from the Intellect to sensible things and corporeall cares But so perfect are these Celestiall Souls that they can discharge both Functions rule the Body yet not be taken off from Contemplation of Superiours These the Poets signifie by Ianus with two faces one looking forward upon Sensible things the other on intelligible lesse perfect Souls have but one face and when they turn that to the Body cannot see the Intellect being depriv'd of their contemplation when to the Intellect cannot see the Body neglecting the Care thereof Hence those Souls that must forsake the Intellect to apply themselves to Corporeall Government are by Divine Providence confin'd to caduque corruptible Bodies loosed from which they may in a short time if they fail not themselves return to their Intellectuall felicity Other Soules not hindred from Speculation are tyed to eternall incorruptible Bodies Celestial Souls then design'd by Ianus as the Principles of Time motion intervening behold the Ideal Beauty in the Intellect to love it perpetually and inferiour sensible things not to desire their Beauty but to communicate this other to them Our Souls before united to the Body are in like manner double-fac'd but are then as it were cleft asunder retaining but one which as they turn to either object Sensuall or Intellectuall is deprived of the other Thus is vulgar love inconsistent with the Celestiall and many ravish'd at the sight of Intellectuall Beauty become blinde to sensible imply'd by Callimachus Hymn 5. in the Fable of Tyresias who viewing Pallas naked lost his sight yet by her was made a Prophet closing the eyes of his Body she open'd those of his Minde by which he beheld both the Present and Future The Ghost of Achilles which inspir'd Homer with all Intellectuall Contemplations in Poetry deprived him of corporeal sight Though Celestiall Love liveth eternally in the Intellect of every Soul yet only those few make use of it who declining the Care of the Body can with Saint Paul say Whether in the Body or out of the Body they know not To which state a Man sometimes arrives but continues there but a while as we see in Extasies Sect. XXII THus in our Soul naturally indifferent to sensible or intelligible Beauty there may be three Loves one in the Intellect Angelicall the second Human the third Sensuall the two latter are conversant about the same object Corporeall Beauty the sensuall fixeth its Intention wholly in it the human separates it from matter The greater part of mankind go no further then these two but they whose understandings are purified by Philosophy knowing sensible Beauty to be but the Image of another more perfect leave it and desire to see the Celestial of which they have already a Tast in their Remembrance if they persevere in this Mental Elevation they finally obtain it and recover that which though in them from the beginning yet they were not sensible of being diverted by other Objects The Sonnet I. LOve whose hand guides my Hearts strict Reins Nor though he govern it disdains To feed the fire with pious care Which first himself enkindled there Commands my backward Soul to tell What Flames within her Bosom dwell Fear would perswade her to decline The charge of such a high design But all her weak reluctance fails 'Gainst greater Force no Force avails Love to advance her flight will lend Those wings by which he did descend Into my Heart where he to rest For ever long since built his Nest I what from thence he dictates write And draw him thus by his own Light II. LOve flowing from the sacred spring Of uncreated Good I sing When born how Heaven he moves the soul Informs and doth the World controwl How closely lurking in the heart With his sharp weapons subtle art From heavy earth he Man unites Enforcing him to reach the skies How kindled how he flames how burns By what laws guided now he turns To Heaven now to the Earth descends Now rests 'twixt both to neither bends Apollo Thee I invocate Bowing beneath so great a weight Love guide me through this dark design And imp my shorter wings with thine III. WHen from true Heav'n the sacred Sun Into th' Angelick Mind did run And with enliv'ned Leaves adorn Bestowing form on his first-born Enflamed by innate Desires She to her chiefest good aspires By which reversion her rich Brest With various Figures is imprest And by this love exalted turns Into the Sun for whom she burns This flame rais'd by the Light that shin'd From Heav'n into th' Angelick Mind Is eldest Loves religious Ray By Wealth and Want begot that Day When Heav'n brought forth the Queen whose Hand The Cyprian Scepter doth Command IV. THis born in amorous Cypris arms The Sun of her bright Beauty warms From this our first desire accrues Which in new fetters caught pursues The honourable path that guides Where our eternall good resides By this the fire through whose fair beams Life from above to Mankind streams Is kindled in our hearts which glow Dying yet dying greater grow By this th' immortal Fountain flows Which all Heaven forms below