68 THE WISDOM OP THE ANCIENTS. 



leaves the race, and turns aside to profit and com- 

 modity, like Atalanta. 



&quot; Declinat cursus, aurumque volubile tollit.&quot; 



Who doth her course forsake, 

 The rolling gold doth take. 



And therefore it is no wonder that art hath not 

 the power to conquer nature ; and by pact or law 

 of conquest to kill and destroy her ; but on the con 

 trary, it falls out that art becomes subject to nature, 

 and yields the obedience as of a wife to her husband. 



PROMETHEUS, OR THE STATE OF MAN. 



The ancients deliver that Prometheus made a 

 man of clay, mixed with certain parcels taken from 

 divers animals, who, studying to maintain this his 

 work by art, that he might not be accounted a 

 founder only but a propagator of human kind, stole 

 up to heaven with a bundle of twigs, which he 

 kindled at the chariot of the sun, came down again, 

 and communicated it with men ; and yet they say 

 that notwithstanding this excellent work of his, he 

 was requited with ingratitude in a treacherous con 

 spiracy ; for they accused both him and his invention 

 to Jupiter, which was not so taken as was meet it 

 should, for the information was pleasing to Jupiter 

 and all the gods : and therefore in a merry mood 

 granted unto men, not only the use of fire but per 

 petual youth also, a boon most acceptable and de 

 sirable. They being as it were overjoyed, did 



