smallest things,, and, if, being satisfied, thou wilt over lay it with more than needs, that which thou addest will either become unpleasant or hurtful. But perhaps thou thinkest it a fine thing to go decked in gay apparel, which, if they make a fair show, I will admire either the goodness of the stuff or the inven tion of the workman. Or doth the multitude of servants make thee happy? Who, if they be vicious, they are a pernicious burden to thy house, and exceedingly troublesome to their master; and if they be honest, how shall other men's honesty be counted amongst thy treasures? By all which is manifestly proved that none of these goods which thou accountest thine, are thine indeed. And if there is nothing in these worthy to be desired, why art thou either glad when thou hast them or sorry when thou losest them? Or what is it to thee, if they be precious by nature? For in this respect they would have pleased thee, though they had belonged to others. For they are not precious because they are come to be thine, but because they seemed precious thou wert desirous to have them. Now, what desire you with such loud praise of fortune? Perhaps you seek to drive away penury with plenty. But this falleth out quite con trary, for you stand in need of many supplies, to protect all this variety of precious ornaments. And it is true that they which have much, need much; and contrariwise, that they need little which measure not their wealth by the superfluity of ambition, but by the necessity of nature. Have you no proper and inward good, that you seek your goods in those things which are outward and separated from you? Is the condition of things so changed that a living creature, deservedly accounted divine for the gift of reason, seeineth to have no other excellency than the 201 BOETHII splendere nisi inanimatae supellectilis possessione 75 uideatur? Et alia quidem suis contenta sunt; uos autem deo mente consimiles ab rebus infimis excel- lentis naturae ornamenta captatis nee intellegitis quantam conditori uestro faciatis iniuriam. llle genus humanum terrenis omnibus praestare uoluit; uos 80 dignitatem uestram infra iiifima quaeque detruditis. Nam si omne cuiusque bonum eo cuius est constat esse pretiosius, cum uilissima rerum uestra bona esse iudicatis, eisdem uosmet ipsos uestra existimatione submittitis, quod quidem baud inmerito cadit.
85 Humanae quippe naturae ista condicio est ut turn tantum ceteris rebus cum se cognoscit excellat, eadem tamen infra bestias redigatur, si se nosse desierit. Nam ceteris animantibus sese ignorare naturae est; hominibus uitio uenit. Quam uero 90 late patet uester hie error qui ornari posse aliquid ornamentis existimatis alienis? At id fieri nequit. Nam si quid ex appositis luceat, ipsa quidem quae sunt apposita laudantur; illud uero his tectum atque uelatum in sua nihilo minus foeditate perdurat. Ego 95 uero nego ullum esse bonum quod noceat habenti. Num id mentior? ' Minime/ inquis. Atqui diuitiae possidentibus persaepe nocuerunt, cum pessimus quisque eoque alieni magis auidus quidquid usquam auri gemmarumque est se solum qui habeat dignissi- 100 mum putat. Tu igitur qui nunc contum gladiurnque sollicitus pertimescis, si uitae huius callem uacuus 202 CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. IT.
possession of a little household stuff without life? All other creatures are content with that they have of their own; and you, who in your mind carry the likeness of God, are content to take the ornaments of your excellent nature from the most base and vile things, neither understand you what injury you do your Creator. He would have mankind to excel all earthly things; you debase your dignity under every meanest creature. For if it be manifest that the good of everything is more precious than that whose good it is, since you judge the vilest things that can be to be your goods, you deject yourselves under them in your own estimation, which questionless c-ometh not undeservedly to pass; for this is the condition of man's nature, that then only it sur- passeth other things when it knoweth itself, and it is worse than beasts when it is without that know ledge. For in other living creatures the ignorance of themselves is nature, but in men it is vice. And how far doth this error of yours extend, who think that any can be adorned with the ornaments of another? Which can in no wise be. For if any adjoined thing seem precious, it is that which is praised, but that which is covered and enwrapped in it remaineth, notwithstanding, with the foul baseness which it hath of itself. Moreover, I deny that to be good which hurteth the possessor. Am I deceived in this? I am sure thou wilt say no. But riches have often hurt their possessors, since every lewdest companion, who are consequently most desii-ous of that which is not their own, think them selves most worthy to possess alone all the gold and jewels in the world. Wherefore thou, who with much perturbation fearest now to be assailed and slain, if thou hadst entered the path of this life like 203 BOETHII uiator intrasses, coram latrone cantares. O praeclara opum mortalium beatitude quam cum adeptus fueris securus esse desistis!
