusion requires an absurd strange thing that I drink up the sea this proposition if I resolue I shall have many of his Townes and Citties if I resolve not I must lose all those which are about Elephantina Ponder it and send Niloxenus back with all speed what euer we can do for your friends and Country shall not be wanting Having read the Letter Bias with a short pause recollecting himselfe and having whispered to Cleobubâ—s who sat next him What saith he Naucratites Amasis who commands so many men and possesseth so excellent a Country will he for a few obscure contemptible villages drink up the sea Bias saith Niloxenus smiling consider as if he meant to do it how it might be effected Bid the Aethiopian replyed Bias withold the rivers from running into the sea untill he hath drunk off that which is now sea for the imposition concernes that only which is such at present not what shall be hereafter Niloxenus embraced him with joy the rest applauding his solution CHAP. II. His morall sentence precepts and verses HIs Apothegmes are thus delivered by Laertius and others He is unfortunate who cannot bear misfortune It is a disease of the mind to desire such things as cannot be obtained and to be unmindfull of the miseries of others To one that asked what is hard he answered to bear couragiously a change to the worse Being at sea in company with wicked who a storm arising called upon the Gods hold your peace saith he lest they know you are here To a wicked man enquiring what was piety he was silent the other asking the reason of his silence I answer not saith he because you enquire after that which nothing concernes you Being demanded what is sweet to mankind he answered Hope It is better to decide a difference betwixt our enemies then friends for one of the friends will certainly become an enemie one of the enemies a friend Being asked what a man did with delight he answered gain by labour We should so live as though our life would be both long and short So love as if hereafter we might hate conversing in friendship with caution remembring that it may possibly convert to enmity To one demanding whether he should take a wife she must be saith he either fair or foul if fair she will be common if foule a pennance That Tyrant shall gain most glory who first himselfe obeyes the lawes of his country That common-wealth is best ordered wherein every man fears the Law more then a Tyrant That family is best ordered where the Master behaves himselfe voluntarily within dores as he doth without by constraint of the Law Those who busie themselves in vain knowledge resemble an Owle which seeth only in the night but is blind in the light so is their mind sharp-sighted in vanity dark at the approach of true light Ausonius hath these under his name What is our chiefest good a conscience free Our greatest ill mans mans worst enemie Poor th'avaricious Rich who nought desires A wifes best dower the fame chast life acquires Chast she of whom report dare speak no ill Wise who hath power to hurt but wants the will A fool who wants the power and yet would kill His morall precepts according to Demetrius Phalereus these Most men are evill His particular sentence Before you do any thing behold your face in a glasse if it seem handsome do handsome things if deformed suply the defects of nature Practise honesty Undertake deliberately but having once begun go through Abhor to speak hastily Laert. It is madnesse lest thou sin for repentance followes Be neither simple nor subtle Admit not imprudence Love prudence Every where professe there are Gods Weigh what is to be done Hear much Speak seasonably If poor reprove not the rich unless great advantage may arise thereby Praise not an unworthy person for his wealth Acquire by perswasion not by violence When thou dost good impute it not to thy selfe but to the Gods In thy youth gain wealth in thy age wisdome or as Laertius from thy youth to thy age gain wisdome for it will be more sure to thee then all other possessions Preserve in thy actions remembrance in opportunity caution in thy manners ingenuity in labour patience in fear warinesse in wealth love in discourse perswasion in silence a decorum in sentence justice in boldnesse fortitude in action power in glory eminence in thy nature generosity Of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these were most esteemed To all the City where thou liv'st be kind They who most favour show most favour find But pride is often with destruction joyn'd And Strength is a gift which natures hand bestowes Rhetorick and policy the wise soule knowes Riches a present that from fortune flowes CHAP. III. His death and writings HE was much addicted to pleading very earnest therein but alwaies employed in just causes which Demodicus the Alerian implies saying If thou chance to be a Iudge giue sentence on the Prienaean side and Hipponax to plead a cause better then Bias the Prienaean And in that manner he died being very old as he was pleading having ended his speech he reposed his head in the bosom of his sisters son his adversary having ended his defence the Judges gave sentence on Bias his side the Court dismist he was found dead in his Nephews bosome the City bestowed a magnificent monument upon him with this inscription Bias of Prienaean fam'd descent Lies here Ionia's greatest ornament They also dedicated a Temple to him called the Tutamian Laertius bestowes upon him this Epigram Bias lies hidden here whom Hermes lead To th' grave when age had snow'd upon his head His head which pleading for his friend enclind Upon his Nephew to long sleep resign'd He writ concerning Ionia by what means it might be most happy perhaps that counsell already mentioned two thousand verses CLEOBVLE CLEOBVLVS CHAP. I. Cleobulus his life death and writings CLEOBULUS was of Lindus a City of Rhodes or according to Duris of Caria son of Evagâ—ras lineally descended from Hercules excellent both in wisdome outward beauty and strength beyond all those of his time learned in the Philosophy of the Egyptians That he was Tyrant of Lindus is manifest from Plutarch * He re-edified the Temple of Minerva founded by Danaus He had a daughter whom he named Eumetis but was called commonly from her father Cleobulina she composed verses and riddles in Hexameters famous for her wisdome and acutenesse in those riddles some of her questions having spread as far as Egypt which she used jocularly like dice upon occasions only contesting with such as provoked her she was also indued with an admirable height of mind and a wit both Politick and full of humanity
