himselfe prisoner 43 Moreover as touching the love and desire to go trim and to decke and adorne the body I would wish you ô Eurydice to endevor for to call to your remembrance those rules which you have read in the treatise that Timoxenus wrote unto Aristilla concerning that argument And as for you ô Pollianus never thinke that your wife will absteine from such curiosity and lay away those delights and superfluities so long as she perceiveth that you despise not nor reject the like vanity in other things but that you take pleasure both to see and have your cuppes and goblets gilt your cabinets curiously and costly painted your mules and horses set out with rich caparisons sumptuous trappings and costly furniture for an hard matter it is to chase away and banish such delicate superfluities out of the nurcery and womens chamber so long as they see the same to reigne in the mens parlour and where they have to do 44 Furthermore you Pollianus being now of ripe yeres to studie those sciences which are grounded upon reason and proceed by undoubted demonstration adorne from hence forward your maners by frequenting the company of such persons and conversing with them who may serve you in good stead and farther you that way and as for your wife see you doe the part of a studious and industrious Bee in gathering for her and to her hand from all parts good things which you thinke may benefit profit her likewise bring the same home with you impart them unto her devise and commune with her about them apart and by that meanes make familiar and pleasant unto her the best bookes and the best discourses that you can meet with all For why to her you are in stead of sire and brother kind A mother deere from henceforth now to her she must you find like as in Homer Andromache said of her husband Hector And verily in mine opinion it were no lesse honorable for a man to heare his wife say thus unto him My husband you are my teacher my regent my master and instructor in Philosophie and in the knowledge of the most divine and excellent literature for these sciences and liberall arts do above all other things divert and withdraw the minds of women from other unwoorthie and unseemely exercises A matron or dame who hath studied Geometrie will be ashamed to make profession of dauncing the measures and she that is alreadie enchanted and charmed as it were with the singular discourses of Plato and Xenophon will never like of the charmed and enchantments of witches and forcerers and if any enchantresse should come unto her and make promise to draw downe the moone from heaven she would mocke those women and laugh at their grosse ignorance who suffer themselves to be perswaded for to beleeve the same as having learned somewhat in Astrologie and heard that Aganice the daughter of Hegetor a great Lord in Thesalia knowing the reason of the ecclipses of the moone when she is at the full and observing the verie time when the bodie of the moone will meet right with the shadow of the earth abused other women of that countrey and made them beleeve that it was herselfe who fetched downe the moon out of the skie 45 It was never heard yet that a woman by course of nature should conceive and bring foorth a childe of her selfe alone without the companie of man marie some there be who have beene knowen to gather in their wombe a rude masse or lumpe without the true forme of a reasonable creature resembling rather a piece of flesh engendred and growing to a consistence by meanes of some corruption which some call a Mole Great heed therefore would be taken that the like befall not to the soule and mind of women for if they receive not from others the seeds of good matters and instructions that is to say if their husbands helpe them not to conceive good doctrine and sound knowledge they will of themselves fall a breeding and be delivered of many strange conceits absurd opinions and extravagant passions But mine advice unto you Eurydice is to be studious alwaies in the notable sayings and sentences morall of sage wise and approoved men have alwaies in your mouth the good words which heretofore when you were a yoong maiden you heard and learned of us to the end that you may be a joy to your husband and be praised and commended by other women when they shall see you so honorably adorned and beautified without any cost bestowed upon brooches tablets and jewels for you can not possibly come by the precious pearles of this or that rich and wealthie woman nor have the silken gownes and velvet robes of such a Ladie of a strange countrey for to array or trim your selfe withall but you must buy them at an exceeding high and deere price but the ornaments and attire of Theano of Cleobuline of Gorgo the wife of king Leonidas of Timoclea the sister of Theagenes of Clodia the ancient Romane Ladie of dame Cornelia the sister of Scipio and of other Ladies and gentlewomen so much renowmed and bruited heretofore for their rare vertues you may have gratis freely and without a penie cost wherewith if you decke and adorne your selfe you shall live both happily and also with honor and glorie For if Sappho for her sufficiency in Poetrie and the skill that she had in verstfying stucke not to write thus to a certaine rich and wealthie dame in her time All dead thoushalt one day entombed be There shall remaine of thee no memorie For that no part of roses came to thee That flower upon the mountaine Pierie Why shouldest not thou thinke better of thy selfe and take more joy and contentment in thine heart considering thou hast thy part not onely of the roses and flowers but also of the fruits which the Muses bring foorth and yeeld to those who love good letters and highly esteeme of Philosophie THE BANQVET OF THE SEVEN SAGES The Summarie WHether it were that the persons named in this discourse following were at a banquet in deed and there discoursed of such matters as are here by Plutarch handled or that himselfe had collected and gathered the Apophthegmes and histories of his time or how soever it was we may see by this present Treatise what was the custome of Sages and wise men in ancient time at their feasts namely to invite one another courteously to solace themselves and make merrie hartily without many ceremonies and complements to shew sincers amitie and without excessive cost and expense to keepe good cheere after a plaine open and simple manner The principall part of which meetings and frequentings of the table being emploied in devising dadly and with setled minde both during their repast and a prettie while after of matters honest pleasant and tending to good instruction and edification as this booke and the Symposiakes or Table-discourses whereof we shall see more hereafter do plainly shew This manner
vehement force of action which is in them remaine idle so lively and subtile it is but they wave to and fro continually as if they were tossed by tempest and winde upon the sea untill such time as they come to be setled in a constant firme and permanent habitude of maners like as therefore he who is altogether unskilfull of husbandrie and tillage maketh no reckoning at all of a ground which he seeth full of rough bushes and thickets beset with savage trees and overspred with ranke weeds wherein also there be many wilde beasts many rivers and by consequence great store of mudde and mire but contrariwise an expert husband and one who hath good judgement and can discerne the difference of things knoweth these and all such signes to betoken a fertile and plentifull soile even so great wits and hautie spirits doe produce and put foorth at the first many strange absurd and leud pranks which we not able to endure thinke that the roughnesse offensive pricks thereof ought immediately to be cropt off and cut away but he who can judge better considering what proceedeth from thence good and generous attendeth and expecteth with patience the age and season which is cooperative with vertue and reason against which time the strong nature in such is for to bring foorth and yeeld her proper and peculiar frute And thus much may suffice of this matter But to proceed forward Thinke you not that some of the Greeks have done well and wisely to make a transcript of a law in Egypt which commaundeth that in case a woman who is attaint and convicted of a capital crime for which in justice she ought to die be with childe she should be kept in prison untill she were delivered Yes verily they all answered Well then quoth I Set case there be some one who hath no children conceived in his wombe to bring foorth but breedeth some good counsell in his head or conceiveth a great enterprise in his minde which he is to bring to light and effect in time either by discovering an hidden mischiefe or setting abroad an expedient and profitable counsell or inventing some matter of necessarie consequence Thinke you not that he did better who deferred the execution of such an ones punishment stay untill the utilitie that might grow by him were seene than he who inconsiderately in all haste proceedeth to take revenge prevent the opportunitie of such a benefit Certes for mine owne part I am fully of that minde and even we no lesse answered Patrocleas Well then quoth I it must needs be so for marke thus much If Dionysius had beene punished for his usurped rule in the beginning of his tyrannie there should not one Grecian have remained inhabitant in 〈◊〉 for the Carthaiginans would have held the same and driven them al out like as it must needs have befallen to the citie Apollonia to Anactorium and the Chersonese ordemie island Leucadia if 〈◊〉 had suffered punishment at first and not a long time after as he did And I suppose verily that the punishment and revenge of Cassander was put off and prolonged of purpose untill by that meanes the citie of Thebes was fully reedified and peopled againe And many of those mercenary soldiers and strangers who seized and held this temple wherein we are during the time of the sacred warre passed under the conduct of Timoleon into Sicilie who after they had defaited in battell the Carthaginians and withall suppressed abolished sundrie tyrannies they came to a wretched end wicked wretches as they were For God in great wisedome and providence otherwhiles maketh use of some wicked persons as of butchers and common excutioners to torment and punish others as wicked as they or woorse whom afterwards he destroieth and thus in mine opinion he dealeth with most part of tyrants For like as the gall of the wild beast Hyaena and the rendles or rennet of the Sea-calfe as also other parts of venemous beasts and serpents have one medicinable propertie or other good to heale sundry maladies of men even so God seeing some people to have need of bitte and bridle and to be chastised for their enormities sendeth unto them some inhumane tyrant or a rigorous and inexorable lord to whip and scourge them and never giveth over to afflict and vexe them untill he have purged and cleered them of that maladie wherewith they were infected Thus was Phalaris the tyrant a medicine to the Agrigentines thus Marius was sent as a remedie to cure the Romanes as for the Sicyonians even god himselfe Apollo foretold them by oracle That their citie had need of certaine officers to whippe and scourge them at what time as they would perforce take from the Cleoneans a certain yong boy named Teletias who was crowned in the solemnitie of the Pythian games pretending that he was their citizen and borne among them whom they haled and pulled in such sort as they dismembred him But these Sicyonians met afterwards with Orthagoras that tyrannized over them and when he was gone they were plagued also with Myron and Clisthenes and their favorites who held them in so short that they kept them from all outrages and staied their insolent follies whereas the Cleoneans who had not the like purgative medicine to cure them were subverted and through their misdemeanor come to nothing Marke well therefore that which Homer in one place saith His sonne he was and in all kind of valour did surmount His father farre who was to say a truth of base account And yet this sonne of Copreus never performed in all his life any memorable act beseeming a man of woorth and honour whereas the ofspring of Sisyphus the race of Antolycus and the posteritie of Phlegyas flourished in glorie and all maner of vertue among great kings and princes At Athens likewise Pericles descended from an house excommunicate and accursed And so at Rome Pompeius surnamed Magnus that is the Great had for his father one Strabo a man whom the people of Rome so hated that when he was dead they threw his corps out of the biere wherein it was caried foorth to buriall and trampled it under their feet What absurditie then were it if as the husbandman never cutteth up or stocketh the thorne or bush before he hath gathered the render sprouts and buds thereof nor they of Libya burne the boughes of the plant Ledrom untill they have gotten the aromaticall gumme or liquor out of it called Ladanum even so God never plucketh up by the root the race of any noble and roiall familie wicked and wretched though they be before it hath yeelded some good and profitable frute for it had bene farre better and more expedient for the men of Phocis that ten thousand beefs and as many horses of Iphitus had died that the Delphians likewise had lost much more gold and silver by farre than that either Ulysses or Aesculapius should not have bene borne or others in like case whose
the evaporation of naturall hear conteined within the same seed PARMENIDES is of opinion that when the seed descendeth out of the right side of the matrix the children be like unto the fathers but when it passeth from the left side unto the mothers The STOICKS opine thus from the whole body and the soule passeth the seed and so the similitudes doe forme of the same kinds the figures and characters like as a painter of the like colours draweth the image of that which he seeth before him also the woman for her part doth conferre genetall seed which if it be prevalent then the infant is like unto the mother but if the mans seed be more predominant it will resemble the father CHAP. XII How it falleth out that children resemble others and not their fathers and mothers THe most part of the Physicians affirme this to happen by chaunce and aventure but upon this occasion that the seed as well of the man as the woman waxeth cold for then the infants resemble neither the one nor the other EMPEDOCLES attributeth the forme and resemblance of yoong babes in the wombe unto the strong imagination of the woman in time of conception for many times it hath beene knowen that women have beene enamoured of painted images and statues and so deli vered of children like unto them The STOICKS say that by a sympathie of the minde and understanding through the insinuation of beames and not of images these resemblances are caused CHAP. XIII How it commeth that some women be barren and men likewise unable to get children PHYSICIANS hold that women be barren by reason that the matrix is either too streight over rare or too hard or else by occasion of certeine callosities or carnosities or for that the women themselves be weaklings and heartlesse or doe not thrive but mislike or else because they are fallen into some Cachexia and evill habit of body or by reason that they are distorted or otherwise in a convulsion DIOCLES saith that men in this action of generation are impotent for that some send foorth no seed at all or at leastwise in quantitie lesse than is meet or such as hath no generative power or because their genetals be paralyticall or relaxed or by reason that the yerd is crooked that it cannot cast the seed forward or for that the genetall members be disproportioned and not of a competent length considering the distance of the matrix The STOICKS lay the fault upon certeine faculties and qualities discordant in the parties themselves that come together about this businesse who being parted one from another and conjoined with others uniting well with their complexion there followeth a temperature according to nature and a childe is gotten betweene them CHAP. XIIII Why Mules be barrain ALCMAEON is of opinion that Mulets that is to say male Mules be not able to engender for that their seed or geneture is of a thin substance which procecdeth from the coldnesse therof The Females also because their shaps do not open wide enough that is to say the mouth therof doth not gape sufficiently for these be the verie tearmes that he useth EMPEDOCLES blameth exilitie or smalnesse the low positure and the over streight conformation of the matrix being so turned backward and tied unto the belly that neither seed can be directly cast into the capacitie of it nor if it were caried thither would it receive the same Unto whom DIOCLES also beareth witnesse saying Many times quoth he in the dissection of Anatomies we have seene such matrices of Mules and it may be therefore that in regard of such causes some women also be barrain CHAP. XV. Whether the Infant lying yet in the mothers wombe is to be accounted a living creature or no PLATO directly pronounceth that such an Infant is a living creature for that it moveth and is fed within the bellie of the mother The STOCKS say it is a part of the wombe and not an animall by it selfe For like as fruits be parts of the trees which when they be ripe do fall even so it is with an Infant in the mothers wombe EMPEDOCLES denieth it to be a creature animall howbeit that it hath life and breath within the bellie mary the first 〈◊〉 that it 〈◊〉 respiration is at the birth namely when the superfluous humiditie which is in such unborne 〈◊〉 is retired and gone so that the aire from without entreth into the void vessels lying open DIOGENES saith that such Infants are bred within the matrice inanimate howbeit in heat whereupon it commeth that 〈◊〉 hear so soone as ever the Infant is turned out of the mothers wombe is drawen into the lungs 〈◊〉 leaveth to unborne babes a mooving naturall but not a respiration of which motion the 〈◊〉 be the 〈◊〉 cause but afterwards they become perfect living animall creatures when being come forth of the wombe they take in breath from the aire CHAP. XVI How unborne babes are fed in the wombe DEMOCRITUS and EPICURUS hold that this unperfect fruit of the wombe receiveth nourishment at the mouth and thereupon it commeth that so soone as ever it is borne it seeketh and nuzzeleth with the mouth for the brest head or nipple of the pappe for that within the matrice there be certaine tears yea and mouths too whereby they are nourished The STOICKS say that it is fed by the secundine and the navell whereupon it is that Midwives presently knit up and tie the navell string fast but open the Infants mouth to the end that it be acquainted with another kind of nourishment ALCMAEON affirmeth that the Infant within the mothers wombe feedeth by the whole body throughout for that it sucketh to it and draweth in manner of a spunge of all the food that which is good for nourishment CHAP. XVII What part of the Child is first made perfect within the mothers bellie THe STOICKS are of opinion that the most parts are formed all at once but ARISTOTEE saith the backe bone and the loines are first framed like as the keele in a ship ALCMAEON affirmeth that the head is first made as being the seat of reason PHYSICIANS will have the heart to be the first wherein the veines and arteries are Some thinke the great toe is framed first and others the navill CHAP. XVIII What is the cause that Infants borne at seven moneths end be livelike EMPEDOCLES thinketh that when mankind was first bred of the earth one day then by reason of the slow motion of the Sunne was full as long as in this age of ours tenne moneths and that in processe of time and by succession it came to be of the length of seven moneths And therefore quoth hee infants borne either at ten or seven moneths end doe ordinarily live the nature of the world being so accustomed in one day to bring that fruit to maturitie after that night wherein it was committed into the wombe thereof TIMAEUS saith that they bee not ten moneths but are
what they be 〈◊〉 Wine liberally taken what effects it worketh 194.10 Wine how it killeth the vine 1013 20 Wine how hot and how it is colde 1112.10.20 Wine how students should use 621.10 Wine the best drinke ib. Wine what effects it worketh 681 20.763.50 it discovereth the 〈◊〉 of the heart 681.40 Wine a singular medicine that Wine is cold 683.40 689.30 Wine new See Must. Wine whether it should runne through a streiner before it be drunke 736.20 Wine called at the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the name of Lees. 736.40 varietie of Wines soone causeth drunkennesse 700.50 Wine best in the middes of the vessels 747.30 Wine why poured forth at Rome before the temple of Venus 866.30 Wine hurt with winde and aire 747.50 Wine the foundation of government and counsell in Greece 762.1 Wine in Greeke why called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 762.50 Wine and the vine came of giants bloud spilled upon the ground 1289.40 Wine is talkative 763.1 Wine worketh boldnesse and confidence 763.40 Wine causeth a selfe conceit and opinion of wisedome 763.1 Wine new at what time of the yccre first tasted or set abroach 785.1 Wine sparily drunke by the Aegyptian kings 1289.40 that Wine is cold 688.1 a Wing compared to God 1021.40 Winter how it is caused 829.40 Wisdome and fortune produce like effects 628.20 the wise man of the Stoicks described 1055.50 Wisdome what it is 233.1 to be preferred before all worldly things 1288.1 Wool more pliable if it be gently handled 658.30 Wolves whelpe al in twelve daies 1015.20 Women not soone drunke and the reason thereof 687.10 their temperature moist ib. Women whether they be colder or hotter than men 688.1 that Women be hotter ib. 10 one Womans body put to tenne dead mens bodies in a funerall fire 688.20 that Women be colder than men 688.30 Women why they conceive not at all times 843.20 a Woman beareth five children at the most at one birth 850.50 Women why they weare white at funerals in Rome 859.30 a prety tale of a talkative Woman 198.30 Women can keepe no secret counsell 199.30 Women are best adorned with vertue and literature 325.10 20 Womens vertuous deeds 482.20 Women publickely praised at Rome 483.10 Women of Salmatica their vertuous act 489.50 a Woman of Galatias love to Toredorix 502.50 Wooden dogge among the Locrians 892.50 Wood-pecker a birde why so much esteemed at Rome 857.10 Wood-pecker feed Romulus and Remus 857.10 consecrated to Mars wherefore ib. 20 Words filthy are to be avoided by children 11.50 a Word occasion of much mischiefe 242.20 Words compared with deeds 402 40 Words the lightest things in the world 668.40.196.10 Words have wings 198.10 World of what principles it was composed 1305.50 World how it was made 808.20 in the World foure regiments 1219.30 World one 808.50 how Plato prooveth it 809.1.1335.30 more Worlds than one 1335.50 World not incorruptible 809.10 Worlds infinite 809.10 infinity of Worlds condemned 1332.30.1334.20 World round 809.30 Worlds in number five 1335.20 World why called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 818.1 Worlds whether one or infinite 818.10 Worlds not one nor five but 183. 1334.30 World and Whole not both one 818.10 World and the parts thereof compared to a mans body 1168 World what it is 646.10 Worlds in number five how prooved 1339.10 World what forme or figure it hath 818.20 World whether it be animate or endued with soule 818.30 Worlds five which they be 1359.1 whether it be corruptile or eternall 818.40 World whereof it is nourished 818.50 Worlds five proportionate to the five senses 1359.10 Worlds fabricke at which element it began 819.10 Worlds fabricke in what order it was framed 819.30 World why it copeth or bendeth 819.50 the World to come hath joies for good men 603.20 Worlds sides right left 820.20 the Worlds conflagration 1328.10 World created by god 1032.40 the Worlds generall conflagration held by the Stoicks 1090.30 Worship of brute beasts excused 1327.50 Wrathfulnesse what it is 119.50 Wrestling whether it were the most ancient Gymnike exercise 672.30 X XAnthians plagued by the meanes of Bellerophontes 489.40 Xanthians negotiate in the name of their mothers and beare their names 489.50 Xenocrates his aurelets or bolsters for the eares 52.20 Xenocrates a scholar hard to learne 63. 1. his opinion as touching the soule of the world 1031.10 he directed Alexander the great in the government of the king dome 1128.30 Xenocrite her vertuous deed 505 30. she conspireth the death of Aristodemus the tyrta 506.30 Xenophanes his saying of the Aegyptian Osiris 1149.10 Xenophon reporteth his owne acts 372.10 Xenophon the Philosopher beloved of king Agesilaus 448.30 how he tooke the death of his sonne 529.30 Xenophon called Nycteris 930.20 he penneth the history of himselfe 982.10 Xerxes menaceth Athos 121.40 he died for sorrow that his owne sonnes were at deadly discord 176.50 Xerxes and Ariamenes bretheren how they strove for the crowne 186.40 how they were agreed 187.1.10 Xerxes his pollicie to keepe downe rebellious mutinous subjects 403.40 his apophthegmes ib. his clemency unto two Lacedaemonians 474.1 Xerxes his barbarous cruelty unto rich Pythes 507.20 Xuthus 895.20 Y YEere why it is called the age of man 1328.20 of Jupiter 826.20 of the Sunne ib. of Mercury and Venus ib. of the moone ib. the Yeere or revolution of Saturne 826.20 the great Yeere 826.20 Yeeres dedicated to Jupiter 876.1 Yeugh tree shade how hurtfull 684.40 Yoong men are to be governed with greater care than children 14.40 to what vices they be subject 14.30.40 Yoong men how they sleepe at Lacedaemon 475. 40. how they demeaned themselves to their elders at Lacedaemon 476.1 Yoong lads permitted to steale at Lacedaemon 476.20 Yoong folke drunke resemble olde men 687.50 Youth ought not to be over-bold nor yet too fearefull 8.40 how they should read the bookes of Sages 9.50 Youth is to obey 391.20 Youth brought up hardly at Lacedaemon 476.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it fignifieth in composition 726.50 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it signifieth 726.40 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 760.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Nosegaies 684.30 Yron why it is not vocall and resonant 770.30 Z ZAleucus his 〈◊〉 highly reputed among the Locrians 306.10 Zarates the maister of Pythagoras 1031.20 Zeipetus king of the 〈◊〉 903.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say To live 991. 20 Zeno his opinion of vertue 65.1 he lost all that he had 148.40 Zeno traineth his scholars to the hearing of the musicke of instruments 67.20 Zeno the disciple of Parmenides undertooke to kill the 〈◊〉 Demytus 1128.30 Zeno bitoff his own tongue 196.30 contrary to himselfe 1058.50 Zeno the Cittiaean honored by Antigonus the yonger 416.1 Zeno his valorous resolution 1128.30 his opinion as touching the principles of all things 808.20 his answere to the Persian embassadour as touching taciturnity 194.30 Zephiodorus a minion of Epaminondas 1146.10 Zephyrus what wind 693.40.789.30 Zovs hath many significations 〈◊〉 Zeuxidamus his apophthegmes 457.50 Zodiak circle
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
regard wisely sayd the Poët Euripides When as the ground is not well laid at first for our natiuity With parents fault men will upbraid both us and our posterity A goodly treasure then have they who are well and honestly borne when in the confidence and assurance thereof they may be bold to beare their heads aloft and speake their minds frankly wheresoever they come and verily they of all others are to make the greatest account of this blessing who wish to have faire issue of their bodies lawfully begotten Certes a thing it is that ordinarily daunteth and casteth downe the heart of a man when he is privie to the basenesse of his birth and knoweth some defect blemish and imperfection by his parents Most truly therefore and to the purpose right fitly spake the same Poët The privitie to fathers vice or mothers fault reprochable Will him debase who otherwise is hautie stout and commendable Whereas contrariwise they that are knowen to be the children of noble and worthy parents beare themselves highly and are full of stomacke and generositie In which conceit and loftie spirit it is reported that Diaphantus the sonne of Themistocles was woont to say and that in the hearing of many That whatsoeuer pleased him the same also the people of Athens thought well of for that which I would have done quoth he my mother likewise sayth Yea unto it what my mothers minde stands to Themistocles my father will not gainsay it and looke what likes Themistocles the Athenians all are well contented therewith Where by the way the magnanimitie and brave mind of the Lacedaemoninas is highly to be praised who condemned their king Archidamus in a great fine of money for that he could finde in his heart to espouse a wife of little stature alledging therewith a good reason Because say they his meaning is to get not a breed of Kings but Kinglins or divers Kings to reigne over us Well upon this first advertisement concerning children there dependeth another which they who wrote before us of the like argument forgat not to set downe and what is that namely That they who for procreation of children will come neere unto women ought to meddle with them either upon empty stomacks and before they have drunke any wine at all or at leastwise after they have taken their wine in measure and soberly for such will proove commonly wine-bibbers and drunkards who were engendred when their fathers were drunken according to that which Diogenes sayd upon a time unto a youth whom he saw beside himselfe and farre overseene with drinke My ladde quoth he thy father gat thee when he was drunke And thus much may suffice for the generation of children As touching their nourture and education whereof now I am to discourse That which we are woont generally to say of all Arts and Sciences the same we may be bolde to pronounce of vertue to wit that to the accomplishment thereof and to make a man perfectly vertuous three things ought to concurre Nature Reason and Vsage By reason I understand doctrine and precepts by usage exercise and practise The first beginnings we have from nature progresse and proceeding come by teaching and instruction exercise and practise is performed by diligence And all three together bring foorth the height of perfection If any one of these faile it cannot otherwise be but that vertue also should have her defect and be maimed For nature without learning is blind Doctrine wanting the gift of nature is defectuous and exercise void of the other twaine imperfect And verily it fareth in this case much like as in Husbandrie and tillage of the earth For first and formest requisite it is that the ground be good Secondly that the Husbandman be skilfull and in the third place that the seed be cleane and well chosen Semblaby Nature resembleth the soile the Master who teacheth representeth the labouring Husbandman and last of all the rules precepts admonitions and examples are compared to the seede All these good meanes I dare with confidence avouch met together and inspired their power into the mindes of these woorthy personages who throughout the world are so renowmed Pythagor as I meane Socrates Plato and all the rest who have attained to a memorable name and immortall glorie Blessed then is that man and entirely beloved of the gods whose hap it is by their favor and grace to be furnished with all three Now if any one be of this opinion that those who are not endued with the gift of naturall wit and yet have the helpes of true instruction and diligent exercise to the attaining of vertue cannot by this meanes recover and repaire the foresaid defect Know he that he is much deceived and to say more truely quite out of the way for as idlenesse and negligence doth marre and corrupt the goodnesse of nature so the industrie and diligence of good erudition supplieth the defect and correcteth the default thereof Idle and slothfull persons we see are not able to compasse the things that be easie whereas contrariwise by studie and travell the greatest difficulties are atchieved Moreover of what efficacie and execution diligence and labour is a man may easily know by sundrie effects that are daily observed For we do evidently perceive that drops of water falling upon the hard rocke doe eate the same hollow yron and brasse we see to weare and consume onely by continuall handling The fellies in chariot wheeles which by labour are bended and curbed will not returne and be reduced againe do what you can to their former streightnesse Like as it is impossible by any device to set streight the crooked staves that Stage-players goe withall And evident it is that whatsoever against nature is by force and labour chaunged and redressed becometh much better and more sure than those things that continue in their ownekinde But are these the things onely wherein appeareth the power of studie and diligence No verily For there are an infinite number of other experiments which proove the same most cleerely Is there a peece of ground naturally good Let it lie neglected it becommeth wilde and barrain Yea and the more rich and fertill that it is of it selfe the more waste and fruitlesse it prooveth for want of tillage and husbandry Contrariwise you shall see another plot hard rough and more stonie than it should be which by good ordering and the carefull hand of the husbandman soone bringeth foorth faire and goodly fruit Againe what trees are there which will not twine grow crooked and proove fruitlesse if good heed be not taken unto them Whereas if due regard be had and that carefulnes employed about them which becommeth they beare fruit and yeeld the same ripe in due season Is there any body so sound and able but by neglect riot delicacie and an evill habit or custome it will grow dull feeble and unlostie yea and fall into a misliking and consumption On the other side what complexion is there so
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
