110 ADVANCEMENT OP LEARNING* [BOOK 11. 



valour and speed sucli of tlieir allies and confederates as 

 "were in any way distressed. So just and vindictive wars 

 have generally met with success ; as the war of the triumvi- 

 rate in revenge for the death of Caesar, the war of Severus 

 for the death of Pertinax, and of Junius Brutus for the 

 death of Lucretia ; for they who take up arms to relieve and 

 revenge the calamities of men fight under the standard of 

 Perseus. 



Lastly, it is prudently added, that as there were three of 

 the Gorgons who represent war, Perseus singled her out for 

 his expedition that was mortal ; which affords this precept, 

 that such kind of wars should be chosen as may be brought 

 to a conclusion without pursuing vast and infinite hopes. 



Again, Perseus's setting out is extremely well adapted to 

 his undertaking, and in a manner commands success, — he 

 received despatch from Mercury, secrecy from Pluto, and 

 foresight from Pallas. It also contains an excellent alle- 

 gory, that the wings given him by Mercury were for his 

 heels, not for his shoulders, because expedition is not so 

 much required in the first preparations for war as in the 

 subsequent matters that administer to the first ; for there is 

 no error more frequent in war than, after lirisk preparations, 

 to halt for subsidiary forces and effective supplies. 



The allegory of Pluto's helmet rendering men invisible 

 and secret, is sufficiently evident of. itself ; for secretness 

 appertains to celerity, inasmuch as speed prevents the dis- 

 closure of counsels : it therefore succeeds in importance. 

 Plutos helmet also seems to imply, that authority over the 

 army is to be lodged in one chief ; as directing committees 

 in such cases are too apt to scatter dissensions among the 

 troops, and to be swayed by paltry freaks and jealousies 

 rather than by patriotism. It is not of less importance to dis- 

 cover the designs of the enemy, for which purpose the mirror 

 of Pallas must be joined to the helmet of Pluto to disclose 

 the weakDe:.s, the divisions, counsels, spies, and factions of 

 the enemy. But as these arms are not sufficient to cope 

 with all the casualties of war, we must grasp the shield of 

 Pallas, i.e. of Providence, as a defence from the caprices of 

 fortune. To this belong the despatch of spies, the fortifica- 

 tion of camps, the equipment and position of the army, and 

 whatever tends to promote the success of a just defensive 



