The Fourscore and Eleventh Epistle OF LUCIUS ANNAEUS SENECA The PHILOSOPHER.
WRITTEN Ʋpon Occasion of the sudden BURNING OF Lions in France.
Translated out of the Original into English Verse.
LONDON, Printed by William Godbid. 1666.
The Fourscore and Eleventh Epistle of Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Philosopher: Written upon occasion of the sudden Burning of LIONS in FRANCE.
OUR Liberalis is with grief and Pity
Fill'd at the burning of his Native City.
This direful accident might any move,
Though to that City not concern'd in love:
And even to his mind might add more strength:
Who, what he fear'd, has found to come at length.
But this un-look'd for chance, and which is more
Un-heard of, 'tis no wonder that before
'Twas heard or thought on, it was fiercely sent,
Since it was also without President.
A raging Fire hath very much annoy'd
And damag'd Cities, but hath none destroy'd.
For where quick fire is thrown with hostile hand,
Houses un-touch'd in many places stand.
And no Earth-quake hath been so fatal known,
That a whole City hath been overthrown.
[Page 2] And no consuming flame hath been so dire,
But it left something for another fire.
So many famous Piles, which singly might
Crace several Cities, fell down in one night.
And in a time of Peace as much fell out
As scarce a cruel war could bring about.
Who could believe wars ceasing every where
When through the World no dangers did appear,
That Lions so renown'd should by that chance
Be sought and doubted, where it stood in France.
Fortune permits even those who suffer woe,
To fear the ill they were to undergoe.
Great things have time before th' are overthrown,
This famous City in one night was none.
Lastly, I'm longer telling thee the thing,
Than all those Buildings were in perishing.
These things disturbe our Liberalis mind,
To patience in his own affairs confin'd.
Nor is he so perplex'd without a cause,
The un-expectedness of chances draws
More trouble, and the novelty of things
To all calamity Addition brings.
And there's no mortal man, being struck with wonder,
But some conceived trouble must lie under.
Wherefore in nothing we should be surpris'd,
Our minds in fore-sight should be exercis'd,
To weigh not only what's un-usual
But to consider too what may befall.
[Page 3] What is so strong, gainst which when Fortune's bent
Though glorious, cannot receive detriment?
Or which she do's not shake, or more molest
By how much it was greater than the rest?
What's difficult by Fortune to be done?
She walks in no way always, nor alone.
Somtimes our own hands 'gainst our selves she bends,
And then without an Author mischief sends.
No time is free, our very pleasures turn
Into great woe, and often make us mourn.
War sometimes rises in the midst of Peace,
And that which seems our troubles to release
Turns into fear: a Friend do's love forgo,
And a Companion is become a foe.
A Summers calmness many times do's draw
A Storm more fierce than any Winters flaw.
VVithout an Enemy we find a war,
Such is our fate, that many times we are
By our too great Felicity, to woe
Expos'd, when we no other causes know.
Diseases the most temp'rate will assail,
The Ptissick on the strongest will prevail.
Upon the guiltless punishment is laid,
And tumults will mens quietness invade;
Fortune oft chooses something new, whereby
On those who have forgot her power, she'l fly.
Whats'ever many ages have erected,
By the gods favour, and mens pains effected,
[Page 4] One day dissolves. He gives a long delay
To hast'ning Evils, who allows a day.
An hour, a moment is sufficient space
Great Kingdomes to throw down, and quite erace.
It would some solace to our weakness bring,
And to th' Affairs of men, if every thing
Did not increase with slowness, and with hast
Dissolve and fall. There's nothing that stands fast
Private or publick. Fear in those things which please
And flourish most, do's soonest on us sease.
And ills which are by us least thought upon,
Without tumultuous causes will fall on.
Kingdomes which have endur'd both Civil wars
And Forrain, have without publick jars
Been ruin'd. And few Cities have enjoy'd
Felicity, and never been annoy'd.
We therefore should weigh all things, and advance
Our constant minds, gainst ev'ry sad mischance.
Think therefore still on Wars, and Sicknesses,
On Shipwracks, Banishments, and the Excess
Of Torments. Think thy Country may be taken
From thee, or else by thee may be forsaken.
Think Fortune may expose thee in a rude
Desert; and think that where a Multitude
Is stifled, there a Desert may be made.
Let the condition of Mankind be laid,
Before our eyes, and let's not only weigh
What happens often, but let's think what may
[Page 5] Befall: and would we not our errours rue,
Mistaking things un-usual for new,
Let us on fortune look in her full power.
How many Cities did her rage devour
In Asia and Achaia by one way?
How many in Syria, and Macedonia?
Cyprus in many parts could not avoid
That fate, but hath been many times destroy'd.
How oft hath Paphus Earthquakes felt, and sped
As ill, in her own ruines buried.
We who have often heard of Towns thus tost,
How small a part are we of men so lost?
Then let us gainst Misfortunes our minds raise,
And think th' are not so great as rumor says.
Fire hath consum'd a City great and rich,
The Ornament of Provinces, in which
It did both seated and exempted lye,
Yet built upon one hill not very high.
Nay, all those Cities famous through the world,
VVill at the length be into ruine hurl'd.
And there will not in future time appear
A Mark, or any Footstep where they were.
See'st thou not that Achaia's stately Towns
Are so destroy'd, that there remains no Bounds
Nor yet Foundations to make it good
To the Beholders, where those Cities stood.
