A philosophicall discourse, entituled, The anatomie of the minde. Nevvlie made and set forth by T.R.

¶Of Fearefulnesse. Chap. 23.

* 1.1THe last part of Feare, is Feareful∣nesse, which according to the inter∣pretation of M. Varro, is when the mind being moued, doeth as it were forsake the body, and is sent abroade. Some saie it hath his appellation from that heate whiche commeth into our faces by the sense, and perceiuing of feareful things. Cicero wryteth that this fearfulnesse is a continuall feare. And hereof it com∣meth that he is called fearefull, which standeth in feare of euery small thing, and as we say in our tongue, which fea∣reth his owne shaddowe, which neuer sleepeth securely, neuer resteth quietly, which is inconstant, and seemeth nowe to be cruel, and a threater, nowe gentle, and quiet, nowe bolde, and couragious, by and by, weake and effeminate. The most fearefull of all men (as Herodotus wryteth) are the Garamantines for they are afraide of euery thing,* 1.2 and can abide the sight of none: though they haue wea∣pons,

yet doo they not vse them, for they are afraide for to hurte, and when they are hurt, they wyll not for very coward∣nesse resist.

Two sortes of men are aboue all o∣thers, [ 1] subiect vnto Fearefulnesse:* 1.3 both which are malefactors and wicked per¦sons, as those whome theyr consciences wyll not suffer to be at quiet, but conti∣nually obiect vnto their senses most hor∣rible sights of strange things which wyl at no tyme suffer them to be at reast, but continually assault them, and seeme to take vengance for theyr transgressing: And the other be sick and impotent per∣sons, which by the weakenesse of theyr [ 2] braine, in sleepe are much troubled with visions. Examples of the first we haue many: as Orestes,* 1.4 which because of his matricide, was cruelly tormented with his mothers furies.* 1.5 And Nero lykewise for the lyke offence, could neuer be qui∣et, but the ghost of his mother, whome most wickedly be had murthered, see∣med euery foote for to terrefie him, and with scourge & whip, seuerely to punish him for his so hainous offence.* 1.6 Lyke∣wise Caesar Caligula, another tyraunt, ••o

was terrefied, with straunge sights and ougly shewes, & at no tyme he slept one night quietly and in rest. But as before I sayde, This kinde of Feare, neyther troubleth, or very seldome one vertu∣ously bent, and of good conuersation. By which opinion Theodorus Byzantius be¦ing led,* 1.7 affirmed that no wise men were molested with such apparitions in the night, but onely boyes, women, weake, or wicked folkes, whose mindes being sore occupied by some strange, & stronge imagination suppose to see, that which indede they doo not, but are merely delu∣ded by their owne conceipte. Examples of the latter maye be Vitellius Caesar.* 1.8 Who by excesse in banquetting, fal∣ling into sicknesse, and being a sleepe, there appeared before him, a tall and goodly yong man, to be lyfted in his presence into heauen, by which he con∣iectured, that after his death he shoulde liue in penurie. But true was that vi∣sion of the picture of Fortune of Tuscu∣lane,* 1.9 whiche appeared vnto Galba, lamenting that he had offred and conse∣crated the money (which she had geuen him a lyttle before) vnto Venus, and

therefore with bitter words she threat∣ned to take it from him againe: for with∣in short space afterwarde by the sould••∣ors of Otho he was murthered. Lyke∣wise vnto Tiberius Caesar, there appea∣red in a vision in the night,* 1.10 the image of Apollo, which saide vnto him, that not∣withstanding he had purposed to set vp, and erect his image in a Temple, which he had new builded at Syracusas, yet he woulde not haue it so, and therefore he came to admonishe him, for the aduoy∣ding of a greater inconuenience, not to place the same according vnto his for∣mer determination. It often falleth out that dreames,* 1.11 and apparitions in the night proue true, when they appeare vnto men of confirmed wits, and whose delyght is in contemplation, and studie of celestiall matters. And thereof com∣meth diuinations, and forewarnings of thinges good or euyll. Lykewise Kinges and Princes, those which are in highest aucthoritie, seeme to haue a certaine fa∣miliarity with God, which by dreames and visions in the night, signifieth vnto them wayes how to profite themselues, and theyr subiectes, and to auoyde dan∣gers

