DIONYSIUS CATO His Four BOOKS OF Moral Precepts.
Translated out of Latine Hexameter, into English Meeter:
By J. M.
EDINBƲRGH, Printed in the Year 1700.
DIONYSIUS CATO, HIS Moral Precepts.
THE PREFACE.
WHEN I observ'd, how many Men
In manners went awry,
And grosly erred in their course,
From Paths of Piety;
I thought my counsel (to amend,
If happily I might)
Was not amiss; And teach Men how,
To live in happy plight.
Now therefore (my beloved Son)
I will inform thy mind,
To walk a course, whereby thou may'st,
Both praise and profite find.
So then my precepts read, as that
They may be understood.
For why? to read and not regard,
Is to neglect thy Good.
THE INTRODUCTION.
PRay to thy God with rev'rent fear
And allways love thy Parents dear
Respect thy kindred with good will
Fear to offend your Teachers still.
Keep what is given to thee in Trust
And to the Court prepare thou must.
With upright men, walk where thou wald
To council come thou not uncall'd.
Be neat and cleanly, as thou can:
And bid Good Day to ev'ry Man.
To all Superiours, give due place.
Slight no Inferiours, with Disgrace.
Keep your Estate, with serious care.
Be bashful ay, where you repair.
Ply well your care in every thing:
Read Books for Learning's cherishing
[Page]And what ye read, strive to retain.
Your Family seek to maintain.
Be fair spoken at all essays;
And let not anger blind your eyes.
Mock none least you be mock'd again.
The poorest Wretch do not disdain.
Spare not to lend, but look to whom:
And to the Judgment you must come.
Feast rarely: And sleep in due time.
To break your Oath, abhorre the crime.
By too much wine, wrong not your health
Fight for your Countries Common wealth
Trust nothing rashly; I advise you:
Flee from all Whores; least they abuse you.
Ply Learning for your future bless,
Let good Men feel your Bounteousness.
Avoid ill speaking: Do not raill.
An honest Name's of great avail.
Judge righteous Judgment: By deserts,
And patience, win your Parents hearts.
Mind well a Benefite receiv'd:
Keep watch and waird, when thou art crav'd.
Give your advice when it is sought;
Make use of Valour, not for nought.
Asswage your anger, and subdue it.
Let Tops be us'd and Dice eschew'd.
[Page]Though thou be strong, no violence do;
And no Inferiour overthrow.
Covet not, what's none of thine.
Love thy Spouse, and 'gainst foes combine
Train up your Children vertuously:
Thine own Law thou must underly:
Speak spareingly at Banquet-Table,
Press what is just, when thou art able
And willingly endure Loves pain:
To love, and to be lov'd again.
DIONYSIUS CATO, HIS MORAL PRECEPTS. Translated out of Latine Hexameter, into English Meeter; By J. M.
BOOK I.
1
IF GOD Almighty be a Sp'rit,
As Writings testifie,
He must be worshiped aright,
In Sp'rit and Veritie.
2.
Be watchfull always; And to sleep
Let not thy Mind be bent;
For Ease continual unto Vice,
Affordeth nourishment.
3.
Of moral Virtues hold it chief,
Th' unbridled Tongue to tame;
Next unto GOD is He, that can
With reason rule the same.
4.
Repugnant to thy self in ought,
By varying scorn to be:
For he, that from himself dissents,
With no Man will agree.
5.
If thou survey the Lives of Men,
And manners of the time,
While each reproves anothers faults,
What Man is free from Crime?
6.
Abandon things that hurtful are,
Though dear to thee they seem:
In time, thy private profite, more
Than Wealth, thou must esteem.
7.
Be constant, and [if cause require,]
Unstable seem to be:
Wise Men their Manners sometimes change,
And yet from fault are free.
8.
Believe not rashly what thy wife
Of Servants shall relate:
For oftimes whom the Husband loves
The Wife is found to hate.