Oracle's direction apply'd him to his own trade of carving Statues contrary to his inclination whereupon some have argu'd him of disobedience reporting that often times when his Father bad him work he refused and went away following his own will His Father dying left him according to Libanius four score minae which being entrusted with a friend for improvement they miscarried This losse though it were of all his stock and he thereby reduc'd to incredible poverty Socrates past over with silence but was thereupon necessitated to continue his trade for ordinary subsistence This Suidas intimates when he saith he was first a Statuary Duris Pausanias and the * Scholiast of Arâ—stophanes affirm three statues of the Graces cloathed for so they were most antiently made not naked set up before the entrance into the Tower at Athens were his work Pausanias implieth as much of a statue of Mercury in the same place which Pliny seems not to have understood who saith they were made by a certain person named Socrates but not the painter Hence Timon From these the fluent statuary came Honour'd through Greece who did against the name Of Oratour abusivâ—y declaim But being naturally averse from this profession â—ee onely follow'd it when necessity enforc'd him Aristoxenus saith he wrought for money and laid up what he got till it came to a little stock which being spent hee betook himself again to the same course These intermissions of his Trade were bestowed upon Philosophy whereunto he was naturally addicted which being observed by Crito a rich Philosopher of Athens hee took him from his shop being much in love with his candor and ingenuity and instructed or rather gave him the means to be instructed by others taking so much care of him that he never suffer'd him to want necessaries And though his poverty were at first so great as to be brought by some into a Proverb yet he became at last as Demetrius affirms Master of a house and fourscore minae which Crito put out to interest But his mind saith Libanius was raised far above his fortune and more to the advantage of his Country not aiming at wealth or the acquisition thereof by sordid arts he considered that of all things which man can call his the soul is the chief That he onely is truly happy who purifies that from vice That the onely means conducing thereto is wisdom in pursuit whereof he neglecteth all other waies of profit and pleasure CHAP. I. His Master THE first Master of Socrates was Anaxagoras whereby amongst other circumstances it is demonstrable that the accompt of Laertius is corrupt Anaxagoras not dying in the 78. but 88. Olympiad Aristoneus saith that as soon as Anaxagoras left the City he applyed himself to Archelaus which according to Porphyrius was in the 17. year of his age Of him he was much belov'd and travell'd with him to Samos to Pytho and to the Istmus He was Scholar likewise to Damon whom Plato calls a most pleasing teacher of Musick and all other things that he would teach himself to young men Damon was Scholar to Agathocles Master to Pericles Clinias and others intimate with Prodicus He was banish'd by the unjust Ostracism of the Athenians for his excellence in Musick He heard also as he acknowledgeth Prodicus the Sophist a Cian whom Eusebius rankes in the 86. Olympiad contemporary with Gorgias Hippias and Hippocrates the Physician To these adde Diotyma and Aspasia women excellently learned the first suppos'd to have been inspir'd with a propheticall spirit By her hee affirmeth that he was instructed concerning love by corporeall Beauty to find out that of the soul of the Angelicall mind of God See Plato's Phaedrus and that long discourse in his Symposium upon this subject which Socrates confesseth to be owing to her Aspasia was a famous Milesian woman not onely excellent her self in Rhetorick but brought many Scholers to great perfection in it of whom were Pericles the Athenian and as himself acknowledgeth Socrates Of Euenus he learn'd Poetry of Ichomachas Husbandry of Theodorus Geometry Aristagoras a Melian is named likewise as his Master Last in his Catalogue is Connus nobilissimus fidicen as Cicero termes him which art Socrates learn'd of him in his old age for which the boyes derided Connus and called him the old mans Master CHAP. IV. Of his School and manner of Teaching THat Socrates had a proper School may be argu'd from Aristophanes who derides some particulars in it and calls it his Phronâ—istâ—rium Plato and Phaedrus mention as places frequented by him and his Auditors the Academy Lycaeum and a pleasant meadow without the Ciâ—y on the side of the River Ilissus where grew a very fair plane-tâ—eâ— Thence according to the fable Boreas sâ—atch'd away Orithia to whom three farlongs from thence there was a Temple and another to Diana Xenophon affirms he was continually abroad that in the morning be visiâ—ed the places of publick walking and exercise when it was full the Forum and the rest of the day he sought out the most populous meetings where he dâ—sputed â—penly for every one to hear that would He did not onely teach saith Plutarch when the benches were prepar'd and himself in the Chair or in set hours of reading and disâ—ourse or appointments of walking with his friends but even when he played when â—e eat or drank when he was in the camp or market finally when he was in prison thus he made every place a school of vertue His manner of teaching was answerable to his opinion that the soul praeexistent to the body in her first separate condition endewed with perfect knowledge by immersion into matter became stupified and in a manner lost untill awakned by discourse from sensible objects whereby by degrees she recovers her first knowledge for this reason he taught onely by Irony and Induction the first Quintilian defines an absolute dissimulation of the will more apparent then confest so as in that the words are different from the words in this the sense from the speech whilest the whole confirmation of the cause even the whole life seems to carry an Irony such was the life of Socrates who was for that reason called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is one that personates an unlearned man and is an admirer of others as wise In this Irony saith Cicero and dissimulation he far exceeded all men in pleasantnesse urbanity it is a very elegant sweet and facete kind of speech acute with gravity accommodated with Rhetorick words and pleasant speeches He detracted from himself in dispute and attributed more to those hee meant to confute so that when he said or thought another thing he freely used that dissimulation which the Greeks call Irony which Annius also saith was in Africanus Induction by Cicero desin'd a manner of discoâ—rse which gaines the
or silently desired That God takes care of all creatures is demonstrable from the benefits he gives them of light water and fire seasonable production of fruits of the earth that he hath particular care of man from the nourishment of all plants and creatures for mans service from their subjection to man though they excused him never so much in strength from the variety of mans sense accommodated to the variety of objects for necessity use and pleasure from reason whereby he discoursed through reminiscence from sensible objects from speech whereby he communicates all that he knows gives lawes governs states that God notwithstanding he is invisible hath a being from the instances of his Ministers invisible also as thunder and wind from the soule of man which hath something with the divine nature in governing those that cannot see it This is the effect of his discourse with Eâ—thidâ—mus The Soule is immortall for what is alwaies moveable is immortall but that which moveth another or is moved by an other hath a cessation of motion and life The soule is praeexistent to the body endued with knowledge of eternall Ideas which in her union to the body she loseth as stupisied untill awakened by discourse from sensible objects Thus is all her learning only reminiscence a recovery of her first knowledge The body being compounded is dissolved by death the soule being simple passeth into another life incapable of corruption The soules of men are divine to whom when they go out of the body the way of their return to heaven is open which to the best and most just is the most expedite The soules of the good after death are in a happy estate united to God in a blessed inaccessible place the bad in convenient places suffer condign punishment but to define what those places are is hominis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence being demanded what things were in the other world he answered neither was I