CHAP. XIX.

The testimonies of several great, learned, and virtuous personages among the Gentiles, urged against the excesses of the age, in favour of the self-denial, temperance, and piety herein recommended.

I. Among the Greeks, viz. SECT. 1. Of Cyrus. 2. Artaxerxes. 3. Agathocles. 4. Philip. 5. Alexander. 6. Ptolemy. 7. Zenophanes. 8. Antigonus. 9. Themistocles. 10. Aristides. 11. Pericles. 12. Phocion. 13. Clitomachus. 14. Epaminondas. 15. Demosthenes. 16. Agasicles. 17. Agesilaus. 18. Agis. 19. Alcamenes. 20. Alexandridas. 21. Anaxilas. 22. Ariston. 23. Archidamus. 24. Cleomenes. 25. Dersyllidas. 26. Hippodamus. 27. Leonidas. Lysander. 29. Pausanias. 30. Theopompus, &c. 31. The manner of life and government of the Lacedæmonians in general. 32. Lycurgus their lawgiver. II. Among the Romans, viz. 33. Of Cato. 34. Scipio Africanus. 35. Augustus. 36. Tiberius. 37. Vespasian. 38. Trajan. 39.

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Adrian. 40. Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. 41. Pertinax. 42. Pescennius. 43. Alexander Severus. 44. Aurelianus. 45. Dioclesian. 46. Julian. 47. Theodosius. III. The lives and doctrines of some of the Heathen philosophers among the Greeks and Romans, viz. 48. Thales. 49. Pythagoras. 50. Solon. 51. Chilon. 52. Periander. 53. Bias. 54. Cleobulus. 55. Pittacus. 56. Hippias. 57. The Gymnosophistæ. 58. The Bamburacii. 59. Gynæcosmi. 60. Anacharsis. 61. Anaxagoras. 62. Heraclitus. 63. Democritus. 64. Socrates. 65. Plato. 66. Antisthenes. 67. Zenocrates. 68. Bion. 69. Demonax. 70. Diogenes. 71.

Crates. 72. Aristotle. 73. Mandanis. 74. Zeno. 75. Quintilian. 76. Seneca. 77. Epictetus. IV. Of virtuous Heathen women, viz. 78. Penelope. 79. Theoxena. 80. Pandora and Protagena. 81. Hipparchia. 82. Lucretia. 83. Cornelia. 84. Pontia. 85. Arria. 86. Pompeja Plautina. 87. Plotina. 88. Pompeja Paulina. 89. A reproof to voluptuous women of the times.

SECT. 1. CYRUS, than whom a greater monarch we hardly find in story, is more famous for his virtue than his power; and indeed it was that which gave him power. God calls him his shepherd: now let us see the principles of his conduct and life. So temperate was he in his youth, that when Astyages urged him to drink wine, he answered, I am afraid lest there should be poison in it; having seen thee reel and sottish after having drunk thereof. And so careful was he to keep the Persians from corruption of manners, that he would not suffer them to leave their rude and mountainous country, for one more pleasant and fruitful, lest through plenty and ease, luxury at last might debase their spirits. And so very chaste was he, that having taken a lady of quality, a most beautiful woman, his prisoner, he refused to see her, saying, I have no mind to be a captive to my captive. It seems, he claimed no such propriety, but shunned the occasion of evil. The comptroller of his household asking him one day, what he would please to have for his dinner? Bread, said he; for I intend to encamp nigh the water: a short and easy bill of fare: but this shews the power he had over his appetite as well as his soldiers; and that he was fit to command others, that could command himself; according to another saying of his, No man, saith he, is worthy to command, who is not better than those who are to obey and when he came to die, he gave this reason of his belief of immortality, I cannot, said he, persuade myself to think, that the soul of man, after having sustained itself in a mortal body, should perish when delivered out of it, for want of it: a saying of perhaps

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as great weight, as may be advanced against atheism from more enlightened times.

Sect. 2. ARTAXERXES MNEMON, being upon an extraordinary occasion reduced to eat barley bread and dried figs, and drink water; What pleasure, saith he, have I lost till now, through my delicacies and ex

cess !

Sect. 3. AGATHOCLES becoming king of Sicily, from being the son of a potter, always, to humble his mind to his original, would be daily served in earthen vessels upon his table: an example of humility and plain

ness.

Sect. 4. PHILIP king of Macedon, upon three sorts of good news arriving in one day, feared too much success might transport him immoderately; and therefore prayed for some disappointments to season his prosperity, and caution his mind under the enjoyment of it. He refused to oppress the Greeks with his garrisons, saying, I had rather retain them by kindness, than fear; and to be always beloved, than for a while terrible. One of his minions persuading him to decline hearing of a cause, wherein a particular friend was interested; I had much rather, says he, thy friend should lose his cause, than I my reputation. Seeing his son Alexander endeavour to gain the hearts of the Macedonians by gifts and rewards, Canst thou believe, says he, that a man that thou hast corrupted to thy interests will ever be true to them? When his court would have had him quarrel and correct the Peloponnenses for their ingratitude to him, he said, By no means; for if they despise and abuse me, after being kind to them, what will they do if I do them harm? A great example of patience in a king, and wittily said. Like to this was his reply to the ambassadors of Athens, whom asking after audience, If he could do them any service, and one of them surlily answering, The best thou canst do us is, to hang thyself; he was nothing disturbed, though his court murmured; but calmly said

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to the ambassador, Those who suffer injuries, are better people than those that do them. To conclude with him, being one day fallen along the ground, and seeing himself in that posture, he cried out, What a small spot of earth do we take up! and yet the whole world cannot content us.

Sect. 5. ALEXANDER was very temperate and virtuous in his youth: a certain governor having written to him, that a merchant of the place had several fine boys to sell, he returned him this answer with great indignation, What hast thou seen in any act of my life, that should put thee upon such a message as this? and avoided the woman his courtiers flung in his way to debauch him. Nay, he would not see the wife of Darius, famed for the most beautiful princess of the age; which with his other virtues, made Darius (the last Persian king) to say, If God has determined to take my empire from me, I wish it into the hands of Alexander, my virtuous enemy. He hated covetousness; for though he left great conquests, he left no riches; which made him. thus to answer one that asked him dying, Where he had hid his treasures? Among my friends, says he. He was wont to say, He owed more to his master for his education, than to his father for his birth; by how much it was less to live, than to live well.

Sect. 6. PTOLEMY, son of Lagus, being reproached for his mean original, and his friends, angry that he did not resent it; we ought, says he, to bear reproaches patiently.

Sect. 7. XENOPHANES being jeered for refusing to play at a forbidden game, answered, I do not fear my money, but my reputation; they that make laws, must keep them. A commendable saying.

Sect. 8. ANTIGONUS being taken sick, he said, It was a warning from God to instruct him of his mortality. A poet flattering him with the title of the Son of God;