THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS. 97 



to great esteem, as a thing that could raise and ele 

 vate the mind aloft, that seemed to be base and 

 fixed to the earth, make the cogitations of the men, 

 which do ever reside in the head, to be aetherial, and 

 as it were winged. But that the mother of the 

 Syrens was left to her feet, and without wings, that 

 no doubt is no otherwise meant than of light and 

 superficial learning, appropriated and defined only 

 to pleasures, as were those which Petronius devoted 

 himself unto after he had received his fatal sentence ; 

 and having his foot, as it were, upon the threshold 

 of death, sought to give himself all delightful con 

 tentments ; insomuch, as when he had caused con 

 solatory letters to be sent him, he would peruse 

 none of them, as Tacitus reports, that should give 

 him courage and constancy, but only read fantastical 

 verses such as these are : 



&quot; Vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus, 

 * Rumoresque senum severiorum, 

 &quot; Omnes unius sestimemus assis.&quot; 



My Lesbia, let us live and love : 

 Though wayward dotards us reprove, 

 Weigh their words light for our behove. 



And this also : 



&quot; Jura senes norint, et quid sit fasque nefasque, 

 &quot; Inquirant tristes, legumque examina servent. 



Let doting grandsires know the law, 

 And right and wrong observe with awe : 

 Let them in that strict circle draw. 



This kind of doctrine would easily persuade to 



