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54 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. [VIt. 4. 
happy and flourishing that ever the Roman empire (which 
then was a model of the world) enjoyed; a matter revealed 
and prefigured unto Domitian in a dream the night before 
he was slain; for he thought there was grown behind 
upon his shoulders a neck and a head of gold: which 
came accordingly to pass in those golden times which 
succeeded: of which princes we will make some com- 
memoration ; wherein although the matter will be vulgar, 
and may be thought fitter for a declamation than agreeable 
to a treatise infolded as this is, yet because it is pertinent 
to the point in hand, Wegue semper arcum tendit Apollo, 
and to name them only were too naked and cursory, I will 
not omit it altogether. The first was Nerya; the excellent 
temper of whose government is by a glance in Cornelius 
Tacitus touched to the life: Postguam divus Nerva res 
olim insoctabiles miscutsset, imperium et liberialem. And in 
token of his learning, the last act of his short reign left 
to memory was a missive to his adopted son Trajan, pro- 
ceeding upon some inward discontent at the ingratitude of 
the times, comprehended in a verse of Homer’s: 
Telis, Phoebe, tuis lacrymas ulciscere nostras. 
5. Trajan, who succeeded, was for his person not 
learned: but if we will hearken to the speech of our 
Saviour, that saith, He that recetveth a prophet in the name 
of a prophet shall have a prophet’s reward, he deserveth to 
be placed amongst the most learned princes: for there 
was not a greater admirer of learning or benefactor of 
learning ; a founder of famous libraries, a perpetual ad- 
vancer of learned men to office, and a familiar converser 
with learned professors and preceptors, who were noted 
to have then most credit in court. On the other side, 
how much Trajan’s virtue and government was admired 
and renowned, surely no testimony of grave and faithful 
