so valiauntly, that suche as resisted, some he slewe, and other by his maiestie and fierce countenaunce he dyd put to discomforte. And finally, before any of his armye, entred the walles, and there alone sustayned the hole bronte of his enemyes, untill his people whiche were without, at the laste myssinge him, stered partely with shame that they had so loste hym, partely with his couragious example, toke good harte, and inforced them selfes in suche wise that they clymed the walles and came to the socour of Pirrhus, and by his prowesse so wanne the garyson. What valiaunt harte was in the romayne, Mutius Sceuola, that whan Porcena, kynge of Ethruscanes had by great powar constrayned the romaynes to kepe them within their citie, Sceuola takinge on him the habite of a begger, with a sworde hydde preuely under his garment, went to the enemyes campe, where he beinge taken for a beggar, was nothinge mistrusted. And whan he had espied the kinges pauillyon he drewe hym thyther, where he founde dyuers noble men sittynge. But for as moche as he certaynly knewe nat whiche of them was the kynge, he at the laste perceyuinge one to be in more ryche apparayle thanne any of the other, and supposinge hym to be Porcena, he, or any man espyed hym, stepte to the sayde lorde, and with his sworde gaue hym suche a stroke that he immediatly dyed. But Sceuola beynge taken, for as moche as he mought nat escape suche a multitude, he boldly confessed that his hande erred, and that his intent was to haue slayne kynge Porcena. Wherewith the kynge (as reason was) all chaufed, commaunded a great fire furthwith to be made, wherein Sceuola shulde haue ben brenned, but he nothing abasshed, said to the kynge, Thynke nat, Porcena, that μενος τοὺς μὲν ἐξέωσε τοῦ τείχους ἐπ ̓ ἀμφοτερα καὶ κατέβαλε, πλείστους δὲ περὶ αὑτὸν τῷ ξίφει χρώμενος ἐσώρευσε νεκρούς. Επαθε δὲ αὐτὸς οὐδὲν, ἀλλὰ καὶ προσιδεῖν δεινὸς ἐφάνη τοῖς πολεμίοις καὶ τὸν Ὅμηρον ἔδειξεν ὀρθῶς καὶ μετὰ ἐμπειρίας ἀποφαίνοντα τῶν ἀρετῶν μόνην τὴν ἀνδρείαν φορὰς πολλάκις ἐνθουσιώδεις καὶ μανικὰς φερο μένην. Αλούσης δὲ τῆς πόλεως ἔθυσέ τε τῷ θεῷ μεγαλοπρεπῶς καὶ θέας ἀγώνων Tavтodanŵv napéo xe.—Plut. Pyrrhus, 22. by my dethe onely thou maiste escape the handes of the Romaynes, for there be in the citie CCC yonge men, suche as I am, that be prepared to slee the by one meanes or other, and to thaccomplysshement therof be also determined to suffre all tourmentes, wherof thou shalt haue of me an experience in thy syght. And incontinently he went to the fire, whiche was made for to brenne him, and with a glad countenaunce dyd put his hande in to the flame, and there helde it of a longe tyme without chaungynge of any countenaunce, untill his said hande was brenned unto asshes. In lyke wise he wolde haue put his other hande in to the fire, if he had nat ben withdrawen by Porcena, who, wondryng at the valiaunt courage of Sceuola, licenced hym to retourne unto the citie. But whan he considered that by the wordes of Sceuola so great a nombre of yonge men of semblable prowesse were confederate to his distruction, so that, or all they coulde be apprehended, his lyfe shulde be all waye in ieopardye, he, dispairynge of winnynge the citie of Rome, raised his siege and departed." * Ην