The image of gouernance compiled of the actes and sentences notable, of the moste noble Emperour Alexander Seuerus, late translated out of Greke into Englyshe, by syr Thomas Eliot knight, in the fauour of nobylitie

¶ The moste noble aunswere of Alexander made to Asphe∣n••s, concernynge the dysablynge of Sextilius Rufus in his absence. Cap. xxxiiii.

THE EMPEROVR hadde a custome which was very commendable, that he neuer made any senatour, without the counsayle of the hole senate, and euery senatour shuld gyue his sentence, also testimony of his lyuyng, & credence shuld be brought in by honorable personages. But yf eyther the sena∣tours that spake, or the witnesses were foūden to haue spokē vntruly, they were reiected into the lowest place of estimation among the people, being also cōdemned as deceyuers or forgers, without hope of remyssion.

¶There was dwellyng in a village by Rome a gen∣tylman called Sextilius Rufus, whiche was ryghte

well lerned in all partes of philosophy, and also in the sciences lyberall. But forasmoch as he consydered the frequent alteration of the weale publyke, with the ma¦nyfolde peryls & troubles in the administration ther∣of, he of purpose withdrewe hym therfro as moche as he mought, although his father had bene a senatour in his lyfe, and he amonge his neyghbours and dy∣uers of the nobilite was had in good reputation. Not withstandyng for the causes before rehersed, and that he desyred nothynge so moche as quietnesse of mynde, and to solace hym selfe in the moste pleasaunt herbar of science, and vysityng the moste dylectable warkes of auncient wryters, he seldom came to the emperors court. or resorted to playes or bankettes, ne dyd come to salute the great offycers nor men in authoritie, as the vse was at that tyme. And amonge the yonge ga∣lantes he was not beloued, bycause he fauoured not theyr ryottous pastymes. And the men of lawe hadde hym in dysdayne, bycause he repugned agaynst their subtyll gloses, and blamed their auaryce•• fynally he being fully content with the golden mean, liued right honestly in a manour, whiche he had competently fur∣nyshed with possessions sufficient for the prouisyon of his meane household, whiche was to his neyghbours more bounteous than sumptuous.

¶After that the emperour had pourged his palayce and the senate of vnworthy persons, corrupted with detestable vices, and with moche difficultie founde o∣ther to set in their places: It hapned, that some good man named to hym Sextilius Rufus, declarynge the common report, whiche he had herde of hym. The em∣perour, who knew all to be true that was spoken, held

his peace not withstandyng, harkenyng what shulde be other mens sentences. The more parte of theym, whiche were present, affyrmed, that Rufus for his ho∣nestye wysedome and lernynge was mete to be of the senate, but thre or foure sayd nothyng. At the laste Al∣phenus a great lawyer, and in good estimation with the Emperour, obiected, sayeng, that Rufus not with¦standynge that he was lerned in dyuers sciences, yet was he neyther profoundly lerned in the lawes ciuile, nor moche experienced in affayres of the empire. And that his lyttell husbandry and small prouision about the increace of his lyuinge, declared hym to be a man of no great polycie, nor of any dexteritie about thyn∣ges of importance. And that the aptitude of his na∣ture, was only in studious meditation of sundry sci∣ences, and in wrytinge more than in doing. Addynge to that philosophers were neuer good practysers in a weale publyke, nor yet good men of warre. Wherfore in as moche as he that is a senatour, not only oughte to be a man mete for polytike gouernance, as welle in gyuyng counsayle in matters therto pertaynynge, as also beinge chosen to be Pretor, or to any other myni∣stration of Iustyce, not to be ignoraunt in gyuynge iudgement in causes brought before hym: but also he oughte to haue some experience in marciall affayres, that beinge chosen consul, or leader of the hoste of the Romaynes, he mought se the men of warre to be well instructed and exercysed. And that in all thynges be∣longyng to warre, the state of the citie be sufficientlye furnyshed. Moreouer, that in battayle ioyned eyther by his ignorance or basenes of courage, the Romayn army be not dystroyed. These thynges con••yered, it

semed to him, that it was not expedient to receiue Ru∣fus into the number of Senatours.

