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Plutarchus & other historiographers doen write that Demosthenes had a poore woman to his mother and a woman vnknowen, his fa∣ther kepte a cutlers shoppe and sould kniues, a good honeste manne and meetely welthie, as the whiche when he dyed leaft vnto his soonne ho∣neste substaunce, but because Demosthenes was then but a litle childe, he & his patrimonie
was cōmitted to certain executours or feoffers who beguiled Domosthenes so ferre, that thei neither regarded to sette hym to schoole, nor while he was at schoole to paie his schoolemai∣sters duetie. At last he became the moste noble oratour that euer was in Grece. And then tooke in hande to bee a dooer in the cōmenweale, and spared not to sette against Philippus wt moste vehemente oracions inuectiues, and wore out Philippus well enough and after hym Alexan∣der But Antipater sent certain of his garde to slea hym. Demonsthenes hearyng therof fledde priuely into a litle Isle named Calauria, & there kept hymself secrete. At la••t he was found out. And when he sawe that there was no remedie but that he should bee had to Antipater, he desi∣red that he might haue licence first to write an epistle to the Atheniens. And takyng a penne in his hande he begoonne his epis••le thus: Demo∣sthenes to the Atheniens gretyng & wel to fare. And euen so brake of writyng and receiued poy∣son whiche he had long tyme of a purpose kept vnder the stone of his ryng, and so poysoned hymself out of hande. Plutarchus ioyneth the life of Demosthenes and of Cicero bothe toge∣ther, and compareth theim twoo together as a veraye good matche and wel coupleed. For (sai∣eth he) whē god at the first begynnyng fourmed Demosthenes & Cicero bothe after one paterne, he semeth to haue putte and enspired into their natures and disposicions many like qualitees, as for example, that bothe the one and the other was ambicious, bothe the one and the other a citezen francke, bolde and plain in tellyng his mynde to the people, bothe of theim to perilles, ieoperdies and warres not veraye hardy mēne. There wer in their fortunes also many thinges
••ommune aswell to the one as to the other. Fo•• I cannot fynd any ot••er twoo oratours, which beeyng of sembleable lowe birth, grewe to bee soo greate menne of authoritee and dignite, and which durst auenture to wi••hstand kynges and chief gouernours, and lost their doughters, we•• banyshed their countrees, & returned fette home again with honour, eftsons voidyng their ci∣tees came into the handes of their enemies•• and finally whiche wer extincted together with the libertee of their countree.
[ 1] ONe ☞ 1.1Pythias obiected to Demosthenes that his argumentes of rheto∣rike smelled all of the cādle:* 1.2 signifiyng, that he pronoūced none oraciō but out of writyng, and made with greate studie by cādle in the night tyme. Whiche saiyng Demosthenes in such wyse reuersed backe again, that he auouched hymself and ye other partie not to bee at equal charges for candle, Notyng y• the other was a contynuall reueller and gourmaunder by night, and bestowed more money on ryot∣tous banquettyng, then he on his behalf did ••n studie.
Unto others obiectyng vnto [ 2] hym vnmeasurable affectacion of eloquence he thus aunswered,* 1.3 the studie of eloquence to declare a manne that loueth the people, and can bee contented to bee feloe like with the people: and cōtrariewyse to neglect the studie of eloquence, to bee the guyse of suche persones as sought to bee lordes ouer the people, as the whiche went about not to perswade menne by fyne vt¦treaunce of a matier, but to com∣pell theim parforce.
As often as Phocion should arise [ 3]
to saie his mynde in any assēblee Demosthenes would saie of thesam•• Phocion to his frendes yt sate nexte by hym:* 1.4 now ariseth vp the axe o•• all my reasons. For Phociō was brief in tellyng his tale,* 1.5 but sharpe as a•• axe•• And his custome was for y• moste parte to bee of a contrarie mynde and opinion to Demosthenes.
[ 4] The people of Athenes ymportu∣nely required Demosthenes to take vpō hym ye accusyng of a certain persone.* 1.6 And when Demosthenes re∣fused to dooe it, ye people begoōne to bee vp in a rore against hym, (as commenly thei will in suche a case) thē Demosthenes arisyng spake in this manier: O ye menne of Athenes, ye haue of me a faithfull counsaillour & helper at all tymes of neede whether ye will or not, but a false accuser shall ye neuer haue of me would ye neuer so fain.
