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Apelles, and Lysippus were onely permitted to paint, or make a Statue of Alexander, because this generous Prince was unwilling to be put in condition to be undervalued, even in a Picture. Ste∣sicrates as much beyond the other Statuaries, as a Mountaine is above a Statue, proposes a designe of higher consideration; 'twas of Mountaines contiguous to Heaven. He will make an Alexander of the Mount Athos to the glory of Alexander: who ever saw an
Alexander mounted higher? He will place him a City in one hand, and a River in the other, and yet still reserve in this prodigious Colossus the resemblance of Alexander. This is the subject of this Discourse.
ALexander, the time is now come, that thou must perceive, that either Alexander needs no Statue to eternize him in the memories of men, since he is so deeply graven in their hearts, or that Stesicrates alone is wor∣thy to leave to posterity the Image of that generous Prince, which can no way resemble him, unless it be fancied of greater things, then the under∣standing is able to conceive.
What? can it be possible, that, that Alexander, whom I have heard bewaile, that he was too streightly confin'd within the vast compass of the Universe, should esteem a little cloth, or a few plates of Brass a Theatre worthy his Majesty? And how? can I leave Alexander in so pitifull a condition? he whose onely smiles or frowns create the felicity, or terrour of a hundred Kingdomes?
But what did I say? pardon me Great Prince, if I spake (before I was aware) of a hundred distinct Kingdomes, since we now see no body reign in the World, but Jupiter and Alexander. To paint Alexander to make his memory live the longer, were a rash errour: If Alexander be borne mor∣tall, and perishable, as other men (which I will not undertake to prove) that were to increase not his glory, and eternity, but his shame, and frailty: He makes thee last but for a short time, that wishes no more, and such a thing as thy Apelles fram'd thee.
That very thing wherein he hath establish'd to future ages the greatest glory of ours is no stronger, then a poore cloth; and what can lesse re∣semble our Alexander, then one compos'd of so much weakness? If hee have fram'd thee of so feeble materials to take away the violence of that Thunder-bolt hee hath plac'd in thy hand, I excuse the kindnesse hee shewes to the world; but if he did it out of a beliefe to answer the qualities of the originall, hee is a Liar, a Traytor, a Blaspheamer, even with his Pensill.
Alexander the delight of Mankinde, shall he put in a capacity to last but one age? Alexander borne for the good of the World, ought he to be trusted with a Thunder-bolt, but one hundred of years? What? shall those that carry thunder be not onely subject to the injuries of time, but worms? Doe we multiply Alexanders to the end more then one may be destroy'd?
and who can secure us, that the least winde shall not carry away our Jupiter, as well as his Engle? but how comes it to pass, that Lysippus hath not been asham'd to make thee of brass? thee, who deservest Statues more precious then that of Artaxcrxes?
Brass is too hard and rude to represent an Alexander so clement; who is never brass, but when hee fights against an Enemy. When thy hand (that hath been ever liberall) shall be implor'd to relieve all other mens ne∣cessities, wilt thou not complaine, though insensible, that thy hands are of brasse? Alas! he that makes not thy hands alwayes doing good, knowes thee not.
By imitating the features and proportions of the body, we may well co∣py a Darius, but not an Alexander: Alexander was never buried in the superficies of his Motherswomb; he hath a soule which reaches farther then himselfe; and he must have something in him larger, then the greatest of things, who will picture that Alexander for whom the world was too lit∣tle.
'Tis I. Great Prince, who will frame an Alexander which shall borrow some of the Vertues of the Originall: Heare, consider, and by the nature of my designe judge, what an esteem I have of thy worth. The large extent of the high and lofty Mount Athos, appears in the confines of Thrace, whose top mounts up even to the very stars, and the foot reaches very far into the Sea.
This is the onely matter I finde worthy to receive from Art the forme of that Alexander, who even in Effigies is fit to command the whole Earth: Yes Alexander, thy courage hath made thee head of all the Earth, and I am resolv'd to establish thee so. This is that Athos, whose foot was divided from the Continent by Xerxes his rashness, who to leave a monument of his power would make it possible to saile over Mountaines, and to march on foot in the midst of the Sea.
What higher thoughts did ever enter into the heart of man? and yet I will bring it to pass, that the World shall see the highest Fancy of this am∣bitious Monark, shall for ever lie prostrate at the feet of my Alexander. This Image shall have a City in the right hand; for even in a Statue the hand of Alexander ought not to be without command.
From the left a River shall powre down; for, what can better resemble Alex∣anders liberality, then a River? My intention is, that even in Statue Alex∣anders hand should be a Fountaine of goodnesse. This is the Alexander Stesicrates hath design'd: The worth of my Heros will not agree with a traile Statue.
'Tis to doe Alexander an in jury to imploy any thing less then the Mount Athos to represent such a Greatness, under whose shadow so many Nations flye for shelter. Wouldst not thou complaine of an Artist, who thinking of Alexander, could fancy any thing lower, then a high Mountaine? Every Apelles, every Lysippus can counterfet an Alexander; 'tis Stesicrates onely can draw his true Copy, Every Apelles, every Lysippus can make an Alex∣ander; bu•• 'tis Stesitrates onely can frame an Alexander the Great. For indeed who can looke upon my Alexander without admiration? who will not presently know it to be Alexander, that hath alwayes a City in his hands? Is't any new glory to this hand to give away Cities, even for Almes?
