The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

300 THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS.
that he had entertained a wicked guest into his condemned, their very names are hateful, and all
family, and a man odious to the goddess, and an their glory ends in obloquy.
impunger of their divinity, that had dared, with In that Diomedes is said to be murdered by
his sword, to assault and wound that goddess, his host, it gives us to understand that the difwho, in their religion, they held it sacrilege so ference of religion breeds deceit and treachery,
much as to touch. Therefore, that he might ex- even among nearest acquaintance.
piate his country's guilt, nothing respecting the Now in that lamentation and mourning was
duties of hospitality, when the bonds of religion not tolerated but punished; it puts us in mind,
tied him with a more reverend regard, suddenly that let there be never so nefarious an act done,
slew Diomedes, commanding withal that his: yet there is some place left for commiseration
trophies and statues should be abolished and de- and pity, that even those that hate offences should
stroyed. Neither was it safe to lament this yet in humanity commiserate offenders and pity
miserable destiny; but even his companions in! their distress, it being the extremity of evil when
arms, whilst they mourned at the funeral of their mercy is not suffered to have commerce with
captain, and filled all the places with plaints and misery. Yea, even in the cause as well of
lamentations, were suddenly metamorphosed into religion as impiety, many men may be noted and
birds like unto swans, who when their death ap- observed to have been compassionate. But on
proacheth, sing melodious and mournful hymns. the contrary the complaints and moans of DioThis fable hath a most rare and singular sub- medes' followers, that is, of men of the same
ject: for in any of the poetical records, wherein sect and opinion, are wont to be shrill and loud,
the heroes are mentioned, we find not that any like swans, or the birds of Diomedes. In whom
one of them, besides Diomedes, did ever with also that part of the allegory is excellent, to sighis sword offer violence to any of the deities. nify, that the last words of those that suffer death
And indeed, the fable seems in him to represent for religion, like the songs of dying swans, do
the nature and fortune of man, who of himself wonderfully work upon the minds of men, and
doth propound and make this as the end of all strike and remain a long time in their senses and
his actions, to worship some divine power, or to memories.
follow some sect of religion, though never so
vain and superstitious, and with force and arms DADALUS, OR MECHANIC
to defend the same: for although those bloody
quarrels for religion were unknown to the ancients, MECHANICAL wisdom and industry, and in it
the heathen gods not having so much as a touch unlawful science perverted to wrong ends, is
of that jealousy, which is an attribute of the true shadowed by the ancients under the person of
God, yet the wisdom of the ancient times seems Daedalus, a man ingenious, but execrable. This
to be so copious and full, as that, what was not Daedalus, for murdering his fellow servant that
known by experience, was yet comprehended by emulated him, being banished, was kindly entermeditations and fictions. They then that en- tained, during his exile, in many cities and prindeavour to reform and convince any sect of ces' courts: for indeed he was the raiser and
religion, though vain, corrupt, and infamous, builder of many goodly structures, as well in
shadowed by the person of Venus, not by the honour of the gods, as the beauty and magnififorce of argument and doctrine, and holiness of cence of cities, and other public places, but for
life, and by the weight of examples and authority, his works of mischief he is most notorious. It
but labour to extirpate and root it out by fire and is he that framed the engine which Pasipha5 used
sword, and tortures, are encouraged, it may be, to satisfy her lust in company with a bull, so that
thereunto by Pallas, that is by the acrity of pru- by his wretched industry and pernicious device,
dence, and severity of judgment, by whose vigour that monster Minotaur, the destruction of so many
and efficacy, they see into the falsitv and vanity hopeful youths, took his accursed and infamous
of these errors. And by this their hatred of beginning; and studying to cover and increase
pravity, and good zeal to religion, they purchase one mischief with another, for the security and
to themselves great glory, and by the vulgar, to preservation of this monster he invented and built
whom nothing moderate can be grateful, are es- I a labyrinth. a work for intent and use most nefateemed and honoured as the only supporters of rious and wicked, for skill and workmanship.
truth and religion, when others seem to be luke- ] famous and excellent. Afterwards, that he might
warm and full of fear. Yet this glory and hap- not be noted only for works of mischief, but be
piness doth seldom endure to the end, seeing sought after as well for remedies, as for instruevery violent prosperity, if it. prevent not altera- ments of destruction, he was the author of that
tnon by an untimely death, grows to be unpros- ingenious device concerning the clue of thread,
perous at last: for if it happen that by a change by which the labyrinth was made passable with.
of government this banished and depressed sect out any let. This Dmedalus was persecuted by
get strength, and so bear up again, then these Minos with great severity, diligence, and inquiry,
zealous men, so fierce in opposition before, are but he always found the means ao avoid and