ἀνὴρ εἰς πᾶσαν ἀρετὴν ἀγαθὸς; ἐν δὲ τοῖς πολεμικοῖς ἄριστος· ἐπιβουλεύων δὲ τὸν Πορσίναν ἀνελεῖν παρεισῆλθεν εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον Τυῤῥηνίδα φορῶν ἐσθῆτα καὶ φωνῇ χρώμενος ὁμοίᾳ. Περιελθὼν δὲ τὸ βῆμα τοῦ βασιλέως καθεζομένου καὶ σαφῶς μὲν αὐτὸν οὐκ εἰδὼς, ἐρέσθαι δὲ περὶ αὐτοῦ δεδιώς, ὃν ᾠήθη μάλιστα τῶν συγκαθεζομένων ἐκεῖνον εἶναι, σπασάμενος τὸ ξίφος ἀπέκτεινεν. Ἐπὶ τούτῳ δὲ συλληφθεὶς ἀνεκρινετο· καί τινος ἐσχαρίδος πῦρ ἐχούσης, μέλλοντι τῷ Πορσίνᾳ θύειν κεκομισμένης, ὑπερσχὼν τὴν δεξιὰν χεῖρα καιομένης τῆς σαρκὸς εἰστήκει πρὸς τὸν Πορσίναν ἀποβλέ πων ἰταμῷ καὶ ἀτρέπτῳ τῷ προσώπῳ, μέχρις οὗ θαυμάσας ἀφῆκεν αὐτὸν, καὶ τὸ ξίφος ἀποδιδοὺς ὤρεξεν ἀπὸ τοῦ βήματος· ὁ δὲ τὴν εὐώνυμον προτείνας ἐδέξατο. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο φασὶν αὐτῷ γενέσθαι τὸν Σκαίολαν ἐπίκλησιν, ὅπερ ἐστὶ Λαιόν. Ἔφη δὲ τὸν φόβον τοῦ Πορσίνα νενικηκὼς, ἡττᾶσθαι τῆς ἀρετῆς, καὶ χάριτι μηνύειν, ἃ πρὸς ἀνάγκην οὐκ ἂν ἐξηγόρευσε. · Τριακόσιοι γὰρ Ῥωμαίων, ἔφη, ‘τὴν αὐτὴν ἐμοὶ γνώμην ἔχοντες ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ σου πλανῶνται καιρὸν ἐπιτηροῦντες· ἐγὼ δὲ κλήρῳ λαχὼν καὶ προεπιχειρήσας οὐκ ἄχθομαι τῇ τύχῃ διαμαρτὼν ἀνδρὸς ἀγαθοῦ καὶ φίλου μᾶλλον ἢ πολεμίου Ῥωμαίοις εἶναι πρέποντος. Ταῦθ ̓ ὁ Πορσίνας ἀκούσας ἐπίστευσε καὶ πρὸς τὰς διαλύσεις ἥδιον ἔσχεν, οὐ τοσοῦτό, μοι δοκεῖ, φόβῳ τῶν τριακοσίων, ὅσον ἀγασθεὶς καὶ θαυμάσας τὸ φρόνημα καὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν τῶν Ῥωμαίων. -Plut. Ρoplicola, 17. CHAPTER IX. In what actes Fortitude is, and of the consyderations therto belongynge. BUT all though I haue nowe rehersed sondry examples to the commendation of Fortitude concernynge actes marciall, yet by the waye I wolde haue it remembred that the praise is proprely to be referred unto the vertue, that is to saye, to enterprise thynges dredefull, either for the publike weale or for wynning of perpetuall honour, or els for exchuynge reproche or dishonoure. Where unto be annexed these considerations, what importaunce the enterprise is, and wherfore it is done, with the tyme and oportunitie whan it aught to be done. For (as Tulli saieth) to entre in batayle and to fight unaduisedly, it is a thing wylde and a maner of beestes, but thou shalt fight valiauntly whan tyme requireth, and also necessitie. And all way dethe is to be preferred before seruitude or any dishonestie. And therfore the actes of Anniball The author seems to allude to the following passage in Aristotle: 'Quolwrai δ' αὕτῃ μάλιστα τῇ πρότερον εἰρημένῃ, ὅτι δι' ἀρετὴν γίνεται· δι' αἰδὼ γὰρ καὶ διὰ καλοῦ ὄρεξιν (τιμῆς γὰρ καὶ φυγὴν ἀνείδους, αἰσχροῦ ὄντος. Πρῶτον μὲν ἡ πολιτική· μάλιστα γὰρ ἔοικε· δοκοῦσι γὰρ ὑπομένειν τοὺς κινδύνους οἱ πολῖται διὰ τὰ ἐκ τῶν νόμων ἐπιτίμια καὶ τὰ ὀνείδη καὶ διὰ τὰς τιμάς.—Eth. Nic. lib. iii. cap. 8 (1). 'Quique item, ut par est, et metuit et confidit agitque pro dignitate, atque ut ratio recta præcipit, is est quem quærimus fortem, cujus tolerantia atque perpessio, actio item atque agressio suscepta est honesti et pulchri gratiâ quando ut magistro placet Aristoteli actionis cujusque finis est ad habitum referendus. Et viro forti fortitudo ipsa honestum ac pulchrum est, aut quia secus quidem atque aliter se habere atque agere turpe esset ac decorosum.'