sight neither seemely nor decent Some painters you shall have to delight in painting of strange foolish and absurd actions as for example Timomachus represented in a table the picture of Medea killing her owne children Theon painted Orestes murthering his owne mother Parrhasius described with his pensill the counterfeit race and madnesse of Vlisses and Charephanes purtrayed the wanton dalliance and dealing of men and women together unseemely With which arguments and such like a yoong man is to be made acquainted that he may learne thereby how the thing it selfe is not praise woorthie where of he seeth the expresse resemblance but the art and cunning of the workeman who could so artificially draw the same to the life Semblably for asmuch as Poësie representeth many times by way of imitation filthie actions leaud affections and vicious manners it is the part of a yoong man to know thus much That the thing which is admired therein and found to be singular he ought not either to receive as true or proove as good but to praise it so far foorth onely as it is befitting the person or appropriate to the subject matter For like as when we heare the grunting of a swine the creaking of a cart wheele the whistling noise of the winde or the roaring of the sea we take no pleasure therein but are troubled and discontented but contrariwise if a merie fellow or jester can pretily counterfeit the same as one Parmeno could grunt like a swine and Theodorus creake like the said wheeles we are delighted therewith Also as we shun a diseased person and a Lazar full of filthy ulcers as an unpleasant and hideous spectacle to beholde but when we looke upon Philactetes purtraied by Aristophon and queene Iocasta by Stlanian namely how they be described to pine away and ready to yeeld up the ghost we receive no small contentment thereby even so a yoong man when hee shall reade what the ridiculous jester Thersites or the amorous and wanton spoiler of maiden Sisyphus or the beastly bawd Betrochus is brought in by Poets to say or doe let him be advertised and instructed to praise the art and sufficiencie of the Poet who knew how to paint the same so lively and naturally but withall to blame reject and detest the acts and conditions which are thus represented For there is a great difference betweene resembling a thing well and a thing that is simply good for when I say Well I meane aptly decently and properly and so acts filthie and dishonest are fit and beseeming for lewd and unhonest persons For the shoes of that lame creple Demonides which he prayed to God might serve his feet that had stollen them from him were in themselves misshapen and ilfavoured howbeit proper and fit for him As for this speech If lawes of right and equitie In any case may broken be What man alive would not begin To do all wrong a crowne to win And this Put on the face I thee advise Of him that is just and right wise But see no deeds thou do for let Whereby thou must some profit get Also Vnlesse I may may talent gaine As clere as gift I am in paine Likewise How shall I live or take repose In case this talent I do lose Nay sleepe I will and feare no bell Nor torments there but thinke all well What wrong I do what plots I set My silver talent for to get Wicked words they be all and most false howbeit beseeming such as Eteocles and Ixion were and becomming well an olde Vsurer If therefore wee would aduertise yoong men that Poets write thus not as if they praised and allowed such speeches but as they know full well that they be lewd and naughtie so they do attribute them unto as wicked and godlesse persons they should never take harme by any evill impressions from Poets but contrariwise the prejudicate opinion insinuated first of such such a man will presently breed a suspition both of word and deed to be bad as spoken and done by a bad and vicious person Such an example is that of Paris in Homer who flying out of the battell went presently to bed unto faire Helena For seeing that the Poet reporteth of no man els but only of this unchast adulterous Paris that he lay with his wife in the day time it is an evident proofe that he reputed and judged such incontinencie to be reprochfull and therefore made report thereof to his blame and shame both In these cases also it would be well considered whether the Poët himselfe do not give some plaine demonstrations emplying thus much that he misliketh such speeches and is offended therewith as Menander did in the Prologue of that Comedie which he entituled Thais O ladie Muse now belpe me to endite Of this so bolde and unshame faced queane Yet beautifull who also hath a sprite Perswasive and with words can carie cleane The wrongs that she unto her lovers all Doth offer whom she shutteth out of dores And yet for gifts she still of them doth call And picks their purse which is the cast of whores She none doth love and yet she semblance makes That die she will poore heart for all their sakes And verily in this kinde Homer among all other Poëts doth excell and useth such advertisements with best discretion for it is ordinarie with him both to premise some reprehension and blame of evill speeches and also to recommend the good And for an instance heereof in this wise he giveth commendation of a good speech And then anon this speech right commendable He spake which was both sweet and profitable Againe Approching then he stood unto him nere And stated him soone with words that gentle were Semblably on the other side reprooving bad and lewd speeches he in a maner doth protest that he himselfe misliketh of them and therewith denounceth likewise and doth intimate unto the readers thus much in effect That they should make no use thereof nor take regard otherwise than of wicked things and dangerous examples as namely when he purposed to describe the rude and grosse termes that Agamemon gave unto the Priest of Apollo when he abused him unreverently he premised this before This nothing pleased Atreus sonne K. Agamemnon hight But him he badly did intreat and use with all despight By this word Badly he meaneth rudely proudly disdainfully without regard of dutie or decencie As for Achilles he attributeth unto him these rash and outragious speeches Thou drunken sot and dogs-face that thou art Thou courage hast no more then fearfull Hart. But he inferred withall his owne judgement as touching those words in this maner Achilles then sir Peleus sonne still boiling in his blood Gave Agamemnon words againe unseemely and not good For it is not like that any thing could be well and decently spoken proceeding from such anger and bitter choler he observeth the same not in words onely but also in deeds For thus he saith No sooner had he spoke
from us the good with the bad or least in pardoning and accepting that which is agreeable and familiar unto us we fall upon that which is hurtfull and dangerous For like as among wilde seeds of another kind those that being of the same forme fashion and bignes with the graines of wheat are intermingled therewith a man shall hardly trie out from the rest for that they will not passe thorough the holes of the sieve ruddle or trie if they be narrow and in case they be large and wide out goeth the good corne to gether with them even so it is passing hard to separate flatterie from friendship being so intermedled therewith in all accidents motions affaires dealings employment and conversation as it is For considering that a flatterer seeth well ynough that there is nothing in the world so pleasurable as friendship nor yeeldeth more contentment unto man than it doth He windeth himselfe into favour by meanes of pleasure and wholy is imploied to procure mirth and delight Also for that both grace and commoditie doth alwaies accompany amitie in which regard the common Proverbe saith that a friend is more necessarie than either fire or water Therefore a flatterer is readie to put himselfe forward and offereth his service with all double diligence striving in all occasions and businesses to be ever prompt and officious And because the principall thing that linketh and bindeth friendship sure at the beginning is the conformitie and likenes of manners studies endevours and inclinations and in one word seeing that to be like affected and to shew pleasure or displeasure in the same things is the chiefe matter that knitteth amitie and both combineth and also keepeth men together by a certaine mutuall correspondencie in naturall affections the flatterer knowing so much composeth his nature as it were some unformed matter ready to receive all sorts of impressions studying to frame and accommodate himselfe wholy to all those things that he taketh in hand yea and to resemble those persons just by way of imitation whom he meaneth to set upon and deceive as being souple soft and pliable to represent them lively in everie point so as a man may say of him after this manner Achilles sonne thinke you he is Nay even Achilles himselfe iwis But the craftiest cast of all other that he hath is this That seeing as he doth libertie of speech both in trueth and also according to the opinion and speech of the whole world to be the proper voice of friendship as a man would say of some living creature insomuch as where there is not this freedome of speaking frankely there is no true friendship nor generositie in deed In this point also he will not seeme to come short nor leave it behinde for want of imitation but after the fashion of fine and excellent cookes who use to serve up tart bitter and sharpe sauces together with sweet pleasant meats for to divert take away the satietie and fulnesse which soone followeth them These flatterers also use a certaine kind of plaine and free speech howbeit neither syncere and naturall is it nor profitable but as we commonly say from teeth outward or as it were beckening and wincking slightly with the eie under the browes nottouching the quicke but tickling aloft onely to no purpose Well in these respects above specified hardly and with much adoe is a flatterer discovered and taken in the maner much like unto those beasts who by nature have this propertie To change their colour and in hue to resemble that bodily matter or place whereon they settle and which they touch Seeing then it is so that he is so apt to deceive folke and lieth hidden under the likenesse of a friend our part it is by unfolding the differences that are so hidden to turne him out of his masking habit and being despoiled of those colours and habilements that he borroweth of others for want of his owne as Plato saith to lay him naked and open to the eie let us therefore enter into this discourse and setch it from the very first beginning We have already said that the originall of friendship among men for the most part is our conformitie of nature and inclination embracing the same customes and maners loving the same exercises affecting the same studies and delighting in the same actions and imploiments concerning which these verses well and fitly runne Olde solke love best with aged folke to talke And with their feeres yoong children to disport Women once met do let their tongues to walke With such likewise such persons best do sport The wretched man his miseries doth lament With those whose state like fortunes do torment The flatterer then being well aware that it is a thing naturally inbred in us to delight in those that are like our selves to converse with them and to use and love them above all others endevoureth first to and formost to draw and approch yea and to lodge neere unto him whom he meaneth to enveagle and compasse even as if he went about in some great pasture to make toward one beast whom he purposeth to tame and bring to hand by little and little joining close unto him as it were to be concorporated in the same studies and exercises in the same affections emploiments and course of life and this he doth so long untill the party whom he laieth for have given him some advantage to take holde by as suffering himselfe gently to be touched clawed handled and stroked during which time he lettethslip no opportunitie to blame those persons to reproove those things and courses of life which he perceiveth the other to hate contrariwise to praise and approove all that which he knoweth him to take delight in and this he doeth not after an ordinary maner and in a meane but excessively and beyond all measure with a kinde of admiration and woonder confirming this love or hatred of his to a thing not as if he had received these impressions from some sudden passion but upon a staied and setled judgement Which being so how and by what different marks shall he be knowen and convinced that he is not the like or the same in deed but onely a counterfeit of the like and of the same First a man must consider well whether there be an uniforme equalitie in all his intentions and actions or no whether he continue and persist still taking pleasure in the same things and praising the same at all times whether he compose and direct his life according to one and the same molde and paterne like as it becommeth a man who is an ingenuous lover of that friendship and conversation which is ever after one maner and alwaies like it selfe for such a one in deed is a true friend But a flatterer contrariwise is one who hath no one permanent seat in his maners and be haviour nor hath made choise of any life for his owne content but onely to please another as framing and applying
disperst and spred in brest To keepe the tongue then apt to barke and let it lie at rest The consideration of these things collected thus together serveth not onely to take heede alwaies unto them that are subject to yre and therewith possessed but also besides to know throughly the nature of anger how it is neither generous or manfull nor yet hath anie thing in it that savoreth of wisedome and magnanimitie Howbeit the common people interpret the turbulent nature thereof to be active and meet for action the threats and menaces thereof hardinesse and confidence the peevish and froward unrulinesse to be fortitude and strength Nay some there be who would have the crueltie in it to be a disposition and dexteritie to atchieve great matters the implacable malice thereof to be constancie and firme resolution the morositie and difficultie to be pleased to be the hatred of sinne and vice howbeit herein they do not well but are much deceived for surely the very actions motions gestures and countenance of cholerike persons do argue and bewray much basenesse and imbecilitie which we may perceive not onely in these brain-sicke fits that they fall upon little children and them pluck twitch and misuse flie upon poore seely women and thinke that they ought to punish and beat their horses hounds and mules like unto Ctesiphon that famous wrestler and professed champion who stucke not to spurne and kicke his mule but also in their tyrannicall and bloudly murders wherein their crueltie and bitternesse which declareth their pusillanimity base mind their actions which shew their passions their doing to others bewraying a suffering in themselves may be compared to the stings and bitings of those venemous serpents which be very angric exceeding dolorous and burne most themselves when they do inflict the greatest inflamation upon the patients and put them to most paine For like as swelling is a symptome or accident following upon a great wound or hurt in the flesh even so it is in the tenderest and softest minds the more they give place and yeeld unto dolor and passion the more plentie of choler and anger they utter foorth as proceeding from the greater weaknes By this you may see the reason why women ordinarily be more waspish curst and shrewd than men sicke folke more testie than those that are in health old people more waiward and froward than those that be in the floure and vigor of their yeeres and finally such as be in adversitie and upon whom fortune frowneth more prone to anger than those who prosper and have the world smiling upon them The covetous mizer and pinching peni-father is alwaies most angrie with his steward that laieth foorth his monie the glutton is ever more displeased with his cooke and cater the jealous husband quickly falleth out and brawleth with his wife the vaine-glorious foole is soonest offended with them that speake any thing amisse of him but the most bitter and intollerable of all others are ambitious persons in a citie who lay for high places and dignities such also as are the heads of a faction in a sedition which is a trouble and mischiefe as Pindarus saith conspicuous and honorable Loe how from that part of the mind which is wounded greeved suffreth most and especially upon infirmitie and weakenesse ariseth anger which passion resembleth not as one would have it the sinewes of the soule but is like rather to their stretching spreines and spasmatick convulsions when it streineth and striveth overmuch in following revenge Well the examples of evill things yeeld no pleasant sight at all onely they be necessary and profitable and for mine owne part supposing the precedents given by those who have caried themselves gently and mildly in their occasions of anger are most delectable not onely to behold but also heare I begin to contemne and despise those that say thus To man thou hast done wrong be sure At mans hand wrong for to endure Likewise Downe to the ground with him spare not his coate Spurne him and set thy foote upon his throate and other such words which serve to provoke wrath and whet choler by which some go about to remoove anger out of the nurcery and womens chamber into the hall where men do sit and keepe but heerein they do not well For prowesse and fortitude according in all other things with justice and going fellow-like with her me thinkes is at strife and debate with her about meekenesse and mildnesse onely as if she rather became her and by right apperteined unto her For otherwhiles it hath beene knowne that the woorst men have gone beyond and surmounted the better But for a man to erect a Trophee and set up a triumphall monument in his owne soule against ire with which as Heraclnus saith the conflict is hard and dangerous for what a man would have he buieth with his life it is an act of rare valour and victorious puissance as having in trueth the judgement of reason for sinewes tendons and muskles to encounter and resist passions Which is the cause that I studie and am desirous alwaies to reade and gather the sayings and doings not onely of learned clearks and Philosophers who as our Sages and wise men say have no gall in them but also and much rather of Kings Princes Tyrants and Potentates As for example such as that was of Antigonus who hearing his souldiors upon a time revile him behinde his pavilion thinking that he heard them not put forth his staffe from under the cloth unto them and said A whorson knaves could you not go a little farther off when you meant thus to raile upon us Likewise when one Arcadian an Argive or Achaean never gave over reviling of King Philip and abusing him in most reprochfull tearmes yea and to give him warning So far to flie untill he thither came Where no man knew nor heard of Philips name And afterwards the man was seene I know not how in Macedonia the friends and courtiers of king Philip were in hand with him to have him punished and that in any wise he should not let him go and escape Philip contrariwise having him once in his hands spake gently unto him used him courteously sending unto him in his lodging gifts and presents and so sent him away And after a certeine time he commanded those courtiours of purpose to enquire what words he gave out of him unto the Greekes but when everie one made report againe and testified that he was become another man and ceased not to speake woonderfull things in the praise of him Lo quoth Philip then unto them Am not I a better Physician than all you and can I not skill how to cure a foule tongued fellow Another time at the great solemnitie of the Olympian games when the Greekes abused him with verie bad language his familiar friends about him said they deserved to be sharply chastised and punished for so miscalling and reviling him who had beene so good a benefactor of
and discommodities of our life And Plutarch entring into this matter sheweth first in generallity That men learne as it were in the schoole of brute beasts with what affection they should beget nourish and bring up their children afterward he doth particularise thereof and enrich the same argument by divers examples But for that he would not have us thinke that he extolled dumbe beasts above man and woman he observeth and setteth downe verie well the difference that is of amities discoursing in good and modest tearmes as touching the generation and nouriture of children and briefly by the way representeth unto us the miserable entrance of man into this race upon earth where he is to runne his course Which done he proveth that the nourishing of infants hath no other cause and reason but the love of fathers and mothers he discovereth the source of this affection and for a conclusion sheweth that what defect and fault soever may come betweene and be medled among yet it can not altogether abolish the same OF THE NATURALL LOVE OR KINDNES OF PARENTS to their children THat which mooved the Greeks at first to put over the decision of their controversies to forraine judges and to bring into their countrey strangers to be their Umpires was the distrust and diffidence that they had one in another as if they confessed thereby that justice was indeed a thing necessarie for mans lite but it grew not among them And is not the case even so as touching certaine questions disputable in Philosophie for the determining whereof Philosophers by reason of the sundry and divers opinions which are among them have appealed to the nature of brute beasts as it were into a strange city and remitted the deciding thereof to their properties and affections according to kinde as being neither subject to partiall favour nor yet corrupt depraved and polluted Now surely a common reproch this must needs be to mans naughtie nature and leawd behaviour That when we are in doubtfull question concerning the greatest and most necessary points perteining to this present life of ours we should goe and search into the nature of horses dogs and birds for resolution namely how we ought to make our marriages how to get children and how to reare and nourish them after they be borne and as if there were no signe in maner or token of nature imprinted in our selves we must be faine to alledge the passions properties and affections of brute beasts and to produce them for witnesses to argue and prove how much in our life we transgresse and go aside from the rule of nature when at our first beginning and entrance into this world we finde such trouble disorder and confusion for in those dumbe beasts beforesaid nature doth retaine and keepe that which is her owne and proper simple entire without corruption or alteration by any strange mixture wheras contrariwise it seemeth that the nature of man by discourse of their reason and custome together is mingled and confused with so many extravagant opinions and judgements fet from all parts abroad much like unto oile that commeth into perfumers hands that thereby it is become manifolde variable and in every one severall and particular and doeth not retaine that which the owne indeed proper and peculiar to it selfe neither ought we to thinke it a strange matter and a woonderfull that brute beasts void of reason should come neerer unto nature and follow her steps better than men endued with the gift of reason for surely the verie senselesse plants heerein surpasse those beasts beforesaid and observe better the instinct of nature for considering that they neither conceive any thing by imagination nor have any motion affection or inclination at all so verily their appetite such as it is varieth not nor stirreth to and fro out of the compasse of nature by meanes whereof they continue and abide as if they were kept in and bound within close-prison holding on still in one and the same course and not stepping once out of that way wherein nature doth leade and conduct them as for beasts they have not any such great portion of reason to temper and mollifie their naturall properties neither any great subtiltie of sense and conceit nor much desire of libertie but having many instincts inclinations and appetites not ruled by reason they breake out by the meanes thereof other-whiles wandering astray and running up and downe to and fro howbeit for the most part not very farre out of order but they take sure holde of nature much like a ship which lieth in the rode at anchor well may she daunce and be rocked up and downe but she is not caried away into the deepe at the pleasure of windes and waves or much after the maner of an asse or hackney travelling with bit and bridle which go not out of the right streight way wherein the master or rider guideth them whereas in man even reason herselfe the mistresse that ruleth and commandeth all findeth out new cuts as it were and by-waies making many starts and excursions at her pleasure to and fro now heere now there whereupon it is that she leaveth no plaine and apparant print of natures tracts and footing Consider I pray you in the first place the mariages if I may so terme them of dumbe beasts and reasonlesse creatures and namely how therein they folow precisely the rule and direction of nature To begin withall they stand not upon those lawes that provide against such as marrie not but lead a single life neither make they reckoning of the acts which lay a penaltie upon those that be late ere they enter into wedlocke like as the citizens under Lycurgus and Solon who stood in awe of the said statutes they feare not to incurre the infamie which followed those persons that were barren and never had children neither doe they regard and seeke after the honours and prerogatives which they atteined who were fathers of three children like as many of the Romains do at this day who enter into the state of matrimonie wedde wives 〈◊〉 beget children not to the end that they might have heires to inherit their lands and goods 〈◊〉 that they might themselves be inheritors capable of dignities immunities But to proceed unto more particulars the male afterwards doth deale with the female in the act of generation not at all times for that the end of their conjunction and going together is not grosse pleasure so much as the engendring of young and the propagation of their kinde and therefore at a certeine season of the yeare to wit the very prime of the spring when as the pleasant winds so apt for generation do gently blow and the temperature of the aire is friendly unto breeders commeth the female full lovingly and kindly toward her fellow the male even of her owne accord and motion as it were trained by the hand of that secret instinct and desire in nature and for her owne part she doth what
withall when it is received they have a power and facultie by a milde heat of the naturall spirits within them and with a delicate and foeminine tendernesse to concoct digest change and convert it into another nature and qualitie for that the paps have within them naturally the like temperature and disposition answerable unto it now these teats which spout out milke from the cocks of a conduct are so framed and disposed that it floweth not foorth all at once neither do they send it away suddenly but nature hath so placed the dug that as it endeth one way in a spongeous kinde of flesh full of small pipes and made of purpose to transmit the milke and let it distill gently by many little pores and secret passages so it yeeldeth a nipple in maner of a faucet very fit and ready for the little babes mouth about which to nuzzle and nudgell with it prety lips it taketh pleasure and loveth to be tugging and lugging of it but to no purpose and without any fruit or profit at all had nature provided such tooles and instruments for to engender and bring foorth a childe to no end I say had she taken so good order used so great industry diligence and forecast if withall she had not imprinted in the heart of mothers a woonderfull love and affection yea and an extraordinarie care over the fruit of their wombe when it is borne into the world for Of creatures all which breath and walke upon the earth in sight None is there wretched more than man new borne into this light And whosoever saith thus of a yoong infant newly comming forth of the mothers wombe maketh no lie at all but speaketh trueth for nothing is there so imperfect so indigent and poore so naked so deformed so foule and impure than is man to see to presently upon his birth considering that to him in maner alone nature hath not given so much as a cleane passage and way into this light so furred he is all over polluted with blood so ful of filth and ordure when he entreth into the world resembling rather a creature fresh killed slaine than newly borne that no bodie is willing to touch to take up to handle dandle kisse and clip it but such as by nature are lead to love it and therefore whereas in all other living creatures nature hath provided that their udders and paps should be set beneath under their bellies in a woman onely she hath seated them aloft in her breasts as a very proper and convenient place where shee may more readily kisse embrace coll and huggle her babe while it sucketh willing thereby to let us understand that the end of breeding bearing and rearing children is not gaine and profit but pure love and meere affection Now if you would see this more plainly proved unto you propose if you please and call to remembrance the women and men both in the olde world whose hap was either first to beare children or to see an infant newly borne there was no law then to command and compell them to nourish and bring up their yoong babes no hope at all of reciprocall pleasure or thanks at their hands that indured them no expectance of reward and recompense another day to be paied from them as due debt for their care paines and cost about them nay if you goe to that I might say rather That mothers had some reason to deale hardly with their yoong infants and to beare in minde the injuries that they have done them in that they endured such dangers and so great paines for them As namely when the painfull throwes as sharpe as any dart In travell pinch a woman neere and pierce her to the hart Which midwives Iunoes daughtersthen do put her to poore wretch With many a pang when with their hand they make her body stretch But our women say It was never Homerus surely who wrote this but Homeris rather that is to say some Poetresse or woman of his poeticall veine who had bene herselfe at such a busines and felt the dolourous pangs of child-birth or els was even then in labour and upon the point to be delivered feeling a mixture of bitter and sharpe throwes in her backe belly and flanks when shee powred out these verses but yet for all the sorow and deare bargaine that a mother hath of it this kinde and naturall love doth still so bend incline and leade her that notwithstanding she be in a heat still upon her travell full of paines and after-throwes panting trembling and shaking for very anguish yet she neglecteth not her sweet babe nor windeth or shrinketh away from it but she turneth toward it she maketh to it she smileth and laugheth upon it she taketh it into her armes she hugleth it in her bosome and kisseth it full kindly neither all this whiles gathereth she any fruits of pleasure or profit but painfully God wot and carefully She laps it then in raggs full soft With swadling bands shewraps it oft By turnes she cooles and keeps it warme Loth is she that it should take harme And thus aswell by night as day Paives after paines she taketh ay Now tell me I pray you what reward recompense and profit do women reape for all this trouble and painfull hand about their little ones None at all surely for the present and as little in future expectance another day considering their hopes are so farre off and the same so uncertaine The husbandman that diggeth and laboureth about his vine at the Acquinox in the Spring presseth grapes out of it and maketh his vintage at the Aequinox of the Autumne He that soweth his corne when the starres called Pleiades doe couch and goe downe reapeth and hath his harvest afterwards when they rise and appeare againe kine calve mares foale hennes hatch and soone after there commeth profit of their calves their colts and their chickens but the rearing and education of a man is laborious his growth is very slow and late and whereas long it is ere he commeth to proofe and make any shew of vertue commonly most fathers die before that day Neocles lived not to see the noble victorie before Salanus that Themistocles his sonue atchived neither saw Miltiades the happie day wherein Cimon his sonne won the fielde at the famous battell neere the river Eurynidon Xantippus was not so happy as to heare Pericles his sonne out of the pulpit preaching and making orations to the people neither was it the good fortune of Ariston to be at any of his sonne Platoes lectures and disputations in Philosophie the fathers of Euripides and Sophocles two renowmed Poets never knew of the victories which they obteined for pronouncing and rehearsing their tragedies in open theater they might heare them peradventure when they were little ones to stammer to lispe to spel and put syllables together or to speake broken Greeke and that was all But ordinary it is that men live to see heare and know when