Not only what is fram'd by hand and art
Time do's consume, the tops of Mountains start
[Page 6] And tumble down, whole Regions have been found
To sink, and many Countryes have been drown'd
Far distant from the sea. High hills which were
Famous by fire, fire did in sunder tear.
And Promontories, which have been a Mark
For Marriners to guide and steer their Bark;
At fight whereof they usually have joy'd,
Have been laid flat, and utterly destroy'd.
The very works of Nature troubled are,
And therefore we with equal minds should bear
All Cities fate. Things made, were made to fall,
And Dissolution waits upon them all.
VVhether the violence of inward wind,
Striving a passage through the Earth to find,
Shakes the great weight of Earth? Or whether
Those hidden torrents joyn their force together?
Or that the heat of inward flames do's wast
The Ligaments of Earth which ty'd it fast.
Or whether Age 'gainst vvhich there's no defence,
Does by degrees effect this violence.
Or that a poysonous Air the Land bereft
Of People, and infected vvhat vvas left?
To repeat all the vvays of destiny
VVere long, but by experience I
Am sure of this, that mortal things are all
Condemn'd into Mortality to fall.
VVe live not where vve can find any thing
That is secure, but daily perishing.
[Page 7] These comforts and the like I re-commend
To Liberalis our un-doubted friend,
Exceedingly inflamed with the love
Of his own Country, whose sad fate may prove
No small advantage; for perhaps that chance
Ordained was its glory more t' advance.
Many great things have faln, to rise more high,
And often are improv'd by injury.
Timagines, a foe to th' happiness
Of Rome, would often when 't was burnt profess,
The burning he did not so much deplore,
As that it would rise greater than before.
And in this City we may well suppose
No labour will be wanting, till it grows
From a vast heap of ashes and of dust,
Greater and firmer than it was at first;
I whish 't may last, and being built again
With better Omen, longer may remain;
For since that Town was built, it is not past
An hundred years, an age wich some men last.
Plancus, by fitness of the place first made
The Town a great and noted Mart for Trade.
VVhich notwithstanding hath endur'd much rage
VVithin the space but of a humane age.
And therefore let us be prepared still
To suffer patiently all sorts of ill;
And know there's nothing Fortune cannot do,
Both to advancement and to ruine too.
[Page 8] And that her power on Empires do's prevail
As upon Emperours, and do's assail
Cities as well as Men; at which things we
Should not repine, or discontentd be.
We are brought into a World where we must live
Under those Laws. Do they thee please? Then give
Obedience. Do they displease? Thou art
At Liberty at all times to depart.
Thou might'st complain if any of these were put
And thrown on thee alone unjustly, but
Since this necessity as well do's wait
On high as low, be reconcil'd to Fate,
Which all things will dissolve. Reason presents
No cause at all, that we by Monuments
And Tombs should measured be. One fate attends
On mortal men, and brings them to their ends.
W' are born un-equal, but we equal dye.
The same of Cities as of Dwellers, I
Do here declare. Ardea was as well
Taken as Rome, though this did that excell.
The great Ordainer of all humane right
Makes no distinction of us by the bright
Splendour of birth and titles, longer than
We are alive, and conversant with men.
And when we end this Mortal life, begon
From hence, says he, depart ambition;
All Mortals walk one way, and all things ly
Equally under common destiny.
[Page 9] None, then an other can be more secure,
Or know what he to morrow shall endure.
Young Alexander King of Macedon
Geometry unhappily begun
To learn, the smallness of the Earth to know
Whereof the least part did him homage owe.
Unhappy, I say, in that he should have known
How false a Sir-name he did vainly own.
For what can in a little place be great?
The points whereof the Master did entreat
Were subtile, and not easily discern'd,
But with a diligent attention learn'd;
Not apprehended by a Frantick man
Whose thoughts did rove beyond the Ocean.
Teach me, said he, those things which will be made
More easie to me: T' whom the Master said,
These things are still the same, alter'd to none,
And are as difficult to all, as One.
Think Nature thus to all men does declare
Those things at which you grumble, the same
To all, nor can they be more easie made
To any, but whosoever shall perswade
B [...]t himself, without compulsion, to forsake
All fear of chances, will them easie make.
But how? By equalness of mind. Th' art born
To endure sorrow, hunger, thirst, and scorn.
And if thou longer shalt with men remain,
Thou fickness, loss, and ruine may'st sustain.
[Page 10] But yet there is no reason thou should'st give
Belief to those things which about thee strive.
For none of them are ill, or hard to bear;
It is report of men that brings this fear.
And what can be more vain, than to be vex'd
At rumour, and to be for words perplex'd?
Demetrius that he might drive away
Such foolishness, oft wittily would say,
I care no more what foolish people speak
Than whether wind upward or downward break.
It is a madness we are brought to, when
We fear to be defam'd b' infamous men;
As thou without good reason did'st fear fame,
So what thou didst not fear, when once the same
Shall bid thee, thou wilt fear; can it be thought
A good man suffers by false rumours, fraught
With scandals? Nor is Death hurt, by what
Is said of it, though some be scar'd there-at.
None, who accuse Death, have experience got.
'Tis rashness to condemn what we know not.
But this we know, that 'tis a benefit
To many, and that many are by it
Discharg'd from torments, poverty, and grief.
And find in weariness, and wrongs relief.
If Death be under our own power, then where
Is any other power that we should fear?
FINIS.