Pictures ought, if it be possible, to have not onely the are of those Heroes they represent; but something to denote their principall inclinations, to the end they leave as well their glory as their Countenance to posterity. Now 'tis impossible better to represent Alexander, or more lively to express his liberall inclination, then by placing a City in his hand, as if he were gi∣ving it away.
'Tis in this manner we ought to make Copies of Alexander, and not with a Pensill, which draws nothing but the shadow of the Body it pretends to imitate, and that but imperfectly. In that manner, which I designe thy Statue, if to the misfortune of the world, it should ever fall out, that thou shouldst finde thy selfe mortall, I dare promise, it shall never come to pass, that Alexander shall be left without a soule: if thou lose the reasonable, thou shalt not part with the vegetative soule; and so long as the Earth brings forth Trees, shall Alexander flourish.
The World cannot containe an Alexander greater then mine: He that desires a greater must finde a World, that hath more space betwixt Earth and Heaven: He that would fancy him more liberall, must finde out a Li∣berality more profuse, then such a one as overflowes, more profitable; then that which nourishes mankinde, more constant and durable, then that which belongs to my Alexander, whose spring shall never dry up.
To make Alexander an ordinary thing, though 'twere but onely in an Image, is a crime in that understanding, that can stoop to such a thought: Wee must either finde out some place where 'tis impossible to erect any o∣ther Statue, but thine, or finde out some matter capable of no other forme: otherwise how should we distinguish thy worth from some ambi∣tious rich person, that had a minde to be equall with, and perhaps greater, then Alexander?
That Hercules, which liv'd before thee, knowing that without a rough draught 'twas impossible to designe an Alexander, fixt the bounds which he prescrib'd to his courage, in the middle of the vast extent of the Ocean, to put thee in minde that Hercules and Alexander ought not to erect Tro∣phies to their memories in such a place, where the meanest Citizen may lay the foundation of his.
Wilt thou suffer the Image of so great a King, promiscuously to be made an ornament to every House? Divine Alexander, canst thou (though but in Effigies) indure to have a Master? Pardon what I have said; though I am so much concern'd in the honour of thy name, I could yet approve of the outrage done to thee, if for the generall good of the Universe, they could finde out a man worthy, that Alexander should serve for an ornament to his Pallace.
But who shall that man be? If I were to adorne a house with Alexan∣ders Picture, Jupiter forbid! it should honour any other, but his owne. I will frame an Alexander which shall be an Ornament to the World, a Bur∣then to Hell, and profitable to all men; I will make an Alexander, who shall have the center of the Earth for his foundation, the Sea for his Look∣ing-glass, the Earth for his Theatre, and Heaven for his Pavillion: Stesi∣crates his Alexander shall be subject to no misadventure but the fall of Heaven, which is so neare him.
If nevertheless it be possible for him to perish under those Ruines, who hath shoulders strong enough to prop up Heaven, which is the onely part of Nature, which hath not yet been partaker of the good thou hast done to the Universe.
To conclude Alexander, I did intend my boldnesse should imagine things for thy honour, which even timerity her selfe durst not have thought on. The Gyants, to lift themselves up to Heaven, Fanci'd not a higher Ladder, then I have made for Alexander; and yet I feare not Thunder bolts, unless Heaven shall prove envious of thy Vertues.
Thou seest, most generous Prince, what kinde of Statue I am preparing for thee; God onely can make a greater: I know not whether 'twill please thee, but I should be very unfortunate, if Alexander (the King of all that are magnanimous, as well as of the Macedonians) should undervalue a Sta∣tue, which Stesicrates to the wonder of the World intends to set up to the eternity of his Master. The Heavens, the Sea, and the Earth have all sworn their assistance to the compleating of so marvellous a worke.
The Sea, as his Tributary will be ever at his feet; the Earth will embroy∣der his garments with Trees, Hearbs, and Flowers; and the Heaven will
crowne the fore-head of Stesicrates his Alexander with Starres eter∣nally.
What more legitimate Prince can the Earth obey, then him that shall be crown'd by Heaven? In briefe, nothing ought to be above my Alexander, but that which can make an Alexander greater then mine. That rash per∣son who should dare to attempt to overtop my Alexander, cannot possibly rise higher without knocking his head against the Region of Thunder-bolts, which would soon punish his ambition.
Hercules, had no Stesicrates, had he had one, he would never have con∣tented himselfe with two poore Pillars, which were (to say truth) too low a thought for so high a Spirit.
I will let all the World see, that Jupiter and Alexander are two neigh∣bouring Monarches, and that the bounds of their Empires are very neare one another.
In effect, if it come not neare Heaven, wat Kingdome is left in the World, to which Alexanders extreame courage may further aspire?
Thus probably Stesicrates spake to Alexander, but his Rhetorique could make no use of Hyperboles, since the Heavens and Mountaines were his most ordinary conceptions.
ALexander was about to answer Stesicrates, when hee was hindred by Apelles, who spake to him as you shall heare in the next.