V.
Felix nimium prior aetas Contenta fidelibus aruis Nee inerti perdita luxu, Facili quae sera solebat 5 leiunia soluere glande.
Non Bacchica niunera norant Liquido confundere melle Nee lucida uellera Serum Tyrio miscere ueneno.
10 Somnos dabat herba salubres, Potum quoque lubricus amnis, Vmbras altissima pinus. Nondum maris alta secabat Nee mercibus undique lectis 15 Noua litora uiderat hospes.
Tune classica saeua tacebant, Odiis neque fusus acerbis Cruor horrida tinxerat arua. Quid enim furor hosticus ulla 20 Vellet prior arma mouere, Cum uulnera saeua uiderent Nee praemia sanguinis ulla? Vtinam modo nostra redirent In mores tempora priscos!
25 Sed saeuior ignibus Aetnae Feruens amor ardet habendi.
CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. II.
a poor passenger, needest not be afraid, but mightest rejoice and sing even in the sight of most ravenous thieves.a O excellent happiness of mortal riches, which, when thou hast gotten, thou hast lost thy safety!
V.
Too much the former age was blest, When fields their pleased owners failed not, Who, with no slothful lust opprest, Broke their long fasts with acorns eas'ly got.
No wine with honey mixed was, Nor did they silk in purple colours steep; They slept upon the wholesome grass, And their cool drink did fetch from rivers deep.
The pines did hide them with their shade, No merchants through the dangerous billows went, Nor with desire of gainful trade Their traffic into foreign countries sent.
Then no shrill trumpets did amate The minds of soldiers with their daunting sounds, Nor weapons were with deadly hate Dyed with the dreadful blood of gaping wounds.
For how could any fury draw The mind of man to stir up war in vain, When nothing but fierce wounds he saw, And for his blood no recompense should gain?
O that the ancient manners would In these our latter hapless times return!
Now the desire of having gold Doth like the naming fires of Aetna burn.
205 BOETHII Heu primus quis fuit ille Auri qui pondera tecti Gemmasque latere uolentes 30 Pretiosa pericula fodit?
VI.
Quid autem de dignitatibus potentiaque disseram quae uos uerae dignitatis ac potestatis inscii caelo exaequatis? Quae si in improbissimum quemque ceciderunt, quae flammis Aetnae eructuantibus, quod 5 diluuium tantas strages dederint? Certe, uti memi- nisse te arbitror, consulare imperium, quod libertatis principium fuerat, ob superbiam consulum uestri ueteres abolere cupiuerunt, qui ob eandem superbiam prius regium de ciuitate nomen abstulerant. At si 10 quando, quod perrarum est, probis deferantur, quid in eis aliud quam probitas utentium placet? Ita fit ut non uirtutibus ex dignitate sed ex uirtute digni tatibus honor accedat. Quae uero est ista uestra expetibilis ac praeclara potentia? Nonne, o terrena 15 animalia, consideratis quibus qui praesidere uidea- mini? Nunc si inter mures uideres unum aliquem ius sibi ac potestatem prae ceteris uindicantem, quanto mouereris cachinno! Quid uero, si corpus spectes, inbecillius homine reperire queas quos 20 saepe muscularum quoque uel morsus uel in secreta quaeque reptantium necat introitus? Quo uero quisquam ius aliquod in quempiam nisi in solum corpus et quod infra corpus est, fortunam loquor, possit exserere? Num quidquam libero imperabis 0 The subject of deferantur is dignitates potentiaqiw. 206 CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. II.
Ah, who was he that first did show The heaps of treasure which the earth did hide, And jewels which lay close below, By which he costly dangers did provide?
VI.
