98.20 Silence for five yeeres enjoyned by the Pythagoreans 139.10 Silence commended 194.40.242.20 Silence of Zeno. 194.30 commendable in yoong men 13.1 Silon the bould 634.20 Simonides his sage admonition to Pausanias 513.40 his saying of silence and speaking 614.20 he devised foure letters in the alphabet 789.20 Simonides aged 385.20 in his old age covetous 397.1 Sinatus espoused Camma 500.40 Sinistrum in latin what it signifieth and whereof it is derived 876.10 Sinorix enamoured of Camma 500 50. he murdreth Sinatus 501.1 Sinus equal according to the Stoicks 74.40 Sipylus a city in Magnesia 1082 Siramines a Persian his apophthegme 402.50 Sirenes in Homer 798.1 Sirenes upon the stars sphares 797.40.1146.50 why the muses were called Sirenes 798 Sisachthia in Athens what it was 359.40 〈◊〉 by Solon 1284.30 Sirius the dogge starre 1036.20 Sistrū what it signifieth 1312.10 Six a perfect number and the 〈◊〉 1031.1 Skic called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 810.1 Skoffes which they be wherein men delight to be skoffed 664.20 Sleepe to bee regarded in case of health 618.10 Sleepe after supper 623.10 Sleepe procured by cold 689.40 how occasioned 847.50 whether it be common to body and soule 848.20 Sleepe how procured by aromatical smels 1319.20 Smalach if it be troden upon groweth the better 746.30 Smalach wreathes used for coronets in the Isthmike games 718.1 why given with provender to Achilles horses 720.1 Smelling how it is effected 848.20 Smilax a plant whereof the shadow is hurtfull 684.40 Smy one of the names of Typhon 1312.1 Smyrna enamoured of her owne father Cinyras 912.40 Snow how it commeth 828.10 Snow from out of Aegypt 613.50 why it thaweth so soone upon Ivy. 686.20 Snow keepeth flesh long sweet 774.10 Snow preserved in warme things as chaffe and clothes 735.30 a most subtile and piercing substance 739.50 Socrates permitted to doe what he would in his 〈◊〉 by directiō from the oracle 1218.1 Socrates guided by his familiar ib. 10 Socrates his patience repressing choler 12.30 opposite to Alexis the poet 27.50 Socrates had a familiar 600.30 Socrates the wrestler his precepts as touching health 618.50.619.50 Socrates the Philosopher his opinion of the first principles 808.10 Socrates his familiar spirit 1208.30 his birth-day solemnized 765.50 he drunke poison willingly 299.20 whether sneezing were the familiar of Socrates 1209.20 he bridleth anger 1110.30 he is defended against Colotes 1119. 1. a goodstates man and mainteiner of lawes 1128.10 resolute and constant in all his courses 1209. why he is named a midwife or physician 1016.40.50 Socrates why he was condemned and put to death 1266.30 his apophthegme of the great king of Persia. 7.10 his enimies were odious to the world 235.30 how he cooled his thirst 205.30 endured the shrewdnesse of Xantippe 242.40 Socrates and Plato both of one opinion 808.10 what they thought of God 812.10 Solon opposeth himselfe against the designes of Pisistratus 397.30 he held them infamous who in a civill dissention tooke neither part 379.30 Solon abused and discredited by his friends 359.40 whom he deemed happy 96.20 Solon chosen jointly by all the factions in Athens 1149.10 Soluble how the body is to be made 624.10 Sonnes enterred their parents with heads covered but daughters bare headed 854.50 Sonchis a priest or prophet of Sais in Aegypt 1291.10 Soothsaiers of divers sorts 1221.30 Sophocles his answer as touching venerte 211.10 he tooke joy in his old age 390.1 he rejoiceth for being disabled for wanton pleasures 590.50 Sorow a violent passion 510.1 Sorow for the dead 521.50 to be resisted at the first 533.30 Sotades paid for his lavish tongue 13.20 Soteres 1122.1.1278.40 Soteria 1121.50 Sothe or Sothis a starre 968.30 Sothis what starre 1295.50 Spring and fountaines dried up 1345.40 Soule of man what it is according to sundry philosophers 65 20.30. c Soule of the world 65.50 Soule of man how divided 833.40 Soule what it is 1023.50 Soule of the world what it is 1033.10 Soule in infants when and how engendred 1079.40 the Soule a chiefe instrument of God 345.20 Soule sicknesse woorse than 〈◊〉 of the body 314.30 substance of the Soule 833.50 Soule hath two parts 834.20 Soules estate after this life 1182.40.50 Soule reasonable where it is seated 834.30.40 Soules motion 834.50 Soule whether immortall or no. 835.1.10 Soules not affected onely according to the body 714.1 Soules delights and food apart from the body 714.10 Soule why it is supposed to be a light 608.40 Soules of good men after this life 608.50.609.1 Soules of the wicked after this life 609.10 Soule why called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1079.10 Sous his devise to beguile his enimies 469.20 Sp. what it signifieth 884.40 Space or roome what it is 815.20 Spadix what it is 772.50 wilde Sparage adorned the newe brides head 316.20 Speech of two sorts 290.40 Speeches premeditate preferred before those which are extempore 7.40 Speech with what moderation to be used 8.30 Speeches short and pithy of the Lacedaemonians 103.1 Speculative philosophie 804.40 Spertis his resolution for his countrey 474.1 Speusippus reclaimed by his uncle Plato 190.40 Sphagitides 660.30 Sphinges whence they came 568.50 Sphinx held the rocke Phycion 565.30 Sphinges why portraied upon the church porches in Aegypt 1290.50 Sphragistae what Priests 1299.50 Spiders how they weave their copwebs 959.30 Spintharus his commendation of Epaminondas 53.20.1221.10 Spongotheres what fish and his nature 974.40 Sports admitted at feasts 652.50 Spoyles of enemies suffered all Rome to run to decay 863.20 Springs of hot water be wondered at 1012.50 Spurij who they be 884.40 Spunges of the sea and their properties 974.50 Stags weepe salt teares but wilde Bores shed sweet drops 746.30 why called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 970.30 their naturall wit 965 10 Starres whence they have their illumination 822.1 Starres how made 808. 30. of what substance they be 820.50 the order situation and mooving of Starres 821.30 Starres shooting 827.30 Starres motion 821.50 their signification 822.30 Starfish how crafty he is 972.40 Stasicrates a famous Architect his device to portray K. Alexander 1275.30 A States-man what kind of person he ought to be 348.10 A States-man or governour whether he may execute base and meane offices for the Common-wealth 364 States-men are to consider the natures and humours of the subjects under them 349.20.350.10.20 A States-man ought first to reforme himselfe 350.20 when and how he may scoffe 354.30 How States-men may rise to credit and reputation 356 40.50.357.1.10. c Yoong States-men and Rulers whom they are to joine unto 358.40 what friends they are to chuse 358.50 Stationary plants 247.50 Station or Rest rejected 815.50 Statues rejected by Agesilaus 446.50 Step-mothers jealous over their daughters in law 321.40 Stereometrie 1019.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof derived 1153.40 Sthenelus Diomedes compapared 38.1 Sthenelus commended for praising himselfe 303.20 Sthenius a resolute man for his countrey 438.1 Sthenia games of prize 1256.40 Sthenon 370.1 Stilbon what starre 821.40 Stilpo his apophthegme of K.
trot when they the sports remember Of lovely Venus leape for joy no cares their heart encomber So verily in these solemne pompes processions and sacrifices not onely the aged husband and the old wife the poore man that liveth in low and private estate but also The fat legd wench well under laid Which to the mill bestirs full yerne Her good round stumpes and well appaid To grinde her griest doth turne the querne the houshold hines and servants and the mercenarie day-labourers who get their living by the sweat of their browes doe altogether leape for mirth and joy of heart Kings and princes keepe great cheere in their roiall courts and make certeine roiall and publike feasts for all commers but those which they hold in the sacred temples at sacrifices and solemnities of the gods performed with fragrant perfumes and odoriforous incense where it seemeth that men approch neerest unto the majestie of the gods thinke they even touch them and be conversant with them in all honour and reverence such seasts I say yeeld a more rare joy and singular delectation than any other whereof he hath no part at all who denieth the providence of God for it is not the abundance and plentie of wine there drunke nor the store of roast sodden meat there eaten which yeeldeth joy and contentment at such solemue seasts but the assured hope and full perswasion that God is there present propitious favourable and gracious and that he accepteth in good part the honour and service done unto him For some feasts and sacrifices there be where there is no musicke at all of flutes and hautboies ne yet any chaplets and garlands of flowers used at all but a sacrifice where no god is present like as a temple without a sacred feast or holy banquet is profane unfestivall impious irreligious and without divine inspiration and devotion and to speake better wholly displeasant and odious to himselfe that offereth it for that he counterfeiteth by hypocrisie praiers and adorations onely in a shew and otherwise than he meaneth for feare of the mulutude and pronounceth words cleane contrary unto the opinions which he holdeth in Philosophie when he sacrificeth he standeth by the priest as he would by a cooke or butcher who cutteth the throat of a sheepe and after he hath sacrificed he goes his way home saying thus to himselfe I have sacrificed a sheepe as men ordinarily do unto the gods who have no care and regard of me For so it is that Epicurus teacheth his scholars to set a good countenance of the matter and neither to envie nor incurre the hatred of the common sort when they are disposed to be merie but seeming others in practise and themselves inwardly in being displeased with things done for according as Euenus saith What things are done perforce by us Displeasant be and odious Hereupon it is that they themselves do say and holde That superstitious persons are present at sacrifices and religious ceremonies not for any joy or pleasure they take there but upon a feare that they have and verily herein no difference is betweene them and superstitious folke in case it be so that they doe the same things for feare of the world which the other do for feare of the gods nay rather they be in a worse condition than those in that they have not so much hope of good as they but onely stand alwaies in dread and be troubled in mind lest they should be detected and discovered for abusing and deceiving the world by their counterfeit hypocrisie in regard of which feare they have themselves written books and treatises of the gods and of deitie so composed that they be full of ambiguities and nothing is therein soundly or cleerely delivered they do so maske disguise and cover themselves and all to cloake and hide the opinions which in deed they hold doubting the furie of the people Thus much concerning two sorts of men to wit the wicked and the simple or common multitude now therefore let us consider of a third kinde such as be of the best marke men of worth and honour most devout and religious in deed namely what sincere and pure pleasures they have by reason of the perswasion that they hold of God beleeving firmly that he is the ruler and director of all good persons the authour and father from whom proceed all things good and honest and that it is not lawfull to say or beleeve that he doth evill no more than to be perswaded that he suffereth evill for good he is by nature and looke whatsoever is good conceiveth no envie to any is fearefull of none neither is it moved with anger or hatred of ought for like as heat can not coole a thing but alwaies naturally maketh it hot so that which is good can not hurt or do ill Now anger and favour be farre remote one from the other so is choler and bitter gall much different from mildnesse and benevolence as also malice and frowardnesse are opposite unto bountie meeknesse and humanitie for that the one sort ariseth from vertue and puissance the other from weakenesse and vice Now are we not to thinke that the divine power is given to be wrathfull and gracious alike but to beleeve rather that the proper nature of God is alwaies to be helpfull and beneficiall whereas to be angry and to doe harme is not so naturall but that mightie Jupiter in heaven he descendeth from thence first downe to the earth to dispose and ordeine all things after him other gods of whom the one is surnamed The Giver another Mild and Bounteous a third Protectour or Defender as for Apollo as Pindarus saith Who doth in winged chariot flie Amid the starres in a zure skie To every man in his affaire Reputed is most debonaire Now as Diogenes was wont to say all things are Gods and likewise among friends all things are common and good men are Gods friends even so impossible it is that either he who is devout and a lover of God should not be withall happie or that a vertuous temperate and just man should not likewise be devout and religious Thinke ye then that these who denie the government of Gods providence need other punishment or be not punished sufficiently for their impietie in that they cut themselves from so great joy and pleasure as we finde in our selves we I say who are thus well given and religiously affected toward God The greatest joy that Epicurus stood upon and bare himselfe so boldly were Metrodorus Polyaenus Aristobulus and such and those he was alwaies emploied about either in curing and tending them when they were sicke or in bewailing them after they were dead whereas Lycurgus was honoured even by the prophetesse Pythia in these tearmes A man whom Jupiter did love And all the heavenly saints above As for Socrates who had a familiar spirit about him whom he imagined to speake and reason friendly with him even of kindnesse and good will and