with few and by that meanes thinke their estate more sure and stedfast After this he treateth of the choise of friends but especially of one Then discourseth he of that which is requisite in true friendship annexing thereto many proper and apt similitudes which represent aswell the benefit that sincere affection bringeth as the hurt which commeth of fained and counter seit amitie This done he proveth that to enterteine a number of friends is a very hardmatter yea and unpossible for that a man is not able to converse with them nor to frame and sort with them all but that he shall procure himselfe enemies on all sides and when he hath enriched and adorned the same with not able examples he proceedeth to describe what use a man is to make of friendship and with what sort and condition of men he ought to joine in amity but this is the conclusion That an honest and vertuous man can not quit himselfe well and performe his devoire unto many friends at once OF THE PLURALITIE of friends SOcrates upon a time demanded of Menon the Thessalian who was esteemed very sufficient in all litterature and a great schoole-man exercised in long practise of disputations and named to be one as Empedocles saith who had attained to the very height and perfection of wisedome and learning what vertue was and when he had answered readily and boldly enough in this wise There is a vertue quoth he of a yoong childe and of an olde gray beard of a man and of a woman of a magistrate and of a private person of a master and of a servant I con you thanke quoth Socrates againe replying unto him you have done it very well I asked you but of one vertue and you have raised and let flie a whole swarme as it were of vertues guessing and collecting not amisse by such an answere that this deepe clearke who had named thus many vertues knew not so much as one And might not a man seeme to scorne and mocke us well enough who having not yet gotten one friendship and amity certaine are afraid forsooth lest ere we be aware we fall into a multitude and pluralitie of friends for this were even as much as if one that is maimed and starke blinde should feare to become either Briareus the giant with an hundred armes and hands or Argus who had eies all over his bodie And yet we praise and commend excessively and beyond all measure the yoong man in Menander when he saith Of all the goods which I do holde To thinke ech one I would be bolde Right woonderfull if I might finde The shadow onely of a friend But certeinly this is one cause among many others the same not the least that we cannot be possessed of any one assured amity because we covet to have so many much like vnto these common strumpets and harlots who for that they prostitute their bodies so often and to so manie men cannot make any reckoning to hold reteine any one paramor or lover fast and sure unto them for that the first commers seeing themselves neglected and cast off by the enterteinment of new retire and fall away from them and seeke elsewhere or rather much after the maner of that foster-childe of lady Hypsipyle Who being set in meddow greene With pleasant flowers all faire beseene One after other cropt them still Hunting this game with right goodwill For why his heart tooke great content In their gay hew and sweety sent So little wit and small discretion The infant had and no * repletion even so every one of us for the desire of noveltie and upon a satietie and fulnesse of that which is present and in hand suffreth himselfe ever to be caried away with a new-come friend that is fresh and flowring which fickle and inconstant affection causeth us to change often and to begin many friendships and finish none to enter still into new amities and bring none to perfection and for the love of the new which we pursue and seeke after wee passe by that which we held already and let it go To begin then first and formost at antiquity as it were from the goddesse Vesta according to the old proverbe let us examine and consider the common fame of mans life which hath beene delivered unto us from hand to hand time out of minde by the succession and progresse of so many ages from the old world unto this day and take the same for a witnesse and counseller both in this matter wee shall finde in all the yeeres past these onely couples and paires of renowmed friends to wit Theseus and Pirithous Achilles and Patroclus Orestes and Pylades Pythias and Damon Epaminondas and Pelopidas For friendship is indeed as I may so say one of these cattell that love company and desire to feed and pasture with fellowes but it can not abide heards and droves it may not away with these great flocks as jayes dawes and choughes do And whereas it is commonly said and thought that a friend is another owne selfe and men give unto him the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke as if a man would say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is such another what implieth all this but that friendship should be reduced within the measure and compasse of the duall number that is of twaine Well this is certaine we can buy neither many slaves nor purchase many friends with a small piece of coine but what may be this piece of money that will fetch friends Surely kinde affection or good will and a lovely grace joined with vertue things I may tell you so rare as looke thorowout the world and the whole course of nature you shall find nothing more geason No marvell then if it be unpossible either to love many or to be loved of many perfectly and in the heigth of affection But like as great rivers if they be divided into many chanels and cut into sundry riverets cary but an ebbe water and run with no strong streame even so a vehement and affectionate love planted in the minde if it be parted many and divers waies becommeth enervate and feeble and commeth in maner to nothing This is the reason in nature that those creatures which bring forth but one and no more love their yoong more tenderly and entirely than others do theirs Homer also when he would signifie a childe most dearely beloved calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say only begotten and toward old age to wit when the parents have no more betweene them nor ever are like or doe looke to have another for mine owne part I would not desire to have that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say one friend and no more but surely I could wish that with other he were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say long and late first ere he be gotten like as a sonne which is borne toward the
same doth shew in every street All signes of griefe with plaints and groanes among he looketh with a pale face under his chaplet of flowers upon his head he sacrificeth yet quaketh for feare he maketh his praiers with a trembling voice he putteth incense into the fire and his hand shaketh withall to be short he maketh the speech or sentence of Pythagoras to be vaine and foolish who was wont to say That we are then in best case when we approch unto the gods and worship them For verily even then it is when superstitious people are most wretched miserable to wit whē they enter into the temples sanctuaries of the gods as if they went into the dennes of beares holes of serpents and dragons or caves of whales such monsters of the sea I marvel much therfore at them who call the miscreance sinne of atheists Impiety give not that name rather to superstition And yet Anaxagoras was accused of impietie for that he held and said that the Sun was a stone wheras never man yet called the Cimmerians impious or godlesse because they suppose beleeve there is no Sunne at all What say you then shall he who thinketh that there be no gods at all be taken for a profane person and excommunicate and shall not he who beleeveth them to be such as superstitious folke imagine them be thought infected with more impious and wicked opinions For mine owne part I would be better pleased and content if men should say of me thus There neither is nor ever was in the world a man named Plutarch than to give out of me and say Plutarch is an unconstant man variable cholericke full of revenge for the least occasion that is or displeased and given to grieve for a small matter who if when you invite others to supper he be left out and not bidden or if upon some businesse you be let and hindered so that you come not to his doore for to visit him or otherwise do not salute and speake unto him friendly will be ready to eat your heart with salt to set upon you with his fangs and bite you will not sticke to catch up one of your little babes and worry him or will keepe some mischievous wild beast of purpose to put into your corne-fields your vineyard or orchards for to devoure and spoile all your fruits When Timotheus the musician one day in an open Theater at Athens chanted the praises of Diana giving unto her in his song the attributes of Thyas Phoebus Moenas and Lyssas that is to say Furious Possessed Enraged and Starke mad as Poets are wont to doe Cinesias another minstrell or musician rose up from out of the whole audience and said thus aloud unto him Would God thou haddest a daughter of those quallities And yet these superstitious folke thinke the same of Diana yea and worse to neither have they a better opinion of Apollo Iuno and Venus for all of them they feare and tremble at And yet what blasphemie uttered Niobe against Latona like unto that which superstition hath perswaded foolish people to beleeve of that goddesse to wit that she being displeased with the reprochfull words that Niobe gave her killed with her arrowes all the children of that silly woman Even daughters sixe and sonnes as many just Ofripe yeeres all no helpe but die they must so insatiable was she of the calamities of another so implacable was her anger For grant it were so that this goddesse was full of gall and choler say that she tooke an hatred to leawd and wicked persons or grieved could not endure to heare herselfe reproched or to laugh at humane follie and ignorance certes she should have bene offended and angry yea and discharged her arrowes upon these who untruely impute and ascribe unto her that bitternesse and exceeding crueltie and sticke not both to deliver in words and also to set downe in writing such things of her Wee charge Heccuba with beastly and barbarous immanitie for saying thus in the last booke of Homers Iliads O that I could his liver get Amid his corps to bite and eat As for the Syrian goddesse superstitious folke are perswaded that if any one do eate Enthoises or such little fish as Aphyae she will likewise gnaw their legs fill their bodies with ulcers and putrifie or rot their liver To conclude therefore is it impiously done to blaspheme the gods and speake badly of them and is it not as impious to thinke and imagine the same considering that it is the opinion and conceit of the blasphemer and foule mouthed profane person which maketh his speech to be reputed naught and wicked For even we our selves detest and abhorre foule language for nothing so much as because it is a signe of a malicious minde and those we take for to be our enemies who give out bad words of us in this respect that we suppose thē to be faithlesse and not to be trusted but rather ill affected unto us and thinking badly of us Thus you see what judgement superstitious folke have of the gods when they imagine them to be dull and blockish treachetous and disloiall variable and fickle minded full of revenge cruell melancholike and apt to fret at every little matter whereupon it must needs follow that the superstitious man doth both hate and also dread the gods for how can it otherwise be considering that he is perswaded that all the grearest calamities which either he hath endured in times past or is like to suffer heereafter proceed from them now whosoever hateth and feareth the gods he is no doubt their enemie neither is it to be woondred at for all this that although he stand in dread of them yet he adoreth and worshippeth them he praieth and sacrificeth unto them frequenteth duly and devoutly their temples and is not willingly out of them for do we not see it ordinarily that reverence is done unto tyrants that men make court unto them and crie God save your grace yea and erect golden statues to the honour of them howbeit as great devotion and divine honour as they doe unto them in outward apparence they hate and abhorre them secretly to the heart Hermolaus courted Alexander and was serviceable about him Pausanias was one of the squires of the bodie to king Philip and so was Chaereas to Caligula the Emperour but there was not of these but even when he served them said thus in his heart Certes in case it did now lie in mee Of thee thou tyrant revenged would I be Thus you see the Atheist thinketh there be no gods but the superstitious person wisheth that there were none yet he beleeveth even against his will that there be nay he dare not otherwise doe for feare of death Now if he could like as Tantalus desired to goe from under the stone that hung over his head be discharged of this feare which no lesse doth presse him downe surely he would embrace yea and thinke the
primitive nourishment of mankinde and namely among other things very common and which grow of themselves without mans hand the Mallow and the Asphodell which two hearbs it is verie probable and like that Hesiodus also recommended unto us for their simplicitie profit Not in those regards onely quoth Anacharsis but for that they both the one as well as the other are commended as especiall hearbs for the health of man True quoth Cleodemus and great reason you have so to say for Hesiodus was well seene in Physicke as may appeare by that which he hath written so exactly and skilfully of diet and the regiment of our feeding of the manner of tempering wine of the vertue and goodnesse of water the use of baines bathes and women of the time of keeping companie with them and of the positure of infants in the wombe and when they should be borne But to judge aright Aesope had more reason than Epimenides to avow himselfe the disciple of Hesiodus for the talke which the hauke had with the nightingall gave unto Aesope the first beginning of his faire variable and many tongued learning of his But willing I am to heare Solon for verie like it is that he having lived and conversed so familiarly many yeeres together with Epimenides at Athens asked of him oftentimes and knew full well upon what accident or occasion and for what purpose he chose and followed this strait course of life And what need was there quoth Solon to demaund that of him for all the world knoweth and most evident it is that as the greatest and most soveraigne good of man is to have no need at all of nouriture so the next unto it is to require the least nourishment that is Not so quoth Cleodemus if I may be so bold as to speake my mind For I do not thinke that the soveraigne good of man is to eate nothing especially when the table is laide and furnished with meat for to take away the viands set thereupon is as much as to subvert the altar and sacrifice unto the gods and to overthrow the amity and hospitalitie among men And like as Thales saith That if the earth were taken out of the world there must of necessitie ensue a generall confusion of all things even so we may say put downe the boord you doe as much as ruinate the whole house for with it you abolish fire which keepeth the house the tutelar-deitie of Vesta the amiable custome of drinking together out of one boll and cup the laudable manner of feasting friends the kind fashion of entertaining strangers and all reciprocall hospitalitie and mutuall usage of guests which be the principalland most courteous conversations that can bee devised among men one with another and to speake in summe more truely farewell then all the sweetnes of humane life and societie in case there be allowed any retrait at all solace and passion apart from businesse and affaires whereof the need of sustenance and the preparation thereto belonging yeeldeth most matter and affoordeth the greatest part Moreover the mischiefe hereof would reach as far as to agriculture and that were great pity considering that if husbandrie were laid downe with the decay ruine therof there would ensue againe a rude deformed face of the whole earth as being neglected not clensed from fruitlesse trees bushes weeds and overflowed with the inundation of waters rivers running out of their chanels to and fro without order for want of good husbandrie and the diligent hand of man over and besides perish there shall with it all arts and handicrafts which the table mainteineth and keepeth in traine giving unto them their foundation matter in such sort as they will come all to nothing if you take it away nay more than that What will become of religion and worship done to the gods for surely men will exhibit but little or none honour at all unto the Sunne and much lesse unto the Moone as having nought els from them but their light heat onely and who will ever cause an altar to be reared and furnished as it ought to be to Jupiter for sending downe seasonable raine or to Ceres the patronesse of agriculture or to Neptune the protectour of trees and plants who will ever-after offer any sacrifices unto them how shall Bacchus be the authour of joy and mirth if we have no more any need of that pleasant liquor of wine which he giveth what shall we sacrifice what shall wee powre upon the altars what oblations shall we offer unto the gods and whereof shall wee present any first fruits In one word this abuse would bring with it a totall subversion and generall confusion of the best and chiefest things True it is that to follow all kinde of pleasures and in every maner were bruitishnesse and even so to flie them all and in no wise to embrace them were no lesse follie and sottishnesse The soule may well enough enjoy other pleasures and delights which are better and more noble but the bodie can finde none at all more harmlesse and honest to content it selfe with than to eat and drinke whereby it is fed and nourished a thing that there is no man but he both knoweth and acknowledgeth in regard whereof men use to set and spread their tables in publicke and open places for to eat and drinke together in the broad day-light whereas to take the pleasure of Venus they wait for the night and seeke all the darknesse they can supposing it to be as beastly and shamelesse to do the one in publike and common as not at all to doe the other but forbeare it altogether When Cleodemus herewith brake off and ended his speech I followed in the same traine and seconded his words in this wise But you overpasse one thing besides namely that by this meanes together with our food and nourishment we banish and drive away all sleepe now if there be no sleepe there will be no dreames so by consequence we may bid farewell to a most ancient kinde of oracle and divination which we have by them Over and besides our life will be alwaies after one fashion and to no purpose but in vaine shall the soule be clad as a man would say within the bodie seeing that the greatest number and the principall parts of the said bodie were made and framed by nature for to serve as instruments of nourishment as for example the tongue the teeth the stomacke and the liver c. for there is nothing in the whole structure and composition of mans body that either lieth still idle or is ordeined for any other use insomuch as whosoever hath no need of food needeth not the body also which is as much to say as that hee standeth in no need of himselfe for every one of us doth consist aswell of bodie as soule Thus much may serve for my part to have spoken in the defence of the bellie now if Solon or any
Also when hee permitted his citizens to practise those exercises of the bodie onely wherein they never stretched foorth their hands he was required by one to yeeld a reason thereof Because quoth he none of us should in taking paines be accustomed to be wearie or to saint and give over at any time Likewise being asked the reason why he gave order oftentimes to change the campe and not in one place to lie long encamped To the end quoth he that we might doe the greater damage to our enemies and hurt more of them Another was desirous to know of him why he forbad to give the assault unto any walles unto whom he answered For feare that the best men might not be killed by a woman a child or some such like person Certaine Thebanes craved his advice and opinion touching the sacrifice divine service and dolefull moane which was solemnely made in the honour of Leucothea unto whom he answered thus If you take her for a goddesse weepe not for her as if she were a woman if you suppose her to be a woman sacrifice not unto her as to a goddesse Unto his citizens who demaunded of him how they might put backe and repulse the invasions of their enemies Marie quoth he if you continue poore and none of you do covet to have more than another Againe when they would needs know why he would not have their citie to be walled about Because saith he that citie is never without a wal which is environed and compassed about with valiant men and not with bricke or stone The Spartanes also were verie curious in trimming the haire of their heads alledging for their warrant a certaine speech of Lycurgus as touching that point who was woont to say That sidehaire made them who were faire more beautifull and those that were foule more hideous and terrible Likewise he gave commaundement that in their warres when they had discomfited their enemies and put them to flight to follow the chase so hardly untill they were fully assured of the victorie and then to retire withall speed saying That it was no act of a generous spirit nor beseeming the brave minde of the Greekish nation to massacre and execute those who had quit the place and were gone besides this also would be safe and commodious for themselves forasmuch as the enemies who knew once their custome namely to put those to the sword who obstinately resist and make head and to spare those and let them escape who flie before them find by that meanes that flight is better than to stand to fight A certaine man asked him for what cause he would not suffer the souldiers to rifle and spoile the bodies of their enemies as they fell dead For feare quoth hee lest while they busie themselves and stoupe forward to gather the spoiles they should neglect their fight in the meane time but rather entend onely with their povertie and want to keepe their range The Tyrant of Sicilie Dionysius had sent unto LYSANDER two sutes of womens roabes that he might choose whether of them he liked better to carrie unto his daughter but hee said unto him That she herselfe knew best which to choose and what was fittest for herselfe and so he tooke both away with him This Lysander was a verie craftie and subtile foxe who ordered and managed most part of his affaires by cunning casts and deceitfull devices esteeming justice onely by utilitie and honestie by profit confessing in word that truth was better than falshood but measuring in deed the worth and price as well of the one as the other by commoditie To them who reprooved and blamed him for conducting the most part of his enterprises by fraud and guile and not by plaine direct force a thing unwoorthy the magnanimity of Hercules hee would laugh and answere That where he could not atchieve a thing by the lions skin hee must needes sow thereto a piece of the foxes case And when others charged and accused him mightily for that he had violated and broken his oath which he had made in the citie Miletum he used to say That children were to be deceived with cock-all-bones but men with oaths Having defaited the Athenians in a battell by meanes of an ambush in a certaine place called the Goats-rivers and afterward pressed them so sore with famine that he forced them to yeeld the citie unto his mercie he wrote unto the Ephori thus Athens is woon The Lacedaemonians in his time were at some difference with the Argives about their confines and it seemed that the Argives alledged better reasons and brought forth more direct evidences for themselves than the other whereupon he came among them and drew his sword saying They that are the mightier with this plead best for their confines Seeing the Boeotians as he passed thorow their countrey hanging in equall ballance and as yet not resolved and certaine to which side for to range themselves he sent one unto them for to know whether they would chuse that he marched thorow their lands with speares and pikes upright or bending downeward and trailing In a certaine assembly of the estates of Greece there was a Megarian who spake bravely and audaciously unto him Thy words my friend quoth he have need of a citie meaning thereby that he was of too weake and small a citie as to give such glorious words The Corinthians rebelled upon a time whereupon he advaunced with his forces against their walles which the Lacedaemonians seemed to assaile verie coldly but at the verie instant there was espied an hare running crosse over the towne ditch whereupon he tooke occasion to say Are yee not ashamed in deed ô yee Spartanes to feare such enemies who are so idle and stirre so little abroad that hares can sleepe quietly even under their verie walles When hee was at Samothrace to consult with the oracle there the priest was in hand with him to confesse what was the most wicked and enormious act that ever hee did in all his life time whereupon hee asked the priest againe Whether is it your selfe or the gods that would know thus much and imposeth this confession upon mee The gods quoth the priest would have it so Why then quoth he retire you aside out of my sight and if they demaund the same of mee I will answere them A certaine Persian asked him what kinde of government hee liked best and praised most Even that quoth hee which ordeineth for cowards and hardy men that reward and hire which is meet for them Another said unto him That in every place where he came hee was ready to commend and defend him I have quoth he againe in my grounds two oxen and neither of them speaks a word howbeit I know for al that which is good of deed and which is idle and lazie at his worke There was one who let flie at him divers odious and reprochfull words Speake on good fellow quoth he out with it hardly and spare not
to approch mine enemies so neere that they may see how great or little my cognisance is Another there was who when there was tendered unto him at the end of a banquet the harpe to play upon according to the custome of Grecce refused it and said The Laconians have not yet learned to play the fooles One asked a Spartan once if the way that led to Sparta were safe or no but he answered thus Even according as a man doth goe downe thither for they who goe thither as lions bee hardly entreated and rue their comming but hares we hunt from under the shade of their borroughs In wrestling it chanced that a Laconian was caught hold on by the necke and notwithstanding that he strove what he could to make the other leave his hold yet hee forced him and made him stoupe groveling downeward to the ground the Laconian seeing himselfe feeble in the reines of the backe and at the point to be laide along bit the others arme who held him so hard whereupon hee began to crie What thou Laconian doest thou bite like women No quoth he but I bite as lions use to do A certaine Laconian who was maimed and lame of his legge went to warfare whereupon some mocked him but hee said unto them It is not for those to goe into the warres who are good of foot-manship and can runne away apace but such as are able to make good their ground and keepe well their ranke Another Laconian being shot thorow the body with an arrow when he was at the point to yeeld up his vitall breath said thus It never grieves me to leese my life but to die by the hand of an effeminate archer before I came to hand-strokes that is it that troubleth me Another being come to an hostelrie or inne to be lodged in gave his hoste that kept the inne a piece of flesh to dresse for his supper but hee called for cheese besides and oyle And what needes that quoth the Laconian if I had cheese do you thinke that I would desire to have any viands more Another hearing the marchant named Lampis borne in Aegina highly praised and esteemed happie for that he was exceeding rich and had many great ships going at sea I never quoth hee make reckoning of that felicitie which hangeth by ropes and cords Another likewise answered unto one who said unto him Thou liest Laconian And why not quoth he wee are free as for others that happen to speake untruths they are wel punish for it and crie out alas There was a Laconian who laboured hard to make a dead body stand upright upon his feet but when he saw that he could not bring his purpose to effect do what he could Now by Jupiter quoth hee there wanteth somewhat that should bee within Tynnichus the Laconian when his sonne Thrasybulus was slaine in the warre tooke his death verie well and like a man whereupon was this Epigram made Thy body was upon the sheild ô Thrasybulus brought All breathlesse to the armed troup from place where thou hadst fought Seven deadly wounds at Argives hands thou didst receive in fight And on the fore part of thy corps thou shewd'st them all in sight Thy father old Sir Tynnichus it tooke with blood beraid And putting it in funerall fire with good cheere thus he said Let cowards weepe and waile thy death but I thy father kinde Will shed no teares nor semblance make of sad and grieved minde But thee enterre my sonne as doth beseeme thy fathers child And as a true Laconian who loves to die in field The master of the baines where Alcibiades the Athenians was woont to bathe and wash himselfe powred great store of water upon his bodie more than ordinarily upon others a Laconian being then by said It seemeth that he is not cleane and neat but that he is exceeding foule and filthie that he bestoweth so much water upon him When King Philip of Macedonia entred with a maine army into Laconia at what time as it was thought all the Lacedaemonians were killed up and dead he said unto one of the Spartanes O poore Laconians what will you do now what else quoth the Laconian but die valiantly like men for we alone of all other Greeks have beene taught to live free and not to serve in bondage under any others After that King Agis was vanquished Antipater the king demaunded of the Lacedaemonians for hostages fiftie children of theirs Eteocles one of the Ephori for the time being returned this answere That hee would not deliver into his hands any of their children for feare they would learne ill manners and lewd conditions for that they should not be brought up and nourtered in the discipline of their owne countrey and wanting it they would not proove so much as good citizens but if he would be so cōtent he should receive for pledges women or old men twice as many And when he menaced hereupon and said That he would worke him all the despite that possibly he could they answered all with one accord If thou impose upon us those conditions which are more grievous than death we shall die with so much the better will One old man desirous to see the combats at the Olympicke games could not get a roome to sit in but passed along by manie places and no man would make him roome but fell to laugh and made good game at him untill he came at length to that quarter of the whole theater whereas the Lacedaemonians were set and there all the children yea and many of the men rose up unto him and offered him their place all the whole assembly of the Greekes observed well this behaviour of theirs and with great applause and clapping of hands approoved and praised the same then the good olde father Shaking his head with haires all gray His beard also as hoare as they and weeping withall Ah God helpe quoth he what a world is this that Greeks should all of them know well enough what is good and honest but the Lacedaemonians onely practise it Some write that the same hapned in Athens also at the festivall solemnitie called Panathenaea where those of Attica plaied mock-holiday and made themselves mery with a poore olde man who they seemed to call unto them as it were to give him a place among them but after hee was come to them no roome he could have with them but was well mocked and frumped for his labour howbeit when he had passed along by all the rest at length he came to a place where certeine ambassadours of Lacedaemon were set and they made him roome and set him among them the people there assembled taking great pleasure to see this act clapped their hands aloud with great acclamation in token that they approoved it then one of the Spartans who there was By the two twin-gods Castor and Pollux quoth he I sweare these Athenians know what is good and honest but they doe not according to their
after that her sonne was slaine when certaine embassadors from the citie Amphipolis came to Sparta and visited her demaunded of them whether her sonne died like a valiant man and as became a Spartan now when they praised him exceedinly saying that he was the bravest man in armes in all Lacedaemon she said againe unto them My sonne was indeed a knight of valour and honour my good friends but Lacedaemon hath many others yet more valiant than he was GORGO the daughter of king Cleomenes when Aristagoras the Milesian was come to Sparta for to sollicit Cleomenes to make warre upon the king of Persia in the defence of the Ionians freedome and in consideration heereof promised him a good round summe of money and the more that he contradicted and denied the motion the more he still augmented the summe of money which he promised Father quoth she this stranger heere will corrupt you if you send him not the sooner out of your house Also when her father willed hir one day to deliver certaine corne unto a man by way of a reward and recompence saying withall For this is he who hath taught me how to make wine good How now good father quoth she shall there be more wine drunke still considering that they who drinke thereof become more delicate and lesse valorous When she saw how Aristagoras had one of his men to put on his shooes Father quoth she heere is a stranger that hath no hands When she saw a foreiner comming toward her who was wont to goe softly and delicatlie shee thrust him from her and said Avaunt idle luske as thou art and get thee gone for thou art not so good of deed as a woman GYRTIAS when Acrotatus her nephew or daughters sonne from out of a braule and fray that was betweene him and other yoonkers his companions was brought home with many a wound insomuch as no man looked for life seeing his familiar friends and those of his acquaintance waile and take on piteously What quoth she let be this weeping and lamentation for now hath he shewed of what bloud he is descended neither ought wee to crie out and bewaile for the hurts of valiant men but rather to goe about their cure and salve them if haply we may save their lives When a messenger comming out of Candia where he served in the warres brought newes that the said Acrotatus was slaine in fight Why quoth she what else should he do being once gone foorth to warre but either die himselfe or else kill his enemies yet had I rather heare and it doth me much more good that he died woorthy my selfe woorthy his native countrey and his progenitours than that he should live as long as possiblie a man could like a coward and man of no woorth DEMETRIA hearing that her sonne prooved a dastard and indeed not woorthy to be her sonne so soone as ever he was returned from the wars she killed him with her owne hands whereupon was made this epigram of her By mothers hand was slaine one Demetrie For that he brake the lawes of chivalrie No marvell she a noble Spartan dame Disclaimd her sonne unwoorthy of that name Another woman of Lacedaemon being given to understand that her sonne had abandoned his ranke made him likewise away as unwoorthy of that countrey wherein he was borne saying That he was no sonne of hers And thereupon this epigram also was composed of her Amischiefe take thee wicked impe be gone in divils name Through balefull darknesse Hatredis too good and earthly shame For cowards such of craven kind like hinds are not to drinke Nor wash in faire Eurotas streame their bodies as I thinke Avaunt thou cur-dogge whelpe to hell thou divils limme unmon'd Unwoorthy Sparta soile thou art ' for thee I never gron'd Another hearing that her sonne was saved and had escaped out of the hands of his enemies wrote thus unto him There runneth a naughtie rumor of thee either stop the course thereof or else live not There was another likewise whose children had fled out of the battell and when they came home unto her she welcomed them in this manner Whither goe you running leawd lozels and cowardly slaves as you are thinke you to enter hither againe from whence you first came and therewith plucked up her cloaths and shewed them her bare belly Also another espying her sonne new returned from the wars and comming toward her What newes quoth she how goeth the world with our countrey and common-wealth and when he answered We have lost the field and all our men be slaine she tooke up an earthen pot let it fly at his head killed him out-right saying And have they sent thee to bring us the newes There was one brother recounted unto his mother what a noble death his brother died unto whom his mother answered And wert not thou ashamed that thou didst not accompanie him in so faire a journey Another there was who had sent her sonnes and five they were in number to the warres and she stood waiting at the townes end about the suburbs and hamlets neere unto them for to hearken what was the issue of the battell and of the first man whom she encountred from the campe she asked what newes and who had the day hee told her that her sonnes were slaine all five Thou leaud varlet quoth shee and base slave as thou art I did not demaund that question of thee but in what state the affaire of the common-wealth stood The victorie quoth he is ours Then am I well appaid saith shee and contented with the losse of my children Another there was unto whom as she buried her sonne slaine in the warres there came a silly old woman and moaned her saying Ah good woman what fortune is this Why good quoth she by Castor and Pollux I sweare for I bare him into this world for nothing else but that he should spend his life for Sparta and loe this is now hapned A ladie there was of Ionia who bare herselfe verie proud of a worke in tapistrie which she herselfe had made most costly and curiously but a Laconian dame shewed unto her foure children all verie well given and honestly brought up Such as these quoth she ought to be the works of a ladie of honour and herein should a noble woman in deed make her boast and vaunt herselfe Another there was who heard newes that a sonne of hers behaved himselfe not well in a strange countrey where hee was unto whom she wrote a letter in this wise There is blowen a bad brute of thee in these parts either proove it salfe or else die I advise thee Certaine fugitives or exiled persons from Chios came to Sparta who accused Paedaretus and laid many crimes to his charge his mother Teleuria hearing thereof sent for them to come unto her at whose mouthes when she heard the severall points of their imputations and judging in herselfe that hee was in fault and had done great wrongs