[ 5] Demosthenes had been one of the
••enne, whom the Atheniens had sent ••mbassadours vnto Philippus kyng ••f Macedonie.* 1.7 So after that Aeschines ••nd Philocrates (whiche twoo Philip∣••us had especially aboue ye residue familiarly embraced & made of) beeyng come home again frō the saied ambassade, gaue the kyng muche high praise, partely for ma∣ny other thynges, & especially for these three folowyng, that he was full of fauour and beautie,* 1.8 that he had a goodly eloquente toung, & yt he could drynk lustyly. Demosthe∣nes made this cauillacion, that he auouched in all those praises to bee not so muche as one poincte comely for a kyng.* 1.9 For ye first, he saied, belonged to women, the se∣counde to sophistes or rhetorici∣ans, and the thirde to spounges,* 1.10
[ 6] Demosthenes had writtē vpon hi•• shilde in lettres of golde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is,* 1.11 Good fortune. Yet neuerthe∣lesse when it was come to handie strokes ‡ 1.12 Demosthenes euen at ye first meetyng cast shilde and all awaye from hym, & togoo as fast as his legges might beare hym. This poincte beeyng cast in his nose in the waye of mockage & reproche,* 1.13 that he had in battaill cast awaye his bucler, and taken hym to his heeles,* 1.14 like a pretie māne, he auoi∣ded it with a litle verse commen in euery bodyes mouthe.
* 1.15 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. That same manne, that renneth awaye, Maye again fight, an other daye.
Iudgeyng that it is more for ye benefit•• of ones coūtree to renne awaye in battaill, then to lese his life. For a dedde manne can fight no more, but who hath saued hymself aliue by rennyng awaye, maye in many battailles mo, doo good seruice to his coūtr•• At leste wise, if it bee a poincte of good ser∣uice, to renne awaye at al tymes when the coun∣••ree hath moste nede of his helpe to sticke to it.
[ 7] When Alexander on this condi∣cion offreed peace vnto ye Athenien•• if thesame would yeld vp into his handes eight of ye citezens,* 1.16 emōg whō Demosthenes to bee one: Demosthe••nes told vnto theim the tale of the woulf, who vpon this condicion offreed peace vnto the sheepe, if y• same would yeld and deliuer hym their dogges that kept hym from the folde. Under the name of the woulf betokenyng Alexāder, by the dogges menyng those persones who at that present season had the cure and charge of all ye pub∣lique affaires, and by the sheepe signifiyng the commenaltie of the Atheniens. He ad∣ded moreouer an other exaumple. As the mercatemenne (saieth he)
dooe bryng out a litle modicum of wheate or other corne in a treen¦dishe for a saumple or shewe,* 1.17 de∣siryng by thesame to sell whole greate heapes: so ye, if ye betraie and deliuer vp the eight citezens whiche are demaunded of you, ye betraie & deliuer ye whole vniuer∣sall people euery mothers chylde.
When Demosthenes beeyng con∣demned [ 8] of ye Areopagites,* 1.18 had esca∣ped out of prieson, & was rennyng * 1.19awaye, & had mette in the teeth not ferre from ye citee, certain per∣sones of the contrarie parte, that wer not his frēdes: first he would faine haue hidden hymself. But when ye parties speakyng to hym, & callyng hym Demosthenes by his name, bidde hym to bee of good coumforte,* 1.20 & also offreed hym mo∣ney to help hym on his waye, he gaue an heauie sigh euen from ye botome of his herte, saiyng: How
can I possible forsake this citee, in whiche I haue suche enemies, as I shall not fynd frendes of the like sorte in an other countree?
It is reported that Demosthenes [ 9] in his departyng from y• citee loo∣ked backe vnto the toure of Pallas,* 1.21 & his handes lifted vp vnto hea∣uen saied: O Pallas ladie of citees, why settest thou thy delite in three the moste vnluckeful beastes of ye worlde, the oulette,* 1.22 the draguon, and the people? The oulette wher∣as she is of all birdes the moste vnluckefull,* 1.23 yet is she dedicated vnto Pallas, like as the same Pallas hath a draguō also whiche she beareth aboute wt hir for hir cognisaunce.* 1.24 And as for ye people is a monstreous beaste of many heddes, accustomed with ye moste
naughtie vnkyndenesse possible to rewarde suche persones as hath dooen theim bene∣fite, as thei did Socrates, Phociō, * 1.25Scipio and right many others mo.
