Poems by Thomas Stanley, Esquire.
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- Poems by Thomas Stanley, Esquire.
- Author
- Stanley, Thomas, 1625-1678.
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- [London :: s.n.],
- 1651.
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"Poems by Thomas Stanley, Esquire." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A61292.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 26, 2025.
Pages
Page 5
POEMS.
The Gloworme.
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The Breath.
FAvonius the milder breath o'th' Spring, When proudly bearing on his softer wing Rich odours, which from the Panchean groves He steals, as by the Phenix pyre he moves, Profusely doth his sweeter theft dispence To the next Roses blushing innocence, But from the grateful Flower, a richer scent He back receives then he unto it lent. Then laden with his odours richest store, He to thy Breath hasts! to which these are poor; Which whilst the amorous wind to steal essaies, He like a wanton Lover 'bout thee playes, And sometimes cooling thy soft cheek doth lie, And sometimes burning at thy flaming eye: Drawn in at last by that breath we implore, He now returns far sweeter then before, And rich by being rob'd, in Thee he finds The burning sweets of Pyres, the cool of Winds.Page 7
Desiring her to burn his Verses.
Page 8
The Night. A Dialogue.
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Page 10
Excuse for wishing Her lesse Fair.
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Chang'd, yet Constant.
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Page 13
The Self-Deceaver.
MONTALVAN.
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The Cure.
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CELIA Singing.
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A la mesme.
BElle voix, dont mes charmes desrobent mon ame, Et aulieu d'un esprit m'animent d'une flamme, Dont Iesens la subtile, & la douce chaleur, Enter par non oreille & glisser dans mon coeur; Me faisant esprever par cette aimable vie, Nos ames ne consistent que d'une harmonie; Que la vie m'est douce, la mort m'est sans peine, Puisq' on les trouve toutes deux dans ton haleine: Ne m'espargne donc pas satisfais tes rigueurs: Car si tu me souffres de vivre, Ie me meurs.The Returne.
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Song.
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The sick Lover.
GUARINI.
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Song.
Page 22
Song.
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Delay.
DElay? Alas there cannot be To Love a greater Tyrannie: Those cruel Beauties that have slain Their Votaries by their disdain, Or studied torments, sharp and witty, Will be recorded for their pitty, And after-ages be misled To think them kind, when this is spred. Of deaths the speediest is despair, Delayes the slowest tortures are; Thy cruelty at once destroyes, But Expectation starves my Joyes, Time and Delay, may bring me past The power of Love to cure, at last; And shouldst thou wish to ease my pain, Thy pitty might be lent in vain; Or if thou hast decreed, that I Must fall beneath thy cruelty, O kill me soon! Thou wilt expresse More Mercy, ev'n in shewing lesse.Page 24
Commanded by his Mistris to woe for her.
MARINO.
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The Repulse.
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The Tombe.
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The Enjoyment.
St. AMANT.
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To Celia pleading want of Merit.
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Loves Innocence.
SE how this Ivy strives to twine Her wanton arms about the Vine, And her coy lover thus restrains, Entangled in her amorous chains; See how these neighb'ring Palms do bend Their heads, and mutual murmurs send, As whisp'ring with a jealous fear Their loves, into each others ear. Then blush not such a flame to own As like thy self no crime hath known, Led by these harmlesse guides, we may Embrace and kisse as well as they. And like those blessed souls above, Whose life is harmony and love, Let us our mutual thoughts betray And in our wils our minds display;Page 33
The Bracelet.
TRISTAN.
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The Kisse.
Page 35
Apollo and Daphne.
GARCILASSO MARINO.
Speaking and Kissing.
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The Snow-ball.
DOris, I that could repell All those darts about thee dwell, And had wisely learn'd to fear, Cause I saw a Foe so near; I that my deaf ear did arm, 'Gainst thy voices powerful charm, And the lightning of thine eye Durst (by closing mine) defie, Cannot this cold snow withstand From the whiter of thy hand; Thy deceit hath thus done more Then thy open force before: For who could suspect or fear Treason in a face so clear, Or the hidden fires descry Wrapt in this cold out-side lie; Flames might thus involv'd in ice The deceiv'd world sacrifice; Nature, ignorant of this Strange Antiperistasis,Page 37
The Deposition.
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To his Mistresse in Absence.
TASSO.
FAr from thy dearest self, (the Scope Of all my Aims) I waste in secret Flames; And onely live because I hope. O when will Fate restore The Ioyes, in whose bright fire My Expectation shall expire, That I may live because I hope no more!Loves Heretick.
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La belle Confidente.
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La belle Ennemie.