ever there nor ever did I speak with any that came from thence Sect. 2. Ethicks HIs moralls consider a man either as a single person or as the father of a family or as a member of the common-wealth In the first respect are his Ethicks wherein such sentences as have been preserved by Xenophon Diogenes Laertius Stobaeus and others are thus collected Of vertue and vice HE exhorted his friends to Endeavour to be the most wise and beneficiall because what wants reason wants respect as the bodies of dead friends and hair nailes and the like which are cut off and cast away To be employed is good and beneficiall to be idle hurtfull and evill they that do good are imployed they that spend their time in vain recreations are idle He that hath most advantage by gifts of nature as well as he that hath least must learn and meditate on those things wherein he would be excellent He only is idle who might be better imployed To do good is the best course of life therein fortune hath share They are best and best pleasing to God who do any thing with any art or calling who followeth none is uselesse to the publick and hated of God He taught every where that a just man and a happy were all one and used to curse him who first by opinion divided honesty and profit which are coherent by Nature as having done an impious act for they are truly wicked who separate profitable and just which depends on law The Stoicks have followed him so far that whatsoever is honest the same they esteem profitable He asked Memnon a Thessalian who thought himselfe very learned and that he had reached as Empedocles saith the top of wisdome what is vertue He answered readily and boldly that there is one vertue of a child another of an old Man one of a Man another of a Woman one of a Magistrate another of a private Person one of a Master another of a Servant Very good replies Socraâ—es I ask for one vertue and you give us a whole swarm truly conceiving that he knew not one vertue who named so many Being demanded by Gorgias If he accounted not the great King of Persia happy I know not answered he how he is furnished with learning and vertue as conceiving that true happinesse consisteth in these two not in the frail gifts of fortune Euripides in his Auge saying of vertue It is best carelessely to part with these he rose up and went away saying It was ridiculous to seek a lost servant or to suffer vertue so to go away He said he wondered at those who carve Images of stone that they take such care to make stones resemble men whilst they neglect and suffer themselves to resemble stones He advised young men to behold themselves every day in a glass that if they were beautifull they might study to deserve it if deformed to supply or hide it by learning He said to begin well is not a small thing but depending on a small moment He said vertue was the beautie vice the deformity of the soul. He said outward beauty was a sign of inward beauty and therefore chose such Auditors In that life of man as in an Image every part ought be beautifull Incense to God praise is due to good men Who are undeservedly accused ought to be defended who excell others in any good quality to be praised A Horse is not known to be good by his furniture but qualities a man by his mind not wealth It is not possible to cover fire with a garment sinne with time Being demanded who live without peâ—turbation hee answered thâ—y who are conscious to themselves of no ill To one who demanded what Nobility is he answered a good temper of soul and body Of affections Love Envy Grief Hope c. THat two brothers God meant should be more helpfull to each other then two hands feet eyes or whatsoever nature hath formed doubtlesse because if they love they may great distance mutually help one another is the scope of his discourse with Chaeracrates That all things are good and fair to those things where with they agree but ill and deformed in respect of those things with which they agree not is the conclusion of his second discourse with Aristippus Envy is a grief not at the adversity of friends nor the prosperity of Enemies but at the prosperity of friends for many are so foolishly enclined as to maligne those in good fortune whom in misfortune they pittied A ship ought not to trust to one Anchor nor life to one hope To ground hopes on an ill opinion is to trust a ship to a slight anchor The beauty of fame is blasted by envy as by a sicknesse Many adorn the tombes of tâ—ose whom living they persecuted with envy Envy is the saw of the soul. Nothing is
exhortations to reclaim him frequent but fruitless and to the same end published that discourse which we find in Xenophon Here he became acquainted with Lais the famous Corinthian Curtezan who came thither yearly at the Feast of Neptune and was as constantly frequented by Aristippus for whose sake Hermesianax saith hee took a voyage to Corinth mention'd among his Apothegmes To Corinth Love the Cyrenean lead where he enjoy'd Thessalian Lais bed No Art the subtle Aristippus knew By which the power of Love he might eschew Whilst he was upon his voyage to Corinth a great Tempest arose whereat he was much troubled one of the Passengers saying unto him we ordinary people are not afraid but you Philosopherâ— fear or as Aelian are you asraid like other people our Souls answered he are not of equall value you hazard a wicked and unhappy life I Felicity and Beatitude To those who blamed him for frequenting Lais I pâ—ssesse â—er saith he not she me Lais in emulation of Phryne gave admittance to all sorts of people rich and poor whereupon Aristippus reprehended by his servant for bestowing so much on her who entertained Diogones the Cynick gratis I give her money saith he that I may enjoy her not that others may not Diogenes reproached him for frequenting the company of Lais saying Aristippus you and I converse with the same woman either give over or be like me a Cynic Do you think it absurd saith he to awell in a house wherein others lived before or to sail in a Ship that hath carried other Passengers It is no more absurd to affect a woman whom others have enjoyd At Aegina he continued till the death of Socrates as besides the testimony of Plato appeareth by this Epistle of his written upon that occasion Of the death of Socrates I and Cleombrotâ—s have received information and that when he might have escaped from the eleaven Officers he said he would not unless he was acquitted by Law for that were as much as in him lay to betray his Country My opinion is that being unjustly committed he might have got his Liberty any way conceiving that all which he could do ill or inconsiderately must be just From whence again I blame him not as if he had done ill even in this You write me word that all the friends and Disciples of Socrates have left Athens out of fear the like should befall any of you it is well done and we being at present at Aegina wil continue here a while then come to you and wherein we are ablâ— serve you CHAP. IV. His Institution of a Sect. ARistippus returning at length to his own Country Cyrene professed Pâ—ilosophy there and instituted a Sect called Cyrenaick from the Place by some Hedonick or voluptuous from the Doctrine They who followed the institution of Aristippus and were called Cyrenaick held thus They rejected Physick and natural disquisitions from the seeming incomprehensibility thereof Logick they handled because of its great usefulnesse But Meleager and Clitomachus affirm they despised both Physick and Dialectick alike as unusefull for that without these a man who hath learned what things are good what cvil and able to discourse wel and