The philosophie, commonlie called, the morals vvritten by the learned philosopher Plutarch of Chæronea. Translated out of Greeke into English, and conferred with the Latine translations and the French, by Philemon Holland of Coventrie, Doctor in Physicke. VVhereunto are annexed the summaries necessary to be read before every treatise

AS TOVCHING A PRINCE OR RULER UNLEARNED.

The Summarie. [ 20]

AS in the former discourse he sollicited Sages and Philosophers to joine themselves in acquaintance with Princes; so in this he desireth one point, whereof hee dareth not assure himselfe to compasse the same, by reason of some difficulties therein observed. For requiring in Princes thus much that they should be wel instructed, for to be capable of good counsell; he sheweth withall that it is a verie hard thing to bring them thereto, and to range them in that order for certaine materiall and pertinent reasons which he setteth downe. Neverthelesse he passeth on still and proceedeth farther; prooving that the law and lively reason ought to command Kings and Princes; and for to cause them to condescend thereto, he declareth unto [ 30] them, that the thing which they wish for and desire so ar dently to procure; namely, to maintaine them∣selves in happie estate, and to make their name immortall, lieth in vertue: then he pointeth out with his finger, foure impeachments and hinderances that divert and turne away Princes from so just and necessarie a consideration. Which done, for to enrich this speech and treatise of his, and the better yet to draw great personages to give eare unto reason, he letteth them see and understand the difference be∣tweene a good Prince and a tyrant: also how dangerous a wicked Prince is; concluding by the benefit which commeth by equitie, and the hurt by injustice, that right and justice, ought to serve as a counter∣poise, against the greatnes and puissance of Princes.

AS TOVCHING A PRINCE [ 40] or Ruler unlearned.

THE inhabitants of the citie Cyrene, requested Plato on a time to leave unto them by writing certaine good lawes; and withall to set them downe an order in the government of their State, which he refused to do, saying: That it was a verie hard matter to give lawes unto the Cyrenians being so rich and wealthie as they were: for there is nothing so proude and insolent, so rough and intractable, [ 50] so savage and hard to be tamed, as a man perswaded well of his for∣tunate estate. This is the cause that it is no easie enterprise to give counsell unto princes and rulers, and to advise them as touching their government. For they be affraid to receive and admit reason as a master to commaund them; for feare it should take away and abridge them of that, which they esteeme to be the one∣ly good of their grandence and puissance, in case they were subjected once to their duety. Which is the cause also that they cannot skill to heare the discourses of Theopompus King of

Sparta, who was the first that brought into that citie the Ephori, and mingled their authoritie with the government of the Kings. For when his wise reproched him for leaving unto his chil∣dren the royall power & dignitie, lesse than he received it of his predecessors: Nay mary (quoth he) but rather farre greater, in that it shall be more firme and assured: for in remitting and let∣ting downe a little that which in absolute royaltie was over stiffe, strait and rigorous, hee a∣voided by that verie meanes all envie and perill. And verily Theopompus deriving unto others from his owne authoritie, as from a great river, a little rill or riveret; looke how much he gave unto the Ephort, so much he cut off from himselfe: but the reason and remonstrance of Philo∣sophie, being lodged (as it were) with the Prince himselfe, for to assist him and preserve his per∣son, taking from his puissance, as in a full plight and plethoricke constitution of the bodie, that [ 10] which is excessive and overmuch, leaveth that behind which is sound and healthfull. But the most part of Kings, Princes, and Soveraigne rulers, who are not wise and of good understan∣ding, resemble unskilfull cutters in stone and imagers, who are of opinion that the enormous and huge statues, called Colosses, which they cut, will seeme more vast and mightie, if they frame them stradling with their legs, with their armes spread abroad and stretched foorth, as also with their mouthes gaping wide open; for even so, these princes and rulers by their big comman∣ding voice, their grim and sterne visage, fierce lookes and regard of their eie, their odious be∣haviour, and living apart without society of any other person, weene and suppose to counterfeit a kinde of gravitie, greatnes and majestie that is required in a mightie potentate; but they differ nothing from the foresaid Colosses, which without do represent the forme of some god or demi∣god; [ 20] but all within are stuffed full of earth, stone, rubbish and lead: this onely is the difference that the waight and heavines of those monstrous statues, counterpoiseth and keepeth them standing in some sort upright, stedfast, and not enclining one way or other; but ignorant and unlearned princes, rulers, and generall captaines, by reason of their ignorance which is within them, oftentimes do wag and totter to and fro, yea and be overturned and laid along; for com∣ming to build their puissance and licentious power aloft upon abase that is not laid directlie to the plumbe, they reele and tumble downe withall. But like as a rule or squire, being of it selfe even, streight and levell, not turning or twining any way, doeth direct and set streight all other things, and make them like it selfe, by being laied thereto; even so ought a prince, when he hath first established in himselfe, his principallity and power, that is to say, composed his owne life [ 30] and maners, to accommodate and frame his subjects accordingly, and to make them semblable: for neither lieth it in him who is ready to stumble and fall himselfe, to susteine and keepe up an∣other, nor he who is ignorant and knoweth nothing, is fit to be a teacher, no more than he who is disorderly, meet to redresse and reforme, or who is irregular, able to range and set in order, or who knoweth not how to obey, like for to command. But the most part of men are heerein de∣ceived and thinke not aright, who suppose that the first and principall good in commanding and ruling, is not to be ruled and commanded. And thus the king of the Persians imagined all his subjects to be his slaves, unlesse it were his wife alone, of whom especially above all other, he should have the mastrie and lordship.