I Yield, dear Enemy, nor know How to resist so fair a Foe; Who would not thy soft yoke sustain, And bow beneath thy easie chain, That with a bondage blest might be Which far transcends all liberty. But since I freely have resign'd At first assault my willing mind, Insult not o're my captiv'd heart With too much tyrannie and art, Lest by thy scorn thou lose the prize, Gaind by the power of thy bright eyes, And thou this conquest thus shalt prove, Though got by Beauty, kept by Love.The Dream.
Lope de vega.
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To the Lady D.
Madam,
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Love Deposed.
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The Divorce.
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Time Recover'd.
CASONE.
COme (my dear) whilst youth conspires With the warmth of our desires; Envious Time about thee watches, And some Grace each minute snatches: Now a spirit, now a Ray From thy Eye he steals away, Now he blasts some blooming Rose Which upon thy fresh Cheek grows;Page 47
The Bracelet.
Page 48
The Farewell.
Page 49
Claim to Love.
GUARINI.
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To his Mistress who dreamed He was wounded.
GUARINI.
Page 51
The Echange.
Dialogue.
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Vnaltred by Sicknesse.
SIcknesse, in vain thou dost invade A Beauty that can never fade. Could all thy Malice but impair One of the sweets which crown this fair, Or steal the spirits from her Eye, Or kisse into a paler dye. The blushing Roses of her Cheek, Our drooping hopes might justly seek, Redress from thee, and thou mightst save Thousands of Lovers from the Grave: But such assaults are vain, for she Is too divine to stoop to thee; Blest with a Form as much too high For any Change, as Destiny; Which no attempt can violate; For what's her Beauty, is our Fate.On His Mistresse's Death.
PETRARCH.
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The Exequies.
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The Silkworm.
THis Silk-worm (to long Sleep retir'd) The early Year hath re-inspir'd, Who now to pay to thee prepares The Tribute of her pleasing cares; And hastens with industrious toyl To make thy Ornament her Spoyl: See with what pain she spins for thee The thread of her own Destinie, Then growing proud in Death, to know That all her curious Labours thouPage 55
A Ladie weeping.
MONTALVAN.
AS when some Brook flies from it self away, The murm'ring Christal loosely runs astray. And as about the verdant Plain it windes, The Meadows with a silver ribband bindes, Printing a kisse on every Flower she meets, Loosing her self to fill them with new sweets, To scatter frost upon the Lilies Head, And Scarlet on the Gilliflower to spread; So melting sorrow, in the fair disguise Of humid Stars, flow'd from bright Cloris Eyes, Which watring every Flower her Cheek discloses, Melt into Iesmines here there into Roses.Page 56
Ambition.
Page 57
Song.
The Revenge.
RONSARD.
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Song.
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Song.
Page 60
To a blinde Man in Love.
MARINO.
Song.
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The Losse.
Page 62
The Self-cruel.
Page 63
Song.
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Answer.
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The Relapse.
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To the Countess of S. with the holy Court.
Madam,
Song.
DE VOITURE.
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Drawn for Valentine by the L. D. S.
THough 'gainst me Love and Destiny conspire, Though I must waste in an unpitied fire, By the same Deity, severe, as fair, Commanded adoration and despair: Though I am mark'd for Sacrifice to tell The growing age what dangerous Glories dwell In this bright dawn, who when she spreads her raies Will challenge every heart, and every praise;Page 68
Page 69
The modest Wish.
BARCLAY.
REach Incense Boy! Thou pious Flamen pray To genial Deities these Rites we pay. Fly far from hence such as are only taught To fear the Gods by guilt of Crime or Thought. This is my Suit, grant it Celestial Powers, If what my will Affects oppose not yours. First, pure before your Altars may I stand, And practise studiously what you command. My Parents Faith devoutly let me prize, Nor what my Ancestors esteem'd despise. Let me not vext enquire, (when thriving Ill Depresseth good) why thunder is so still? No such ambitious knowledge trouble Me; Those curious Thoughts advance not Piety: Peaceful my House, in Wife and Children blest, Nor these beyond my Fortunes be increast. None couzen me with Friendships specious Glosse. None dearly buy my Friendship with their Losse. To Suits nor wars my quiet be betray'd; My quiet, to the Muses justly pay'd: Want never force me court the rich with Lies, And intermix my suit with Flatteries: Let my sure friends deceive the tedious Light, And my sound sleeps, with Debts not broke, the Night.Page 70
E Catalectis vet. Poet.
A Small well-gotten Stock and Countrey seat I have, yet my content makes both seem great. My quiet Soul to fears is not inur'd, And from the sins of Idlenesse secur'd: Others may seek the Camp, others the Town, And fool themselves with pleasure or renown; Let me unminded in the common crowd Live Master of the time that I'm allow'd.Page 71
On the Edition of M. Fletchers Works.