shew the singular providence of God in the preservation of States and confusion of such wicked members as disturbe the publicke peace But in this recitall there is inserted and that with good grace a digression as touching the familiar spirit of Socrates by occasion of a Pythagorean Philosopher newly come out of Italie to Thebes for to take up the bones of Lysis for by occasion that Galaxidorus the Epicurean derided the superstition of this stranger praising withall the wisdome and learning of Socrates who had cleered and delivered Philosophie from all fantasticall illusions of spirits and ghosts Theocritus bringeth in an example of a certeine prediction of this familiar spirit But withall when the other had demanded the question whether the same were an humane and naturall thing or no the disputation began to kindle and waxe hote untill such time as Epaminondas and this stranger named Theanor came in place and then they fell into 〈◊〉 of povertie and riches by occasion that Theanor offered silver unto the The bans in recompense of their kindnesse and good enterteinment shewed unto Lysis And as they would have proceeded forward in this argument there came one who ministred occasion for to returne unto the former narration as touching the enterprise and exploit of the said exiled persons in which there is intermingled againe a treatise concerning the familiar of Socrates with a large recitall of the fable of Timarchus After which Caphisias rehearseth the issue of the tragaedie of the tyrants shewing thorowout notable discourses of the divine wisdome and joining therewith a consideration of Socrates his wisedome guiding and directing to a particular plot for the good of all Greece But in this place the reader must remember and call to minde who this Socrates was to wit a man destitute of the true knowledge of God and therefore he is to holde for suspected and naught this familiar spirit of his if a man would receive and admit the opinion of some interloquutors who suppose it was a Daemon or spirit from without to the end that we should not rest upon revelation inspirations and guidances of angels unlesse it be of such the testimonies whereof are grounded upon the holy scripture but flie from the profane curiositie of certeine fantcsticall heads who by their books published abroad in print have dared to revive and raise up againe this false opinion which some in this age of ours have of samiliar spirits by whom they are for sooth as well advised and as surely taught and instructed as by the very spirit of God speaking unto us by his written word OF THE DAEMON OR familiar spirit of Socrates ARCHIDAMUS I Have heard as I remember ô Caphisias a prety speech of a certaine painter making a comparison of those who came to see the pictures and tables which he had painted for he was woont to say that the ignorant beholders and such as had no skill at all in the art of painting resembled them who saluted a whole multitude of people all at once but the better sort and such as were skilfull were like unto those who used to salve every one whom they met severally by name for that the former had no exquisit insight into the works but a superficiall and generall knowledge onely whereas the other contrariwise judging every piece and part thereof will not misse one jote but peruse consider and censure that which is well done or otherwise Semblably it falleth out in my judgement as touching trueactions indeed which are not painted The conceit and understanding of the more idle and carelesse persons resteth in this bare knowledge in case they conceive only the summary and issue of a thing but that of studious and diligent persons and lovers of faire and goodly things like unto a judicious and excellent spectator of vertue as of some great and singular art taketh more pleasure to heare the particularities in speciall for that the end of matters ordinarily hath many things common with fortune but the good wit is better seene in causes in the vertue of particular occurrences affaires which are presented as when valour sheweth it selfe not astonied but considerate and well advised in the greatest perils where the discourse of reason is mingled with passion which the sudden occasion of danger presented doth bring Supposing then that we also are of this kinde of spectators declare you to us now in order from the beginning how this matter did passe and proceed in the execution thereof as also what talke and discourse was held there for that by all likelihood you were present and for mine owne part so desirous I am to heare that I would not faile to go as farre as to Thebes for the knowledge thereof were it not that I am thought already of the Athenians to favorise the Boeotians more than I should CAPHISIAS Certes Archidamus since you are so earnest and forward to learne how these affaires were managed I ought in regard of the good will which you beare unto us before any businesse whatsoever as Pindarus saith to have come hither expresly for to relate the same unto you but since we are hither come in embassage already and at good leasure whiles we attend what answere and dispatch the people of Athens will give us in making it strange and goodly and refusing to satisfie so civill a request of a personage so kinde and well affectionate to his friends were as much as to revive the olde reproch imputed upon the Boeotians to wit that they hate good letters and learned discourses which reproch began to weare away with your Socrates and in so doing it seemeth that we treat of affaires with two priests and therefore see whether the Seigniors here present be disposed to heare the report of so many speeches and actions for the narration will not be short considering that you will me to adjoine thereto the words that passed also ARCHIDAMUS You know not the men ô Caphisias and yet well woorthy they are to be knowen for noble persons they had to their fathers and those who had beene well affected to our countrey As for him pointing to Lysithides he is quoth he the nephew of Thrasibulus but he here is Timotheus the sonne of Conon those there be the children of Archinus and the other our familiar friends So that you shall be sure to have a well willing auditorie and such as will take pleasure to heare this narration CAPHISIAS You say well But where were I best to begin my speech in regard of those matters that ye have already heard and knowen which I would not willingly repeat ARCHIDAMUS We know reasonably well in what state the citie of Thebes stood before the returne of the banished persons and namely how Archias and Leontidas had secred intelligence and complotted with Phoebidas the Lacedaemonian captaine whom they perswaded during the time of truce to surprise the castle of Cadmus and how having executed this disseigne they drave some citizens
apparitions and all such foolish toies and vanties which paradventure is not unbeseeming nor unprofitable for polititians and statists who are forced to frame themselves to a stubberne disordinate multitude for to reclaime and to pull backe the common vulgar sort by superstition as it were by the bit of a bridle unto that which is expedient for them But this maske seemeth not onely undecent and unseemely for Philosophy but also contrary to the profession thereof which promiseth to teach us all that which is good and profitable with reason and afterwards referreth the begining of our actions unto the gods as if it contemned reason and disgraced the proofe of demonstration wherein it seemeth to be most excellent turning aside to I wot not what oracles and visions in dreames wherein oftentimes the wickedest man in the word findeth as much as the very best And therefore in mine opinion our Socrates ô Simmias used that maner of teaching which is most worthy and befitting a Philosopher to wit simple plaine without all fiction chusing it as most free and frendly unto the trueth rejecting and turning upon the Sophisters all such vanity as the very fume and smoake of Philosophy Then Theocritus taking his turne to speake How now quoth he Galaxidorus hath Melitus perswaded you as well as he made the judges beleeve that Socrates dispised the gods and all divine powers For this is that which he chargeth him with before the Athenians In no wise quoth he as touching those heavenly powers but having received from the hands of Pythagoras and Empedocles Philosophy full of ridiculus fables fantasticall illusions and vaine superstition he acquainted us playing thus the foole in good earnest and being drunke with furie to take up betimes and wisely to cleacve unto things of substance yea and to acknowledge that in sober reason consisteth the trueth Be it so quoth Theocritus but as touching the familiar spirit of Socrates what shall we thinke or say of it was it a cogging lie and mere fable or what should we call it For in mine owne conceit like as Homer faigneth that Minerva was evermore assistant in all the travels and perils of Ulysses even so from the very first beginning this divine spirit allotted unto Socrates a certaine vision which guided him in all the actions of his life this onely went and walked before him it was a light unto him in all those affaires wherein nothing could be seene and which possibly might not be gathered nor comprehended by reason and wisedome of man insomuch as many times this spirit spake with him inspiring directing and governing after a heavenly maner his intentions Now hee that would know a greater number of proofes and those more woonderfull let them heare Simmias speake others who lived familiarly with him as for my selfe I wil relate one example which I saw with mine owne eies and where I was in person present One day when I went to consult with the divinor or soothsaier Euthyphron Socrates went up as you may remember well ô Simmias for present you were there also toward a place called Symbolon and the house of Andocides asking all the way as we went troubling Euthyphron with many questions merily and by way of sport but all on a sudden he staied and rested very studious and musing with himselfe a good while then he turned backe and went along the street where ioyners dwelt that made coffers and chests and called not those of his familiar friends who were gone before the other way for to have them returne for why his familiar spirit forbad him to go forward as he began thus the greater part of them retired and went with him among them I my selfe was one following evermore Euthyphron hard at heeles but some other of the yonger sort would needs goe streight on still of a very deliberate purpose to crosse and convince the familiar spirit of Socrates and drew along with them Charillus the plaier upon the slute who was then come with me to Athens for to visit Cebes Now when they went by the shops of the imagers neere the common halles and courts of justice they might see before them a mightie heard of hogges as thicke as one might stand by another full of dirt and mire and bearing downe all before them by reason of their great number and for that there was no meanes to turne aside from them they overthrew some of the yoong men abovesaid and laid them along on the ground yea and all to be raied the rest of their fellowes Thus returned Charillus home to his lodging with his legges his thighes and all his clothes fouly bedaubed with filthy dirt in such sort as he maketh us remember many times and that with good laughing the familiar of Socrates and causeth us to marvell how that divine power never forsooke this man but had evermore a care and charge of him in all places and occasions whatsoever Then quoth Galaxidorus Thinke you that this familiar spirit of Socrates was some proper and peculiar power and not a parcell of that universall and common necessitie which confirmed this man by long experience to give the counterpoise and over-weight for to make him encline to or fro in things obscure and hard to be conjectured and guessed at by discourse of reason For like as one pound weight by it selfe alone draweth not the balance but when as the poise hangeth equally if a man put it then either to the one side or the other it draweth the whole and maketh all to incline that way even so a voice or some small and light signe is not sufficient to stirre a grave cogitation to proceed unto the execution of a thing but being put into one of the two contrary discourses it solveth all the doubt and difficultie taking away the inequall in such sort as then it maketh a motion and inclination Then my father taking his course to speake But I have heard quoth he ô Galaxidorus a certeine Megarian say who likewise heard as much of Terpsion that this spirit was nothing else but the sneesing either of himselfe or of others about him for if any one of his company sneesed on his right hand whether he were before or behinde it mattered not then he enclined to doe that which he intended and was presented into his minde but if it were on the left hand he gave over and if it were himselfe that sneesed when he was in doubt or suspense to doe or not to doe a thing he then was confirmed and resolved to doe it but if he hapned then to sneese when a thing was already begun it staied him and checked his inclination and purpose to effect and finish the same But this is very strange if it be true that he used this observation of sneesing how he could say unto his friends that it was his familiar spirit which either mooved him forward to doe a thing or drew him backe from it for this my good
friend can not chuse but proceed from a foolish vanitie and presumptuous ostentation and not of truth and franke simplicitie for which we esteeme this personage to be very great and excellent above others in case for some voice comming without foorth or by reason of sneesing he should be troubled and empeached in the continuance of an action which he had commenced already and so relinquish his dessigne and deliberation whereas it seemeth cleane contrary that the motions and inclinations of Socrates caried with them a firmitude and durable vehemence in whatsoever he went about and undertooke as proceeding from a direct and powerfull judgement and from a strong motive that set him on worke For he continued voluntarily all his life time in povertie whereas he might have had wealth enough if he would have received at his friends hands sufficient who were very willing yea and tooke joy to bestow their goods upon him also he would never leave the studie and profession of Philosophie for all the great hinderances and empeachments that he met withall and finally when he might easily have escaped and saved himselfe by the meanes that his friends had prepared and for him he would never be remooved nor yeeld unto their praiers nor desist from his maner of merie and jesting speeches though death were presented unto him but held his reason firme and unremoveable in the greatest perill that was These were not the parts of a man who suffered himselfe to be transported or caried away with vaine voices or sneesings from any resolution which he had taken but of him who was guided and conducted by a greater command and more puissant power unto his dutie I heare also that he foretold some of his friends the defeature and overthrow of the Athenians armie in Sicilse And before these things Pyrilampes the sonne of Antephon being taken by us in the chase and execution of victorie about Delion and wounded with a javelin when he heard by those who were sent from Athens unto us for to treat of peace that Socrates together with Alcibiades and Laches being gone downe by the way of Rhetiste were returned in safety made report unto us that Socrates had many times called him backe other of his friends and of his band who flying with him for company along the mountaine Parnes were overtaken and killed by our horsemen for that they had taken another way of flight from the battell and not it that he directed him unto by his angell or familiar spirit And thus much I suppose that Simmias himselfe hath heard as well as I. True quoth Simmias I have heard it oftentimes and of many persons for upon this example and such like the familiar spirit of Socrates was not a little spoken of in Athens Why suffer we then ô Simmias quoth Phidolaus this Galaxidorus here by way of jest and meriment to debase so much this so great a worke of divination as to passe it away in I wot not what voices and sneesings Which signes the vulgar sort of ignorant persons made use of by jest and mockerie in small matters and of no consequence for when the question is of more greevous dangers and affaires of greater importance the saying is verified of Euripides