[ 10] Unto the young menne wt whō
he vsed familiaritee, he would of∣ten tymes saie,* 1.26 that knowyng as he now did, how muche enuie, feare, false surmuised querelyng, and how muche perill, a manne comyng to ye affaires of the com∣menweale hath to looke for, if the one of twoo wer to bee chosen, he would rather goo to his death, thē vp into a pulpite to make an ora∣cion, orels vp to the benche to sitte vpon matiers of iudgemente.
At what tyme he liued in Arca∣dia [ 11] a banyshed manne,* 1.27 and Pytheas in the fauour and behalf of ye Ma∣cedonians had saied in this manier, as wee deme yt hous to haue some eiuil maladie wtin it, into ye which is carryed mylke for to bee sold, so may wee thynk yt citee to bee cor¦rupted wt some eiuil disease, vnto the whiche is sent any ambassade of ye Atheniens: Demosthenes thus tur∣ned yt clause clene arsee versee. As
mylke (saieth he) is brought into houses for to restore sicke folkes to their helthe again, so are the Atheniens alwayes readie for ye safe∣garde and preseruacion of other foren citees.* 1.28 As soone as the com∣menaltie of ye Atheniens had knowe∣lage of this, thei foorthwithall sent for hym to come home again from exile.
After this saiyng, the comenaltie of Athene•• whiche had afore condēned hym, wer soodainly stricken again in loue with hym, and saied tha•• he was an honest manne again, and loued the ci∣tee, and many gaye good morowes. Wherupon Damon Paeaniens ye neffewe of Demosthene•• made mocion vnto the people that Demosthe∣nes might bee restored to his former state and might come home to the citee again. The people made a decree vpon it. And vnto Aegina was sent a galie for hym to fette & bryng hym home again with honour. And whē he was approched nere to Athenes, all the magistrates of the citee, all the ministres and presidentes of the temples full and whole, and the other citezens by whole ••••ockes went to meete hym, & receiued hym (as ye would saie) with generall processiō, and with all triumphe, honour, and solemnitee. Yea, and the fine of fiftie talentes whiche he had afore been condemned in, (because thei might not by iustice or law releasse or forgeue it) thei ordeined by a publique decree to co••uerte vnto the altare
of Minerua, and to bee deducted of the money whiche was to bee leuie•• for the behouf of the same altare. For the Atheniens had a vse and custome at •• certain feaste (which thei called the feaste of Iupiter the saueour) to make a commē boxe for y• repairyng, deckyng, and furnyshyng of the altare of Minerua, and for the dooyng of this, thei appoincted a gatheryng of fiftie talen∣tes in the name of Minerua, to bee conuerted and applyed to y• satisfiyng and paiyng of De∣mosthene•• his fyne, for in so muche a summe he was condemned, as afore is saied.
When a shippe was sent hym [ 12] returnyng home again frō exile,* 1.29 and many of the magistrates or publique officers, and citezēs had come foorth of the citee to meete hym, Demosthenes liftyng vp his handes to heauen, saied, yt a more honourable returnyng had chaū∣ced vnto hym then vnto Alcibiades, for that ‡ 1.30Alcibiades had come home again, the citezens constreigned parforce to sēd for hym, and he on his partie, ye citezens through pea¦ceable and gentle perswasiō con∣descēdyng & a greeyng therunto.
After that Demosthenes for feare [ 13] of Antipater had fledde into the Isle of Calauria,* 1.31 and kept hymself in the temple of Neptunus, and Archias,* 1.32 of a plaier of tragidies now growen & come vp to bee a māne of power assaied and laboured with honey sweete woordes to perswade De∣mosthenes that thesame should putte hymself in ye grace of Antipater,* 1.33 by whō not onely to haue nomanier harme at all, but also to bee ho∣noured with moste high & boun∣teous rewardes: He saied in this manier: O Archias thou neuer did∣dest like me in thy life on ye staige beeyng a plaier, nor shalt {per}suade me to thy purpose now at this pre¦sent beeyng an oratour. But whē Archias beeyng throughly out of paciēce thretened to pull hym par∣force out of the temple: yea marie
({quod} Demosthenes) now at last thou hast plainly opened the * 1.34 oracles of Macedonie.* 1.35 For vntill ye speakyng of this woorde, thou diddest but countrefaicte and make a feigned countenaūce accordyng to ye guise and facion of entrelude plaiers.
