AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1593- 



Persians, entended against the Lacedemonians, for kill- 

 ing the ambassadors of his father Darius, hyed them 

 unto the sayd king, and that he might avenge the am- 

 bassadours death upon them, not upon their countrey, 

 with hardy, and constant mindes presented themselves 

 before him. 



The very same thing (most gracious prince) which 

 moved them, and many others being enflamed with the 

 love of their countrey, to refuse for the benefite thereof, 

 no danger, no trouble, no nor death it selfe, the same 

 thing (I say) hath also enforced me, not indeed to 

 undergoe voluntarie death, or freely to offer my selfe 

 unto the slaughter, but yet to assay that which I am 

 able for the good of my countrey : namely, that I may 

 gather together and refute the errors, and vaine reports 

 of writers, concerning the same : and so take upon me 

 a thing very dangerous, and perhaps subject to the 

 sinister judgement of many. 



In this purpose the example of Cneius Pompeius hath 

 likewise confirmed me : who being chosen procurator 

 for corne among the Romanes, and in an extreme scar- 

 cetie and dearth of the citie, having taken up some 

 store of graine in Sicilia, Sardinia, and Africa, is re- 

 ported to have had greater regard of his countrey, then 

 of himselfe. For when he made haste towards Rome, 

 and a mighty and dangerous tempest arising, he per- 

 ceived the Pilots to tremble, and to be unwilling to 

 commit themselves to the rigor of the stormie sea, 

 himselfe first going on boord, and commanding the 

 anchors to be weighed, brake foorth into these words : 

 That we should sayle necessitie urgeth : but that we should 

 live, it urgeth not. In which words he seemeth wisely to 

 inferre, that greater care is to be had of our countrey 

 lying in danger, then of our owne private safetie. 



[I. 551.] ( If small with great as equals 



This man doe I thus J may agree : 



imitate, ) And Flie with Elephant com- 



( pared bee. 

 90 



