The lives of the noble Grecians and Romanes compared together by that graue learned philosopher and historiographer, Plutarke of Chæronea ; translated out of Greeke into French by Iames Amyot ... ; and out of French into Englishe, by Thomas North.

[illustration]

THE COMPARISON OF [unspec C] Solon with Publicola.

NOWE presently to compare these two personages together, it see∣meth [unspec D] they both had one vertue in them: which is not founde in any [unspec E] other of their liues which we haue written of before. And the same is, that the one hath bene a witnes, and the other a follower of him, to whom he was like. So as the sentence that Solon spake to king Croesus, touching Tellus felicitie & happines, might haue better bene applied vnto Publicola, than to Tellus: whom he iudged to be very happy, bicause he dyed honorably, he had liued vertuously, and had left behinde him goodly children. And yet Solon speaketh nothing of his excellencie, or vertue, in any of his poemes: neither dyd he euer beare any honorable office in all his time, nor yet left any children that caried any great fame or renowme after his death. Whereas Publicola so long as he liued, was allwayes the chief man amongest the [unspec F] ROMAINES, of credit and authoritie: and afterwards since his death, certaine of the noblest families, and most auncient houses of ROME, in these our dayes, as the Publicoles, the Messales,

[unspec A] & the VALERIANS, for six hundred yeres continuance, doe referre the glorie of the nobilitie & aunciētie of their house vnto him Furthermore, Tellus was slaine by his enemies, fighting valliantly like a worthy honest man But Publicola died after he had slaine his enemies which is farre more great good happe, then to be slaine. For after he as generall had honorably served his country in the warres, & had left them conquerers, hauing in his life time receyued all ho∣nours & triumphes due vnto his seruice: he attained to that happy end of life, which Solon ac∣compted & esteemed, most happy & blessed. Also in wishing manner, he would his end should be lamented to his prayse, in a place where he confuteth Mimnermus, about the continuaunce of mans life, by saying:

Let not my death vvithout lamenting passe, [unspec B] But rather let my friendes bevvayle the same: VVhose grieuous teares, and cries of out alas, maye ofte resound the Eccho of my name.

If that be good happe, then most happy maketh he Publicola: for at his death, not only his friends and kinsefolkes, but the whole cittie also, and many a thousand persone besides, dyd bit∣terly bewayle the losse of him. For all the women of ROME dyd mourne for him in blacks, and dyd most pittiefully lament his death, as euery one of them had lost either father, brother, or husband.

True it is, that I couet goodes to haue: but yet so got, as maye me not depraue.

Solon sayeth this, bicause vengeance followed ill gotten good. And Publicola tooke great [unspec C] heede, not only to get his goodes most iustly, but had regarde that those which he had, he spent most honestly in helping the needie. So that if Solon was iustly reputed the wisest man, we must needes confesse also that Publicola was the happiest. For what the one desired for the greatest and most perfect good, a man can haue in this worlde; the other hath wonne it, kept it, and vsed it all his life time, vntill the hower of his death. And thus hath Solon honoured Pu∣blicola, and Publicola hath done like vnto Solon, shewing him self a perfect example and loo∣king glasse, where men maye see howe to gouerne a popular state: when he made his Conful∣shippe voyde of all pride & stately shewe, and became him self affable, curteous, and beloued of euerie bodie. So tooke he profit by many of his lawes. As when he ordeined, that the peo∣ple only should haue authoritie to choose and create, all common officers and magistrates, [unspec D] and that they might appeale from any iudge to the people: as Solon when he suffered them to appeale vnto the iudges of the people. In deede Publicola dyd not create any newe Senate, as Solon dyd: but he dyd augment the first number, with as many persones almost as there were before. He dyd also first erect the office of Quastores, for keeping of all fines, taxes, and other collections of money. Bicause the chiefest magistrate, if he were an honest man, should not for so light an occasion be taken, from the care of better and more weightie affayers: and if he were wickedly geuen and ill disposed, that he should haue no such meane or occasion to worke his wicked will, by hauing the treasure of the cittie in his handes, and to commaund what he lyst. Moreouer in hating the tyrānes, Publicola therein was farre more sharpe & terri∣ble. For Solon in his lawes punished him that went about to make him selfe tyranne, yet after [unspec E] he was conuicted thereof by lawe: but Publicola ordeined that they should kill him, before the lawe dyd passe on him, that sought to be King. And where Solon iustly, and truely vaunteth him self, that being offered to be King & Lord of ATHENS, and that with the whole consent of the citizens: yet be dyd notwithstanding refuse it. This vaunte and glorie is as due vnto Publicola: who finding the dignitie of a Consul tyrannicall, he brought it to be more lowly and favour 〈…〉〈…〉 people, not taking vpon him all the authoritie he might lawfully haue done. And it seemeth that Solon knewe before him, what was the true and direct waye to gouerne a common weale vprightly. For he sayeth in one place:

Both great and small of povver, the better vvill obaye: if vve to little or to much, vpon them doe not laye.

