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. XXV.

FOr tell me Alexander, I beseech thee, whether of these two is more strange, eyther that thou command Lysimach•••• to bee cast vnto the Lions, or that thou thy selfe teare him in pieces with thy eager teeth. The throat and crueltie of the Lion is thine owne. O how gladly wouldest thou haue had these clawes, and that great throat, capable to deuoure and swallow men? We request thee not that this hand of thine, which hath put to death three of thy deerest friends, should doe good to any man, nor that thy felon heart, the vnsatiable ruine of Nations should glut it selfe otherwise then in bloud and murthers: we will take it for thy Clemency, and so call it, if in murthering thy friend thou make choyce of an executioner amongst the number of men. This is the cause why crueltie is most of all to be abhorred, because she passeth the bonds, not onely of custome but of humanitie. She searcheth out new punishments, and applyeth her mind thereunto, she inuenteth instruments to multiply and prolong paine, and to con∣tent her selfe in those torments which other men suffer. Then doth that dire sickenesse of the minde grow into most desperate rage, when crueltie is turned into pleasure, and to murther men is reputed a May••game. For such a man is attended by confusion, hatred••, venoms, swords, by as many dangers is he assaul∣ted

as he is the danger of many men, and sometimes by priuate counsailes and sometimes by publique calamities he is surprised and circumuented. For the slight and priuate ouerthrow of some particulars, incenseth not whole Citties: that which beginneth to rage on euery side, and indifferently attempteth all men, armeth euery man against it. The smaller Serpents slip by vs; neyther are they much sought after, but if any one waxeth aboue ordinarie measure and bignesse, and becommeth a monster, when hee hath infected the fountaines by drinking in them, and scortched with his breath, and rent with his tallants whatsoeuer he treads vpon, we shoote at him with Bali••tils and Crosbowes. The smaller euils may speake faire and so escape, but wee make head against the great ones. If there be but one sicke in a house, it makes no great matter, but when it appeareth by the death of many that the plague is there, the Cittie cries out and euery man flies, and each man lifteth vp his handes to heauen. If some priuate house be set on fire, the neighbours bring in water and quench it; but when the fire is scattered abroad, and layes hold on many houses, it cannot be quenched but by the ruine of a part of the Cittie.