40 Contra quos respondendum est tres intellegi hominum posse status: unum quidem Adae ante 0 This respondendum has the true Thomist ring. 122 CONTRA EVTYCHEN in sinful desires, and if his punishment for sin was that, although he was held in chains of death, yet at the same time he should be guilty because of the will to sin, why was there in Christ neither sin nor any will to sin? And certainly such a question is attended by a difficulty which deserves attention. For if the body of Christ was assumed from human flesh, it is open to doubt of what kind we must con sider that flesh to be which was assumed.
In truth, the manhood which He assumed He likewise saved; but if He assumed such manhood as Adam had before sin, He appears to have assumed a human nature complete indeed, but one which was in no need of healing. But how can it be that He assumed such manhood as Adam had when there could be in Adam both the will and the desire to sin, whence it came to pass that even after the divine commands had been broken, he was still held captive to sins of disobedience? But we believe that in Christ there was never any will to sin, because especially if He assumed such a human body as Adam had before his sin, He could not be mortal, since Adam, had he not sinned, would in no wise have suffered death. Since, then, Christ never sinned, it must be asked why He suffered death if He assumed the body of Adam before sin. But if He accepted human conditions such as Adam's were after sin, it seems that Christ could not avoid being subject to sin, perplexed by passions, and, since the canons of judgment were obscured, prevented from distin guishing with unclouded reason between good and evil, since Adam by his disobedience incurred all these penalties of crime.
To whom we must reply a that there are three states of man to envisage: one, that of Adam before his 123 BOETHII delictum in quo, tametsi ab eo mors aberat nee adhuc ullo se delicto polluerat, poterat tamen in eo uoluntas esse peccandi: alter in quo mutari potuisset, 15 si firmiter in dei praeceptis manere uoluisset, tune enim id addendum foret ut non modo non peccaret aut peccare uellet sed ne posset quidem aut peccare aut uelle delinquere. Tertius status est post delictum in quo mors ilium necessario subsecuta est et peccatum 50 ipsum uoluntasque peccati. Quorum summitatum atque contrariorum haec loca sunt: is status qui praemium esset, si in praeceptis dei Adam manere uoluisset et is qui poenae fuit, quoniam manere noluit; in illo enim nee mors esset nee peccatum 55 nee uoluntas ulla peccati, in hoc uero et mors et peccatum et delinquendi omnis affectio omniaque in perniciem prona nee quicquam in se opis habentia, ut post lapsum posset adsurgere. Ille uero medius status in quo praesentia quidem mortis uel peccati 60 aberat, potestas uero utriusque constabat, inter utrumque statum est conlocatus. Ex his igitur tribus statibus Christus corporeae naturae singulas quodam modo indidit causas; nam quod mortale corpus adsumpsit ut mortem a genere humano 55 fugaret, in eo statu ponendum est quod post Adae praeuaricationem poenaliter inflictum est. Quod uero non fuit in eo uoluntas ulla peccati, ex eo sumptum est statu qui esse potuisset, nisi uoluntatem insidiantis fraudibus applicasset. Restat igitur tertius 70 status id est medius, ille scilicet qui eo tempore fuit, cum nee mors aderat et adesse poterat delinquendi uoluntas. In hoc igitur Adam talis fuit ut mandu- caret ac biberet, ut accepta digereret, ut laberetur 124 CONTRA EVTYCHRN CONTRA EVTYCHRN sin, in which, though free from death and still un stained by any sin, he could yet have within him the will to sin; the second, that in which he might have suffered change had he chosen to abide steadfastly in the commands of God, for then it could have been further granted him not only not to sin or wish to sin, but to be incapable of sinning or of the will to transgress. The third state is the state after sin, into which man needs must be pursued by death and sin and the sinful will. Now the points of extreme divergence between these states are the following: one state would have been for Adam a reward if he had chosen to abide in God's laws; the other was his punishment because he would not abide in them; for in the former state there would have been no death nor sin nor sinful will, in the latter there was both death and sin and every desire to transgress, and a general tendency to ruin and a condition helpless to render possible a rise after the Fall. But that middle state from which actual death or sin was absent, but the power for both remained, is situate between the other two.