[ 14] Demosthenes is reported to haue sailled on a tyme to ye citee of Co∣rinthe,* 1.36 enticed & allured wt the fame of Lais a Courtisan there of greate name,* 1.37 to thentente yt he also emōg the mo might haue his pleasure of the paramour whiche all ye worlde spake of. But when she by coue∣naūte required for one night tēne thousande drachmes,* 1.38 Demosthenes feared wt the greatenesse of ye price chaunged his mynde, saiyng:
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.that is:
I will not bye repentaunce so dere.Signifiyng, that vnto vnhoneste plea∣sure repentaunce is a prest compaignion to come after.* 1.39 Yea and one propretee more it hath, that the pleasure is small, and is gon in a momente, the repentaunce greate, and still endu¦ryng as long as life continueth.‡ 1.40
The saiyng of Pytheas is cōmen [ 15,] and muche spoken of, that the ora¦cions of Demosthenes smelled all of the candle,* 1.41 for that thesame did in the night seasō wryte and recorde suche thynges as he had to saie to the people in the daye tyme. So whē an other feloe, whiche had an eiuill name abrode for the suspiciō of piekyng and brybyng, veraye malapertely inueighed against ye same thyng: I knowe it full well ({quod} Demosthenes) yt wee dooe werke the muche sorowe, in yt wee light candles in the night.* 1.42 For priue
stealers loue ye derke.
[ 16] On Demades cryyng, oh, Demosthe¦nes will take vpon hym to correcte me,* 1.43 the sow will teache* 1.44 Minerua, ye same Demosthenes saied: Yea, but this Minerua ({quod} he) was taken the last yere in aduou••••ie.* 1.45 He lated vnto ye charge of Demades aduoutrie, wher as the poetes dooe make Minerua to bee a perpetuall virgin.
[ 17] Thesame Demosthenes withstood ye Atheniens ymportunely desiryng hym to shewe his aduise,* 1.46 & saied:
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.that is, I am none of those whiche are brought, vnder coram. Signifi∣yng, that he was not as a bondeseruaunte
made to the becke of the people, but at his owne wille & pleasure at all tymes to dooe what thyng he had iudged expediente to bee dooen.
A certain bonde maiden had re∣ceiued [ 18] of twoo menne of hir ac∣quaintaunce a certain summe of money to kepe for theim, with this condiciō and agreemente, that she should redeliuer thesame summe vnto theim bothe together. The one of these twoo parties within a shorte space after, comyng cladde in a mournyng garmente, & goo∣yng as though he had no ioye of his life, and feignyng that his par¦tener was dedde, beguiled the wo∣man, & gotte the money out of hir fyngers.* 1.47 This dooen, anon came the secounde partie vnlooked for, and begoonne to require that had been leafte in hir custodie. And wher ye woman beeyng in a pecke of troubles was half in mynde & purpose to hang hirself, Demosthenes
was so good vnto hir to become hir aduocate, who, as soone as he came to make his plea in hir be∣half, went roundely to the demaū∣der of the money after this sorte: This woman (saieth he) is readie well & truely to discharge hirself of the money which she was putte in truste withal to kepe, but onles thou bryng thy partener too, she maye not dooe it, because that by thyne owne confession and woor∣des, this was a plain composiciō made betwen you, that the money should in no wyse bee deliuered to the one of you without the other. By this suttle ingen he saued the poore seelie woman, and clerely defeacted the con∣spirisie of the two vilaines, who had drieuē a drifte to receiue double paimente of one summe.
To a certain {per}sone demaūdyng [ 19] what was the principall poincte in eloquence, he made aunswer, hy¦pocrisis,
that is, accion or pronun∣ciacion. To yesame persone eftsons askyng, what was y• nexte poincte and what the thirde, he still made none other aunswer but, accion, accion. Referryng so muche to pro∣nunciacion, that he thought all together to consiste in thesame. And in deede y• accion or pronunciacion comprehendeth many thyn∣ges mo then one, that is to weete, the tem∣peryng and qualifiyng of the voice, the ear∣nest looke of the yies, the porte of the coun∣te••aunce, and the gesturyng or conueigh∣aunce of all the whole bodye.