Noman will play the foole nor such vaine words Cast out so neere the edge and dint of swords And Galaxidorus If Simmias quoth he ô Phidolaus hath hard Socrates himselfe say ought of these matters I am willing to give eare and to pardon him with you but for any thing that you ô Polymnis have said an easie matter it is to confute the same for like as in Physicke the beating of the pulse is no great matter in it selfe nor a pimple or whelke but signes they be both of no small things unto the Physician and unto the pilot and master of a ship the noise of the sea the sight or voice of some bird or a thin cloud running through the aire signifieth some great winde or violent tempest in the sea even so unto a propheticall and divining minde a sneesing or a voice spoken in it selfe considered is no such great matter but signes these may be of most important accidents For in no art nor science whatsoever men doe despise the collection or judgement of many things by a few nor of great matters by small but like as if an ignorant person who knoweth not the power of letters seeing them few in number and in forme vile and contemptible could not beleeve that a learned man was able to read and relate out of them long warres in times past the foundations of cities the acts of mighty kings and their variable fortunes and should say that there were something underneath which tolde and declared unto the said Historian every one of those matters in order he might give good occasion of laughter pleasantly to deride his ignorance unto as many as hard him speake so even so take heed and beware lest we for that we know not the vertue and efficacy of every signe and foretoken in as much as they presage future things be not foolishly angred if some prudent and wise man by the same signes foretell somewhat as touching things unknowen and namely if he say that it is not a voice nor a sneesing but a familiar spirit which hath declared the same unto him For now come I to you Polymnis who esteeme and admire Socrates as a personage who by his plaine simplicity without any counterfet vanity whatsoever hath humanized as I may so say Philosophy and attributed it to humaine reason if he called not his signe that he went by a voice or sneesing but after a tragicall maner should name it a spirit familiar For contrariwise I would marvell rather that a man so well spoken as Socrates was so eloquent and who had all words so ready at command should say that it was a voice or a sneesing and not a divine spirit that taught him as if one should say that himselfe was wounded by an arrow and not with an arrow by him who shot it or that a poise was weighed by the balance and not with a balance by him that held or managed the balance in his hand for the worke dependeth not upon the instrument but upon him who hath the instrument and useth it for to doe the worke and even so the instrument is a kinde of signe used by that which doth signify and prognosticate thereby But as I have said already we must listen what Simmias will say as the man who knoweth this matter more exactly than others doe You say true indeed quoth Theocritus but let us see first who they be that enter heere in place and the rather because Epaminondas is one who seemeth to bring with him hither unto us the stranger above said And when we looked all toward the gates we might perceive Epaminondas indeed going before and leading the way accompanied with Ismenodorus Bacchilidas and Melissus the plaier upon the flute The
innumerable inclinations as it were with so many cords hath more agility than all the ingins or instruments in the world if a man hath the skill to manage and handle it with reason after it hath taken once a little motion that it may bend to that which conceived it for the beginnings of instincts and passions tend all to this intelligent and conceiving part which being stirred and shaken it draweth pulleth stretcheth and haleth the whole man Wherein we are given to understand what force and power hath the thing that is entred into the conceit and intelligence of the minde For bones are senselesse the sinewes and flesh full of humors and the whole masse of all these parts together heavie and ponderous lying still without some motions but so soone as the soule putteth somewhat into the understanding and that the same moveth the inclinations thereto it starteth up and riseth all at once and being stretched in all parts runneth a maine as if it had wings into action And so the maner of this moving direction and promptitude is not hard and much lesse impossible to comprehend whereby the soule hath no sooner understood any object but it draweth presently with it by instincts and inclinations the whole masse of the body For like as reason conceived and comprised without any voice moveth the understanding even so in mine opinion it is not such an hard matter but that a more divine intelligence and a soule more excellent should draw another inferior to it touching it from without like as one speech or reason may touch another and as light the reflection of light For we in trueth make our conceptions and cogitations knowen one to another as if we touched them in the darke by meanes of voice but the intelligences of Daemons having their light doe shine unto those who are capable thereof standing in need neither of nownes nor verbs which men use in speaking one to the other by which markes they see the images and resemblances of the conceptions and thoughts of the minde but the very intelligences cogitations indeed they know not unlesse they be such as have a singluar and divine light as we have already said and yet that which is performed by the ministery of the voice doth in some sort helpe and satisfie those who otherwise are incredulous For the aire being formed and stamped as it were by the impression of articulate sounds and become throughout all speech and voice carieth conception and intelligence into the minde of the hearer and therefore according to this similitude and reason what marvell is it if that also heater and therefore according to this similitude and reason what marvell is ti if that also which is conceived by these superior natures altereth the aire and if the aire being by reason of that quallity which it hath apt to receive impressions signifieth unto excellent men and such as have a rar and divine nature the speech of him who hath conceived ought in is minde For like as the stroks that light upon targuits or sheelds of brasse be heard a farre off when they proceed from the bottome in the mids within by reason of the resonance and rebound whereas the blowes that fall upon other sheelds are drowned and dispersed so as they be not heard at al even so the words or speeches of Daemous and spirits although they be carried and flie to the eares of all indifferently yet they resound to those onely who are of a settled and staied nature and whose soules are at quiet such as we call divine and celestiall men Now the vulgar sort have an opinion that some Daemon doth communicate a kinde of divinitie unto men in their sleepes but they thinke it strange and a miracle incredible if a man should say unto them that the gods doe move and affect them semblably when the be awake and have the full use of reason As if a man should thinke that a musician may play well upon his harpe or lute when all the strings be slacked and let downe but when the said instruments be set in tune and have their strings set up he cannot make any sound nor play well thereupon For they consider not the cause which is within them to wit their discord trouble and confusion whereof our familiar friend Socrates was exempt according as the oracle prophesied of him before which during his infancie was given unto his father for by it commanded he was to let him doe all that came into his minde and in no wise either to force or divert him but to suffer the instinct and nature of the child to have the reines at large by praying onely unto Jupiter Agoraeus that is to say eloquent and to the Muses for him and farther than so not to busie himselfe nor to take care for Socrates as if he had within him a guide and conductor of his life better than ten thousand masters and paedagogues Thus you see Philolaus what our opinion and judgement is as touching the Daemon or familiar spirit of Socrates both living and dead as who reject these voices sneesings and all such fooleries But what we have hard Timarchus of Chaeronea to discourse of this point I wot not well whether I were best to utter and relate the same for feare some would thinke that I loved to tell vaine tales Not so quoth Theocritus but I pray you be so good as to rehearse the same unto us For albeit fables doe not very well expresse the trueth yet in some sort they reach the same unto us For albeit fables doe not very well expresse the trueth yet in some sort they reach thereto But first tell us who this Timarchus was For I never knew the man And that may well be ô Simmias quoth Theocritus for he died when he was very yong and requested earnestly of Socrates to be buried nere unto Lamprocles Socrates his sonne who departed this life but few daies before being a deere friend of his and of the same age Now this yong gentleman being very desirous as he was of a generous disposition and had newly tasted the sweetnesse of Philosophy to know what was the nature and power of Socrates familiar spirit when he had imparted his mind and purpose unto me only and Cebes went downe into the cave or vault of Trophonius after the usuall sacrifices and accustomed complements due to that oracle performed where having remained two nights and one day insomuch as many men were out of all hope that ever he would come forth againe yea and his kinsfolke and frends bewailes the losse of him one morning betimes he issued forth very glad and jocand And after he had given thanks unto the god and adored him so soone as he was gotten through the presse of the multitude who expected his returne he recounted unto us many wonders strange to be heard and seene for he said that being descended into the place of the oracle he first met with much darknes
that is to say the notable sayings and answers of Lacedaemonian Dames 479 34 The vertuous deeds of Women 482 35 A Consolatorie oration sent nnto APOLLONIUS upon the death of his sonne 509 36 A Consolatorie letter or discourse sent unto his owne Wife as touching the death of her and his daughter 533 37 How it commeth that the divine Justice differreth otherwhiles the punishment of wicked persons 538 38 That Brute beasts have discourse of reason in maner of a Dialogue named Gryllus 561 39 Whether it be lawfull to eate flesh or no the former oration or treatise 571 Of eating flesh the second Declamation 576 40 That a man cannot live pleasantly according to the doctrine of EPICURUS 580 41 Whether this common Mot be well said LIVE HIDDEN or So LIVE as no man may know thou livest 605 42 Rules and precepts of health in maner of a Dialogue 609 43 Of the Romans fortune 627 44 The Symposiacks or table Questions The first booke 641 Of Symposiacks the second booke 661 Of Symposiacks the third booke 680 Of Symposiacks the fourth booke 698 Of Symposiacks the fift booke 713 Of Symposiacks the sixt booke 729 Of Symposiacks the seventh booke 742 Of Symposiacks the eight booke 764 Of Symposiacks the ninth booke 785 45 The opinions of Philosophers 802 Of Philosophers opinions the first booke 804 Of Philosophers opinions the second booke 817 Of Philosophers opinions the third booke 826 Of Philosophers opinions the fourth booke 833 Of Philosophers opinions the fift booke 841 46 Romane Questions 850 47 Demaunds or questions as touching Greeke affaires 888 48 The Parallels or a briefe Collation of Romane narrations with the semblable reported of the Greeks 906 49 The Lives of the ten Oratours 918 50 Narrations of Love 944 51 Whether creatures be more wise they of the land or those of the water 949 52 Whether the Athenians were more renowmed for Martiall Armes or good Letters 981 53 Whether of the twaine is more profitable Fire or Water 989 54 Of the Primitive or first Cold. 992 55 Naturall Questions 1002 56 Platonique Questions 1016 57 A commentary of the Creation of the soule which PLATO desoribeth in his booke Timaeus 1030 58 Of fatall Necessitie 1048 59 A Compendious Review or Discourse That the Stoicks deliver more strange opinions than doe the Poëts 1055 60 The Contradictions of Stoicke Philosophers 1057 61 Of Common Conceptions against the Stoicks 1081 62 Against COLOTES the Epicurean 1109 63 Of Love 1130 64 Of the Face appearing within the Roundle of the Moone 1159 65 Why the prophetesse PYTHIA giveth no answer now from the Oracle in verse or Meeter 1185 66 Of the Daemon or familiar spirit of SOCRATES 1202 67 Of the Malice of HERODOTUS 1227 68 Of Musicke 1248 69 Of the Fortune or vertue of king ALEXANDER the first Oration 1263 Of the Fortune or vertue of K. ALEXANDER the second Oration 1272 70 Of Is is and OSIRIS 1286 71 Of the Oracles that have Ceased to give answere 1320 72 What signifieth this word EI engraven over the Dore of APOLLOES Temple in the City of DELPHI 1351 OF THE NOVRITVRE AND EDVCATION OF CHILDREN The Summarie THe very title of this Treatise discovereth sufficiently the intention of the authour and whosoever he was that reduced these Morals and mixt works of his into one entire volume was well advised and had great reason to range this present Discourse in the first and formost place For unlesse our minds be framed unto vertue from our infancie impossible it is that we should performe any woorthy act so long as we live Now albeit Plutarch as a meere Pagane hath both in this booke and also in others ensuing where he treateth of vertues and vices left out the chiefe and principall thing to wit The Law of God and his Trueth wherein he was altogether ignorant yet neverthelesse these excellent precepts by him deliuered like raies which proceed from the light of nature remaining still in the spirit and soule of man aswell to leaue sinners inexcusable as to shew how happie they be who are guided by the heauenly light of holy Scripture are able to commence action against those who make profession in word how they embrace the true and souereigne Good but in deed and effect do annihilate as much as lieth in them the power and efficacie thereof Moreover in this Treatise he proveth first of all That the generation of infants ought in no wise to be defamed with the blot either of adulterie or drunkennesse Then he entreth into a discourse of their education and after he hath shewed that Nature Reason Vsage ought to concurre in their instruction he teacheth how by whom they should be nurtured brought up and taught where he reproveth sharply the slouth ignorance and avarice of some fathers And the better to declare the extelleneie of these benefits namely goodinstruction knowledge and vertue which the studie of philosophie doth promise and teach he compareth the same with all the greatest goods of the world and so consequently setteth downe what vices especially they are to shun and avoid who would be capable of sincere and true literature But before he proceedeth further he describeth and limiteth how farforth children well borne and of good parentage should be urged and forced by compulsion disciphering briefly the praises of morall philosophie and concluding withall That the man is blessed who is both helpfull to his neighbour as it becommeth and also good unto himselfe All these points aboverehearsed when he hath enriched and embelished with similitudes examples apophihegmes and such like ornaments he propoundeth diuers rules pertinent to the Institution of yoong children which done he passeth from tender child-hood to youthfull age shewing what gouernment there ought to be of yoong men farre from whom he banisheth and chaseth flatterers especially and for a finall conclusion discourseth of the kinde behauior of fathers and the good example that they are to giue unto their children THE EDVCATION OF CHILDREN FOrasmuch as we are to consider what may be sayd as touching the education of children free borne and descended from gentle blood how and by what discipline they may become honest and vertuous we shall perhaps treat hereof the better if we begin at their very generation and nativitie First and formost therefore I would advise those who desire to be the fathers of such children as may live another day in honour and reputation among men not to match themselves and meddle with light women common courtisans I meane or private concubines For a reproch this is that followeth a man all the dayes of his life and a shamefull staine which by no meanes can be fetched out if haply he be not come of a good father or good mother neither is there any one thing that presenteth it selfe more readily unto his adversaries and sooner is in their mouth when they are disposed to checke taunt and revile than to twit him with such parentage In which