bestows By this descends that shower of light Which upwards doth our minds invite By this th' Eternall Sun inspires And souls with sacred lustre fires V. AS God doth to the Mind dispence Its Being Life Intelligence So doth the Mind the soul acquaint How't understand to move to paint She thus prepar'd the Sun that shines In the Eternal Breast designs And here what she includes diffuses Exciting every thing that uses Motion and sense beneath her state To live to know to operate Inferiour Venus hence took Birth Who shines in heav'n but lives on earth And o're the world her shadow spreads The elder in the Suns Glass reads Her Face through the confused skreen Of a dark shade obscurely seen She Lustre from the Sun receives And to the Other Lustre gives Celestiall Love on this depends The younger vulgar Love attends VI. FOrm'd by th' eternal Look of God From the Suns most sublime abode The Soul descends into Mans Heart Imprinting there with wondrous Art What worth she borowed of her star And brought in her Celestiall Carre As well as humane Matter yields She thus her curious Mansion builds Yet all those fames from the divine Impression differently decline The Sun who 's figu'rd here his Beams Into anothers Bosom streams In whose agreeing soul he staies And guilds it with its virtuous Raies The heart in which Affection 's bred Is thus by pleasing Errour fed VII THe heart where pleasing Errour raigns This object as her Child maintains By the fair light that in her shines A rare Celestiall Gift refines And by degrees at last doth bring To her first splendours sacred spring From this divine Look one Sun passes Through three refulgent Burning-glasses Kindling all Beauty which the Spirit The Body and the Mind inherit These rich spoiles by th' eye first caught Are to the Souls next Handmaid brought Who
Is not that Iove Socr. No an aetheriall whirlewind Streps. A whirle-wind hum I knew not that til now But whence comes lightning then that glittering fire Which terrifies and burns us Iupiter Useth to dart this down on perjur'd men Socr. And how thou phlegmatick dull Saturnine If darted on the perjur'd how comes Sinon Theorus and Cleonymus to scapeit No his own Temple or the Sunian Promontory Or sturdy Oakes he strikes did they ere wrong him Did the Oak ere forswear it selfe Streps. I know not That which you say seems reason but what then Is lightning Socr. When the winds are shut up close They swell the clouds like bladders and at last Break out with violence and horrid noises And by contrition kindle one another But thou who searchest amongst us for wisdom How happy wilt thou be above all Graecians If thou conceive well and remember and Canst suffer much and never wilt be tir'd Standing or walking nor have sense of frost Nor care for dyning and refrain from wine From exercises and all other toyes Streps. O for a solid soul restlesse with cares Sparing self-torturing one that can feast Upon a dish of herbes you never could Be better â—itted a meer an vile I. Socr. Dost thou believe no Gods but those we teach The Chaos Clouds and Tongue onely these three Streps. I 'l not so much as speak of any other Much lesse bestow an offering on their Altars Chor. Say boldy then say what is thy request For if thou honour us thou shalt be blest Streps. Great Queens I sue for a small matter that I may out-talk all Greeks a hundred furlongs Chor. To thee alone this gift we will allow None speak such mighty sentences as Thou Streps. I do not care for mighty sentences But subtle ones to cheat my Creditours Chor. It is not much thou askst and shalt obtain it Learn of our Ministers and thou shalt gain it Streps. I shall relying on your promise forc'd By want Coâ—patia and a lucklesse match Now let 'em use me as they list beat starve me Burn freeze or flea me so I scape my debts I care not though men call me impudent Smooth-tongu'd audacious petulant abhominable Forger of words and lie contentious Barretour Old winding bragging testy crafty fox Socr. Said like a man of courage if thou learn Of me thy fame shall spread wide as the Heavens Streps. What shall I do Socr. Thou shalt spend all thy time With me a life the happiest in the world Streps. I long to see that day Socr. Thy dore shall alwaies Be throng'd with Clients that will come to thee For Counsell and discourse of cases worth The wealth of kingdoms to thy hâ—arts desire Chor. Try this old man first see if he be sit Put him toth ' test and sound the depth of 's wit Socr. Come tell me now your disposition That when I know it I may sit my Machines Accordingly Streps. You will not undermine me Socr. No I would know if you have any memory Streps. Yes when another owes me any thing I can remember very well but what I owe my self i 'm ready to forget Socr. Hast thou a naturall faculty in speaking Streps. No I can mar words sooner far then make 'em Socr. How wilt thou learn then Streps. Fear me not I tell you Wel when I make some learned deep discourse Socr. You must be sure to catch't up presently Streps. What