When the fyngers of the Athe∣niens [ 20] ticleed to aid and succour Har¦palus, and wer now alreadie vp to∣wardes warre against Alexander, soodainly was seen Philoxenus ar∣riued in the countree of Attica, whō Alexander had made his high ami∣rall. At this sodain arriuall of the saied Philoxenus when y• people bee¦yng with feare astouned wer soo∣dainly whished & weaxed dumme:
what would these menne dooe ({quod} Demosthenes) if thei should see the soonne, which haue not the power to looke against a candle? After suche sorte did he vpbraid to the people their rashe and vnaduised stieryng of coles, and arisynges to warre. By the soonne he me∣ned Alexander, in comparison of whom, this Philoxenus was scacely to bee estemed a cādle.
[ 21] Certain persones estemyng and saiyng that Demades had now geuē ouer to bee suche an haine, as he had been in tyme past:* 1.48 Yea marie ({quod} Demosthenes,) for now ye see hym ful paunched, as lyons are For Demades was couetous and gredie of mo∣ney. And in deede the lyons are more gentle when their bealyes are well filled.
When he was by a certain per∣sone [ 22] reuiled with muche naughty language:* 1.49 I am now matched ({quod} he) to buccle in a strife, in whiche who so hath in fine the ouer hāde, getteth the wurse, and who so ouer cometh, leseth the victorie.
Thesame Demosthenes, when he [ 23] heard a certain oratour speakyng out of measure loude and high, & all together in Pilates voice, saied: Not all that is greate,* 1.50 is well, but all that is well is greate. This saiyng is ascribed to others also. And some folkes there been, that esteme feastes whiche are drawen of a greate length to sitte all daie, and are furnyshed with soondrie dishes or courses of the moste,* 1.51 to bee royall deintie geare, wheras by the plain determinacion of all naturall philosophiers, and of all good physicians in the world, one good dishe alone to f••de on is more naturall and more holsome for the bodye, then the varietee of many costely di∣s••es at one repaste.
This Pytheas was in the tyme of Phocion and Demo∣sthenes, a man newly come vp in Athenes of late, & by eleccion put in autoritee to haue dooyng and saiyng in the publique af∣faires of th•• citee, partely by giftes and rewardes, and partely by speakyng faire vnto the people. And whē he was on••s got∣ten vp to beare some stroke in the citee, he would haue to dooe in euery matier, and weaxed a woondreous buisie m••dler in all causes, in somuch that at commen assemblees he woulde often tymes trouble all the whole coumpaigni•• w••th his daily pratleyng, vntill Phocion at last saied: will this feloe here ne∣uer hold his peace, that came but yersterdaye in manier out of the shelle, and one that hath bought the people of Athenes to b••e his owne?
H••w Demo∣s••henes aun∣swered Py∣theas ••aiyng to his cha••ge that his ora∣cions smelled ••f the candle.
How Demo∣sthenes pour∣ged hymselfe of y• obiecciō of ouermuche studie of el••∣quence.
Phocion the are of Demo¦sthenes his reasons.
Phocion and Demosthenes fewe tymes agreed••
What De∣mosthenes saied when ye Atheniēs ear∣nestely praied hym to accuse a ••ertain per∣••one.
Demosthenes one of the .x. whom the A∣theniens sent ambassadours to Philippus kyng of Ma∣c••donie.
Philippus kyng of Ma∣cedonie, was beautiful, elo∣quen••e and a good drynker
To drynke well is a pro∣prete mete for a spoūge, but not for a mā.
This ambassade was at thesame tyme, when Demochares saied to Philippus that he might do to the Atheniens muche pleasure, if he would put his necke in an halter, and hang hym self. Wherof read the .xxxv. apoph. of the saied Philippus.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, write•• about Demost••••nes his bucler in l••tters of ••olde.