faint and weake which is not brought to great strength and perfection in the end by continual travell and ordinary exercises Are there any horses in the world which if they be well handled and broken while they are colts will not proove gentle in the end and suffer themselves easily to be mounted and manned Contrariwise let them remaine untamed in their youth strong-headed stiffenecked and unruly will they be alwaies after and never fit for service And why should we marvell at these and such like matters considering that many of the most savage and cruell beasts that be are made gentle and familiar yea and brought to hand by labour and paines taken about them Well said therefore that Thessalian whosoever he was who being demaunded which Thessalians of all others were most dull and softest of spirit Answered thus Even they that have given over warfare But what need we to stand longet upon this point For certaine it is that out manners and conditions are qualities imprinted in us by tract and continuance of time and whosoever saith that Morall vertues are gotten by custome in my conceit speaketh not amisse but to very great purpose And therefore with one example and no more produced by Lycurgus as touching this matter I will knit up and conclude my discourse thereof Lycurgus him I meane who established the lawes of the Lacedaemonians tooke two whelpes of one licter and comming both from the same sire and damme Those he caused to be nourished and brought up diversly and unlike one to the other that as the one prooved a greedie and ravenous curre and full of shrewd turnes so the other was given to hunting and minded nothing but to quest and follow the game Now upon a certaine day afterwards when the Lacedaemonians were met together in a frequent assembly he spake unto them in this manner My Masters citizens of Lacedaemon Of what importance to engender vertue in the hart of man custome nourture discipline and education is I will presently shew unto you by an evident demonstration and with that he brought foorth in the sight of them all those two whelpes and set directly before them a great platter of sops in broth and therewith let loose also a live hare but behold one of them followed immediately after the hare but the other ranne straight to slap in the platter aforesaid The Lacedaemonians wist not what to make of this nor to what purpose he shewed unto them these two dogs before said untill he brake out into this speech These two dogs quoth he had one damme and 〈◊〉 same sire but being bred and brought up diversly See how the one is become a greedy gut and the other a kinde hound And thus much may serve as touching custome and diversitie of education It were meete now in the next place to treat of the feeding and nourishing of infants newly borne I hold it therefore convenient that mothers reare their babes and suckle them with their owne breasts For feede them they will with greater affection with more care and diligence as loving them inwardly and as the proverbe saith from their tender nailes whereas milch nources and fostermothers carie not so kinde a hart unto their nourcelings but rather a fained and counterfet affection as being mercenarie and loving them indeed for hire onely and reward Furthermore even nature her selfe is sufficient to proove that mothers ought to suckle and nourish those whom they have borne and brought into the world For to this end hath she given to every living creature that bringeth foorth yoong the foode of milke and in great wisedome the divine providence hath furnished a woman with two teats for this purpose that if happily she should be delivered of two twinnes at once she might have likewise two fountaines of milke to yeeld nourishment for them both Moreover by this meanes more kinde and loving they will be unto their children and verily not without great reason For this fellowship in feeding together is a bond that knitteth or rather a wrest that straineth and stretcheth benevolence to the utmost The experience whereof we may see even in the very brute and wilde beasts which hardly are parted from their companie with whom they have beene nourished but still they lowe and mowe after them Mothers therefore as I have said ought especially to endevour and do their best for to be nources of their owne children if it be possible But in case they cannot by reason either of some bodily infirmitie and indisposition that way for so it may fall out or that they have a desire and do make hast to be with childe againe and to have more children then a carefull eie and good regard would be had not to entertaine those for nources and governesses that come next to hand but to make choise of the very best and most honest that they can come by and namely for faire conditions and good behavior to choose Greekish women before any other For like as the members and limmes of little infants so soone as ever they be borne are of nccessitie to be formed and fashioned that afterwards they may grow straight and not crooked even so at the very first their harts and manners ought to be framed and set in order For this first age of childhood is moist and soft apt to receive any impression whiles the heart is tender every lesson may be soone instilled into it and quickly will take hold whereas hard things are not so easie to be wrought and made soft And as signets or seales will quickly set a print upon soft wax so the tender hearts of yoong children take readily the impression of whatsoever is taught them In which regard Plato that heavenly and divine Philosopher seemeth unto me to have given a wise admonition for nources when he warned them not to tell foolish tales nor to use vaine speeches inconsiderately in the hearing of yoong infants for feare least at the first their minds might apprehend folly and conceive corrupt opinions Semblably the Poët Phocylides seemeth to deliver sage counsaile in this behalfe when he saith A child of yoong and tender age Ought to be taught things good and sage Neither is this precept in any wise to be forgotten or passed by That other children also who are either to attend upon them whiles they be nourced and brought up or to beare them companie and be fedde together with them be chosen such as above all things are well mannered and of good conditions Then that they speake the Greeke toong naturally and pronounce the same most plainely and distinctly for feare least if they sort with such feeres as either in language are barbarous or in behaviour leawd and ungratious they catch infection from them and be stained with their vices For such old sawes and proverbes as these are not so rise without good reason If thou converse and cohebite with a lame creaple thou wilt soone learne to limpe and halt thy selfe Now when
bred unlovely and having no grace with them But herein is the very height of wickednesse that these flatterers for advantage will not spare their owne selves For like as wrestlers debase their owne bodies and stoupe downe low otherwhiles for to overthrow their fellowes that wrestle with them and to lay them along on the ground so in blaming and finding many faults with themselves they winde in and creepe closely to the praise and admiration of others I am quoth one of them a very coward and no better than a verie slave at sea I can away with no labour and travell in the world I am all in a heat of choler and raging mad if I heare that one hath given me any bad termes mary as for this man meaning him whom he flattereth he casteth doubts at no perill and danger all is one with him sea or land he can endure all hardnesse and he counteth nothing painfull no hurt there is in him a singular man he is and hath not his fellow he is angry at nothing he beareth all with patience But say he meet with one at aventure which standeth upon his owne bottome and hath some great opinion of his owne sufficiency for wit and understanding who hath a desire to be austere and not to depend upon the conceits of others but resteth in his owne judgement and upon a certaine uprightnesse in himselfe eftsoones hath these verses in his mouth Sir Diomede do not me praise So much to more or lesse Nor out of measure me dispraise I love not such excesse This flatterer then who is this owne crafts-master and hath thoroughly learned his trade goeth not the old way to worke in setting upon him but he hath another engin and device in store to assaile such a grim sir withall He will make an errand to him for counsell in his owne affaires as being the man whom he esteemeth to have more wit and wisdome than himselfe There be divers others quoth he with whom I have better acquaintance and familiaritie than with your selfe Howbeit sir I am forced of necessitie to make bold and to importune you a little For whither else should wee ingram men repaire that have neede of advice and to whom are we to have recourse in matters of trust and secresie And then after he hath heard once what he will say and it makes no matter what it be he will take his leave saying that he hath received not counsell from a man but an oracle from some god Now before he departeth if haply he perceive that he taketh upon him good skill and insight in litterature he wil present unto him some compositions of his owne penning praying him withall to peruse them yea and to correct the same Mithridates the king affected and loved the art of Physicke verie well by reason whereof some of his familiar friends about him came and offered themselves to be cut and cauterised by him which was a meere flatterie in deed and not in word For it seemed that they gave great testimonie of his soule in that they put their lives into his hands Of subtile spirits thus you may see That many formes and shapes there be But this kind of dissimuled praises requiring greater and more warie circumspection to be taken heed of if a man would detect and convince hee ought of purpose when hee is tempted and assailed with such flatterie to obtrude and propose unto the flatterer absurd counsell if he seeme to damaund and aske it advertisements also and properly of the same kinde yea and corrections without all sense and to no purpose when he shall offer his labours to be read and perused In so doing if he perceive the partie suspected to be a flatterer doth not gainesay nor contradict any thing but alloweth of all and receiveth the same yea and more than that when he shall to everie point crie out and say Oh well said and sufficiently O excellent wit be sure then he is caught in a trap they I say it will be found plainely according to the common by-word That when he did a watchword crave Some other thing he sought to have Or as we say in Proverb old Draffe was his errand but drinke he would that is to say he waited for some occasion and opportunitie by praising to puffe him up with vanitie and overweening of himselfe Moreover like as some have defined painting to be a mute Poësie even so praising is a kind of silent and secret flatterie Hunters we see then soonest deceive the poore beasts when they seeme to do nothing lesse then to hunt making semblance as though they either travelled like wayfaring men or rended their flocks or else tilled the ground Semblably flatterers touch those whom they flatter neerest and enter to the verie quicke by praising when they make no shew thereof but seeme to do nothing lesse than praise For he that giveth the chaire and seat to another comming in place or as he is making an oration either in publike place before the people or in Councell house to the Senate breaketh off his owne speech and yeeldeth unto him his roome giving him leave to speake or to opine and remaineth silent himselfe by this his silence sheweth that he doth repute the other a better man and of more sufficiencie for wisedome and knowledge than himselfe much more than if he should pronounce and ring it out aloude to the whole audience And hereupon it is that this sort of people who make profession of faltterie take up ordinarily the first and highest seats aswell at sermons and publike orations whither men flocke to heare as at the Theaters and shewen places not that they thinke themselves worthic of such places but because they may rise and make roome for better richer persons as they come and thereby slatter them kindly This we see also that in solemne assemblies and great meetings or auditories they are by their good wils the first that put themselves forth and make offer to begin speech but it is for nothing else but that afterward they would seeme to quit the place and give assent to their betters soone retracting their owne opinions when they heare a mightie man a rich or noble personage in authoritie to contradict and say the contrarie And here we ought most of all to be circumspect and warie that we may evict them of this That all this courting this giving place this yeelding of the victorie and reverence made unto others is not for any more sufficiencie that they acknowledge in them for their knowledge experience and vertues ne yet for their worthinesse in regard of elder age but only for their wealth riches credit and reputation in the world Megabysus a great Lord belonging to the kings court of Persia came upon a time to visit Apelles the painter and sitting by him in his shop to see him worke began of his owne accord to discourse I wot not what of lines shadowes and other matters belonging to