¶The emperour heryng Alphenus, and beholdynge that no man proffred to speake after hym, except three or foure mo, whyche were lawyers, and one Omnius Camillus a noble man, who had some dysplesaure to∣warde Rufus for one of his seruantes: these seemed by their countenaunces to approue the sayeng of Al∣phenus. That perceyuyng the emperour, he lokynge on Alphenus spake in maner as hereafter foloweth.

¶I see well Alphenus, that not onelye the vulgare and vnlettered people be angrely stered and do retain displeasure agaynste them, whiche withoute malyce, do rebuke in a generaltie the vices and faultes, which be founden amonge them: but also (whiche I doo la∣ment) men specially chosen for theyr wisedome and ler¦nynge, do disdayn them that rebuke the abuse of that study or exercise, whiche these wyse men most chiefelye haue haunted. I knowe that Sextilius in one of his bokes hath sharpely noted the detrimente doone vnto iustice by couetouse lawyers, whiche by theyr subtyll wyttes haue inuolued the lawes ciuile into suche ob∣scure and ambiguouse sentences, that noo man with∣out theyr declarations, may knowe howe to do or mi∣nister iustice in cases, for the whiche the sayde lawes haue prouided. Nor they that make lawes can expoūd them afterwarde without a lawier, whiche perchance was not fyrste priuie to the lawe makynge. These and lyke annotations of Rufus do not a lyttell offend you that be lawyars, althoughe ye haue abandoned pra∣ctise. And that dyspleasure onely hath caused you to make this conclusion, that Rufus is not mete to be of

the Senate the resydue of your argumente doth suffi∣ciently proue it. Fyrst the diuersitie of sciences, where in your selfe doo confesse, that he is well lerned, dothe not disable hym to be a Senatour, but maketh hym more conuenient and necessary for so noble a counsail. For to whom doth it more apperteine to vse wordes in theyr propre signification, and to set them in order, so that they make not the sentence peruerse or doubtfull, than to a senatour, or one hauing rule in a weale pub∣lyke, and that is the thyng whiche grammer teacheth? Logike is none other, but the scyence of reasonynge, helpynge naturall wytte to fynde truthe more quicke∣ly out of dyuerse opinions, by affyrminge or denying: whiche in a senatour maye not be spared. A man shall not well gouerne a citie or countrey, and sette in good order the maners of people (as Plutarche sayth) ex∣cepte he be wel fournyshed with eloquence, wherwith onely he maye perswade, affectuousely stere, inclyne, and leade where he lysteth the myndes of the multy∣tude: And that is beste lerned by Rhetoryke. Howe many thinges happen in the state of a citie or Realme, whiche requireth a diligente and exacte computacion with numbres? and that by Arithmetike is beste per∣ceyued. In assignynge of boundes and limittes, also to the making of municions and fortressis, also in de∣uisynge of engines for warres, who dare say that geo∣metry is not expediente? whiche describeth equalitie and inequalitte, aptnesse and vnaptnes, good propor∣cion, and deformitie. Also without armony nothynge is semely or pleasaunte, and by concorde and discorde all publyke weales do stande or decay: ye and as some philosophers haue wryten, by them all thinges hadde

theyr begynnynge. And this is beste vnderstande by the scyence called musyke. Moreouer he that leadeth an army, if he be instructed in the dyuerse temperatu∣res of sundry contreyes, by the naturall discourse of the sunne, by the fyue cerkles, the alteration of houres in day and nyght, by the distance of clymes and para∣reles, whiche be sensible lyues and spaces, wherby the sunne passeth about the firmamente: Also the moone with her mutable figures, and special authoritie ouer waters and humours, the naturall influence of other celestial bodies and signes, I meane in plenty or scar∣sity of thynges concernyng mannes sustinaunce, & in stormes or caulmenesse of wether: Al whiche thynges be knowen by the diuine science called Astronomy. I saye if a capitayne be therin instructed, and not to mo∣che curiouse or arrogant, he shal the more saulfly kepe alway his army. Iulius Cesar beinge therin exactely lerned, vainquished by celeritie and sundry preuenti∣ons not onely the fortune and moste experte chiualrie of valiant Pompey: but also the incomparable wyt∣tes of fyue hundred Senatours. And our noble pro∣genitour Hadriane the Emperour was thoughte to haue exployted thinges in batayle by the helpe of this science aboue mennes expectation. I omyt Hercules, whiche became disciple to Atlas for the commodytie whiche he thought to finde in astronomy. Fynally as ye al knowe. I haue had no lyttel delyte in these foure mathematicall sciences, and yet haue for the vtilitye that I fynde in them, when I do contemplate the per∣fyte state of a weale publyke: And the same is appro∣ued bothe by Plato and Aristotle, which shapeth their examples by proportiōs of Arithmetik, geometry, and

