The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

304 THE WISDOM OF THIE ANCIENTS.
we should not think them to be so indeed; no, every giddy-headed humour keeps in a mannel
though they lay as it were in their grave: for let revel-rout in false religions; or that the cause of
there be but matter and opportunity offered, and madness should be ascribed unto him, seeing every
you shall see them quickly to revive again. affection is by nature a short fury, which, if it grow
The invention of wine is wittily ascribed unto vehement and become habitual, concludes madhim; every affection being ingenious and skillful ness.
in finding out that which brings nourishment unto Concerning the rending and dismembering of
it; and indeed, of all things known to men, wine Pentheus and Orpheus, the parable is plain, for
is most powerful and efficacious to excite and every prevalent affection is outrageous and severe,
kindle passions of what kind soever, as being in and against curious inquiry and wholesome and
a manner common nurse to them all. free admonition.
Again, his conquering of nations and under- Lastly, that confusion of Jupiter and Bacchus's
taking infinite expeditions is an elegant device; persons may be well transferred to a parable,
for desire never rests content with what it hath, seeing noble and famous acts, and remarkable and
but with an infinite and unsatiable appetite still glorious merits do sometimes proceed from virtue
covets and gapes after more. and well ordered reason and magnanimity, and
His chariot also is well said to be drawn by sometimes from a secret affection and hidden pastigers; for as soon as any affection shall, from sion, which are so dignified with the celebrity of
going afoot, be advanced to ride in a chariot, and fame and glory, that a man can hardly distinguish
shall captivate reason, and lead her in a triumph, between the acts of Bacchus and the gests of
it grows cruel, untamed, and fierce against what- Jupiter.
soever withstands or opposeth it.
It is worth the noting also, that those ridiculous ATALANTA,OR GAIN.
hobgoblins are brought in dancing about his cha- ATALANTA, who was reputed to excel in swiftness,
riot; for every passion doth cause, in the eyes, would needs challenge Hippomenes at a match in
face, and gesture, certain indecent and ill-seeming, running. The conditions of the prize were these:
apish and deformed motions; so that they who in that if Hippomenes won the race, he should espouse
any kind of passion, as in anger, arrogancy, or Atalanta; if he were outrun, that then he should
love seem glorious and brave in their own eyes, forfeit his life. And in the opinion of all, the
do yet appear to others misshapen and ridiculous. victory was thought assured of Atalanta's side,
In that the muses are said to be of his company, being famous as she was for her matchless and
it shows that there is no affection almost, which inconquerable speed, whereby she had been the
is not soothed by some art wherein the indulgence bane of many. Hippomenes therefore bethinks
of wits doth derogate from the glory of the muses, him how to deceive her by a trick, and in that
who, when they ought to be the mistresses of life, regard provides three golden apples orballs, which
are made the waiting-maids of affections. he purposely carried about him. The race is
Again, when Bacchus is said to have loved begun, and Atalanta gets a good start before him.
Ariadne that was rejected by Theseus; it is an He seeing himself thus cast behind, being mindful
allegory of special observation; for it is most cer- of his device, throws one of his golden balls before
tain, that passions always covet and desire that her, and yet not outright, but somewhat of the one
which experience forsakes; and they all know, side, both to make her linger and also to draw her
who have paid dear for serving and obeying their out of the right course: she out of a womanish
lusts, that whether it be honour, or riches, or de- desire, being thus enticed with the beauty of the
light, or glory, or knowledge, or any thing else golden apple, leaving her direct race, runs aside
which they seek after, yet are they but things cast and stoops to catch the ball. Hippomenes the
off, and by divers men in all ages, after experience while holds on his course, getting thereby a great
had, utterly rejected and loathed. start, and leaves her behind him: but she, by her
Neither is it without a mystery, that the ivy own natural swiftness, recovers her lost time and
was sacred to Bacchus; for the application holds gets before him again. But Hippomenes still
first, in that the iv y remains green in winter; continues his sleight, and both the second and
secondly, in that it sticks to, embraceth, and over- third times casts out his balls, those enticing detoppeth so many divers bodies, as trees, walls, lays; and so by craft, and not by his activity,
and edifices. Touching the first, every passion wins the race and victory.
doth by resistance and reluctation, and as it were This fable seems allegorically to demonstrate a
by an antiperistasis, like the ivy of the cold winter, notable conflict betwen art and nature; for art,
grow fresh and lusty: and as for the other, every signified by Atalanta, in its work if it be not
predominate affection doth again, like the ivy, letted and hindered, is far more swift than nature,
embrace and limit all human actions and deter- more speedy in pace, and sooner attains the end it
Ininations, adhering and cleaving fast unto them. aims at, which is manifest almost in every effect;
Neither is it a wonder that superstitious rites and as you may see in fruit trees, whereof those that
ceremonies were attributed unto Bacchus, seeing grow of a kernel are long ere they bear, but such