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Of the first inducing of Stage-playes. CHAP. 31.
BVt know, (you that know not this) and marke (you that make shew as if you knew it not, and murmur at him that hath set you free from such Lords) that your Stage-playes, those (a) spectacles of vncleannesse, those licentious vanities, were not first brought vp at Rome by the corruptions of the men, but by the direct commands of your Gods: (b) It were farre more tolerable for you to giue diuine honors vnto the fore-named Scipio, then vnto such kinde of deities, for they were not so good as their Priest was: And now doe but * 1.1 obserue, whether your mindes being drunke with this continuall ingurgitati∣on of error, will suffer you to taste a sip of any true consideration: Your Gods, for the asswaging of the infection of the Pestilence that seazed on their bodies, commanded an institution of Stage Playes presently to be effected in their ho∣nors: but your Priest, for auoyding the pestilence of your mindes, forbad that any stage should be built for any such action. If you haue so much witte as to preferre the minde before the body, then choose which of the two said parties to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 your God of: for (c) the bodily pestilence did not yet cease, because that the delicate vanitie of Stage-playes entred into the eares of this people (being then wholy giuen vnto warres, and accustomed onely to the (d) Circen∣•…•… * 1.2 playes) but the wilie Diuels foreseeing (by naturall reason) that this plague of the bodies should cease, by this meanes tooke occasion to thrust one farre worse, not into their bodies, but into their manners, in corrupting of which, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their ioy; and such a plague, as blinded the mindes of that wretched peop•…•… with such impenetrable cloudes of darkenesse, and bespotted them with such foule staines of deformitie, that euen now (though this may seeme incre∣dible to * 1.3 succeeding ages) when this great Rome was destroyed, such as were p•…•…ssed with this pestilence, flying from that sacke, could come euen vnto Carthage, and here contend who should runne maddest (e) after stage playing.
L. VIVES.
THose (a) Sp•…•…ctacles of vncleannesse,] for there was both most beastly shewes presen∣ted, and most filthy words spoken. (b) It were farre more tollerable,] Tertullian in his Apologeticus saith: It were better to make Socrates the God of Wisdome, Aristides of Iustice. Themistocies os warre, Tully of eloquence, Sylla of prosperitie, Craffus of ritches, Pompey of Magnificence, and Cato of grauitie, for these men excell the gods in these specialities. And * 1.4 •…•…ny of the ancient writers neuer denied, that their good men were better then their gods: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for one, De vitae tranquillitate, lib. 2. affirmeth, that Cato of Utica was a better ex∣•…•… of a wise man then either Hercules or Vlisses. Lucane calles him the true Father of his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 worthy the Romaine Altars. (c) The bodily pestilence] Liuie in his 7. booke, faith, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 did the first institution of Playes for augmentation of Religion, either augment religion 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or diminish the pestilence of their bodies. (d) Circensian Playes] Those did Ro∣•…•… * 1.5 institute at Rome, in the fourth moneth after he had built the Cittie (as Fabius Pictor 〈◊〉〈◊〉) the same day that he forced away the Sabine Virgins. Some say it was not vntill 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…fore-said time a great while, whom•…•… had rather beleeue in this. Circenses they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (faith S•…•…s) because they were encompassed with swords: of Circa and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the (n•…•… as yet •…•…ice) antiquitie, hauing not as yet built any places fit for such ex∣•…•… •…•…ctifed th•…•… betweene a riuer side, and a ranke of swords, that the idle might see 〈◊〉〈◊〉 on both sides. Afterwards Tarquinius Priscus appointed a ring for them, which * 1.6 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…rward called Circus Max•…•…: and euery yeare once, as Liuie saith, were these games 〈◊〉〈◊〉 being diuersly named, as Magni, & Romani, & Circenses. They were consecrated 〈◊〉〈◊〉 God C•…•…sus, whom the Greekes call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, Neptune the Horse-rider,