The workes of Lucius Annæus Seneca, both morrall and naturall Containing, 1. His bookes of benefites. 2. His epistles. 3. His booke of prouidence. 4. Three bookes of anger. 5. Two bookes of clemencie. 6. His booke of a blessed life. 7. His booke of the tranquilitie of the minde. 8. His booke of the constancie of a wiseman. 9. His booke of the shortnesse of life. 10. Two bookes of consolation to Martia. 11. Three bookes of consolation to Heluia. 12. His booke of consolation to Polibius. 13. His seuen bookes of naturall questions. Translated by Tho. Lodge, D. in Physicke.

CHAP. VII.

BION somewhiles in his Arguments concludeth all men to be sa∣crilegious, sometimes no man, when he would cast all men from the * 1.1 rocke, he saith, whosoeuer hath taken away or lauished that which appertaineth to the Gods, and conuerted the same to his own•• vse, is sacrilegious, but all things are the Gods, what∣soeuer euery one taketh away, hee taketh it from the Gods, to whom all things appertaine, therefore whosoeuer taketh away any thing, is sacrilegious. Againe, when he would haue Temples broken open, and when he commandeth that the Capitol should be pillaged without feare or vengeance of the Gods,* 1.2 he saith, That no man is sacrilegious, because that whatsoeuer is taken out of that place, which appertaineth to the Gods, is transferred into another place, which apper∣taineth likewise vnto the Gods. To this it is answered, that true it is that all things are the Gods, but that all things are not dedicated to the Gods, ••nd that sacriledge is obserued and committed onely in those things, which religion and deuotion hath consecrated to the Gods. So say wee likewise, that the whole world is the Temple of the immortall Gods•• onely worthie to contain•• their Maiestie and magnificence, and yet that prophane things are different and distant from sacred, and that it is not lawfull to act all things in a corner of the earth, that hath been called a Temple, which we may lawfully doe in the sight of heauen, and view of all the Starres. Vndoubtedly the ••••crilegious cannot ••o any iniurie to God, whose diuinitie hath planted him without the shot, yet is he punished, because he hath done it, as it were•• to God•• for both our and his owne opinion obligeth and maketh him subiect to the penaltie. Euen as there∣fore he seemeth to be sacrilegious that taketh away any sacred thing, althoug••

whithersoeuer he transferreth that he hath taken away, it is within the limits of the world: in like manner a man may rob a wise man, for that is taken from him, not which is his, as he is Master of all things in this world, but that where∣unto he had a peculiar title, which he reputeth and vseth as his owne in seuerall. That other possession he acknowledgeth, the other he would not haue though he might: and into this discourse will he breake, which the Roman Emperour vttered, when as for his vertue and good gouernment, so much land was de∣creed and allotted him, as in one day he could enuiron with his plow: You haue not need (saith he) of such a Citizen, that hath need of more then one Citizens liuing. How much more worthie, thinkest thou, was this man in refusing this gift, then in deseruing it? For many great Captaines haue broken and defaced other mens bounds, but neuer a one of them hath limited his owne.

Notes

• * 1.1

  This was the Tarpeian rocke, whence hainous o••fenders were headlong cast downe.
• * 1.2

  Capitol is a place in Rome dedica∣ted to Iupiter, which in times past was called Tarpe••••.