This was at the battaill in Cherronea (wherof is afore spo••••en i•• the .vii. apophthegme of Philippus) in whiche battaill he subdued and conquiered all Grece. And of this battaill De∣••osthenes was the chief procurer and setter on, in so muche yt he onely persuaded the Thebanes and others therunto, and was one of the chief ryngleders and capitaines hymself, in so muche that the kyng of the Persians wrote letters about to ••is nobles in all places, that thei should aide Demosthenes wt money enough on all syde•• for the suppressyng of Philippus. The battaill wa•• kept in Ch••rronea (the countree of Plutar∣chus) at Thermodon. Whiche Thermodon (as the reporte goo••th saieth Plutarchus) shuld bee a litle preatie floudde ren∣••yng into the riuer of Cephisus. But thesame Plutarchus saieth that he knoweth no suche flodde there about of y• nam•• nor yet in any place of al Cherronea. Neuerthelesse he beleueth that the floudde Haemō (whiche renneth along by Heraclium, where ye Grekes at yt tyme pitched their cāpe against Philip∣pus) was at the first in olde tyme called Thermodon, and frō that battaill foorthward thesame to haue taken the appelaciō of Haemon, because it was then filled vp with dedde corpses ••nd with bloudde. For 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is greke for bloudde. But this was such•• a sore battaill, that Philippus feared Demosthenes all daies of his life after, for that thesame had persuaded the Grekes to battaill.
How Demo∣sthenes a••oi∣ded y• reproche of rennyng a••waye in bat∣taill.
Plutarchus saieth yt Py∣theas it was whiche thus mocked De∣mosthenes for his mannely rennyng ••∣waye.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, (that is: I mā tha•• ••leeth will renewe battaill again) is a prouerbiall verse (as Erasm{us} in his chili••des admonysheth) by whiche we are war∣ned not by and by to be brought in despaire, if some thyng hau•• not well come to our passe. For though a manne bee now ouer∣••omed, he maye at an other tyme haue better happe. Wherof Homere calleth it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, yt is now strōg on ye one syde, & now on ye other. And Alexander (Pari•• the soonne of Priamus kyng of Troie) thus speaketh in Homere. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. that is: Uictorie chaungeth from parte ••o parte. And thesame Alexāder in an other place again saieth:
Menelaus now, through Pallas hath wonne And so shall I at an other season.So Dauus in Terence
Hac non successit, alia aggrediendū est uia.that is.
This waye it will not frame ne faie,Therefore must we proue another waye. So mened Demo••sthenes, that though he had had missehappe at that season, ye•• an other more propice tyme should come, when his chaunc•• should bee to dooe his countree better seruice. &c. And this wa•• a meetely honeste excuse.
How Demo∣sth••n••s esca∣ped beeyng de∣liuered into ye handes of A∣••••xāder.
Who betrai∣eth the gouer∣nours & rew∣lers, betraieth the whole peo¦ple & coūtree.
Of Ar••opa∣gus & the A∣reopagites, it is afore noted
The cause of the banyshemente of Demosthenes was this. There was one Ha••palus (of whō it is afore mencioned) who partely of remorse and conscience of eiuill handleyng hymself in matiers committed vnto his fidelitee, and partely for that he sawe Alexāder begyn to weaxe veraye rigorous and sore to his frendes, fled out of Asia and came to Athenes. And whē h•• had with certain shippes and greate substaunce of money sub∣mitted hymself to the pleasure and wylle of the people of Athe¦nes, the other oratours counsailled the people to receiue & pro∣••ecte hym, but Demosthenes at the first begynnyng gaue theim counsaill in no wyse to receiue hym, but to bee well aware, lest thei should by reason of hym areise battaill of an vniuste and vnreasonable cause. Within fewe daies after, whē Harpalus (who by like had a good insight in suche matiers) espiyng and markyng Demosthenes to haue an earneste yie, & a greate fan∣sie vnto a goodly cuppe of golde, that was of excellente werk∣manship•• caused thesame to bee weighed. Demosthenes muche woondreed at the weight of the cuppe, and demaunded what the cuppe drawed (menyng of weight in the balaunce) I wys {quod} Harpalus (smylyng vpon hym) it shall drawe you twentie talentes, and the nexte night folowyng sent vnto Demosthe∣n••s the saied cuppe of golde secretely, & twentie talentes with all, whiche Demosthenes receiued. And when Harpalus his caus•• within a daye or twoo after was had again in commu∣nicacion, Demosthenes came to the assemblee of the people, wt his necke all stuffed, lapped, and wrapped in wulle, furres, and cloutes. He was bidden to saie his mynde, he refused to speake, alleg••yng that he had a bone in his throte & could not speake. But the people perceiued the matier well enough that he had been corrupted with money by Harpalus. And without any more busynesse, first and foremust thei expulsed Harpalus and bidde hym voide. And that dooen, forasmuche as thei stood in feare and drede, left the money whiche the oratours had recei∣ued, should bee required of theim by Alexander, thei serched the oratoures houses for all suche money and iewelles. Then De∣mosthenes beeyng manifestly foūd culpable, would haue pour∣ged hymself, but y• people would in no wyse heare hym speak•• No? (saied one) wil ye not geue eare vnto hym that hath such•• a goodly golden cuppe? well, the people cryed out vpon hym. Demosthenes putt the matier vp to the iudgemente and sen∣tence of the Areopagites, by whom he was cōdemned in a fine of fiftie talentes, and commaunded to warde, vntill the fine should bee satisfied and paied. Demosthenes partely by reaso•• of that extreme iudgemēte for that he was feble and weake of bodye, nor hable to endure the enpriesonmente, broke awaye priuely, and fledde into Arcadia, whiche is a region of Achaia.