to shake off superstition and the fear of death Sect. 1. Of Iudgement und Iudicatories THey held that the Senses inform not alwaies truly that nothing extrinsecall can be perceived those things only can be perceived which are felt by inward touch as grief and pleasure neither know wee what colour any thing is nor what sound it makes but only that we feele our selves affected after such a manner that Passions are comprehensive that objects not comprehensiâ—e That nothing judgeth but by interiour permotion and the judgement of true and false consisteth in inward touch Sextus Empericus more fully They assert that passions or affections are the Judges and the only things that may comprehend not fallacious but of those things which cause passions there is nothing which is comprehensible or that may not deceive us For that we are made white or affected with sweet may be said expressly and firmly but that the thing which causeth this affection is white or sweet cannot in like manner be asserted For it is possible that we be affected with whitenâ—sse from a thing that is not white and with sweetnesse from a thing that is not sweet as to him who is dimsighted or hath the yellow jaundies all things seem yellow to one duskish to the other and he who pincheth his eye thinketh he sees things double he who is mad fancies two Thebes's two Suns in all these they that are so affected to wit with yellownesse or duskishnesse or duplicity is true but that the thing which moveth them is yellow or duskish or double is conceived to be false So it is most consonant to reason that wee comprehend nothing more then our own passions For we must hold that the things seen are either the passions themselves or the causes of those passions if we say our passions are the things seen we must likewise affirm all things seen to be true and comprehensive if we say the things seen are the causes of those passions we must confesse all things seen to be false and incomprehensible For that passion which happeneth to us showeth us its self and nothing more so that to speak truly the passion or affection it self is the only thing that is apparent to us and for that reason in their proper affections none erre but in the externall object all The first are comprehensive the second incomprehensive the soul being weak in the discernment thereof by reason of places intervalls motions mutations and many other causes Hence they assert that there is not in man any one common thing which judgeth but they impose common names on the judgments all commonly name white and sweet but somthing common that is white and sweet they have not for evey man apprehends his own affection Now whether the same affection happeneth to any one and to him that is next him from white neither is he able to say as not receiving the affection of the other neither can the other that is next him say as not receiving his affection There being therefore no common affection in us it were a rash thing to assert that whatsoever seemeth such to me seemeth also such to him that is next me for perhaps my constitution is such as to be whitened from that which externally incurreth another hath his sense so ordered as that he is affected otherwise That therefore which is seen and appeareth is not common That by reason of the differing constitutions of the sense we are not moved alike nor in the same manner is manifest from those who have the Iaundies and those that are purblinde and those that are affected according to Nature For as from the same object some are so affected as to be black
so interpreted by Origen and some Platonists expound the Ocean stil'd by Homer Father of Gods and Men this Angelick Minde Principle and Fountain of all other Creatures Gemistius Neptune as Commander of all Waters of all Mindes Angelicall and Humane This is that living Fountain whereof he that drinketh shall never thirst These are the Waters whereon David saith God hath founded the World Sect. XIV POrus the Affluence of Ideas proceeding from God is stiled by Plato the Son of Metis Counsell in Imitation of the Scripture whence our Saviour by Dionysius Areop is termed the Angel of Counsell that is the Messenger of God the Father so Avicen calls the first Cause conciliative the Minde not having Ideas from it selfe but from God by whose Counsell she receiveth Knowledge and Art to frame this visible World Sect. XV. LOve according to Plato is Youngest and Oldest of the Gods They as all other things have a two-fold Being Ideal and Naturall The first God in his Naturall Being was Love who dispenc'd theirs to all the rest the last in his Ideal Love was born in the Descent of the Ideas into the Angelick Minde which could not be perfect till they its Essence were made so by loves conversion to God The Angelick Minde owing its naturall being to Love the other Gods who succeeded this Minde necessarily are younger then He in their naturall Being though they precede him in their Ideal as not born till these Ideas though imperfectly were joyn'd to the inform'd Nature Sect. XVI THe Kingdome of Necessity is said to be before that of Love Every Creature consists of two Natures Materiall the imperfect which we here understand by Necessity and Formall the occasion of perfection That whereof it most partakes is said to be predominant and the Creature to be subject to it Hence is Necessity matter suppos'd to raigne when the Ideas were imperfect and all imperfections to happen during that time all perfections after Love began his reign for when the Minde was by him converted to God that which before was imperfect in her was perfected Sect. XVII VEnus is said to commend Fate The order and concatenation of causes and effects in this sensible World called Fate depends on the order of the Intelligible World Providence Hence Platonists place Providence the ordering of Ideas in the first Minde depending upon God its ultimate end to which it leads all other things Thus Venus being the order of those Ideas whereon Fate the Worlds order depends commands it Fate is divided into three parts Clotho Lachesis and Atropos That which is one in Providence indivisible in Eternity when it comes into Time and Fate is divisible into Past Present and Future Others apply Atropos to the fixed Sphear Clotho to the seven Planets Lachesis to sublunary things Temporall corporeall things only are subjected to Fate the Rationall Soul being incorporeall predominates over it but is subjected to Providence to serve which is true liberty By whom the Will obeying its Lawes is led to the Acquisition of her desired end And as often as she endeavours to loose her selfe from this Servitude of Free she becomes a Servant and Slave to Fate of whom before she was the Mistresse To deviate from the Laws of Providence is to forsake Reason to follow Sense and Irrationall Appetite which being corporeall are under Fate he that serves these is much more a servant then those he serves Sect. XVIII AS from God Ideas descend into the Angelick Mind by which the Love of Intellectuall Beauty is begot in her called Divine Love so the same Ideas descend from the Angelick Minde into the Rationall Soul so much the more imperfect in her as she wants of Angelicall Perfection From these springs Human Love Plato discourseth of the first Plotinus of the latter who by the same Argument whereby he proves Ideas not accidentall but substantiall in the Angelick Minde evinceth likewise the specificall Reasons the Ideas in the Soul to be substantiall terming the Soul Venus as having a specious splendid Love in respect of these specificall Reasons Sect. XIX VUlgar Love is the Appetite of sensible