citie should rebell against their masters and come to him for that he would make them all free and give them libertie to espouse and marie their mistresses even the wives of their former masters The dames conceived hereof so great choler and indignation in their harts together with the slaves themselves who were provoked likewise to anger as well as they and readie to assist their mistresses that they tooke heart to mount upon the walles of the citie and to carrie thither stones darts and all manner of shot beseeching their husbands to fight lustily and with good courage eftsoones admonishing and encouraging them to quit themselves like men and do their devoir which they did so effectually both in word and deed that in the end they repulsed the enemie and constrained Philip to raise his siege from before the citie without effecting his purpose and there was not so much as one slave that revolted from his master unto him THE WOMEN OF ARGOS THe exploit of the Argive dames against Cleomenes king of Lacedaemon in defence of the citie Argos which they enterprised under the conduct and by the perswasion of Telesilla the poëtresse is not lesse glorious and renowmed than any action that ever was atchieved by a crew of women This dame Telesilla as the fame goeth was descended of a noble and famous house howbeit in body she was very weake and sickly by occasion wherof she sent out to the oracle for to know how she might recover her health answer was made that she shoulde serve honour and worship the Muses she yeelding obedience to this revelation of the god and giving herselfe to learne poesie and likewise vocall musicke and skill in song in short time was delivered from her maladie and became most renowmed and highly esteemed among women for hir poeticall veine and musicall knowledge in this kind in processe of time it fortuned that Cleomenes the king of the Spartans having in a battell slaine a great number indeed of Argives but not as some fabulous writers have precisely set downe seven thousand seven hundred seventie and seven advaunced directly to the citie of Argos hoping to finde and surprize the same void of inhabitants but the women as many as were of age sufficient as it were by some heavenly and divine instinct put on a resolute minde and an extraordinary courage to doe their best for to beate backe their enemies that they should not enter the citie and in very truth under the leading of Telesilla they put on armes tooke weapon in hand and mounting up the wals stood round about the battlements thereof and environed them on every side defending the citie right manfully to the great wonder admiration of the enemies thus they gave Cleomenes the repulse with the losse and carvage of a great number of his men Yea and they chased Democrates another king of Lacedaemon out of their citie as Socrates saith who had made entrance before and seised that quarter which is called Pamphyliacum when the citie was thus saved by the prowesse of these women ordeined it was that as many of them as chaunced in this service to be slaine should be honorably enterred upon the great causey or high-way called Argeia and unto them who remained alive graunted it was for a perpetuall monument and memoriall of their prowesse to dedicate and consecrate one statue unto Mars This combat and fight as some have written was the seventh day or as other say the first of that moneth which at Argos in old time they called Tetartos but now Hermeus on which day the Argives do celebrate even in this age a solemne sacrifice and feast which they call Hybristica as one would say reprochfull and infamous wherein the custome is that women went clad in soldiers coates and mantels but men were arraied and attired in womens peticoates frocks and veiles Now to replenish and repeople the citie againe for default of men who died in the wars they did not as Herodotus writeth use this pollicie to marrie their slaves to their widdowes but they granted free burgeosie of their citie unto the better sort of men who were their neighbors and borderers and granted unto them for to affiance and espouse the said widowes but it should seeme that these wives disdained despised in some sort these husbands of theirs as not comparable to their former for they made a law that these wives should have counterfeit beards set to their chins whensoever they slept and lay with their husbands THE PERSIAN WOMEN CYrus having caused the Persians to rebel against king Astyages the Medes hapned to be discomfited vanquished together with the Persians now when the Persians fled amaine toward the city and their enemies followed hard at their heeles ready to enter pel-mell with thē the women issued out of the gates met them even before the citie and plucking up their clothes before from beneath to their waste cried unto them Whither away and whither doe you flie the most beastly cowards that ever were for run as fast as you wil there is no reentrance here for you into that place out of which you came first into the world the Persians being ashamed as well to see such a sight as to heare those words blamed and rebuked themselves whereupon they turned againe and made head at their enemies sought freshly and put them to flight from which time forward there was a law established That whensoever the king returneth from some farre voiage and entreth into the citie everie woman should receive of him a piece of gold and that by the ordinance of king Cyrus who first enacted it But it is reported that king Ochus one of his successors who being bad enough otherwise was the most covetous prince that ever raigned over them turned alwaies out of the way passed besides the citie and never would come into it after such a journey whereby the women alwaies were disappointed of that gratuitie and gift which they ought to have had but king Alexander contrariwise entred the citie twice and gave to every woman with childe double so much that is to say two such pieces of gold THE WOMEN OF GAULE BEfore that the Gaules passed over the mountaines called Alpes and held that part of Italy which now they doe inhabit there arose a great discord and dangerous sedition among them which grew in the end to a civill warre but when both armies stood embattailed and arranged ready to fight their wives put themselves in the very mids betweene the armed troupes tooke the matter of difference and controversie into their hands brought them to accord and unitie and judged the quarrell with such indifferent equitie and so to the contentment of both parts that there ensued a woonderfull amitie and reciprocall good will not onely from citie to citie but also betweene house and house insomuch that ever after they continued this custome in all their consultations aswell of warre as peace to take the counsell
drunkennesse killed this silly poore girle even as she couched her face in the very lap and bosome of her father howbeit for all this and such like wicked pranks plaied the tyrant was nothing at all moved to pitie and compassion but many citizens he murdered and more he banished and caused to leave their countrey in such sort that as the speech went no fewer than eight hundred fled to the Aetolians craving at their hands to make meanes unto the tyrant that they might have away their wives and little children also Not long after the tyrant of his owne accord caused proclamation to be made by sound of trumpet that as many women as were willing to go unto their husbands should make them ready and depart yea and cary with them as much of their goods as they would now when he understood that they all with great joy of this proclamation thus published and that they were assembled together with much contentment of minde to the number of sixe hundred he commanded that they should depart and put themselves in their journey all together on a certeine day by him prefixed making semblant against that time to provide a good convoy for their better security when the time appointed was come they flocked thicke to the gates of the city having brought with them their trusses and fardles of such goods as they meant to have away with them carying some of their little babes in their armes taking order for others for to be brought in waggons and so they staied there attended one anothers comming but suddenly many of the souldiers and those of the tyrants guard came running toward them and crying aloud afarre off Stay stay now when they approched nere all the women they commanded to go backe againe but the waines and waggons they turned together with the horses full upon them and drave them amaine thorow the mids of the troupe and throng of the women not suffering them either to follow or to stay or succor their poore little infants whom they saw to die before their faces for some of them perished with falling out of the chariots to the ground others were destroied and trampled under the horse feet and all this while these pensioners of the guard with loud out-cries and with whipping drave the women before them like as they had bene so many sheepe and thronged them so hard that one tumbled upon another and thus they chased them untill such time as they had cast them all into prison but all their bag and baggage was seized upon and brought unto Aristotimus Now when the men of Elis were were heerewith mightily offended the religious women consecrated to the service of Bacchus whom they call the Sixteene carrying in their hands boughs of olive trees like suppliants and chaplets of vine branches about their heads which they tooke from the god whom they served went to meet with Aristotimus about the market-place of the citie his squires and pensioners about him for the guard of his bodie made a lane for them and seemed upon some reverence to give them way that they might come nere and the women at first kept silence doing nought els but in most humble and deuout maner tender unto him their branches like suppliants but after that the tyrant understood that it was for the Eliens wives that they came thus to make supplication and namely that hee would take some commiseration of them being wroth displeased with his guard he cried out upon them for suffering the said women to approch so neere unto his person and thereupon commanded them to drive some and to beat others untill they were all chased out of the market-place and more than all this he condemned these religious votaries in a fine of two talents a piece During these occurrences there was within the citie one of the burgesses named Hellanicus a man very farre stept in age who was the authour of a conspiracie and insurrection against the tyrant one that of all others he least distrusted and whom he never thought likely to practise against him both for that he was very aged and also because but a little before he had buried two of his children and it fortuned at the very same time that frō Aetolia the exiles before named passed into the territorie of Elis and seized upon a fort called Amymom situate in a very commodious place for to mainteine warre where they received and enterteined many other inhabitants of the citie who immediatly resorted thither and ran apace upon these tydings the tyrant Aristotimus much fearing the sequel hereof went unto their wives in prison and thinking to compasse his desseignes better by feare than favor and love he commanded them to send unto their husbands to write unto them for to abandon their holde and depart out of the countrey menacing the poore women that if they did not so he would cause their children first to be mangled with whips and so killed before their face and then put themselves also to death all of them were silent a good while notwithstanding he importuned them a long time and urged them to speake at once whether they would doe it or no they looked one upon another without saying a word giving him thereby to understand that they stood in no feare and were not astonied for all his threats at the last one of them named Megisto wife to Timoleon and a woman whom the rest regarded and held as their captainesse aswell in respect of her husbands honour as her owne vertue deigned not to rise up from her seat herselfe nor suffered any of the rest to stand up but sitting still in her place thus said If thou wert a wise man thou wouldest not deale thus as thou doest betweene women and their husbands but rather send unto them as to those who have the power and authoritie over their wives and to deliver unto them better speeches than such whereby thou hast deceived us now if being past hope to perswade them thou thinkest to circumvent and delude them by the meanes of us never looke that thou shalt abuse us any more nor thinke that they will be so ill advised or so base minded as that for to spare their wives and little children they will abandon and lose the libertie of their countrey for surely the losse of us will not be to them so much considering that they now enjoy us not as the gaine and benefit in delivering their countrey and fellow-citizens from such outrageous crueltie Whiles Megisto enterteined Aristotimus with these speeches he could no longer endure but commanded her little sonne to be brought before him for to murder him before her eies and when the pensioners about the tyrant searched for him among other little boies that were playing wrestling together his mother called unto him by name saying Come hither to me my boy that thou maiest be delivered from the crueltie of this tyrant before thou hast any sense or understanding to
and yet consideratly waiting the time and opportunitie of revenge on the other side Synorix followed his sute verie earnestly soliciting and intreating 〈◊〉 nately neither seemed he to alledge vaine and frivolous reasons but such as carried some colourable pretense of honestie namely that he had alwaies shewed himselfe a man of more valor worth than Sinatus and whereas he took away his life induced he was thereto for the 〈◊〉 love that hee bare to Camma and not mooved thereto by any malice otherwise This yoong dame at the first seemed to denie him but yet her denials were not verie churlish and such as he might take for his finall answer for daily by little and little she made semblant that she relented and inclined unto him for that divers kinsfolk and friends also of hers joined with him to second his sute who for to gratifie and doe pleasure unto Synorix a man of the greatest credit and authoritie in his countrey perswaded yea forced her to yeeld unto this match To be short in the end she gave her consent Synorix was sent for to come unto her where she kept her resiance that in the presence of the said goddesse the contract of marriage might passe the espousals be solemnized when he was come she received and welcomed him with an amiable and gracious countenance lead him unto the very altar of Diana where rehgiously with great ceremonie she powred forth before the goddesse a little of a potion which shee had prepared out of a boule the one part thereof she drunke herselfe the other she gave unto Synorix for to drinke now this potion was mead mingled with ranke poison when she saw that he had taken his draught she fetching a loud and evident groane doing reverence also unto the goddesse I protest and call thee to witnesse quoth she most powerfull and honourable goddesse that I have not survived Sinatus for any other cause in the world but onely to see this day neither have I had any joie of my life all this while that I have lived since but onely in regard of hope that one day I might be revenged of his death which seeing that now I have effected I go most gladly and joifully unto that sweet husband of mine and as for thee most accursed wicked wretch in the world give order to thy kinsfolke and friends in stead of a nuptiall bed to provide a grave for thy burial the Galatian hearing these words and beginning withal to feele the operation of the poison and how it wrought troubled him within his bowels and all parts of his body mounted presently his chariot hoping that by the jogging and agitation thereof he might vomit and cast up the poison but immediately he alighted againe and put himselfe into an easie litter but did he what he could dead he was that very evening as for Camma she continued all the night languishing and when she heard for certaintie that he was deceased she also with joy and mirth departed out of this world STRATONICE THe selfesame province of Galatia affoorded two other dames woorthy of eternall memorie to wit Stratonice the wife of king Deiotarus and Chiomara the wife of Ortiagon as for Stratonice she knowing that the king her husband was desirous to have children lawfully begotten for to leave to be his successors inheritors of the crowne and yet could have none by her praied and intreated him to trie another woman and beget a childe of her body yea and permitted that it should be put unto her and she would take it upon her as her owne Deiotarus woondered much at this resolution of hers and was content to doe all things according to her mind wherupon she chose among other captives taken prisoner in the warres a proper faire maiden named Electra whom she brought into Deiotarus bed chamber shut them in both together and all the children which this concubine bare unto him his wife reared and brought up with as kinde an affection and as princelike as if she had borne them herselfe CHIOMARA AT what time as the Romans under the conduct of Cn. Scipio defaited the Galatians that inhabit in Asia it befell that Chiomara the wife of Ortiagon was taken prisoner with other Galatian women the captaine whose captive she was made use of his fortune did like a soldier and abused her bodie who as he was a man given unto his fleshly pleasure so he looked also as much or rather more unto his profit and filthie lucre but so it fell out that overtaken he was and entrapped by his owne avarice for being promised by the woman a good round quantitie of gold for to deliver her out of thraldome and set her at libertie he brought her to the place which she had appointed for to render her and set her free which was at a certeine banke by the river side where the Galatians should passe over tender him the said monie and receive Chiomara but she winked with her eie thereby gave a signall to one of her own companie for to kill the said Romane captaine at what time as he should take his leave of her with a kisse and friendly farewell which the partie did with his sword at one stroke fetched off his head the head she herselfe tooke up and wrapped it in the lap of her gowne before and so gat her away apace homeward when she was come to her husbands house downe she cast his head at his feet whereat he being astonied Ah my sweet wife quoth he it is a good thing to keepe faithfull promise True quoth she but it is better that but one man alive should have my companie Polybius writeth of the same woman that himselfe talked with her afterwards in the citie of Sardis and that he found her then to be a woman of an high minde and of woonderfull deepe wit But since I am fallen to the mention of the Galatians I will rehearse yet one story more of them A WOMAN OF PERGAMUS KIng Mithridates sent upon a time for threescore of the principall lords of Galatia to repaire unto him upon trust and safe-conduct as friends into the citie Pergamus whom being come at his request he enterteined with proud imperious speeches whereat they al took great scorn and indignation insomuch as one of them named Toredorix a strong tal man of his hands besides woonderfull couragious Tetrarch of the Tossepians country undertooke this one day enterprise to set upon Mithridates at what time as he sat in judgement gave audience from the tribunal seat in the publike place of exercise and both him and seat together to tumble downe headlong into the pit underneath but it fortuned that the king that day came not abroad as his maner was up into that place of open exercise but commanded al those Galatian lords to come and speake with him at his house Toredorix exhorted them to be bold and confident and when they were
the generositie of a vertuous dame and behold the kindnesse of a mother toward her children whereas you shall see many other mothers to receive their yoong babes at the hands of their nurses to dandle play withall forsooth in mirth pastime but afterwards the same women if their infants chance to die give themselves over to al vain mourning bootlesse sorow which proceedeth not doubtlesse from good will indeed for surely heartie affectin is reasonable honest and considerate but rather from a foolish opinion mingled with a little naturall kindnesse and this is it that engendreth savage furious implacable sorowes And verily Aesope as it should seeme was not ignorant heereof for he reporteth this narration That when Jupiter made a dole or distribution of honours among the gods and goddesses Sorrow came afterwards and made sute likewise to be honored and so he bestowed upon her teares plaints and lamentations 〈◊〉 for them onely who are willing thereto and ready to give her intertainment And I assure you this they commonly doe at the very beginning for everie one of his owne accord bringeth in and admitteth sorrow unto him who after she is once entertained and in processe of time well setled so that she is become domesticall and familiar will not be driven out of dores nor be gone if a man would never so faine and therefore resistance must be made against her even at the verie gate neither ought we to abandon our hold and quit the fort renting our garments tearing or shearing our haires or doing other such things as ordinarily happen every day causing a man to be confused shamefull and discouraged making his heart base abject and shut up that he cannot enlarge it but remaine poore and timorous bringing him to this passe that he dare not be merrie supposing it altogether unlawfull to laugh to come abroad and see the sunne light to converse with men or to eate or drinke in companie into such a captivitie is he brought through sorrow and melancholie upon this inconvenience after it hath once gotten head there followeth the neglect of the bodie no care of annointing or bathing and generally a retchlessenesse and contempt of all things belonging to this life whereas contrariwise and by good reason when the mind is sicke or amisse it should be helped and sustained by the strength of an able and cheerefull body for a great part of the soules griefe is allaied and the edge thereof as it were dulled when the bodie is fresh and disposed to alacritie like as the waves of the sea be laid even during a calme and faire weather but contrariwise if by reason that the bodie be evill entreated and not regarded with good diet and choise keeping it become dried rough and hard in such sort as from it there breathe no sweet and comfortable exhalations unto the soule but all smoakie and bitter vapors of dolour griefe and sadnesse annoy her then is it no easie matter for men be they never so willing and desirous to recover themselves but that their soules being thus seized upon by so grievous passions will be afflicted and tormented stil. But that which is most dangerous and dreadfull in this case I never feared in your behalfe to 〈◊〉 That foolish women should come visit you and then fall a weeping lamenting and crying with you a thing I may say to you that is enough to whet sorrow and awaken it if it were asleepe not suffring it either by it selfe or by meanes of helpe and succour from another to passe fade vanish away for I know verie well what adoe you had into what a conflict you entred about the sister of Theon when you would have assisted her resisted other women who came into her with great cries loud lamentations as if they brought fire with them in al haste to maintaine encrease that which was kindled already True it is indeed that when a friends or neighbors house is seene on fire every man runneth as fast as he can to helpe for to quench the same but when they see their soules burning in griefe and sorrow they contrariwise bring more fewel matter stil to augment or keepe the said fire also if a man be diseased in his eies he is not permitted to handle or touch them with his hands especially if they be bloud-shotten and possessed with any inflammation whereas he who sits mourning and sorrowing at home in his house offereth and presenteth himselfe to the first commer and to every one that is willing to irritate 〈◊〉 and provoke his passion as it were a floud or streame that is let out and set a running insomuch as where before the grievance did but itch or smart a little it now beginnes to shoot to ake to be fell and angrie so that it becommeth a great and dangerous maladie in the end but I am verily perswaded I say that you know how to preserve your selfe from these extremities Now over and besides endevour to reduce and call againe to mind the time when as we had not this daughter namely when she was as yet unborne how we had no cause then to complaine of fortune then see you joine as it were with one tenon this present with that which is past setting the case as if we were returned againe to the same state wherein we were before for it will appeere my good wife that we are discontented that ever she was borne in case we make shew that we were in better condition before her birth than afterwards not that I wish we should abolish out of our remembrance the two yeeres space between her nativitie and decease but rather count and reckon it among other our pleasures and blessings as during which time we had the fruition of joy mirth and pastime and not to esteeme that good which was but little and endured a small while our great infortunitie nor yet seeme unthankfull to fortune for the favour which she hath done unto us because she added not thereto that length of life which we hoped and expected Certes to rest contented alwaies with the gods to thinke and speake of them reverently as it becommeth not to complaine of fortune but to take in good woorth whatsoever it pleaseth her to send bringeth evermore a faire and pleasant frute but he who in these cases putteth out of his remembrance the good things that he hath transporting and turning his thoughts and cogitations from obscure and troublesome occurrents unto those which be cleere and resplendent if he doe not by this meanes utterly extinguish his sorrow yet at leastwise by mingling and tempring it with the contrary he shall be able to diminish or else make it more feeble for like as a sweet odor and fragrant ointment delighteth and refresheth alwaies the sense of smelling amd besides is a remedie against stinding savours even so the cogitagion of these benefits which men have otherwise received serveth as a most necessarie and
to let go the resemblance of an hereditarie vice which beginneth to bud and sprout in a yoong man to stay and suffer it I say to grow on still burgen and spread into all affections untill it appeare in the view of the whole world for as Pindarus saith The foolish heart doth bring forth from within Her hidden fruit corrupt and full of sin And thinke you not that in this point God is wiser than the Poet Hesiodus who admonisheth us and giveth counsell in this wise No children get if thou be newly come From dolefull grave or heavie funerall But spare not when thou art returned home From solemne feast of Gods celestiall as if he would induce men to beget their children when they be jocund fresh and mery for that the generation of them received the impression not of vertue and vice onely but also of joy sadnesse all other qualities howbeit this is not a worke of humane wisdome as Hesiodus supposeth but of God himselfe to discern foreknow perfectly either the conformities or the diversities of mens natures drawen from their progenitors before such time as they breake forth into some great enormities whereby their passions affections be discovered what they are for the yong whelps of beares wolves apes such like creatures shew presently their naturall inclination even whiles they be very yong because it is not disguised or masked with any thing but the nature of man casting it selfe and setling upon maners customes opinions lawes concealeth often times the ill that it hath but doth imitate counterfeit that which is good and honest in such sort as it may be thought either to have done away cleane all the staine blemish imperfection of vices inbred with it or els to have hidden it a long time being covered with the vaile of craft subtiltie so as we are not able or at leastwise have much adoe to perceive their malice by the sting bit pricke of every several vice And to say a truth herein are we mightily deceived that we thinke men are become unjust then only and not before when they do injurie or dissolute when they play some insolent and loose part cowardly minded when they run out of the field as if a man should have the cōceit that the sting in a scorpion was then bred not before when he gave the first pricke or the poison in vipers was ingendred then only when they bit or stung which surely were great simplicitie and meere childishnesse for a wicked person becommeth not then such an one even when he appeareth so and not before but hee hath the rudiments and beginnings of vice and naughtinesse imprinted in himselfe but hee sheweth and useth the same when he hath meanes fit occasion good opportunitie and might answerable to his minde like as the thiefe spieth his time to robbe and the tyrant to violate and breake the lawes But God who is not ignorant of the nature and inclination of every one as who searcheth more into the secrets of the heart and minde than into the body never waiteth and staieth untill violence beperformed by strength of hand impudencie bewraied by malepart speech or intemperance and wantonnesse perpetrated by the naturall members and privie parts ere he punish for he is not revenged of an unrighteous man for any harme and wrong that he hath received by him nor angry with a thiefe or robber for any forcible violence which he hath done unto him ne yet hateth an adulterer because he hath suffered abuse or injurie by his meanes but many times he chastiseth by way of medicine a person that committeth adulterie a covetous wretch and a breaker of the lawes whereby otherwhiles he riddeth them of their vice and preventeth in them as it were the falling sicknesse before the sit surprise them Wee were erewhile offended and displeased that wicked persons were over-late and too slowly punished and now discontented we are complaine for that God doth represse chastise the evill habit and vicious disposition of some before the act committed never considering and knowing that full often a future mischiefe is worse and more to be feared than the present and that which is secret and hidden more dangerous than that which is open and apparent Neither are we able to comprehend and conceive by reason the causes wherefore it is better otherwhiles to tolerate and suffer some persons to be quiet who have offanded and transgressed already and to prevent or stay others before they have executed that which they intend like as in very trueth wee know not the reason why medicines and physicall drogues being not meet for some who are sicke be good and holsome for others though they are not actually diseased yet haply in a more dangerous estate than the former Hereupon it is that the gods turne not upon the children and posterity all the faults of their fathers and ancestours for if it happen that of a bad father there descend a good sonne like as a sickly and crasie man may beget a sound strong and healthfull childe such an one is exempt from the paine and punishment of the whole house and race as being translated out of a vicious familie and adopted into another but that a yoong sonne who shall conforme himselfe to the hereditarie vice of his parents is liable to the punishment of their sinfull life aswell as he his bound to pay their debts by right of succession and inheritance For Antigonus was not punished for the sinnes of his father Demetrius nor to speake of leaud persons Phileus for Augeas ne yet Nestor for Neleus his sake who albeit they were descended from most wicked fathers yet they prooved themselves right honest but all such as whose nature loved embraced and practised that which came unto them by descent and parentage in those I say divine justice is wont to persecute and punish that which resembleth vice and sinne for like as the werts blacke moales spots and freckles of fathers not appearing at all upon their owne childrens skinne begin afterwards to put foorth and shew themselves in their nephews to wit the children of their sonnes and daughters And there was a Grecian woman who having brought foorth a blacke infant and being troubled therefore and judicially accused for adultrie as if shee had beene conceived by a blacke-moore shee pleaded and was found to have beene hereselfe descended from an Aethiopian in the fourth degree remooved As also it is knowen for certaine that of the children of Python the Nisibian who was descended from the race and line of those old Spartans who were the first lords and founders of Thebes the yoongest and he that died not long since had upon his body the print and forme of a speare the very true and naturall marke of that auncient line so long and after the revolution of so many yeeres there sprang and came up againe as it were out of the deepe this resemblance of the stocke