The naturall loue & desire of eche māne towarde his natiue coun∣tree.
What Demo¦sthenes saied to Pallas at his departyng out of Athe∣nes.
The Oulett•• dedicated vn∣to Pallas.
The people •• beaste of ma∣ny heddes.
The ingrati∣tude of ye peo∣ple towarde their benefa∣ct••uro.
Of the ingratitude of the people of Athenes towardes So¦••rates and Phocion, it is afore declared. As touchyng Scipio there wer fower of the name in Roome, one after an other, as nob••e menne, as wyse counsaillours, and as valiaunte Capi∣taines, as euer wer in Roome, & whiche did asmuche benefite in the commenweale, as vneth any penne maye wryte. And yet euery one of theim found at the hādes of the people of Roome in••omparable ingratitude. The first of theim woonne Car∣thage, and made it tributarie vnto Roome, when it had so tie∣••ed Roome with long warres, that it was muche more nigh to subdue Roome, then to bee subdued vnto Roome. This Sci∣•••••• triumphed on Carthage, and had geuen vnto hym the sur∣name of Africane (because he subdued Carthage and thereby Afrike.) And yet was he at last exiled, and did dye out of his countree a banished manne. Scipio surnamed the Asiatik•• (be∣cause he subdued kyng Antiochus vnto Roome, and besides hym all A••ia, of whō he also triumphed) was afterward ••alse∣ly arrained of robbyng the treasourie of Roome, and moste wrongfully commaunded to prieson. Scipio Africane the se∣counde (to whom that surname was geuen because he beatte downe and destroyed bothe the citee of Numantia, and also ye citee of Carthage, beeyng with all their power and puissaunce ••ent and•• sette against the citee of Roome) was wekedly slain in his bedde in ye night, and yet in all the citee of Roome could not one bee found that would see suche an hainous murdre a∣uenged or punyshed. And this Scipio it is, that Erasmus here speaketh of•• Scipio surnamed Nasica (who saued the cōmen∣weale from the violente oppression of Tiberius Gracchus the Tribun••) was in his later daies sent as half a banyshed māne to Pergamus, and there spent the residue of his life.
The affaires of a commen∣weale are daū¦gierou•• to med••e withal saied Demo∣sthenes.
Contencion betwene Py∣theas & De∣mosthenes.
How Demo∣sthenes was re••tored from banyshement.
Demosthene•• gloried in cō∣paryng his re¦turnyng from exile, with the returnyng of Alcibiades.