Beauty through corporeall sight The cause of this Beauty is the visible Heaven by its moving power As our motive faculty consists in Muscles and Nerves the Instruments of its Operation so the motive faculty of Heaven is fitted with a Body proper for circular sempiternall motion Through which Body the Soul as a Painter with his Pencill changeth this inferiour matter into various Forms Thus vulgar Venus the beauty of materiall forms hath her casuall being from the moving power of the Heavens her formall from colour enlightned by the visible Sun as Ideas by the invisible her participate in the Figure and just order of parts communicated to sight by mediation of light and colour by whose Interest only it procures love Sect. XX. AS when the Ideas descend into the Minde there ariseth a desire of enjoying that from whence this Ideall Beauty comes so when the species of sensible Beauty flow into the Eye there springs a two-fold Appetite of Union with that whence this Beauty is derived one Sensuall the other Rationall the principles of Bestiall and Human Love If We follow Sense We Judge the Body wherein We behold this Beauty to be its Fountain whence proceedes a desire of Coition the most intimate union with it This is the Love of irrationall Creatures But Reason knowes that the Body is so far from being its Originall that it is destructive to it and the more it is sever'd from the Body the more it enjoyes its own Nature and Dignity We must not fix with the species of Sense in the Body but refine that species from all reliques of corporeall infection And because Man may be understood by the Rationall Soul either considered apart or in its union to the Body in the first sence human Love is the Image of the Celestiall in the second Desire of sensible Beauty this being by the Soul abstracted from matter and as much as its nature will allow made Intellectuall The greater part of men reach no higher than this others more perfect remembring that more perfect Beauty which the Soul before immers'd in the Body beheld are inflam'd with an incredible desire of reviewing it in pursuit whereof they separate themselves as much as possible from the Body of which the Soul returning to its first dignity becomes absolute Mistresse This is the Image of Celestiall Love by which man ariseth from one perfection to another till his Soul wholly united to the Intellect is made an Angell Purged from materiall drosse and transformed into spirituall flame by this Divine Power he mounts up to the Intelligible Heaven and happily rests in his Fathers bosome Sect. XXI VUlgar Love is only in Souls immerst in Matter and overcome by it or at least hindred by perturbations and passions Angelick Love is in the Intellect eternall as it Yet but inferr'd the greater part turning
from the Intellect to sensible things and corporeall cares But so perfect are these Celestiall Souls that they can discharge both Functions rule the Body yet not be taken off from Contemplation of Superiours These the Poets signifie by Ianus with two faces one looking forward upon Sensible things the other on intelligible lesse perfect Souls have but one face and when they turn that to the Body cannot see the Intellect being depriv'd of their contemplation when to the Intellect cannot see the Body neglecting the Care thereof Hence those Souls that must forsake the Intellect to apply themselves to Corporeall Government are by Divine Providence confin'd to caduque corruptible Bodies loosed from which they may in a short time if they fail not themselves return to their Intellectuall felicity Other Soules not hindred from Speculation are tyed to eternall incorruptible Bodies Celestial Souls then design'd by Ianus as the Principles of Time motion intervening behold the Ideal Beauty in the Intellect to love it perpetually and inferiour sensible things not to desire their Beauty but to communicate this other to them Our Souls before united to the Body are in like manner double-fac'd but are then as it were cleft asunder retaining but one which as they turn to either object Sensuall or Intellectuall is deprived of the other Thus is vulgar love inconsistent with the Celestiall and many ravish'd at the sight of Intellectuall Beauty become blinde to sensible imply'd by Callimachus Hymn 5. in the Fable of Tyresias who viewing Pallas naked lost his sight yet by her was made a Prophet closing the eyes of his Body she open'd those of his Minde by which he beheld both the Present and Future The Ghost of Achilles which inspir'd Homer with all Intellectuall Contemplations in Poetry deprived him of corporeal sight Though Celestiall Love liveth eternally in the Intellect of every Soul yet only those few make use of it who declining the Care of the Body can with Saint Paul say Whether in the Body or out of the Body they know not To which state a Man sometimes arrives but continues there but a while as we see in Extasies Sect. XXII THus in our Soul naturally indifferent to sensible or intelligible Beauty there may be three Loves one in the Intellect Angelicall the second Human the third Sensuall the two latter are conversant about the same object Corporeall Beauty the sensuall fixeth its Intention wholly in it the human separates it from matter The greater part of mankind go no further then these two but they whose understandings are purified by Philosophy knowing sensible Beauty to be but the Image of another more perfect leave it and desire to see the Celestial of which they have already a Tast in their Remembrance if they persevere in this Mental Elevation they finally obtain it and recover that which though in them from the beginning yet they were not sensible of being diverted by other Objects The Sonnet I. LOve whose hand guides my Hearts strict Reins Nor though he govern it disdains To feed the fire with pious care Which first himself enkindled there Commands my backward Soul to tell What Flames within her Bosom dwell Fear would perswade her to decline The charge of such a high design But all her weak reluctance fails 'Gainst greater Force no Force avails Love to advance her flight will lend Those wings by which he did descend Into my Heart where he to rest For ever long since built his Nest I what from thence he dictates write And draw him thus by his own Light II. LOve flowing from the sacred spring Of uncreated Good I sing When born how Heaven he moves the soul Informs and doth the World controwl How closely lurking in the heart With his sharp weapons subtle art From heavy earth he Man unites Enforcing him to reach the skies How kindled how he flames how burns By what laws guided now he turns To Heaven now to the Earth descends Now rests 'twixt both to neither bends Apollo Thee I invocate Bowing beneath so great a weight Love guide me through this dark design And imp my shorter wings with thine III. WHen from true Heav'n the sacred Sun Into th' Angelick Mind did run And with enliv'ned Leaves adorn Bestowing form on his first-born Enflamed by innate Desires She to her chiefest good aspires By which reversion her rich Brest With various Figures is imprest And by this love exalted turns Into the Sun for whom she burns This flame rais'd by the Light that shin'd From Heav'n into th' Angelick Mind Is eldest Loves religious Ray By Wealth and Want begot that Day When Heav'n brought forth the Queen whose Hand The Cyprian Scepter doth Command IV. THis born in amorous Cypris arms The Sun of her bright Beauty warms From this our first desire accrues Which in new fetters caught pursues The honourable path that guides Where our eternall good resides By this the fire through whose fair