Who is it then, that shall command a king or prince? even the law, which is the ladie and [ 40] queene of all, aswell mortall men, as immortall gods, according as Pindarus saith: I meane not the written law in books or upon tables of wood, but the lively reason imprinted in his owne heart, remaining alwaies with him, his continuall resident-keeper, and never leaving his soule a∣bandoned and forlorne without conduct and government. And verily the Persian king had evermore about him one of his chamberlaines ordeined for this office; namely, to say unto him every morning as he entred into his chamber: Arise my lord, and have regrd to those affaires for which Mesoromasdes (that is to say, The great God) would have you to provide. But if a prince be wise and well instructed, he hath alwaies within him this monitor and remembrancer, to re∣sound the same into his eares, and put him in minde of his dutie. Polemon was wont to say: That love was a ministerie of the gods in yoong persons, such as they had care of, and were minded [ 50] to preserve: but more truely a man might say: That princes be the ministers of the gods, to pro∣vide for the affaires and safetie of men; to the end that of those good things which God hath bestowed upon them, they should distribute some, and preserve other;

But seest thou this starrie firmament, So high above and infinitely ely vast, In bosome moist of water element, The earth beneath how it incloseth fast?

for this is it, that by influence sendeth downe the principles of those seeds which be fit and con∣venient, which afterwards the earth produceth and yeeldeth forth, whereof some grow by show∣ers of others by winds; some also gather warmth and heat by the starres & the moone, but it is the sunne who ruleth and governeth all, he inspireth and infuseth into them from himselfe, the gracious instinct of love. Now, all the goods and gifts (so many and so great) which the gods endow men withall, there is no meanes to enjoy & use aright, without law, without justice, without a prince or ruler: Justice is the end of law; is the worke of a prince; and the prince is the image of God governour of all things: and this prince or sovereigne majestie hath no need either of Phidias, or of Polycletus and Myran, to cut, cast or forme him; but himselfe it is, who doeth frame his owne person to the patterne and similitude of God, and by meanes of vertue, [ 10] worketh and setteth up the most pleasant, excellent and divine statue that may be seene: and like as God hath placed in haven (as a most beautifull image of himselfe and his divinitie) the sunne and the moone; even such a representation and light is in a citie and realme. A prince or magistrate, so long as he hath in his heart imprinted the feare of God and the observation of justice; that is to say, all while he hath divine reason, which is understanding; not a scepter in his hand, nor a thunder-bolt and lightning, or a three-forked mace, as some foolish princes cause themselves to be portraied and painted, making their follie odious, in affecting that which they never can attaine unto: for God indeed hateth and punisheth those who will seeme to imitate thunder, lightning, sun-beames and such like; but contrariwise, those that be zealous followers of this vertue, and who endevour to conforme themselves to his bounty, goodnesse and clemen∣cie, [ 20] he loveth and advanceth, to them he willingly doth impart his owne equity, loialty, justice, verity and clemency. These quallities are such, as there is nothing in the world more divine and heavenly, not fire nor light, not the course of the sunne, neither the risings or apparitions, nor the settings and occultations of the starres, no nor eternity it selfe and immortality: for God is not counted happy and blessed in regard of long life, but for that he is the prince of all vertue: and as this is divinity indeed, so it is true beauty to be ruled thereby. Anaxarchus for to give comfort and consolation unto Alexander, who was cast downe and in despaire, for the bloudy murder which he had committed upon the person of Clytus, said unto him: That the goddesses Dice and Thenis (that is to say) Justice and Equity, sat as assistants to * 1.1 Jupiter, to shew (quoth he) that whatsoever is done by a prince, is to be thought just and righteous; but hee offended [ 30] herein grosly, and faulted much, to the hurt of Alexander, in that he went about to remedy the sorow and griefe which this prince conceived in remorse of conscience and repentance for his heinous sinne, by giving him heart and assurance to commit the like againe. And if it be meet and lawfull in this case, to project our conjectures; Jupiter hath not equity and justice for his as∣sessours, but himselfe is justice and equity: he (I say) is the most ancient and perfectest law that is: thus speake, write and teach all ancient authours; That even Jupiter himselfe can not well command and rule without justice, which is the virgine (as He siodus saith) not touched & defi∣led, but pure and immaculate, lodged alwaies with shamefastnesse, modestie, pudicitie and usili∣tie. Hereupon it is, that men ordinarily give this addition unto kings and princes, calling them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, Reverend and venerable: for meet and convenient it is, that those who feare [ 40] least, should have most majestie and honour. And verily a prince and ruler ought to be afraid much more to do ill, than to receive and sustaine harme, for asmuch as the one is the cause of the other. And this is a civill and generous feare, proper and peculiar to a good prince, namely, to be afraid lest his subjects should (ere he be aware) take wrong or be hurt any way;