Each one, then, of these three states somehow supplied to Christ a cause for his corporeal nature; thus His assumption of a mortal body in order to drive death far from the human race belongs properly to that state which was laid on man by way of punish ment after Adam's sin, whereas the fact that there was in Christ no sinful will is borrowed from that state which might have been if Adam had not sur rendered his will to the frauds of the tempter. There remains, then, the third or middle state, to wit, that which was before death had come and while the will to sin might yet be present. In this state, therefore, Adam was able to eat and drink, digest 125 BOETHII in somnum et alia quae ei non defuerunt humana ^5 quidem sed concessa et quae nullam poenam mortis inferrent.
Quae omnia habuisse Christum dubium non est; nam et manducauit et bibit et humani corporis officio functus est. Neque enim tanta indigentia in Adam 30 fuisse credenda est ut nisi manducasset uiuere non potuisset, sed, si ex omni quidem ligno escam sumeret, semper uiuere potuisset bisque non mori; idcirco paradisi fructibus indigentiam explebat. Quam indigentiam fuisse in Christo nullus ignorat, sed B5 potestate non necessitate; et ipsa indigentia ante resurrectkmem in eo fuit, post resurrectionem uero talis exstitit ut ita illud corpus inmutaretur humanum, sicut Adae praeter praeuaricationis uinculum mutari potuisset. Quodque nos ipse dominus lesus Christus 90 uotis docuit optare, ut fiat uoluntas eius sicut in caelo et in terra et ut adueniat eius regnum et nos liberet a malo. Haec enim omnia ilia beatissima humani generis fideliter credentium inmutatio deprecatur.
Haec sunt quae ad te de fidei meae credulitate 95 scripsi. Qua in re si quid perperam dictum est, non ita sum amator mei, ut ea quae semel effuderim meliori sententiae anteferre contendam. Si enim nihil est ex nobis boni, nihil est quod in nostris sententiis amare debeamus. Quod si ex illo cuncta 00 sunt bona qui solus est bonus, illud potius bonum esse credendum est quod ilia incommutabilis bonitas atque omnium bonoruin causa perscribit.
a Adam did not need to eat in order to live, but if he had not eaten he would have suffered hunger, etc.
6 The whole of this passage might be set in Tr. iv. without altering the tone.
126 CONTRA EVTYCHEN the food he took, fall asleep, and perform all the other functions which always belonged to him as man, though they were allowed and brought with them no pain of death.
There is no doubt that Christ was in all points thus conditioned; for He ate and drank and dis charged the bodily function of the human body. For we must not think that Adam was at the first subject to such need that unless he ate he could not have lived, but rather that, if he had taken food from every tree, he could have lived for ever, and by that food have escaped death; and so by the fruits of the Garden he satisfied a need.a And all know that in Christ the same need dwelt, but lying in His own power and not laid upon Him. And this need was in Him before the Resurrection, but after the Resurrection He became such that His human body was changed as Adam's might have been but for the bands of disobedience. Which state, moreover, our Lord Jesus Christ Himself taught us to desire in our prayers, asking that His Will be done as in heaven so on earth, and that His Kingdom come, and that He may deliver us from evil. For all these things are sought in prayer by those members of the human family who rightly believe and who are destined to undergo that most blessed change of all.& So much have I written to you concerning what I believe should be believed. In which matter if I have said aught amiss, I am not so well pleased with myself as to try to press my effusions in the face of wiser judgment. For if there is no good thing in us there is nothing we should fancy in our opinions. But if all things are good as coming from Him who alone is good, that rather must be thought good which the Unchangeable Good and Cause of all Good indites.
127 ANICII MANLII SEVERTNI BOETHII V.C. ET INL. EXCOKS. ORD. EX MAG. OFF. PATRICII PHILOSOPHIAE CONSOLA- TIONIS LIBER I. I.
CARMINA qui quondam studio florente peregi, Flebilis heu maestos cogor inire modos. Ecce mihi lacerae dictant scribenda Camenae Et ueris elegi fletibus ora rigant. Has saltern nullus potuit peruincere terror, Ne nostrum comites prosequerentur iter. Gloria felicis olim uiridisque iuuentae Solantur maesti nunc mea fata senis. Venit enim properata malis inopina senectus Et dolor aetatem iussit inesse suam. Intempestiui funduntur uertice cani Et tremit effeto corpoi-e laxa cutis. Mors hominum felix quae se nee dulcibus annis Inserit et maestis saepe uocata uenit. Eheu quam surda miseros auertitur aure Et flentes oculos claudere saeua negat.
