we haue procured him this crosse and that wee are the authors of the reuenge and afflictions which he endures So Vlysses hauing put out the eye of Cyclops dissembled his name no longer as he had done before but would make himselfe knowne vnto him as if he had not bene sufficiently reuenged of this monster vnlesse hee had let him know that he was the author of his disaster We learne also by the same definition that to incense vs to Choller it is necessary that he who is theobiect haue done vs wrōg or to some one whō we loue or that belongs vnto vs. As for example wee are discontented with those that wound our reputation which attempt against our liues which crosse our pleasures or vndertake any thing against our kinsfolkes or friends But wee cannot bee angry with him which causeth a Iew to be put vnto the chaine at Constantinople or a Moore to be whipt at Rome for that the outrage done vnto these persons doth nothing concerne vs. But if it doe casually happen that one man is angry against another hauing receiued no cause of distaste from him only by a certaine antipathy and contrariety of humors the reason is for that in this naturall antipathy he that is angry against the other conceiues in his imaginatiō that hee is able to do him some wrong or at the least he hath such a distaste of him as it is troublesome vnto him to looke on him So as this antipathy supplies the place of an iniury and workes the same effect that the imagination did to haue receiued some wrong Wee gather also from the same definitiō that to excite Choler we must imagine that wee are able to execute the reuenge whereunto we aspire And therefore wee dare not be angry or at the least verie lightly against kings and great personages that haue wronged vs for that wee know their authority protects them from our reuenge Yea there hath bene a father whose son a great King hauing slaine in the middest of his cups with the shot of an arrow supprest his griefe in such sort seeing hee could not reuenge it as forbearing to complaine of this monstous cruelty hee commended the Princes dexterity in shooting But we may say that this actiō sauored more of flattery then of constancy For the last obseruation we must remember that the causes which excite Choler are not alwayes true but many times are such as we frame in our owne imaginations for this Passion with her other defects hath also that euill that she is witty to finde out meanes to cloake her violence and fury As it appeared in that Roman who transported with this fury supposed three crimes to put three innocents to death vnder some colour of Iustice. By that which we haue formerly sayd it may be gathered that Choler is alwayes accompanied with some kind of pleasure which proceeds from the hope we haue to reuenge the wrong which hath beene done vs. For there is a content to promise vnto our selues to bee able to attaine vnto that which wee desire passionately whereas no man man wisheth for those things which he thinkes are aboue his power Wherefore as he that is incensed against any one pursues a reuenge whereunto hee thinkes hee may attaine this hope fills his soule with ioy and giues him a singular content wherefore Homer makes Achilles to say that Choler disperseth it selfe in the hearts of generous men with a sweetnes which exceeds that of hony But this great content doth not only arise from the hope wee haue to bee able to reuenge our selues but it also proceeds from the working of our imagination which thinking continually of the same obiect of reuenge breeds in vs a pleasure like vnto that which they feele that haue delightful dreams and which take pleasure in their vaine apparitions Yet we must remember that Choler is also full of griefe and bitternesse for that it propounds the iniury receiued the which shee cannot easily disgest presupposing that it is accompanied with some notable contempt which tends to the impayring of his honor and reputation So as the sweetnesse which is found growes from the opinion of reuenge and the bitternesse proceeds from the conceite of the iniury which we cannot endure Finally as our Choler is inflamed by the contempt and bad opinion which they seeme to haue of vs as there are diuerse kinds of contempt so it may grow from diuerse subiects For many times although the contempt be not accompanied with any iniury making only a shew that they do not hold vs in such esteeme as we thinke wee are worthy of this simple contempt prouoketh vs to Choler holding our selues wronged for that wee are not honored as we thinke wee haue deserued As if we should yeeld to a King all the honors of the world and yet forbeare to giue him the title of a King this were sufficient to enflame his Choler At it appeared in Alexander to whom Darius hauing written a letter full of great and large offers but had forgot to giue him the title of King this generous spirit bare it so impatiently as in the end of that which he sent for an answere hee added for the last conclusion of all their conferences by writing Finally when thou writest vnto me remember that it is not only to a King but euen to thy King that thou writest The which hee added for that hee had defeated Darius in battaile In truth he that yeelds not to any one the honour that is due vnto him makes shew to contemne him and that he deserues not the honor which he doth enioy For that if hee regarded him as hee ought hee would not seeke to