Much like as dogs that be of gentle kinde, Who watchfully about the folds attend, In case they once by subtill hearing finde A savage beast approch, and thit her tend,

feare not for themselves, but in regard of the cattell which they keepe. In like maner, Epami∣nondas, when the Thebanes fell dissolutely to drinke and make good cheere at a certeine festivall [ 50] time, himselfe went all alone to survey the armour and wals of the citie, saying: That he would fast and watch, that all the rest might quaffe the while and sleepe with more securitie. Cato like∣wise at Utica proclaimed by sound of trumpet, to send away by sea all those who escaped alive upon the overthrow which there hapned; and when he had embarqued them all, and made his praiers unto the gods to vouchsafe them a bon voiage, he returned into his owne lodging and killed himselfe; shewing by this example what a prince or commander ought to feare, and what

he should contemne and despise. Contrariwise, Clearchus the tyrant of Pontus, shutting him∣selfe within a chest, slept there as a serpent within her hole: and Aristodemus the tyrant of Ar∣gos went up into a hanging chamber aloft which had a trap dore, whereupon he caused a little bed or pallet to be set, and there he slept and lay with his concubine and harlot which hee kept, and when he was gotten up thither, the mother of the said concubine came ordinarily to take downe the ladder, and brought it thither againe every morning. How thinke you, did this tyrant tremble for feare, when he was in a frequent theater in the palace, in the counsell house and court of justice, or at a feast, considering that he made a prison of his bed chamber? To say a ve∣rie truth, good princes are afraid for their subjects sake, but tyrants feare their subjects; and therefore as they augment their puissance, so doe they encrease their owne feare; for the more [ 10] persons that they commaund and rule over, the greater number they stand in dread of: for it is neither probable nor seemely as some philosophers affirme: That God is invisibly subsistent and mixed within the first and principall matter, which suffreth all things, receiveth a thousand constreints and adventures, yea and is subject to innumerable changes and alterations: but hee sitteth in regard of us above, and there is resiant continually in a nature alwaies one, and ever in the same estate, feated upon holy foundations (as Plato saith) where he infuseth his power, and goeth through all, working and finishing that which is right according to nature: and like as the sunne in heaven, the most goodly and beautifull image of him, is to be seene by the reflexi∣on of a mirror, by those who otherwise can not endure to behold himselfe as he is; even so God ordeineth in cities and societies of men, another image of his, and that is the light of justice [ 20] and reason accompanying the same; which wise and blessed men describe and depaint out of sentences philosophicall, conforming and framing themselves to that which is the fairest and most beautifull thing in the world; and nothing is there that doth imprint in the soules and spi∣rits of men such a disposition, as reason drawne and learned out of philosophie, to the end that the same should not befall unto us which king Alexander the great did; who having seene in Corinth, Diogenes how generous he was, esteemed highly and admired the haughtie courage & magnanimitie of the man, insomuch as he brake foorth into these words; Were I not Alexan∣der surely I would be Diogenes: which was al one in maner as if he should have said; That he was troubled & encombred with his wealth, riches, glory and puissance, as impeachments and hin∣derances of vertue, and bare an envious and jealous eie to the homely course cloke of the phi∣losopher, [ 30] to his bagge and wallet, as if by them alone Diogenes was invincible and impregna∣ble, and not (as himselfe) by the meanes of armes, harnish, horses, speares, and pikes: for sure∣ly he might with governing himselfe by true philosophicall reason have beene of the dispositi∣on and affection of Diogenes, and yet continue neverthelesse in the state and fortune of Alex∣ander; and so much the rather be Diogenes because he was Alexander; as having need against great fortune, (like a tempest raised with boisterous winds, and full of surging waves) of a stron∣ger cable and anchor, of a greater helme also, and a better pilot: for in meane persons who are of low estate, and whose puissance is small, such as private men be, follie is harmelesse; and sot∣tish though such be, yet they doe no great hurt, because their might is not answerable thereto; like as it falleth out in foolish and vaine dreames: there is a certeine griefe (I wot not what) [ 40] which troubleth and disordereth the mind, being not able to compasse & bring about the exe∣cution of her desires & lusts: but where might & malice are met together their power addeth folly unto passion & affections; & most true is that speech of Denys the tyrant, who was wont to say; That the greatest pleasure & contentment which he enjoied by his tyranny was this, that whatsoever he would was quickly done, & presently executed; according to that verse in Homer:

