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.

EPIST. LXXVII.

And this by the way, is to be numbred amongst those that are good and profitable. He intreateth by the way of the Alexandrian Fleete, how whilst other ranne out to see them, he neglected them. For what auayle these? or how long? I am olde, I am going hence, and at length I must willingly depart as MARCELLINVS did. Then against the feare of death, and that the reasons thereof are to be contemned.

THis day vpon the sudden that Alexandrian Ships appeared vnto vs, which are vsually sent before the Fleete, to giue tidings of the fortunate approach of the Nauie, which men call Friggats or Ships of message. The view of these was gratefull and welcome to all Campania. All the people of Pozzolo climed vp vpon the Piles to behold them, and by the manner of their sayles knew them from the rest, notwithstanding that they were intermingled with a great bulke of other shipping: for they onely haue libertie to spread their top-saile, which in their top all ships haue. For there is nothing that helpeth their course so much as that vpper part of the saile: for by it the Ships course is most of all furthered; and therefore as often as the winde encreaseth, and is more violent then it ought to be, the top-yard is striken for the winde, hath lesse force ouer the bodie of the ship. But when they haue entered Capreas and the Promontorie, from whence,

PALLAS from high of stormie Mountaine spies.

All other ships are commanded to content themselues with their maine sayle; the top-sayle is the marke to know the Alexandrian ships. Amidst the course of all these people that ran thus hastily to the Sea shoare, I felt a very great plea∣sure in my sloath, because that thinking to receiue Letters from mine agents, I made no hast to know in what estate my affaires stood, or what they had brought me. For long agoe nothing hath beene gotten or lost by me. This o∣pinion should I maintaine, although I were not olde: but now the rather, be∣cause how little soeuer I had, I haue more to make vse of them, I haue time to liue, especially since we are entred into that way, which we neede not to accom∣plish. The iourney will be imperfect, if thou stay either in the mid-way or stand on this side the prefixed place: the life is not imperfect, if it be honest. Where∣soeuer thou endest, if the end be good it is intire: we ought likewise often and couragiously to end, and not for great causes, for these are not the mightiest that holde vs. Tullius Marcellinus (whom thou knowest very familiarly) who was temperate in his youth, and quickly an olde man, being surprised by a sicknesse which was not incurable yet long and tedious, and such as commanded him to suffer much, began to deliberate and conclude vpon his death. To this intent he called together diuers of his friends. Euery one of these being naturally ti∣merous, gaue him that counsaile they would haue entertained themselues, or if there were a slatterer, or any one that studied to please him, he gaue him that

aduice, that he thought would be best pleasing to him that demanded the questi∣on. Our friend Asticho, a worthy man, & that I may dignifie him with those titles, wherein he worthily deserueth praise, a man couragious and valiant, counsailed him in my opinion very nobly: for he began thus; Torment not thy selfe, friend MARCELLINE, as if thou deliberatedst on any important affaire. It is no great mat∣ter to liue all thy slaues liue, and all other beasts also. It is a great matter to die honestly, prudently and valiantly. Bethinke thy selfe ••or how long time together thou hast done the same thing. Meate, sleepe, lust, by this circle all the world commeth. Not onely a va∣liant man, a strong man, a miserable man can haue a will to die, but he also that disdaineth life. He needed no man to counsaile him hereunto, but some assistant; for his slaues would not obey him. First of all he tooke from them all feare, and taught them that slaues were in great danger, when as it was incertaine whether the death of the Lord were voluntarie or no. For otherwise it should be as dange∣rous an example to hinder a Master to die, as to kill him. Afterwards he admo∣nished Marcellinus himselfe, that euen as when supper is ended, the remainder is deuided on those that attend; so when life is ended, somewhat is bequeathed to those who had beene attendants during the whole life time. Marcellinus was a man of a gentle and facile disposition, and liberall euen in those things which were his proper goods: he therefore distributed some small summes amongst his weeping seruants, and comforted them himselfe: he needed not eyther sword or shedding of bloud, for three daies he abstained, and in his very cham∣ber he caused his Pauillion to be raised; afterwards his bath was brought thi∣ther, in which he lay long time, and caused water to be oftentimes cast vpon him, so by little and little fainted and failed he, not without a certaine pleasure, as he said (which a slight fainting is wont to bring) not vnapproued vnto vs, who are sometimes subiect to soundings. I haue made relation of this storie vnto thee, which I know will not be distastefull to thee, because thereby thou shalt vnderstand the manner of thy friends death, which was neyther difficult nor miserable: for although he procured his owne death, yet departed he and escaped most sweetly out of life. Neyther will this storie be vnprofitable to thee; for necessitie oftentimes exacteth such examples. Wee oft-times must die, yet we will not: we die, and yet we will not. There is no man so ignorant, but that he knoweth that one day he must die, but when the time approacheth neere he playes the coward, trembleth & weepeth. Wouldest thou not esteeme him the foolishest of all men, that should weepe because hee liued not a thou∣sand years agoe? As foolish is he that weepeth because he shall not liue a thou∣sand yeare after. Those are equall thou shalt not be, neither wast thou: both these two times are not our owne. Thou art cast vpon this point, which al∣though thou mightest prolong, how long wouldest thou prolong it? Why weepest thou? What wishest thou? Thou losest thy labour;

Cease thou to hope that prayers so powerfull be, That they can change the des••inies decree.

