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* 1.1THis one thing ler vs obtaine at her hands by vowes and publike prayers, except as yet shee hath not resolued to confound all humane race.) That if with a fauourable aspect shee continue as yet, behold the Romane name, that shee will be pleased to re∣serue vnto herselfe and to all men, this Prince who was raised to reestablish the decaying world: let her learne clemency of him, and by the mile∣dest
Prince of all others be instructed what mercy is. So then thou oughtest to considet all those of whome before time I haue made mention, either already receiued into heauen, or very neerely approch the same, and patiently endure fortune, who stretcheth her hand to thee also, wherewith she attempteth those likewise by name, by whom wee are accustomed to sweare. It behooueth thee to follow their constancy, and to sustain & surmount misfortunes, and as much as may bee lawfull for a man to follow the steppes of the gods. Although that in other things there is a great difference betwixt men, by reason, that some are more highly raised then others; yet is vertue planted in the midst o•• all men and disdaineth not any man, prouided that he thinke himselfe worthy of her. Be carefull to follow those who hauing any occasion to be displeased, because they are cloased in, and visited so neerely, notwithstanding haue thought that fortune offered them no outrage in equalling them with other men, but that it was the law of mortality, and thus were they neither vexed nor grieued, nei∣ther haue they shewed any faint and effeminate hearts in such like accidents: for not to feele a mans euils is the part of a beast, and not to endure them, is not the part of a man, yet can I not (after I haue ouerrunne all the Caesars from whom Fortune hath taken their brothers & sisters) ouerslippe this man whom wee ate to draw out of the number of the rest) whom Nature hath produced and brought to light, to the generall disgrace and destruction of all mankind, by whom the Common weale was vtterly ouerthrowne, and reduced againe by the clemency of our mercifull Prince. This Caligula that neither knew to grieue or reioyce accordiug as it beseemed his dignity, when his sister Drusilla was dead,* 1.2 retired himselfe out of the sight and conuersati∣on of all his Citizens, neither was hee present at his sisters obsequies, neither honoured hee her according to her dignitie, but retired himselfe into his Albarium? yet relieued hee the sorrow of these so haplesse funerals, by hea∣ring pleas, and other such like occupations. What shame was this for the Romane Empire? The sport of a Romane Prince that bewailed his sister, was to solace himselfe at dice. The same Caius with furious inconstancy, some∣times suffering his beard and haire to grow long, sometimes coursing along al the coasts of Italy and Sicily, not following the ordinary wayes, and neuer cer∣tainely assured whether hee would haue his sister bewailed or deified: for at the same time when hee reared Temples and honours to her, hee punished them by most cruell torments, who sufficiently bewayled not her death: for no lesse intemperate shewed hee himselfe in sustaining the shocke of these affli∣ctions. as he was immeasurably proud in his prosperities, for hee swelled a∣boue humane measure. Farre bee this example from euery Romane Citi∣zen, eyther to attenuate his sorrow by vntimely sports, or prouoke them in soyling himselfe with odious and base vncleannesse, or to delight in other mens euils, and not in humane solace. Yet see thou that thou change nothing of thy accustomed carriage, because thou hast resolued to loue those studies, which most fitly extoll a man to felicity, and most easily lessen his calamity, and they are those that are the greatest ornaments and solaces of mankind.
The twenty sixth If the great ones of this world beare their losses patiently, the lesser should fol∣low their exam∣ple.
Twenty seuenth, The inconstant fury of Caligula in the death of his sister, ought to teach wise men how to temper and go∣uerne their sor∣rowes, except they would haue their minds re∣p••••ted vnbride∣led.