a

contrayes, whether they founde them selfe greued, they aunswerynge that they were in a metely good case, he commaunded the one halfe to be eftsones restored, lest he of any auarice shulde be suspected. By the which act he stablisshed his dignite and made it more perfecte. More ouer Tulli saieth, To take any thing from an other man, and one man to encrease his commoditie with an

Ci. Off. iii. other mannes detryment, is more repugnaunt to nature, than dethe, than pouertie, payne, or other thynge that mought happen either to the body or other goodes worldly.b And this for nowe suffiseth to speke of ambition.

CHAPTER XVII.

The true definicion of Abstinence and Continence. ABSTINENCIE and continencie be also companions of fortitude, and be noble and excellent vertues, and I can nat tell whither there be any to be preferred before them, specially in men hauynge autoritie, they beinge the brydles of two capitall vices, that is to saye, Auarice and Lecherie; whiche vices, beinge refrayned by a noble that liueth at libertie and without controlement, procureth unto hym, beside the fauour of god, immortall glorie. And that citie or realme wherof the

• Τοὺς δὲ φόρους τοῖς ὑπηκόοις τάξας, μετεπέμψατο τοὺς πρώτους τῶν ἐπαρχιῶν, καὶ περὶ τῶν φόρων ἠρώτησε, μὴ βαρεῖς εἰσι· φησάντων δὲ μετρίως ἔχειν, ἐκέλευσε Teλeiv Toùs hμloeis ěkaσтov.-Plut. Reg. et Imp. Apophth.

'Detrahere igitur aliquid alteri, et hominem hominis incommodo suum augere commodum, magis est contra naturam, quàm mors, quàm paupertas, quàm dolor, quàm cetera quæ possunt aut corpori accidere aut rebus externis.'-De Off. lib. iii. cap. 5.

'Abstinentia et Continentia his

• Patrizi speaks of them as convertible terms. duabus superioribus virtutibus conjunctæ sunt. Hæ animi ratione ductæ, contra cupiditatem ac voluptatem obluctantur, quæ quanquam idem significare videntur, et altera pro alterâ sæpe ponitur, intellectu tamen quodam discernuntur, quum abstinentia propriè sit quæ immodicas voluptatum illecebras rationis jugo subjicit.' De Regno et Reg. Ins. lib. vi. tit. 21.

gouernours with these vices be litle or nothynge acquainted, do abide longe in prosperitie. For, as Valerius Maximus sayeth, where so euer this feruent pestylence of mankynde hathe entry, Iniury reigneth, reproche or infamie is spŕadde," and deuoureth the name of nobilitie.

The propreties of these two vertues be in this maner. Abstinence is wherby a man refrayneth from any thinge, whiche he may lefully take, for a better purpose.b Continence is a vertue whiche kepeth the pleasaunt appetite of man under the yoke of reason. Aristotelle in his Ethikes, Ethi. vii.

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making them bothe but one, describeth them under

the name of continence, sayenge, He that is continent, for as moche as he knoweth that couaitous desires be euill, he dothe abandone them, reason persuadynge hym. For this tyme I take Abstinence for the wilfull abandoninge of money, possessions, or other thinge semblable; Continence the onely forberynge the unlefull company of women.

Martius Coreolanus, a noble yonge man, which lineally descended from Ancus, somtyme king of Romaynes, Coreowhan he had done many valiaunt actes and achieued lanus. sondry enterprises, he was according to his merites commended in the armye by Posthumius, than being consulle. And by their uniuersall assent he was rewarded with all suche honours as than appertained to a good warriour. Also with one hundrede acres of arable lande, the election of ten prisoners, ten horsis apparailed for the warres, one hundred of oxen, and as moche siluer as he mought beare. But of al this wolde he take no thing, but one onely prisoner which was of his

"

Nam quo istæ generis humani certissimæ pestes penetraverint, ibi injuria dominatur, infamia flagrat.'-Lib. iv. cap 3, in prœm.

This definition corresponds as nearly as possible to that which is given by modern writers on ethics of the virtue of temperance.

• Dr. Whewell defines continence as 'the control within moral limits of tha

bodily Desire which is called Lust.'-El. of Mor. p. 86.

