54 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



the great philosopher, who dedicated divers of his books 

 of philosophy unto him : he was attended with CalHs- 

 thenes and divers other learned persons, that followed 

 him in camp, throughout his journeys and conquests. 

 What price and estimation he had learning in doth 

 notably appear in these three particulars : first, in the 

 envy he used to express that he bare towards Achilles, 

 in this, that he had so good a trumpet of his praises as 

 Homer's verses : secondly, in the judgement or solution 

 he gave touching that precious cabinet of Darius, which 

 was found among his jewels ; whereof question was 

 made what thing was worthy to be put into it ; and 

 he gave his opinion for Homer's works : thirdly, in 

 his letter to Aristotle, after he had set forth his books 

 of nature, wherein he expostulate th with them for 

 publishing the secrets or mysteries of philosophy ; 

 and gave him to understand that himself esteemed it 

 more to excel other men in learning and knowledge 

 than in power and empire. And what use he had of 

 laarning doth appear, or rather shine, in all his speeches 

 and answers, being full of science and use of science, 

 and that in all variety. 



12. And herein again it may seem a thing scholas- 

 tical, and somewhat idle, to recite things that every 

 man knoweth ; but yet, since the argument I handle 

 leadcth me thereunto, I am glad that men shall perceive 

 I am as willing to flatter (if they will so call it) an 

 Alexander, or a Caesar, or an Antoninus, that are dead 

 many hundred years since, as any that now liveth : 

 for it is the displaying of the glory of learning in 

 sovereignty that I propound to myself, and not an 

 humour of declaiming in any man's praises. Observe 

 then the speech he used of Diogenes, and see if it tend 

 not to the true state of one of the greatest questions 

 of moral philosophy ; whether the enjoying of outward 

 things, or the contemning of them, be the greatest 

 happiness : for when he saw Diogenes so perfectly 

 contented with so little, he said to those that mocked 

 at his condition, ' Were I not Alexander, I would wish 

 to be Diogenes.' But Seneca inverteth it, and saith ; 