and kinred even so it falleth out many times that the first generations and descents doe hide and after a sort drowne those qualities and affections of the minde which are affected and appropriate to some kinred but afterwards at one time or other put them foorth and drive them outward to appeere in those that follow and the same doe represent that which is proper to each race as well in vertue as vice Now when I had finished this speech I held my peace and with that Olympicus smiled and said Wee would not have you to thinke quoth he that we commend you as having sufficiently proved your discourse by demonstration lest we might seeme to have forgotten or to neglect the tale or narration which you promised to relate unto us Mary then will we give our sentence and opinion thereof when we shall likewise have heard the same Thus therfore I began againe to enter into speech and follow my intended purpose There was one Thespesius of the city of Soli in Cilicia a great friend and familiar of Protogenes who sometime here conversed with us who having led his youthful daies very loosely within a small time had wasted and consumed all his goods whereby he was fallen for a certaine space to extreme want and necessitie which brought him also to a leud life insomuch as he proved a very badde man and repenting his former follies and dispense began to make shifts and seeke all meanes to recover his state againe much like unto those loose and lascivious persons who making no account of their lawfull and espoused wives nor caring at all for them whiles they have them afterwards when they have cast them off and put them away seeing them wedded unto others sollicite them to yeeld their bodies give the attempt to force and corrupt them most wickedly Thus he forbare no leud indirect and shamefull practises so they turned to his gaine and profit and within a little while he gat together not great store of goods but procured to himselfe a bad name of wicked dealing much shame and infamie But the thing that made him famous and so much spoken of was the answer delivered unto him from the oracle of Amphilochus for thither had he sent as it should seeme to know whether he should live the rest of his life better than he had done before Now the oracle returned this answer That it would be better with him after he was dead which in some sort hapned unto him not long after For being fallen from an high place with his head forward without any limme broken or wound made onely with the fall the breath went out of his body and there hee lay for dead and three daies after preparation being made for his funerals caried foorth he was to be buried but behold all on a sudden he revived and quickly came to himselfe againe whereupon there ensued such a change and alteration in his life that it was wonderfull for by the report and testimonie of all the people of Cicilia they never knew man of a better conscience in all his affaires and dealings whiles he did negotiate and dwell among them none more devout and religious to God-ward none more fast and sure to his friends none bitterer to his enemies insomuch as they who were most inward with him and had kept his company familiarly a long time were very desirous earnest with him to know the cause of so strange and sudden alteration as being 〈◊〉 that so great amendment of life so loose dissolute as it was before could not come by meere chaunce and casualtie as in truth it did according as himselfe made relation unto the said Protogenes and other such familiar friends of his men of good woorth reputation for thus he reported unto them said That when the spirit was out of his bodie he fared at the first as he thought himselfe like unto a pilot flung out of his ship and plunged into the bottome of the sea so woonderfully was he astonished at this chaunge but afterwards when as by little little he was raised up againe and recovered so that he was ware that he drew his breath fully and at libertie he looked round about him for his soule seemed as if it had beene one eie fully open but he beheld nothing that he was woont to view onely he thought that he saw planets and other starres of an huge bignesse distant an infinit way a sunder and yet for multitude innumerable casting from them a woonderfull light with a colour admirable and the same glittering and shining most resplendent with a power and force incredible in such sort as the said soule being gently and easily caried as in a chariot with this splendor and radiant light as it were upon the sea in a calme went quickly whether soever she would but letting passe a great number of things woorthy there to be seene he said that he beheld how the solues of those that were departed this life as they rose up and ascended resembled certaine small firie bubbles and the aire gave way and place unto them as they mounted on high but anon when these bubbles by little and little brast in sunder the soules came foorth of them and appeered in the forme and shape of men and women very light and nimble as discharged from all poise to beare them downe howbeit they did not move and bestir themselves all alike and after one sort for some leaped with a wonderful agilitie and mounted directly and plumbe upright others turned round about together like unto bobins or spindles one while up and another while downe so as their motion was mixt and confused and so linked together that unneth for a good while and with much adoe they could be staied and severed asunder As for these soules and spirits many of them he knew not as hee said who they were but taking knowledge of two or three among them who had bene of his olde acquaintance hee pressed forward to approch neere and to speake unto them but they neither heard him speake nor in deed were in their right senses but being after a sort astonied and beside themselves refused once to be either seene or felt wandering and flying to and fro apart at the first but afterwards encountring and meeting with a number of others disposed like unto themselves they closed and clung unto them and thus lincked and coupled together they mooved here and there disorderly without discretion and were carried every way to no purpose uttering I wot not what voices after a maner of yelling or a blacke-sanctus not significant nor distinct but as if they were cries mingled with lamentable plaints and dreadfull feare Yet there were others to be seene aloft in the upmost region of the aire jocund gay and pleasant so kinde also an courteous that often times they would seeme to approch neere one unto another turning away from those other that were tumultuous and disorderly and as it
the night a voice that gave warning and advertised that shortly after they should looke for the Gaules to warre upon them As for that temple upon the banke of the river Tyber of Fortune surnamed Fortis that is to say Strong Martiall Valiant and Magnanimous for that to her belonged generositie and the forcible power to tame and overcome all things they built a temple to the honour of her within the orchards and gardens that Caesar by his last will and testament bequeathed unto the people of Rome as being perswaded that himselfe by the gracious favour of Fortune became the greatest man of all the Romans as himselfe doth testifie As concerning Julius Caesar I would have bene abashed and ashamed to say that through the favour of Fortune he was lifted up to that rare greatnesse but that his owne selfe beareth witnesse thereof for being departed from Brindois the fourth day of Ianuary and imbarked for to pursue Pompeius even at the verie height and in the heart of Winter he crossed the seas most safely as if Fortune had held in the tempestuous weather of that season and when he found Pompeius strong and puissant aswell by sea as land as having all his forces assembled together about him in a set and standing campe being himselfe but weake and accompanied with a small power for that the companies which Antonius and Sabinus should have brought lingered and staied behinde he adventured to take sea againe and putting himselfe into a small frigat sailed away unknowen both to the master and also to the pilot of the said barke in simple habit as if he had bene some meane and ordinary servitor but by occasion of a violent returne of the tide ful against the current of the river withall of a great tempest that arose seeing that the pilot was readie to alter his course and turne abaft backe he plucked away his garment from his head where with he sat hoodwinked and discovered his face saying unto the pilot Holde the helme hard good fellow and be not afraid to set forward be bolde I say hoise sailes spred them open to the winde at aventure and feare not for thou hast aboord Caesar and his Fortune So much perswaded was he and confidently assured that Fortune sailed with him accompanied him in all his marches and voiages assisted him in the campe aided him in battell conducted and directed him in all his warres whose worke indeed it was and could proceed from nothing els but her to command a calme at sea to procure faire weather and a Summer season in Winter to make them swift and nimble who otherwise were most slow and heavie to cause them to be couragious who were grearest cowards and most heartlesse and that which is more incredible than all the rest to force Pompey to flie and Ptolemeus to kill his owne guest to the end that Pompey might die and yet Caesar be not stained with his bloudshed What should I alledge the testimonie of his sonne the first emperour surnamed Augustus who for the space of fiftie yeeres and foure was absolute commander both by sea and land of the whole world who when he sent his nephew or sisters sonne to the warres praied and wished at Gods hands for no more but that he might prove as valiant as Scipio and as well beloved as Pompey and as fortunate as himselfe ascribing the making of himselfe as great as he was unto Fortune as if a man should intitle some singular piece of worke with the name of the workeman or artificer which Fortune of his was the cause that he got the start and vantage of Cicero Lepidus Pausa Hirtius and Marcus Antonius by whose counsels brave exploits and prowesses expeditions victories voiages armadoes legions campes and in one word by these warres as well by sea as by land she made him ever chiefe and principall lifting him on high still and putting them downe by whom hee was mounted and advanced untill in the end hee remained alone and had no peere nor second For it was for his sake that Cicero gave counsell Lepidus ledde an armie Pansa vanquished the enimie Hirtius lost his life in the sield and Antonius lived riotously in drunkennesse gluttonie and lecherie for I reckon Cleopatra among the favors that Fortune did to Augustus against whom as against some rock Antonius so great a commaunder so absolute a prince and mightie triumvir should runne himselfe be split and sinke to the end that Caesar Augustus might survive and remaine alone And to this purpose reported it is of him that there being so inward acquaintance and familiarity as there was among them that they used often to passe the time away together in playing at tennis or at dice or seeing some prety sport of cocks and quailes of the game which were kept for the nonce to sight when Antonius went evermore away with the worst and on the loosing hand one of his familiar friends a man well seene in the art of divination would manie times frankly say unto him by way of remonstrance and admonition Sir what meane you to meddle or have any dealing with this yoong gentleman meaning Augustus Fly and avoid his company I advise you more renowmed and better reputed you are than he his elder you are you have a greater commaund and seignorie than he more expert in feats of armes and of better experience and practise by farre but good sir your Genius or familiar spirit is afraid of his your Fortune which by it selfe apart is great flattereth and courteth his and unlesse you remoove your selfe farre from him it will forsake you quite and goe unto him Thus you see what evidences and proofes Fortune may alledge for herselfe by way of testimonie But we are besides to bring foorth those which are more reall and drawen from the things themselves beginning our discourse at the very foundation and nativitie as it were of Rome city In the first place therefore who will not say and confesse that for the birth the preservation the nouriture rearing and education of Romulus well might the excellencies of Vertue be the hidden ground-worke and first foundation but surely it was Fortune alone that raised the same above ground and built all up For to beginne at the verie generation and procreation even of those who first founded and planted the citie of Rome they seeme both to proceed from a woonderfull favour of rare Fortune for it is said that their mother lay with god Mars and was by him conceived and like as the report goeth that Hercules was begotten in a long night by reason that the day extraordinarily and besides the course of nature was held backe and the sunne staied in his race and rising even so we finde it recorded in histories that when Romulus was gotten and conceived the sunne became ecclipsed by reason of his ful conjunction indeed with the moone like as Mars being a very god medled with Sylvia a mortall woman also that the same