will than to rubbe or besmeare it with oile like as bees also by that meanes are soone destroied so it is therefore that all those trees which have beene named are of a fattie substance and have a soft and uncteous nature insomuch as there distilleth and droppeth from them pitch and rosin and if a man make a gash or incision in any of them they yeeld from within a certeine bloudie liquor or gumme yea and there issueth from the tortch staves made of them an oileous humour which shineth againe because they are so fattie unguinous This is the reason why they will not joine and be concorporate with other trees no more than oile it selfe be mingled with other liquors When Philo had done with his speech Crato added thus much moreover That in his opinion the nature of their rinde or barke made somewhat for the said matter for the same being thinne and drie withall yeeldeth neither a sure seat socket as it were to the impes or buds which there dies to rest in nor meanes to get sappe and nutriment for to incorporate them like as all those plants which have barks verie tender moist and soft whereby the graffes may be clasped united and soddered with those parts that be under the said barke Then Soclarus himselfe said That whosoever made these reasons was in the right and not deceived in his opinion to thinke it necessarie that the thing which is to receive another nature should be pliable and easie to follow every way to the end that suffring it selfe to be tamed and over-come it might become of like nature and turne the owne proper nutriment into that which is set and graffed in it Thus you see how before wee sow or plant we eare and turne the earth making it gentle soft and supple that being in this manner wrought to our hand and made tractable it may be more willing to apply it selfe for to embrace in her bosome whatsoever is either sowen or planted for contrariwise a ground which is rough stubborne and tough hardly will admit alteration these trees therefore consisting of a light kinde of wood because they are unapt to be changed and overcome will admit no concorporation with others And moreover quoth hee evident it is that the stocke in respect of that which is set and graffed into it ought to have the nature of a ground which is tilled now it is well knowen that the earth must be of a female constitution apt to conceive and beare which is the cause that we make choise of those trees for our stocks to graffe upon which are most frutefull like as we chuse good milch women that have plenty of milke in their brests to be nurses for other children besides their owne who we put unto them but we see plainly that the cypresse tree the sapin and all such like be either barren altogether or else beare very little frute and like as men and women both who are exceeding corpulent grosse and fatte are for the most part unable either to get or beare children for spending all their nourishment as they doe in feeding the body they convert no superfluitie thereof into genetall seed even so these trees employing all the substance of their nouriture to fatten as it were themselves grow indeed to be very thicke and great but either they beare no frute at all or if they doe the same is very small and long ere it come to maturitie and perfection no marvell therefore that a stranger will not breede or grow there whereas the owne naturall issue thriveth but badly THE SEVENTH QUESTION Of the stay-ship fish Echeneis CHaeremonianus the Trallien upon a time when divers and sundry small fishes of all sorts were set before us shewed unto us one with a long head and the same sharpe pointed and told us that it resembled very much the stay-ship fish called thereupon in Greeke Echeneis and he reported moreover that he had seene the said fish as he sailed upon the Sicilian sea and marvelled not a little at the naturall force and propertie that it had so sensiblie in some sort to stay and hinder the course of a shippe under saile untill such time as the marriner who had the government of the prow or foredecke espied it sticking close to the outside of the ship upon the relation of this strange occurrent some there were in place at that time who laughed at Chaeremonianus for that this tale and fiction devised for the nonce to make folke merry and which was incredible went currant with him and was taken for good paiment againe others there were who spake very much in the defence of the hidden properties and secret antipathies or contrarieties in nature There you should have heard many other strange passions and accidents to wit that an elephant being enraged and starke mad becommeth appeased immediatly upon the sight of a ram also that if a man hold a branch or twig of a beech tree close unto a viper and touch her therewith never so little she will presently stay and stirre no farther likewise that a wilde bull how wood and furious soever he be will stand gently and be quiet in case he be tied to a fig-tree semblably that amber doth remoove and draw unto it all things that be drie and light withall save onely the herbe basill and whatsoever is besmeered with oile Item that the Magnet or Lode-stone will no more draw iron when it is rubbed over with garlicke the proofe and experience of which effects is well knowen but the causes thereof difficult if not impossible to be found out But I for my part said That this was rather a shift and evasion to avoid a direct answere unto the question propounded than the allegation of a true cause pertinent thereto for we daily see that there be many events and accidents concurring reputed for causes and yet be none as for example if one should say or beleeve that the blowming of the withie called Chast-tree causeth grapes to ripen because there is a common word in every mans mouth Loe how the chast-trees now do flower And grapes wax ripe even at one hower or that by reason of the fungous matter seene to gather about the candle-snuffes or lamp-weeks the aire is troubled and the skie overcast or that the hooking inwardly of the nailes upon the fingers is the cause and not an accident of the ulcer of the lungs or some noble part within which breedeth a consumption Like as therefore every one of these particulars alledged is a consequent of divers accidents proceeding all from the same causes even so I am of this mind quoth I that one and the same cause staieth the shippe and draweth the little fish Echeneis to sticke unto the side thereof for so long as the ship is drie or not overcharged with moisture soaking into it it with great reason that the keele glideth more smoothly away by reason of the lightnesse thereof and cutteth merrily
those that rent them at their hands not to use the same as also not to cast into the furnace or fire with which they give an heat unto them the seed of Darnell for that the smoaks and fumes which ariseth from such matters ingender head-ach and heavinesse of the braine together with a dizzinesse and swimming in the head in as many as wash or bathe in them And therefore no marvell it is that there should be such a difference betweene the heat of the sunne and of the moone considerig that the one by his influence doth drie and the other by her power dissolveth humors and in somebodie 's by that meanes causeth rhewmes and therefore discreet and carefull nourses take great heed how they expose their sucking babes against the raies of the moone for that such infants being full of moisture like to sappy-greene wood will as it were warpe twine and cast at-one side by that meanes And an ordinary thing it is to be seene that whosoever sleepe in the moone-shine be hardly awakened as if their senses were stupefied benummed and astonied for surely the humors being dissolved and dilated by the influence of the moone doe make bodies heavie Moreover it is said that the full-moone by relaxing and resolving humors in this wise helpeth women in travell of child-bearing to easie deliverance Whereupon in my judgement Diana which is nothing els but the very moone is called Lochia or Ilithyia as having a speciall hand in the birth of children which Timotheus directly testifieth in these verses Thorow azure skie with starres beset by moone that giveth speed Of child-birth and doth ease the paine of women in their need Moreover the moone sheweth her power most evidently even in those bodies which have neither sense nor lively breath for carpenters reject the timber of trees fallen in the ful-moone as being soft and tender subject also to the worme and putrifaction and that quickly by reason of excessive moisture husbandmen likewise make haste to gather up their wheat and other graine from the threshing-floore in the wane of the moone and toward the end of the moneth that being hardened thus with drinesse the heape in the garner may keepe the better from being fustie and continue the longer whereas corne which is inned and laied up at the full of the moone by reason of the softnesse and over-much moisture of all other doth most cracke and burst It is commonly said also that if a leaven be laied in the full-moone the paste will rise and take leaven better for although it have but a little leaven lesse in quantitie than ordinary yet it faileth not by the sharpnesse thereof by meanes of rarefaction to make the whole masse and lumpe of dow to swell and be leavened To returne now unto flesh that is caught and beginneth to putrifie it is occasioned by nothing els but this that the spirit which mainteineth and knitteth the same fast turneth into moisture and so by that meanes it becommeth over-tender loose and apt to runne to water an accident which wee may observe in the very aire which resolveth more in the full of the moone than at any other time yea and yeeldeth greater store of dewes which the poet Alcman signifieth aenigmatically and covertly unto us when he saith in one place that dew is the daughter of the aire and the moone for these be his words What things on earth the dew as nourse doth feed Whom Jupiter and moone betwixt them breed Thus evident testimonies we have from all parts that the light of the moone is waterish and hath a certeine propertie to liquisie and by consequence to corrupt and putrifie As for the brasen spike or naile above mentioned if it be true as some hold and say that being driven into the body it preserveth the flesh for a time from rottenhead and putrifaction it seemeth to worke this effect by a certeine astrictive qualitie and vertue that it hath for the flower of brasse called Ver-de-gris physicians doe use in their astringent medicines and by report those that frequent mines out of which brasse-ore is digged finde much helpe thereby for bleered and rheumaticke eies yea and some thereby have recovered the haire of their eie-lids after they were shed and fallen off for the small scales or fine powder in maner of flowre which commeth and falleth from the brasse-stone 〈◊〉 getting closely into the eie-lids staieth the rhewme and represseth the flux of weeping and waterie eies and thereupon it is said that the poet Homer hath given these attributes and epithites unto brasse calling it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Besides Aristotle saith that the wounds inflicted by speares and lances with brasen heads by swords also made of brasse are lesse painfull and be sooner healed than those which are given by the same weapons of iron and steele for that brasse hath a kinde of medicinable vertue in it which the said weapons doe leave behinde them immediatly in the wounds Moreover that astringent things be contrary unto those that putrifie and that preservatives or healing matters have an opposit facultie to such as cause corruption it is very plaine and evident so that the reason is manifest of the said operation unlesse haply some one will alledge that the brasen spike or naile in piercing thorow the flesh draweth unto it the humours thereof considering that there is evermore a flux in that part which is hurt and wronged Over and besides it is said that there appeareth alwaies some marke or spot blacke and blew about that very place of the flesh bewraying as it were some mortification a probable argument that all the rest remaineth sound and entire when the corruption runneth and floweth thither as it doth THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF SYMPOSIAQUES OR BANQUET-QUESTIONS The Contents or Summarie 1 WHether the food consisting of many and sundrie viands is easier of digestion than the simple 2 Why it is thought that Mushromes are ingendred by thunder wherein also the question is made wherefore it is a necessarie opinion that those who lie asleepe are not smitten with lightning 3 What is the reason that to a wedding supper many guests were invited 4 Whether the viands which the sea affoordeth be more delicate than those of the land 5 Whether the Jewes in a religious reverence that they have of swine or upon an abomination and abhorring of them forbeare to eat their flesh 6 What god the Jewes worship 7 Why the dayes of the weeke bearing the names of the seven planets are not disposed and reckoned according to the order of the said planets but rather cleane contrary where by the way there is a discourse as touching the order of nailes 8 What is the cause that rings and signets were worne especially upon the fourth finger or that next from the middle 9 Whether wee ought to carrie in our seale-rings the images of the gods engraven or of wise personages 10 What is the reason
division of the earth 15 The zones or climates of the earth how many and how great they be 16 Of earth quakes 17 Of the sea how it is concret and how it comes to be bitter 18 How come the tides that is to say the ebbing and flowing of the seas 19 Of the circle called Halo Chapters of the fourth Booke 1 Of the rising of Nilus 2 Of the soule 3 Whether the soule be corporall and what is her substance 4 The parts of the soule 5 Which is the mistresse or principall part of the soule and wherein it doth consist 6 Of the soules motion 7 Of the soules immortalitie 8 Of the senses and sensible things 9 Whether the senses and imaginations be true 10 How many senses there be 11 How sense and notion is performed as also how reason is ingendred according to disposition 12 What difference there is betweene imagination imaginable and imagined 13 Of sight and how we doe see 14 Of the reflexions or resemblances in mirrors 15 Whether darknesse be visible 16 Of hearing 17 Of smelling 18 Of tasting 19 Of the voice 20 Whether the voice be incorporall and how commeth the resonance called eccho 21 How it is that the soule hath sense and what is the principal predomināt part therof 22 Of respiration 23 Of the passions of the body and whether the soule have a fellow-feeling with it of paine Chapters of the fift Booke 1 Of divination or 〈◊〉 of future things 2 How dreames 〈◊〉 3 What is the substance of naturall seed 4 Whether naturall seed be a body 5 Whether femals as well as males doe yeeld naturall seed 6 After what maner conceptions are 7 How males and females are engendred 8 How monsters are ingendred 9 What is the reason that a woman accompanying often times carnally with a man doth not 〈◊〉 10 How twinnes both two and three at once be occasioned 11 How commeth the resemblance of parents 12 What is the cause that infants be like to some other and not to the parents 13 How women proove barren and men unable to ingender 14 What is the reason that mules be barren 15 Whether the fruit within the wombe is to be accounted a living creature or no. 16 How such fruits be nourished within the wombe 17 What part is first accomplished in the wombe 18 How it commeth to passe that infants borne at seven moneths end doe live and are livelike 19 Of the generation of living creatures how they be ingendred and whether they be corruptible 20 How many kindes there be of living creatures whether they all have sense and use of reason 21 In what time living creatures receive forme within the mothers wombe 22 Of what elements is every generall part in us composed 23 How commeth sleepe and death whether it is of soule or bodie 24 When and how a man beginneth to come unto his perfection 25 Whether it is soule or bodie that either sleepeth or dieth 26 How plants come to grow and whether they be living creatures 27 Of nourishment and growth 28 From whence proceed appetites lusts and pleasures in living creatures 29 How the feaver is ingendred and whether it be an accessarie or symptome to another disease 30 Of health sicknesse and olde age THE FIRST BOOKE OF Philosophers opinions The Prooeme BEing minded to write of naturall philosophie we thinke it necessary in the first place and before all things els to set downe the whole disputation of Philosophie by way of division to the end that we may know which is naturall and what part it is of the whole Now the Stoicks say that sapience or wisdom is the science of all things aswell divine as humane and that Philosophie is the profession and exercise of the art expedient thereto which is the onely supreame and sovereigne vertue and the same divided into three most generall vertues to wit Naturall Morall and Verball by reason whereof Philosophie also admitteth a three-folde distribution to wit into Naturall Morall Rationall or Verball the Naturall part is that when as we enquire and dispute of the world and the things conteined therein Morall is occupied in intreating of the good and ill that concerneth mans life Rationall or Verball handleth that which perteineth unto the discourse of reason and to speech which also is named Logique or Dialelectique that is to say Disputative But Aristotle and Theophrastus with the Peripateticks in maner all divide Philosophie in this maner namely into Contemplative and Active For necessarie it is say they that a man to atteine unto perfection should be a spectatour of all things that are and an actour of such things as be seemely and decent and may the better be understood by these examples The question is demanded whether the Sunne be a living creature according as it seemeth to the sight to be or no He that searcheth and enquireth into the trueth of this question is altogether therein speculative for he seeketh no farther than the contemplation of that which is semblably if the demand be made whether the world is infinit or if there be any thing without the pourprise of the world for all these questions be meere contemplative But on the other side mooved it may be How a man ought to live how he should governe his children how he is to beare rule and office of State and lastly in what maner lawes are to be ordeined and made for all these are sought into in regard of action and a man conversant therein is altogether active and practique CHAP. I. What is Nature SInce then our intent and purpose is to consider and treat of Naturall philosophie I thinke it needfull to shew first what is Nature for absurd it were to enterprise a discourse of Naturall things and meane-while to be ignorant of Nature and the power thereof Nature then according to the opinion of Aristotle is the beginning of motion and rest in that thing wherein it is properly and principally not by accident for all things to be seene which are done neither by fortune nor by necessitie and are not divine nor have any such efficient cause be called Naturall as having a proper and peculiar nature of their owne as the earth fire water aire plants and living creatures Moreover those other things which we do see ordinarily engendered as raine haile lightning presteres winds and such like for all these have a certeine beginning and every one of them was not so for ever and from all eternitie but did proceed from some originall likewise living creatures and plants have a beginning of their motion and this first principle is Nature the beginning not of motion onely but also of rest and quiet for whatsoever hath had a beginning of motion the same also may have an end and for this cause Nature is the beginning aswell of rest as of moving CHAP. II. What difference there is betweene a principle and an element ARistotle and Plato are of opinion that there is a
that outwardly appeere as for example wounds inflammations impostumes biles and botches in the share and other emunctories CHAP. XXX Of Health Sicknesse and old age ALCMAEON is of opinion that the equall dispensing and distribution of the faculties in the body to wit of moisture heat drinesse cold bitter sweet and the rest is that which holdeth maintaineth Health contrariwise the monarchie that is to say the predominant soveraignty of any of them causeth sicknesse for the predomination and principality of any one bringeth the corruption of all the other and is the very cause of maladies the efficient in regard of excessive heat or cold and the materiall in respect of superabundance or defect of humors like as in some there is want of bloud or brain whereas Health is a proportionable temperature of all these qualities DIOCLES supposeth that most diseases grow by the inequality of the elements and of the habit and constitution of the body ERASISTRATUS saith that sicknesse proceedeth from the excesse of feeding from crudities indigestions and corruption of meat whereas good order and suffisance is Health The STOICKS accord heereunto and hold that Old age commeth for want of naturall heat for they who are most furnished therewith live longest and be old a great time ASCLEPIADES reporteth that the Aethiopians age quickly namely when they be thirtie yeeres old by reason that their bodies bee over-heat and even burnt againe with the sunne whereas in England and all 〈◊〉 folke in their age continue 120. yeeres for that those parts be cold and in that people the naturall heat by that meanes is united and kept in their bodies for the bodies of the Aethiopians are more open and rare in that they be relaxed and resolved by the sunnes heat Contrariwise their bodies who live toward the North pole bee more compact knit and fast and therefore such are long lived ROMANE QVESTIONS THAT IS TO SAY AN ENQUIRIE INTO THE CAUSES OF MANIE FASHIONS AND CUSTOMES OF ROME A Treatise fit for them who are conversant in the reading of Romane histories and antiquities giving a light to many places otherwise obscure and hard to be understood 1 What is the reason that new wedded wives are bidden to touch fire and water 1 IS it because that among the elements and principles whereof are composed naturall bodies the one of these twaine to wit fire is the male and water the female of which that infuseth the beginning of motion and this affoordeth the propertie of the subject and matter 2 Or rather for that as the fire purgeth and water washeth so a wise ought to continue pure chaste and cleane all her life 3 Or is it in this regard that as fire without humidity yeeldeth no nourishment but is dry and moisture without heat is idle fruitlesse and barren even so the male is feeble and the female likewise when they be apart and severed a sunder but the conjunction of two maried folke yeeldeth unto both their cohabitation and perfection of living together 4 Or last of all because man and wife ought not to forsake and abandon one another but to take part of all fortunes though they had no other good in the world common betweene them but fire and water onely 2 How is it that they use to light at weddings five torches and neither more nor lesse which they call Wax-lights 1 WHether is it as Varro saith because the Praetours or generals of armies use three and the Aediles two therefore it is not meet that they should have more than the Praetours and Aediles together considering that new maried folke goe unto the Aediles to light their fire 2 Or because having use of many numbers the odde number seemed unto them as in all other respects better and more perfect than the even so it was fitter and more agreeable for marriage for the even number implieth a kinde of discord and division in respect of the equall parts in it meet for siding quarrell and contention whereas the odde number cannot be divided so just equally but there will remaine somwhat still in common for to be parted Now among al odde numbers it seemeth that Cinque is most nuptial best beseeming mariage for that 〈◊〉 is the first odde number Deuz the first even of which twaine five is compounded as of the male and the female 3 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 because light is a signe of being and of life and a woman may beare at the most five children at one burden and so they used to cary five tapers or waxe candels 4 Or lastly for that they thought that those who were maried had need of five gods and goddesses namely Jupiter genial Juno genial Venus Suade and above all Diana whom last named women in their labour and travell of childe-birth are wont to call upon for helpe 3 What is the cause that there being many Temples of Diana in Rome into that onely which standeth in the 〈◊〉 street men enter not 1 IS it not because of a tale which is told in this maner In old time a certeine woman being come thither for to adore and worship this goddesse chaunced there to bee abused and suffer violence in her honor and he who forced her was torne in pieces by hounds upon which accident ever after a certeine superstitious feare possessed mens heads that they would not presume to goe into the said temple 4 Wherefore is it that in other temples of Diana men are woont ordinarily to set up and fasten Harts hornes onely in that which is upon mount Aventine the hornes of oxen and other beefes are to be seene MAy it not be that this is respective to the remembrance of an ancient occurrent that sometime befell For reported it is that long since in the Sabines countrey one Antion Coratius had a cow which grew to be exceeding faire and woonderfull bigge withall above any other and a certeine wizard or soothfaier came unto him and said How predestined it was that the citie which sacrificed that cow unto Diana in the mount Aventine should become most puissant and rule all Italy This Coratius therefore came to Rome of a deliberate purpose to sacrifice the said cow accordingly but a certaine houshold servant that he had gave notice secretly unto king Servius Tullius of this prediction delivered by the abovesaid soothfaier whereupon Servius acquainted the priest of Diana Cornelius with the matter and therefore when Antion Coratius presented himselfe for to performe his sacrifice Cornelius advertised him first to goe downe into the river there to wash for that the custome and maner of those that sacrificed was so to doe now whiles Antion was gone to wash himselfe in the river Servius steps into his place prevented his returne sacrificed the cow unto the goddesse and nailed up the hornes when he had so done within her temple Juba thus relateth this historie and Varro likewise saving that Varro expressely fetteth not downe the name of Antion neither doth he write
like as Homer when he calleth Juno or any other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth her to have a bigge and large eie and by the epithit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaneth one that braggeth and boasteth of great matters Or rather because that the foot of a beefe doth no harme howsoever horned beasts otherwise be hurtfull and dangerous therefore they invocate thus upon him and beseech him to come loving and gracious unto them Or lastly for that many are perswaded that this is the god who taught men first to plough the ground and to sowe corne 37 Why have the Tanagraeans a place before their city called Achilleum for it is said that Achilles in his life time bare more hatred than love unto this cicy as who ravished and stole away Stratonicon the mother of Poemander and killed Acestor the sonne of Ephippus POEmander the father of Ephippus at what time as the province of Tanagra was peopled and inhabited by tenures and villages onely being by the Achaeans besiedged in a place called Stephon for that he would not go foorth with them to warre abandoneth the said fort in the night time and went to build the citie Poemandria which he walled about The architect or master builder Polycrithus was there who dispraised all his worke and derided it in so much as in a mockerie he leapt over the trench whereat Poemander tooke such displeasure and was so highly offended that he meant to fling at his head a great stone which lay there hidden of olde upon the nightly sacrifices of Bacchus But Poemander notknowing so much pulled it up by force and threw it at him and missing Polycrithus hit his son Leucippus and killed him outright Hereupon according to the law and custom then observed there was no remedie but needs he must depart out of Boeotia in manner of an exiled man and so as a poore suppliant and stranger to converse wandring abroad in another countrey which was neither safe nor easie for him to doe at that time considering that the Achaeans were up in armes and entred into the countrey of Tanagra He sent therefore his sonne Ephippus unto Achilles for to request his favour who by earnest supplications and praiers prevailed so much that he entreated both him and also Tlepolemus the sonne of Hercules yea and Peneleus the sonne of Hippalcmus who were all of their kindred by whose meanes Poemander had safe conduct and was accompanied as farre as the citie of Chalcis where he was assoiled absolved and purged by Elpenor for the murder which he had committed In remembrance of which good turne by those princes received he ever after honoured them and to them all erected temples of which that of Achilles continueth unto this day and according to his name is called Achilleum 38 Who be they whom the Boeotians call Psoloes and who be Aeolies THE report goeth that Leucippe Arsinoe and Alcathie the daughters of Minyas being enraged and bestraight of their right wits longed exceedingly to eat mans flesh and cast lots among themselves which of them should kill their owne children for that purpose So the lot falling upon Leucippe she yeelded her sonne Hippasus to be dismembred and cut in pieces by occasion whereof their husbands simply arraied and in mourning weeds for sorrow and griefe were called Psoloes as one would say foule and smokie and the women 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say distracted and troubled in their minds or Oconoloae so as even at this day the Orchomenians call those women who are descended from them by those names and everie second yeere during the festivall daies called Agrionia the priest of Bacchus runneth after them with a sword drawen in his hand coursing and chasing them yea and lawfull it is for him to kill any one of them that he can reach and overtake And verily in our daies Zoilus the priest killed one but such never come to any good after for both this Zoilus himselfe upon a certaine little ulcer or sore that he had fell sicke and after he had a long time pined away and consumed therewith in the end died thereof and also the Orchomenians being fallen into publicke calamities and held in generall for condemned persons translated the priesthood from that race and linage and conferred it upon the best and most approoved person they could chuse 39 What is the cause that the Arcadians stone them to death who willingly and of purpose enter within the pourprise and precincts of Lycaeum but if any come into of ignorance and unawares then they send to Eleutherae AS for these may it not be that they are held free and absolved who do it upon ignorance and by reason of this their absolution this maner of speech arose to send them to Eleutherae which signifieth Deliverance much like as when we say thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say into the region of the secure or thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say thou shalt go to the Mannour of the Pleasant Or haply it alludeth to the tale that goeth in this wise that of Lycaons sonnes there were but two onely to wit Eleuther and Lebadus who were not partakers of the horrible crime that their father committed in the sight of Jupiter but fled into Baeotia in token whereof the Lebadians enjoy still their burgeosie in commune with the Arcadians and therefore to Eleutherae they send those who against their willes or unawares are entred within that pourprise consecrat unto Jupiter into which it is not lawful for any man to go Or rather as Architemus writeth in his Chronicles of Arcadia for that there were some who being ignorantly entred into the said place were delivered and yeelded unto the Phliasians who put them over to the Megarians and from the Megarians they were carried to Thebes but as they were transported and conveyed thither they were staied about Eleutherae by meanes of violent raine terrible thunder and other prodigious tokens by occasion whereof some would have the citie to take the name Eleutherae Moreover whereas it is said that the shadow of him who commeth within this precinct of Lycaeum never falleth upon the ground it is not true howbeit it goeth generally currant and is constantly beleeved for an undoubted truth But is it not thinke you for that the aire turneth presently into darke cloudes and looketh obscure and heavie as it were when any enter into it or because that whosoever commeth into it incontinently suffereth death And you know what the Pythagoreans say namely that the soules of the dead cast no shadow nor winke at all Or rather for that it is the sun that maketh shadowes and the law of the countrey bereaveth him that entreth into it of the sight of the sunne which covertly and aenigmatically they would give us to understand under these words For even he who commeth into this place is called Elaphos that is to say a Stag and therefore Cantharion the Arcadian who fled unto