Now, why should I discourse of dignities and power which you, not knowing what true dignity and power meaneth, exalt to the skies? And if they light upon wicked men, what Aetnas, belching flames, or what deluge can cause so great harms? I suppose thou rememberest how your ancestors, by reason of the consuls' arrogancy, desired to abolish that government which had been the beginning of their freedom, who before, for the same cause, had removed the government of kings from their city. And if sometime, which is very seldom, good men be preferred to honours," what other thing can give contentment in them but the honesty of those which have them? So that virtues are not honoured by dignities, but dignities by virtue. But what is this excellent power which you esteemed so desirable? Consider you not, () earthly wights, whom you seem to excel? For if among mice thou shouldst see one claim jurisdiction and power to himself over the rest, to what a laughter it would move thee! And what, if thou respectest the body, canst thou find more weak than man, whom even the biting of little flies or the entering of creeping worms doth often kill? Now, how can any man exercise jurisdiction upon anybody except upon their bodies, and that which is inferior to their bodies, I mean their fortunes? Canst thou ever imperiously impose anything upon 207 BOETHII 25 animo? Num mentem firma sibi ration e cohaerenteni de statu propriae quietis amouebis? Cum liberum quendam uirum suppliciis se tyrannus adacturum putaret, ut aduersum se factae coniurationis conscios proderet, linguam ille momordit atque abscidit et in 30 os tyranni saeuientis abiecit; ita cruciatus, quos putabat tyrannus materiam crudelitatis, uir sapiens fecit esse uirtutis. Quid autem est quod in alium facere quisquam l possit, quod sustinere ab alio ipse non possit? Busiridem accipimus necare hospites 35 solitum ab Hercule hospite fuisse mactatum. Regulus plures Poenorum bello captos in uincla coniecerat, sed mox ipse uictorum catenis manus praebuit. Vllamne igitur eius hominis potentiam putas, qui quod ipse in alio potest, ne id in se alter 40 ualeat efficere non possit? Ad haec si ipsis digni- tatibus ac potestatibus inesset aliquid naturalis ac proprii boni, numquam pessimis prouenirent. Neque enim sibi solent aduersa sociari; natura respuit ut contraria quaeque iungantur. Ita cum pessimos 45 plerumque dignitatibus fungi dubium non sit, illud etiam liquet natura sui bona non esse quae se pessimis haerere patiantur. Quod quidem de cunctis fortunae muneribus digiiius existimari potest, quae ad improbissimum quemque uberiora perueniunt. De 50 quibus illud etiam considerandum puto, quod nemo dubitat esse fortem, cui fortitudinem inesse con- spexerit, et cuicumque uelocitas adest manifestum 1 quisque codd. optimi.
a The free man was the philosopher Anaxarchus: the tyrant, Nicocreon the Cypriote. For the story see Diogenes Laertius ix. 59. 208 CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. II.
a free mind? Canst thou remove a soul settled in firm reason from the quiet state which it possesseth? When a tyrant thought to compel a certain free man by torments to bewray his confederates of a con spiracy attempted against him, he bit off his tongue, and spit it out upon the cruel tyrant's face," by that means wisely making those tortures, which the tyrant thought matter of cruelty, to be to him occasion of virtue. Now, what is there that any can enforce upon another which he may not himself be en forced to sustain by another? We read that Busiris, wont to kill his guests, was himself slain by his guest Hercules.6 Regulus had laid fetters upon many Africans taken in war, but ere long he found his own hands environed with his conqueror's chains.0 Wherefore thinkest thou the power of that man to be anything worth, who cannot hinder another from doing that to him which he can do to another? Moreover, if dignities and power had any natural and proper good in them, they would never be bestowed upon the worst men, for one opposite useth not to accompany another; nature refuseth to have contraries joined. So that, since there is no doubt but that men of the worst sort often enjoy dignities, it is also manifest that they are not naturally good which may follow most naughty men. Which may more worthily be thought of all fortune's gifts which are more plentifully bestowed upon every lewd com panion. Concerning which, I take that also to be worthy consideration, that no man doubteth him to be a valiant man in whom he seeth valour, and it is manifest that he which hath swiftness is swift. So, * Cf. Apollod. ii. 5. 11; Claudian xviii. 159; Virg. Georg. iii. 4.
