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. VI.

* 1.1LEauing apart therefore the iudgement of diuers men, which is ex∣tinguished by the first appearances of things: howsoeuer they be beleeued, let vs consider what banishment is. It is the change of place. It may be thought that we seeme to lessen the same, and that we take from it all that is worst in it. This change of place is accompanied with the incommodities of pouerty, of ignominy, and contempt: against these hereafter I will combate. In the meane while I will first of all haue this looked into, which incommoditie this change of place breedeth. It is an intoll••rable thing to be depriued of a mans countrey. Behold this multitude which may hardly be contained within so many thousand houses of this Citie, the greatest part of this troupe wanteth their countrey; they are retired hither

from their Hamlets, Colonies, and all the quarters of the world. Som are drawn hither by ambition, othersome by the necessitie of publique offices, some by Embassages enioyned them, other some are inuited for ryot sake, that hunteth after the opportunity of riches, and a ••it place wherein to exercise their dissolu∣tions; othersome are drawne with a desire of liberall studies; others with a de∣light to haunt the Theaters; som•• to visite their friends, others to make proofe of their industry, hauing gotten an ample meanes to make shew of their vertue; some haue brought their beautie to set it out to sale, oth••rsom their eloquence. All sorts of men resort hither, where both vertues and vices are highly prized. Command and cite euery one of these in person, and aske of euery of these whence he is; thou shalt see that for the most part of them they haue forsaken their country, to come and dwell in this spacious Citie, which notwithstanding is but a Citie, and not their owne. Againe, depart from this Rome, which may be called a common countrey of all men, and ouersee other Cities, and there is none of these wherein thou shalt not finde a greater part of forraine multitude But leaue thou these countries, and all those who for the pleasant situation of the place, are drawne to inhabite there, and goe into the desarts and desolate Isles, as those of Cithnon, Serephium, Giare, and Corsica. Thou shalt not finde any place of banishment, but that some one remaineth there for his pleasure. What place may a man finde more naked and craggie on euery side, then this mountainous Isle which I inha••ite? Is there any soyle more barren? Are any people more sauage? Is any situation of place more vnholsome, or are more displeasing and intemperate? Yet are there more strangers dwell here then those that are naturall, borne in that countrey. So little therefore is the change of place grieuous vnto men, that this Isle hath withdrawne some from their owne countrey. I finde some that will say that there is a certaine naturall desire in mens mindes to change their seats, and to transferre their houses. For man hath a moueable and vnsetled minde giuen him, he is neuer Master of himselfe, he is confused, he intrudeth his thoughts into all knowne and vnknown things, still stirring and neuer quiet, and best contented with the noueltie of things; which thou wilt not wonder at, if thou consider his first originall. The minde is not composed of a terrestriall and waighty matter, it is a parcell of the celesti∣all spirit. But the nature of celestiall things is alwayes to be in motion; he fly∣eth and is carried away with a most swift course. Behold the Planets that en∣lighten the world,* 1.2 there is none of them that standeth still, but they incessantly turne, and daily change their places. Although they whirle about with the heauens, yet haue they their contrary motion. The Sunne runneth thorow all the signes of the Zodiaque, his motion is perpetuall, neyther remayneth hee at any time in one point. All things turne and passe without stay; and as the law and setled ordinance of nature hath determined, they are carried from one place to another: when as the celestiall bodies shall within certaine spaces of moneths and yeares, shape their course in their spheares, they shall renew the same. Goe therefore now and make thy selfe beleeue that humane vnderstan∣ding composed of the same seeds that diuine things are, euer patiently endures a passage and change from place to place, since that God himselfe taketh plea∣sure in a continuall and sudden motion, and maintaineth himselfe thereby. But withdraw thine eyes from these celestiall things, and behold these terrestriall and base things. Thou shalt see Nations and people change their seate: what meane these Cities, peopled with Graecians, euen in the very middest of barba∣rous Nations? What meanes this Macedonian language amongst the Indians

and Persians? Scithia and all that tract of fierce and vnconquered nations shew vs the Cities of Achaia, built vpon the shores of the Pontique sea. The conti∣nuall colde and the strange and inflexible natures of those Nations more vni∣ted then their ayre, could not hinder the Grecians from planting their Colo∣nies there. There is a company of the Athenians in Asia, the city of Miletum hath peopled seuenty fiue Cities in diuers places: All that side of Italy that borde∣reth vpon the lower sea, was the greater Greece. The Tuscans iss••ed from Asia, the Tirians planted themselues in Africa, the Africans in Spaine, the Greekes the France, and the French in Greece. The Perinean mountaines forbad not the Germanes ••o passe onward, humane leuity led them by vnhanted and vnknown wayes. They drew with them their children, their wiues, and their parents lo∣den with age. Some of these being wearied with long trauell, chose not their habitation by iudgement, but by reason of their wearinesse made choice of that they next met withall. Some maintained their possession by force of Arms; some in seeking out vnknowne Countries perished by sea; some planted their pauilions there where necessity commanded them; neither had they all of them the same cause of seeking out, and leauing their Country. Some of these after the ruine of their Cities, escaped from the fury of their enemies, haue by force made themselues Lords of other Cities, and haue driuen out the right owners. other some haue beene dispersed by ciuill warres, othersome when their Cities were ouer peopled, were mustered and sent away to other places, as superflu∣ous. Some Nations haue beene driuen out of their habitations by the plague, or by often earthquakes, or by some insupportible incommodities of the terri∣torie: and othersome haue beene allured by the bruit that ranne, that such or such a Country was farre more pleasant and fruitfull then their owne. Some others haue fo••saken their houses for diuers occasions. This then is euident that no one hath remained in the place where hee was borne, and that humane kinde ceaseth not to runne hither and thither. There is dayly some change in this so great a world. Heere some men lay the foundation of new Cities, there ariseth a new Nation, and the name of the olde is lost, and is made and becom∣meth more great then any other. But what are all these transmig••ations of peo∣ples but pub••ke banishment.

Notes

• * 1.1

  He disput••th plen••ifull•• of banishm••nt, and proueth that th••re is no e••••ll ther••in, ••nd tha•• those euils wh••ch accompany the ••••me should not be called euils.
• * 1.2

  Whence it com∣meth that men are so mutable.