9.
If thou [in kindness] warne a man
Self-will'd and loath to hear:
Yet leave not off thy course begun,
If he to thee be dear.
10.
With jangling fellows, full of words,
Contend thou not in vain:
For speech is common unto all,
But Wisdom few attain.
11.
So love thy Friends, as to thy self,
A loving Friend thou be:
So bound thy Bounty to the best,
As harm pursue not thee.
12.
Flee Tales and Rumors; Least of News
A Coiner thou be thought:
For silence seldom hurts a Man,
But speech much care hath wrought.
13.
On trust to others words, make thou
No promise, least thou break;
For Faith and Truth is rare; Because
Most mean not as they speak.
14.
When other Men commend thee most,
Judge of thy merite so:
As thou believe not more their Words,
Then what thy self does know.
15.
Each pleasure done thee by a friend,
To many make thou known:
But what to others thou hast done,
Keep to thy self alone.
16.
When thou art old, and shalt report
The Acts of diverse Men:
Remember well thy youthful times
And what thy self did then.
17.
Take no regard what Standers by
In private whisp'ring chat;
A guilty Conscience still mistrusts,
Her self is aimed at.
18.
In time of wealth, remember woe;
Mutations are not strange.
All humane things are ordered so,
To have their Interchange.
19.
Since frail and doubtful is our life,
Unknown our dying day:
To live in hope of others Death,
Great folly doth bewray.
20.
If from thy poor well-wishing Friend
Some slender Gift be sent:
In thankful ways accept his love,
And praise his good intent.
21.
Since naked from the womb thou cam'st,
As Nature form'd thee there;
The burden of external wants,
With patience, see thou bear.
22.
Dread not thy death, in time to come,
Nor fear the fatal Knife:
Who dreads his end, therein exiles
The comforts of his Life.
23.
If Friends, to whom thou hast been kind,
Thy kindness naught regard,
Accuse not Fate; But blame thy self:
Be wiser afterward.
24.
The better to supply thy want,
Spare what thy hand hath got:
And that thou may'st thy penny save,
Suppose thou had'st it not.
25.
What in thy power rests to perform
Twice promise not, for shame
Least [while thou would be civil thought,]
Thy lightness all Men blame.
26.
Who speaks right fair and loves thee not,
Like measure let him find;
So Art by Art is met withall,
And falshood in her kind.
27
Approve not fawning Flatterers,
Whose words are full of Wiles,
Most sweetly sounds the Fowlers call,
Whiles he the Bird beguiles.
28.
If wedded thou have Children store,
And little wealth to give,
Then train them up in honest Arts,
That each may learn to live.
29.
Things that be cheap imagine dear,
Things dear as cheap esteem.
So neither niggard to thy self,
Nor greedy shalt thou seem.
30.
What fault thou finds with other Men,
Let not be found in thee,
Foul shame in him, that vice reproves,
Himself not to be free.
31.
What is thy due, thou may'st require,
Or what seems honest, crave:
But folly were it, to desire
A thing, thou should not have.
32.
Things known, before things never try'd
Prefere, if thou be wise:
Sith those by Judgment are discern'd,
But these by meer surmise.
33.
Since Life in daily danger lyes,
and issues doubtful are:
Each day thou liv'st account thou gain,
that captive are to care.
34.
Sometimes, when thou may'st Victor be,
Give place as vanquished,
By yeilding up in Courtesy,
Kind Freinds are conquered.
35.
Great things requiring, grudge thou not,
Small Charges to bestow:
For by this means 'twixt Friend and Friend,
Doth favour greatly grow.
36.
With whom thou art in League of Love,
To quarrel think prophane;
Brauls hatred breeds, and friendship breaks;
But Peace doth Love maintain.
37.
When careless Servants move thy mind
To Wrath, and ireful Rage;
Do nought in choler, till the time
Thy Fury shall asswage.
38.
