

THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS. 87 



ing, and in a manner rending them into sundry 

 parts. 



Moreover, there is always a twofold condition 

 propounded with Sphynx s aenigmas : to him that 

 doth not expound them, distraction of mind ; and 

 to him that doth, a kingdom ; for he that knows 

 that which he sought to know, hath attained the 

 end he aimed at, and every artificer also commands 

 over his work. 



Of Sphynx s riddles, they are generally two 

 kinds ; some concerning the nature of things, others 

 touching the nature of man. So also there are two 

 kinds of empires, as rewards to those that resolve 

 them. The one over nature, the other over men ; 

 for the proper and chief end of true natural philo 

 sophy is to command and sway over natural be 

 ings ; as bodies, medicines, mechanical works, and 

 infinite other things ; although the school, being 

 content \\ith such things as are offered, and priding 

 itself with speeches, doth neglect realities and works, 

 treading them as it were under foot. But that 

 aenigma propounded to (Edipus, by means of which 

 he obtained the Theban empire, belonged to the 

 nature of man : for whosoever doth thoroughly con 

 sider the nature of man, may be in a manner the 

 contriver of his own fortune, and is born to com 

 mand, which is well spoken of the Roman arts : 



&quot; Tu regere imperio populos, Romane memento 

 &quot; Hoe tibi erunt artes &quot; 



Roman remember, that with sceptre s awe 



Thy realms thou rul st. These arts let be thy rule. 