musyke, where they wryte of concorde in vertues or polytyke gouernaunce. This well consydered, a sena∣tour eyther for gyuynge of counsayle, or for beinge a capitayne in warres, shall fynde none impediment by hauynge these sciences, but vsynge them moderately, and as occasion requireth, they shalbe to hym not on∣ly an excellent ornament, but also a necessary treasure, and to all sortes of gouernaunce a thyng right expe∣dient. What although Sextilius be not profoundly lerned in the lawes ciuile? is that a good argument, that therfore he may not be a good counsaylour, or in other authoritie about the weale publyke? Consysteth all the senate of lawyers? Or standeth the weale pu∣blyke, and all her affaires onely by lawes all redy sta∣blyshed? May no publike weale be without lawyers? How many noble Senatours haue there ben, and yet are•• whiche neuer radde ouer all the .xii. tables? and yet haue they be found to reason wittily, and minister prudentely. Be lawes any thynge els than rules of Iustice, wherby she commandeth what shuld be done, and what ought not to be done, where a weale publik shuld prosper•• Than is it euydent•• that Iustyce ma∣keth lawes, and not lawe Iustyce. Also he hath redeth the lawe, seeth the commandement of Iustice, but se∣inge the lawe onely in that that he seeth it, he doth not knowe Iustyce. but contrarye wyse, he that knoweth Iustyce, by hir may discerne what is ryght or wrong, what is equal or vnequall, and by the paterne of Iu∣stice may inuente a remedy propise and necessary, whi∣che expressed in worde or writing may be called a law. The knowledge of Iustyce eyther hapneth by speciall influence from the hygh god: or els it is gotten with

the study of wysedome, comprehended in the bokes of wyse men, who of Pythagoras were callid Philosophi, whiche dothe signify the louers of wysedome. Wher∣fore they which eyther by diuine inspiration, or by stu∣dy of the warkes of excellent wise men, haue the truest knowlege of Iustyce, and haue best vnderstandynge what is iuste, and what is vniust, and consequentely can prouide remedies accordyng to iustyce: which re∣medies if they ones be made vniuersal, they be lawes, howe so euer they be pronounced, be it by a multitude or by one persone, as the edict not onely of the empe∣rour, but also of hym that is Pretor, is a lawe, as wel as that which is made by al the hole senate, or inacted by the Tribunes and people of Rome.

¶And where ye saye that phylosophers were neuer good practysers in a weale publyke, nor yet good men of warre, yf ye doo meane by practyse, that detestable exercyse, whyche is subtyll deceyuyng, crafty entermi∣nyng, mayntenance of iniustice, peruerse counsailyng and vnmeasurable gettynge, I confirme than youre sayinge. for a phylosopher abhorreth suche practyse, and as moche as he may doth and perswadeth the con¦trary. But if ye do intende by that word practyse, only the laudable exercise in thadmynystration of a weale publyke, truely ye be in a great errour and folye, and do speake as if ye were one of the vulgar people igno∣rant of letters, ye and that more is, priuate displesure hath caused you to forget what ye your self hath sene, contrary to that whiche nowe ye haue spoken. I wylle not reherse all them, whiche beinge studious in philo∣sophy haue gouerned publyke weales, or haue execu∣ted their ministration therin substancially: but some

wyll I speake of.