named Florentia her Calphurnius a Romane deflowred whereupon he commaunded the yoong maid-childe which she bare to be cast into the sea but the souldiour who had the charge so to doe tooke compassion of her and chose rather to sell her unto a merchant and it fortuned so that the ship of a certeine merchant arrived in Italy where Calphurinus bought her and of her body begat Contruscus 28 Aeolus king of Tuskan had by his wife Amphithea six daughters and as many sonnes of whom Macareus the yoongest for very love defloured one of his sisters who when the time came brought foorth a child when this came once to light her father sent unto her a sword and she acknowledging the fault which she had committed killed her-selfe therewith and so did afterwards her brother Macareus as Sostratus reporteth in the second booke of the Tuscan storie Papyrius Volucer having espoused Julia Pulchra had by her six daughters and as many sonnes the eldest of whom named Papyrius Romanus was enamoured of Canulia one of his sisters so as she was by him with childe which when the father understood hee sent unto her likewise a sword wherewith she made away her-selfe and Romanus also did as much thus Chrisippus relateth in the first booke of the Italian Chronicles 29 Aristonymus the Ephesian sonne of Demostratus hated women but most unnaturally he had to doe with a she asse which when time came brought foorth a most beautifull maide childe surnamed Onoscelis as Aristotle writeth in the second booke of his Paradoxes or strange accidents Fulvius Stellus was at warre with all women but yet he dealt most beastly with a mare and she bare unto him after a time a faire daughter named Hippona and this is the goddesse forsooth that hath the charge and overseeing of horses and mares as Agesilaus hath set downe in the third booke of Italian affaires 30 The Sardians warred upon a time against the Smyrneans encamped before the walles of their city giving them to understand by their embassadors that raise their siege they would not unlesse they sent unto them their wives to lie withall the Smyrneans being driven to this extremity were at the point to doe that which the enemies demaunded of them but a certeine waiting maiden there was a faire and welfavoured damosell who ranne unto her master Philarchus and said unto him that he must not faile but in any case chuse out the fairest wenches that were maide-servants in all the citie to dresse them like unto citizens wives and free borne women and so to send them unto their enemies in stead of their mistresses which was effected accordingly and when the Sardians were wearied with dealing with these wenehes the Smyrneans issued foorth surprized and spoiled them whereupon it commeth that even at this day in the citie of Smyrna there is a solemne feast named Eleutheria upon which day the maide-servants weare the apparell of their mistresses which be free women as saith Dositheus in the third booke of Lydian chronicles Antepomarus king of the Gaules when he made warre upon the Romans gave it out flatly and said that he would never dislodge and breake up his campe before they sent unto them their wives for to have their pleasure of them but they by the counsell of a certeine chamber maide sent unto them their maid-servants the Barbarians medled so long with them that they were tired and fell sound asleepe in the end then Rhetana for that was her name who gave the said counsell tooke a branch of a wilde figge tree and mounting up to the toppe of a rampier wall gave a signall thereby to the Consuls who sallied foorth and defeated them whereupon there is a feastivall day of chambermaids for so saith Aristides the Milesian in the first booke of the Italian historie 31 When the Athenians made warre upon Eumolpus and were at some default of victuals Pyrander who had the charge of the munition was treasurer of the State for to make spare of the provision diminished the ordinary measure and cut men short of their allowances the inhabitants suspecting him to be a traitor to his country in so dooing stoned him to death as Callistratus testifieth in the third booke of the Thracian history The Romans warring upon the Gaules and having not sufficient store of victuals Cinna abridged the people of their ordinary measure of corne the Romans suspecting therupon that he made way thereby to be king stoned him likewise to death witnesse Aristides in his third booke of Italian histories 32 During the Peloponnesiack warre Pisistratus the Orchomenian hated the nobles and affected men of base and low degree whereupon the Senators complotted and resolved among them selves to kill him in the Counsell house where they cut him in pieces and every one put a gobbet of him in his bosome and when they had so done they scraped and clensed the floore where his blood was shed The common people having some suspition of the matter rushed into the Senat house but Tlesimachus the kings youngest sonne who was privy to the foresaid conspiracie withdrew the multitude from the common place of assembly and assured them that he saw his father Pisistratus carying a more stately majesty in his countenance than any mortal man ascending up with great celerity the top of mount Pisaeus as Theophilus recordeth in the second of his Peloponnesiackes In regard of the warrs so neere unto the city of Rome the Roman Senat cut the people short of their allowances in corne whereat Romulus being not well pleased allowed it them a gaine rebuked yea and chastised many of the great men who thereupon banded against him and in the middest of the Senat house made him away among them cut him in pieces and bestowed on every man a slice of him in his bosome Whereupon the people ran immediatly with fire in their hands to the Senat house minding to burne them all within but Proculus a noble man of the city assured them that he saw Romulus upon a certeine high mountaine and that he was bigger than any man living and become a very god The Romans beleeved his words such authority the man caried with him and so retired back as Aristobulus writeth in the third booke of his Italian Chronicles 33 Pelops the sonne of Tantalus and Eurianassa wedded Hippodamia who bare unto him Atreus and Thyestes but of the Nimph Danais a concubine he begat Chrysippus whom he loved better than any of his legitimate sonnes him Laius the Theban being inamoured stole away by force and being attached and intercepted by Atreus and Thyestes obteined the good grace and favour of Pelops to enjoy him for his love sake Howbeit Hippodamia perswaded her two sonnes Atreus and Thyestes to kill him as if she knew that he aspired to the kingdome of their father which they refusing to doe she her selfe imploied her owne hands to perpetrate this detestable fact for one night as Layus lay sound asleepe she
drew forth his sword and when she had wounded Chrisippus as he slept she left the sword sticking in the wound thus was Laius suspected for the deed because of his sword but the youth being now halfe dead discharged and acquit him and revealed the whole truth of the matter whereupon Pelops caused the dead body to be enterred but Hippodamia he banished as Dositheus recordethin his booke Pelopidae Hebius Tolieix having espoused a wife named Nuceria had by her two children but of an infranchised bond woman he begat a son named Phemius Firmus a childe of excellent beauty whom he loved more deerely than the children by his lawfull wife Nuceria detesting this base son of his solicited her own children to murder him which when they having the feare of God before there eyes refused to do she enterprised to execute the deed her selfe And in truth she drew forth the sword of one of the squires of the body in the night season and with it gave him a deadly wound as he lay fast asleepe the foresaid squire was suspected and called in question for this act for that his sword was there found but the childe himselfe discovered the truth his father then commanded his body to be buried but his wife he banished as Dositheus recordeth in the third booke of the Italian Chronicles 34 Theseus being in very truth the naturall sonne of Neptune had a sonne by Hippolite a princesse of the Amazones whose name was Hippolytus but afterwards maried againe and brought into the house a stepmother named Phaedra the daughter of Minos who falling in love with her sonne-inlaw Hippolitus sent her nourse for to sollicite him but he giving no eare unto her left Athens and went to Troezen where he gave his minde to hunting But the wicked and unchaste woman seeing her selfe frustrate and disapointed of her will wrot shrewd letters unto her husband against this honest and chaste yong gentleman informing him of many lies and when she had so done strangled her selfe with an halter and so ended her daies Theseus giving credit unto her letters besought his father Neptune of the three requests whereof he had the choise this one namely to worke the death of Hippolytus Neptune to satisfie his mind sent out unto Hippolytus as he rode along the sea slde a monstrous bull who so affrighted his coatch horses that they overthrew Hippolytus and so he was crushed to death Comminius Super the Laurentine having a sonne by the nimph Aegeria named Comminius espoused afterwards Gidica and brought into his house a stepmother who became likewise amorous of her son-in law and when she saw that she could not speed of her desire she hanged her selfe and left behind her certaine letters devised against him containing many untruths Comminius the father having read these slanderous imputations within the said letters and beleeving that which his jealous head had once conceived called upon Neptune who presented unto Commintus his sonne as he rode in his chariot a hideous bull which set his steeds in such a fright that they fell a flinging and so haled the young man that they dismembred and killed him as Dositheus reporteth in the third booke of the Italian historie 35 When the pestilence raigned in Lacedaemon the oracle of Apollo delivered this answer That the mortalitie would cease in case they sacrificed yeerly a young virgin of noble blood Now whē it fortuned that the lot one yeere fell upō Helena so that she was led forth all prepared and set out readie to be killed there was an eagle came flying downe caught up the sword which lay there and caried it to cerraine droves of beasts where she laid it upon an heyfer whereupon ever after they forbare to sacrifice any more virgins as Aristodemus reporteth in the third Collect of fables The plague was sore in Falerij the contagion thereof being verie great there was given out an oracle That the said affliction would stay and give over if they sacrificed yeerly a yong maiden unto Juno and this superstition continuing alwaies still Valeria Luperca was by lot called to this sacrifice now when the sword was readie drawen there was an eagle came downe out of the aire and caried it away and upon the altar where the fire was burning laid a wand having at one end in maner of a little mallet as for the sword she laid upon a young heyfer feeding by the temple side which when the young damsell perceived after she had sacrificed the said heyfer and taken up the mallet she went from house to house and gentl knocking therewith all those that lay sicke raised them up and said to everie one Be whole and receive health whereupon it commeth that even at this day this mysterie is still performed and observed as Aristides hath reported in the 919. book of his Italian histories 36 Phylonome the daughter of Nyctimus and Arcadia hunted with Diana whom Mars disguised like a shepherd got with child She having brought foorth two twinnes for feare of her father threw them into the river Erymanthus but they by the providēce of the gods were caried downe the streame without harme or danger and at length the current of the water cast them upon an hollow oake growing up on the banke side whereas a she woolfe having newly kennelled had her den This woolfe turned out her whelps into the river and gave sucke unto the two twins above said which when a shepherd named Tyliphus once perceived and had a sight of he tooke up the little infants and caused them to be nourished as his owne children calling the one Lycastus and the other Parrhasius who successively reigned in the realme of Arcadia Amulius bearing himselfe insolently and violently like a tyrant to his brother Numitor first killed his sonne Aenitus as they were hunting then his daughter Sylvia he cloistred up as a religious nunne to serve Juno She conceived by Mars and when shee was delivered of two twins confessed the truth unto the tyrant who standing in feare of them caused them both to be cast into the river Tybris where they were carried downe the water unto one place whereas a shee woolfe had newly kennelled with her yoong ones and verily her owne whelps shee abandoned and cast into the river but the babes shee suckled Then Faustus the shepherd chauncing to espie them tooke them up and nourished as his owne calling the one Remus and the other Romulus and these were the founders of Rome citie according to Artstides the Milesian in his Italian histories 37 After the destruction of Troy Agamemnon together with Cassandra was murdred but Orestes who had beene reared and brought up with Strophius was revenged of those murderers of his father as Pyrander saith in his fourth booke of the Peloponnesian historie Fabius Fabricianus descended lineally from that great Fabius Maximus after he had wonne and sacked Tuxium the capitall citie of the Samnites sent unto Rome the image of Venus Victoresse which was so highly
hurt their flesh nor put them to any paine whatsoever The goats of Candy when they be shotte into the body with arrowes or darts fall to eat the herbe Dictamus thereby thrust them out and make them fal off with facility by this meanes they have taught women with child that this herbe hath a propertie to cause abortive birth and the child in their wombe to miscarrie for the said goats are no sooner wounded but they runne presently to this herbe and never seeke after any other remedy Woonderfull these things are no doubt howbeit lesle miraculous when we consider the natures of beasts how they be capable of arithmeticke and have the knowledge of numbring and keeping account as the kine and oxen about Susa for appointed they be there to water the kings gardens drawing up water in buckets with a device of wheels that they turne about in maner of a windles and everie one of them for their part must draw up an hundred buckets in a day so many they will do just but more you shal not get of them neither by faire meanes nor foule for no sooner have they performed their task but presently they give over impossible it is to force them any farther then their account notwithstanding triall hath bene made so justly and exactly they both know and also keepe the reckoning as Ctesians the Guidian hath left in writing As for the Lybians they mocke the Aegyptians for reporting this of their beast called Oryx as a great singularitie that hee setteth up a certaine crie that verie day and houre when as the star named by them Sothe and by us the Dog or 〈◊〉 doth arise for they give out that with them all their goats together at the verie instant when the said starre mounteth up within their horizon with the sunne will bee sure to turne and looke into the east and this they hold to be an infallible signe of the revolution of that starre agreeing just with the rules and observations of the Mathematicians But to close up and conclude at length this discourse that it may come to an end let us as it were take in hand the sacred anchor and for a finall conclusion knit up all with a briefe speech of their divinitie and propheticall nature For certaine it is that one of the greatest most noble and ancient parts of divination or soothsaying is that which being drawen from the flight and singing of birds they call Augurie and in truth the nature of these birds being so quicke so active so spirituall and in regard of that agilitie nimblenesse verie pliable and obsequent to all visions fantasies presented offereth it selfe unto God as a proper instrument to be used turned which way he wil one while to motion another while into certaine voices laies tunes yea into divers sundrie gestures now to stop and stay anon to drive and put forward in manner of the winds by meanes whereof he impeacheth and holdeth backe some actions and affections but directeth others unto their end accomplishment And this no doubt is the reason that Euripides tearmeth al birds in generall the heraulds and messengers of the gods and particularly Socrates said that he was become a fellow servitor with the swans semblably among the kings Pyrrhus was well pleased when as men called him the Eagle and Antiochus tooke as great pleasure to be called the Sacre or the Hauke Whereas contrariwise when we are disposed to mocke to flout or to reproch those that be dull indocible and blockish wee call them fishes To bee short an hundred thousand things there be that God doth shew foretell and prognosticate unto us by the meanes of beasts as well those of the land beneath as the fowles of the aire above But who that shall plead in the behalfe of fishes or water-creatures will not be able to alledge so much as one for deafe they be all and dombe blind also for any fore-sight or providence that they have as being cast into a balefull place and bottomlesse gulfe where impious Atheists rebellious Titans or giants against God are bestowed where they have no sight of God no more than in hell where damned soules are where the reasonable and intellectuall part of the soule is utterly extinct and the rest that remaineth drenched or rather drowned as a man would say in the most base and vile sensuall part so as they seeme rather to pant then to live HERACLEON Plucke up your browes good Phaedimus open your eies awake your spirits and bestirre your selfe in the defense of us poore Ilanders and maritime inhabitants for here we have heard not a discourse iwis merrily devised to passe away the time but a serious plea premeditate and laboured before hand a verie Rhetoricall declamation which might beseeme well to bee pronounced at the barre in judiciall court or delivered from a pulpit and tribunall before a publicke audience PHAEDIMUS Now verily good sir Heracleon this is a meere surprise and a manifest ambush laid craftily of set purpose for this brave oratour as you see being yet fasting and sober himselfe and having studied his oration all night long hath set upon us at the disvantage and altogether unprovided as being still heavy in the head and drenched with the wine that we drunke yesterday Howbeit we ought not now to draw backe and recule for all this for being as I am an affectionate lover of the poet Pindarus I would not for any good in the world heare this sentence of his justly alledged against me When games of prise and combats once are set Who shrinketh backe and doth pretend some let In darknesse hides and obscuritie His fame of vertue and activitie for at great leasure we are all and not the dances onely be at repose but also dogs and horses castnets drags and all manner of nets besides yea and this day there is a generall cessation given to all creatures as wel on land as in sea for to give eare unto this disputation And as for you my masters here have no doubt nor be you affraid for I will use my libertie in a meane and not draw out an Apologie or counterplea in length by alledging the opinions of philosophers the fables of the Aegyptians the headlesse tales of the Indians or Libyans without proofe of any testimonies but quickly come to the point and looke what examples be most manifest and evident to the eie and such as shall bee testified and verified by all those marriners or travellers that are acquainted with the seas some few of them I will produce And yet verily in the proofes and arguments drawen from creatures above the ground there is nothing to empeach the sight the view of them being so apparant and daily presented unto our eie whereas the sea affoordeth us the sight of a few effects within it those hardly and with much adoe as it were by a glaunce and glimmering light hiding from us the most part
the tyrant Demylus and having no good successe therein but missing of his purpose maintained the doctrine of Parmenides to be pure and fine golde tried in the fire from all base mettal shewing by the effect that a magnanimous man is to feare nothing but turpitude and dishonour and that they be children and women or else effeminate and heartlesse men like women who are affraid of dolor and paine for having bitten off his tongue with his owne teeth he spit it in the tyrants face But out of the schoole of Epicurus and of those who follow his rules and doctrines I doe not aske what tyrant killer there was or valiant man and victorious in feats of armes what lawgiver what counsellour what king or governour of state either died or suffred torture for the upholding of right and justice but onely which of all these Sages did ever so much as imbarke and make a voiage by sea in his countries service and for the good thereof which of them went in embassage or disbursed any mony thereabout or where is there extant upon record any civill action of yours in matter of government And yet because that Metrodorus went downe one day from the city as far as to the haven Pyraeaeum tooke a journey of five or six miles to aide Mythra the Syrian one of the king of Persias traine and court who had bene arrested and taken prisoner he wrot unto all the friends that he had in the world of this exploit of his and this doubty voiage Epicurus hath magnified exalted in many of his letters What a doe would they have made then if they had done such an act as Aristotle did who reedified the city of his nativity Stagira which had bene destroied by king Philip or as Theophrastus who twice delivered and freed his native city being held and oppressed by tyrants Should not thinke you the the river Nilus have sooner given over to beare the popyr reed than they bene weary of discribing their brave deeds And is not this a grievous matter and a great indignity that of so many sects of Philosophers that have bene they onely in maner enjoy the good things and benefits that are in cities without contributing any thing of their owne unto them There are not any Poets Tragedians or Comedians but they have endevoured to doe or say alwaies some good thing or other for the defence of lawes and policie but these here if peradventure they write ought write of policie that we should not intermeddle at all in the civill government of state of Rhetoricke that we should not plead any causes eloquently at the barre of Roialty that we should avoid the conversing and living in kings courts neither doe they name at any time those great persons who manage affaires of common weale but by way of mockerie for to debase and abolish their glorie As for example of Epaminondas they say that he had indeed some good thing onely in name and word but the same was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say as little as might be for that is the very terme that it pleaseth them to use Moreover they name him heart of yron demaunding why he marched up and downe through out all Peloponnesus with his armie as he did and sat not rather quiet at home in his owne house with a dainty chaplet upon his head given wholly to make good chere and to sleepe with his belly full in a whole skin But me thinks I should not for any thing omit in this place to rehearse what Metrodorus hath written in his booke of philosophy wherein abjuring all dealing in government of state he saith thus Some there be of these wisemen quoth he who being full of vanity and arrogancy had so deepe an insight into the businesse thereof that in treating of the rules of good life and of vertue they suffer themselves to be carried away with the very same desires that Lycurgus and 〈◊〉 fell into What was this vanity indeed and the aboundance of vanity and pride to set the city of Athens free to reduce Sparta to good policy and the government of holsome lawes that yong men should doe nothing licenciously nor get children upon curtisans and harlots and that riches wanton delicacie intemperance loosenesse dissolution should beare no sway nor have the commaund in cities but law onely and justice for these were the desires of Solon And thus Metrodorus by way of scorne and contumelious reproch addeth thus much more for a conclusion to the rest And therefore quoth he it is well beseeming a gentleman to laugh a good and right heartly at all other men but especially at these Solones and Lycurgi But verily such an one were not a gentleman Metrodorus nor well borne but servile base unruly and dissolute and who deserved to be scurged not with the whip which is for free borne persons but with that whip Astragalote where with the maner was to whip and chastice those gelded sacrificers called Gally when they did amisse in the cerimonies and sacrifices of Cylote the great mother of the gods Now that they warred not against the lawgivers but the very lawes themselves a man may heare and learne of Epicurus for in his questions he demaundeth of himselfe whether a wise man being assured that no man ever should know would doe and commit any thing that the law forbiddeth and he maketh an answere which is not full nor an open plaine and simple affirmation saying doe it I will marry confesse it and be knowen thereof I will not Againe writing as I suppose unto Idomeneus he admonisheth him not to subject and enthrall his life unto lawes and the opinions and reputations of men unlesse it be in this regard onely that otherwise there is prepared odious whipping chere and that neere at hand If then it be so that they who abolish lawes governments and policies do withall subvert and overthrow mans life if Metrodorus and Epicurus doe no lesse withdrawing and averting their friends and followers from dealing in publicke affaires and spitefully hating those who doe meddle therein miscalling and railing at the chiefe and wisest lawgivers that ever were yea and willing them to contemne the lawes so that they keepe themselves out of the feare of the whip and danger of punnishment I cannot see that Colotes hath in any thing so much belied others and raised false imputations against them as he hath indeed and truely accused the doctrine and opinions of Epicurus OF LOVE The Summarie THis Dialogue is more dangerous to be read by yoong men than any other Treatise of Plutarch for that there be certeine glaunces heere and there against honest marriage to upholde indirectly and under hana the cursed and 〈◊〉 filthinesse covertly couched under the name of the Love of yoong boyes But minds guarded and armed with true chastitie and the feare of God may see evidently in this discourse the miserable estate of the world in that there be found
thing that she hath to beare himselfe equall unto her and in no wise subject giving by his good demeanour and carriage a counterpeise to the balance for to hold her firme or a waight rather to make her incline and bend that way which is good for them both Now to returne unto Ismenodora her yeeres are meet for mariage and her person fitte for breeding and bearing children and I heare say the woman is in the very floure and best of her time for elder she is not and with that he smiled upon Pisias than any of her suters and corrivals neither hath she any gray haires as some of those that be affectionate to Bacchon and follow him Now if they thinke themselves of a meet age to converse familiarly with him what should hinder her but she should affect and fancie the yong mans person as well if not better as any yong maiden whatsoever And verily these yong folke are otherwhiles hard to be matched united and concorporated together and much a doe there is but by long continuance of time to cast aside and shake off wantonnesse and wildenesse for at the first there is many a soule day and blustring tempest and 〈◊〉 will they abide the yoke and drawe together but especially if there be any inkling or jelousie of other loves abroad which like unto windes when the pilot is away do trouble and disquiet the wedlocke of such yoong persons as neither be willing to obey nor have the skill to commaund If it be so then that a nourse can rule her little babe sucking at her pap a schoolemaster the boy that is his scholar a master of exercises the yong springall a lover the youth whom he loveth the law and the captaine a man growen and him that is able to beare armes insomuch as there is no person of what age soever without government and at his owne libertie to doe what he list what absurdity is it if a wife that hath wit and discretion and is besides the elder governe and direct the life of a yong man her husband being as she is profitable unto him in regard she is the wiser and besides milde and gentle in her government for that she loveth him Over and besides to conclude we all that are Boeotians quoth he ought both to honour Hercules and also not to be offended with the mariage of those who are in yeeres unequall knowing as we doe that he gave his owne wife Megara being thirty three yeeres olde in mariage to Iolaus being then but sixteene yeeres of age As these words passed to and fro there came as my father made report one of 〈◊〉 companions galloping hard one horsebacke from out of the city bringing newes of a very strange and wonderfull occurrent For Ismenodora perswading her selfe as probable it was that Bacchon misliked not this mariage in his heart but that he held off for the respect and reverence that he carried unto those who seemed to divert him from it resolved not to give over her suit nor to cast off the yong men Whereupon she sent for such of her friends as were lusty yong and adventurous gallants and withall her favourits those that wished well to her love certaine women also who were inward with her and most trusty and when she had assembled them all together in her house and communicated her mind unto them she waited the very houre when as Bacchon was wont ordinarily to passe by her dores going well and orderly appointed forth to the publicke place of wrestling Now when he approched nere unto her house all enhuiled and anointed as he was accompanied only with two or three persons Ismenodora her selfe stepped forth of dores crossed the way upon him and only touched the mandilion that he had about him which signall being given all at once her friends leapt forth faire caught up this faire youth in his mandilion and dublet as he was and gently caried him into her house and immediatly shut the dores fast locked No sooner had they gotten him within dores but the women in the house turning him out of his upper mandilion aforesaid put upon him a faire wedding robe with all the servants of the house ran up and downe and adorned with ivie and olive branches the dores and gates not onely of Ismenodora but also of Bacchons house and with that a minstrill wench also passed along through the street piping and singing a wedding song As for the citizens of Thespiae and the strangers who were there at that time some of them tooke up a laughter others being angry and offended hereat incited the masters and governours of the publicke exercises who indeed have great authority over the youth and carry a vigilent eie unto them for to looke nerely unto all their behaviours whereupon they made no account at all of the present exercises then in hand but leaving the theater to the dore they came of Ismenodora where they fell into hot reasoning and debating of the matter one against another Now when the said friend of Pisias was come in all haste riding upon the spurre with this newes as if he had brought some great tidings out of the campe in time of warre he had no sooner uttered panting for want of winde and in maner breathlesse these words Ismenodora hath ravished Bacchon but Zeuxippus as my father told the tale laughed heartily and out of Euripides as he was one who alwaies loved to reade that Poet pronounced this sentence Well done faire dame you having wealth at will Are worldly wise your minde thus to fulfill But Pisias rising up in great choler cried out O the will of God what will be the end of this licentious libertie which thus overthroweth our citie seeing how all the world is growen already to this passe that through our unbrideled audaciousnesse we doe what we list and passe for no lawes but why say I lawes for haply it is but a ridiculous thing to take indignation for the transgressing of civill law and right for even the very lawe of nature is violated by the insolent rashnesse of women Was there ever the like example seene in the very isle Lemnos Let us be gone quoth he goe we and quit from hence foorth the wrestling schooles and publike place of exercises the common hall of justice and the senate house and commit all to women if the city be so inervate as to put up such an indignitie So Pisias brake company and departed in these termes and Protogenes followed after him partly as angry as he and in part appeasing mitigating his mood a little Then Anthemion To say a trueth quoth he this was an audacious part of hers and savouring somwhat of the enterprise of those Lemnian wives in old time and no marvell for we our selves know that the woman was exceeding amorous Hereat Soclarus Why thinke you quoth he that this was a ravishment indeed and plaine force and not rather a subtile devise and stratageme as
it placeth in lieu thereof modest bashfulnesse silence and taciturnity it adorneth it with decent gesture and seemly countenance making it for ever after obedient to one lover onely Ye have heard I am sure of that most famous and renowmed courtisan Lais who was courted and sought unto by so many lovers and ye know well how she inflamed and set on fire all Greece with the love and longing desire after her or to say more truly how two seas strave about her how after that the love of Hippolochus the Thessalian had seased upon her she quit and abandoned the mount Acrocorinthus Seated upon the river side Which with greene waves by it did glide as one writeth of it and flying secretly from a great army as it were of other lovers she retired herselfe right decently within Megalopolis unto him where other women upon very spight envie and jelousie in regard of her surpassing beautie drew her into the temple of Venus and stoned her to death whereupon it came as it should seeme that even at this day they call the said temple The temple of Venus the murderesse We our selves have knowen divers yoong maidens by condition no better than slaves who never would yeeld to lie with their master as also sundry private persons of meane degree who refused yea and disdained the companie of queenes when their hearts were once possessed with other love which as a mistresse had the absolute command thereof For like as at Rome when there was a Lord Dictatour once chosen all other officers of State and magistrates valed bonet were presently deposed and laied downe their ensignes of authority even so those over whom Love hath gotten the mastery and rule incontinently are quit freed and delivered from all other lords and rulers no otherwise than such as are devoted to the service of some religious place And in trueth an honest and vertuous dame linked once unto her lawfull spouse by unfained love will sooner abide to be clipped clasped and embraced by any wolves and dragons than the contrectation and bed fellowship of any other man whatsoever but her owne husband And albeit there be an infinit number of examples among you here who are all of the same countrey and professed associats in one dance with this god Love yet it were not well done to passe over in silence the accidents which befell unto Camma the Galatian lady This yong dame being of incomparable beauty was maried unto a tetrarch or great lord of that countrey named Sinnatus howbeit one Synorix the mightiest man of all the Galatians was enamoured upon her but seeing that he could not prevaile with the woman neither by force and perswasion so long as her husband lived he made no more ado but murdred him Camma then having no other refuge for her pudicity nor comfort and easement of her hearts griefe made choise of the temple of Diana where she became a religious votary according to the custome of that countrey And verily the most part of her time she bestowed in the worship of that goddesse and would not admit speech with any 〈◊〉 many though they were and those great personages who sought her mariage but when Synorix had made meanes very boldly to aske her the question and to sollicite her about that point she seemed not to reject his motion nor to expostulate and be offended for any thing past as if for pure love of her and ardent affection and upon no wicked and malicious minde unto Sinnatus he had beene induced to do that which he did and therefore Synorix came confidently to treat with her and demand mariage of her she also for her part came toward the man kindly gave him her hand and brought him to the altar of the said goddesse where after she had made an offring unto Diana by powring forth some little of a certeine drinke made of wine hony as it should seeme empoisoned which she had put into a cup she began unto Synorix dranke up the one 〈◊〉 of it giving the rest unto the said Galatian for to pledge her Now when she saw that he had drunke it all off she fetched a grievous grone and brake forth aloud into this speech naming withall her husband that dead was My most loving and deere spouse quoth she I have lived thus long without thee in great sorow and heavinesse expecting this day but now receive me joifully seeing it is my good hap to be revenged for thy death upon this most wicked and ungratious wretch as one most glad to have lived once with thee and to die now with him As for Synorix he was caried away from thence in a litter and died soone after but Camma having survived him a day and a night died by report most resolutely and with exceeding joy of spirit Considering then that there be many such like examples aswel among us here in Greece as the Barbarians who is able to endure those that reproch and revile Love as if being associate and assistant to love she should hinder amitie whereas contrariwise the company of male with male a man may rather terme intemperance and disordinate lasciviousnesse crying out upon it in this maner Grosse wantonnesse or filthie lust it is Not Venus faire that worketh this And therefore such filths baggages as take delight to suffer themselves voluntarily thus to be abused against nature we reckon to be the woorst and most flagitious persons in the world no man reposeth in them any trust no man doth them any jote of honor and reverence nor vouchsafeth them woorthy of the least part of friendship but in very trueth according to Sophocles Such friends as these men are full glad and joy when they be gone But whiles they have them wish and pray that they were rid anone As for those who being by nature leaud and naught have beene circumvented in their youth aad forced to yeeld themselves and to abide this villany and abuse al their life after abhorre the sight of such wicked wantons and deadly hate them who have bene thus disposed to draw them to this wickednesse yea and ready they are to be revenged and to pay them home at one time or other whensoever meanes and opportunity is offered for upon this occasion Cratenas killed Archelaus whom in his flower of youth he had thus spoiled as also Pytholaus slew Alexander the tyrant of Pherae And Pertander the tyrant of Ambracia demanded upon a time of the boy whom he kept whether he were not yet with childe which indignity the youth tooke so to the heart that he slew him outright in the place whereas with women and those especially that be espoused and wedded wives these be the earnest penies as it were and beginnings of amity yea the very obligation and society of the most sacred holiest ceremonies As for fleshly pleasure it selfe the least thing it is of all other but the mutuall honour grace dilection and fidelity that springeth and ariseth