beams Life from above to Mankind streams Is kindled in our hearts which glow Dying yet dying greater grow By this th' immortal Fountain flows Which all Heaven forms below bestows By this descends that shower of light Which upwards doth our minds invite By this th' Eternall Sun inspires And souls with sacred lustre fires V. AS God doth to the Mind dispence Its Being Life Intelligence So doth the Mind the soul acquaint How't understand to move to paint She thus prepar'd the Sun that shines In the Eternal Breast designs And here what she includes diffuses Exciting every thing that uses Motion and sense beneath her state To live to know to operate Inferiour Venus hence took Birth Who shines in heav'n but lives on earth And o're the world her shadow spreads The elder in the Suns Glass reads Her Face through the confused skreen Of a dark shade obscurely seen She Lustre from the Sun receives And to the Other Lustre gives Celestiall Love on this depends The younger vulgar Love attends VI. FOrm'd by th' eternal Look of God From the Suns most sublime abode The Soul descends into Mans Heart Imprinting there with wondrous Art What worth she borowed of her star And brought in her Celestiall Carre As well as humane Matter yields She thus her curious Mansion builds Yet all those fames from the divine Impression differently decline The Sun who 's figu'rd here his Beams Into anothers Bosom streams In whose agreeing soul he staies And guilds it with its virtuous Raies The heart in which Affection 's bred Is thus by pleasing Errour fed VII THe heart where pleasing Errour raigns This object as her Child maintains By the fair light that in her shines A rare Celestiall Gift refines And by degrees at last doth bring To her first splendours sacred spring From this divine Look one Sun passes Through three refulgent Burning-glasses Kindling all Beauty which the Spirit The Body and the Mind inherit These rich spoiles by th' eye first caught Are to the Souls next Handmaid brought Who
he is Man by the Intellectuall communicates with Angels As Man he dies reviv'd an Angell Thus the Heart dies in the flames of Intellectuall Love yet consumes not but by this death growes greater receives a new and more sublime life See in Plato the Fables of Alcestes and Orpheus V. This Stanza is a description of sensible Beauty The elder in the Suns glasse reads Her face through the confused skreen Of a dark shade obscurely seen Sensible light is the act and efficacy of Corporeall spirituall light of Intelligible Beauty Ideas in their descent into the inform Angelick Minde were as colours and figures in the Night As he who by Moon-light seeth some fair object desires to view and enjoy it more fully in the day so the Minde weakly beholding in her selfe the Ideal Beauty dim and opacous whch our Author calls the skreen of a dark shade by reason of the Night of her imperfection turns like the Moon to the eternall Sun to perfect her Beauty by him to whom addressing her selfe she becomes Intelligible light clearing the Beauty of Celestiall Venus and rendring it visible to the eye of the first Minde In sensible Beauty we consider first the object in it selfe the same at Midnight as at Moon Secondly the light in a manner the Soul thereof the Author supposeth that as the first part of sensible Beauty corporeall forms proceeds from the first part of Intellectual Beauty Ideal forms so sensible light flowes from the intelligible descending upon Ideas VI. VII VIII Corporeall Beauty implies first the materiall disposition of the Body consisting of quantity in the proportion and distance of parts of quality in figure and colour Secondly a certain quality which cannot be exprest by any term better then Gracefulnesse shining in all that is fair This is properly Venus Beauty which kindles the fire of Love in Mankinde They who affirm it results from the disposition of the Body the sight figure and colour of features are easily confuted by experience We sâ—e many persons exact and unaccustomable in every part destitute of this grace and comlinesse others lesse perfect in those particular conditions excellently gracefull and comely Thus Catullus Many think Quintia beauâ—ious fair and tall And sâ—reight she is apart I grant her all But altogether beautious I deny For not one grace doth that large shape supply He grants her perfection of quality figure and quantity yet not allowes her handsome as wanting this Grace This then must by consequence be ascribed to the Soul which when perfect and lucid transfuseth even into the Body some Beams of its Splendour When Moses came from the divine Vision in the Mount his face did shine so exceedingly that the people could not behold it unlesse vail'd Porphyrius relates that when Plotinus his soul was elevated by divine Contemplation an extraordinary brightnesse appeared in his looks plotinus himselfe averres that there was never any beautifull Person wicked that this Gracefulnesse in the Body is a certain sign of perfection in the Soul Proverbs 17. 24. Wisdome shineth in the countenance of the Wise. From materiall beauty wee ascend to the first Fountain by six Degrees the Soule through the sight represents to her self the Beauty of some particular person inclines to it is pleased with it and while she rests here is in the first the most imperfect material degree 2. She reforms by her imagination the Image she hath received making it more perfect as more spirituall and separating it from Matter brings it a little nearer Ideal Beauty 3. By the light of the agent Intellect abstracting this Form from all singularity she considers the universall Nature of Corporeal Beauty by it self This is the highest degree the Soul can reach whilst she goes no further then Sense 4. Reflecting upon her own Operation the knowledge of universall Beauty and considering that every thing founded in matter is particular shee concludes this universality proceeds not from the outward Object but her Intrinsecal Power and reasons thus If in the dimme Glasse of Materiall Phantasmes this Beauty is represented by vertue of my Light it follows that beholding it in the clear Mirrour of my substance divested of those Clouds it will appear more perspicuous thus turning into her self shee findes the Image of Ideal Beauty communicated to her by the Intellect the Object of Celestiall Love 5. Shee ascends from this Idea in her self to the place where Celestiall Venus is in her proper form Who in fulness of her beauty not being comprehensible by any particular Intellect she as much as in her lies endeavours to be united to the first Mind the chiefest of Creatures and general Habitation of Ideal Beauty obtaining this she terminates and sixeth her journey this is the sixt and last degree They are all imply'd in the 6 7 and 8 Stanza's Form'd by th' Eternal look c. Platonists affirm some Souls are of the nature of Saturn others of Iupiter or some other Planet meaning one Soul hath more Conformity in its Nature with the Soul of the Heaven of Saturn then with that of Iupiter and so on the contrary of which there can be no internal Cause assigned the External is God who as Plato in his Timâ—eus Soweth and scattereth Souls some in the Moon others in other Planets and Stars the Instruments of Time Many imagine the Rational Soul descending from her Star in her Vehiculum Coeleste of her self forms the Body to which by that Medium she is united Our Author upon these grounds supposeth that into the Vehiculum of the Soul by her endued with Power to form the Body is infused from her Star a particular formative vertue distinct according to that Star thus the aspect of one is Saturnine