FLetcher, (whose Fame no Age can ever wast; Envie of ours, and glory of the last) Is now alive again; and with his Name His sacred ashes wak'd into a Flame; Such as before did by a secret Charm The wildest Heart subdue, the coldest warm, And lend the Ladies Eyes a power more bright, Dispensing thus to either, Heat and Light. He to a sympathie those Souls betray'd Whom Love or Beauty never could perswade; And in each mov'd Spectator could beget A real passion by a Counterfeit: When first Bellario bled, what Ladie there Did not for every drop let fall a tear? And when Aspàsia wept, not any Eye But seem'd to wear the same sad Livery By him inspir'd the feign'd Lucina drew More streams of melting sorrow then the true; But then the Scornful Ladie did beguile Their easie griefs▪ and teach them all to smile. Thus he Affections could, or raise or lay; Love, Grief, and Mirth thus did his Charms obey:Page 72
To Mr. W. Hammond.
THou best of friendship, knowledge and of Art! The charm of whose lov'd name, preserves my heart From female vanities (thy name, which there Till time dissolves the Fabrick, I must wear) Forgive a Crime which long my soul opprest, And crept by chance in my unwary Brest, So great, as for thy pardon were unfit, And to forgive were worse then to commit, But that the fault and pain were so much one, The very act did expiate what was done. I (who so often sported with the flame, Plaid with the Boy, and laught at both as tame)Page 73
On M. Shirley's Poems.
WHen dearest Friend, thy verse doth re-inspire Loves pale decaying Torch with brighter fire, Whilst every where thou dost dilate thy flame, And to the World spread thy Odelias Name, The Justice of all Ages must remit To Her the Prize of Beauty, Thee of Wit.Page 74
Page 75
On M. Sherburn's Translation of Seneca's Medea, and vin∣dication of the Author.
THat wise Philosopher, who had design'd To life the various passions of the Minde, Did wrong'd Medea's Jealousie prefer To entertain the Roman Theater; Both to instruct the Soul, and please the Sight, At once begetting Horrour and delight. This cruelty thou dost once more expresse Though in a strange, no lesse becoming dress; And her revenge hast rob'd of half its pride, To see it self thus by it self outvi'd, That boldest Ages past may say, our times Can speak, as well as act their highest Crimes. Nor was't enough to do his Scene this right, But what thou gav'st to us, with equal light Thou wouldst bestow on him, nor wert more just Unto the Authors work, then to his Dust; Thou dost make good his title, aid his Claim, Both vindicate his Poem and his Name, So shar'st a double wreath; for all that we Unto the Poet owe, he owes to thee. Though change of tongues stoln praise to som afford, Thy Version hath not borrow'd but restor'd.Page 76
On M. Halls Essayes.
WIts that matur'd by time have courted praise, Shall see their works outdone in these Essayes; And blush to know, thy earlier years display A dawning, clearer then their brightest day. Yet I'le not praise thee, for thou hast outgrown The reach of all mens praises, but thine own. Encomiums to their objects are exact; To praise and not at full is to detract. And with most justice are the best forgot, For praise is bounded when the Theam is not: Since mine is thus confin'd, and far below Thy merit, I forbear it, nor will show How poor th' Autumnal Pride of some appears, To the ripe fruit thy vernal season bears. Yet though I mean no praise, I come t' invite Thy forward Aims still to advance their flight; Rise higher yet, what though thy spreading wreath Lessen to their dull sight who stay beneath? To thy full Learning how can all allow Just praise, unless that all were learn'd as thou? Go on in spight of such low souls, and may Thy growing worth know Age, though not decay: Till thou pay back thy theft; and live to climbe As many years as thou hast snatch'd from Time.Page 77
On Sir J. S. his Picture and Poems.
SUCKLING, whose numbers could invite Alike to wonder, and delight, And with new spirit did inspire, The Thespian Scene, and Delphick Lyre. Is thus exprest in either part, Above the humble reach of Art. Drawn by the Pencil, here you finde His Form, by his own Pen his Minde.The Vnion.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
AS in the Chrystal Center of the sight Two subtle beams make but one Cone of light, Or when one flame twin'd with another is, They both ascend in one bright Pyramis; Our spirits thus into each other flow, One in our being, one in what we know, In what we will, desire, dislike, approve, In what we love, and one is that pure love. As in a burning glasse th' aerial Flame, With the producing Ray is still the same:Page 78
Answer.
