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. XIII.

THis is the cause why this prayse of pleasure is so p••rnicious be∣cause honest precepts remaine buried hereby,* 1.1 and that which most corrupteth is most apparant. But my opinion is (although I speake it to the disgust of those of my Sect) that the precepts of the Epicure are holy, right, and if th••u examine them more neerely seuere enough. For he scantleth the wing of pleasure very much, ney∣ther giueth her any libertie, but imposeth the same Law vpon voluptuousnesse that wee doe vpon Vertue. Hee commandeth her to obay Nature, but that which sufficeth Nature is too lit••le for dissolution. What is it therefore? hee that calleth slothfull idlenesse, and the varietie of gourmandize and dissoluti∣on, felicitie; he seeketh a faire pretext for an euill thing, and whilest he commeth thether being shrouded vnder a name of respect he followeth pleasure not that which he hath learned; but that which hee had in her selfe, and thinking his vices had beene taught him in some Schoole, he pleaseth himselfe in them, not fearefully, not obscurely, yea he surfetteth on them in the sight and presence of all men, I will not therefore say as diuers of our Stoickes doe, that the Epi∣cures Sect teacheth nothing but wickednesse, but this I say that it hath an euill report and is vndeseruedly defamed. No man can know this thing except he be ••dmitted to know the secrets of this Schoole. The front and that which ap∣peareth outwardly is the cause why men detract the same, and speake so sini∣••terly of it. It is as it were a valiant man clothed in an effeminate robe. As long as thou maintainest modestie, Vertue is in securitie. Thou wilt say that thy bodie is not addicted to any vncleanesse, but thou holdest as (some say) the Drumme in thy hand, and awakenest others to doe euill. Make choice there∣fore of an honest title; and let the inscription be such as may incite the minde to repell those vices which weaken, as presently as they are intertained, whosoeuer approcheth Vertue, he giueth hope of some generous thing. He that followeth

pleasure seemeth to bee weake, broken, effeminate, disposed to doe wicked∣ly. Except some man decipher vnto him what pleasures are, to the end hee may know which of them are limited within a naturall desire: which are carried away head-long and are infinite, and the more they are fulfilled the lesse are they satisfied. Well then let Vertue leade the way, and our steppes shall bee assured. Ouer-great pleasure is hurtfull, in Vertue it is not to be fea∣red that there should bee any thing excessiue, for shee her selfe onely is the meane. That which is tired with his owne greatnesse 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not good.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Why the prayse of pleasure is pernicious.