diminish those honors which all the world besides yeeld vnto him And therefore we may prouoke any one to Choler by our silence for that it may bee a signe of our contempt But the wrong wee receiue from those which depraue vs openly and dishonor vs either in deed or word without any cause is more hard to disgest For that he which doth this outrage without any subiect makes a visible demonstration that he doth not esteeme vs it being most euident that when as wee hold any good regard of a man we are careful not to offend him without cause yea wee endeauor to insinuate our selues into his friendship There is another kind of contempt which prouokes Choler more then that whereof wee haue spoken as when any one takes a pleasure to wrong vs and to crosse our dessignes reaping no profit by the crosses which he giues vs but the contentment to haue crost vs and to haue hindred the course of our intentions For it is an apparent signe of a wonderful contempt seeing that he wrongs vs in a thing whereof hee reapes no profit but the discontent hee giues vs withall he shewes to haue an opinion that wee are not able to hurt him otherwise he would apprehend to wrong vs vpon so weake a subiect and that hee attends
thing that hath any corresponcy with him so as respecting him whom he loues as another himselfe hee cannot but bee inflamed with this consideration The Platonicians had another reason the which in my opinion concurres with this Loue say they makes an impression in the soule of him that loues of the Image and forme of the thing beloued But man loueth not onely his being and his true and reall forme but also his imaginary forme as appeares by pictures and looking-glasses in which we behold with content our portraicts formes Wherefore there is a certaine Passion for the thing beloued in whose soule he doth contemplate his forme which Loue hath ingrauen After this manner resemblance breedeth Loue and vnites the affections of men The truth hereof appeares for that men do commonly loue those that are allyed vnto them in neernesse of blood so as Kinsmen doe commonly loue one another or by some conformity of humours and complexions which maketh melancholy men loue the company of their like and Iouiall spirits delight in the company of them that are pleasant Or by some commerce of profession which maketh Philosophers to loue Philosophers and Painters delight in Painters Or some equality of age which makes young men delight in the company of youth and olde men to conuerse with them that are graue Or some coherence of manners which makes good men loue the vertuous and the wicked seeke after such as are wickedly affected But notwithstanding that which we haue said that coÌ„monly men of one profession loue one another must bee vnderstood according to the true nature of things for by occasion and accident this coÌ„formity of professions may ingender hatred and enuy that is to say when as they of one trade and profession liuing of their art and labour hinder one another as for example when as a tradsman hauing gotten some reputation doth hinder the profit of his companions then iealousie riseth amongst them according to the saying of an Ancient The Potter enuies the Potter The Philosophers giue an excellent reason hereof He that loues say they loues himselfe more deerely then all other things besides for that he is vnited to himselfe by Essence and Nature whereas hee is not conioyned to him that he loues but by some accidentall and externall forme And therefore if this conformity crosseth his priuate good and be preiudiciall vnto him hee findes himselfe more strictly tied vnto himselfe then to his like wherefore seeing his losse concurring with his passion he whom hee loued being an obstacle to his desire he growes odious vnto him as opposite to his good Men doe also loue those that aspire to the same honors and dignities at the least when they may attaine vnto them and enioy them together without any obstacle or wrong one vnto another For competency causing an hinderance as it did in the pursuit of the Consulate at Rome it happeneth as wee haue said of men of the same profession that it excites enuy and hatred Wherefore in the loue of women they can endure no corriuals for that with honesty they cannot be enioyed by two They also loue those with whom they haue any familiarity which is not scrupulous hauing free liberty without apprehension of disdaine to doe and say things in their presence which they would not act or speake before the world As for example they affect those before whom they may freely discourse of their loues of their pursuites and of their other Passions But wee must remeÌ„ber that there are some things which are dishonest of themselues the which a good man may neither do or speak before the world or before his friends But there are others which are shameful only in the opinioÌ„ of the world and not according to the truth of things and these a good man vsing an honest familiarity with his friends may doe and speake in their presence although he would not doe it in publike before the world like vnto King Agesilaus being in priuate with his children playd with them with a fatherly liberty but beeing surprized by one who knew not how farre the loue of a father might extend he was discontented Men also testifie that they loue those before whom they are ashamed to doe or say those things which are of themselues shamefull or dishonest