1.29. A certain auncient forme of poesie by which men did use to reproch their enemies.
As frendes be a rich a ioyfull possession, so be foes a continuall torment
and canker to the minde of man, and yet there is no possible meane to auoide
this inconuenience, for the best of vs all, & he that thinketh he liues
most blamelesse, liues not without enemies, that enuy him for his good
parts, or hate him for his euill. There be wise men, and of them the great
learned man Plutarch that tooke vpon them to perswade the benefite
that men receiue by their enemies, which though it may be true in manner of
Paradoxe, yet I finde mans frailtie to be naturally such, and alwayes
hath beene, that he cannot conceiue it in his owne case, nor shew that
patience and moderation in such greifs, as becommeth the man perfite and
accomplisht in all vertue: but either in deede or by word, he will seeke
reuenge against them that malice him, or practise his harmes, specially
such foes as oppose themselues to a mans loues. This made the auncient
Poetes to inuent a meane to rid the gall of all such Vindicatiue men: so as
they might be a wrecked of their wrong, & neuer bely their enemie with
slauderous vntruthes. And this was done by a maner of imprecation, or as
we call it by cursing and banning of the parties, and wishing all euill to a
light vpon them, and though it neuer the sooner happened, yet was it great
easment to the boiling stomacke: They were called Dirae, such as
Virgill made aginst Battarus, and Ouide against
Ibis: we Christians are forbidden to vse such vncharitable fashions,
and willed to referre all our reuenges to God alone.