The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 1. Browne Thomas

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СКАЧАТЬ Cicero's ground, because I have liv'd them well. ] I suppose he alludes to an expression in an Epistle of Cicero, written in his Exile, to his wife and children, where he hath these words to his wife: Quod reliquum est, te sustenta mea Terentia ut potes, honestissime viximus, floruimus. Non vitium nostrum sed virtus nos afflixit, peccatum est nullum nisi quod non unà animum cum ornamentis amisimus, l. 24, Ep. 4.

       And stand in need of Eson's bath before threescore. ] Eson was the Father of Jason, and, at his request, was by Medea, by the means of this Bath, restored to his youth. Ingredients that went into it, and the description of Medea's performance, Ovid gives you, l. 7. Metam.

      Interea calido positum medicamen aheno

      Fervet et exultat, spumisq; tumentibus albet.

      Illic Æmonia radices valle resectas,

      Seminaq; et flores, et succos incoquit atros

      Adjicet extremo lapides Oriente petitos,

      Et quas Oceani refluum mare lavit arenas:

      Addidit exceptas lunæ de nocte pruinas,

      Et Strigis infames ipsis cum carnibus alas,

      Inq; virum soliti vultus mutare ferinos

      Ambigui prosecta lupi, nec defuit illi

      Squamea Cinyphei tenuis membrana Chelidri,

      Vivacisq; jecur cervi; quibus insuper addit

      Ora caputq; novem cornicis secula passæ.

      His et mille aliis, postquam sine nomine rebus

      Propositum instruxit mortali barbara munus

      Arenti ramo jampridem mitis olivæ

      Omnia confudit, summisq; immiscuit ima.

      Ecce vetus calido versatus stipes aheno

      Fit viridis primo, nec longo tempore frondes

      Induit, et subito gravidis oneratur olivis.

      At quacunq; cavo spumas ejecit aheno

      Ignis, et in terram guttæ cecidere calentes,

      Vernat humus, floresq; et mollia pabula surgunt.

      Quæ simulac vidit, stricto Medea recludit

      Ense senis jugulum, veteremq; extare cruorem

      Passa replet succis, quos postquam combibit Æson,

      Aut ore acceptas, aut vulnere, barba comœq;

      Cunitie posita, nigrum rapuere colorem.

      Pulsa fugit macies: abeunt pallorq; situsque:

      Adjectoq; cavæ supplentur corpore rugæ;

      Membraq; luxuriant. Æson miratur, et olim

      Ante quater denos hunc se reminiscitur annos,

      Dissimilemq; animum subiit, ætate relicta.

[262-293.]

      Sect. 44. Pag. 62.

       Extol the Suicide of Cato. ] As doth Seneca in several places; but Lactantius saith, he cast away his life, to get the reputation of a Platonick Philosopher, and not for fear of Cæsar; and 'tis very probable, he was in no great fear of death, when he slept so securely the night before his death, as the story reports of him.

      Pag. 63.

       Emori nolo, sed me esse mortuum, nihil curo. Were I of Cæsar's Religion. ] I doubt not, but here is a fault of the Press, and that instead of Cæsar it should be Cicero. I meet not with any such saying imputed to Cæsar, nor any thing like it, but that he preferr'd a sudden death (in which he had his option) to any other; but I meet with such a saying in Cicero quoted out of Epicharmus [Emori nolo, sed me esse mortuum nihili æstimo.] Where Cicero sustaineth the part of the Epicure that there is no hurt in being dead, since there remaineth nothing after it. Cic. 1. Thusc. qu. non procul ab initio.

       Sect. 45. Pag. 64.

      Or whence Lucan learn'd to say, Communis mundo superest rogus, etc.] Why, Lucan was a Stoique, and 'twas an opinion among them almost generally, that the world should perish by fire; therefore without doubt from them he learned it. Cælum quoque cum omnibus quæ in cælo continentur, ita ut cœpisset desinere, fontium dulci aqua marisve nutriri, in vim ignis abiturum. Stoicis constans opinio est, quod consumpto humore mundus hic omnis ignescat. Minutius in Octav. But Minutius should have excepted Boetius, Possidonius, Diogenes Babylonius, and Zeno Sidonius, who were Stoiques, and yet did not think the world should be destroyed by fire, nor yet by any other means.

      Sect. 46. Pag. 65.

       How shall we interpret Elias 6000 years, etc.? ] Lactant. is very positive that the world should last but 6000 years; but his reason for it is somewhat strange; thus it is, Quoniam sex diebus cuncta Dei opera perfecta sunt, per secula sex, i.e. annorum sex millia manere in hoc statu mundum necesse est. De Divino præmio, cap. 14.

      Sect. 47. Pag. 67.

       Ipsa sui pretium virtus sibi, is but a cold principle. ] It is a Stoical principle. Quæris enim aliquid supra summum, interrogas quid petam extra virtutem ipsam. Nihil enim habet melius. Pretium sui est. Senec. de vit. beat. c. 19.

       That honest artifice of Seneca. ] What that article was, is to be seen in Senec. l. 1. ep. 11. Aliquis vir bonus nobis eligendus est, et semper ante oculos babendus, ut sic tanquam illo spectante vivamus, et omnia tanquam illo vidente faciamus. Et paulo post; Elige itaq; Catonem; si hic videtur tibi nimis rigidus, elige remissioris animi virum Lælium, etc. which though, as the Author saith, it be an honest Artifice, yet cannot I but commend the party, and prefer the direction of him (whoever he were) who in the Margin of my Seneca, over against those words, wrote these: Quin Deo potius qui semper omnibus omnia agentibus non tanquam sed reipsa adest, et videt; ac etiam ut Testis, vindex et punitor est male agentis.

       I have tried, if I could reach that great Resolution of his (that is of Seneca) to be honest without a thought of Heaven or Hell. ] Seneca6 brags he could do this, in these words: Si scirem deos peccata ignoscituros, et homines ignoraturos, adhuc propter vilitatem peccati peccare erubescerem. Credat Judæus Appela: non ego. —

       And Atheists have been the onely Philosopher. ] That is, if nothing remain after this life. St. Aug. was of this opinion. Disputabam – Epicurum accepturum fuisse palmam in animo meo, nisi ego credidissem post mortem restare animæ vitam, etc. Aug. l. 6. conf. cap. 16.

      Sect. 48. Pag. 68.

       God by a powerful voice shall command them back into their proper shapes. ] So Minutius. Cæterum quis tam stultus est aut brutus, ut audeat repugnare hominem à Deo ut primum potuit fingi, ita posse denuo reformari, nihil esse post obitum, et ante ortum nihil fuisse; sicut de nihilo nasci licuit, ita de nihilo licere reparari. Porro СКАЧАТЬ