Whom thou by force may'st conquer, seek
By suff'rance to convince:
Of moral Virtues wise Men hold
Sweet Patience Soveraign Prince.
39.
Keep rather Goods by labour got,
Than spend till things be scant:
In loss to work and toill afresh,
Is still to live in want.
40.
If wealth abound, be liberal
Each Friendship to reward:
Yet so as always of thy self,
Thou have a due regard.
Dionysius Cato, His MORAL PRECEPTS.
BOOK II.
The PREFACE.
OF Tillage if perhaps thou would,
The Skill exactly know.
Read Learned Virgil, whose Discourse
Each thing at large doth show.
But if of Herbs and Plants the Force
Thou rather wish to find,
Lo Macer writtes a Book in Verse,
To satisfy thy Mind.
[...]f Roman Warrs and bloody Broils
Of Carthage please thee more:
And Stratagems hath store.
Or if by reading thou desire,
The Laws of Love to Learn,
In Nasoes wanton Legend, lo,
This Art thou may'st discern.
But if thy chiefest Care intend,
A wise Mans state to see:
Then listen thou to lead a Life
From filthy Vices free.
Approach, I say, and to my Lore.
Attend while I relate,
What Wisdom is, and how by her,
Thou may'st be fortunate.
1
EVEN unto strangers (if thou may'st]
Do good, in time of need:
For friends, by love and bounty won,
A kingdomes worth exceed.
2.
What heaven and Gods high secrets are,
VVaste not thy wits to learn:
Since thou art mortal, mind the things
VVhich mortal men concern.
3.
Fond fear of Death abandon quite,
As follies foul effect:
Which, who so dreads, all joy of life,
Doth utterly reject.
4.
In disputation suffer not,
Incensed wrath to rise;
Which wit and judgement so beguiles,
That truth obscured lies.
5.
Spare for no cost, when time shall serve,
And cause require the same,
A penny better spent then spar'd,
Addes to an honest name.
6.
Abandon Superfluities,
VVith litle rest content:
Safe is the bark on calmer streames
To wished Haven bent.
7.
Remember well (as wisdom would,)
To hide thy proper shame:
Lest what thy private self-mislikes
Incurre more publick blame.
8.
Think not that men offending oft
Can closely so conceal
Their faults: but that one time shall sure
Their secret Sins reveal.
9.
A man of limbs and stature small
Disdain not in thy pride:
For Natur's want by wisdomes wealth
Is commonly Supply'd.
10.
Contending with superior powers
Take heed in time to yeeld:
For oft the partie Vanquished,
Hath after won the field.
11.
Against thy freind, by force of words,
Strive not in any wayes:
Sometimes of words (which are but wind)
Great controversies rise.
12.
What God intends, endeavour not
By lot, to know or shun.
What he determines, touching thee,
VVithout thee shall be done.
13.
Eschew, by over nice attires,
Foul Envyes hateful sting:
Which (though it hurt not,) to endure
Is yet an irksome thing.
14.
By wrongful Judgement overthrown,
Thy self discourage not:
By doome unjust who overcomes,
Not long enjoyes his lot.
15.
Once reconciled, rip not up
The wrongs of former dayes:
Old Sores to rub, and wrath revive,
A wicked mind bewrayes.
16.
To praise or discommend thy self,
Are things alike unfit:
For so do fools whom glory vain,
Bereaves of common wit.
17.
In midst of plenty, keep a mean,
Spend not thy self too fast:
Goods, long in gathering, oft are seen
In little time to waste.
18.
To play the fool in time and place
Occasion serving fit,
Amongst the wisest is esteem'd
The primest point of Wit.
19.
Flee wanton Riot, and withal
Eschew the common Fame
Of Avarice; Both which Extreams
Impair a Mans good Name.
20.
Believe not lightly every Tale,
Each Babler shall relate:
Small Credit crave his idle Words
That useth much to prate.
21.