that they in old time who accompanied Hercules and being left by him abode there and intermingled afterwards with the people and nations of Saturne caused to revive againe the Greeke nation there well neere extinguished which being subdued and brought under the language lawes maners and fashions of the Barbarians flourished againe by these meanes was well peopled and recovered their ancient puissance and greatnesse And heereupon it is that the chiefe and principall honour they doe unto Hercules but in a second place to Saturne Now when the starre of Saturne which we call Phaenon there by his saying Nycturus is entred into the signe Taurus that it doth once in the space of 30. yeeres they having long before prepared al necessaries for a solemne sacrifice a long voiage or navigation send foorth those upon whom the lot falleth to row in that huge sea and to live a long time in a strange country Now when they be imbarked entred once in to the wide and open sea they take their adventure and fortune as it falleth out Such as have passed the dangers of the sea arived in safetie land first in those Ilands lying opposite against them being inhabited by Greeke nations where they see the Sunne to be hidden from them not one full houre in thirtie daies and that is all their night whereof the darkenesse is but small as having a twilight in the west where the Sunne went downe much like the dawning of the day Having heere made their abode for ninety daies during which space they were highly honored and found great entertainment as being reputed holy men and so termed conducted they are with the mindes and transported over into the Island of Saturne which is inhabited by no others but themselves and such as had beene sent thither before time in this maner For albeit lawfull it is for them after they have done service unto Saturne the time of thirty yeres to 〈◊〉 home againe into their owne country yet for the most part they chuse to remaine there still in peace and rest than to returne soone for that they be already inured and accustomed to the place others because without any labor and trouble of theirs they have plentie of all things as wel for their sacrifices as for the ordinary maintenance of such as continually are given to their books and to the study of Philosophy For surely by their 〈◊〉 the nature of the Island and the mildenesse of the aire is woonderfull And whereas some of them were willing to depart from thence they have beene staied and empeached by a divine power which hath appeared unto them as unto their friends and familiars not 〈◊〉 in dreames and by way of outward signes but visibly also unto many of them by the meanes of familiar spirits and angels devising and talking with them For they say that Saturne himselfe is personally there within the deepe cave of a great hollow rocke shining and 〈◊〉 like pure gold where he lieth asleepe for that Jupiter had devised for him sleepe in stead of other chaines and bonds to keepe him fast for stirring But there be certaine birds haunting the top of the said rocke which flie downe from thence and carry unto him the divine food Ambrosia As for the whole Island it is by report replenished with a most fragrant and odoriferous perfume which out of that cave as from a lively fountaine doth breath forth continually And the said demons or angels doe attend and waite upon Saturne such I meane as were his courtiors and minions at what time as he 〈◊〉 as soveraigne over gods and men who having the skill of prophecie and divination doe of themselves foretell many future things howbeit of the greatest matters and of most importance they make report and relation after they have beene downe below with Saturne as his dreames revealed unto them For whatsoever Jupiter thinketh and deviseth of before Saturne dreameth As for his sodaine wakenings they be Titanicall passions and 〈◊〉 of the spirit in him But his sleepe is milde and sweet wherein he sheweth his divine and roiall nature of it selfe pure and 〈◊〉 And thither quoth he this stranger and friend of mine being brought where he served god Saturne at his case repose attained unto the skil of Astrologie so far forth as it is possible for one that had the exact knowledge of Geometry And among other parts of Philosophy he gave himselfe unto that which is called naturall But having a longing desire to 〈◊〉 and see the great Island for so they call the firme land wherein we are after the thirtie yeares were past and his successors thither arrived taking his leave of his kinsfolke and friends whom he bad 〈◊〉 he tooke sea in other respects lightly and nimbly appointed but good store he carried with him of voiage provision within pots and cups of gold But to recount unto you in particular what adventures to him befell how many nations he visited through what countries he travelled how he searched into holy writings and was professed in all religious orders and holy confraternities one whole day would not be sufficient I say to rehearse as he himselfe delivered the same unto us particularising very wel of every thing but as much as concerneth this present discourse listen and I will relate unto you For he continued a long time at Carthage where he was greatly honored and respected as also among us for that he found sacred skinnes of parchment which at the overthrow and saccage of the former city called Great Carthage had beene secretly conveyed thither and lien hidden a long time under the ground So he said that of those gods which appeare unto us in heaven we ought and so he advised me also to adore and worship especially the Moone as the principall guide and maistresse of our life Whereat when I mervelled and besought him to expound and declare the same more plainely The Greeks quoth he ô Sylla talke very much of the gods but in all things they say not well As for example first and formost in naming Ceres and Proserpina they doe well and right but to put them both together and to thinke that they are both in one and the same place they doe amisse For the one to wit Ceres is upon the earth the very dame and mistresse of all those things that be above the ground but the other is in the Moone and called she is by them that inhabite the moone Core and Perserphonie that is to say 〈◊〉 Persephonie as one would say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that she bringeth light and brightnesse but Core because the sight or apple of the eie in which is seene the image of him who looketh into it like as the brightnesse of the Sunne appeareth in the Moone we call Core Now whereas it is said that they goe up and downe wandring and seeking one the other the same carieth some 〈◊〉 with it for they desire and long after one
as require a short simple and plaine answere were the part of an ambitious and vainglorious Sophister who tooke a pride in the elegant composing of oracles Over and besides Pythia of her selfe is of a gentle and generous nature and when she descendeth thither and converseth with the god she hath more regard of trueth than of glory neither paseth she whether men praise or dispraise her And better iwis it were for us if we also were likewise affected But we now in a great agony as it were fearefull perplexity lest the place should leese the reputation which it hath had for the space of three thousand yeeres and doubting that some would abandon it and cease to frequent it as if it were the schoole of a Sophister who feared to lose his credit and to be despised devise apologies in defence thereof faining causes and reasons of things which we neither know nor is beseeming us for to learne and all to appease and perswade him who complaineth and seemeth to finde fault whereas we should rather shake him off and let him goe For with him first It will be worst who hath such an opinion of this our God as that he approved and esteemed these ancient sentences of the Sages written at the entrance of the temple Know thy selfe Too much of nothing principally for their brevity as containing under few words a pithy sentence well and closely couched and as a man would say beaten soundly togehter with the hammer but reproved and blamed moderne oracles for delivering most part of their answeres briefely succinctly simply and directly And verily such notable Apophthegmes and sayings of the ancient Sages resemble rivers that runne through a narrow streight where the water is pent and kept in so close that a man cannot see through it and even so unneth or hardly may the bottom of their sense be sounded But if you consider what is written or said by them who endevour to search unto the very bottom what every one of these sentences doth comprehend you shall finde that hardly a man shall meet with orations longer then they Now the dialect or speech of Pythia is such as the Mathematicians define a straight and direct line namely the shortest that may be betweene two points and even so it bendeth not it crookeneth not it maketh no circle it carieth no double sense and ambiguity but goeth straight to the trueth and say it be subject to censure and examination and dangerous to be misconstured and beleeved amisse yet to this day it hath never given advantage whereby it might be convinced of untrueth but in the meane time it hath furnished all this temple full of rich gifts presents and oblations not onely of Greeke nations but also of barbarous people as also adorned it with the beautiful buildings and magnificent fabricks of the amphictyons For you see in some sort many buildings adjoined which were not before and as many repaired and restored to their ancient perfection which were either fallen to decay and ruined by continuance of time or else lay confusedly out of order And like as we see that neere unto great trees that spred much and prosper well other smaller plants and shrubs grow and thrive even so together with the city of Delphos Pylaea flourisheth as being fed and maintained by the abundance and affluenee which ariseth from hence in such sort as it beginneth to have the forme and shew of solemne sacrifices of stately meetings and sacred waters such as in a thousand yeeres before it could never get the like As for those that inhabited about Galaxion in Baeotia they found and felt the gracious presence and favour of our God by the great plenty and store of milke For From all their ewes thicke milke did spin As water fresh from lively spring Their tubs and tunnes with milke therein Brim full they all home fast did bring No barrels bottels pailes of wood But full of milke in houses stood But to us he giveth better markes and more evident tokens and apparent signes of his presence and favour than these be having brought our countrey as it were from drinesse and penurie from desert waste wildernesse wherein it was before to be now rich and plentiful frequented and peopled yea and to be in that honor and reputation wherein we see it at this day to flourish Certes I love my selfe much better for that I was so well affected as to put to my helping hand in this businesse together with Polycrates and Petraeus Yea and him also I love in my heart who was the first author unto us of this government and policy and who tooke the paines and endevoured to set on foot and establish most part of these things But impossible it was that in so small a time there should be seene so great and so evident a mutation by any industry of man whatsoever if God himselfe had not bene assistant to sanctifie and honour this oracle But like as in those times past some men there were who found fault with the ambiguity obliquity and obscurity of oracles so there be in these daies others who like sycophants cavill at the overmuch simplicitie of them whose humorous passion is injurious and exceeding foolish For even as little children take more joy and pleasure to see rainbowes haloes or garlands about the Sunne Moone c. yea and comets or blasing starres than they do to behold the Sunne himselfe or the Moone so these persons desire to have aenigmaticall and darke speeches obscure allegories and wrested metaphors which are all reflexions of divination upon the fansie and apprehension of our mortall conceit And if they understand not sufficiently the cause of this change and alteration they go their waies and are ready to condemne the God and not either us or themselves who are not able by discourse of reason to reach unto the counsell and intention of the said gods OF THE DAEMON OR FAMILIAR SPIRIT OF SOCRATES A Treatise in maner of a Dialogue The Summarie THe The bans having lost their freedome and liberty by the violent proceedings of Archias Leontidas and other tyrants who banished a great number of good citizens and men of woorth in which roll and catalogue Pelopidas was one as appeareth in the storie of his life wherein Plutarch writeth of all this matter at large it fell out at last that the exiled persons tooke heart drew to an head and wrought so as they reentred the city of Thebes slew the tyrants and displaced the garrison of the Spartans Which done they dispatched their ambassages to other States and Common wealths of Greece for to justifie this their action and namely among the rest they sent Caphisias to Athens who being there at the request of Archidamus a personage of great authoritie related and reported the returne of the banished men the surprising of the tyrants and the restoring of the citie to their ancient franchises and that with discourses woonderfull patheticall and such as
Juno The same is the man quoth he Who then is he whom I have seene this long while standing at the hall doore and looking full upon us It is Chlidon himselfe I assure you quoth he Now by Hercules I sweare could any thing have hapned woorse And with that the man perceiving how we looked upon him approched faire and softly from the dore unto us Then Hipposthenidas beckned unto him and nodded with his head as willing him to speake unto us all for that there was no danger because they were all honest men and of our side I know them all wel enough quoth he Hipposthenidas and not finding you at home nor in the market place I guessed by and by that you were gone toward them and therefore I made as great haste as I could hither to the end that you might not be ignorant of all things how they goe For so soone as you commanded me in all speed to meet with our banished citizens in the forest I went presently to my house for to take horse called unto my wife for my bridle but she could not give it me and to mend the matter staied a great while in the chamber or store-house where such things use to be now after she had made a seeking puddering in every corner within the roome could not find it at length when she had plaid long enough with me made a foole of me she confessed told me plainly that she had lent it forth to one of our neighbors whose wife the evening before came to borrow it of her whereupon I was in a great chafe and gave her some curst words but she like a shrew paied me with as good as I lent her and made no more adoe but cursed me in abominable tearmes wishing my forth going might be unhappie and my home comming worse which execrations I pray god may all light upon her owne head To be short she provoked me so farre that in my choler I dealt her some blowes for her shrewd tongue with that comes out a number of the neighbors and women especially where after I had given and taken one for another with shame inough at last with much adoe I got away from them and came hither to pray you for to send some other messenger to the parties you wot of for I assure you at this present I am so much out of temper that I am not mine owne man but in maner beside my selfe This wrought in us all a mervellous alteration of our wils and affections For whereas a little before we were offended that our designments were crossed and their comming impeached now againe upon this sudden occurrence the shortnes of time which allowed us no leasure to put of to procrastinate the matter we were driven into an agony and fearefull perplexity Howbeit setting a good countenance upon the matter speaking also cheerefully unto Hipposthenidas and taking him frendly by the hand I encouraged him and gave him to understand that the very gods themselves seconded our intentions and invited us to the execution of the enterprise This done Phyllidas went home to his house for to give order about his feast and withall to draw on Archias to drinke wine liberally and to make mery Chanon departed also to make ready his house for the intertainment of the banished men against their returne Meane while Theocritus and I went againe to Simmias to the end that finding some good occasion and opportunity for the purpose we might talke with Epaminondas againe who was well entred already into a prety question which Galaxidorus and Phidolaus a little before had begun demanding of what substance nature and puissance was the familiar spirit of Socrates so much spoken of Now what Simmias had alledged against Galaxidorus upon this point we hard not mary thus much he said that when he demanded upon a time of Socrates himselfe concerning the said matter he never could get of him any answer therefore he never after would aske him the question but he said that oftentimes he had bene present when Socrates gave out that he reputed those men for vaine persons who said they had seene with their eie any divine power and