she； 〃death is now the only means of your defence and liberty； and shall
administer occasion to the gods to exercise their sacred justice： these
sharp swords； and these full cups； will open you the way into it；
courage； fear nothing！ And thou； my son； who art the eldest； take this
steel into thy hand； that thou mayest the more bravely die。〃 The
children having on one side so powerful a counsellor； and the enemy at
their throats on the other； run all of them eagerly upon what was next to
hand； and； half dead； were thrown into the sea。 Theoxena； proud of
having so gloriously provided for the safety of her children； clasping
her arms with great affection about her husband's neck。 〃Let us； my
friend；〃 said she； 〃follow these boys； and enjoy the same sepulchre they
do〃； and so； having embraced； they threw themselves headlong into the
sea； so that the ship was carriedback without the owners into the
harbour。
Tyrants； at once both to kill and to make their anger felt； have employed
their capacity to invent the most lingering deaths。 They will have their
enemies despatched； but not so fast that they may not have leisure to
taste their vengeance。 And therein they are mightily perplexed； for if
the torments they inflict are violent； they are short； if long； they are
not then so painful as they desire； and thus plague themselves in choice
of the greatest cruelty。 Of this we have a thousand examples in
antiquity； and I know not whether we； unawares； do not retain some traces
of this barbarity。
All that exceeds a simple death appears to me absolute cruelty。 Our
justice cannot expect that he； whom the fear of dying by being beheaded
or hanged will not restrain； should be any more awed by the imagination
of a languishing fire； pincers； or the wheel。 And I know not； in the
meantime； whether we do not throw them into despair； for in what
condition can be the soul of a man； expecting four…and…twenty hours
together to be broken upon a wheel； or after the old way； nailed to a
cross？ Josephus relates that in the time of the war the Romans made in
Judaea； happening to pass by where they had three days before crucified
certain Jews； he amongst them knew three of his own friends； and obtained
the favour of having them taken down； of whom two； he says； died； the
third lived a great while after。
Chalcondylas； a writer of good credit； in the records he has left behind
him of things that happened in his time； and near him； tells us； as of
the most excessive torment； of that the Emperor Mohammed very often
practised； of cutting off men in the middle by the diaphragm with one
blow of a scimitar； whence it followed that they died as it were two
deaths at once； and both the one part； says he； and the other； were seen
to stir and strive a great while after in very great torment。 I do not
think there was any great suffering in this motion the torments that are
the most dreadful to look on are not always the greatest to endure； and I
find those that other historians relate to have been practised by him
upon the Epirot lords； are more horrid and cruel； where they were
condemned to be flayed alive piecemeal； after so malicious a manner that
they continued fifteen days in that misery。
And these other two： Croesus； having caused a gentleman； the favourite of
his brother Pantaleon； to be seized； carried him into a fuller's shop；
where he caused him to be scratched and carded with the cards and combs
belonging to that trade； till he died。 George Sechel； chief commander of
the peasants of Poland； who committed so many mischiefs under the title
of the Crusade； being defeated in battle and taken bu the Vayvode of
Transylvania； was three days bound naked upon the rack exposed to all
sorts of torments that any one could contrive against him： during which
time many other prisoners were kept fasting； in the end； he living and
looking on； they made his beloved brother Lucat； for whom alone he
entreated； taking on himself the blame of all their evil actions drink
his blood； and caused twenty of his most favoured captains to feed upon
him； tearing his flesh in pieces with their teeth； and swallowing the
morsels。 The remainder of his body and his bowels； so soon as he was
dead； were boiled； and others of his followers compelled to eat them。
CHAPTER XXVIII
ALL THINGS HAVE THEIR SEASON
Such as compare Cato the Censor with the younger Cato； who killed
himself； compare two beautiful natures； much resembling one another。
The first acquired his reputation several ways； and excels in military
exploits and the utility of his public employments； but the virtue of the
younger； besides that it were blasphemy to compare any to it in vigour；
was much more pure and unblemished。 For who could absolve that of the
Censor from envy and ambition； having dared to attack the honour of
Scipio； a man in goodness and all other excellent qualities infinitely
beyond him or any other of his time？
