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

Cap. 17

COnsider likewise Marcia, that if all According unto merit should befall, No evill ever good-men should betide, But now both good and bad alike divide. And though it grievous be, to have him dye, On whom his parents might so much relye,

Yet it is humane, thou and all mankind Art certainely to all these things design'd, To suffer losse, to dye, to hope, to feare, To grieve and to be grieved, to appeare Desirous, and yet fearefull to depart, And not to know in what estate thou art. If any man before-hand should propound To one that were for Syracusa bound The good and evill that from thence arise, And thus, before he went, should him advise: These rare things shalt thou find, first thou shalt see That Iland severed from Italy, By such a narrow sea, as by consent Of all, is thought t'have beene the continent, Through which the sea with sudden breach did flow, And ever since the land divided so. Then thou by knowne Charybdis gulfe must saile, Which while the winds forbeare their southerne gale, Continues calme, but otherwise hath power The greatest vessells wholly to devoure: Next shalt thou see the cleere and famous spring Of Arethusa, whereof Poets sing, Which either there begins, or passage makes Beneath the Sea, and not thereof partakes: And then thou shalt the safest harbour gaine That nature ere did make or art obtaine For ships to ride in, where it shall be showne, Where all the power of Athens was o'rethrowne, And where were many thousand captives shut In one vast prison out of maine rocks cut. Thou shalt arrive at Syracuse at length, A citty of large circuit and great strength.

Where winter is so temperat, that no day, Without some sun-shine ere doth passe away: But when th'ast found all this, thou shalt be sure A hot contagious summer to endure, That with diseases will the land annoy, And that mild winters Benefit destroy: There shalt thou Dionysius behold Who having law and equity controld, The County's freedome under foot doth tread, And though he have divinest Plato read, Yet to the height of Tyranny aspires, And after a base exile life desires. Some he will burne, and some to death will scourge, Others when no occasion him doth urge He will behead, and overgrowne with vice He male and female will to lust entice, And 'mongst those bruitish sinnes that men should loath, Hee'le active be at once and passive both. Th'ast heard what may invite, what may deter, And therefore with thy serious thoughts conferre, Whether thou wilt resolve to goe or stay: If after all this warning any say, He will adventure, let him beare the blame That undertooke advisedly the same. Thus nature doth to every one declare, If thou bring'st children, know, some may be faire, Some foule, and some, if that thou many have, Their countrey may betray as well as save. Despaire not but thy children may attaine To so great worth, as may mens tongues restraine From obloquy, yet likewise thinke they may Be such as will a curse upon thee lay.

I see no cause but thee they should out-live, Yet be prepar'd them unto death to give In child-hood, youth, or age, for there appeares Small difference here in concerning yeeres, Since parents seldome go but with moist-eyes To any of their childrens obsequies. When thou hast all these things before thee laid, Thou no way canst the heavenly powers upbraid, If thou wilt then bring children, for behold How they before-hand did the truth unfold.