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THan lyke as it is sayd the good prynce and the very Iustycere sholde not be yd••ll nor ouer moche in dely tes. And in lyke wyse he sholde ••le ••echery. For the auctoures sayth. Idelnesse is the nourysshe of flessh ly lustes. whiche is gretely to be reproued / and spe∣cyally in prynces. ••nd it maye be cause of theyr puttynge dow ne frome theyr prospery. ••. ¶ And also yt shall sounde to theyr
grete dy••••ame / and too many other inconuenyentes / whereof we haue ensample of Sardanapallus whiche was kynge of Assyrye and lost his royalme shamfully / for suche causes▪ Al∣so a kynge of Fraunce was dryuen out of his royalme for the same. And thus men may tell of many other: ¶ Also Ualere sayth to the same purpose / y• there was a cyte in Campaygne that was named Capne▪ whiche haboūded gretely in delytes and specyally in lustes of the flesshe / by the whiche Hanyball & all his hoost were corrupte and ••nuenymed▪ For Tytus Ly∣uyus recyteth in the thyrde booke of the thyrde decade / after y• tyme that Hanyball had ••••heued dyuers and many grete ba tayles in Italy / he wente to kepe his wynter at Capne▪ And in suche wyse there he was wrapped in delytes and aquayn∣taunce with women and cases of his body. what with wynes and meates / and solaces / whiche was not so accustomed befo∣re tyme / nor his hooste nother / wherfore after that tyme they were neuer so egre for to suffre the grete trauayles / nor hard∣nesse as they dyde before tyme / wherfore Ualere sayth / y• this arroure that he dyde t••ke awaye clerely the strength and the courage of his knyghtes whiche was wonte to conquere and ouercome his ••••em yes / to his grete laude and worshyp▪ For af ter the tyme that he kepte not y• olde dyscyplyne of armes whi che he was accustomed to kepe before tyme▪ he wente all backe warde▪ So Ualere sayth that he yssued out of that Cyte / ano∣ther maner man than he was at the entrynge of the Cyte / yet Ualere sayd more that the gre•••• yersnesse and cruelte of Affry ke and Cartage whiche myght not be ouercome ne conquered by armes / was dresed and put downe by y• meanes of delytes / by y• whiche Hanyball and his hoost were put vnder / For whi∣che Ualere sayth▪ O what thynge may do more harme saythe he than the wyll & the delytes of y• flessh〈…〉〈…〉y y• whiche vertue is put out / & vyctoryes brought to nought / & as touchynge the
vycroryes of Hanyball▪ 〈…〉〈…〉ec thaketh mencyon in a pystle y• he sente to his frende that was called Lucyll / sayenge in this wyse▪ The nourysshynge of champaygne hath made softe the dedes of Hanyball. For he conquered by armes / But he was ouercome by ••echery ••nd to this purpose y• wordes that Ua∣lere sayth of the worthy prynce ••ppamynydes may be wel vn derstonde to y• same entente••••••r after the dethe of y• sayd pryn▪ ce the Athenyences began to fayle of theyr vertue and of theyr strengthe / For Wh〈…〉〈…〉 they had lost hym yt of ten tymes brought them for the to y• warres / and to many grete batayles▪ A none after they became ydell and slouthful / and spended not theyr good vpon men of warre nother by see nor by sonde / as they we re wonte to do▪ But they bestowed theyr goodes vpon feestes and playes / and tourned y• worthy deedes of theyr auncytres vnto songes / and that suffysed them ynoughe to recorde & tal ke of the warres / but they wolde not occupye them themselfe / ••or whiche cause the grete renowne of ••rece fayled and was extyncte vnto the tyme of ••helyp fader to Alyxsaundre whi∣the brought them vp agayne.