No sooner out of mouth the word was gone, But presently withall, the thing was done.

A dangerous matter it is for a man to will and desire that which he ought not, being not able to performe that which hee willeth and desireth: whereas malicious mischiefe making a swife course through the race of puissance and might, driveth and thrusteth forward every vio∣lent [ 50] passion to the extremitie, making choler and anger to turne to murder, love to proove adultery, and avarice to growe into confiscation of goods; for no sooner is the word spo∣ken, but the partie once in suspition is undone for ever, and presently upon the least surmise and imputation ensueth death. But as the naturall philosophers do hold, that the lightning is shot out of the cloud after the clap of thunder (like as bloud issueth after the wound is given and incision made) and yet the said lightning is seene before, for that the eare receiveth the

sound or cracke by degrees, whereas the eie meeteth at once with the flash; even so in these great rulers and commanders, punishments oftentimes go before accusations, and sentences of condemnation before evident proofes:

For wrath in such may not long time endure, No more than flouke of anchor can assure A ship in storme, which taketh slender hold On sand by shore, whereof none may be bold.

unlesse the weight of reason doe represse and keepe downe licentious power, whiles a Prince or great Lord doth after the manner of the sunne, who at what time as he is most high mounted in the septentrionall or northren parts, seemeth least to move, and by his slow motion maketh his [ 10] race the more stedfast and assured. For impossible it is that vices in great persons should re∣maine covert and hidden; but like as those who are subject to the falling sicknesse, so soone as ever they be surprised with outward could, or turne round never so little, presently fall into a dim∣nes of sight, grow to be dizzie in the head and ready to stagger, which passions do bewray and detect their maladie; even so ignorant persons and such as want instruction and good bringing up, no sooner are lifted up by fortunes favour to wealth and riches, to dignities, promotions, and places of high authoritie, but presently shee sheweth them their owne fall and ruine; or rather to make the thing more plaine and familiar; like as a man can hardly know whether ves∣sels be sound or faultie, so long as they be emptie, but in case you powre into them any liquor, it appereth whether they leake and runne or no; even so, the soules of men that be putrified [ 20] and corrupt, can not containe and hold sure their might and authoritie, but run out by meanes of their lusts and desires, their cholericke fits, their vanities and absurd demeanors. But what neede we draw foorth the discourse hereof more at large? considering that great men and noble personages are exposed to calumniations and reproches for the least delinquencie and fault that they commit. Cimon was blamed for his good wine; Scipio for his sleepe, and because hee loved his bed well; and Lucullus grew into an ill name in regard of his bountifull table and libe∣rall fare that he kept. [ 30]

Notes

• * 1.1

  Or as some reade, To Cly∣tus.