of another Joviall c. in their looks wee read the nature of their Souls But because inferiour matter is not ever obedient to the Stamp the vertue of the Soul is not alwaies equally exprest in the visible Effigies hence it happens that two of the same Nature are unlike like the matter whereof the one consists being lesse disposed to receive that Figure then the other what in that is compleat is in this imperfect our Author infers that the figures of two Bodies being formed by vertue of the same Star this Conformity begets Love From the Suns most sulime aboad The Tropick of Cancer by which Soules according to Platonists descend ascending by Capricorn Cancer is the House of the Moon who predominates over the vitall parts Capricorn of Saturn presiding over Contemplation The Heart in which affection 's bred Is thus by pleasing Errour fed Frequently if not alwaies the Lover believes that which hee loves more beautious then it is he beholds it in the Image his Soul hath formed of it so much fairer as more separate from Matter the Principle of Deformity besides the Soul is more Indulgent in her Affection to this Species considering it is her own Child produc'd in her Imagination one Sun passes Through three
but more gain For your sake to dy would please Toyle and torments were but ease You direct men in pursuit Of immortall sacred fruit Richer far then gold refin'd Soft as sleep as parents kinde Great Alcides for your sake Labours vast did undertake Leda's valiant twins made known More your glories then their own Ajax and Achilles too Only dy'd for love of you Ah! for you Atarna's pride Hermias untimely dy'd But his name we will revive That our Muse shal keep alive Paying hospitable Jove Pious thanks for a friends love There wanted not those who cast many aspersions and calumnies upon this Vertuous friendship some affirm'd that Hermias lov'd Aristotle inordinately an imputation not well suiting with an Eunuch and that for this Reason he gave him Pythais to wife whom Suidas and the Greek Etymologist affirm to have been his Daughter either by Nature or Adoption Demetrius Magnesius his Neece Aristippus his Concubine so little do they agree in their relation They adde that Aristotle was so passionately in Love with her that he sacrificed to her after the same manner as the Athenians to Ceres at Eleusis This Laertius relates as done whilst she was alive But Lyco first Author of this calumny that it was after her death Moreover that Aristotle in a thankfull acknowledgement of his Bounty wrote a Paean in praise of Hermias meaning the Hymn last mentioned which Athenaeus proveth against the calumniations of Demophilus not to be a sacred hymne or Paean but a Scolion or Festivall Song Hence Theocritus the Chian derides him in this Epigram To the slave Eunuch who Atarne swai'd An empty tombe empty Aristotle made Who from the Academy did retire To wallow in vain pleasures faithless mire In answer to these calumnies first raised by Lyco dispersed further by Aristippus and continued by those that maligne the memory of Aristotle Apellieo writ certain Books wherein he accurately confutes those who durst in this manner impudently blaspheme such are his words the name of Aristotle so much prejudice and malice being in the accusation as might easily argue the falsenesse thereof Upon the death of Hermias Aristotle and with Xenocrates fled from Atarna to Mitylene as Apollodorus and Dionysius Halicarnassaeus affirm in the fourth year of the 108. Olympiad Eubulus being Archon CHAP. V. How he lived with Philip and Alexander ABout this time Philip King of Macedonia Father of Alexander taking care for the Education of his Son now growing towards mans estate and unwilling saith Plutarch to commit his Education to Professors of Musick or any other of the liberall Sciences as knowing him fit for higher designes sent to Aristotle the most famous and learned of Philosophers to come and instruct him Agellius recites his Epistle which was to this effect Philip to Aristotle health KNow that I have a Son I render the Gods many thanks not so much for his birth as that he was born in your time for I hope that being educated and instructed by you he will become worthy both of us and the Kingdom which he shall inherit Aristotle at this request of Philip went to Macedonia to him in the 4th year of the 108. Olympiad as Apollodorus and Dioâ—ystus Halicarnassaeus affirm at what time Alexander was fifteen yeares old He lived there infinitely esteem'd and beloved of Philip and Olympia his Wife Alexander's Mother They caused his Statue to be made and set up in honour of him Philip had a kindnesse to particular for him that he allo'wd him in manner an equal share in the Government of the Kingdom which interest Ammonius saith he employed to the advantage as well of private persons as of the publick as appeareth saith the Latine Interpreter of his life by his Epistles to Philip. Plutarch affirmâ—s that Philip as a recompence to Aristotle reedified the Town where hee was born Stagira which he had before laid wast He likewise assign'd him a School and study near Mieza a Town of Macedonia not far from thence where unto this day saith Pluâ—arch they shew the stony seats and shady walks of Aristotle He instructed Alexander in the deepest parts of Learning not only in Ethick and Politicks but his most reserved and solid Doctrines call'd Acroatick and Epoptick never communicated to the Vulgar That he taught him likewise the Art of Medicine Plutarch argueth for as much as Alexander was not only exceedingly delighted with the Theory thereof but practised it successfully upon many of his friends to whom he prescribed Receipts and diets as appeareth saith he by his Epistle Perceiving Alexander to be much taken with Homer's Iliads as conceiving and calling it the bestâ—â—stitution of military Vertue he took much pains in correcting and restoring the text and then gave it to Alexander which copy â—he infinitely prised He writ a Book to Alexander intituled Of a Kingdom mentioned by Laertius and Ammonius wherein he instructed him how to rule So much did he incline the mind of Alexander to do goodâ— that he used to say if any day pass'd wherein he had not conferred some benefit I have not reign'd to day Alexander so much affected him that he professed he admired and loved him no lesse then his Father because his Father he said only gave him being but Aristotle well-being The love which Philip and Alexander bore him was so great that Theocritus the Chian cast the same aspersion upon it as he did on his friendship with Hermias In the first year of the 111th Olympiad Pythodorus being Archon Philip dyed and was succeeded by his Son Alexander whose active spirit soon after his coming to the Crown designed an expedition against the King of Persia. Hereupon Aristotle having now lived with Alexander eight years though Justine saith but five which some interpret of the time before Philips death but not without some violence for that was above seven preferring the quiet of a Contemplative life before the troubles of War took leave of him returned to Athens leaving in his room Callisthenes an Olynthian his Kinsman Son of his Cozen Hero and Disciple whom before his departure observing to speak with too much liberty and obstinacy to the King he reproved in these words Son if thou thus employ thy tongue Thy thread of life cannot be long And so it came to passe not long after upon this occasion Hermolaus Son of Sopolis a youth of a noble Family that studied Philosophy under Callisthenes hunting the Wild Bore with Alexander prevented the King by casting his dart first at him for which he was by the Kings command punished with many stripes Troubled at the ignominy thereof he conspired with Sostratus Antipater and some other companions of his to murther Alexander which treason being discovered by Epimenes one of the Conspirators they were all put to death Aristobulus and Ptolemaeus Son of Lagus affirms they accused Callisthenes as him who instigated them to this attempt Hereupon Callisthenes was