They are firme and fixed•• they are led by an eternall and powerfull necessitie. Thou shalt goe thither whither all things goe. Why thinkest thou this a new matter? Thou art borne vnder this condition, thy father hath had the like hap, this hath thy mother met withall, this haue thy predecessors knowne, this shall befall all men after thee. It is an inuincible successe and order that no force can change, and that tyeth and traineth all things with it. O how great number of

people shall follow thee when thou ar•• dead? How many are that shall accom∣panie thee? Thou wouldest in my opinion be more constant, if diuers thousands of m••n should die with thee. And yet many thousands of men and beasts shall los•• their liues by diuers sorts of death, at that verie in••tant when thou makest it a difficultie to die. But diddest thou not thinke that one day thou shouldest at∣taine thither whither thy iourney was alwaies intended? There is no iourney without end. Thinkest thou that I will recount vnto thee at this present ex∣amples of diuers great personages? No, I will but tell thee some of young lads: The memorie of that young Lacedemonian will neuer be lost, who hauing scarcely a haire vpon his chin, and being taken prisoner, cried out in that his Do∣rique tongue, I will not serue, and confirmed his wordes by effect; for as soone as he was commanded to doe some seruile and base office (for some comman∣ded him to emptie the close stoole) he did beate out his brains against the wall. Our libertie being so neere, is there any man will serue? Had d••st thou not ra∣ther thy sonne should die thus, then waxe olde in idlenes? What is there there∣fore why thou shouldest be perplexed, if to die couragiously be but a fchildes play? Thinkest thou that thou wilt not follow, thou shalt be enforced. Make that to be in thy power which is in another mans. Wilt thou not take vpon thee this young mans courage, and say, I will not serue? O miserable wretch! thou art slaue vnto men, thou art slaue vnto things, thou art slaue to thy life: for life if it want the courage to die, is a true seruitude. Hast thou any thing for which thou shouldest expect? Thou hast spent those pleasures that atten∣ded and retained thee. There is not any that is new vnto thee, not any but is now odious vnto thee, because thou hast surfeited therewith. Thou knowest what the taste of wine is, and what is the taste of Methegling: it skils not whe∣ther a hundreth or a thousand vessels of wine passe by thy bladder: thou art a sacke: thou hast often learned what the Oyster is, what the Mullet fauoreth thou knowest well, thy foolish expence hath reserued nothing for time to com, which thou hast not alreadie deuoured. Now these are they from which thou art drawne so vnwillingly. What other thing besides this is there which should yeeld thee discontent, if it were taken from thee? Are they thy friends and thy country? Hast thou so much euer honored the sunne, that for her thou wouldst haue deferred thy supper? Thou wouldest sooner choake vp the brightnesse of the sunne if thou couldest. For what hath beene euer done by thee that is wor∣thie the light? Confesse, I pray thee, that there is not any amitie that thou bea∣rest to the Senate or Palace, or to the nature of things which withdraweth thee from dying. It is in spite of thy teeth that thou leauest the shambles, in which thou hast left nothing. Thou fearest death: but how wouldest thou con∣temne it in the middest of thy pleasures? Thou desirest but to liue; for thou knowest well what it is, and hast feare of death: but what is this life, is it not death? Caligula passing thorow the Latine way, when as one of those that were ledde prisoners, that had a long beard and hoarie haires, besought him to giue him leaue to die. What said he, liuest thou yet? The same answer must be made vnto those to whom death might bring any comfort. Hast thou feare to die, and why liuest thou yet? But I, saith he, will liue; for I employ my selfe in ma∣nie honest affaires. I leaue those offices and functions of life vnwillingly, which I discharge both faithfully and industriously. What, knowest thou not that it is one of the offices of life to die? Thou leauest no office, for the number of the dueties which thou art to accomplish being vncertaine, it is determined. There is no life is not short: for if thou hast respect to the nature of things. Both Ne∣stors

and Statilias life is short, who ordeined that this should be ingrauen on her tombe, that she had liued ninetie nine yeares. Seest thou how this poore wo∣man vaunteth her selfe of her long life? but who could haue supported her glo∣rie, if it had beene her fortune to haue liued out full one hundred yeares? It fa∣reth with our life as with a Stage-play, it skilleth not how long, but how well it hath beene acted. It importeth nothing in what place thou makest an end of life: die where thou wilt, thinke onely to make a good conclusion.