imminent, and at hande. As we sée Agamemnon,* 1.12 whome Homer maketh mention of, to declare at large the whole order of theyr warre, which was tolde him in his sleepe.* 1.13 To which Nestor gaue credite, and sayd, That touching things pertayning to the profite of a common weale▪ a Kinges wordes were to be fol∣lowed, if in his sléepe he were told them. Ptolomie the brother of Alexander the great,* 1.14 hauing by a poysoned shaft recei∣ued his deadly wound, and being dead, it is written that Alexander his brother sate vppon his carkasse, and so fell in a sounde sléepe: Then being at rest, there seemed to come before his presence a Dragon, which his mother Olympias had nourished, and brought in his mouth a certaine roote, which was of such ver∣tue, as it woulde restore Ptolomie from death to life againe, and he told likewise the place where it grew. Now when A∣lexander did awake, he told y^e same vnto his friends, & companions, which coun∣sayled him forthwith to sende some to seeke the same roote: which being founde dyd not onely bring life vnto Ptolomie, but also healed many, which were sore

woūded. This happed when Alexander gaue credite vnto y^e visiō, but whē Alex∣ander beléeued not those thinges which were declared vnto him by dreames, great hurt came towards him, as by this example which followeth shall appeare. Being sometime in a sound sleepe, there came before him an image, which willed him not to receiue y^e cup of poison, which y^e yong man whose face he beheld should bring vnto him. Shortly after Cassander came vnto him (which was that yong mā which y^e image gaue warning to auoide) & being before him, Alexander deman∣ded whose sonne he was, who answered that he was the sonne of Antipater: A∣lexāder hearing that, forgot his dreame, as he which had not power so much as to suspecte,* 1.15 that Cassander the sonne of his friend and familiar Antipater, woulde vnder the collor of friendeship séeke his destruction. But the friendship of Alex∣anders was a furtherance to Cassanders treason, for at the length puffed vp with pride & ambition, by poyson he depriued of lyfe that noble Alexander in his flor••∣shing age.* 1.16 Cicero telleth that Hannibal by dreame, was foretold of al his wars.

For on a time being in a sléepe, it séemed vnto him y^t he was called into counsaile with the Gods: and being come, he was wylled by Iupiter, to gather an armie, & inuade Italie, and he should haue a pru∣dent and pollitike captaine, whose coun∣sayle in all his affayres he might folow. The captaine being ioygned with Han∣nibal, commaunded him in any case not to looke backe. But Hannibal with am∣bition inflamed, woulde not obey his counsayle, but styll looked backe. Then appeared a great and sauadge beast, ac∣companied with many serpentes, whe∣thersoeuer it w••nt, ouerthrowing and destroying all things vtterly. Hannibal wondring at the same, asked of God what that monster signified, it was aun∣swered, that it foreshewed the destructi∣on of Italie, and he was warned againe not for to looke backe, but according to his commission, to goe forewarde in his enterprise. Which examples recited, if they be true, then maye some cre∣dite he geuen to dreames. But to my purpose.* 1.17 The cause of Fearefulnesse, we haue sayde, to be eyther an imbeci∣litie or weakenesse of nature, in respecte

of yeares, in childehoode, or doting olde age, or by sicknes, or it ryseth from a cō∣science conuicte & guilty of some offence. Other shewes an apparitions in sleepe, are so farre from terrefiyng and causing Fearfulnesse, that they comfort and de∣lyght the mindes of them to whome they appeare, by signifiyng daūgers im∣minent, or the profites which shalbe rea∣ped. And thus much concerning Feare, and his partes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Fearefulnes
• * 1.2

  Garamanti∣nes.
• * 1.3

  Of feareful men, two sortes.
• * 1.4

  Orestes.
• * 1.5

  Nero.
• * 1.6

  Magna vis conscientiae. Caesar Cali∣gula.
• * 1.7

  Thedorus Byzantius.
• * 1.8

  Vitellius.
• * 1.9

  Visions, Galba.
• * 1.10

  Tib. Caesar.
• * 1.11

  Dreames▪ when true.
• * 1.12

  Agamem∣non.
• * 1.13

  Nestor.
• * 1.14

  Ptolomie.
• * 1.15

  Cassander.
• * 1.16

  Cic lib. 2. de Diuinatione ad finem. Hannibal.
• * 1.17

  The cause of feareful∣nesse.