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. IIII.

* 1.1NEither will I perswade thee by more forcible pr••cepts, command thee to endure humane accidents with a mind more then hu∣mane, that vpon the very day of the funerall thou shouldest dry vp the teares of a mother. I will doe thee iustice. The question is betweene vs, whether thy griefe ought to be great or perpetu∣all: I assure my selfe•• that the example of Liuia, whom thou hast inwardly both knowne and honoured will please thee more then the other. Shee cals thee to counsaile her. Shee in the first fauour (whome as miseries are most impatient and furious) gaue an eare to the counsels and comforts of the Philosopher, A∣reus that attended her husband; and confessed that it yeeldeth her much more comfort then the Romane people, whom shee would not disgest by her sor∣row, more then Augustus who was troubled, who had lost one of the staies of his Empire (nor was to bee d••iected by the sorrow of any of his) more then Ti∣berius his son, who effected this then, that in that biter & displeasing funerals to all nations,* 1.2 found nothing missing but the number of one. This as I thinke, was the induction of that discourse which hee vsed in regarde of this woman, that was so setled in her opinions. Hitherto liued, and as neerely as I could con••eiue, in as much as I was an inward Counsellor to Augustus thy husband, (who not onely knew thy publike sayings and actions, but also the secret mo∣tions of thy mind, thou hast carefully endured that no man should finde any thing that might giue him cause of exception: Neither hast thou obserued this onely in affaires of importance, but in the smallest things thou hast taken care,

lest thou shouldest doe any thing that might bee afraide of report, which free∣ly consumeth the actions of the greatest in this world. Neither thinke I that there is any thing that is more worthy those that are in high place, then to pardon many things, and to require pardon of nothing. Thou are therefore to obserue in this thing thine accustomed manner, not to limit any thing what∣soeuer, that thou wouldest haue done lesse or otherwise.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The th••••d, So••••ow shou••d not be ••xt••eame, or perpetuall.
• * 1.2

  A pro••fe h••re••f by a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wh••ch Areus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to ••a••a∣••io, Seneca p••odu••e••h ••••re to the end hee may perswade Ma••cia more pow••••••••lly.