three waies and as for themselves they resemble the wandring Nomades in Scythia who having encamped in the spring time and pastured where the fields be greene and full of flowers presently dislodge and depart as it were out of an enemies countrey And yet Bion the Sophister was more rough and odious in his words toward such when he termed the first downe or haires appearing upon the face of beautifull youthes Harmodii and Aristogitones for that by them Lovers were delivered out of the tyrannie of such faire persons when they begin once to budde and put foorth But these imputations are not justly charged upon true Lovers As for that which Euripides said it was pretie and caried some elegancie with it for as he embraced and kissed faire Agathon even when his beard began to grow he said that of faire persons the very latter season of the Autumne was lovely and beautiful But I say more than so namely that the lovelinesse of honest women passeth not away with rivels wrinckles and hoarie haires but continue alwaies even to their sepulchre and tombes of memoriall Againe there are but a few couples in that other sex of true Lovers but of men and women joined in wedlocke an infinite number who to the very last houre have kept most faithfully their loialty and hearty love reciprocally one unto the other But one example among many other which befell in our daies under Vespasian the emperour I will relate unto you Julius he who in Galatia was the author of a revolt and raised a rebellion had many other complices as a man may well thinke of this conspiracie and among the rest one Sabinus a yoong gentleman of an high spirit and for wealth and reputation a principall person and of speciall marke these men having enterpised a great desseigment failed of their purpose and expecting no other but that they should according to justice suffer due punishmēt according to their deserts some killed themselves other thinking to escape by flight were apprehended as for Sabinus all other good and ready meanes he had to save himselfe and flie unto the Barbarians in a strange countrey but lately he had taken to wife a most vertuous dame and every way right excellent whose name in those parts was Empona as one would say in the Greeke language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say a princesse or great lady but her he could not possibly either in his love endure to forsake nor find meanes to take with him whereas therefore he had at an house in the country certeine secret vaults hidden cellars deepe under the ground where he bestowed his treasure goods in safteie and those knowen to two of his enfranchised servants and no more the rest of his houshold servitors he discharged and sent away pretending unto them that he was resolved to poison himselfe reteining still about him those two trusty freed men with them he went downe into those secret caves or vaults digged out of the ground which done he sent one of these enfranchised servants of his whose name was Martalinus unto his wife to let her understand that he had killed himselfe with poison and that the whole house together with his corps was burnt for his purpose was by the unfeined sorrow and mourning of his wife to make the rumour that ran of his death the better to be beleeved so it fell out invery deed for no sooner heard she this newes but with piteous cries dolefull lamentations she cast herselfe upon the ground where she at that time was lay there along for three daies and three nights together without meat or drinke which when Sabinus heard fearing least the woman would by this meanes worke her owne death he commanded the said Martalinus to round her secretly in the eare that he was yet living and lay hidden within the ground requesting her withall that she would continue still a while longer in this monrnefull state bewailing her husbands death yet so as she might not be perceived to counterfet and verily this yoong ladie in all other respects performed the tragicall shew of that calamitie so artificially and plaied her part with such dexteritie that she confirmed the opinions received and divulged of his death but having a longing desire to see him she went by night unto him and came againe the same so secretly that no creature perceived it and thus continued she this haunt from time to time for the space of seven moneths keeping company and lying as one would say in hell under the ground with her husband during which time she one day disguised Sabinus in his apparell and what with shaving his beard and knitting about his head a kerchiefe she ordered the matter so that he could not be knowen to them that met him and upon hope of obteining pardon she brought him with her to Rome with other stuffe and cariages of hers but when she could not speed she retired againe into the countrey and for the most part abode and conversed with him under the grond howbeit otherwhiles betweene she would repaire to the city and shew herselfe unto other women her friends and of her familiar acquaintance But that which of all other seemeth most incredible she handled the matter so that it was never perceived she was with childe albeit she washed and bathed ordinarily with other dames and wives of the citie for the oile or ointment wherewith women use to annoint the haire of their head for to make the same faire and yellow like burnishing gold hath a certaine propertie in it to pinguisie withall to incarnate and so to raise and rarifie the flesh that it causeth it to be lax and so to swell and puffe up more plumpe of this medicinable oile she made no spare but used to rub and besmeare the other parts of her body in such sort as that by their proportionable rising she hid her great belly which grew more round and full every daie than other Now when her time was come she endured the pangs and paines of her travell in child-birth alone by herselfe being gone downe to her husband like a lionesse into her denne and there she suckled at her owne brest secretly if I may so say her male whelpes for two boy twinnes she was delivered of of which two sonnes the one chanced to be flaine in Aegypt the other not long since but very lately was with us at Delphos named after his father Sabinus Howbeit for all this Vespasian caused this lady to be put to death but for this murder of his he dearely paid and was punished accordingly for within a while after his whole posterity was utterly destroid and rooted out from the face of the earth so as there remained not one of his race for there was not in those daies and during his empire a more cruell and inhumane fact committed neither was there ever any other spectacle that both gods and angels seemed more to abhorre and
away the life of Croesus gave unto the baker aforesaid poison willing her when she had tempered it with dough and wrought it into bread to serve the same up unto Croesus But the woman gave secret intelligence hereof unto Croesus and withall bestowed the poisoned bread among the children of this step dame In regard of which demerit Croesus when he came to the crowne would acknowledge and require the good service which this woman had done with the testimony as it were of this god himselfe wherein he did well and vertuously And therefore quoth he meet it is and seemly to praise and honor highly such oblations if any have beene presented and dedicated by cities upon semblable occasions like as the Opunitians did For when the tyrants of the Phocaeans had broken and melted many sacred oblations both of golde and silver and thereof coined money which they sent and dispersed among the cities the Opuntians gathered as much silver as they could wherewith they filled a great pot sent in hither and made thereof an offering to Apollo And I verily for my part doe greatly comend those of Smyrna and Apollonia for sending hither certeine corne-eares of gold in token of harvest and more than that the Eretrians and Magnesians for presenting this god with the first fruits of their men women recognising thereby him to be the giver not only of the fruits which the earth yeeldeth but also of children as being the authour of generation and the lover of mankind But I blame the Megarians as much for that they onely in maner of all the Greeks caused to be erected here the image of this our god with a lance in his hand after the battell with the Athenians who upon the defeature of the Persians held their city in possession and were by them vanquished in fight and disseized thereof againe And yet true it is that these men afterward offered unto Apollo a golden plectre wherewith to play upon his Cittern or Viole having heard as it should seeme the Poet Scythinus speaking of the said instrument Which Don Apollo faire and lovely sonne Of Jupiter doth tune in skilfull wise As who is wont of all things wrought and done All ends with their beginnings to comprise And in his hand the plectre bright as golde Even glittering raies of shining Sun doth holde Now when Serapion would have said somewhat els of these matters A pleasure it were quoth the stranger to heare you devise and discourse of such like things but I must needs demand the first promise made unto me as touching the cause why the Prophetesse Pythia hath given over to make answere any longer by oracle in verse and meetre and therefore if it so please you let us surcease visiting the rest of these oblations and ornaments and rather sit we downe in this place for to heare what can be said of this matter being the principall point and maine reason which impeacheth the credit of this oracle for that of necessitie one of these two things must needs be either that the Prophetesse Pythia approcheth not neere enough to the very place where the divine power is or els that the aire which was woont to breathe and inspire this instinct is utterly quenched and the puissance quite gone and vanished away When we had fetched therefore a circuit about we sat us downe upon the tablements on the South side of the temple nere unto the chappell of Tellus that is to say the Earth where we beheld the waters of the fountaine Castilius and the temple of the Muses with admiration in such sort as Boethus incontinently said that the very place it selfe made much for the question and doubt mooved by the stranger For in olde time quoth he there was a temple of the Muses even there from whence the river springs insomuch as they used this water for the solemne libations at sacrifices according as Simonides writeth in this wise Where water pure is kept in basons faire Beneath of Muses with their yellow haire And in another place the same Simonides with a little more curiositie of words calling upon Cleio the Muse saith she is the holy keeper The sacred ewres who doth superintend Whereby from lovely fountaine do deseend Those waters pure which all the world admires And thereof for to have a taste desires As rising from those caves propheticall That yeeld sweet odors most mirificall And therefore Eudoxus was much overseene to beleeve those who gave out that this was called the water of Styx But in trueth they placed the Muses as assistants to divination and the warders thereof neere unto that riveret and the temple of Tellus aforesaid whereunto apperteined the oracle whereby answeres were rendred in verse and song And some there be who say that this heroique verse was first heard here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say You pretie Bees and birds that sing Bring hither both your wax and wing at what time as the oracle being forsaken and destitute of the god Apollo lost all the dignity and majesty that it had Then Serapion These things indeed quoth he ô Boethus are more meet and convenient for the Muses For we ought not to fight against God nor together with prophesie and divination take away both providence and divinitie but to seeke rather for the solution of those reasons which seeme to be contrary thereto and in no wise to abandon and cast off that faith and religious beliefe which hath in our countrey time out of minde passed from father to sonne You say very well and truely quoth I good Serapion for we despaire not of Philosophie as if it were quite overthrowen and utterly gone because Philosophers beforetime pronounced their sentences and published their doctrines in verse as for example Orpheus Hesiodus Parmenides Xenophanes Empedocles Thales and afterwards ceased and gave over to versifie all but your selfe for you have into Philosophie reduced Poetrie againe to set up aloud and loftie note for to incite and stirre up yoong men Neither is Astrologie of lesse credite and estimation because Aristarchus Timochares Aristyllus and Hipparchus have written in prose whereas Eudoxus Hesiodus and Thales wrote before them in verse of that argument at leastwise if it be true that Thales was the author of that Astrologie which is ascribed unto him And Pindarus himselfe confesseth that he doubted greatly of that maner of melodie which was neglected in his daies wondering why it was so despised For I assure you it is no absurd thing nor impertinent to search the causes of such mutations But to abolish all arts and faculties if haply somewhat be changed or altered in them I hold neither just nor reasonable Then came in Theon also with his vie adding moreover saying that it could not be denied but that in truth herein there have bene great changes mutations how beit no lesse true it is that even in this very place there have bene many oracles answers delivered in prose
afterwards when he had made his praiers he lay a long time upon the ground neither knew he for certaine whether he was awake or dreamed all the while Howbeit he thought that he heard a noise which light upon his head and smot it whereby the sutures of seanes thereof were disjoined and opened by which he yeelded forth his soule which being thus separat was very joious seeing it selfe mingled with a transparent pure aire And this was the first time that it seemed to breathe at liberty as if long time before untill then it had beene drawen in and pent for then it became greater and larger than ever before in maner of a saile spred and displaied to the full Then he supposed that he heard though not cleerely and perfectly as it were a noise or sound turning round about his head and the same yeelding a sweet and pleasant voice And as he then looked behinde him he could see the earth no more but the Isles all bright and illuminate with a mild and delicate fire and those exchanged their places one with another and withall received sundry colours as it were divers tinctures according as in that variety of change the light did alter and they all seemed unto him in number infinite and in quantity excessive and albeit they were not of equall pourprise and extent yet round they were all alike also to his thinking by their motion which was circular the skie resounded because unto the uniforme equality of their mooving the pleasant sweetnesse of the voice and harmonie composed and resulting of them all was correspondent and conformable Amid these Islands there seemed a sea or great lake diffused and spred shining with divers mixt colours upon a ground of grey or light blew Moreover of these Isles some few sailed as one would say and were caried a direct course downe the water beyond the current but others and those in number many went aside out of the chanell and were with such a violence drawen backe that they seemed to be swallowed under the waves Now this sea or lake was as hee thought very deepe toward the South but on the North side full of shelves and shallow flats in many places it swelled and overflowed the land in others it retired and gathered in as much for it againe and arose not to any high tides as for the colour in some place it was simple and sea-like in another not pure but troubled and confused with mud like unto a meere or lake As concerning the force of the waves about these Isles which are caried together the same bringeth them backe a little but never conjoineth the end to the beginning so as they make at no time a circle entire and perfect but gently divert the application and meeting of their ends so as in their revolution they winde in and out and make one crooked obliquity To the mids of these and toward the greatest part of the ambient aire is enclined the sea somewhat lesse than eight parts of the universall all continent as he thought And the same sea hath two mouthes or entrances whereby it receiveth two rivers of fire breaking into it opposite one to the other in such sort as the blewnesse thereof became whitish by reason that the greatest part was repelled and driven backe And these things he said that he beheld with much delight But when he came to looke downward he perceived a mighty huge hole or gulse all round in maner of an hollow globe cut thorow the mids exceeding deepe and horrible to see to full of much darkenesse and the same not quiet and still but turbulent and often times boiling and walming upward out of which there might be heard innumerable roarings and gronings of beasts cries and wrawlings of an infinite number of children with sundry plaints and lamentations of men and women together besides many noises tumults clamors and outcries of all sorts and those not cleere but dull and dead as being sent up from a great depth underneath wherewith he was not a little terrified untill such time as after a good while there was one whom he saw not who said thus unto him O Timarchus What is your desire to know Who made answere Even all for what is there here not admirable True quoth he but as for us litle have we to do a small portion in those superiour regions because they apperteine to other gods but the division of Proserpina being one of the foure and which we dispose and governe you may see if you will how it is bounded with Styx And when he demanded againe of him what Styx was It is quoth he the way which leadeth unto hell and the kingdome of Pluto dividing two contrary natures of light and darknesse with the head and top thereof for as you see it beginneth from the bottome of hell beneath which it toucheth with the one extremity and reacheth with the other to the light all about and so limieth the utmost part of the whole world divided into foure regiments The first is that of life the second of moving the third of generation and the fourth of corruption The first is coupled to the second by unity in that which is not visible the second to the third by the minde or intelligence in the Sun the third to the fourth by nature in the Moone And of every one of these copulations there is a friend or Destiny the daughter of Necessity that keepeth the key Of the first she that is named Airopos as one would say Inflexible of the second Clotho that is to say the Spinster of the third in the Moon Lachesis that is to say Lot about which is the bending of geniture or nativity As for all the other Isles they have gods within them but the Moone apperteining to the terrestriall Daemons avoideth the confines of Styx as being somewhat higher exalted approching once only in an hundred seventie seven second measures and upon the approch of this precinct of Styx the soules cry out for feare And why hell catcheth and swalloweth many of them as they glide and slip about it and others the Moone receiveth and taketh up swimming from beneath unto her such I meane as upon whom the end of generation fell in good and opportune time all save those which are impure and polluted for them with her fearefull flashing and hideous roaring she suffereth not to come neere unto her who seeing that they have missed of their intent bewaile their wofull state and be caried downe againe as you see to another generation and nativity Why quoth Timarchus I see nothing but a number of starres leaping up and downe about this huge and deepe gulfe some drowned and swallowed up in it others appearing againe from below These be quoth he the daemons that you see though you know them not And marke withall how this comes about Every soule is endued with a portion of minde or understanding and of man there is not one
note of notorious impudencie Next neighbours unto these are they who among imputations and blames adjoine certaine praises as in the time of Socrates one Aristoxenus having given him the termes of ignorant untaught dissolute came in with this afterwards but true it is that he doeth no man wrong and is woorst to himselfe for like as they who will cunningly and artificially flatter otherwhiles among many and unmeasurable praises mingle some light reprehensions joining with their sweet flatteries as it were some tart sauce to season them certeine words frankly and freely spoken even so the malicious person because he would haue that beleeved which he blameth putteth thereto some little sprinkling of a few praises There may be exemplified and numbered many other signes and marks of malice but these may suffice to give us to understand the nature and intention of this author whom now we have in hand First and formost therefore to begin at heavenly wights and as they say at Vesta Io the daughter of Inachus whom all the Greeks thinke to have bene deified and honored with divine honors by the barbarous nations in such sort as that she hath left her name to manie seas and noble ports in regard of her great glory and renowme and opened the source as it were and original beginning of many right noble most famous and roiall families this our gentle Historiographer saith that she yeelded her selfe unto certaine marchants of Phoenicia to be caried away for that she having bene defloured not against her will by a master of a ship feared lest she should be spied great with child and withall belieth the Phoenicians themselves as if they gave out as much of her He reports himselfe also to the restimony of the sages and wise men of Persia that the Phoenicians ravished and caried her away with other women shewing withall directly his opinion a little after that the most noble and bravest exploit that ever the Greeks atcheived to wit the war of Troy was an enterprise begone in folly for a leawd and naughty woman for it is very apparent quoth he that these women if they had not bene willing themselves they had never bene so ravished and had away as they were And therefore we may as well say that the gods did foolishly to shew themselves angry and offended with the Lacedaemonians for the abusing of the daughters of Scedasus the Leuctrian as also to punish Ajax for that he forced lady Cassandra for certeine it is according to Herodotus that if they had not bene willing they had never beene defloured and yet himselfe saith that Aristomenes was taken alive and caried away by the Lacedaemonians and afterwards Philopoemen captaine generall of the Achaeans tasted the same fortune and Atilius Regulus the consull of the Romans fell likewise into the hands of his enimies all of them such personages as hardly may be found more valiant and hardy warriors in the world But what marvell is this considering that men doe take leopards and tygres alive Now Herodotus blameth the poore women who were by force abused and defendeth those wicked men who offered them that abuse Besides so much affected he is in love unto the Barbarous nations that he will acquite cleere Busirides of that ill name which went of him for slaying of his guests sacrificing men and attributing unto all the Aegyptians by all his testimonies much godlinesse religion and justice returneth upon the Greeks this inhumaine and abhominable cruelty For in his second booke he writeth that Menelaus having received Helena at the hands of king Proteus his wife and bene by him honored with great and rich presents shewed himselfe againe a most unjust and wicked man For when the winde and weather served him not for to embarke and saile away he wrought by his report a most cursed and detestable fact in taking two of the inhabitants male children of that countrey and cut them in peeces for sacrifice by occasion whereof being hated of the Aegyptians and pursued he fled directly with his fleet and departed into Libya For mine owne part I wot not what Aegyptian hath given out this report of Menelaus but contrariwise I know full well that in Aegypt they retaine still to this day many honors in the memoriall both of him and also of his wife Helena Moreover this writer holding on still his course reporteth that the Persians learned of the Greeks to abuse boies carnally and contrary to kinde And yet how is it possible that the Persians should learne this vilany and filthinesse of the Greeks considering that the Persians maner all doe confesse that the children were there guelded before they had ever seene the Greeks sea Also he writeth that the Greeks were taught by the Aegyptians their solemne pompes festivall processions and publicke assemblies likewise to adore the twelve gods yea that Melampus had learned of the same Aegyptians the very name of Dionysus that is to say Bacchus who taught it the other Greeks As touching the sacred mysteries and secret ceremonies of Ceres that they were brought out of Aegypt by the daughters of Danaus as also that the Aegyptians beat themselves and are in great sorrow yet will themselves name nothing why they so doe but remaine close and keepe silence in the religious service of the gods As touching Hercules and Bacchus whom the Aegyptians esteeme as gods and the Greeks very aged men he maketh mention in no place of this precise observation and distinction howsoever he faith that this Aegyptian Hercules was reckoned and ranged in the second order of the gods and Bacchus in the third as those who had a beginning of their essence and were not eternall and yet he pronounceth those other to be gods but unto these he judgeth that we ought to performe anniversarie funerals as having beene sometime mortall and now canonized demi-gods but in no wise to sacrifice unto them as gods After the same maner spake he of Pan overthrowing the most holy and venerable sacrifices of the Greeks by the vanities and fables which the Aegyptians devised Yet is not this the woorst nor so intollerable for deriving the pedegree of Hercules from the race of Perseus he holdeth that Perseus was an Assyrian according to that which the Persians say But the captaines and leaders of the Dorians saith he seeme to be descended in right line from the Aegyptians and fetch their genealogie and ancestours from before Danae and Acrisius for as concerning Epaphus Io Iasus and Argus he hath wholly passed over and rejected striving to make not onely the other two Herculees Aegyptians and Phoenicians but also this whom himselfe nameth to be the third a meere stranger from Greece and to enroll him among Barbarians notwithstanding that of all the ancient learned men neither Homer nor Hesiodus ne yet Archilochus Pisander Stesichorus Alcman nor Pindarus do make mention of any Hercules an Aegyptian or Phoenician but acknowledge one alone to wit our Boeotian and Argien And that
which more is among the seven sages whom he termeth by the name of Sophisters he will needs beare us downe that Thales was a Phoenician borne extracted from the ancient stocke of the Barbarians And in one place reproching in some sort the gods under the visard and person of Solon he hath these words O Croesus thou demandest of me as touching humane things who know full well that the deitie is envious and full of inconstant incertitude where attributing unto Solon that opinion which himselfe had of the gods he joineth malice unto impiety and blasphemy And as for Pittachus using him but in light matters and such as are of no consequence he passeth over in the meane while the most worthy and excellent deed that ever the man did for when the Athenians and Mitylenians were at warre about the port Sigaeum Phrynon the captaine of the Athenians having given defiance and challenged to combat hand to hand the hardiest warriour of all the Mitylenians Pittachus advanced forward and presented himselfe to his face for to performe his devoir where he bare himselfe with such dexterity that he caught this captaine as mighty a man as he was and tall of stature and so entangled him that he slew him outright And when the Mitylenians for this prowesse of his offered unto him goodly rich presents he launced his javelin out of his hand as farre as ever he could and demanded so much ground onely as he raught with that shot And thereupon that field even at this day is called Pittacium But what writeth Herodotus when he comes to this place In lieu of reciting this valiant act of Pittachus he recounteth the flight of Alcaeus the Poet who flung from him his armour and weapons and so ran away out of the battell whereby it appeareth that in avoiding to write of vertuous and valiant acts but in not concealing vicious and foule facts he testifieth on their side who say that envie to wit a griefe for the good of another and joy in other mens harmes proceed both from one root of malice After all this the Alcmaeonidae who shewed themselves brave men and generous and namely by delivering their countrey from tyranny are by him challenged for treason for he saith That they received Pisistratus upon his banishment and wrought meanes for his returne again upon condition that he should espouse and marry the daughter of Megacles and when the maiden said thus unto her mother See my good mother Pisistratus doth not company kindly with me as he should and according to the law of nature and marriage heereupon the said Alcmaeonidae tooke such indignation against the tyrant for his perverse dealing that they chased him into exile Now that the Lacedaemonians should taste aswell of his malice as the Athenians had done before them see how he defaceth and traduceth Othryadas a man esteemed and admired among them above all others for his valiance He only saith he remaining alive of those three hundred ashamed to returne to Sparta when all the rest of that company and consort of his were slaine and left dead in the field presently overwhelmed himselfe in the place under an heape of his enemies shields reared for a Trophae and so died for a little before he said that the victory betweene both sides rested doubtfull in even ballance and now he witnesseth that through the shame and bashfulnesse of Othryadas the Lacedaemonians lost the day for as it is a shame to live being vanquished so it is as great an honor to survive upon a victorie I forbeare now to note and observe how in describing Croesus every where for a foolish vain-glorious and ridiculous person in all respects yet neverthelesse he saith that being prisoner he taught and instructed Cyrus a prince who in prudence vertue and magnanimitie surpassed all the kings that ever were And having by the testimonie of his owne historie attributed no goodnesse unto Croesus but this onely that he honoured the gods with great offerings oblations and ornaments that he presented unto them which very same as himselfe declareth was the most wicked and profanest act in the world for whereas his brother Pantaleon and he were at great variance and debate about succession in the kingdome during the life of their father after that he came once to the crowne he caught one of the nobles a great friend and companion of his brother Pantaleon who had before-time beene his adversarie and within a fullers mill all to beclawed and mangled him with tuckers cards and burling combs so as he died therewith and of his money which he did confiscate and seize upon he caused those oblations and jewels to be made which he sent as a present to the gods Concerning Deioces the Median who by his vertue and justice atteined to the kingdome hesaith that he was not such an one indeed but an hypocrite and by semblance of justice was advanced to that regall dignitie But what should I stand upon the examples of Barbarous nations for he hath ministred matter enough in writing onely of the Greeks He saith that the Athenians and many other Ionians being ashamed of that as name were not only unwilling but also denied utterly to be called Ionians also as many of them as were of the noblest blood and descended from the very Senate and Prytaneum of the Athenians begat children of Barbarous women after they had killed their fathers and former children by occasion whereof those women made an ordinance among themselves which they bound with an oth and ministred the same unto their daughters never to eat nor drinke with their husbands nor to call them by their names and that the Milesians at this day be descended from the said women And having cleanly delivered thus much under hand that those onely who celebrated the feast named Apalutia were indeed true Jonians And all quoth he doe keepe and observe that solemnity save onely the Ephesians and Colophonians By this slie device he doth in effect deprive these states of the noble antiquity of their nation He writeth likewise that the Cumaeans and Mitylenaeans were compacted and agreed withall for a peece of mony to deliver into the hands of Cyrus Pactyas one of his captaines who had revolted from him But I cannot say quoth he certainly for how much because the just summe is not exactly knowen But he ought not by his leave to have charged upon any city of Greece such a note of infamy without he had bene better assured thereof And afterwards he saith that the inhabitants of Chios pulled him being brought unto them out of the temple of Minerva Poliuchos that is to say Tutelar and protectresse of the city for to deliver him unto the Persians which the Chians did after they had received for their hire a peece of land called Atarnes Howbeit Charon the Lampsacinian a more ancient writer when he handleth the story of Pactyas taxeth neither the Mitylenaeans nor the Chians for any such sacriledge but writeth of
