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yet rendered more odious by the behaviour of Diomedon； who； being one of
the condemned； and a man of most eminent virtue； political and military；
after having heard the sentence； advancing to speak； no audience till
then having been allowed； instead of laying before them his own cause；
or the impiety of so cruel a sentence； only expressed a solicitude for
his judges' preservation； beseeching the gods to convert this sentence to
their good； and praying that； for neglecting to fulfil the vows which he
and his companions had made （with which he also acquainted them） in
acknowledgment of so glorious a success； they might not draw down the
indignation of the gods upon them； and so without more words went
courageously to his death。
Fortune； a few years after； punished them in the same kind； for Chabrias；
captain…general of their naval forces； having got the better of Pollis；
Admiral of Sparta； at the Isle of Naxos； totally lost the fruits of his
victory； one of very great importance to their affairs； in order not to
incur the danger of this example； and so that he should not lose a few
bodies of his dead friends that were floating in the sea； gave
opportunity to a world of living enemies to sail away in safety； who
afterwards made them pay dear for this unseasonable superstition：
Quaeris； quo jaceas； post obitum； loco？
Quo non nata jacent。〃
＇〃Dost ask where thou shalt lie after death？
Where things not born lie； that never being had。〃＇
Seneca； Tyoa。 Choro ii。 30。
This other restores the sense of repose to a body without a soul：
〃Neque sepulcrum； quo recipiatur； habeat： portum corporis； ubi；
remissa human； vita； corpus requiescat a malis。〃
＇〃Nor let him have a sepulchre wherein he may be received； a haven
for his body； where； life being gone； that body may rest from its
woes。〃Ennius； ap。 Cicero； Tusc。 i。 44。＇
As nature demonstrates to us that several dead things retain yet an
occult relation to life； wine changes its flavour and complexion in
cellars； according to the changes and seasons of the vine from whence it
came； and the flesh ofvenison alters its condition in the powdering…
tub； and its taste according to the laws of the living flesh of its kind；
as it is said。
CHAPTER IV
THAT THE SOUL EXPENDS ITS PASSIONS UPON FALSE OBJECTS； WHERE THE TRUE ARE
WANTING
A gentleman of my country； marvellously tormented with the gout； being
importuned by his physicians totally to abstain from all manner of salt
meats； was wont pleasantly to reply； that in the extremity of his fits he
must needs have something to quarrel with； and that railing at and
cursing； one while the Bologna sausages； and another the dried tongues
and the hams； was some mitigation to his pain。 But； in good earnest； as
the arm when it is advanced to strike； if it miss the blow； and goes by
the wind； it pains us； and as also； that； to make a pleasant prospect；
the sight should not be lost and dilated in vague air； but have some
bound and object to limit and circumscribe it at a reasonable distance；
〃Ventus ut amittit vires； nisi robore densa
Occurrant sylvae； spatio diffusus inani。〃
＇〃As the wind loses its force diffused in void space； unless it in
its strength encounters the thick wood。〃Lucan； iii。 362。＇
So it seems that the soul； being transported and discomposed； turns its
violence upon itself； if not supplied with something to oppose it； and
therefore always requires an object at which to aim； and whereon to act。
Plutarch says of those who are delighted with little dogs and monkeys；
that the amorous part that is in us； for want of a legitimate object；
rather than lie idle； does after that manner forge and create one false
and frivolous。 And we see that the soul； in its passions； inclines
rather to deceive itself； by creating a false and fantastical a subject；
even contrary to its own belief； than not to have something to work upon。
After this manner brute beasts direct their fury to fall upon the stone
or weapon that has hurt them； and with their teeth a even execute revenge
upon themselves for the injury they have received from another：
〃Pannonis haud aliter； post ictum saevior ursa；
Cui jaculum parva Lybis amentavit habena；
Se rotat in vulnus； telumque irata receptum
Impetit； et secum fugientem circuit hastam。〃
＇So the she…bear； fiercer after the blow from the Lybian's thong…
hurled dart； turns round upon the wound； and attacking the received