so communed therewith but contrariwise that he could hold better with those who said they tooke knowledge of such a thing by hearing a voice speaking unto one that gave attentive care thereto or earnestly enquied thereof whereupon he set our heads on worke when we were aprat by our selves and made us to guesse and conjecture that this daemon of Socrates was no vision but a sense of some voice and an intelligence of words which came unto him by an extraordinary maner Like as in our dreames it is not a voice indeed that men heare lying fast asleepe but the opinion of some words that they thinke they heare pronounced but this intelligence of dreames commeth in truth to men asleepe by reason of the repose and tranquillity of the body whereas they that be awake cannot heare but very hardly these diving advertisements being troubled and disquieted with tumultuous passions and the distraction of their affaires by occasion whereof they cannot wholy yeeld their minde and thought to heare the revelations that the gods deliver unto them Now Socrates having a pure and cleare understanding not tossed and turmoiled with any passions nor mingled with the body unlesse it were very little for things necessary and no more was easie to be touched and so subtile that soone it might be altered with whatsoever was objected and presented to it now that which met with it we may conjecture that it was not simply a voice or sound but a very articulate speech of his daemon which without any audible voice touched the intellectuall part of his soule together with the thing that it declared and revealed unto him For the voice resembleth a blow or stroke given unto the soule which by the eares is constrained to receive speech when we speake one unto another but the intelligence or understanding of a divine and better nature leadeth and conducteth a generous minde by a thing that causeth it to understand without need of any other stroake and the same minde or soule obeieth and yeeldeth thereto accordingly as it either slaketh loose or stretcheth hard the instincts and inclinations not violently by resistance which the passions make but supple and pliable as slacke and gentle raines And hereof we shall not need to make any wonder considering that we see how little helmes turne about and winde the greatest hulks and caraques that be and againe the wheeles that potters use being never so little touched with the hand turne very easily for although they be instruments without life yet being as they are counterpeised and framed even on every side by reason of their polished smoothnesse they are apt to stirre and yeeld unto the mooving cause with the least moment that is Now the soule of man being bent and stretched out stiffe with
talked with a man who knew more and spake lesse than he But tell us now what you thinke your selfe of that which hath beene said For mine owne part quoth he I saie that this discourse and report of Timarchus as sacred and inviolable ought to be consecrated unto God and marvell I would if any should discredit and hardly beleeve that which Simmias himselfe hath delivered of him and when they name swans dragons dogs and horses sacred beleeve not that therebe men celestiall and beloved of the gods considering they hold and say that God is never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say a lover of birds but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say a lover of mankinde Like as therefore a man who is said to be Phylippos that is to say a lover of horses taketh not a fancie nor regardeth alike all horses comprised under the whole kinde but chusing alwaies some one more excellent than the rest rideth cherisheth and maketh much of him especially even so those divine spirits which surmount our nature make choise and take as it were out of the whole flocke the best of us upon whom they set their brand or marke and them they thinke woorthy of a more singular and exquisite education and those they order and direct not with reines and bridles but with reason and learning and that by signes whereof the common and rascall sort have no knowledge nor experience For neither doe ordinary hounds understand the signes that huntsmen use nor every horse the siflling and chirting of the escuirry but such onely as have beene taught and brought up to it for they with the least whistling and houping that is know presently what they are commanded to do and quickly be ordered as they ought And verily Homer seemeth not to be ignorant of this difference whereof we speake for of divinors and soothsaiers some he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say authours or observers of birds others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say bowel-priers that spie into the inwards of sacrifices and some againe there be who hearing and knowing what the gods themselves do speake are able to declare secretly and foretell things to come as may appeare by these verses King Priams deere sonne Helenus their minde soone under stood And what this god and goddesse both in counsell deemed good And a little after For thus I heard the gods to say Who as immortall live for ay For like as they who are without and not of the domesticall and neere acquaintance of kings princes and generall captaines do know and understand their willes minds by the meanes of certeine firelights sound of trumpets and proclamations but to their faithfull trusty and familiar friends they speake by word of mouth even so God communeth and talketh with few and that very seldome but unto the common sort he giveth signes and of these consisteth the arte of divination for the gods receive very few men in recommendation for to adorne their lives but those onely whom they are disposed to make exceeding happy and divine indeed and those soules which be delivered from farther generation and are for ever after at libertie and dismissed free from the bodie become afterwards Daemons and take the charge and care of men according as Hesiodus saith For like as champions who otherwise heretofore have made profession of wrestling and other exercises of the bodie after they have given over the practise thereof by reason of their olde age leave not altogether the desire of glorie by that meanes nor cast off the affection in cherishing the bodie but take pleasure still to see other yoong men to exercise their bodies exhorting and encouraging them thereto yea and enforcing themselves to runne in the race with them even so they that are past the combats travels of this life and throigh the vertue of their soules come to be Daemons despise not utterly the affaires the speeches and studies of those that be here but being favorable unto them who in their good endevors aspire to the same end that they have atteined to yea and after a sort banding and siding with them do incite and exhort them to vertue especially when they see them neere unto the ends of their hopes and ready in maner to touch the same For this divine power of Daemons will not sort and be acquainted with every man indifferently but like as they who stand upon the shore can do no other good unto them who swim farre within the sea and a great way from the land but looke upon them and say nothing but to such as are neere to the sea side they runne and for their sakes wading a little into the sea helpe both with hand and voice and so save them from drowning even so Simmias dealeth the Daemon with us for so long as wee are plunged and drowned within mundane affaires and change many bodies as it were so many waggons and chariots passing out of one into another it suffereth us to strive and labour of our selves yea and by our owne patience and long sufferance to save our selves and gaine the haven but when there is a soule which hath already by innumerable generations supported and endured long travels and having in maner performed her course and revolution straineth all her might and maine with much swet to get forth and ascend up to it God envieth not her owne proper Daemon and familiar spirit to be assistant yea and giveth leave to any other whatsoever that is willing thereto Now one is desirous and ready alwaies to helpe and second another yea and forward to promote the safctie thereof the soule also for her part giveth good eare because she is so nere and in the end is saved but she that obeieth not nor hearkeneth to her owne familiar proper daemon as forsaken of it speedeth not wel in the end This said Epaminondas looking toward me It is high time Caphisias for you quoth he to go into the wrestling schoole and place of exercise to the end that you disappoint not your companions meane while we when it shall be thought good to dissolve and dismisse this meeting will take the charge of Theanor Then said I Be it so but I suppose that Theocritus together with Galaxidorus my selfe is willing to commune and reason with you a little In good time quoth he let them speake their minde and what they will With that he rose up and tooke us apart into a winding and turning corner of the gallery where we came about him and began to perswade and deale with him for to take part with us in the enterprise He made us answere That he knew well enough the day when the banished persons were to returne and had taken order with his friends to be ready against the time with Gorgidas and to embrace the opportunity thereof howbeit they were not determined to take away the life of any one citizen not condemned by order
reclaimed by the proesse of Miltiades ib. his stratageme to save Greece 418.1 Themistocles in his government over-ruled much by his friends 359.20 Themistocles and Aristides laid by all private quarrels for the good of the weale publicke 361.50 suspected for a traytour to the state of Greece 241.40 his apophthegme as touching his banishment 273.20 he basheth not to blazon his owne vertues before the Athenians 304.40 his words as touching Miltiades 244.30 he lived richly in exile 273.20 Themistocles for his wisedome surnamed Vlysses 1243.1 depraved by Herodotus 1244.40.50 his apophthegme to his sonnes 1266.40 Themis 295.20 Themotecles captaine conspiratour against Aristodemus 506.20 Theodestes a wanton person how he saluted his love 751.50 Theodorus his saying of his scholars 1303.40 Theoclymenus furious 837.1 Theocritus the Sophister punished for his intemperate speech 13.30 Theodorus counterfeiting the creaking of a wheele 23.1 Theodorus Atheos 148.30.810 40 Theodorus neglected the sepulture of his body 299.40 Theodorus being banished how 〈◊〉 answered king Lysimachus 279.10 Theopompus first instituted the Ephori 294.1 his apophthegm 423.20.458.10 Theophrastus twice saved his countrey 1128.50 Theori 905.40 Thera and Therasia 1191.10 Theramenes his buskin 379.50 his apophthegme 458.30 put to death by his colleague in government 513.50 Thero the Thessalian an amorous person 1146.1 Thessander captaine of the Argives 907.10 Thessales and Achilles compared 37.40.50 Therycion his apophthegme 458.30 Theseus banishod from Athens 280.30 his temple there ib. Theseus his pictures 982.30 Thesmophoria 1314.10 Theos the generall name of God whereof derived 1311.20 a Thessalians apophthegme as touching Thessalians Thesmothesion 762.10 Thespesius how he became a new man 556.10 his tale ib. 40 Thesis the mother of Ac hilles 896.50 she complaineth of Apollo 20.50 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of divers significations 29 10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name of the night 1163.10 Thoosa what Daemon 157.30 Thraseus justified by Nero his enimie 362.50 Thrasonides his miseries 210.50 Thrasybulus his counsell to Periander 327.50 Thrice signifieth Many times 1300.50 Thucydides commended for his diluciditie of stile 983.30 Thunder how caused 827.40.1004.50 what things be good against it 704.20 Thunder ib. Thyades religious priestresses 1301 Thyasi what sacrifices 902.1 Thybians ey-biters 723.20 Thyrsophoria what feast 71210 Thyrst whereof it proceedeth 731.1 quenched and slaked by sleepe 731.10 Thyrst not allayed by meate 733.10 Tiberius declared Heire apparent by Augustus 442. 50. his 〈◊〉 626.1 Tides of the sea how occasioned 〈◊〉 Tigranes K. of Armenta his base minde 1276.40 Tigers love not to heere drummes and tabours 323.40 Time what it is 1024.20.815.30 the instruments of Time 1024.1 essence of Time 815.30 Timagenes jesteth to broad with Augustus Caesar. 108.20 Timarchus murdered by Procles 1197.30 Timarchus his tale as touching the familiar spirit of Socrates 1218.20 how he died 1220.50 Timber not to be sallen but in the full moone 〈◊〉 Timesias a busie politician 365.10 Timoclia her vertuous deed 503.10 Timoleon 371. his speech of Smallach coronets 718. 1. modest in praising himselfe 360.1 Timon the brother of Plutarch 185.40 Timons nource of Cilicia 782.40 Timotheus a Poet and musician emboldened by Euripides 398.30 his vaineglory 301. 50. his speech of Chares a tall and personable man 389.50.420.20 a fortunate captaine 420.20 his apophthegmes ib. Timotheus his apophthegme of the Academie fare 616.1 Timotheus the musician rebuked by K. Archelaus for craving 408.20 Timoxena the daughter of Plutarch 539.20 Tiresias his ghost 791.40 Tissaphernes compounded with Agesilaus 445.10 his treacherie ib. Titans 1333.50 Titus the emperour given over much to bathing 612.20 〈◊〉 and Typhones 1184. 30 Thesimachus his policy 915.10 Tongue naturally seated against much 〈◊〉 193.40 Tongue the best and worst peece of all the body 52.20.197.20 Tongue one eares twaine 53.20 Tongue lavish hath undone many states 195.50 how to frame the Tongue in making answeres 204.20.205.1 Tongue an hard matter to bridle 13.1 Tongue lavish compared with other infirmities 193.10 Tone 1037.1.40 Toredorix a Tetrach of Galatia 502.20 executed by Mithridates 502.40 Tortoises of the sea their maner of breeding 976.50 Tortoises of the land cured by the herbe Origan 569.40 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it signifieth in vines and other things 1013.10 Tragoedies condemned at feasts banquets 759.1 Tragoedie what maner of deceit 19.20 Tragoedie what it was at first 645.1 Tragoedians compared with captaines 985.20 Tranquility of minde 145.1 what is the fountaine thereof 148.1 Transmigration of soules into new bodies 578.40 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 775.10 Trees bearing pitch or rosen will not be grafted in the scutchian 675.10 they will beare no impe of another tree ib. 20. they be unfruitfull 676.1 Trees growing within the sea 1178.40 Trees some shed their leaves others not and why Triangles of three sorts what they represent 1328.40.685.30 Triangle named Pallas 1317.20 Tribunes at Rome why they wore no imbraydered purple robes 877.10.20 counted no magistrates ib. Tribunate a popular function 877.30 a sanctuary to the cōmons ib. 40. inviolable and sacred ib. 50 Trimeres what musicke 1251.30 Trioditus or Trivia why the moone is called 1177.10 Trochilus and the crocodile their society 975.10 Tritogenia a name of Pallas 317 20 Tritons sea gods why so called 1317.20 Trojan warre why caused by the gods 1073.30 Trojan dames their worthy deed 484.1 Trojans and Greeks compared together 38.40 Trojans setled in Italy 484.20 Troilus the page of Hesiodus a rocke of that name 344.10 Trophaees of Sylla 630.40 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof derived 731.50 Trophoniades what Daemons 1183.40 Trophonius and Agamedes rewarded with death 518.20 Trophonius Oracle and cave 1218.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 543.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it signifieth 736.50 Trueth a commendable quality in yong folke 13.40 Trueth but one lies be infinite 782.10 Trueth and the knowledge thereof is incomparable 1287.50 The plaine or field of trueth 1334.40 Tullus Hostilius executeth Metius Suffetius 908.40 The two tunnes in heaven full of destinies 271.30 Tuny fish not ignorant of Astronomie 974.1 skilfull in Arethmeticke and perspective ib. 20 Tuskane women their vertuous ast 488.1 Tutelar god of the Romans not to be named or inquired after 870.50 Tutours and teachers of children how to be chosen 5.10 Twines how engendred 843.30 Tynnicus the Lacedaemon how he tooke the death of his sonne 472.40 Typhon a Meteore 828.1.10 Typhonij 1316 Typhon 1121.20 Typhon what it signifieth 1288.10 Typhon borne 1292.20 he conspired against Osiris 1292.40 his outrages 1298.10 repressed and plagued by Isis. ib. Typhon of a ruddy colour 1299.30.40 how portrased in Hermopolis 1307.50 Tyrants and good princes wherein they differ 296.1 Tyranny to be repressed at the first 121.10 Teribazus how obsequious and devoted to the king of Persia his name 264.50 Tyrtaeus the Poet what Leonidas thought of him 950.20 Tyrians enchained the images of their tutelar gods 871.1 A Tyrant living to be an old man is a wonder 1206.40 V VAlerius Poplicala 865.40 Valerius Poplicala suspected for affecting the kingdome of
