The five days debate at Cicero's house in Tusculum between master and sophister.

SECT. XIX.—and Andromache.

EPICURUS, these things must be confess'd by you, or else those other which I have alledg'd according to the express word, are to be expung'd out of your Book, or the whole Book rather to be expung'd; for it is all over made up of voluptu∣ousness. The question, therefore, lyes before us, how we should cure one of Melancholly, (x) that speaks after this sort;

My present Miseries reproach my birth; Exile and Poor to a great Kingdom born; Augments my want, and aggravates my scorn.

What now must we clap to his mouth, a Cup of sweet'ned Liquor to still him from crying? or take any such course? Look now (y) from another Play in the same Poet:

A Princess once, Hector! thy help I need; Help her we must, for she implores aid. What Succour left, the Castle lost and Court? What safe retreat to Forraign Land or Port? My Country Altars, heaps of Stones, are made; And Sacred Temples in their Ashes laid. What State my ruin'd Palace once did bear, The Pictur'd Walls, and rich-grain'd Beams declare.

Ye all know what follows, and particularly that,

O Father! Country! Priam's Palace! Temple with Gates fast bar'd and bolted! I saw thee, when by Phrygians guarded; With curious Cealings carv'd und vaulted, Guilt richly, and inlay'd with Ivory.

O excellent Poet! however slighted by the Mo∣dern Songsters of idle Sonnets; he is sensible that all sudden and unexpected changes do more deep∣ly afflict; therefore having extoll'd the King's Power, which to all appearance was establish'd for ever; what doth he sub-joyn?

All these I saw, in ashes lain; Priam by the proud Victor slain; Jove's Sacred Altar Blood profane.

The Verse is singularly well, being mournful both in Sense and Words and Tune; to put her out of this Melancholly, what course should we take? Seat her in a Down-bed Couch, bring in a Minstrel, burn strong Perfumes, give her a Cup of Cawdle, provide her too a Dish of Meat. Are these your good things, by which the sorest troubles of mind are to be remov'd? For you asserted, a little be∣fore, that you could not so much as apprehend any goods of other Nature; therefore Epicurus and I should be agreed, that the Soul is to be call'd off from Melancholly, to the Contemplation of good things, if we were but agreed what is good.

(x) That speaks after this sort.] Cited from the Telamon of Ennius.

(y) From another Play in the same Poet.] The Andromache of Ennius.