-Pontanus, Opera, tom. i. fo. 58 b. tus. Idem quoque asperis atque periculosis rebus tolerandis adhibitus est delecSiquidem et temporis et loci ratio habenda est, retinendus etiam modus, nec toleranda sunt quæ forti viro aut parum convenerint, aut certe omnino dedecuerint.'-' Quid autem vel inconsideratius vel improbius quàm ea velle aggredi quæ nullâ sint ratione aggredienda? Quid magis incompositum, quàm nec temporis nec loci rationem habere? Aut quid immoderatius, quàm à mensurâ ordineque recedere? Cum primis autem videndum est, quàm id, quod aggredi paramus, justum sit.'-Pontanus, ubi supra, fo. 57 b. 58. • Temerè autem in acie versari, et manu cum hoste confligere, immane quiddam et belluarum simile est. Sed cum tempus necessitasque postulat, decertan agayne the Saguntynes, whiche neuer dyd him displeasure, is nat accounted for any prowesse. Neyther Catalyne, which, for his singuler commoditie and a fewe other, attempted detestable warres agayne his owne contraye, entendyng to haue brenned the noble citie of Rome, and to haue distroyed all the good men, is nat numbred amonge valyaunt men, all though he faught manly and with great courage untill he was slayne. What auayled the boldenesse of Varro and Flaminius, noble capitaynes of Romaynes, whiche despisynge the prowesse and crafte of Anniball, and contemnyng the sobre counsayle of Fabius, hauing onely truste in their owne hardinesse, loste two noble armyes, wherby the powar of the Romaynes was nighe utterly perysshed? Wherfore eftsones I saye that a valiaunt man is he that dothe tollerate or suffre that whiche is nedefull, and in suche wise be called a as is nedefull, and for that whiche is nedefull, and valiaunt also whan it is nedefull. And he that lacketh any of this may be called hardy, bųyt nat valiaunt. More ouer, all though they whiche be hardy or persones desperate haue a Who may man. dum manu est, et mors servituti turpitudinique anteponenda.'—De Off. lib. i. cap. 23. • This is borrowed from Pontanus, who says, 'Immanis Annibal, qui nullâ lacessitus injuriâ bellum Saguntinis intulit, quod ut injuste suscepit, sic crudeliter administravit.'-Ubi supra, fo. 58. The author has borrowed this and the following illustration also from the same source as the last. 'Immanis Catilina, qui dum pro suis aut paucorum tantum commodis, non pro communi salute laborat, nefarium patriæ bellum intulit, dumque ad id, quod sibi proposuerat, pervenire posset, Urbis incendium ac bonorum civium interitum parat.'—Pontanus, ubi supra, fo. 58. • 'Varro Flaminiusque, alter ad Transimenum, alter ad Cannas, dum Hannibalis artes despiciunt, dum quales haberent exercitus, denique dum seipsos parum noscunt, rem Romanam pene funditus subvertere.'-Pontanus, ubi supra, fo. 58. 4 Ὁ μὲν οὖν ἃ δεῖ καὶ οὗ ἕνεκα ὑπομένων καὶ φοβούμενος, καὶ ὡς δεῖ καὶ ὅτε, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ θαρρῶν, ἀνδρεῖος· κατ ̓ ἀξίαν γάρ, καὶ ὡς ἂν ὁ λόγος, πάσχει καὶ πράττει ὁ ἀνSpeios.-Arist. Eth. Nic. lib. iii. cap. 7 (10).- -Atque ut fortem ipsum tanquam suis liniamentis inumbremus. Qui quæ oportet, et quàm oportet, et cujus etiam rei gratiâ, et quando etiam oportet, tolerat atque perpetitur.'