University of Virginia Library

ETHICA

Ausonii Ludus septem Sapientum.

The Prologue.

Enter Comedian.
Athenian Solon, Fame sings, wrote at Delphis
Γνωθι σεαυτον; whose sense, Know thy self, is.
But this for Spartan Chilons many take.
Whether this Chilons be, some question make,
Τελος ορα ν μακρου βιου: Is't hard?
Wee'l english't: Th'End of a long Life regard.
But this (say some) to Crœsus Solon sung.
From Lesbian Pittacus this Motto sprung,
Γιγνωσκε καιρον; that's Know-Time: But He
By καιρον here means Opportunitie.
Οι πλειστοι κακοι, Bias, did proceed
From thee; that is, Most Men are Ill. Take heed
You not mistake him; for by Ill Men here
He means the Ignorant: the next you hear
Is Periander's Μελετη το παν;
That is, Thought's All in All; a Thought-full Man!
But Lyndian Cleobulus does protest
Αριστον Μετρον; Mean in All is best.
Thales, εγγυα παρεστι δ' ατη cries.
Upon a Surety present Damage lies.
But this, 'fore those who gain by it, to tell,
May 'chance displease: Now Solon comes, farwell.
Exit.
Enter Solon.
Exit Solon.
Enter Chilon.
My Hips with sitting, Eyes with seeing ake,
Expecting when Solon an End would make.
How little, and how long you Atticks prate!
Scarce in three hundred Lines one word of Weight,
Or a grave Sentence! how he lookt on me
At going off?—Now Spartan Chilon see!
Who with Laconian Brevity commends
To you the Knowledge of your selves, kind Frends!
Γνωθι σεαυτον, carv'd in Delphos Fane.
'Tis a hard Work, but recompenc'd with Gain.
Try your own strength; examine what 'tis you
Have done already, what you ought to doe.
All Duties of our Life, as Modestie,
Honour, and Constancie, included be
In this; and Glory th'Idoll of these dayes.
I've said: Farewell: I stay not for your Praise.
Exit.
Enter Cleobulus.
I Cleobulus, though my Native Seat
Be a small Isle, am Author of a great
And glorious Sentence; Μετρον αριστον;
A Mean is best: You Sirs that sit upon
The fourteen middle Benches next unto
Th'Orchestra, best may judge if this be true.
Your Nodd shows your Assent: We thank you; but
We shall proceed in Order: Was it not
Your Afer (though a Man he of late Time is)
That said once in this Place, Ut ne quid Nimis?
And hither does our Μηδεν αγαν aime.
The Dorick and the Latine mean the same.
In speaking, being silent, or in sleep,
In good Turns, or in bad, a mean still keep.
In study, Labour, or what else so e'r.
I've said: and that a Mean I keep, end here.
Exit.
Enter Thales.
I'm Thales, who maintain (as Pindar sings)
VVater to be the originall of Things,
And on the Stage (as those before) am come
T'assert the Truth of my own Axiom.
Perhaps by some 't may be offensive thought:
But not by those by sad experience taught.
Εγγυα παρεστι δ' ατη, say we,
Be Surety, and be sure a loser be.
A thousand Instances I could produce
To prove Repentance is the only use
That can be made of it, but that We here
Examples by their Names to cite, forbear.
Make your own Application, and conceive
The Damage, Men by this sole Act receive.
Nor this our good Intention take amiss.
You that like, clap, you that dislike it, hiss.
Exit.
Enter Bias.
I am Priænean Bias, who once taught
Οι πλειστοι κακοι, That most men are naught.
I wish 't had been unspoke; for Truth gains Hate.
But by bad Men, I meant Illitterate,
And those who barbarously all Laws confound,
Religion, Justice; for within this Round
I see none but are good: believe all those
Whom I proclame for bad amongst your Foes:
Yet there is none so partially apply'd
To favour Vice but with the good will side:
VVhether he truly be such, or would fain
Of a good man the Reputation gain:
The hated name of an ill Man, there's none
But flies: if y'are all good, your praise: I'm gone.
Exit.
Enter Pittacus.
I'm Pittacus, who once this Maxime penn'd,
Γιγνωσκε καιρον That's Time apprehend.
But by Time we meant Time in Season, as,
In tempore veni is your Roman Phrase.
And your own Comick Poet Terence, he,
Chief of all things makes opportunity,
Where Dromo comes unto Antiphila
I'th'nick of Time: consider what I say.
And mark how many Inconvenience
Sustain, for want of this sole Providence!
But now 'tis more than Time we should be gone;
Farewell: and give your Approbation.
Exit.
Enter Periander.
Now on the Stage see Periander move!
He who once said, and what he said will prove
Μελετη το παν. Thought is all in all.
Since him a perfect Agent we may call
Who first considers what he undergoes;
For we should still forecast, as Terence shows,
Th'Event of Business, whether good, or bad,
E'r w'undertake it: where may best be had
Conveniency for Planting, where to build,
When to wage War, and where to pitch a Field:
Nor unconsiderately take in hand
Or great or small Things; for that makes a stand
In the free Progress of all new designs;
In which, there's nothing Policy injoyns
Like Consultation; hence it is that they
Who use it not, Chance does, not Counsell, sway.
But I retire; whilst you with better Fate
Imploy your Thoughts how to uphold your State.