0 Cf. Cicero, De Off. iii. 99.
H 209 BOETHII est esse uelocem. Sic musica quidem musicos medicina medicos rhetorice rhetores facit. Agit enim cuiusque rei natura quod proprium est nee 5 contrariarum rerum miscetur effectibus et ultro quae sunt auersa depellit. Atqui nee opes inexpletam restinguere auaritiam queunt nee potestas sui com- potem fecerit quern uitiosae libidines insolubilibus adstrictum retinent catenis, et collata improbis dignitas non modo non efficit dignos, sed prodit potius et ostentat indignos. Cur ita prouenit? Gaudetis enim res sese aliter habentes falsis corn- pellare nominibus quae facile ipsarum rerum red- arguuntur efFectu; itaque nee illae diuitiae nee ilia potentia nee haec dignitas iure appellari potest. Postremo idem de tota concludere fortuna licet in qua nihil expetendum, nihil natiuae bonitatis inesse manifestum est, quae nee se bonis semper adiungit et bonos quibus fuerit adiuncta non efficit.
70 VI.
Nouimus quantas dederit ruinas Vrbe flammata patribusque caesis Fratre qui quondam ferus interempto Matris effuso maduit cruore Corpus et uisu gelidum pererrans & Ora non tinxit lacrimis, sed esse Censor extincti potuit decoris. Hie tamen sceptro populos regebat Quos uidet condens radios sub undas Phoebus extremo ueniens ab ortu, Quos premunt septem gelidi triones, " Literally, " but could be the critic of her dead beauty." Cf. Suet. Nero 24; Tac. Ann. xiv. 9. 210 CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. II.
likewise, music maketh musicians, physic physicians, and rhetoric rhetoricians. For the nature of every thing doth that which is proper unto it, and is not mixed with contrary effects but repelleth all opposites. But neither can riches extinguish unsatiable avarice, nor power make him master of himself whom vicious lusts keep chained in strongest fetters. And dignity bestowed upon wicked men doth not only not make them worthy but rather bewrayeth and discovereth their unworthiness. How cometh this to pass? Because in miscalling things that are otherwise, you take a pleasure which is easily refuted by the effect of the things themselves. Wherefore, by right, these things are not to be called riches, this is not to be called power, that is not to be called dignity. Lastly, we may conclude the same of all fortunes in which it is manifest there is nothing to be desired, nothing naturally good, which neither are always bestowed upon good men, nor do make them good whom they are bestowed upon.
VI.
We know what stirs he made Who did the Senate slay and Rome with fire invade, Who did his brother kill, And with his mother's blood his moistened hand did fill; Who looked on that cold face Tearless, and nicely marked her members' several grace.* Yet his dread power controlled Those people whom the sun doth in the east behold, And those who do remain In western lands or dwell under Bootes' wain 211 BOETHII Quos Notus sicco uiolentus aestu Torret ardentes recoquens harenas. Celsa nurn tandem ualuit potestas 15 Vertere praui rabiem Neronis?
Heu grauem sortem, quotiens iniquus Additur saeuo gladius ueneno! " VII.
Turn ego: " Scis/' inquam, "ipsa minimum nobis ambitionem mortalium rerum fuisse dominatam. Sed materiam gerendis rebus optauimus quo ne uirtus tacita consenesceret." Et ilia: " Atqui hoc unum 5 est quod praestantes quidem natura mentes sed nondum ad extremam manum uirtutum perfectione perductas allicere possit, gloriae scilicet cupido et optimorum in rem publicam fama meritorum; quae quam sit exilis et totius uacua ponderis, sic considera.
10 Omnem terrae ambitum, sicuti astrologicis demon- strationibus accepisti, ad caeli spatium ptincti constat obtinere rationern, id est ut, si ad caelestis globi magnitudinem conferatur, nihil spatii prorsus habere iudicetur. Huius igitur tarn exiguae in mundo 15 regionis quarta fere portio est, sicut Ptolomaeo pro- bante didicisti, quae nobis cognitis animantibus in- colatur. Huic quartae, si quantum maria paludesque premunt quantumque siti uasta regio distenditur cogitatione subtraxeris, uix angustissima inhabitandi 20 hominibus area relinquetur. In hoc igitur minimo puncti quodam puncto circumsaepti atque conclusi de a Claudius Ptolemaeus, mathematician, astronomer, geographer, fl. A.D. 139-161.
