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. LXXXVI.

Of the Countri-house of AFRICANVS, of his building and Bath, which was neyther garnished nor neat. Against the ryot of his time. Last of all, of setting Oliues, through occasion of a Countrey-house.

LYing in the verie towne of Scipio Africanus, I write these things vnto thee, hauing adored the spirit of him, and the Altar, which I suppose to be the sepulcher of so great a man: the soule of him indeed I perswade my selfe that it hath returned into heauen, whence it was: not because he lead great armies (for this also fu∣rious Cambyses did, and prosperously vsed furie) but for great moderation and pietie, more admirable in him when he left his countrie, then when he defen∣ded it. Eyther Scipio must be depriued of Rome, or Rome of libertie. Nothing, saith he, will I derogate from lawes, nothing from decrees. Amongst all Citizens let there be an equall right. O my countrie, vse the benefit of me without me. I haue beene the cause, I will also be an argument of libertie vnto thee: I depart if I haue increased more, then is expedient for me. How can I chuse but admire this greatnesse of minde? He departed into voluntarie banishment, and disburthened the Citie. The matter was brought vnto that passe, that eyther libertie should do iniury to Scipio, or Scipio to libertie. Neither was lawfull to be done. Therfore he gaue place to the lawes, and betooke himselfe to Liternum, as willing to impute the banishment of himselfe, as of Hannibal to the Common-wealth. I saw that towne builded of foure square stone, a wall compassing about a wood, towers also set vnder both sides of the towne for a defence: A Cisterne laid vnder the buildings and greene places, which was able to serue euen an armie of men: A little narrow Bath, somewhat darke, as the olde fashion was. It seemed none was warmed for our ancestors, except it were obscure. Great pleasure entred in∣to me, beholding the manners of Scipio and of vs. In this corner that horrour of Carthage, to whom Rome is in debt, that it was taken but once, washed his bo∣die, wearied with the labours of the countrie: for he exercised himselfe in work, and he himselfe tilled the earth, as the fashion of the ancients was. He stood vn∣der this so base a roote, this so meane a floore sustained him. But now who is he that can sustaine to be bathed thus? Poore and base seemeth hee to himselfe, except the walls haue shined with great and precious rounds, except Alexandri∣an marbles be distinguished with Numidian roofe-cast; except all about vpon them, a curious varied plastering be layed like a picture that is drawne, except the chamber be couered ouer with glasse, except stone of the Ile Thassus, once a

rare gazing s••ocke in some Church, haue compassed about our ponds, into which wee let downe our bodies emptied of much sweat; except siluer cockes haue powred out water vnto vs. And as yet I speake of the conduits of the common sort: what when I shall come to the Bathes of freed men? how great pictures, how great pillers holding nothing vp, but placed for ornament sake to the causing of cost, how great waters sliding downe vpon staires with a great noice? To that delicacie are wee come, that wee will not tread but vpon precious stones. In this Bathe of Scipio, there be verie small chinckes, rather then windowes, cut out in the stone-wall, that without hurt of the fense, they should let the light in. But now are they called the bathes of Gnats, if any be not framed so, as to receiue with most large windowes the Sunne all the day long, except they be bathed and coloured both at one time, except from a throne they look vpon both land and sea. Those therfore which had concourse and admiration when they were dedicated, these are reiected in∣to the number of the old, when riot hath deuised some new thing, wherewith∣all it selfe might ouercome it selfe. But in old time there were few bathes, neither were they adorned with any trimming vp. For why should a thing of a far∣thing worth be adorned, and which is found forth for vse, and not for delight? Water was not still powred in, neither alwaies as from a warme fountaine did it runne fresh: neither did they suppose that any matter it was, into what shining vessell they put their washed-off filth. But, O the good gods, how delighted it to enter into bathes somewhat darke, and couered with seeling of the com∣mon sort, which thou diddest know, that Cato, when he was ouerseer of the buildings, or else Fabius Maximus, or some of the Cornelij had tempered with their owne hand? For also the most noble ouerseers of houses, performed this dutie also of going into those places which receiued the people, and of ex∣acting neatnesse, and a profitable and an healthie temperature, not this which is lately found forth, like vnto a setting on fire, so that it is meet indeed to be wash∣ed aliue, as a seruant conuicted of some wickednesse is. No difference now see∣meth vnto me, whether the bathe be scalding hot; or be but warme. How great rudenes may some condemne Scipio of, because into his warme bathe with large windowes he did not let in the day, because with a great deale of day-light he was not sod, and did not see, how he might seeth within a bathe? O misera∣ble man! he knoweth not how to liue; he was not washed in faire, but often∣times in troubled water, & almost muddy, when more vehemently it did raine. Neither much cared he, whether he were washed so, for he came to wash away sweat, and not to wash away oyntment therewith. What speeches beleeuest thou there will be of some? I enuie not Scipio, he liued in banishment indeed, who was washed thus; yea if thou wilt know it, he was not washed euery day. For as they say, who deliuered the maners of the City as they were of old, they washed euery day armes and legges, as which had with worke gathered filth, but all ouer were they washed euery nine daies. In this place some one will say, it is apparant that they were most vncleane. What thinkest thou they smel∣led of? Of warre, of labour, of playing the men. After that neate bathes are found forth, more filthy men be. Horatius Flaccus being to describe an infa∣mous man, and one notorious for too many delights, what saith he?