-Pontanus, ubi supra, fo. 58 b. b similitude, and seme to be valiaunt,a yet be they nat valiaunt, no more than kinges in May games and enterludes be kinges. For they that be hardy, or they come to the perylle, they seme to be fierce and aigre, and in beginnynge their enterprise wonderfull hasty; but whan they feele the thing • Ὡς οὖν ἐκεῖνος (sc. ὁ ἀνδρεῖος) περὶ τὰ φοβερὰ ἔχει, οὕτως οὗτος (sc. ὁ θρασὺς) βούλεται φαίνεσθαι· ἐν οἷς οὖν δύναται, μιμεῖται.—Arist. Eth. Nic. lib. iii. cap. 7 (10). Ac tametsi initio videtur audax habere quiddam forti simile, ac illius animum præ se ferre . . . veram tamen fortitudinis laudem non est adeptus, ut qui in spectaculis Histriones cum sint, regum tamen personas gerunt.'-Pontanus, ubi supra, fo. 62 a. b. b May games and Interludes were the only spectacula with which the author was acquainted, but Pontanus himself had, no doubt, more elaborate performances in his mind; for Hallam tells us that Latin plays upon a classical model were sometimes represented in Italy in the 14th and 15th centuries, and he mentions a tragedy, the Rosmunda of Rucellai, which was represented before Leo at Florence in 1515, and 'two comedies by Ariosto seem to have been acted about 1512.'--Hist. Eng. Lit. vol. i. p. 266, ed. 1854. With regard to the signification of histrio, Warton says that 'in the Latin writers of the barbarous ages, the word generally comprehends the numerous tribe of mimics, jugglers, dancers, tumblers, musicians, minstrels, and the like public practitioners of the recreative arts, with which those ages abounded.'-Hist. of Eng. Poet. vol. ii. p. 393. The 'Kings' in May games were also called Lords of Misrule, and Stubbes, in his description of these games, says, 'First all the wilde heads of the Parish flocking togither chuse them a graund Captaine (of Mischiefe), whome they innoble with the title of My Lord of Misrule, and him they crowne with great solemnitie and adopt for their king.'-Anat. of Abuses, p. 107, ed. 1595. And Strype tells us that in 1557 there was a goodly May-game in Fanchurch street; there was also the morris dance, and the lord and lady of this May appeared, to make up the show.'-Eccles. Mem. vol. iii. pt. ii. p. 6. With regard to those who occupied an analogous position in Interludes, Warton tells us that in an original draft of the statutes of Trin. Coll., Cam., founded in 1546, one of the chapters is entitled De Prefecto Ludorum qui Imperator dicitur, under whose direction and authority Latin comedies and tragedies are to be exhi bited in the hall at Christmas.'-Ubi supra, vol. ii. p. 523. At Christmas, 1527–8, a play was performed at Gray's Inn, in which, according to Hall, two of the principal characters were Lord Governaunce and Lady Publike-wele. It was about this period that John Heywood, 'the singer' and 'player on the Virginals,' began to write his interludes. These productions,' says Mr. Collier, 'form an epoch in the history of our drama, as they are neither Miracle-plays nor Morals, but entirely different from both; several of them come properly within the definition of "interludes," (pieces played in the intervals of entertainments), and have frequently both broad humour and strong character to recommend them.'—Ann. of Stage, vol. i. p. 116, ed. 1831. |