212 CONSOT-AT. PHILOSOPH. II.
And those whose skins are tanned With southern winds, which roast and burn the parched sand.
What? C'ould this glorious might Restrain the furious rage of wicked Nero's spite?
But oh! mishap most bad, Which doth the wicked sword to cruel poison add! " VII.
VII.
Then I said: " Thou thyself knowest that the ambition of mortal things hath borne as little sway with me as with any, but I desired matter of action, lest old age should come upon me ere I had done anything." To which she answered: "This is the only thing which is able to entice such minds as, being well qualified by nature, are not yet fully brought to full excellence by the perfecting of virtues, I mean desire of glory, and fame of best deserts towards their commonwealth, which how slender it is, and void of all weight, consider this: thou hast learnt by astronomical demonstrations that the compass of the whole earth compared to the scope of heaven is no bigger than a pin's point, which is as much as to say that, if it be conferred with the greatness of the celestial sphere, it hath no bigness at all. And of this so small a region in the world only the fourth part is known to be inhabited by living creatures known to us, as Ptolemy a proveth. From which fourth part, if thou takest away in imagination the seas, the marsh grounds, and all other desert places, there will scarcely be left any room at all for men to inhabit. Wherefore, enclosed and shut up in this smallest point of that other point, do you think of 213 BOETHII 213 BOETHII peruulganda fama, de proferendo nomine cogitatis? Aut quid habeat amplum magnificumque gloria tarn angustis exiguisque limitibus artata? Adde quod 25 hoc ipsum breuis habitacuii saeptum plures incolunt nationes lingua, moribus, totius uitae ratione distantes, ad quas turn difficultate itirierum turn loquendi diuer- sitate turn commercii insolentia non modo fama hominum singulorum sed ne urbium quidem peruenire 30 queat. Aetate denique Marci Tullii, sicut ipse quodam loco significat, nondum Caucasum montem Romanae rei publicae fama transcenderat, et erat tune adulta Parthis etiam ceterisque id locorum gentibus formidolosa. Videsne igitur quam sit angusta, quam 35 compressa gloria quam dilatare ac propagare laboratis? An ubi Romani nominis transire fama nequit, Romani hominis gloria progredietur? Quid quod diuersarum gentium mores inter se atque instituta discordant, ut quod apud alios laude apud alios supplicio dignum 4 iudicetur. Quo fit ut si quern famae praedicatio delectat, huic in plurimos populos nomen proferre nullo modo conducat. Erit igitur peruagata inter suos gloria quisque contentus et intra unius gentis terminos praeclara ilia famae inmortalitas coartabitur.
45 Sed quam multos clarissimos suis temporibus uiros scriptorum inops deleuit obliuio! Quamquam quid ipsa scripta proficiant, quae cum suis auctoribus premit longior atque obscura uetustas? Vos uero inmortalitatem uobis propagare uidemini, cum futuri 50 famam temporis cogitatis. Quod si aeternitatis infinita spatia pertractes, quid habes quod de nominis a Cf. Somn. Scip. 6. 14 ap. Macr. Comment, ii. 10. 214 CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. II.
extending your fame and enlarging your name? But what great or heroical matter can that glory have, which is pent up in so small and narrow bounds? Besides that the little compass of this small habitation is inhabited by many nations, different in language, fashions, and conversation, to which by reason of the difficulties in travelling, the diversity of speech, and the scarcity of traffic, not only the Fame of particular men but even of cities can hardly come. Finally, in the age of Marcus Tullius, as he himself writeth,a the fame of the Roman Commonwealth had not passed the mountain Caucasus, and yet it was then in the most flourishing estate, fearful even to the Parthians and to the rest of the nations about. Seest thou therefore how strait and narrow that glory is which you labour to enlarge and increase? Where the fame of the Roman name could not pass, can the glory of a Roman man penetrate? Moreover, the customs and laws of diverse nations do so much differ the one from the other, that the same thing which some commend as laudable, others condemn as deserving punishment. So that if a man be delighted with the praise of fame, it is no way convenient for him to be named in many countries. Wherefore, every man must be content with that glory which he may have at home, and that noble immortality of fame must be comprehended within the compass of one nation.