0 Literally " For Old Age, unlocked for, sped by evils, has come, and Grief has bidden her years lie on me." 128 THE FIRST BOOK OF BOETHIUS CONTAINING HIS COMPLAINT AND MISERIES 1.
I THAT with youthful heat did verses write, Must now my woes in doleful tunes indite. My work is framed by Muses torn and rude, And my sad cheeks are with true tears bedewed: For these alone no terror could affray From being partners of my weary way. The art that was my young life's joy and glory Becomes my solace now I'm old and sorry; Sorrow has filched my youth from me, the thief! My days are numbered not by time but Grief.1* Untimely hoary hairs cover my head, And my loose skin quakes on my flesh half dead. O happy death, that spareth sweetest years, And comes in sorrow often called with tears. Alas, how deaf is he to wretch's cries; And loath he is to close up weeping eyes; 129 BOETHII Dum leuibus male fida bonis fortuna faueret, Paene caput tristis merserat hora meum.
Nunc quia fallacem mutauit nubila uultum, >0 Protrahit ingratas impia uita moras.
Quid me felicem totiens iactastis amici? Qui cecidit, stabili non erat ille gradu.
1.
Haec dum mecum tacitus ipse reputarem queri- moniamque lacrimabilem stili officio signarem, ad- stitisse mihi supra uerticem uisa est mulier reue- rendi admodum uultus, oculis ardentibus et ultra 6 communem homiiium ualentiam perspicacibus colore uiuido atque inexhausti uigoris, quamuis ita aeui plena foret ut nullo modo nostrae crederetur aetatis, statura discretionis ambiguae. Nam nunc quidem ad communem sese hominum mensuram cohibebat, .0 nunc uero pulsare caelum summi uerticis cacumine uidebatur; quae cum altius caput extulisset, ipsum etiam caelum penetrabat respicientiumque hominum frustrabatur intuitum. Vestes erant tenuissimis filis subtili artificio, indissolubili materia perfectae quas, .5 uti post eadem prodente cognoui, suis manibus ipsa texuerat. Quarum speciem, ueluti fumosas imagines solet, caligo quaedam neglectae uetustatis obduxerat. Harum in extrema margine •!!• Graecum, in supremo uero -6-, legebatur intextum. Atque inter utrasque 10 litteras in scalarum modum gradus quidam insigniti uidebantur quibus ab inferiore ad superius elementum esset ascensus. Eandem tamen uestem uiolentorum quorundam sciderant manus et particulas quas a Cf. "est enim philosophia genus, species uero eius duae, una quae Oewp-rjTiK-ri dicitur, altera quae irpaKTiic/i, id est speculatiua et actiua." Boeth. In Porph. Dial. i.
130 CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. I.
While trustless chance me with vain favours crowned, That saddest hour my life had almost drowned: Now she hath clouded her deceitful face, My spiteful days prolong their weary race. My friends, why did you count me fortunate? He that is fallen, ne'er stood in settled state.
I.
While I ruminated these things with myself, and determined to set forth my woful complaint in writing, methought I saw a woman stand above my head, having a grave countenance, glistening clear eye, and of quicker sight than commonly Nature doth afford; her colour fresh and bespeaking unabated vigour, and yet discovering so many years, that she could not at all be thought to belong to our times; her stature uncertain and doubtful, for some time she exceeded not the common height of men, and sometime she seemed to touch the heavens with her head, and if she lifted it up to the highest, she pierced the very heavens, so that she could not be seen by the beholders; her garments were made of most fine threads with cunning workmanship into an ever-during stuff, which (as I knew afterward by her own report) she had woven with her own hands. A certain duskishness caused by negligence and time had darkened their colour, as it is wont to happen when pictures stand in a smoky room. In the lower part of them was placed the Greek letter H, and in the upper 0,a and betwixt the two letters, in the manner of stairs, there were certain degrees made, by which there was a passage from the lower to the higher letter: this her garment had been cut by the violence of some, who had taken away such pieces 131 BOETHII quisque potuit abstulerant. Et dextera quidem eius 25 libellos, sceptrum uero sinistra gestabat.
Quae ubi poeticas Musas uidit nostro adsistentes toro fletibusque meis uerba dictantes, commota paulisper ac toruis inflammata luminibus: "Quis," inquit, "has scenicas meretriculas ad hunc aegrum 80 permisit accedere quae dolores eius non modo nullis remediis fouerent, uerum dulcibus insuper alerent uenenis? Hae sunt enim quae infructuosis affectuum spinis uberem fructibus rationis segetem necant homi- numque mentes assuefaciunt morbo, non liberant.