we find how he answereth to those imputations which were charged upon him for violating of the foresaid holy mysteries in others he generally craveth for the favour of the judges and standeth upon the tearmes of mercie there is an oration also of his extant as touching the appeaching or discoverie of those who were faultie for those sacred ceremonies as also his Agologie or defence against Phaeax and cōcerning peace He flourished at the very same time that Socrates the Philosopher was in so great name But borne he was in the 78 Olympias that yeere wherein Theagenides was provost or chiefe ruler of Athens so that by this computation he must needs be more ancient than Lysias by some hundred yeeres There was one of the Hermes that caried his name and was called Hermes of Andocides for that this image being dedicated by the tribe or linage Aegeis stood neere unto the house where Andocides dwelt This Andocides defraied the charges of a solemne round dance in the name of the line or kinred Aegeis which contended for the prise in the honor of Dithyrambicus at the feast of Bacchus where having obtained the victorie he consecrated a trefeet and set it up an high just against Porinus Selinus His stile is plaine and simple without all art bare and naked without any figures whatsoever LYSIAS III. LYsias the sonne of Cephalus the sonne of Lysanias who had likewise for his father Cephalus borne in Syracuse but he went to dwell at Athens partly for the affection that he bare to the citie and in part through the perswasion of Pericles the son of Xantippus who being his friend guest perswaded him thereto and the rather for that he was a mightie man there and exceeding rich or as some think he came to Athens by occasion that he was banished out of Syracuse at what time as the citie was tyrannically oppressed by Gelon so he arrived at Athens that yeere wherein Philocles was provost next after Phrasicles in the second yeere of the 82 Olympias at his first cōming brought up he was taught with the noblest Athenians but after that the citie sent out the colonie of Sybaris which afterwards was named Thurij he wēt with his eldest brother Polemarchus for he had besides him 2. other brethrē Eudemus Brachillus their father being now departed this life to have his part set out allotted unto him out of his fathers lands being not fifteene yeeres old that verie yeere when as Praxiteles was provost where he remained and was instructed by Nicias Tisias two Syracusans Now having bought him an house with the portion of land which fell unto his share he lived there in state of a citizen and was called to government of common weale when his lot came for the space of 63 yeeres untill the time that Clearchus was provost of Athens but the yeere next following when Callias was provost namely in the 92 Olympias when as the Sicilians and Athenians fought a field by reason whereof many of their allies stirred and revolted and especially those who dwelt in Italy and coasted thereupon accused he was to have favoured the Athenians and sided with them and thereupon was banished with three other Now being arrived at Athens in the yeere wherein Callias was provost next after Cleoritus while the foure hundred usurpers were possessed of the State hee there rested but after the navall battell was stricken neere to a place called the Goats rivers when as the thirtie tyrants had the administration of the common weale in their hands banished he was from thence for the space of seven yeeres lost his goods and his brother Polemarchus himselfe escaped with life narrowly out of the house at a posterne gate or backe-doore in which house he had beene beset with a full purpose that he should end his life there and then he retired himselfe to the citie Megara where he abode When as those of Phila had made a reentrie into the citie and chased out the tyrants for that he shewed himslefe above all others most forward in this enterprise as having contributed for the exploiting of this service two thousand dragmes weight in silver and two hundred targuets and being sent besides with Herman waged three hundred and two souldiers and wrought so effectually with Thrasylaeus the Elian his friend and old host that he helped him unto certeine talents of silver in regard wherof Thrasibulus upon his returne and reentry into the city proposed unto the people That for and in consideration of these good services the right of free burgeosie should be granted unto him This hapned in the yeere of the Anarchie when there was no provost elected next before the provostship of Euclides This was granted and ratified by the people onely there was one Archinus stood up and impeached the proceeding thereof as being against the law because it was proposed unto the people before it was consulted upon in the Senate so the foresaid decree was anulled and revoked Thus being disappointed of his ritht of burgeosie he remained neverthelesse during his life as a citizen and enjoyed the same rights franchises and priviledges that other burgesses did so died in the end when he had lived the space of foure score and three yeeres or as some say three score and sixteene and as others write foure score so that he lived to see Demosthenes a childe It is said that he was borne the yeere that Philocles was provost There goe in his name foure hundred orations of which number according to Dionysius and Cecilius two hundred and thirtie be of his owne making in deed in the pronouncing of all which he failed but twice and had the foile There is extant also that very oration which he made against Archinus in the maintenance and defence of the said decree by vertue whereof the right of burgeosie was given unto him also another against the thirtie tyrants Apt he was to perswade and in those orations which he gave out to others very briefe and succinct There be found likewise of his making certeine introductions to Rhetoricke and speeches delivered publickly before the people letters missive solemne praises funerall orations discourses of love and one defence of Socrates which directly seemed to touch the judges to the quicke His stile was thought to be plaine and easie howbeit inlmitable Demosthenes in one oration which he made against Neaera saith That he was enamoured of one Metaneira servant with Neaera but afterwards he espoused and tooke to wise the daughter of his brother Brachyllus Plato himselfe maketh mention of him in his booke entituled Phaedrus as of an oratour passing eloquent and more ancient than Isocrates Philiscus who was familiar with Isocrates and the companion of Lysias made an Epigram upon him wherby it appeareth that he was more ancient as also it is evident by that which Plato hath said the Epigram is to this effect Now shew Callippes daughter thou that art so eloquent If
ought of wittie spirit thou hast and what is excellent For meet it is that thou should'st bring some little Lysias foorth To blaze his fathers name abroad for vertuous deeds of woorth Who now transform'd and having caught a bodie strange to see In other worlds for Sapience should now immortall bee My loving heart to friend now dead likewise to notifie And to delare his vertuous life unto posteritie He composed likewise an oration for Iphicrates which he pronounced against Harmodius as also another wherein he accused Timotheus of treason and both the one and the other he overthrew but afterwards when Iphicrates tooke upon him againe to enquire into the dooings of Timotheus calling him to account for the revenues of the State which he had mannaged and set in hand againe with this accusation of treason hee was brought into question judicially and made answere in his owne defence by an oration that Lysias penned for him And as for himselfe he was acquit of the crime and absolved but Timotheus was condemned and fined to pay a great summe of money Moreover he rehearsed in the great assembly and solemnity at the Olympick games a long oration wherein he perswaded the Greekes that they should be reconciled one to another and joine together for to put downe the tyrant Dionysius ISOCRATES IIII. ISocrates was the sonne of one Theodorus an Erechthian a man reckoned in the number of meane citizens one who kept a sort of servants under him who made flutes and hautboies by whose workmanship he became so rich that he was able to bring up and set out his children in worshipfull manner For other sonnes he had besides to wit Telesippus and Diomnestus and also a little daughter unto them Hereupon it is that he was twitted and flouted by the comicall poets Aristophanes and Stratis in regard of those flutes He lived about the 86. Olympias elder than Lysimachus the Myrrhinusian by two and twentie yeeres and before Plato some seven yeeres During his childhood he had as good bringing up as any Athenian whatsoever as being the disciple scholar of Prodicus the Chian of Gorgias the Leontine of Tysias the Syracusian Theramenes the prosessed Rhetorician who being at the point to be apprehended taken by the 30. tyrants flying for refuge to the altar of Minerva the Counseller when all other friends were affrighted and amazed onely Isocrates arose and shewed himselfe for to assist and succor him and at the first continued a long time silent But Theramenes himselfe began and prayed him to desist saying that it would be more dolorous and grievous unto him than his owne calamitie in case he should see any of his friends to be troubled and endangered for the love of him And it is said that he helped him to compile certaine Institutions of Rhetoricke at what time as he was maliciously and falsely slandered before the judges in open court which Institutions are gon under the name and title of Boton When he was growen to mans estate he forbare to meddle in State matters and in the affaires of common-weale as well for that he had by nature a small and feeble voice as because naturally he was fearfull and timorous and besides his state was much impaired by reason that he lost his patrimonie in the warre against the Lacedaemonians It appeareh that to other men he had beene assistant in counsell and giving testimonie for them in places of judgement but it is not knewen that he pronounceed above one onely oration to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say concerning counterchange of goods And having set up a publicke schoole he gave himselfe to the studie of philosophie and to write where he composed his Panegyrique oration and certaine others of the Deliberative kind and those that he wrote himselfe some he read some he penned for others thinking thereby to exhort and stirre up the Greekes to devise and performe such duties as beseemed them to doe But seeing that he missed of his purpose and intention hee gave over that course and betooke himselfe to keepe a schoole first as some say in Chios having nine scholars that came unto him where when he saw that his scholars paid him downe in money his Minervals for their schooling hee wept and said I see well now that I am sold unto these youthes He would conferre willingly with those that came to devise and talke with him being the first that put difference betweene wrangling pleas or contentious orations and serious politike discourses of common-weale in which he rather employed himselfe He ordained magistrates in Chios erecting the same forme of government there which was in his owne countrey He gathered more silver together by teaching schoole than ever any professor in Rhetoricke or schoole-master was knowen to have done so that he was well able to defray the charges of a galley at sea Of scholars he had to the number of one hundred and among many others Timotheus the sonne of Conon with whom he travelled abroad and visited many cities he penned all those letters which Timotheus sent unto the Athenians in regard whereof he bestowed upon him a talent of silver the remainder of that money due by composition from Samos There were besides of his scholars Theopompus the Chian and Ephorus of Cumes Asclepiades also who composed tragical matters and arguments and Theodectes who afterwards wrote tragoedies whose tombe or sepulcher is as men go toward Cyamite even in the sacred way or street that leadeth to Eleusis now altogether ruinate and demolished in which place he caused to be erected and set up the statues of famous poets together with him of all whom there remaineth none at this day but Homer alone also Leodamus the Athenian Lacritus the law-giver unto the Athenians and as some say Hyperides and Isaeus And it is said that Demosthenes also came unto him whiles he yet taught a Rhetoricke schoole with an earnest purpose to learne of him using this speech that he was not able to pay him a thousand drachms of silver which was the onely price that he made and demaunded of everie scholar but meanes he would make to give him two hundred drachms so he might learne of him but the fift part of his skill which was a proportionable rate for the whole unto whom Isocrates made this answere We use not Demosthenes to do our businesse by piece-meale but like as men are woont to sell faire fishes all whole even so will I if you purpose to be my scholar teach and deliver you mine art full and entier and not by halfes or parcels He departed this life the verie yeere that Chaeronides was Provost of Athens even when the newes came of the discomfiture at Chaeronea which he heard being in the place of Hippocrates publicke exercises and voluntarily he procured his owne death in abstaining from all food and sustenance the space of foure daies having pronounced before this abstinence of his these three first verses