L.A. Seneca the philosopher, his booke of consolation to Marcia. Translated into an English poem

Cap. 16

YEt here perchance thou'lt tell me, I forget I comfort now a woman, since I set Before thee mens examples, but let none Imagine Nature hath lesse favour showne To women, or their vertues more restrain'd, In whom like power to goodnesse is contain'd: And who, beleeve me, can through custome beare Of griefe, and labour, equally their share. Where speake I this (good Gods) but in that place Where Brutus and Lucretia the race Of Tyrants did expell? for as we know That we our liberty to Brutus owe, So we for Brutus are to Lucrece bound, By whom so great a benefit wee found. Where speake I? but where Claelia the force Of foe and flood contemning, rid her Horse Through Tiber, for which bold attempt each Pen Rankes her amongst the valiantest of men: Whose Statue fixed in the sacred street, Where frequently the Roman people meet, Our young men in their Coaches doth upbraid, When they on horse-backe there behold a Maid. But if examples thou desir'st to have Of women, that their Childrens deaths with brave And constant minds have borne, we may find store, And need not beg the same from doore to doore. One family had two Cornelia's, The first the Daughter of great Scipio was, The Gracchi••s Mother, who twelve Children bore,

And all againe did backe to Fate restore: Often of them Rome little notice tooke, And therefore she their losse might easely brooke, But Titus, and his Brother Caius, then If not accounted good, yet famous men, She both saw slaine, and for a grave at last, Beheld their bodies into Tiber cast; Telling all those that thought her in distresse, And seem'd to pitty her unhappinesse, That she unhappy never could be thought, That had into the world the Gracchi brought. The other saw her Livius Drusus dead, A young man of great hope, that followed The Gracchi's steps, who having then propounded Some controverted Lawes, to death was wounded In his owne house, the actor never knowne, Yet she with the same mind that he had showne In stout defence of those his Lawes, endur'd The unrevenged murther so procur'd. Now Marcia thou maist reconciled be To Fortune, if that she no worse by thee Than by the house of Scipio hath done, And spar'd no more the Caesars than thy Sonne. This life doth various accidents produce, And granteth peace to none, nor scarce a truce. Thou hadst foure Children Marcia, Shots that fall Amongst a thicke troope, hardly can misse all; And therefore t'were more strange that thou so many, Should'st long enjoy without the losse of any. But thou perhaps dost Fortune most accuse, In that she did not onely take but chuse; It can by no meanes be accounted wrong,

To share with death, to whom they all belong, Two daughters with their children are alive, Nor yet did fortune utterly deprive Thee of that Sonne that thou dost so deplore, (Having forgotten him that dyed before,) For he two daughters also left behind That should bring him, not sorrow to thy mind, Which thou great pleasures, or great paines maist make, Accordingly as thou the same shalt take. The husband-man, when any trees he findes Torne by the rootes, or split with sudden winds, Some grafts thereof doth instantly replant, And with advantage soone supply's their want, For time, whom all these humane things obey, Is swift as well in growth as in decay: Place thou those daughters in Metellius stead, And let two joyes be from one sorrow bred. It is the nature of all mortalls, most To Covet what they utterly have lost, And with such earnestnes the same t'effect, As what they present have, they quite neglect. Behold how fortune hath to thee extended Her favour, though she seem'd to be offended, Who doth, beside those daughters that yet live, The comfort of so many Nephews give.