35 At si quem profanum, uti uulgo solitum uobis, blan- ditiae uestrae detraherent, minus moleste ferendum putarem; nihil quippe in eo nostrae operae laederen- tur. Hunc uero Eleaticis atque Academicis studiis innutritum? Sed abite potius Sirenes usque in 40 exitium dulces meisque eum Musis curandum sanan- dumque relinquite."
His ille chorus increpitus deiecit humi maestior uultum confessusque rubore uerecundiam limen tristis excessit. At ego cuius acies lacrimis mersa caligaret 45 nee dinoscere possem, quaenam haec esset mulier tarn imperiosae auctoritatis^ obstipui uisuque in terram defixo quidnam deinceps esset actura, exspectare tacitus coepi. Turn ilia propius accedens in extrema lectuli mei parte consedit meumque intuens uultum 60 luctu grauem atque in humum maerore deiectum his uersibus de nostrae mentis perturbatione con- questa est.
0 This scorn of the profanum vulyus appears again and again in the theological tractates, e.g. Tr. iii. (supra, p. 4), Tr. v. (supra, p. 74).
6 Zeno of Elea invented Dialectic: Plato was the first to lecture on philosophy in the gymnasium of the Academia.
132 CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. I.
as they could get, In her right hand she had certain books, and in her left hand she held a sceptre.
This woman, seeing the poetical Muses stand ing about my bed, and suggesting words to my tears, being moved for a little space, and inflamed with angry looks: "Who," saith she, "hath per mitted these tragical harlots to have access to this sick man, which will not only not comfort his grief with wholesome remedies, but also nourish them with sugared poison? For these be they which with the fruitless thorns of affections do kill the fruitful crop of reason, and do accustom men's minds to sickness, instead of curing them. But if your flattery did deprive us of some profane fello\v,a as commonly it happeneth, I should think that it were not so grievously to be taken, for in him our labours should receive no harm. But now have you laid hold of him who hath been brought up in Eleatical and Academical studies? b Rather get you gone, you Sirens pleasant even to destruction, and leave him to my Muses to be cured and healed."
That company being thus checked, overcome with grief, casting their eyes upon the ground, and bewraying their bashfulness with blushing, went sadly away. But I, whose sight was dimmed with tears, so that I could not discern what this woman might be, so imperious, and of such authority, was astonished, and, fixing my countenance upon the earth, began to expect with silence what she would do afterward. Then she coming nigher, sat down at my bed's feet, and beholding my countenance sad with mourning, and cast upon the ground with grief, complained of the perturbation of my mind with these verses.
133 BOETHII II.
Heu quam praecipiti mersa profundo Mens hebet et propria luce relicta.
Tendit in externas ire tenebras, Terrenis quotiens flatibus aucta ; Crescit in inmensum noxia cura.
Hie quondam caelo liber aperto Suetus in aetherios ire meatus Cernebat rosei lumina solis, Visebat gelidae sidera lunae j Et quaecumque uagos stella recursus Exercet uarios flexa per orbes, Comprensam numeris uictor habebat.
Quin etiam causas unde sonora Flamina sollicitent aequora ponti, I Quis uoluat stabilem spiritus orbem Vel cur hesperias sidus in undas Casurum rutilo surgat ab ortu, Quid ueris placidas temperet boras, Vt terrain roseis floribus ornet, > Quis dedit ut pleno fertilis anno Autumnus grauidis influat uuis Rimari solitus atque latentis Naturae uarias reddere causas, Nunc iacet effete lumine mentis i Et pressus grauibus colla catenis Decliuemque gerens pondere uultum Cogitur, heu, stolidam cernere terrain.
II.
Sed medicinae," inquit, " tempus est quam querelae." Turn uero totis in me intenta luminibus: "Tune ille es," ait, "qui nostro quondam lacte 134 CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. I.
II.
Alas,, how thy dull mind is headlong cast In depths of woe,, where, all her light once lost, She doth to walk in utter darkness haste, While cares grow great with earthly tempests tost, He that through the opened heavens did freely run, And used to travel the celestial ways, Marking the rosy splendour of the sun, And noting Cynthia's cold and watery rays; He that did bravely comprehend in verse The different spheres and wandering course of stars, He that was wont the causes to rehearse Why sounding winds do with the seas make wars, What spirit moves the world's well-settled frame, And why the sun, whom forth the east doth bring, In western waves doth hide his falling flame, Searching what power tempers the pleasing Spring Which makes the earth her rosy flowers to bear, Whose gift it is that Autumn's fruitful season Should with full grapes flow in a plenteous year, Telling of secret Nature every reason, Now having lost the beauty of his mind Lies with his neck compassed in ponderous chains; His countenance with heavy weight declined, Him to behold the sullen earth constrains.