concluding as Zeno used more shortly and narrowly 〈…〉 reprehension As a River in its course cannot at all or very â—â—rdly be corrupted but water shut up 〈◊〉 So by 〈…〉 the faults of the oppoâ—â— are carried quite away in 〈…〉 speech they are not easily defendâ—◠〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But each of these methods hath a severall use the 〈◊〉 proper for exposition of Aâ—s and Sciâ—nces the othâ—â— for 〈◊〉 THE SECOND PART CHAP. I. ETHICK and the parts thereof THE Morall part of Philosophy is divided into these places Of appetite Of good and ill Of passions Of Virtue of the End Of the first aestimation of Actions Offices exhortations and dehortations Thus distinguisheth Chrysippus Archidemus Zeno of Tarsis Apollodorus Diogenes the Babylonians Antipater and Possidonius But Zeno the Cittiean and Cleanthes as being more antient were lesse accurate in their manner of treating upon these things CHAP. II. Of Appetite THE consideration of Ethick beginneth properly from Appetite Appetite is moved by Phantasie of an Office for it is the impulsion of the soul to somthing Appetite in rationall and irrationall Creatures is different 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not rationall appetite but a species of rationall appetite Rational appetite is defined an impulsion of the intellect to the doing of somthing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a species of practick appetite being an impulsion of the Intellect to somthing future Hence appetite is taken four waies for rationall and irrationall inclination and for rationall and irrationall aversion To these may be added the habit of Appetition which is likewise called appetite the Origine of all appetitive acts Of practick appetite there are many species of which are 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Designation 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an appetite before appetite 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an action before action 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an appetite to somthing now existent 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a will by ratiocination 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Will before Will 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an appetite joined with reason 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spontaneous Will CHAP. III. Of first naturall Appetite THe first appetite of a living creature is to preserve it self this being from the beginning proper to it by nature as Chrysippus in his first Book of Ends who affirmes that the care of our selves and consciousnesse thereof is the first property of all living Creatures For Nature producing a living Creature intended either to alienate it from it self or to commend unto its own care but the first is not likely it followeth therefore that Nature commendeth to every thing the preservation of it selfe whereby it repulseth whatsoever is hurtfull and pursueth what is convenient As soon therefore as a living Creature cometh into the World it is conciliated to it self commended to the conâ—ervation of it self and its own state and to the election of such things as may preserve its state but alienated from destruction and from all such things as may destroy it This is manifest in as much as before the accession of pleasure or grief young creatures desire those things which conduce to their wellfare and refuse the contrary which would not be if they did not love their own state and fear destruction Neither could they desire any thing without having some sense of themselves whereby they love themselves and what belongs to them Hence it is manifest that the principle of this love is derived from themselves Whereas some must hold the first appetite of a living creature to be that of pleasure that is false The greater part of Stoicks conceive that Pleasure is not to be placed amongst the naturall principles of love to our selves for if nature had so ordered it many dishonest things would have followed Pleasure is an after-accession when as Nature enquiring by it self into it self receiveth those things which are agreeable to its constitution after which manner living creatures are exhilarated and plants sprout forth Nature hath thus far made no difference betwixt plants and living creatures that whereas plants are ordered without appetite or sense there is in living creatures something according to the nature of plants But there being over and above in living creatures an innate appetite whereby they go to those things that are proper for them the naturall part in them is governed by the appetitive That we naturally love those things which are first proposed unto us by nature may be argued from hence in that there is no man if both were put to his choice but had rather have all his limbs able and sound rather then uselesse and imperfect These comprehensions we conceive fit to be acquired for their own sake because they have in themselves something as it were complex including Truth This is discernable in young ones whom we see delighted though it nothing concernes them if they themselves finde out any thing by reason Even the Arts we conceive to be assumed for themselves aswell because in these there is something worthy assumption as because they consist of knowledge and contain somethings constituted by reason and power CHAP. IV. Of Appetites consequent to the first THus according to the first innate principles of Nature those things which are according to nature being expetible in themselves their contraries avoidable in themselves the first office is to conserve it selfe in the state of nature the next to obtain those things which are according to nature Here beginneth good to be first understood for it is the first conciliation of man to things according to nature This Good as soon as man receiveth intelligence or notion thereof and seeth the order and concord of Offices he esteemeth far above those things which he formerly loved and by rationall knowledge collecteth that herein is placed the chief good of man laudable and expetible in it selfe To this chiefe good which consisteth in homologie or convenience all honest actions having reference honesty it selfe which is reckoned amongst the good though it rise afterward is notwithstanding alone expetible in its own power and dignity But of those which are the first objects of nature none is expetible in it selfe Now whereas offices proceed from the first naturall objects they must necessarily be referred to the same so as all Offices tend to the fulfilling of the first naturall appetites yet not so as if therein consisted the ultimate good Honest action is in the first conciliation of nature for it is consequent and ariseth as we said afterward yet it is according to nature and much more allective then all that go before it And seeing that all offices proceed from the first naturall appetites even wisdome it selfe must be derived from thence likewise But as it often happens that he who is recommended to another more esteemeth him to whom he is recommended then the person which recommended him so it is not strange that we being recommended to