¶Who gouerned Egipt and Libia more nobly, than dyd Hermes called Mercurius Trismegistus? and what philosopher was in al sciences equal vnto him? Who euer kept his countrey in suche a quietnesse, and made it so ryche as dyd Salomon kynge of the He∣brewes? whyche as it is founden in their hystories, translated into greke by the commādement of Ptho∣lome called Philadelphus kyng of Egypte, was soo great a philospher, that he dysputed of all thynges naturall and supernaturall: and for his wonderfulle knowlege there came to here hym out of all partes of the worlde men and women, beynge at that tyme in moste reputation of lernynge? Was euer this citie of Rome in so good order as it was durynge the tyme of Numa Pompilius, whiche was .xl. yeres, who beinge an excellent phylosopher and a pryuate persone, was chosen to be kynge, and soo moche more is his gouer∣naunce to be commended, that he brought the people, whiche were rude, fierse, and euer continually in war∣res with their neyghbours, into so good an order and temperaunce of maners, that they whiche before were their enmyes, had them in admyration and reuerence? Who made better lawes or better ordred the common weale of the citie of Athenes than Solon the greate phylosopher, as longe as they coulde susteyne theyr owne welthe? The same citie had neuer a more noble Capytayne, nor a more valyaunt than was Pericles: who with Anaxagoras contynuallye studyed phylo∣sophye. And to descende to a more late tyme: where was there a better capitaine, or a more noble warriour than Scipio Affricane? who hadde alwaye with hym

Polybius the philosopher, and in vacant tymes from battayle he either herd him rede, or disputed with him. Semblably Lucullus was so studyous in all kyndes of lernyng (as Plutarche writeth) that where he herd that any great lerned men disputed togyther, thyther wolde he go, and studiousely here them: and (as the the same author saythe) he haunted and imbraced all kynde of philosophy, with mooste familiar acquayn∣taunce and custome, specially that whyche was called Academica, or the doctrine of Plato. And was there e∣uer a more noble, a more polytike or more valyant ca∣pitayne, and more estemed and drad of moste puissant pryncis than he was? Lord god what a senatour was Cato called Uticensis? whose vertue was wondered at throughe the worlde, whose magnanimitie and in∣comparable seueritie more profyted vnto the publyke weale of the citie, than the vyctories of Pompey and Cesar. And was not he so studyous in philophy, that he could not temper hym selfe, but that he must nedes rede Greke bokes, whan he satte in the senate? What consul can ye compare to Marcus Tullius, who only by his diuyne and moste excellent wysedome preserued the publyke weale and citie of Rome frome vtter sub∣uercion, whiche nedes must haue hapned by the con∣spiracy of Cataline and his confederates, if it had not ben by the incomparable witte of Tullius found out, and by his diuyne eloquence playnly conuynced, and by his wonderful wysedome suppressed and cleane ex∣tynguyshed? And howe studious he was, and exactly lerned in all kyndes of philosophy and ••loquence, his moste noble warkes do declare with fame immortall. I passe ouer Nigidius, Uarro, Trasea, and many o∣ther

sage and honorable senatours, whiche were not onely excellent philosophers, but also prudente coun∣saylours and valyant capitaynes. yet wylle I reherce some, whiche were in the tyme of your remembrance. The emperour Adriane was so profoundely lerned in all philosophye, that he dysputed openlye at Athenes with the chiefe phylosophers of all Grecia, and van∣quysshed Phauorinus, who at that tyme was of all other moste famous: and to what prynce or capytayn gyueth he place, eyther in marciall prowesse, or ciuyle gouernance? What more honor euer hapned to Rome than that Marcus Aurelius Antoninus succeded im∣mediately Adriane, whose lyfe was confessed to be the moste certayne lawe vnto al people to rule or be ruled: And he for his exquisyte knowlege in all philosophye, was most commonly called Antonine the philosopher, not by reproche as som wold suppose it: but for a most excellent and rare commendation. And what man dyd euer more encreace the weale publike, or better defend, it, than dyd this most noble and vertuouse emperour? And be it of you receyued without suspition of boste, as it shall be spoken of me without any vaynglorye: I whiche may not be compared with the moste inferi∣our of them before named, eyther in lernynge or pro∣wesse, yet howe moche I haue amended the state of the weale publyke, ye all can beare wytnesse: And that I haue nothynge appaired the imperial maiestie, it hath bene of the Senate and people in your presence con∣fessed. And this coulde I not so well haue doone, yf I had not instructed my wytte with the doctrine of phi∣losophers. What saye you by Gordiane, Uenatus, Aelius Seremanus, Catilius Seuerus, Frontinus,

Tacitus, and Aurelianus, honourable Senatours, and our trusty counsaylours? and Sabinus whyche sytteth here with vs? haue they not right well shewed them selues to be apte vnto gouernaunce, whan they haue ben Consuls, Tribunes, and Pretors: yet be they no lawyers, but the more part of them be studyous in phylosophy, and other lyberall sciences.