II.
But it is rather time," saith she, " to apply remedies, than to make complaints." And then looking wistfully upon me: " Art thou he," saith she, " which, being long since nursed with our milk, 135 BOETHII nutritus nostris educatus alimentis in uirilis animi 5 robur euaseras? Atqui talia contuleramus arma quae nisi prior abiecisses, inuicta te firmitate tue- rentur. Agnoscisne me? Quid taces? Pudore an stupore siluisti? Mallem pudore, sed te, ut uideo, stupor oppressit." Cumque me non modo taciturn 0 sed elinguem prorsus mutumque uidisset, admouit pectori meo leniter manum et: " Nihil/' inquit, "pericli est; lethargum patitur communem inlu- sarum mentium morbum. Sui paulisper oblitus est; recordabitur facile, si quidem nos ante cognouerit. 5 Quod ut possit, paulisper lumina eius mortalium rerum nube caligantia tergamus." Haec dixit ocu- losque meos fletibus undantes contracta in rugam ueste siccauit.
III.
Tune me discussa liquerunt nocte tenebrae Lumiiiibusque prior rediit uigor, Vt, cum praecipiti glomerantur sidera Coro Nimbosisque polus stetit imbribus, Sol latet ac nondum caelo uenientibus astris, Desuper in terrain nox funditur; Hanc si Threicio Boreas emissus ab antro Verberet et clausam reseret diem, Emicat ac subito uibratus lumine Phoebus Mirantes oculos radiis ferit.
136 CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. I.
and brought up with our nourishments, wert come to man's estate? But we had given tliee such weapons as, if thou hadst not cast them away, would have made thee invincible. Dost thou not know me? Why dost thou not speak? Is it shame- fastness or insensibleness that makes thee silent? I had rather it were shamefastness, but I perceive thou art become insensible." And seeing me not only silent but altogether mute and dumb., fair and easily she laid her hand upon my breast saying: "There is no danger; he is in a lethargy, the common disease of deceived minds; he hath a little forgot himself, but he will easily remember himself again, if he be brought to know us first. To which end, let us a little wipe his eyes, dimmed with the cloud of mortal things." And having thus said, with a corner of her garment she dried my eyes which were wet with tears.
III.
Then fled the night and darkness did me leave, Mine eyes their wonted strength receive, As when swift Corus spreads the stars with clouds And the clear sky a veil of tempest shrouds The sun doth lurk, the earth receiveth night, Lacking the boon of starry light; But if fierce Boreas, sent from Thrace, make way For the restoring of the day, Phoebus with fresh and sudden beams doth rise, Striking with light our wondering eyes.
137 BOETHII III.
Haud aliter tristitiae nebulis dissolutis hausi caelum et ad cognoscendam medicantis faciem mentem recepi. Itaque ubi in earn deduxi oculos intuitumque defixi, respicio nutricem meam cuius 5 ab adulescentia laribus obuersatus fueram Philo- sophiam. "Et quid/' inquam, " tu in has exilii nostri solitudines o omnium magistra uirtutum supero cardine delapsa uenisti? An ut tu quoque mecum rea falsis criminationibus agiteris?
10 "An," inquit ilia, " te alumne desererem nee sarcinam quam mei nominis inuidia sustulisti, com municate tecum labore partirer? Atqui Philosophiae fas non erat incomitatum relinquere iter innocentis; meam scilicet criminationem uererer et quasi nouum 15 aliquid accident, perhorrescerem? Nunc enim primum censes apud inprobos mores lacessitam peri- culis esse sapientiam? Nonne apud ueteres quoque ante nostri Platonis aetatem magnum saepe certamen cum stultitiae temeritate certauimus eodemque 20 superstite praeceptor eius Socrates iniustae uictoriam mortis me adstante promeruit? Cuius hereditatem cum deinceps Epicureum uulgus ac Stoicum ceterique pro sua quisque parte raptum ire molirentur meque reclamantem renitentemque uelut in partem praedae 25 traherent, uestem quam meis texueram manibus, disciderunt abreptisque ab ea panniculis totam me sibi cessisse credentes abiere. In quibus quoniam quaedam nostri habitus uestigia uidebantur, meos esse familiares inprudentia rata nonnullos eorum 30 profanae multitudinis errore peruertit. 138 CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. I III.
