The commentaries of C. Julius Cæsar of his warres in Gallia, and the civil warres betwixt him and Pompey / translated into English with many excellent and judicious observations thereupon ; as also The art of our modern training, or, Tactick practise, by Clement Edmonds Esquire, ... ; where unto is adjoyned the eighth commentary of the warres in Gallia, with some short observations upon it ; together with the life of Cæsar, and an account of his medalls ; revised, corrected, and enlarged.

OBSERVATIONS.

AS in matter of Geometry, Rectum est In∣dex sui & obliqui, a straight line mani∣festeth both it self and a crooked line, being equall to all the parts of rectitude, and une∣quall to obliquity: so is it in reason and dis∣course. For a direct and well-grounded speech carrieth such a native equality with all its parts, as it doth not only approve it self to be levelled at that which is most fitting, but sheweth also what is indirect and crooked, concerning the same matter; and is of that consequence in the variety of projects and o∣pinions,* 1.1 and so hardly hit upon, in the lame discourse of common reason, that Plato thought it a piece of divine power, to direct a path free from the crookednesse of errour, which might lead the straight and ready way to happy ends.* 1.2 And the rather, forasmuch as in matter of de∣bate, there are no words so weighty, but do seem balanced with others of equall consi∣deration:* 1.3 as here it happened,* 1.4 from those that pointing at the cause of this distemperature,* 1.5 con∣victed Idlenesse for the Authour of their varia∣ble and unsettled minds; and, as* 1.6 Xenophon hath observed, very hard to be endured in one man, much worse in a whole family, but no way sufferable in an Army; which the Romans called Exercitus, ab exercitio from exercise. For remedy whereof, they propounded labour without hope of gain, and such service as could bring forth nothing but losse. Others, prefer∣ring security before all other courses (as be∣lieving with Livie,* 1.7 that Captains should never trust Fortune further then necessity constrained them) perswaded a retreat to a place of safety, but upon dishonourable tearms. Which une∣vennesse of opinions Curio made straight by an excellent Maxime in this kind; thinking it con∣venient to hold such a course, as might neither give honest men cause of distrust, nor wicked men to think they were feared. For so he should be sure (in good tearms of honour) neither to discourage the better sort, nor give occasion to the ill-affected to do worse. And thus winding himself out of the labyrinth of words (as know∣ing that to be true of Annius the Praetor, that* 1.8 it more importeth occasions to do then to say; be∣ing an easy matter to fit words to things unfol∣ded & resolved upon;) he brake up the Councell.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Confilium dare, eorum quae inter homines di∣vinissimum.
• * 1.2

  Omni ora∣tioni oratio aequalis op∣ponitur.
• * 1.3

  Se••••.
• * 1.4

  Philos.
• * 1.5

  Varian•• semper dan•• otia men∣t••m. Luc. lib. 4.
• * 1.6

  Lib. 1 Cyrop.
• * 1.7

  Duces nullo loco, nisi quantum necessitas cogit, se committere fortunae de∣bent. lib. 22.
• * 1.8

  Ad sum∣mam rerum pertinet, cogitare magis quid agendum quam quid loquendum; facil•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉, explicatis consiliis, ac∣commod••r•• rebus ver∣ba. Liv. 3••.