The living librarie, or meditations and observations historical, natural, moral, political, and poetical / Written in Latin by P. Camerarius. And done into English by John Molle.
- Philipp Camerarius
- Date:
- 1621
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The living librarie, or meditations and observations historical, natural, moral, political, and poetical / Written in Latin by P. Camerarius. And done into English by John Molle. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![TA au Fin Ij (uie TU) utto ahi irit here: core might | Lib. 1. Hiftoricall Meditations. | couldnot anfwere him ; being as fhamefull a thing to ftriue with the dead,as.to wreftle with a fhadow , or with a ghoft.. Pawfanias King: of Sparta had the | fame confideration : for hauing defeated and laine ina fet battell acardonius | the king of Perfias Lieutenant;hee was counfelled by Lampon one of the chiefe men ofthe Ifle of Aigina,to hang vp the enemies bodie, giuing it the like enter- tainment that Mardoniws had giuen to King Leonidas. But Panfanias anfwered him , I greatly effeeme thy zeale and fore-fight ; but thy iwdeement is farre wide from | equitie, For if I oould follow thy counfell, and «ofe erueltie towards a dead man, Imight diferedit my felfe, aud the Countrey thow magnifieft fo much.: Thou thinkeft in fo doing 1 Jhould doe well,whereas indeed 1 [bonld commit an act more befitting Barbarians than Gre: cians, who cannot allow of [uch diforderlie parts in the moft fauage people of the world. That which Suidasreporteth ofthe Image of Wico the Wreftler who wasborne | at Thafus,is worthieof memorie. It happened that after his death, {ome en- uious wretch giuing were to fpight the memory of him : Hereupon the Image,to rcuenge Aceif one may {0 fay) falleth downe from the place where it had beene fet, vpon him that ftrucke at itjand crufhech him dead inthe place. Let vs furcherlieare that which Pliaie in his preface vpon the firft booke of his Aaturall Hifferiere- porteth of Catothe Cénfor,in the Commentarie hee wrote of Military difci- pline : 2am fure (faith hee) that many who know not what true honour meaneth, will bee readie to farle at my writings,if they come abroad: but I let their werds runne by , like raine water. Plancus likewife madea wittie and pleafant anfwere in the like cafe ; might notbee anfwered by him ; There zs none (faith he) but ghofls and goblims that fight with the dead : with which ghird,he gaue thofe Orations fuch a blow,that(in the opinion of the learned) none were accounted afterward more impudent and fhameleffe than fuch kinde of fellowes: thus faith Plize. Therefore ts Sylla worthily blamed,who not being content to haue done the worft hee could to his enemies while they liued,commanded their bones to bee taken out of their eraues,and to beethrowneinto the Riuer, as hee did to the bodie of Marius, For which caufe, when he lay on his death-bed hee ordained by Will,that his bodie fhould béburnt to afhes,fearing leaft his carcaffe fhould bee handled after | thefamefortby his enemies. It appeareth that the memorie of the deceafed was precious in times paft, in that the Romans were anciently accuftomed to honour the: death of the moft noble and excellent among them by mourning a whole yeare, or fome longerterme. And indeed it isa worke of commendation,teftifying good will towardsthofe that are deceaffed. And the holy Scriptures make mention of this cuftomc. Whereunto we may adde thelaw of the Athenians, which was, | Thatall fuch as had died valiantly in the warres for their Countries defence, were regiftred by name in their Annalls, that there mightbee often mention made ofthem,and of their valiant exploits,by magnifying them in the affem- blies of the people, and by. celebrating follemne feafts and fports in remem- brance of them; where the yong men had diuers exercifes of their bodies, furnamed Sepulchral, wherein they put themfelues forward to winne glory by armes;to fet light by death for the Common-wealthsfake, that was fo thanke- full for the benefits fhee receiuéd of her Citizens. In thefeexercifes, the Pole- praife Herodot,lib.g. Paularlib.6. of his Com. Lee ent,{aith tne lib.s. Preparat faith that this was the Imagel ofa Wicttler] named Dis- | inedes. Platarchin the life Syllas](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b30334913_0027.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
