The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS. 313
were those which Petronius devoted himself unto philosophy, and one from religion. The first
after he had received his fatal sentence; and, means to shun these inordinate pleasures is, to
having his foot as it were upon the threshold of withstand and resist them in their beginnings,
death, sought to give himself all delightful con- and seriously to shun all occasions that are offertentments; insomuch, as when he had caused con- ed to debauch and entice the mind, which is signisolatory letters to be sent him, he would peruse fled in that stopping of the ears; and that remedy
none of them, as Tacitus reports, that should give is properly used by the meaner and baser sort of
him courage and constancy, but only read fantas- people, as it were Ulysses's followers or maritical verses such as these are. ners, whereas more heroic and noble spirits may
Vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus, boldly converse even in the midst of these seducRumoresque senum severiorum, ing pleasures, if with a resolved constancy they
Oenoes unius wstimemus assis."
Oynes unius lestiiemus alssis.o: stand upon their guard and fortify their minds,
My Lesbia, let us live and love:
Though wayward dotards us reprove, and so take greater contentment in the trial and
Weigh their words light for our behove. experience of this their approved virtue; learning
And this also: rather thoroughly to understand the follies and
vanities of those pleasures by contemplation than
"Jura senes norint, et quid sit fasque nefasque, by submission. Which Solomon avouched of
Inquirant tristes, legumque examina servent.
qotingrantisties, en e eaw himself, when he reckoned up the multitude ot
Let doting grandsires know the law,
And right and wrong observe with awe: those solaces and pleasures wherein he swam,
Let them in that strict circle draw. doth conclude with this sentence:
This kind of doctrine would easily persuade to "Sapientia quoque perseverabat mecum."
take these plumed coronets from the muses, and Wisdom also continued with me.
to restore the wings again to the Sirens. These Therefore these heroes and spirits of this excelSirens are said to dwell in remote isles, for that lent temper, even in the midst of these enticing
pleasures love privacy and retired places, shun- pleasures, can show themselves constant and inning always too much company of people. The vincible, and are able to support their own virSirens' songs are so vulgarly understood, together tuous inclination against all heady and forcible
with the deceits and danger of them, as that persuasions whatsoever; as by the example of
they need no exposition. But that of the bones Ulysses, that so peremptorily interdicted all pesapp)earing like white cliffs, and decried afar off, tilent counsels and flatteries of his companions, as
hath more acuteness in it: for thereby is signifi- the most dangerous and pernicious poisons to caped, that albeit the examples of afflictions be mani- tivate the mind. But of all other remedies in this
fest and eminent, yet do they not sufficiently case that of Orpheus is most predominant; for
deter us from the wicked enticements of pleasures. they that chaunt and resound the praises of the
As for the remainder of this parable, though it gods confound and dissipate the voices and incanbe not over-mystical, yet it is very grave and ex- tation of the Sirens; for divine meditations do not
cellent: for in it are set out three remedies for only in power subdue all sensual pleasures, but
this violent enticing mischief; to wit, two from also far exceed them in sweetness and delight.
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