Alcibiades beeyng absente on warrefare was accused by one Thessalus, that he ha•• a certain brethreed, whiche vsed to re∣sorte and g••ther together at his hous, and there to assēble like plaiers on a staige, to coūtre••aicte the sacres of Ceres (the god∣desse of corn••) and to represent ye mysteries of thesame sacres, whiche wer woont to bee celebrated and kept of the Atheniens with greate reuerence and deuocion. He added moreouer, that Alcibiades and his adherentes diuided the executyng of all the offices apperteinyng to those ceremonies, and that one Poly∣tion was the cādlesticke bearer or torchebearer, and one Theo∣do••us to bee the chaunter, or clerke, and Alcibiades beeyng the e••ecutour and chief president of all the sacres to reade a lecture vnto al his compaignie of al the saied misteries. &c. Alcibiades was gently required to come home to Athenes for to make his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and declaracion in the premisses, he drewe backe and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not come to Athenes, and to one demaundyng whether ••e mystrusted his owne natiue countree and citee, he aunswe∣red, that he trus••ed his countree veraye well, but as for the ha∣••••rdyng of his hedde & life he thought not best to putte in the handes of his veraye mother neither, lest she might chaunce to bryng and cast in a blacke stone in stede of a white. Upon this ••e fledde, and would not come to Athenes. Wherupon he was condemned beeyng absēte, and all his goodde•• forfaicted, and to the ende that no poincte of ignominie o shuld lacke, all the minis••res of all the temples wer hidden to accurse Alcibiades as an impious persone and a w••ked miscreaunt. Thei also by a dec••ee condemned hym to death as a traitour. Wherof whē relacion was made vnto Alcibiades, he aunswered that the A∣theniens should fynd hym to bee aliue. Then went he to their enemies, and did the Atheniens muche scathe till at laste thei wer gladde and sain to desyre and praie hym to come home and help theim. The•• par••ely remorse of conscience, and partely the naturall desire of his countree so pricked hym, that euen at the veraye plounge when the Lacedemonians should vtterly foreuer hau•• confounded the Atheniens in battaill on the sea, Alcibiades soodainly without the knowelage of either partie came with certain shippes vpon the Lacedemonians behynd at their backes, and turned the victorie to the Atheniens, and so came home highly welcomed, although thei had by necessitee been forced to seeke vpon hym.
Reade the an∣notacion of y• viii. apoph.
This temple was a sure place of refu∣ge as a san∣ctuarie.
Archias first a plaier of en∣treludes, and afterwarde a greate manne of power wt Antipater.
The oracles of Macedonie, Demosthenes called the plea∣sure of Antipater kyng of Macedonie. Menyng that Antipa∣ter had commaunded Archias to bryng Demosthenes by faire meanes or foule. Demosthenes alluded to the propre significa∣••ion of an oracle, menyng that Antipater tooke vpon hym in manier no lesse then if he had been a god.
What an ora¦cle is reade in the .xv. saiyng of Alexander.
Of Corithus is aforenoted in y• xxxiii. A∣pophtheg. of Diogenes.
Demosthenes sailled to Co∣••inthe to haue his peasure of Lais.
Lais a costely dame to lye with, of whō reade the .xxxi saiyng of Ari¦stippus.
Repentaunce euermore en∣sueth of vn∣honeste plea∣sure.
Lais an harlot of Corinthe of excellent beautie, but so dere & costely, that she was no morsell for mowyers. She was for none but lordes and gentlemenne that might well paie for it. Wherof came vp a prouerbe, that it was not for euery manne to go vnto Corinthe. This historie of Demosthenes is reher∣sed of Ualerius Maximus, Aulus Gellius and others.
Read ye first apophthegme of Demosthe.
Priue theues loue ye derke.
How Demo∣sthenes taun∣ted Demades.
••••wyne to teache Minerua, was a {pro}uerbe against suche, as either beeyng theimselfes of no knowlage ne wisedō at all, wil take vpō theim, to teache {per}sones yt are excellētely skilled & pas∣syng expert, for which we saie in Englyshe to teache our dame to sp••nne: orels, yt will take vpō theim to bee doctours in those thynges in whiche theimselfes haue no skille at all, for whiche wee saie in Englyshe, to correcte Magnificat before he haue learned Te Deum. For Minerua was thought the patronesse of al witte and of al ingenious artes (as is afore saied) and the swyne, by the tradicion and wrytyng of all the naturall philo∣sophi••rs is declared to bee of al beastes the moste brutyshe, and lest apte to learne any thyng.
Minerua by the ficcion of the poetes a perpetuall virgin.
Demosthe∣nes would not bee at the becke of the people.
How Demo∣sthenes by a suttle ingen saued a poore woman from paiyng one summe twys.
Demades was couetous of money.
In reui••yng one an other•• who so ouer∣cometh, l••seth the victorie.
Not all yt is greate is well but all that is wel is greate.
One dishe a∣lone to f••de on, is more holsome for y• bodye, then variet••e of dishes.