The Sin of Surfet pardon not:
Do Pennance for the same:
Not Wine, but Drinkers foul Abuse,
That doth deserveth Blame.
22.
Thy Secrets to a secret Friend,
Commit, if thou be wise:
Thy crazed Body to his Trust,
That Health by Art supplies.
23.
Ungodly Persons thriving fast
Let not thy Mind affright:
For Fortune favours wicked Men.
To Work them farder Spight.
24
Provide for After-Claps in time,
And arme thy self to bear;
So shall thou in expected Broiles,
Prevent both Harm and Fear.
25.
In time of trouble, be not like
A wounded Man, half slain,
But hope the best: For Hope alone
Revives the Dead again.
26.
Neglect not fit Occasion, for
Thy proper Good assign'd:
Old Father Time hath hairy Locks
Before, but not behind.
27.
Look back what follows, and withal
Forseee what stands in place.
This Wisdom may that Embleme teach,
Of Janus double Face.
28.
Sometimes, for Health, spare dyet use;
For though of Dainties store
Dame Pleasure crave; Yet to thy Health
Thou art addebted more.
29.
The Judgment of the Multitude
Despise not thou alone:
Lest while thou many Men contemn'st
Thy self be lik'd of none.
30.
Of wished Health have chiefest Care,
Preferr thy Health to all:
If evil Dyet make thee sick,
Blame not the Spring nor Fall.
31.
Regard not Dreams; For what Mens Thoughs
Broad waking entertain,
And wish, or hope, then muse upon,
In Sleep appears again.
Dionysius Cato, His MORAL PRECEPTS.
BOOK III.
The PREFACE.
GOOD Reader, whosoe're thou art,
That takes this Book in Hand,
These brief Directions good for Life,
Give heed to understand.
With honest Precepts store thy Mind,
Learn well their wise Contents.
For Life of civil Learning void,
Death's Image represents,
Great Profite may'st thou reap thereby,
Which if thou not respect,
Not me the Writer, but thy self
Thou chiefly shalt neglect.
1
WHereas thou lead'st an upright life,
Regard not causeless wrongs:
By base detractors offered; for
Thou canst not rule Mens tongues.
[...]
[...] [...]ll'd by law, against thy Friend,
[...] [...]ess crimes forepast:
[...] honest reputation sav'd.]
[...]ceale them what thou may'st.
3.
Of fawning words and flatt'ring speech,
beware, [in any wayes,]
For simple truth unmasked walks,
But fraud fair words disguise.
4.
Flee beastly sloth, the bane of life:
Some honest business do.
An idle mind decayes it self,
And wastes the body too.
5.
To make both mind and body strong,
No labour then refuse:
But in thy many careful toils
Some recreation use.
6.
To carp at others words, let not
Thy wit be ill apply'd;
Least by thine own example taught,
Another the deride.
[...].
What by deceased Friends bequeath'd,
Is hapned to thy Lot,
Keep and encrease, that common Fame
A Spend-Thrift call thee not.
[...].
Of Riches, if thy latter age
A greater portion find:
Abound in Bounty, and abhorre
A wretched Miser's Mind.
[...]
Sage counsel from thy Servants mouth,
Disdain not to respect;
[...]or any Mens advice, that may
Thy proper good effect.
[...].
If wonted wealth and substance fail,
Yet banish Care and Greif;
[...]nd live content with what the times,
Shall yeild for thy Relief.
11.
Beware thou marry not a Wife,
For Wealth and Wordly store;
And if she falsity her Faith,
Admit her Love no more.
12.
By many Mens example learn,
What to embrace or flee:
An others Life, in this behalf,
May thine instructer be.
13.
Attempt not matters past thy strength,
Left over-prest with pain,
Thy Labour fail: and so thy work
And Enterprise prove vain.
14.
What ill thou know'st of others wrought
Spare not in time to tell:
Lest by thy silence thou subscribe,
and seem to like it well.
