The booke of Marcus Tullius Cicero entituled Paradoxa Stoicorum Contayninge a precise discourse of diuers poinctes and conclusions of vertue and phylosophie according the traditions and opinions of those philosophers, whiche were called Stoikes. Wherunto is also annexed a philosophicall treatyse of the same authoure called Scipio hys dreame. Anno. 1569.

The Preface of the Author vnto Marcus Brutus.

I Haue oftentymes marked & considered O Brutus, hovve youre vncle Marcus Cato at such times as he vttered hys mynde and opynion in the Senate about the vvaightye matters of the common vvealth, vsed to fetche his reasons and Argumentes oute of Morall Philoso∣phie, and by vvittie exposition made them to serue his turne and purpose: but the ma∣ner of his reasoninge differed muche from that absolute order vvich is publickly vsed in Forum, vvhere all iudicial matters depē∣dinge in sute and controuersie are pleaded and decyded. Notvvithstāding he preuayled so much vvith the common people by hys graue sentences and discret counsayles that they adiudged all that he sayd to be effectu∣all and probable. VVhiche vvas a thinge farre harder for him to compasse, then it is eyther for thee, or for vs, because vvee are better envred and haue a further skill in

that kynd of Philosophie vvhich enricheth a man vvith a fine vtteraunce and flovving eloquence, and vvherin such things are de∣clared, as do not muche disagree from the minds of the people. But Cato being (in my opinion) a ryght and perfect Stoike, doothe both thincke those thinges vvhich the vul∣gare people allovve not, and is also of that sect of Philosophers, vvhich care not for ele∣gancie of speache and floures of eloquence: neither dilate and amplifie their argumen∣tes, but vvith breafe questions and Interro∣gatories (as it vvere vvith certaine prickes or points) prosecute their reasons and dispatch their purposed intentes. But there is nothing so incredible, but the same by artific••al han∣dling may be made credible, ther is nothing so rude and barbarous, but by eloquence it may be polished, and scoured cleane Consi∣deringe and reuoluing these thinges in my mind, I aduentured further then this Cato, of whom I speake. For the Orations that Ca∣to commonly made, were after the Stoikes guyse, of Magnanimitie, Continencie, death,

the vvhole prayse of vertue, of the immor∣tall Goddes, of the loue that we oughte to beare to our Countrye, wythout any poin∣ted gloses or gorgeous ornamentes of Rhe∣toricke. But I (as it vvere to exercise my selfe and to make a proofe of my witte) haue cō∣prysed and recueled such high and abstruse pointes of Philosophie, into common pla∣ces, vvhich the Stoikes do scantly permit & allovve in their scholes of exercise and pri∣uate studies. And because they bee meruay∣lous sentences, and suche as are contrary to the opynion of all men, they are by thē ter∣med Paradoxa, vvhyche signifyeth, thinges merueilous and inopinable: vvherevpon I thoughte vvith my selfe to assaye vvhether they might be published abroade, and allo∣vved as disputable in the Forum, or place of common plees, and so eloquently handled, ••hat credite might be geuen vnto thē by the ••udients, or whether I might entreat of thē ••fter a learned sort for thē that be skilful, or ••ls frame my talke and maner of reasonyng ••ccording to the capacitie of the vnlearned ••eople. And the more vvillinge vvas I to

vvryte, because these conclusions (vvhiche they haue thus named Paradoxa) seeme in my opinion to be most true, and socratical, that is to vvitte, agreeable to the sound and infallible doctrine of Socrates. You shall therefore take this smale vvoorke vvell in vvorth, by mee compiled by Candlelighte these short nightes, because vnder the pro∣tection of youre name, my other vvorke of more paynfull studye, vvas set forth and di∣vulged.* 1.1 And herein shal you haue a tast of those kinds of excercises, that I vsed and yet do accustome my selfe to vse, vvhen I select and excerpe suche sayinges as amonge the Philosophers in their schooles are called their positiue and peculier argumentes, and interlace the same into the Rhetorical trade that vve vse in pleadynge and trauersinge causes and matters Iudiciall. Notvvithstan∣dinge, I doe not greatlye desyre, that you should publishe and set forth thys vvork to the gazinge vievve of all men, for it •• not of such excellencye, that it deserueth t••

be set vp in the topp of an high Turret for men to beholde and haue in admiracion, as the incomparable Statue or Image of Mi∣nerua vvas, vvhich Phidias made: but onely that it maye appeare and bee intimated to you that the same person vvhych made and dedicated the other greater vvoorkes vnto you, is also the Authoure of this.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tusculās questiōs.