must I snap at learning like a dog Socr. This is a very fool an unknown Clown I am afraid old man thou wilt need whipping What if thou shouldst be beaten Streps. Then i 'm beaten Socr. But what wouldst do Streps. I would take witnesse on 't And sue them on an action of Battery Socr. Off with your Cloak Streps. Why how have I offended Socr. No but our orders admit none but naked Streps. I came not hither to steal any thing Socr. Down with your Cloak why dost thou trifle Streps. Now Tell me if I prove apt and diligent Of all your schollars who shall I come nighest Socr. Thou maist perhaps be like our Chaerephon Streps. Alasse alasse what an Anatomy Socr. No no but if thou wilt be any thing Follow me without more delay Streps. I want A Cake for your Cerberus I go me thinks As if 't were into the Trophonian Cave Socr. On on why stayst thou gazing at the dore Chor. Go for thy courage blest whose aged mind To wisdom soars and leaves the young behind Act. 2. Socrates Strepsiades Socr. BY Chaos and this air I breath I never Met any thing so stupid as this fellow So clownish and oblivious easie toyes He learns not half so fast as he forgets'em I 'l call him forth what ho Strepsiades Come out and bring your bed along with you Str. The fleas will hardly let me bring my self So. Quick down with 't there and mark what I say to you Str. I 'm ready So. What have you most mind to learn Measures or Verse or Rhyme Str. By all means measures For I was cheated by a Meal-man lately Two pecks So. That 's not the thing I demand I 'de knowâ—which you conceive the fairest measure The Trimeter or the Tetrameter Str. The fairest measure in my mind 's a Bushell So. 'T is nothing that you say Str. What will you lay That your Tetrameter holds not a Bushell So. Away away how dull thou art and blockish But thou wilt be perhaps more apt at Rime Str. What help can rimes afford me in my meal So. First they wil make thee pleasant in all company Then thou shalt know which suits with Anapaestick And which with Dactyles Str. Dactiles I know that sure So. Why what 's a Dactyle Str. What but this same â—inger â—Thas been a Dactyle ere since I was a child So. Th' art an unprofitable Dunce Str. I care not For learning these devices So. What then wouldst thou Str. That that unjust and cheating Sophistry So. But there are things that must be learnt before You come to that what Creatures are there Masculine Str. Sure I know that or I were mad indeed A Ram a Bull a Goat a Dog a Pigeon So. See how thou err'st that call'st both male and female A Pigeon Str. Right by Neptune how then must I So. Call this a Cock-Pigeon and that a Hen. Str. A Pigeon Cock and Hen ha by this air For this sole document I will replenish Your Cardopus with meal So. Again th' art wrong Thou call'st it Cardopus but 't is haec Cardopus And therefore henceforth call it Cardopa Next it is fit you know which names are Masculine And which are feminine Str. I know well which Are feminine I 'me sure So. Le ts hear Str. Philina Cletagora Demetria and Lystha So. And which are Masculine Str. A world Philoxenus Milesias and Amynias So. Thou art out Str. Are not these Masculine with you So. By no means How if you saw Amynias would you call him Str. Amynia
reâ—ulgent Burning-glasses One Light flowing from God beautifies the Angelick the Rational Nature and the Sensible World the Souls next Hand-maid The Imaginative to the Breast The Breast and Heart here taken for the Soul because her nearest Lodging the Fountain of Life and Heat reform'd but not exprest Reform'd by the Imagination form the deformity of Matter yet not reduc'd to perfect Immateriality without which true Beauty is not Exprest SPVSIPPVS SPEVSIPPVS CHAP. I. His Life SPEUSIPPUS was an Athenian born at Myrrhinus which belonged to the Pandionian Tribe his Father named Eurymedon his Mother Poâ—one Sister to Plato He was brought up in the domestick documents of his Uncle Plato who as he used to say reformed Speusippus's life after the pattern of his own Plato had foure Kins-women Daughters of his Neeces the eldest of these he married to Speusippus with a small portion thirty Minae which Dionysius had sent him To this summe Chio glad of the occasion added a Talent which Speusippus earnestly refused untill at last he was overcome by the just importunities of the other to receive it alledging that he gave it not as mony but as kindnesse that such gifts were to be entertained for they encreased honour the rest were dishonourable that he ought to accept of the good-will though he despised the mony The rest of those Virgins were Married richly to Athenians only Speusippus who best deserved was poor With these arguments Speusippus was induced to accept of Chio's gift whereat Chio much congratulated his own good fortune as having laid hold of an occasion such as perhaps saith he I shall not meet again in all my life When Dion came to Athens Speusippus was continually in company with him more then any other friend there by Plato's advice to soften and divert