15.
By Law unjust condemned, seek
The Judges help to have:
For Lawes themselves by Equity,
To be reformed crave.
16.
What penalty deserv'd inflicts,
To bear thou must not grudge;
For guilty to thy self in ought,
Thy self thou ought to judge.
17.
Improve thy self by Reading much,
And mending things amiss:
For Poets many marvels write,
Whose Credit doubtful is.
18.
At Feasts and Banquets busie not
Thy Tongue, with too much chat:
Lest while thou would be pleasant thought,
Thy Talk be laughed at,
19.
The Speeches of thy angry Wife,
Let not thy Courage daunt:
For Women with their wylie Tears,
Their Husbands oft enchant.
20.
Use that thou hast, to do thee good,
But see thou make no waste;
Who vainly spend their own, and want,
Seek other Mens at last.
21.
Resolve, fond fear of future Death
To banish from the still:
Which, though it be not good it self,
Yet makes an end of ill.
22.
With inward and Religious love
Thy Parents both embrace:
And to offend thy Mother dear
forbear in any case.
Dionysius Cato, His MORAL PRECEPTS.
BOOK IV.
The PREFACE.
WHOSO thou art that do'st desire
To lead a quiet Life,
And touching Manners, to eschew
Corruptions that are rise.
This little Volume oft revolve,
Wherein thy self shalt find
Such Precepts, grave as (Tutor-like,)
May teach and rule thy Mind.
1.
ONE special Note of Blessedness
Is Riches to deny;
Which whoso covets to engross
Lives always beggarly.
2.
Dame Natures Wealth he cannot want,
VVho curbs his vain desires.
And measures his Expence, with what
Necessity requires.
3
Through want of care, if thine Affairs
Succeed not to thy mind:
Accuse not fained Fortune, nor
Reproach her to be blind.
4.
Love Money well; but to the stamp
Put not thy mind in thrall:
Which honest and Religious Men
Do not respect at all.
5.
If thou be rich, bestow the more
On Physick for thine Health;
A rich Man sick hath store of Coin,
But wants his chiefest wealth,
6.
If of thy Master thou receive
Correction more severe,
Thine angry Fathers sharp Reproof,
With Patience see thou bear.
7.
In things that profite may procure,
Thy labours exercise:
But never undertake Affairs
Where Doubt or Errour lies.
8.
What thou may'st give, from him that craves
Desire not to detain:
For why to benefite the best,
Is held the greatest Gain.
9
Suspecting ought to find it out,
With speed have due regard:
For things, at first neglected, prove
Mischievous afterward
10.
To Venus damned pleasures prone,
If thou thy self distrust,
Forbear to feed on costly Meats,
As Motives unto Lust.
11.
Whereas thou shunest savage Beasts,
Whose Forces fearful are:
I only wish thee to avoid
Lewd Men, more cruel far.
12.
Not strength of able Limbs alone,
That others most surmount,
But wisdom, manageing the Might,
True Valour Men Account.
13.
Seek Comfort of thy constant Friend,
Afflicted if thou be:
For no Physician in his Cure,
May more prevail then he.
14.
For thine Offence, why should thy Beast
In Sacrifice be slain?
To hope for Health by others Death,
Fond Folly doth maintain
15.
A good Companion, or a Friend
In seeking to select:
Regard not what his Fortunes are:
His honest Name respect.
16.
Make use of Wealth, and scorn the Name
Of Niggard evermore.
What good do Riches to tho Man
That starves in midst of store?
17.
If thou desire in Life and Death
A good report to find:
All Earthly pleasures, vain and vile,
Abandon from thy mind.
18.
Deride not Ages dull conceit,
In things to thee more plain,
For whoso lives till he be Old,
Shall waxe a Child again.
19.
Learn something, and if Suddenly
Thy Substance should decay:
Thy Skill remaining may relieve
Thy Wants another way.