« Ο δ ̓ ἐγκρατὴς εἰδὼς ὅτι φαῦλαι αἱ ἐπιθυμίαι οὐκ ἀκολουθεῖ διὰ τὸν λόγον. Arist. Eth. lib. vii. cap 1 (2).

acquaintaunce, and one courser, whiche all wayes after he used in batayle."

Curius.

Marcus Curius, the very rule and paterne of Fortitude and moderate lyuing, whan the people called Samnites, whiche had warres with the Romanes, founde him sittynge in his house by the fire upon a homely fourme, eatynge his meate in a disshe of tree, they brynginge to hym a great some of golde by the consent of the people, and wondryng at his pouertie, with courtaise langage desyred him to take that they had brought him, he thereat smilinge, said thus unto them: Ye ministers of a vaine and superfluous message, shewe you to the Samnites that Curius had leuer haue dominion ouer them that be riche than he him selfe to haue richesse. And as for this golde whiche ye accounte precious, take it agayne with you, and remembre that ye can neither vainquisshe me in bataile nor corrupt me with money.b Quintus Tubero, surnamed Catelius, what tyme he was consulle, the people in Greece called Ætoli sent to him by their ambassadours a great quantitie of siluer vessell curiousely wrought and grauen. But whan they came to him they founde on his table vessell onely of erthe.

Tubero.

⚫ Cn. Marcius, patricia gentis adolescens, Anci regis clara progenies,cui Corioli Volscorum oppidum captum cognomen adjecit, cum editis conspicuæ fortitudinis operibus à Posthumo Cominio consule, accuratâ oratione apud milites laudatus, omnibus donis militaribus, et agri c. jugeribus, et decem captivorum electione, et totidem ornatis equis, centenario boum grege, argentoque, quantum sustinere valuisset, donaretur; nihil ex his, præter unius hospitis captivi salutem, equumque quo in acie uteretur, accipere voluit.'-Val. Max. lib. iv. cap. 3, § 4.

› ‹M. autem Curius, exactissima norma Romanæ frugalitatis, idemque fortitudinis perspectissimum specimen, Samnitum legatis agresti se in scamno assidentem foco, atque ligneo catillo conantem (quales epulas, apparatus indicio est) spectandum præbuit. Ille enim Samnitum divitias contemsit, Samnites ejus paupertatem mirati sunt. Nam cum ad eum magnum auri pondus publicè missum attulissent, benignis verbis invitatus, ut eo uti vellet, et vultum risu solvit, et protinus, "Supervacuæ," inquit, "ne dicam ineptæ legationis ministri, narrate Samnitibus M. Curium malle locupletibus imperare, quàm ipsum fieri locupletem ; atque istud ut pretiosum, ita malo hominum excogitatum munus refertote, et mementote, me nec acie vinci, nec pecuniâ corrumpi posse." -Val. Max. lib. iv. cap. 3, § 5.

And whan he sawe them he exhorted them that they shulde nat suppose that his continence, as if it were pouertie, shulde be with their presentes relieued. And with that sayenge, commaunded them to departe.a

To Epaminondas, the Thebane, being in his tyme as well in vertue as prowesse, the moste noble man of all Epami Greece, Arthaxerses, king of Persia, to make him nondas. his frende, sent one of his seruauntes to Thebes with a great quantitie of treasoure to gyue to Epaminondas. Whiche seruaunt, knowynge his maners, darst nat offre it unto him whan he came, but speking to a yonge man which was familiar with Epaminondas, gaue unto him a great rewarde to meue Epaminondas to receiue the kings present. Who uneth hering the firste wordes of the yonge man, commaunded the kinges seruaunt to be brought unto him, unto whome he had these wordes. Frende, shewe to the kynge that he nedeth nat to offre me money, for if he haue any thinge to do with the Thebanes for a good purpose, he may haue their assistence without any rewarde; if the purpose be nought, he can nat with all the treasoure of the worlde hope to optayne it. Whiche wordes were spoken with such a grauitie that the sayd seruaunt, beynge a ferde, desired Epaminondas that he mought be saulfly conuaied out of the citie. Whiche he graunted with good will, lest if the money were taken a way he mought of the receyuinge therof haue ben suspected. More ouer, he caused the Thebane, which was his frende and companion, to restore to the messager the money that he had receyued.b