for his prudence and cunning he caried the surname of Ulisses Mary lady Artemisia borne in the same city that Herodotus was without the prompting or teaching of any person but even of her own head fortold Xerxes that the Greeks could not hold out long nor make head against him but would disband and disperse themselves every one flie home unto his owne city Neither it is like quoth she if you march with your army by land unto Peloponnesus that they will be quiet and sit still and take no care to fight at sea for the Athenians Whereas Sir if you make hast to give them a navall battell I feare me greatly that if your armada receive any foile or damage it wil greatly prejudice your land forces But here Herodotus wanted nothing but his propheticall verses to make Artemisia another Sibylla prophesying of things to come so exactly Well in regard of this advertisement Xerxes gave her commission to carry his children with her to the city of Ephesw for he had fogotten belike to bring any women with him from his toiall city of Susa in case his children needed a convoy of women to conduct them But I make no account of such lies as these which he hath devised against us yet let us onely examine a little what slanders he hath raised upon others He saith that the Athenians give out how Adimantus the captaine of the Corinthians when the enimies were at the point of giving the charge and joining battell in great feare and astonishment fled not by shoving the ship backeward at the poupe by little and little after a soft maner of retreat nor yet making way of evasion and escape closely and with silence through his enimies but hoising up and spreding full saile and turning the proes and beake heads about of all his vessels at once And then there was a fregat or swift pinnace sent out after him which overtooke him about the coasts of Salamis out of which one cried out unto him What Adimantus doe you flie indeed and have you abandoned and betraied the Greeks And yet they have the better hand according as they made their praiers unto the gods for to vanquish their enemies Now this fregat we must thinke verily came downe from heaven for what need had he to use any such tragique engine or fabricke to worke sueh feats who every where else surpasseth all the Poets tragicall in the world forlying and vanity Well Adimantus beleeving the said voice was reclaimed and returned againe to the armada when all was done and the businesse dispatched by others to his hands Thus goes the bruit and speech among the Athenians But the Corinthians confesse not so much saying that they themselves were the formost who in the vaward gave the first onset and charged the enimies in this battell at sea and on their side beare witnesse all the other Greeks And thus dealeth this man in many other places He soweth slanders here and there upon one or other to the end that he may not misse but light upon some fall it out as it will who may appeare most wicked Like as in this place he speedeth very well in his purpose For if his slander and accusation be beleeved the Corinthians shall sustaine infamie if discredited the Athenians shall beare the dishonor or if the Athenians have not lied upon the Corinthians yet himselfe hath spared neither of them but told a lie of them both For proofe hereof Thucydides who bringeth in an embassador of Athens to contest against a Corinthian at Lacedaemon and speake bravely of their owne worthy exploits against the Medes and namely of the navall battell of Salamis chargeth upon the Corinthians no matter of treason nor cowardise in abandoning their colours for there is no likelihood that the Athenians would have reproched the city of Corinth in such termes considering that they saw it ingraven in the third place after the Lacedaemonians and those inscriptions of spoiles which woon from the Barbarians were consecrated to the gods And at Salamis they permitted them to interre and bury their dead neere to the citie side as who were brave warriours and had borne themselves most valiantly in that service with an inscription in Elegick verses to this effect Once passenger we dwelt in Corinth towne Well watered with sea on either side And now our bones thu Isle of renowme Hight Salamis within drie mould doth hide Phoenician ships we sunke that here did ride The Medes so stout we slew and Persians brave That sacred Greece from bondage we might save But their Cenotaph or imaginary tombe which was erected in Isthmus carieth this Epitaph Loe heere we lie who with our lives set free All Greece neere brought to shamefull slaverie Likewise over the offerings which Diodorus one of the captaines of the Corinthian gallies caused to be set up in the temple of Latona there was this superscription From cruell Medes these armes which hang in sight The mariners of Theodorus won And as memorials of their navall fight To dame Latona offred them anon Adimantus himselfe whom Herodotus evermore doth revile and reproch saying That he alone of all the captaines went away with a full purpose to flie from Artemisium and would not stay untill the conflict see what honour he had Friend passenger heere lies sir Adimant Entombed by whose prowesse valiant All Greece is crown'd with freedome at this day Which els had beene to thraldome brought for ay For neither is it like that such honour should have beene done unto him after his death if hee had beene a coward and a traitour neither would he ever have dared to name one of his daughters Nausinice that is to say Victorie in battell at sea another Acrothinion which is as much as the First fruits of spoiles won from enemies and a third Alexibia that is to say Aide against force also to give unto his sonne the name of Aristeus which signifieth a brave warriour if he had not won some glory and reputation by worthy feats of armes Moreover it is not credible I will not say that Herodotus but the meanest and most obscure Carian that is was ignorant of that glorious and memorable praier which in those daies the Corinthian dames alone of all other Grecian wives made That it might please the goddesse Venus to inspire their husbands with the love and desire to give battell unto the Barbarians For this was a thing commonly knowen and divulged abroad insomuch as Simonides made an Epigram engraven over those their images of brasse which are set up in the temple of Venus which by report was founded in times past by Medea as some say to this end that she herselfe might cease to love her husband but as others that Jason her husband might give over the love of one Thetis And the said Epigram goeth in this maner These ladies here whose statues stand in place Did whilom praiers to goddesse Venus make In Greeks behalfe that it might please her
priestresse or prophetisse who pronounced the answeres at the oracle of Apollo Pythius at Delphos who tooke that name of Python there slaine by him and lying putrified or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say To aske and demand for the resort of people thither to be resolved by him of their doubts Pythick or Pythian games were celebrated to the honour of Apollo Pythius neere the city Delphos with greate solemnity instituted first by Diomedes and yeerely renewed Q QUintus A fore name to divers Romanes Quaternary the number of Foure called likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so highly celebrated by the Pythagoreans comprising in it the proportion Epitritos whereof ariseth the musicall harmonie Diatessaron for it containeth three and the third part of three also Diplasion because it comprehendeth two duple whence ariseth the musicke diapason and Disdiapason being dubled which is an Eight the perfect harmony according to the proverbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also in that it containeth all numbers within it for one two three and foure arise to Ten beyond which we cannot ascend but by repetition of former numbers Quaestors inferior officers in Rome in maner of Treasurers whose charge was to receive and lay out the cities mony and revenewes of state of which sort there were Urbani for the city it selfe Provinciales for the provinces and Castrenses for the campe and their warres Quinquertium named in Greeke Pentathlon Five exercises or feats of activity among the greeks practised at their solemne games namely launcing the dart throwing the coit running a race wrestling and leaping See Pancratium R RAdicall moisture Is the substantiall humidity in living bodies which is so united with naturall heat that the one maintaineth the other and both preserve life To Rarifie that is to say To make more subtile light and thin Rectdivation Is a relapse or falling backe into a sicknesse which was in the way of recovery and commonly is more dangerous than the former Recidiva pejor radice Regents Professours in the liberall sciences and in Philosophi a tearme usuall in the Universities Reverberation that is to say A smiting or driving backe Rhapsodie A 〈◊〉 together or conjoining of those Poems and verses especially heroicke or hexametre which before were loose and scattered such as were those of Homer when they were reduced into one entier body of Ilias and Odyssca Those Poets also who recite or pronounce such verses were tearmed Rhapsodi Rivals and Corrivals Counter-suiters or those who make love together unto one and the same woman To Ruminate that is to say To ponder and consider or revolve a thing in the minde a borrowed speech from beasts that chew the cudde S SAtyri Woodwoses or monstrous creatures with tailes yet resembling in some sort partly men women in part goats given much to venery and lasciviousnesse whereupon they had that name also to scurrill frumping and jibing for which they were also called Sileni especially when they grew aged supposed by the rurall heardmen to be the fairies or gods I would not else of the woods Satyrae or Satyrs were certaine Poems received in place of Comoedia vetus detesting and reprooving the misdemeanours of people and their vices at first by way of myrth and jest not sharpely and after a biting maner to the shame disgrace or hurt of any person such were they that Horace composed howbeit they grew afterward to more diracity and licentiousnesse noting in broad tearmes without respect all leaudnesse and sparing no degree as those were of Juvenales and Persius penning Latine poets onely handled this argument both in the one sort and the other Scammonie A medicinable plant and the juice thereof issuing out of the roote when it is wounded or cut it purgeth yellow choler strongly The same juice or liquor being concrete or thickned and withall corrected is called Dacrydium as one would say the teares destilling from the roote and is the same which the unlearned Apothecaries call Diagridium as if forsooth it were some compound like their Diaphaenicon Scelet The dead body of a man artificially dried or tanned for to be kept and seene a long time It is taken also for a dead carcasse of man or woman represented with the bones onely and ligaments Scepticke philosophers Who descended from Pyrrho so called for that they would consider of all matters in question but determine of none and in this respect they were more precise than the Academicks Scolia Were certeine songs and carols sung at feasts Scrutinie A search and properly a perusing of suffrages or voices at elections or judiciall courts for the triallor passing of any cause Secundine The skinne that enwrappeth the childe or yoong thing in the wombe in women the after-birth or later-birth in beasts the heame Senarie The number of sixe also a kinde of verse See Iambus Septimane A weeke or seven-night Also what soever falleth out upon the seventh daie moneth yeere c. as Septimanae foeturae in Arnobius for children borne at the seventh moneth after conception and Septimanae 〈◊〉 Agues returning with their fits every seventh day Serg. Sergius Forenames to certeine families in Rome Serv. Servius  Sex Sextus  Sesquialteral A proportion by which is ment that which conteineth the whole and halfe againe as 6. to 4. 12. to 8. It is also named Hemiolios Sesqui-tertian A proportion whereby is understood as much as comprehendeth the whole and one third part as 12. to 9. and the same is called 〈◊〉 Sesqui-octave That which compriseth the whole and one 8 part as 9 to 8 18 to 16 in Greeke Eptogdoos or Epogdoos Soloecisme Incongruity of speech or defect in the purity thereof It arose of those who being Athenians borne and dwelling in Soli a city in 〈◊〉 spake not pure Attick but mixt with the Solians language Solstice The Sunne-steed which is twice in the yeere in Iune December when the Sunne seemeth to stand for a while at the very point of the Tropicks either going from us or comming toward us as if hee returned from the end of his race North and South Sp. Spurius A forename to some Romanes Spasmes that is to say Crampes or painfull pluckings of the muskles and sinewes See Convulsions And Spasmaticke full of such or given thereto Sphaeres The circles or globs of the seven planets as also the compasse of the heaven above all Spissitude Thicknesse or dimnesse Spondaeus An hymne sung at sacrifices and libations Also a metricall foot in verse consisting of two long syllables whereof principally such hymnes or songs were composed Stadium A race or space of ground conteining 625. foote whereof eight make a mile consisting of a thousand paces which are five thousand foot reckoning five foot for a pace for so much commonly a man taketh at once in his pace that is to say in his stepping forward and remooving one foot before another Stoicks Certeine Philosophers whose first master
representeth a godlesse man 24.50 K KAimin what it signifieth 1310.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Poets of divers significations 32.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what place 717.10 Kalends whereof they tooke the name 857.50.858.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what exercise or feat of activitie 716.40 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 680.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wallnut tree why so called 683.50 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1166.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 746.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 953.10 Killing of a man but upon necessitie 863.50 to be a King what a trouble and burden it is 392.1 Kings abused by flatterers and parasites 94.1 Kings sonnes learne nothing well but to ride an horse 96.40 Kings ought to be milde and gracious 125.10 Kissing the eare 53.20 Kissing of kinsfolke by women how it first came up 484.20 why women Kisse the lips of their kinsfolke 852.20.30 Knowledge simply is the greatest pleasure 588.40.50 much Knowledge breedes manie doubts 784.1 KNOVV THY SELFE 84. 40. 346.1 526.50 240.40 1120.30 1201.10 this Mot hath given occasion of manie questions disputations 1354 10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who they were 679.50 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 785.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it signifieth 670.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kinde of Sophisme or masterfull syllogisme 622.20 not fit for feasts 645.1 Kyphi a certeine composition 1308.40 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 775.1 L L. who pronounce in stead of R. 869.1 Laarchus usurped the tyrannie of Cyrenae 504.30 murdered ib. Labotas his apophthegmes 461.1 Labour with alacrity 619.1 Labour See Diligence Lacedaemonians bountifull to the Smyrnians 103.10 their modestie to them ib. how they scared their children from drunkennesse 121.50 they shewed their Ilotae drunke to their children 1091.10 why they sacrifice to the Muses before battell 125.50 Lacedaemonian apophthegms 469. 50 444.1 Lacedaemonians reverence old age 473.20 Lacedaemonian customes and orders 475. 10. how they lost their ancient reputation 479.1 10 Lacedaemonian womens apophthegmes 479.30 Lacedaemonians forbid torchlights 475.30 the Laconisme or short speech of the Lacedaemonians 103.10.20 Lachares a tyrant over the Athenians 586.10 Lachesis her function 1184.40 1219.30 Lachesis 679.50.797.40.1049 10 Lacydes a fast friend to Cephisocrates and made no shew thereof 102.40 Lacydes noted for effeminate wantonnesse 241.20 Ladas the famous runner 356 Laelius advanced Scipio 357.50 Laesmodias 759.20 Lais a famous courtisan 61.1 Lais became a maried wife 1154.10 stoned to death for envie of her beauty ib. Lamachus 378. 10. his apophthegme 419.50 Lamentation for the dead how to be moderated 521.40 Lamia the witch 135.1 Lamps why the Romans never put forth but suffer to goe out of their owne accord 875. 10. 748.30 the golden Lampe of Minerva 765.10 Lampe burning continually at the temple of Jupiter Ammon 1322. 10. why lesse oile was consumed therein every yeere than other ib. c. Lampon 759.30 the rich merchant 388.1 Lampsace the daughter of Mandron her vertuous act 497. 40. honored as a goddesse 498.1 Lampsacum the city how it tooke that name 497.50 Lapith of the Stoicks 1055.30 Lares what images 868.10 Largesses 377.20 Lasus what he conferred to musick 1257.20 Lautia what presents they were 865.50 Law of what power it is 294.295 Leaena her rare taciturnitie 196.30 Leager 902.50 Lead why it causeth water to bee more cold 735.10 Lead plates and plummets seeme to sweat and melt in hard winters 740.10 Leander bewitched with the love of Aretaphilaes daughter 499 20. hee exerciseth tyrannie ib. 30.40 betraied by Aretaphila into the hands of Anabus 500.10 put to death ib. 30 Leaves of trees not to be plucked 683.10 Left-hand Auspices presage best 876.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lenity of parents to their children 16.10 Leon the sonne of Eucratidas his apophthegmes 461.30 Leon the Bizantine a mery conceited person 355.30 Leonidas the sonne of Anaxandridas his apophthegmes 461. 40. his valiant death 907.40 his heart all hairy ib. his vision with the temple of Hercules at Thebes 1239.1 his noble acts not able apophthegmes 1239 10.20 Leontidas together with Archias tyrannized in Thebes 1204. 30. a valiant man 1225.50 he killeth Cephisodorus ib. he was killed himselfe by Pelopidas 1226.1 Lcontis a tribe 660.30 Leotychidas the first his apophthegmes 461.10 Leotychidas the sonne of Ariston his apophthegmes 461.20 Leschenorius an epithet of Apollo 1353.50 Lethe 609.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say The common-wealth 872.40 Letters in Aegypt invented by Mercurie 789.20 Letters in the alphabet just 24. how they arise 789.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gorge or we sand 744.10 Leucippe 899.30 Leucippidae 902.50 Leucippus killed by Poemander 899.20 Leucomantis 1152.20 Levites whereof they tooke that name 712.20 Leucothea what it is 64.50 Leucothea kind to her sisters children 191.20 Leucothea or 〈◊〉 temple admitteth no maide servant to enter into it 855.30 Liberality what it is 69.10 Libitina supposed to be Venus 857.40 her temple how emploied ib. Libs what winde 829.30 P. Licinius vanquished by Perseus 431.40 his demaunde of Perseus ib. Lictors officers of Rome why so called 872.30.40 Life and language ought to concur in a governour 352.1 Life is but an illusion 603.40 Life solitary and hidden discommended 606.20 Life hidden or unknowen a sentence full of absurdities 607.30.40 of Life three sorts 9.40 long Life not best 521.20 Life of man transitory and 〈◊〉 585.40 Light how delectable it is 608.40 Lightning how it is shot foorth 1022.30 Lightning 704.20 what effects it worketh 705.1.10 bodies smitten with Lightning 〈◊〉 not 705.20 folke a sleepe never blasted with Lightning 705.40 what things be smitten with Lightning ib. 50 Lightning how it cōmeth 827.40 Line or flaxe the herbe 1289.10 Linus of what Musicke he was the inventor 〈◊〉 Lion how stout he is in 〈◊〉 of his whelpes 218.30 Lion why the Aegyptians consecrated to the sunne 710.50 Lions heads gaping serve for 〈◊〉 of fountains in Aegypt 710.50 Lion how he goeth in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 959.1 Lions kinde one to another 966.1 Lions portraied with mouthes 〈◊〉 open in the porches of the Aegyptians temples 1302.30 Literature compared with the 〈◊〉 of fortune and nature 7.1 Liver diseased how it is discovered 782.50 Lochagas his apophthegmes 462.20 Lochia a surname of Diana 1142 1.697.20 Locrians law against curiositie 139.1 Locrus 130.1 what cities he built 893.1 Locusts engendred in Sicilie 671.30 Lode-stone how it draweth iron 1022.30 Logicke or Dialecticke 804.40 Lotos the herbe in Homer 1057 50 Love of yoong boies how permitted 14.1 Love of what power it is 294.295.1143.40 against Love-drinks 316.40 Love in yoong persons soone hot and quickly cold ib. of Love or amity foure branches 1142.30 Love lively described 1143.30 Love of boies compared with that of women 〈◊〉 Love 〈◊〉 commended ib. Love a violent affection 1138.50 Cato his saying of Lovers 1143.30 The bounty and goodnesse of Love 1146.50 how it comes to be called a god 1139.10 Love an ancient god 1140.20 Love covereth defects and imperfections 59.40 Love the most
morning 1318.40 Rue growing neere unto a fig tree is not so strong sented 723.30 Rue why called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke 684.1 Rubbings or frictions which be good for students 619.30 Rulers ought not to dispend above their living and abilitie 378.1 Rulers ought to live warily and without note 350.50 how they may helpe and advaunce their friends 361.20 how they ought to cary themselves toward their companions in governement 370.20.30 Rulers ought not to be over-precise 472.40 Rulers must banish from themselves avarice 374.40 they ought to bee voide of ambition 374.50 Ruma 632.40 Rumina a goddesse at Rome 870.10 Rusticus his gravity 142.143 Rust of brasse how caused 1187.30 Rutilius a prowde usurer reproved he is by Musonius 286.10 ib. S SAbbats feast of the Jewes 712.20 Sabbat whereof it commeth 712.20 Sabine maidens ravished 861.20 Sabinus the husband of Empona 1157.20 Saboi ib. Sacadas an ancient Poet and musician 1251.20 Sacred fish 976.10 Sacrificing of children 268.1.10 Sacrificing of men and women 268.1 Sacrifice how to be observed at the Oracle at Delphi 1347.10.1349.1.10 Sacriledge strangely detected by the offender himselfe 201.40 Saffron chaplets what use they have 684.20 Sages in olde time accounted seven were in trueth but five 1354.10 Sailers and sea men love to discourse of the sea 662.50 Salaminia a ship 364.30 Salmatica beseeged by Anniball 489.50 Salt highly commended 709.10 provoketh appetite to meate and drinke 709.30 about Salt and Cumin a proverbe 727.40 Salt-fish washed in sea water is the fresher and sweeter 658.30 of Savours onely the Saltish is not found in fruits 1005.10 Salts called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 728.10 Salt why so highly honored 727.40 it provoketh wanton lust 728.1 why called divine 728.10 Salt why given to beasts 1004.20 Salt procureth appetite to food ib. it maintaineth health ib. 30. it abateth corpulency ib. it mooveth to generation ib. the SAME 1031. Sambicus a miserable man 902.30 Sanctus a god at Rome 861.1 Saosis Queene of Byblos in Aegypt 1293.40 Sapience what it is 68.1.804.30 Sapphoes fits in love 1147.50 Sapphoes verses 759.1.1148.1 Sarapis who he was 1298.20 Serapis or Sarapis the same that Pluto 1298.40 Sarapis from whence it is derived 1299 1 Sardanapalus his epitaph 310.1.1269.1 Sardanapalus an effeminate person advanced by fortune 1264.30 the epigram over his statue 1276.20 Sardians port sale 868.40.50 to Saturne the Romans sacrificed bare headed 854.20 Saturne kept in prison by Jupiter 1180.20 Saturne counted a terrestriall or subterranean god 854.30 Saturne the father of verity 854.30 Saturnes reigne ib. 40 the Island of Saturne 1181.1 Saturnalia solemnized in December 862.20 Saturnes temple the treasury at Rome 865.20 the arches for records 865. 20. in his raigne there was justice and peace ib. why portraied with a sickle in his hand ib. Saturne supposed to cut the privy members of Coelum or Ouranos 〈◊〉 Saturne a stranger in Italy 865.50 in Saturnes temple embassadors are regestred 865.50 Saturne kept prisoner asleepe by Briareus 1332.20 Sauces provoking appetite are to be avoided 614.10 Scalenon 1020.30 Scamander 901.1 Scammonie a violent purgative 623.50 Scaurus his uprightnesse shewed to Domitius his enimy 243.40 Scaurus 〈◊〉 trecherie even toward his enimy 243.40 Scedasus his lamentable historie and of his daughters 946. 10 his daughters defloured 946.20 murdered ib. 20. his death and his daughters murder revenged 947.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it is 785.20 a Scelet presented at Aegyptian feasts 328.30.1294.10 Schema in dancing 800.1 a Scholasticall life 1058.1 Scilurus and his 80 sonnes 103.40 Scilurus perswadeth his children to unity 405.30 Scolia certaine songs 645. 10. sung at feasts 1257.1 Scipio not well thought of for leaving out Mummius at a feast 370.30 why blamed otherwise 297.20 blamed for loving his bed to well ib. 351.1 Scipio the elder his apophthegmes 529.50 a great student ib. accused judicially before the people 530.40 his maner of plea. ib. Scipio the yonger his apophthegmes 433. 50. his commendation 434.10 Scipio used the advise of Laelius 400.50 not blamed in praising himselfe 303.40 Scipio Nasica his saying of the 〈◊〉 state 239.20 Sea what it is 832. 1. how it commeth to be salt or brackish ib. Sea commodious to mans life 778.50 Sea aire most agrecable to us 709.40 Sea accounted a fifth element 990. 40. what commodities it affoordeth to man-kind 990.50 Sea-water nourisheth no trees 1003.1.10 Sea-water hotter by agitation contrary to other waters 1006.20 naturally hot ib. 30. lesse brackish in winter than in summer ib. why it is put into vessels with wine ib. Sea sickenesse how it commeth 1007.10 Sea why the Aegyptians doe detest 1300.20 Sea-gods faigned to be the fathers of many children 728.50 Sea Salt Sea-fish and Sailers odious to the Aegyptians 778. 40 Seaven the sacred number and the commendation thereof 1361.1 Secrecie of K. Antigonus and Metellus 197.30 Secrecie of K. Eumenes and his stratageme wrought thereby 197.40 Secrets revealed the cause of much ruine 195.40 Section of bodies 814.30 Seditions how to be prevented and appeased 386.40 Sedition dangerous at Delphi 381.10 Sedition at Syracusa 381.10 Sedition at Sardis ib. 20 Seed falling upon oxe hornes why they proove hard and untoward 746.40 Seed what it is 671.20 Seed naturall to be spared 619.1 why called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1100. 50. what it is 841.40 whether it be a body 841.50 of Seednesse three seasons 323.1 Seeing in the night how it commeth 658.10 Seleucus Callinicus how he served a blab of his tongue Sella Curulis 877.20 Selfe-praise 301.20 in what cases allowed 302. 50. See more in praise Semiramis of base degree became a Queene 1136.40 her brave acts 1276.20 her 〈◊〉 ambition 1136.50 her sepulcher and epitaph 〈◊〉 P. Sempronis why he drowned his wife 855.10 Senate of Rome why so called 391.30 Senses inserted in our bodies by harmonie 1256.20 Sense what it is 835.50 Senses how many 835.50 Sense common 837.10 Sentences over the temple porch at Delphi 103.20 Septerian what feast 891.1 Septimontium what festivall solemnity 873.20 Sepulcher of children 895.60 Sepulcher of envy 496.50 Sermons how to be heard with profit 56.30 Servius Tullius a favourite of fortune 635. 40. strangely borne 636. 1. how he came to the crowne 636.10 Seth what it signifieth 1307.40 1304.20 Sextilis what moneth at Rome 856.10 Sextilis is August 863.30 Sextius a great student in philosophy 249.1 Shadowes at a feast 682.30 who they be 753.50 how they began ib. whether it be good manners to goe as a Shadow to a feast 754.20 what shadowes a guest invited may bring with him 755.50 Shame good and bad 164.30 Shame breedeth fortitude 42.40.50 Sheepe woolfe-bittē why they yeeld sweetest flesh 677.40 whether their wooll breed lice 677.40 Sibylla the prophetesse 1190.1.716.30 Sicknesse how to be prevented 618 30.40 how immediately occasioned 849.40 Sight how it is caused 837.10 Signes 12 in the Zodiaque they be dissociable 846.20 Sideritis the Load-stone 1312.1 Silenus caught by K. Midas instructeth him of life and death 525.50 Sileni
they be very engenious and witty mary in every plot they cannot avoid the note of bald devices affected curiositie in their inventions Like as therefore he that painted Apollo with a rocke upon his head signified thereby the day-breake the time a little before sunne rising even so a man may say that these frogs doe symbolize and betoken the season of the Spring at what time as the Sunne begins to rule over the aire and to discusse the winter at least waies if we must according to your opinion understand the Sunne and Apollo to be both one god and not twaine Why quoth Serapion are you of another minde and doe you thinke the Sunne to be one Apollo another Yes mary doe I quoth he as well as that the Sunne and Moone do differ Yea and more than so for the Moone doth not often nor from all the world hide the Sunne whereas the Sunne hath made all men together for to be ignorant of Apollo diverting the minde and cogitation by the meanes of the sense and turning it from that which is unto that which appeareth onely Then Seripion demanded of those Historians our guides and conductors what was the reason that the forsaid cell or chappell was not intitled by the name of Cypselus who dedicated it but called the Corinthians chappel And when they held their peace because as I take it they knew not the cause I began to laugh thereat And why should we thinke quoth I that these men knew or remembered any thing more being astonied and amased as they were to heare you fable and talke of the meteors or impressions in the aire For even themselves we heard before relating that after the tyranny of Cypselus was put downe and overthrowen the Corinthians were desirous to have the inscirption as well of the golden statue at Pisa as of this cell or treasure house for to runne in the name of their whole city And verily the Delphians gave and granted them so much according to their due desert But for that the Elians envied them that priviledge therefore the Corinthians passed a publicke decree by vertue whereof they excluded them from the solemnity of the Isthmian games And heereof it came that never after that any champion out of the territorie of Elis was knowen to shew himselfe to doe his devoir at those Isthmicke games And the massacre of the Molionides which Hercules committed about the city of Cleonae was not the cause as some doe thinke why the Elians were debarred from thence for contrariwise it had belonged to them for to exclude and put by others if for this they had incurred the displeasure of the Corinthians And thus much said I for my part Now when we were come as far as to the hall of the Acanthians and of Brasidas our discoursing Historians and expositours shewed us the place where sometimes stood the obelisks of iron which Rhodopis the famous courtisan had dedicated Whereat Diogenianus was in a great chafe and brake out into these words Now surely quoth he the same city to their shame be it spoken hath allowed unto a common strumpet a place whether to bring and where to bestow the tenth part of that salarie which she got by the use of her body and unjustly put to death Aesope her fellow servant True quoth Serapion but are you so much offended hereat cast up your eie and looke aloft behold among the statues of brave captaines and glorious kings the image of Mnesarete all of beaten gold which Crates saith was dedicated and set up for a Trophae of the Greeks lasciviousnesse The yong gentleman seeing it Yea but it was of Phryne that Crates spake so You say true quoth Serapion for her proper name indeed was Mnesarete but surnamed she was Phryne in meriment because she looked pale or yellow like unto a kinde of frogge named in Greeke Phryne And thus many times surnames doe drowne and suppresse other names For thus the mother of king Alexander the great who had for her name at first Pollyxene came afterwards to be as they say surnamed Myrtale Olympias and Stratonice And the Corinthian lady Eumetis men call unto this day after her fathers name Cleobuline and Herophile of the city Erythre she who had the gift of divination and could skill of prophesie was afterwards in processe of time surnamed Sibylla And you have heard Grammarians say that even Leda her selfe was named Mnesinoe and Orestes Achaeus But how thinke you quoth he casting his eie upon Theon to answere this accusation as touching Phryne Then he smiling againe In such sort quoth he as I will charge and accuse you for busying your selfe in blaming thus the light faults of the Greeks For like as Socrates reprooved this in Calltas that gave defiance onely to sweet perfumes or pretious odors for he liked well enough to see the daunces and gesiculations of yong boies and could abide the sight of kissing of pleasants buffons and jesters to make folke laugh so me thinks that you would chase and exclude out of the temple one poore silly woman who used the beauty of her owne body haply not so honestly as she might and in the meane time you can abide to see god Apollo environed round about with the first fruits with the tenth and other oblations arising from murders warres and pillage and all his temple throughout hanged with the spoiles and booties gotten from the Greeks yea and are neither angry nor take pity when you reade over such goodly oblations and ornaments these most shamefull inscriptions and titles Brasidas and the Acanthians of the Athenian spoiles the Athenians of the Corinthians the Phocaeans of the Thesalians the Oraneates of the Sicyonians and the Amphyctions of the Phocaeans But peradventure it was Praxiteles alone who was offensive unto Crates for that he had set up a monument there of his owne sweet heart which he had made for the love of her whereas Crates contrariwise should have commended him in that among these golden images of kings and princes he had placed a courtisan in gold reproching thereby and condemning riches as having in it nothing to be admired and nothing venerable for it well beseemeth kings and great rulers to present Apollo and the gods with such ornaments and oblations as might testifie their owne justice their temperance and magnanimity and not make shew of their golden store and abundance of superfluous delicates whereof they have their part commonly who have lived most shamefully But you alledge not this example of Croesus quoth another of our historians directours who caused a statue in gold to be made set up here of his woman-baker which he did not for any proud and insolent ostentation of his riches in this temple but upon an honest just occasion for the report goeth that Alyattes the father of this Croesus espoused a second wife by whom he had other children whom hereared and brought up This lady then purposing secretly to take