Now, how many, most famous while they lived, are altogether forgotten for want of writers! Though what do writings themselves avail which perish, as well as their authors, by continuance and obscurity of time? But you imagine that you make yourselves immortal when you cast your eyes upon future fame. Whereas, if thou weighest attentively the infinite spaces of eternity, what cause hast thou 215 BOETHII tui diuturnitate laeteris? Vnius etenim mora mo> menti, si decem milibus conferatur annis, quoniam utrumque spatium definitum est, minimam, licet, 65 habet tamen aliquam portionem. At hie ipse numerus annorum eiusque quamlibet multiplex ad interminabilem diuturnitatem ne comparari quidem potest. Etenim finitis ad se inuicem fuerit quaedam, infiniti uero atque finiti nulla umquam poterit esse 60 collatio. Ita fit ut quamlibet prolixi temporis fama, si cum inexhausta aeternitate cogitetur, non parua sed plane nulla esse uideatur. Vos autem nisi ad populares auras inanesque rumores recte facere nescitis et relicta conscientiae uirtutisque praestantia 65 de alienis praemia sermunculis postulatis. Accipe in huiusmodi arrogantiae leuitate quam festiue aliquis inluserit. Nam cum quidam adortus esset hommern contumeliis, qui non ad uerae uirtutis usum sed ad superbam gloriam falsum sibi philosophi nomen 70 induerat, adiecissetque iam se sciturum, an ille philo- sophus esset, si quidem illatas iniurias leniter patien- terque tolerasset, ille patientiam paulisper adsumpsit acceptaque contumelia uelut insultans: ' Iam tan dem,' inquit, ' intellegis me esse philosophum? ' 75 Turn ille nimium mordaciter: ' Intellexeram,' inquit, ' si tacuisses.' Quid autem est quod ad praecipuos uiros, de his enim sermo est, qui uirtute gloriam petunt, quid, inquam, est quod ad hos de fama post resolutum morte suprema corpus attineat? Nam si, 80 quod nostrae rationes credi uetant, toti moriuntur homines, nulla est omnino gloria, cum is cuius ea esse dicitur non exstet omnino. Sin uero bene sibi mens conscia terreno carcere resoluta caelum libera 216 - CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. II.
to rejoice at the prolonging of thy name? For if we compare the stay of one moment with ten thousand years, since both be limited, they have some propor tion, though it be but very small. But this number of years, how oft so ever it be multiplied, is no way comparable to endless eternity. For limited things may in some sort be compared among themselves, but that which is infinite admitteth no comparison at all with the limited. So that the fame of never so long time, if it be compared with everlasting eternity, seemeth not little but none at all. But without popular blasts and vain rumours you know not IIOAV to do well, and, rejecting the excellency of a good conscience and of virtue, you choose to be rewarded with others' tattling. Hear how pleasantly one jested at this vain and contemptible arrogancy. For having assaulted with reproachful speeches a certain fellow who had falsely taken upon him the name of a philo sopher, not for the use of virtue but for vainglory, and having added that now he would know whether he were a philosopher or no by his gentle and patient bearing of injuries, the other took all patiently for a while, and having borne his contumely, as it were, ti'iumphing, said: ' Dost thou now at length think me a philosopher? ' To which he bitingly replied: c I would have thought thee one if thou hadst holden thy peace.' But what have excellent men (for of these I speak) who seek for glory by virtue, what have we, I say, to expect for these by fame after final death hath dissolved the body? For if, contrary to our belief, men wholly perish, there is no glory at all, since he to whom it is said to belong is nowhere extant. But if a guiltless mind freed from earthly imprisonment goeth forthwith to heaven, will she not despise all earthly traffic who,