That which they； report of him； amongst other things； that in his extreme
old age he put himself upon learning the Greek tongue with so greedy an
appetite； as if to quench a long thirst； does not seem to me to make much
for his honour； it being properly what we call falling into second
childhood。 All things have their seasons； even good ones； and I may say
my Paternoster out of time； as they accused T。 Quintus Flaminius； that
being general of an army； he was seen praying apart in the time of a
battle that he won。
〃Imponit finem sapiens et rebus honestis。〃
＇〃The wise man limits even honest things。〃Juvenal； vi。 444＇
Eudemonidas； seeing Xenocrates when very old； still very intent upon his
school lectures： 〃When will this man be wise；〃 said he； 〃if he is yet
learning？〃 And Philopaemen； to those who extolled King Ptolemy for every
day inuring his person to the exercise of arms： 〃It is not；〃 said he；
〃commendable in a king of his age to exercise himself in these things； he
ought now really to employ them。〃 The young are to make their
preparations； the old to enjoy them； say the sages： and the greatest vice
they observe in us is that our desires incessantly grow young again； we
are always re…beginning to live。
Our studies and desires should sometime be sensible of age； yet we have
one foot in the grave and still our appetites and pursuits spring every
day anew within us：
〃Tu secanda marmora
Locas sub ipsum funus； et； sepulcri
Immemor； struis domos。〃
＇〃You against the time of death have marble cut for use； and；
forgetful of the tomb； build houses。〃Horace； Od。； ii。 18； 17。＇
The longest of my designs is not of above a year's extent； I think of
nothing now but ending； rid myself of all new hopes and enterprises； take
my last leave of every place I depart from； and every day dispossess
myself of what I have。
〃Olim jam nec perit quicquam mihi； nec acquiritur。。。。
plus superest viatici quam viae。〃
＇〃Henceforward I will neither lose； nor expect to get： I have more
wherewith to defray my journey； than I have way to go。〃 （Or）：
〃Hitherto nothing of me has been lost or gained； more remains to pay
the way than there is way。〃Seneca； Ep。； 77。 （The sense seems to
be that so far he had met his expenses； but that for the future he
was likely to have more than he required。）＇
〃Vixi； et； quem dederat cursum fortuna； peregi。〃
＇〃I have lived and finished the career Fortune placed before me。〃
AEneid； iv。 653。＇
'Tis indeed the only comfort I find in my old age； that it mortifies in
me several cares and desires wherewith my life has been disturbed； the
care how the world goes； the care of riches； of grandeur； of knowledge；
of health； of myself。 There are men who are learning to speak at a time
when they should learn to be silent for ever。 A man may always study；
but he must not always go to school what a contemptible thing is an old
Abecedarian！＇Seneca； Ep。 36＇
〃Diversos diversa juvant； non omnibus annis
Omnia conveniunt。〃
＇〃Various things delight various men； all things are not
for all ages。〃Gall。； Eleg。； i。 104。＇
If we must study； let us study what is suitable to our present condition；
that we may answer as he did； who being asked to what end he studied in
his decrepit age； 〃that I may go out better；〃 said he； 〃and at greater
ease。〃 Such a study was that of the younger Cato； feeling his end
approach； and which he met with in Plato's Discourse of the Eternity of
the Soul： not； as we are to believe； that he was not long before
furnished with all sorts of provision for such a departure； for of
assurance； an established will and instruction； he had more than Plato
had in all his writings； his knowledge and courage were in this respect
above philosophy； he applied himself to this study； not for the service
of his death； but； as a man whose sleeps were never disturbed in the
importance of such a deliberation； he also； without choice or change；
continued his studies with the other accustomary actions of his life。
The night that he was denied the praetorship he spent in play； that
wherein he was to die he spent in reading。 The loss either of life
or of office was all one to him。
CHAPTER XXIX
OF VIRTUE
I find by experience； that there is a good deal to be said betwixt the
flights and emotions of the soul or a resolute and constant habit； and
very well perceive that there is nothing we may not do； nay； even to the
surpassing the Divinity itself； says a certain person； forasmuch as it is
more to render a man's self impassible by his own study and industry；
than to be so by his natural condition； and even to be able to conjoin to
man's imbecility and frailty a God…like resolution and assurance； but it
is by fits and starts； and in the lives of those heroes of times past
there are sometimes miraculous impulses； and that seem infinitely to
exceed our natural force； but they are indeed only impulses： and 'tis
hard to believe； that these so elevated qualities in a man can so
thoroughly tinct and imbue the soul that they should become ord