Of Pomander doth RVFILLVS smell—

Thou art to grant Rufillus now, that it were all one, as if he smelled of a Goat,

and were in Gorgonius his place, whom Horatius hath opposed to Rufillus. It is too little to take oyntment vpon thee, except it be renued twice or thrice in the day, lest it vanish from the bodie. What, that they boast of a smell, as if it were their owne? If these things seeme too sad vnto thee, thou shalt impute it to the village; wherein I learned from AEgialus a most diligent husband (for hee now is the possessor of this ground) that a shrub, although it be old, may be translated into another place. This is necessarie for vs to learne, who bee old men, of whom there is none but planteth an Orchard of Oliues for another man. That which I haue seene, this I speake; namely, that an Orchard of three or foure yeares old, will with a plentifull fall of the leafe yeeld forth fruit; yea also that tree will couer thee: which

Hath beene slow to make a shade before, To yong nephewes and those that were vnbore:

As our Virgil saith, who beheld, not what might be spoken most truely, but most seemely: neither desired he to teach husbandmen, but to delight those that read. For (to passe by other things) I will adde hereunto that, which is needfull to reprehend at this day.

In Spring be Beans, and dunged Limons set, And Millet doth a new yeares care beget.

Are these to be set at one time, and whether that the Spring-time be for the sowing of them both; thou mayest iudge from hence. The moneth of Iune, wherein I write these things vnto thee, is neare vnto Iuly. In the same day I saw some gathering Beans, and sowing Millet. I returne to the Orchard of Oliues, which I saw disposed after two sorts. He remoued the trunkes of great trees, the boughes being cut off all about, and being brought to one foot length, with the bodie of the tree, the roots being cut off, that the very head being onely left, whence those did hang. This being besmeared with dung, he put into an hole: afterward he did not heape in the earth, but troad and pressed it downe. There is nothing (as h•• saith) more effectuall then stamping it hard, namely, for that it excludeth the cold and winde; lesse also it is shaken: and for this it suf∣fereth the springing roots to go forth, and to lay hould vpon the ground; which is needfull to be tender as yet, and lightly to stick therunto, light tossing also vp and downe, plucketh it vp againe: but it is scarce a tree, vntill the root do plen∣tifully hide it selfe in the ground, for from euery matter which is made naked, as he saith, new roots doe come out. But the stocke of the tree ought not to stand out aboue vpon the earth, no more then three or foure feete; for present∣ly it will be garnished from below: neither shall a great part thereof, as in old Oliue-gardens be withered, and scorchingly drie. This also hath beene ano∣ther manner of planting them. In the same kinde I haue set in the ground strong boughes, not of an hard barke, such as are ••ccustomed of the tender trees: but when they come, as it were, from a plant, they haue no rough nor ill-fauoured thing in them. That also haue I now seene, an old Vine to be translated from her shrub: The small strings also of this (if it may be) are to be gathered, there the Vine more largely is to bee spread abroad, that also it may take roote from the body thereof. And I haue seen•• th••m set, not onely in the Moneth of Fe∣bruarie; but also in the Moneth of March, which layed hold vpon, and embra∣ced

Elmes about, which were none of their owne. All these trees which (as I so speake) are in great plentie, are, as he saith, to be holpen with Cisterne water: which if it profit, we haue raine in the power of our selues. I thinke it not meete to teach thee any more, lest euen as our AEgialus hath made me to be an aduer∣sarie vnto him, so also I procure thee to be vnto me.