¶And nowe to make an ende of this matter, wherin I haue taryed the lenger, to the intente that I wolde extirpate this vayne opynyon, whiche men haue had agaynste philosophers and theym that be studyouse. Trewely that which ye do note in Sextilius to be lit∣tell husbandry and small prouision, procedeth not by lacke of good policie, as ye haue supposed, but he ad∣uisedly doth neglecte to be riche or to aspire to any au∣thoritie by ambition or flattery, preferryng temperate and sure quietnes, before daungerouse and vnthank∣full labours, and more estemeth to be an honest lyuer, thā a malapert crauer. Also by his study in philosophy it seemeth that he hath acquired a great magnanimy∣tie or noble courage, not extentynge the force of his wyt and knowlege in thynges whiche are but of lyttel importaunce: wherin he fareth like to the puissaunte grehounde, whiche was sente to the great Alexander by the kynge of Albany: vnto whom whan there was brought a great bul, he therfore wold not ones meue, afterwarde a myghty and fierce lyon, was lyke wise shewed to hym, whiche he onelye behelde and moued his tayle, but he wolde not therfore aryse oute of his place. Finally there was brought forth a meruaylous great olyfant: than stode he on his feete, and dyd sette vp his brystelles, and shewed his teethe, and beinge

comforted by Alexander, he lepte to the olyfant, and byt hym, and after a fewe assaultes kylled him. Like wise Sextilius beinge contente with his astate, exten∣deth not his wytte to augmente it. but if he be fauou∣rably called to thynges of greatter importaunce, and therin well comforted, I doubte not but that he wyll shewe, that his study hath not ben vaynely employed. I meruayle that ye doo not consyder, that authoritie and fauour not onely sheweth a good wytte, but also doth polyshe that whiche is rude. Fullars, taylours, horsekepers, and marinars, were by the Emperour Commodus, and my predecessour Heliogabalus, ad∣uanced to be Consules, Pretores, and Tribunes, whi∣che as I herde saye were so chaunged in their wyttes, that it semed vnto them which knew them before, that sauynge theyr visage, and personage, they were alte∣red and made other men, so moch in theyr wordes and procedinges they excelled aboue their accustomed wit¦tes, all mennes expectation. Howe moche more hope is there of those men, whiche by education and studye haue theyr wyttes holpen? Suppose ye not, that there be within our empire thou••••ndes of men, whiche be∣inge but of meane reputation, if they were set in auto∣ritie, or about our persone. wolde set forthe noble wit∣tes equall to yours, and perchaunce better (whiche I speake not displeasantly, but onely to warne you to es∣chewe arrogance) Truely god gyueth wysedome, but fauour and aucthoritie mooste chiefely sheweth it in a weale publyke. Erthe nourissheth the rote of the tree, but the comfortable sunne bryngeth forthe the blosso∣mes, and if stormes do not lette, he with his holsome heate rypeth the fruite, and maketh it pleasaunte. In

lyke wyse studye and labour bryngeth in knowledge•• whiche by the comforte of prynces appereth abrode in some ministration. And if enuy or displeasure brynge none impediment: the increase of fauour maketh ler∣nynge fruitefull and profytable vnto the weale pub∣lyke. ye all here my sentence. And for as moche as the more parte of you (as I well do perceyue) esteme•• noo lasse Sextilius Rufus than I doo. I wyll that he be sente for, and receyued into the Senate, and his name registred in the table of Senatours. whervnto al the counsayle accordynge, it was for that tyme dissolued.

Notes

• 〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• 〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• 〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• 〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• Musyke.
• Astron••∣mye.