20.
Observe with Silence whereunto
Each ones Discourse doth tend;
For Speech Mens Manners doth cnoceal
And utters in the end.
21.
Though learned, yet thy Studies grave
By no means intermit:
As labour keeps the hand in use,
So practice helps the wit.
22.
Regard not how the Fates conspire
In time to work thee Spight;
He dreads not Death, in doubtful Life
That learns not to delight.
23.
Learn; But of such as learned are,
Thy self instruct the rest,
For knowledge, where it may do good,
Ought not to be supprest.
24
Drink what thou canst: For forced Draughts
Mens Health doth much impair;
Such beastly Pleasures oftentimes
Procures the Bodies Care.
25
What ever thing thou shalt approve,
Or Praise in publick place;
Condemn not lightly afterward,
Lest thou sustain Disgrace.
26,
In time of calme and quiet rest,
Remember stormes aloft;
Again in trouble hope the best,
Sith Fortune alters oft.
27.
To learning still thy mind apply,
By study wisdom growes;
And prudence rare, to industry,
In time her Treasure shows.
28
Commend thy Friend more sparingly
And rest content with this;
That time at length shall manifest
His Merit, what it is.
29
Blush not, of Ignorance, to shew
Thy willingness to learn;
As wit's a glory, so scandalous for those,
VVho nothing will discern.
30
In Wine and Women (wise men say)
Both good and evil rest:
What therefore is in either bad
Refuse, and take the best.
31
Of sad and sullen countenanc'd
And silent Men, beware;
For when the stream is calmest, there
The waters deepest are.
32
If discontented with thy state,
Thou weigh the sad Decline
Of other men (superiors late)
Thou need to repine.
33
Attempt according to thy strength;
Close by the shoar to keep
Is safer, then to hoise up Sails
And launch into the deep.
34
Against a just and upright man,
Contend not wickedly:
For God in justice doth revenge
All wrong and injury.
35
Bereft of Riches, sorrow not,
Nor vex thy self in vain:
Be rather merry, if thou may'st
Recover them again.
36
To suffer loss of all, a wrack
Intolerable were:
Yet things there are, which patiently
Behoves a freind to bear.
37.
In no wayes promise, to thy self,
Long Life and many Years:
For like a shadow at the back,
Death every where appears.
38
With incense make the Altar smoak,
Spare Oxen to the Plow;
Burnt Sacrifice with Blood embru'd,
The LORD doth not allow.
39.
Give Fortune place, and bear thy self
To mighty Men submiss:
For he that knows to yeeld in time,
May profite him and his.
40
In oft offending, never free
Thy fault, from punishment;
In cureing wounds one smart (we see)
Another doth prevent.
41
Thy ancient friend dishonour not,
Though he unconstant prove,
And change his manners; yet respect
The bonds of former love.
42
To gain the greater Love of all,
In thankfullness abound:
Lest thou incurr the Name of one,
In whom deserts are drown'd.
43
Flee vain Suspicions, lest thou lead
Thy Life in Misery:
For fearful and surmising Folks
Are aptest still to die.
44.
VVhen for thy proper use thou buyer
bond-Servants now and then,
And call'st them Slaves; Remember yet
That they are also Men.
45.
Occasion fit to apprehend,
VVith speed have due respect;
Lest afterwards thou seek in vain,
VVhat late thou did'st neglect.
46
Rejoice not in the sudden Death,
Of Sinners caught away:
For Saints, whose Lives unspotted are,
Must Death's Arrest obey.
47.
If thou be poor, and hast withall
A VVife of ill report:
Barre such, as by the Name of Friends,
VVould to thy House resort.
48.
Although by Studies thou be brought,
Deep matters to discern;
Yet shew thy self in things unknown
Desireous still to learn.
49.
And wonder, not that plainest words
My Poems entertain;
Sith brevity my Muse affects,
To help the shallow Brain.
FINIS.