spear； twists it； as she flies。〃Lucan； vi。 220。＇
What causes of the misadventures that befall us do we not invent？ what
is it that we do not lay the fault to； right or wrong； that we may have
something to quarrel with？ It is not those beautiful tresses you tear；
nor is it the white bosom that in your anger you so unmercifully beat；
that with an unlucky bullet have slain your beloved brother； quarrel with
something else。 Livy； speaking of the Roman army in Spain； says that for
the loss of the two brothers； their great captains：
〃Flere omnes repente； et offensare capita。〃
＇〃All at once wept and tore their hair。〃…Livy； xxv。 37。＇
'Tis a common practice。 And the philosopher Bion said pleasantly of the
king； who by handsful pulled his hair off his head for sorrow； 〃Does this
man think that baldness is a remedy for grief？〃 ＇Cicero； Tusc。 Quest。；
iii。 26。＇ Who has not seen peevish gamesters chew and swallow the
cards； and swallow the dice； in revenge for the loss of their money？
Xerxes whipped the sea； and wrote a challenge to Mount Athos； Cyrus
employed a whole army several days at work； to revenge himself of the
river Gyndas； for the fright it had put him into in passing over it； and
Caligula demolished a very beautiful palace for the pleasure his mother
had once enjoyed there。
＇Pleasureunless 'plaisir' were originally 'deplaisir'must be
understood here ironically； for the house was one in which she had
been imprisoned。Seneca； De Ira。 iii。 22＇
I remember there was a story current； when I was a boy； that one of our
neighbouring kings ＇Probably Alfonso XI。 of Castile＇ having received
a blow from the hand of God； swore he would be revenged； and in order to
it； made proclamation that for ten years to come no one should pray to
Him； or so much as mention Him throughout his dominions； or； so far as
his authority went； believe in Him； by which they meant to paint not so
much the folly as the vainglory of the nation of which this tale was
told。 They are vices that always go together； but in truth such actions
as these have in them still more of presumption than want of wit。
Augustus Caesar； having been tossed with a tempest at sea； fell to
defying Neptune； and in the pomp of the Circensian games； to be revenged；
deposed his statue from the place it had amongst the other deities。
Wherein he was still less excusable than the former； and less than he was
afterwards when； having lost a battle under Quintilius Varus in Germany；
in rage and despair he went running his head against the wall； crying
out； 〃O Varus！ give me back my legions！〃 for these exceed all folly；
forasmuch as impiety is joined therewith； invading God Himself； or at
least Fortune； as if she had ears that were subject to our batteries；
like the Thracians； who when it thunders or lightens； fall to shooting
against heaven with Titanian vengeance； as if by flights of arrows they
intended to bring God to reason。 Though the ancient poet in Plutarch
tells us
〃Point ne se faut couroucer aux affaires；
Il ne leur chault de toutes nos choleres。〃
＇〃We must not trouble the gods with our affairs； they take no heed
of our angers and disputes。〃Plutarch。＇
But we can never enough decry the disorderly sallies of our minds。
CHAPTER V
WHETHER THE GOVERNOR OF A PLACE BESIEGED OUGHT HIMSELF
TO GO OUT TO PARLEY
Quintus Marcius； the Roman legate in the war against Perseus； King of
Macedon； to gain time wherein to reinforce his army； set on foot some
overtures of accommodation； with which the king being lulled asleep；
concluded a truce for some days； by this means giving his enemy
opportunity and leisure to recruit his forces； which was afterwards the
occasion of the king's final ruin。 Yet the elder senators； mindful of
their forefathers' manners； condemned this proceeding as degenerating
from their ancient practice； which； they said； was to fight by valour；
and not by artifice； surprises； and night…encounters； neither by
pretended flight nor unexpected rallies to overcome their enemies； never
making war till having first proclaimed it； and very often assigned both
the hour and place of battle。 Out of this generous principle it was that
they delivered up to Pyrrhus his treacherous physician； and to the
Etrurians their disloyal schoolmaster。 This was； indeed； a procedure
truly Roman； and nothing allied to the Grecian subtlety； nor to the Punic
cunning； where it was reputed a victory of less glory to overcome by
force than by fraud。 Deceit may se