IF we are one dear friend! why shouldst thou be At once unequal to thy self and me? By thy release thou swell'st my debt the more, And dost but rob thy self to make mee poor. What part can I have in thy luminous Cone? What Flame (since my loves thine) can call my own? The palest star is lesse the son of night, Who but thy borrow'd know no native light: Was't not enough thou freely didst bestow The Muse, but thou wouldst give the Laurel too? And twice my aims by thy assistanc raise, Conferring first the merit, then the praise?Page 79
Pythagoras his moral Rules.
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The common received Opinion that Pythagoras is not the Author of these verses, seems to be de∣fended by Chrysippus in Agellius, Plutarch, Laertius, and Iamblichus, who affirm, that the rules and Sence onely were his, digested into Verse by some of his Schollers. But it is not improbable, that they did no more than collect the verses, and so gave occa∣sion to the mistake; for Laertius confesseth that Pythagoras used to deliver his precepts to his Disci∣ples in verse, one of which was
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〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; How slipt? what deeds? what duty left undone?Of this Opinion I believe Clemens Alexandrinus, who cites one of these lines under his Name, and Proclus when he calls him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The Father of the golden verses.
[thy duty pay]
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; Though Hierocles in another Sence read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
[thy Vow]
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Hierocles, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, observance of religious Rules.
[Honour the Saints]
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Laertius on these words explains Souls where∣of the Air is full. Hierocles, Angels, the sons of God, &c.
[Thy Prince and Rulers]
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Hierocles 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; Capable of Government.
[Nor their Laws despise]
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Hierocles 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; to obey their Commands.
[With observance]
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: Yet Hie∣rocles otherwise.
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[Thy power is neighbour to necessity] Whatsoever necessity can force thee to bear, it is in thy power to bear voluntarily. If thy friend have wrong'd thee, how canst thou say, thou art not able to endure his Company, when Imprison∣ment might constrain thee to it? See Hierocles.
So Hierocles, Marcilius reads 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (that is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which best agrees with this sence.
[what any other may accuse]
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Hierocles interprets 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Invidia; so ta∣ken sometimes by Cicero, Ma••cil:
These two lines I have inserted upon the Authority of Porphyrius, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.He advised every one before he slept to repeat these verses to himself,
Nor suffer Sleep at Night, &c. And before he rose these, And every businesse, &c.
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How much this confirms Pythagoras the Author, and his Schollers but disposers of the Verses (who as it appears forgot these two) is evident enough; The main argument they insist upon who labour to prove the contrary is derived from these words,
Where Marcilius expounds 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 illum a quo Scientiam 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 acceperant, is autem do∣ctor eorum Pythagoras, as if it were
And then takes pains to show that his Scholars used to swear by Him. But 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is not without a little violence to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (which makes Iamblicus read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) Marcilius in this being the lesse excusable for con∣fessing immediately, Animae▪ vero nostrae dixerunt Pythagorei quoniam quaternarius animae numerus est, an explanation inconsistent with the other, but (as I conceive) truer; Macrobius expressely agreeth with it; Iuro tibi per eum qui dat animae nostrae qua∣ternarium numerum, or as others
Per qui nostrae animae numerum dedit ipse quaternum,By him who gave us Life, God. In which sence 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 much more easily will follow 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 than 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The fower powers of the soul are, Mens, Scientia, Opinio, Sensus, which Aristotle calls the four instruments of judgement, Hierocles 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The Minde is compa∣red
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to an unite in that of many singulars it makes one. Science to the number two, (which a∣mongst the Pythagoreans is numerus infinitatis) be∣cause it proceeds from things certain and granted to uncertain and infinite. Opinion to three, a num∣ber of indefinite variety. Sense to four, as fur∣nishing the other three. In this exposition I am the more easily perswaded to dissent from Plutarch, Hierocles, Iamblichus and other Interpreters, since they differ no lesse amongst themselves.
[Within is a continual hidden fight]
Betwixt Reason and Appetite.
[How little trouble]
As Marcilius reads, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c.
[Their Genius]
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Hierocles expounds 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Genius includes both.
[what t'embrace]
Hierocles, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, all that they ought to do.
[from the bodies stain]
Hierocl. from the Infection of the Bodie.
[In times of Prayer
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Meditation. See Plato in Phae∣done.
[and cleansing]
Which extended (saith Hierocles) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,
Page 86
to meat and drink, &c.
[Meats denied]
what they were is expressed by Laertius, Suidas, Hierocles, Agellius, &c. Hierocles affirms that in these words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he cites his sacred Apo∣thegms: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Concerning meat is particu∣larly delivered in his holy Apothegms that which it was not lawful to make known to every one. Which is a great testimony that Pythagoras and not any of his Disciples writ these verses; for if the Au∣thor had cited him before in the third person (as they argue from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) he would have cited him now in the first.