THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS. 51 



there be never so nefarious an act done, yet there is 

 some place left for commiseration and pity, that even 

 those that hate offences should yet in humanity 

 commiserate offenders and pity their distress, it 

 being the extremity of evil when mercy is not suf 

 fered to have commerce with misery. Yea, even in 

 the cause as well of religion as impiety, many men 

 may be noted and observed to have been compas 

 sionate. But on the contrary the complaints and 

 moans of Diomedes followers, that is, of men of the 

 same sect and opinion, are wont to be shrill and 

 loud, like swans, or the birds of Diomedes. In 

 whom also that part of the allegory is excellent, to 

 signify, that the last words of those that suffer death 

 for religion, like the songs of dying swans, do won 

 derfully work upon the minds of men, and strike and 

 remain a long time in their senses and memories. 



DAEDALUS, OR MECHANIC. 



Mechanical wisdom and industry, and in it un 

 lawful science perverted to wrong ends, is shadowed 

 by the ancients under the person of Daedalus, a 

 man ingenious, but execrable. This Daedalus, for 

 murdering his fellow servant that emulated him, 

 being banished, was kindly entertained, during his 

 exile, in many cities and princes courts : for indeed 

 he was the raiser and builder of many goodly struc 

 tures, as well in honour of the gods, as the beauty 

 and magnificence of cities, and other public places, 

 but for his works of mischief he is most notorious. 

 It is he that framed the engine which Pasiphae used 



