1 5 2 The Advancement of Learning 



observe also how small and mean faculties gotten by educa- 

 tion, yet when they fall into great men or great matters, 

 do work great and important effects; whereof we see a 

 notable example in Tacitus ^ of two stage players, Per- 

 cennius and Vibulenus, who by their faculty of playing put 

 the Pannonian armies into an extreme tumult and combus- 

 tion. For there arising a mutiny amongst them upon the 

 death of Augustus Caesar, Blaesus the heutenant had com- 

 mitted some of the mutineers, which were suddenly rescued; 

 whereupon Vibulenus got to be heard speak, which he did 

 in this manner: — These poor innocent wretches appointed to 

 cruel death, you have restored to behold the light ; but who 

 shall restore my brother to me, or life unto my brother, that 

 was sent hither in message from the legions of Germany, to 

 treat of the common cause ? and he hath murdered him this 

 last night by some of his fencers and ruffians, thai he hath 

 about him for his executioners . upon soldiers. Answer, 

 Blcesus, what is done with his body ? The mortalest enemies 

 do not deny burial. When I have performed my last duty 

 to the corpse with kisses, with tears, command me to be slain 

 beside him ; so that these my fellows, for our good meaning, 

 and our true hearts to the legions, may have leave to bury us. 

 With which speech he put the army into an infinite fury 

 and uproar: whereas truth was he had no brother, neither 

 was there any such matter; but he played it merely as if 

 he had been upon the stage. 

 3. But to return : we are now come to a period of rational 

 knowledges; wherein if I have made the divisions other 

 than those that are received, yet would I not be thought 

 to disallow all those divisions which I do not use. For 

 there is a double necessity imposed upon me of altering the 

 divisions. The one, because it differeth in end and pur- 

 pose, to sort together those things which are next in nature, 

 and those things which are next in use. For if a secretary 

 of state should sort his papers, it is like in his study or 

 general cabinet he would sort together things of a nature, 

 as treaties, instructions, etc., but in his boxes or particular 

 cabinet he would sort together those that he were hke to 

 use together, though of several natures ; so in this general 

 cabinet of knowledge it was necessary for me to follow the 

 divisions of the nature of things; whereas if myself had 

 » Tacit. Ann. i. 22, 23. 



