50 THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS. 



and fictions. They then that endeavour to reform 

 and convince any sect of religion, though vain, cor 

 rupt, and infamous, shadowed by the person of 

 Nenus, not by the force of argument and doctrine, 

 and holiness of life, and by the weight of examples 

 and authority, but labour to extirpate and root it 

 out by fire and sword, and tortures, are encouraged, 

 it may be, thereunto by Pallas, that is, by the acrity 

 of prudence, and severity of judgment, by whose 

 vigour and efficacy, they see into the falsity and 

 vanity of these errors. And by this their hatred of 

 pravity, and good zeal to religion, they purchase to 

 themselves great glory, and by the vulgar, to whom 

 nothing moderate can be grateful, are esteemed 

 and honoured as the only supporters of truth and 

 religion, when others seem to be lukewarm and full 

 of fear. Yet this glory and happiness doth seldom 

 endure to the end, seeing every violent prosperity, if 

 it prevent not alteration by an untimely death, grows 

 to be unprosperous at last : for if it happen that by 

 a change of government this banished and depressed 

 sect get strength, and so bear up again, then these 

 zealous men, so fierce in opposition before, are con 

 demned, their very names are hateful, and all their 

 glory ends in obloquy. 



In that Diomedes is said to be murdered by his 

 host, it gives us to understand that the difference of 

 religion breeds deceit and treachery, even among 

 nearest acquaintance. 



Now in that lamentation and mourning was not 

 tolerated but punished ; it puts us in mind, that let 



