132 BACON'S ESSAYS 



another hath the quickest reflexion, like diamonds cut 

 with facets. And therefore let a man contend to excel 

 any competitors of his in honour, in outshooting them, if 

 he can, in their own bow. Discreet followers and servants 

 help much to reputation. Omnis fama a dome Stic is emanat. 

 Envy, which is the canker of honour, is best extinguished 

 by declaring a man's self in his ends rather to seek merit 

 than fame ; and by attributing a man's successes rather to 

 divine Providence and felicity, than to his own virtue or 

 policy. 



The true marshalling of the degrees of sovereign honour 

 are these. In the first place are conditores imperiorum, foun- 

 ders of states and commonwealths ; such as were Romulus, 

 Cyrus, Caesar, Ottoman, Ismael. In the second place are 

 lerislatores. lawgivers : which are also called second foun- 



o O 



ders, or perpetui principes, because they govern by their 

 ordinances after they are gone ; such were Lycurgus, Solon, 

 Justinian, Eadgar, Alphonsus of Castile, the wise, that 

 made the Siete partidas. In the third place are liberatores, 

 or sahatores, such as compound the long miseries of civil 

 wars, or deliver their countries from servitude of strangers 

 or tyrants ; as Augustus Caesar, Vespasianus, Aurelianus, 

 Theodoricus, King Henry the Seventh of England, King 

 Henry the Fourth of France. In the fourth place are 

 propagatores or propugnatores imperil ; such as in honourable 

 wars enlarge their territories, or make noble defence against 

 invaders. And in the last place are patres patriae, which 

 reign justly, and make the times good wherein they live. 

 Both which last kinds need no examples, they are in such 

 number. 



Degrees of honour in subjects are, fu&tparticipcs curarum, 

 those upon whom princes do discharge the greatest weight 

 of their affairs ; their right hands, as we call them. The 

 next are duces belli^ great leaders ; such as are princes' 

 lieutenant's, and do them notable services in the wars. The 

 third are gratiost, favourites ; such as exceed not this 

 scantling, to be solace to the sovereign, and harmless to 

 the people. And the fourth, negotiis pares ; such as have 

 great places under princes, and execute their places with 