Dion's humour with a facile companion such as he knew Speusippus to be and that withall he knew discreetly how to observe time and place in his mirth whence Timon in Sillis calls him a good Ieaster The last time that Plato upon the importunity of Dionysius went to Sicily Speusippus accompany'd him Whilest they lived at Syracuse Speusippus kept more company with the Citizens then Plato did and insinuating more into their mindes at first they were afraid to speak freely to him mistrusting him to be one of Dionysius's spies But within a while they began to conâ—ide in him and all agreed in this to pray Dion to come to them and not to take care for ships men or horses but to hire a ship for his own passage for the Sicilians desired no more then that he would lend them his name and person against the Tyrant Speusippus at his return to Athens perswaded Dion to warre against Dionysius and deliver Sicily from the bondage of Tyranny assuring him the Country would receive him gladly Dion upon this information received such encouragement that he began secretly to levie men The Philosophers much advanced his designe When he went to Sicily he bestowed a Country-house which he had purchased since his comming to Athens upon Speusippus CHAP. II. His profession of Philosophy PLato dying in the first year of the 108th Olympiad Theophilus being Archon Speusippus succeeded him in the School of the Academy whom he followed also in his Doctrine He first as Theodorus affirmes looked into the community and mutuall assistance of Mathematicall Disciplines as Plato did into that of the Philosophicall He first according to Cenaeus declared those things which Isocrates conceived not to be divulged the same perhaps which Cicero calls the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Isocrates He affirmed that the minde was not the same either with Good or One but of a peculiar nature proper to it selfe He set up in the School which Plato had built the Images of the Graces He exacted mony of his Disciples contrary to the custome of Plato The two Women who were Plato's Auditors Lasthenia the Mantinean and Axiothea the Phliasian heard Speusippus likewise Having continued Master of the School eight years he at last by reason of his infirm disposition much debilitated by the Palsie sent to Xenocrates desiring him to come and take from him the government of the School which Xenocrates did CHAP. III. His wrrtings HE wrote many things chiefly in Philosophy Commentaries and Dialogues of which were Aristippus the Cyrenaick Of Riches 1. Of Pleasure 1. Of Iustice 1. Of Philosophy 1. Of Friendship 1. Of the Gods 1. The Philosopher 1. To Cephalus 1. Cephalus 1. Clinomachus or Lysias 1. The Cittizen 1. Of the Soul 1. To Gryllus 1. Aristippus 1. The confutation of Arts 1. Commentary Dialogues Artificiall 1. Dialogues of likenesse in things 10. Divisions and arguments to things like Of the genus's and species of Examples To Amartyrus Encomium of Plato Epistles to Dion Dionysius Philip. Of Law The Mathematician Mandrobulus Lysias Deâ—â—nâ—tions of all these writings the only extant Orders of Commentaries Verses Phavorinus in the second of his Commentaries saith that Aristotle paid three Talents for his Books CHAP. IV. His Death HE was as Timotheus saith very infirme of body insomuch that he was fain to be carried up and down the Academy in a kinde of a running chair Riding in this manner he one day met Diogenes whom saluting he said Joy be with you But not with you answered Diogenes who can endure to live being in that condition At length he dyed willingly through griefe as Laertius affirmes who elsewhere citing Plutarch in the lives of Lysander and Scylla saith he dyed of the Phthiriasis but there is no such thing extant in Plutarch Though he followed Plato in his opinions yet he did not imitate his temper for he was austeer cholerick and had not so great command over his pleasures In anger he threw a Dog into a Well and indulging to pleasure he went to the marriage of Cassander in Macedonia He was also so great a Lover of mony that some Poems which he had written not very good he sung publickly for gain for which vices Dionysius writing to him thus derides him And we may learn Philosophy from our Arcadian she-Scholler Plato took no mony of his Schollers you exact it whether they are willing or not Athenaeus cites the same Epistle after he had reproached him for avarice and voluptuousnesse he objects his collections of mony from many persons his love to Lasthenia the Sardian Curtezan after all this adding Why do you accuse us of avarice who your selfe omit not any sordid way of gain Did not you after Hermias's debt was satisfied make collections in his name amongst his friends to your own use To a rich man in love with a deformed person What need you her saith he for ten Talents you may have a handsomer To him Simonides wrot Histories wherein he related the actions of Dion and Bion. There was another Speusippus a Physitian of Alexandria XENOCRATES CHAP. I. His Country