[unspec F] The discharging of dettes was proper to Solon, which was a full confirmation of libertie, For litle preuayleth lawe to make equalitie among cittizens, when dettes doe hinder the poore people to enioye the benefit thereof. And where it seemeth that they haue most liber∣tie,

as in that they maye be chosen iudges and officers to speake their opinion in the counsell, [unspec A] and geue their voyces also: there in deede are they most bounde and subiect, bicause they doe but obaye the rich, in all they doe commaund. But yet in this acte there is a thinge more wonderfull, and worthie to be noted. That commonly discharging of dettes, was wont to breede great tumultes, and seditions in common weales. And Solon hauing vsed it is a very good time (as the phisitian ventring a daungerous medecine) dyd appease the sedition already begonne, and did vtterly quenche through his glorie, and the common opinion they had of his wisdome and vertue, all the infamie and accusation that might haue growen of that acte. As for their first entrie into the gouernment, Solons beginning was farre more noble. For he went before, and followed not another: and him selfe alone without any others helpe, dyd put in execution the best, and more parte of all his notable and goodly lawes. Yet was Publicolaes [unspec B] ende and death much more glorious and happie. For Solon before he dyed, sawe all his comon wealthe ouerthrowen: but Publicolaes common weale continued whole as he left it, vntill the broyle of ciuill warres beganne againe among them. Solon, after he had made his lawes, and written them in wodden tables, leauing them without defence of any man, went his waye im∣mediatly out of the cittie of ATHENS. Publicola abiding continually in ROME gouerning the state, dyd throughly stablishe & confirme the lawes he made. Furthermore Solon hauing wise∣ly forseene Pisistratus practises, aspiring to make him selfe King: he could neuer let him for all that, but was himselfe ouercome and oppressed with they tyrannie he sawe stablished in his owne sight, and in dispight of him. Where Publicola ouerthrewe and dyd put downe a mightie Kingdome, that had continued of long time, and was throughly stablished: his vertue and de∣sire [unspec C] being equall with Solons, & hauing had besides fortune fauorable, and sufficient power to execute, his vertuous and well disposed minde. But as for warres and marshall deedes, there is no comparison to be made betweene them. For Daimachus Plataian, doth not attribute the warres of the MEGARIANS vnto Solon, as we haue written it: where Publicola being generall of an armie, and fighting himselfe in persone, hath wonne many great battels. And as for mat∣ters of peace and ciuill gouernment, Solon neuer durst present him self openly to persuade the enterprise of SALAMINA, but vnder a counterfeat madnes, and as a soole to make sporte. Where Publicola taking his aduenture from the beginning, shewed him selfe without dissimu∣lation, an open enemie to Tarquine, and afterwardes he reuealed all the whole conspiracie. And when he had bene the only cause and autor of punishing the traitours, he dyd not only [unspec D] driue out of ROME the tyrannes selues in persone, but tooke from them also all hope of re∣turne againe. Who hauing allwayes thus nobly & valiantly behaued him self, without shrin∣king backe, or flying from ought that required force, a manly corage, or open resistaunce: dyd yet shewe him selfe discreete, where wisedome was requisite, or reason and persuasion neede∣full. As when he conningly wanne king Porsena, who was a dredfull enemie vnto him, and in∣uincible by force: whom he handled in such good sorte, that he made him his friend. Perad∣uenture some might stand in this and saye: that Solon recouered the Ile of SALAMINA vnto the ATHENIANS, which they would haue lost. Publicola to the contrarie, restored the lands vnto Porsena againe, which the ROMAINES had conquered before, within the countrie of THVSCAN. But the times in which these things were done, are allwayes to be considered of. [unspec E] For a wise gouernour of a Realme, and politicke man, doth gouerne diuersely according to the occasions offred, taking euery thing in his time wherein he will deale. And many times, in let∣ting goe one thing, he saueth the whole: and in losing a litle, he gayneth much. As Publicola dyd: who losing a litle pece of another mans countrie which they had vsurped, saued by that meanes all that was assuredly his owne. And whereas the ROMAINES thought he should doe very much for them, to saue their cittie only: he got them moreouer, all the goodes that were in their enemies cāpe, which dyd besiege them. And in making his enemie iudge of his quar∣rell, he wāne the victorie: winning that moreouer, which he would gladly haue geuen to haue ouercome, and haue sentence passe of his side. For the King their enemie dyd not only make peace with them, but dyd also leaue them all his furniture, prouision, and munition for the [unspec F] warres: euen for the vertue, manhood, and iustice, which the great wisedome of this Consul persuaded Porsena to beleeue to be, in all the other ROMAINES.

The end of Publicolaes life.

Notes

• Publicola happie.
• Publicola e∣rected the of∣fice of Quae∣stores.
• A politicke precep••.