The Sentences of those seven Sages, comprehended in as many Septenaries.

Bias Prieneus.
What's Man's chief good? a Mind that right doth know.
What's his chief Ill? Man, his own greatest Foe.
Who's rich? he who's contented. Who poor? He
Who covets. A Wives best Dowr? Chastity.
What VVoman's chaste? whom Fame dares not belie.
VVho's the VVise man? who can, but doth no Ill.
The Fool? He who cannot, yet hath the VVill.

Pittacus Mitylenæus.
None knows to speak, who knows not to refrain.
'Fore many bad, one good Man's Praise retain.
He's mad who envies others happiness.
So's he who joys in other Mens distress.
The Laws thou dost impose, thy self obey.
VVhen Times are prosperous store of Friends provide:
VVhen they are bad, but in a few confide.

Cleobulus Lindius.
The more thou canst, 'less wish to do. The spite
Of Fortune oft doth on the guiltless light.
None long is happy in Impiety.
In others much, nought in thy self pass by.
The good Man's Friend is still the bad Man's Foe.
Our Fathers' merits want of their due Fame.
And oft our Childrens Portion is but shame.

Periander Corinthius.
Decent and Profitable ne'r dissent.
The happier Man's still the more Provident.
'Tis ill to wish, 'tis worse to fear Death, we
Should make a Virtue of Necessity.
He who is fear'd by many, many feares.
VVhen Fortune's kind, dread thy advanced height:
And scorn to sink yet when she shows her spight.

Solon Atheniensis.
Life then is happy, when 'tis consummate.
VVed with thy like; Disparity breeds hate.
Confer not Honours casually. A friend
Convince in private, publikely commend.
'Tis more to be, than be made Noble far.
If Fates decrees are sure, in vain We fly them;
If they are not, in vain We fear to try them.

Chilo Lacedæmonius.
Feard by Inferiors, nor by betters scorn'd
Let me not live. Oft of thy Death be warn'd,
And Health: Misfortunes, by thy own, defeat,
Or friends Advice. The good thou dost, forget,
But that which thou receiv'st, remember still.
Age that resembles Youth doth gratefull come.
Youth that resembles Age is burdensome.

Thales Milesius.
About to sin, thy self, though none else, fear.
Life dies: the glory of a good Death, ne'r.
What thou intend'st to do, forbear to tell.
To fear what thou canst not o'rcome's a Hell.
A just Reproof does good though from a Foe:
But a false Praise does harm, though from a Friend.
Nil nimium satis est bids us here end.

Amphion, or a City well ordered.

Vertue improv'd by suffering.

To Mr Stanley, on his unimitable Poems.

On his Translation of Oronta.

Flames rescu'd fair Oronta from the Pow'r
Of an insulting Thracian Conquerour.
The Fame of which brave Action, Preti's Rime
Freed from the greater Tyranny of Time:
Yet in that Freedome she less glories, then
In beeing thus made Captive by thy Pen.

To Mr James Shirley, on his Way of Grammer explained in English Verse.