'Curii et Fabricii Q. Ælium Tuberonem cognomine Catum discipulum fuisse merito quis existimaverit. Cui consulatum gerenti, cum Ætolorum gens omnis usus vasa argentea, magno pondere, et exquisitâ arte fabricata, per legatos misisset, qui superiori tempore gratulandi causâ ad eum profecti retulerant, “fictilia se in ejus mensâ vasa vidisse ;" monitos, " ne continentiæ quasi paupertati sucurrendum putarent, cum suis sarcinis abire ” jussit.’--Val. Max. lib. iv. cap. 3, § 7. bTentata autem ejus est abstinentia à Diomedonte Cyziceno. rogatu Artaxerxis Epaminondam pecuniâ corrumpendum susceperat.

Namque is Hic magno

Phocion.

Semblable Abstinence was there in Phocion, a noble counsaylour of Athenes, unto whome the ambassadours of the great kynge Alexander brought from their maister a hundred Talentes of golde, whiche were of englysshe money xii thousande pounde. But before that he herde them speke any thynge, he demaunded of them why to him onely the kynge sent so bounteous a rewarde. And they aunswered for as moche as king Alexander iuged him onely to be a good man and a iuste. Than suffre ye me, sayd Phocion, to be and to seme the same man that your kynge do iuge me, and cary your golde agayne to him. The same Phocion, the ambassadour of Antipater (who succeded the great king Alexander in Macedonia) offred to gyue a great some of money, whiche Phocion despisinge, sayde in this wise, Sens Antipater is nat gretter than Alexander nor his cause better, I do nothinge. perceyue why I shulde take any thinge of him. And whan the Oratour wolde haue hadde Phocions sonne to haue taken the money, Phocion answered, If his sonne wolde be lyke

cum pondere auri Thebas venit: et Micythum adolescentulum quinque talentis ad suam perduxit voluntatem: quem tum Epaminondas plurimum diligebat. Micythus Epaminondam convenit, et causam adventûs Diomedontis ostendit. At ille Diomedonte coram, "Nihil," inquit, "opus pecuniâ est. Nam si ea rex vult, quæ Thebanis sint utilia, gratis facere sum paratus : sin autem contraria, non habet auri atque argenti satis. Namque orbis terrarum divitias accipere nolo pro patriæ caritate. Te, qui me incognitum tentasti, tuique similem existimasti, non miror: tibique ignosco: sed egredere properè, ne alios corrumpas, cum me non potueris. Tu, Micythe, argentum huic redde: nisi id confestim facis, ego te tradam magistratui." Hunc Diomedon cum rogaret, ut tuto exire, suaque, quæ attulisset, liceret efferre: "Istud,” inquit, “faciam, neque tuâ causâ, sed meâ : ne, si tibi sit pecunia ademta, aliquis dicat, id ad me ereptum pervenisse, quod delatum accipere noluissem." A quo cum quæsisset, quo se deduci vellet ; et ille, Athenas, dixisset, præsidium dedit, ut eo tuto perveniret. Neque vero id satis habuit, sed etiam ut inviolatus in navem ascenderet, per Chabriam Atheniensem, de quo supra mentionem fecimus, effecit. Abstinentiæ erit hoc satis testimonium.'-Corn. Nepos. Epam. 4.

* Τὸ μέντοι περὶ τῶν χρημάτων ὁμολογούμενόν ἐστιν, ὅτι δωρεὰν αὐτῷ κατέπεμψεν ἑκατὸν τάλαντα. Τούτων κομισθέντων εἰς ̓Αθήνας ἠρώτησεν ὁ Φωκίων τοὺς φέροντας, τί δή ποτε πολλῶν ὄντων ̓Αθηναίων αὐτῷ μόνῳ τοσαῦτα δίδωσιν ̓Αλέξανδρος. Εἰπόντων δὲ ἐκείνων, · Οτι σὲ κρίνει μόνον ἄνδρα καλὸν καὶ ἀγαθόν.” · Οὐκοῦν, εἶπεν ὁ Φωκίων, ὁ ἐασάτω με καὶ δοκεῖν ἀεὶ καὶ εἶναι τοιοῦτον.-Plut. Phocion. 18.