wherein wee may say that the Persians gaue good testimony of their loue to their wiues when as they caused them to retire from their banquets being vnwilling that their eies shold be spectators of their excesse admitting none but their Concubines For this respect and reuerence which they gaue them was a signe of true Loue for that wee are ashamed to commit any vnworthy Act before them wee affect They also willingly imbrace such as they haue seene faithfull and constant in their affections and who loue equally both present absent For which consideration they desire to insinuate themselues into their friendship which testifie their loue vnto the dead who adorne their Tombes erect Statues and make other monuments for them to preserue their memory among men They also affect such as abandon not their friends in the crosses and iniuries of fortune whereof wee haue a worthy example in the subiect of Damon and Pithias whereof the one beeing condemned to die by the tyrant Dionisius and desiring some respite to goe and settle the affaires of his house his companion yeelded himselfe a pledge for his returne with this condition that if hee returned not backe within the prefixed time hee should vndergo the rigour of the same sentence but the condemned man presenting himselfe at the day appointed the tyrant was so rapt with admiration to see the faith which he had vnto his friend in a matter of that importance and of so great danger that in stead of putting him to death he coniured these two perfect friends to accept of him as a third man in their friendship Behold how the most sauage and vntamed spirits are forced to loue those that shew an vnuiolable constancy in their affectioÌ„s Men doe also loue such as they see full of freedome and without dissimulation towards them In which ranke they nuÌ„ber such as make no scruple to discouer their errors vnto them and who entertaine them freely with their priuate passions For as wee haue shewed before we blush not to say or doe in priuate with our friends that which we would not doe publickely before the world Wherefore as he that is ashamed to doe any thing before another shewes that hee loues him not perfectly so he that hath not this apprehension giues a manifest testimony that he hath a full confidence in his friendship wherefore wee loue such as make shewe to rely vpon vs euen discouering their imperfections vnto vs. Againe they affect those whose authority is not fearefull vnto them whose power they thinke they shall haue no cause to apprehend for no man euer loued him whom he feared seruilely and herein Tyrants abuse themselues thinking to seâ—le
Iouiall for that their age hath cooled the blood and made an impression of melancholy which loues seuerity As for vigorous and perfect men such as are betwixt these two ages they participate of both their humours yet they prune of◠that which proceedes both in youth and age Wherefore they obserue a mediocrity in all things so as they are neither too audacious nor too timerous but they hold a meane neither trusting in all the world nor distrusting euery thing but they examin al affaires by the rules of wisdom truth And in like manner they are neither miserable nor prodigall but measure their expences by the lawes of their power by honesty And in like maner they obserue this mediocrity in the other motions of the Irascible and Concupiscible powers Their valour is tempered and their temperance is accompanied with courage wherein they participate both with young and old For yong men are valiant but without moderation and old men are temperate but full of apprehension and feare And to say in a word all the good qualities which are found diuided both in young and olde are as it were vnited and tied together in a middle age which containes it selfe within the bounds of his temper and naturall inclination And as for those which haue any excesse or superfluity either in youth or age a man that is in this middle age checks them and cuts them off reducing them to the point of vertue and honesty We must now see what the Passions of men be in regard of their fortunes that is to say wee must know the Passions of Noblemen of Rich and of the powerfull of the Earth namely of Kings and Princes Noblemen haue this particular Passion to desire honors vehemently For as all men naturally wish to encrease the goods they enioy Noblemen seeing themselues rich in glory and full of honor desire to augment their treasure to the end they may not seeme to plant their triumphes vpon that which their Predecessors haue left them But as they haue giuen them light by their glory so they desire to transferre the same beames of brightnesse to their posterity and commonly Noblemen hold it a generous vanity not to continue in the same ranke with those which haue beene equal to their Ancestors yea many times they contemne them Wherefore they desire to adde some thing to the ornaments of their birth and to haue a subiect to recommend themselues aboue others For in truth the trophees of Families are sometimes so ancient and so worn with time as it is an easie thing to surmise any thing Wherefore generous spirits should preserue that which nature and their birth giues them otherwise if they degenerate it is a famous spectacle of infamy reproach As in truth there are some which degenerating from the magnanimity of their fathers make vs to see thicke clouds in the midst of their