The Cannibals and savage people do not so much offend me with roasting and eating of dead bodies, as those which torment and persecute the living. Let any man be executed by law, how deservedly soever, I cannot endure to behold the execution with an unrelenting eye... Even in matters of justice, Whatsoever is beyond a simple death, I deem it to be mere cruelty; And especially amongst us, who ought to have a regardful respect, that their souls should be sent to heaven, which cannot be, having first by intolerable tortures agitated and as it were brought them to despair..

I live in an age wherein we abound with incredible examples of this vice, through the licentiousness of our civil and intestine wars; And read all ancient stories, be they never so tragical, you shall find none to equal those, we daily see practised. But that hath nothing made me acquainted with it. I could hardly be perswaded, before I had seen it, that the world could have afforded so marble-hearted and savageminded men, that for the only pleasure of murder would commit it; then cut, mangle, and hack other members in pieces; to rouse and sharpen their wits, to invent unused tortures and unheard-of torments to devise new and unknown deaths, and that in cold blood, without any former enmity or quarrel, or without any gain or profit; and only to this end, that they may enjoy the pleasing spectacle of the languishing gestures, pitiful motions, horror-moving yellings, deep-fetched groans, and lamentable voices of a dying and drooping man. For, that is the extremest point whereunto the cruelty of man may attain. Ut homo hominem, non iratus, non timens, tantum spectaturus occidat. That one man should kill another, neither being

;

angry, nor afeard, but only to look on. As for me, I could never so much as endure, without remorse and' grief, to see a poor, silly, and innocent beast pursued and killed, which is harmless and void of defence, and of whom we receive no offence at all. And as it commonly happeneth, that when the Stag begins to be embossed, and finds his strength to fail him, having no other remedy left him, doth yield and bequeath himself unto us that pursue him, with tears suing to us for mercy,

-questuque cruentus

Atque imploranti similis :

With blood from throat, and tears from eyes,
It seems that he for pity cries-

was ever a grievous spectacle unto me.

'B. R.'

Montaigne's Essayes

fl. 1581

61

THE

Cleobis and Bito

THE most famous Solon, one of the City of Athens, undertoke a pilgrimage into Egipt to King Amæsis, and from thence to Sardis to the court of Croesus, where in gentle and curteous manner beynge entertayned by the Kinge at the thirde or fourth daye after his arrivall he was lead about the treasuryes to view the welth and riches of Croesus, beholdyng all the inestimable and blessed jewels that were contayned in them. After he had attentively beheld and with curious eye surveyed them at his pleasure, Croesus began to borde hym on this manner. You Gentleman 7 embossed) exhausted 26 borde) accost

of Athens, for asmuch as we hearde greate good wordes of your wysdome, beyng for knowledge and experience sake a pilgrim from your countrey, wee have deemed it convenient to aske you a question, whether at any time you have seene the happiest man alive: not mistrusting, but that the lotte would have fallen to hym selfe to have exceeded all others in blessednes. Solon not mynding to double, as one altogeather unacquaynted with pleasing phrases, delivered his mynd in free speech in forme as followeth.

I have seene O King (quoth he) Tellus, one of my countriemen of Athens, a man surpassing all others in happye lyfe; wherat Croesus wondring, earnestlye required what cause made him thinke so highlye of Tellus.

For as muche (sayde he) as in a wel ordered common wealth, hee hadde children, trayned up in unitye, and honesty, every of which hadde likewyse increase of his owne bodye, and yet all living. And having spent the course of his age, as wel as a man might, Fortune crowned his end with the perpetual renowne of a most glorious death. For the Athenians joyning in battayle with their next neighbours, Tellus comming with a fresh supplye, and putting his ennemies to flight, ended his life in the field, whom the people of Athens in the selfe same place where he had shed his bloud, caused to be entombed with immortall honour. Solon going forward in a large discourse as touching Tellus was cut of by Croesus with a second demaunde, who asked him the second tyme, whom in conscience he thoughte next unto him, in full hope, that at the least part had bene next to whom he answeared in the next degree.

his

Most mighty Prince, I have always reputed Cleobis

and Biton, two younge menne of the Countrey of Argos, of body so strong and active, that in alle games they wonne the prize, of whom these thinges are left

to memorye.

The feast of Juno beynge kept at Argos, the mother of those two young men was to bee drawne to the temple by a yoke of bullocks, which when the howre came beyng strayed and gone out of the way, the two young youthes yoked themselves, and haling the chariot forty fyve furlongs they came to the temple : which after they had done in the sight and view of the whole multitude in a lucky howre they dyed, wherby the Goddesse gave us to understand how much better it was for man to die then live. For where as the people flocking abut extolled them to the heavens : the men praising the good nature and intent of the sonnes: the women commendinge the blessed chaunce of the mother whom nature had indued with two such children the good old mother almost out of hyr wyttes for joy, what for the kynd deede of her sonnes and the goodly speech of the people, advauncinge their virtue : as shee stoode before the ymage of Juno, besought the Goddesse with earnest prayers to rewarde the kindnes of hir children with the chiefe and most precious blessing that might happen unto man. Her prayer made, and both the sacrifyce and feast ended, they gave themselves to rest in the temple, but never after awaking, in the morning they were founde dead, whom the people of Argos by two carved monumentes placed at Delphos commended to everlastinge memory for men of rare and excellent vertue. To these men did Solon attribute the next step to perfect happiness.

Translation of Herodotus

FULKE GREVILLE, LORD BROOKE

62

W

A Honeymoon

1554-1628

WHEN you married him, I know, for your part, he was your first love; and I judge the like of him. . . . Madam, in those neere conjunctions of society, wherein death is the only honourable divorce, there is but one end, which is mutual joy in procreation ; and to that end two assured ways: the one, by cherishing affection with affection: the other, by working affection, while she is yet in her pride, to a reverence, which hath more power than itself. To which are required advantage, or at least equality : art, as well as nature. For contempt is else as neere as respect; the lovingest mind being not ever the most lovely. Now though it be true that affections are relatives, and love the surest adamant of love; yet must it not be measured by the untemperate ell of itself, since prodigality yields fullness, satiety a desire of change, and change repentance: but so tempered even in trust, enjoying, and all other familiarities, that the appetites of them we would please may still be covetous, and their strengths rich. Because the decay. of either is a point of ill huswifery, and they that are first bankrupt shut up their doors.

In this estate of minds, only governed by the unwritten laws of Nature, you did at the beginning live happily together.

Letter sent to an honourable Lady