Cato major, or, The book of old age first written by M.T. Cicero ; and now excellently Englished by William Austin of Lincolns Inne, Esquire ; with annotations upon the names of the men and places.

CHAP. XVII.

THe Books of Xenophon are profitable for many re∣spects, which I pray you read diligently as you do; how co∣piously is husbandry hādled in that book of his, which is entituled Oeco∣nomicus of the care of a private fa∣mily? and that you may know, that nothing seemeth more kingly, then the art of tillage, Socrates in that Book speakes to * 1.1 Critobulus, saying that [1] Cyrus the lesse king of Persia, a man excelling in

wit and glory of Government, when Lysander of Lacedemonia, a vertuous man came to him at * 1.2 Sardis, and brought him gifts from his fellows, he bore himself very courteously towards him, and shewed him a certain piece of ground hedged in, and artificially planted, when Lyfander wondring at the greatnesse of the trees, the excellent order they were set in, the ground pure and well wrought, and the sweet odour that the plea∣sant flowers cast, said that he not only admired his wit, but also his diligence by whom knots were drawn and set; Cyrus answered him, that they were all of his draw∣ing and invention, and that he set them down, and that most of his trees were set with his own hands. Then Lysander beholding the

goodly proportion of the Kings body, and the glorious splendor of his Persian purple garment, fet with gold and precious stones, said, rightly do they report thee happy Cyrus; for to thy vertue thou hast blessed fortune added; and this fortune old men may have, neither doth age hinder us, but that we may exercise arts and hus∣bandry even till the last part of our life. We have heard of [2] Marcus Valerius Corvinius who lived a hun∣dred years, and in his age remained in the countrey, and became a tiller of the ground, between whose first and sixt Consul-ship was fourty and six years. Therefore all the age that passed in a man till his old age, was accounted of our Ance stors but as a race of that length which directed to honour, so that the last age is more happy then the middle, because it hath

more authority and lesse labour, The highest perf••ction in age is au∣thority. How great Majesty was in * 1.3 L. Cecillius Metellus? how great in Attillius * 1.4 Collatinus? whom the generall consent of all nations did allow to be the chiefe among the people; the verses on his se∣pulchre are well known. By right therefore he is to be held noble and of authority, in whose praises the reports of all men do consent, what men of wisedome have we seen of late? Pub. Crossus the high Priest, and a ter him Marcus * 1.5 Lepi∣dus that succeeded him in the of∣fice; what should I speak of Paulus or of Affricanus, or of Maximus whom I named before? Not only iu whose speech, but also in whose

looks remained authority. Age hath (especially honoured age) such reverence, that it is more to be accounted of, then all the plea∣sures of youth.

XVII. TABLE of Annotations.

• 1. CYrus Minor reigned in Per∣sia 353. years after the buil∣ding of Rome, in the times of Aggaeus and Zacharias the Pro∣thets in Judea.
• 2. Marcus Valerius Corvinus, fight∣ing against a French souldur, that challenged him in the lists, a crow came and sat upon his head, and smo••e her wings in his enemies face, and so blinded him, that Valerius

• obtained the victory, and ever after was called Corvinus; he was after both Consul and Dictator.

Notes

• * 1.1

  An excellent Physician, he cured, King Philips eye when it was shot out with an arrow.
• * 1.2

  A Town in Persia
• * 1.3

  High Priest. Anno 671.
• * 1.4

  Coss with Sulp. Paterculus. Anno 672.
• * 1.5

  High Priest. Anno 671.