Of a Fable and Apollogie.
44 They saie that an apollogie is a kind of fable: and a fable they define to be a narration of a false thing, deuised for commoditie or de∣lite sake. Or (as Augustine, in his second booke, & 11. chapter De soliloquijs saith;) A fable is a lie, made for delectation sake, although properlie it cannot be called a lie. For the falsehood of it is straitwaie found out, and especiallie in apollo∣gies. For in them are brought in insensible and vnreasonable creatures talking one with ano∣ther, and intreating of verie weightie matters. And so soone as the hearer perceiueth this, he straitwaie vnderstandeth, that the matter is feigned, and not so doone [as it is vttered.] And doubtlesse some fables are likelie to be true, and some are far from probabilitie. For it is verie likelie, that once there fell a contention be∣twéene Aiax and Vlysses for the armor of Achil∣les, which at the length was iudged vnto Vlys∣ses: and that Aiax tooke so great displeasure thereat, as becomming mad, he slue himselfe. But contrariewise, it is without all probabili∣tie, that a woman was turned into a plant, or into a stone: so as an apollogie may be likened to a fable that is not likelie to be true.
45 The kinds or sorts of a fable, are come∣dies, tragedies, satyrs, and narrations of har∣ping and h•…•…dicall poets, and also apollogies. But which of these feignings be lawfull, and which be not lawfull, may thus be defined. Those, which haue vnmanerlines and scurrilitie; that is, a mirth ioined with dishonestie, ought not to be admitted. But those, which are written ho∣nestlie, and with shamefastnesse, so that they can refresh the mind with some pleasure, and are also profitable to teach good maners, are not to be despised. That such, as be vnciuill, must be put awaie, it is confirmed by two testimonies of the apostle. To the Corinthians he writeth; Euill talke corrupteth good maners. And vnto the Ephesians, the fift chapter, it is written; Let not whooredome, nor anie vncleannesse, nor co∣uetousnesse be named among you, as it becom∣meth saints. Then is added 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, filthinesse; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, foolish talking; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ie∣sting; which are not comelie. By these words he reprooueth all communications, which are defi∣led either with dishonestie or scurrilitie.
The verie same sawe Plato, in his third booke De Repub. where he excludeth poets that spake of gods, as though they should speake of men: bicause they, in so writing, doo both dishonoura∣blie treate of the nature of God, which is the best and most excellent; and also excuse the sinnes of common men, when as they testifie, that both the gods, and also noble men, did things alike. Which certeinlie we may perceiue in the come∣die of Eunuchus in Terence, where Chaerea, a wicked yoong man, beholding a wanton table in the harlots house (wherein was painted Iupi∣ter comming into Danae by a shower) began to haue a pleasure in himselfe; séeing he, being but a séelie man, did those things, which he perceiued by that table, that the chéefe god in old time had committed; I did it (saith he,) yea I did it with good will. Also, Cicero saith, that Homer feigned these things, and translated humane things vn∣to the gods. But I would rather they had trans∣ferred diuine things vnto vs!
46 Augustine, in his second booke of confes∣sions, the 15. and 16. chapters, complaineth and soroweth, that he being a child and a yoong man, learned profitable words, but yet in vaine things. I would to God (saith he) I had béene in∣structed in profitable writings! I heard Iupiter thundering, and therwithall committing adul∣terie. The minds and affections of men are prone enough vnto vices. Wherefore it is wic∣kedlie doone, that children and yoong men should in that age be stirred vp to sinne, by vile and filthie fables. But apollogies are profitable, which consisting both of honest words and good arguments, doo rightlie instruct that first age. Aesope, the ancient writer, happilie exercised himselfe in this kind: although some doo ascribe his fables vnto Hesiodus, who was before Ae∣sops time. But this one apollogie (whereof we now treat) was written long before the time of Aesope & Hesiodus. For the time of the Iudges,