5 2 The Advancement of Learning 



expressed in the greatest propriety of words and perspicuity 

 of narration that ever was ; which that it was not the effect 

 of a natural gift, but of learning and precept, is well wit- 

 nessed by that work of his, entitled, De Analogia} being a 

 grammatical philosophy, wherein he did labour to make 

 this same Vox ad placitum to become Vox ad licitum, and to 

 reduce custom of speech to congruity of speech ; and took, 

 as it were, the picture of words from the life of reason. 



23. So we receive from him, as a monument both of his power 

 and learning, the then reformed computation of the year; 

 well expressing that he took it to be as great a glory to him- 

 self to observe and know the law of the heavens, as to give 

 law to men upon the earth. 



24. So likewise in that book of his, Anti-Cato,^ it may easily 

 appear that he did aspire as well to victory of wit as 

 victory of war: undertaking therein a conflict against the 

 greatest champion with the pen that then Hved, Cicero 

 the Orator. 



25. So again in his book of Apophthegms, which he collected, 

 we see that he esteemed it more honour to make himself 

 but a pair of tables to take the wise and pithy words of 

 others, than to have every word of his own to be made an 

 apophthegm or an oracle; as vain princes, by custom of 

 flattery, pretend to do.^ And yet if I should enumerate 

 divers of his speeches, as I did those of Alexander, they are 

 truly such as Solomon noteth, when he saith. Verba sapien- 

 tum tanquam aculei, et tanquam clavi in altum defixi:* 

 whereof I will only recite three, not so delectable for 

 elegancy, but admirable for vigour and efiicacy. 



26. As, first, it is reason he be thought a master of words, 

 that could with one word appease a mutiny in his army, 

 which was thus: The Romans, when their generals did 

 speak to their army, did use the word milites, but when the 

 magistrates spake to the people, they did use the word 

 Quirites. The soldiers were in tumult, and seditiously 

 prayed to be cashiered; not that they so meant, but by 

 expostulation thereof to draw Caesar to other conditions; 

 wherein he being resolute not to give way, after some silence, 

 he began his speech, Ego, Quirites,^ which did admit 



» Cic. Brutus. 72. • Cic 9d. Att. xii. 40. 41 ; xiii. 50. 



• Cic. Epist. ad Div. ix. 16. * Eccl. xii. 11. 



• Suet. Jul. CtBS. c. 70. 