shining glory as it was said of the sonne of Great Scipio This misery happens to Families as to fieldes where corne and fruites grow for whilest the soile is good it yeelds good fruites and rich haruests but growing barren it yeeldes nothing that is pure and excellent So good Families continuing in their vigor produce worthy plants for a time But this generous vigor decaying by little and little they yeelde not such braue and valiant men as formerly they did In this Realme alone how many great and worthy Families whose names are so many starres and so many flowers which beautifie our ancient Histories are extinct and lost Or if there remaine any Reliques they rest vnknowne Finally when as Nobility comes to degenerate it giues vs monsters of fury for he that is puft vp with the glory of his Ancestors and will stray from their vertues imagineth that hee cannot make better shew of the splendour of his birth then by the insolencies and violencies which accompany their actions Whereof wee haue seene prodigious examples in the carriages of the descendants of Dionysius the Tyrant and Alcibiades And it is a misery in humane things that as good trees grow wild and sauage either for want of pruning and manuring or for that the soyle is not fauourable So great Families lose the glory of those that were their founders And as Philosophers affirme that there is no worse corruption then that which growes from things soueraignly excellent as we finde in the corruption of perfumes so it happens that Families full of magnanimity and courage degenerate into dull and stupid spirits as wee haue seene in the posterities of Symon Berides and Socrates forbearing to speake of our owne age As for the Passions of rich men they are knowne to all the world for that euery man sees that these menare proud insolent and outragious For feeling themselues supported by their wealth they imagine that all things are in their power For that riches through the couetousnesse of men set as it were a price of all other things which they may buy Rich men are also voluptuous effeminate and full of ostentation and vanity that makes them to glory of their treasure they are voluptuous and effeminate by reason of the cōtinuall delights wherein they plunge themselues they are vaine and glory of their wealth for that their thoughts are perpetually imployed in the imagination of their aboundance whereof they are rather slaues and Idolaters then true possessors and masters And moreouer they imagine that all the world loues what they loue Wherein they are not much deceiued for that infinite numbers of persons haue neede of the assistance of riches Wherefore a Philosopher beeing demaunded by a Princesse whether it were better to be rich or wise he answered that it was better to be rich for said hee wee commonly see wise men at rich mens gates to beg their fauours Rich men also haue commonly this vanity that they hold themselues worthy of great imploymēts because they are rich in regard wherof they thinke it reasonable they shold command others And to speake in a word the riches of a happy man destitute of wisedome discouers his inclination But there is great difference betwixt the Passions of those that are newly raised to great fortunes such as haue enioyed them long And we must not doubt but that they that haue newly gotten their wealth are more vicious and more insolent then such as haue enioyed it from their Ancestors for they enter into their riches as into a new possession in the which they are altogether ignorant As for the crimes which either of them commit they sauour more of insolency incontinency then of malice for commonly they are polluted with adulteries and doe outrage to such as resist their desires It rests now to speake of Princes Kings and the great men of the earth whose Passions also are well knowne for that they much resemble those of rich men yet wee must confesse that they haue sometimes bin more moderat and more milde for great men are commonly more iealous of their honour and more generous then the rich for that they are imployed in greater actions and haue a more eminent glory to preserue Wherefore they are contented to mainetaine their dignity not caring for any affected grauity for that dignity giues a greater splendour vnto men And therefore they shew themselues temperate and hold a mediocrity for that dignity is sweete and grauity is reuerend Finally when they once breake out they commit no small mischiefes For that commonly the effects are proportionable to their causes and finding themselues armed and powerfull they execute their Passions violently and doe vnspeakeable wrongs like vnto great riuers which breaking forth spoyle the haruest and ruine the labourers hope Whereunto we may adde that prosperity doth also make them more insolent for that seeing thēselues powerful in means and fortunate in their dessignes they grow proud and liue without any consideration of vertue or vice by reason of the fauours of Fortune which blind their eyes And yet there are some good natures who in steed of growing proud or forgetting themselues in the height of their fortune become more temperate more religious and more fearing God for that they acknowledge their greatnesse as a guift and fauour of his prouidence to the which for this consideration they are more affectionate and more deuout then other men considering the great benefits they haue receiued FINIS