Fn like manner, the mists of sadness dissolved, I oame to myself and recovered my judgment, so that I knew my Physician's face; wherefore casting mine eyes upon her somewhat stedfastly, I beheld my nurse Philosophy, in whose house I had remained from my youth, and I said: "O Mistress of all virtues, for what cause art thou come from heaven into this our solitary banishment? Art thou come to bear me company in being falsely accused? " "Should I," saith she, "forsake thee, my disciple, and not divide the burden, which thou bearest through hatred of my name, by partaking of thy labour? But Philosophy never thought it lawful to forsake the innocent in his trouble. Should I fear any accusations, as though this were any new matter? For dost thou think that this is the first time that Wisdom hath been exposed to danger by wicked men? Have we not in ancient times before our Plato's age had oftentimes great conflicts with the rashness of folly? And while he lived, had not his master Socrates the victory of an unjust death in mv presence, whose inheritance, when afterward the mob of Epicures, Stoics, and others (every one for his own sect) endeavoured to usurp, and as it were in part of their prey, sought to draw me to them, exclaiming and striving against them; they tore the garment which I had woven with my own hands, and having gotten some little pieces of it, thinking me to be wholly in their possession, departed. Some of whom, because certain signs of my apparel appeared upon them, were rashly supposed to be my familiar friends, and condemned accordingly through the error of the profane multitude.
13.Q BOETHII 13.Q BOETHII Quod si nee Anaxagorae fugam nee Socratis uene- num nee Zenonis tormenta quoniam sunt peregrina nouisti, at Canios, at Senecas, at Soranos quorum nee peruetusta nee incelebris memoria est, scire potuisti.
35 Quos nihil aliud in cladem detraxit nisi quod nostris moribus instituti studiis improborum dissimillimi uidebantur. Itaque nihil est quod admirere, si in hoc uitae salo circumflantibus agitemur procellis, quibus hoc maxime propositum est pessimis displicere.
40 Quorum quidem tametsi est numerosus exercitus, spernendus tamen est, quoniam nullo duce regitur, sed errore tantum temere ac passim lymphante raptatur. Qui si quando contra nos aciem struens ualentior incubuerit, nostra quidem dux copias suas in 45 arcem contrahit, illi uero circa diripiendas inutiles sarcinulas occupantur. At nos desuper inridemus uilissima rerum quaeque rapientes securi totius furiosi tumultus eoque uallo muniti quo grassanti stultitiae adspirare fas non sit.
IV.
Quisquis composito serenus aeuo Fatum sub pedibus egit l superbum Fortunamque tuens utramque rectus Inuictum potuit tenere uultum, 5 Non ilium rabies minaeque ponti Versum funditus exagitantis aestum Nee ruptis quotiens uagus caminis Torquet fumincos Vesaeuus ignes Aut celsas soliti ferire turres 10 Ardentis uia fulminis mouebit.
1 Fortasse iecit; of. Verg. Georg. ii. 491 sq.
a On Julius Kanius or Canius the Stoic cf. Seneca, De Tranq. xiv. 4-9; on Soranus cf. Tac. Annal. i. 16.
6 Cf. arce religionis nostrae, Tr. iv. (supra, p. 54). 140 CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. I.
But if thou hast not heard of the flight of Anaxagoras, the poison of Socrates, nor the torments of Zeno, because they are foreign examples; yet thou mayst have heard of Canius, of Seneca, of Soranus,a whose memory is both fresh and famous, whom nothing else brought to their overthrow but that they had been instructed in our school and were altogether disliking to the humours of wicked men; wherefore thou hast no cause to marvel, if in the sea of this life we be tossed with boisterous storms, whose chiefest purpose is to displease the wicked; of which though there be an huge army, yet it is to be despised, because it is not governed by any captain, but is carried up and down by fantastical error without any order at all. And if at any time they assail us with great force, our captain retireth her band into a castle,6 leaving them occupied in sacking unprofitable baggage. And from above we laugh them to scorn for seeking so greedily after most vile things, being- safe from all their furious assault, and fortified with that defence which aspiring folly cannot prevail against.
IV.