220 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



them already cashiered ; wherewith they were so surprised, 

 crossed, and confused, as they would not suffer him to go 

 on in his speech, but relinquished their demands, and made 

 it their suit to be again called by the name of Milites. 



The second speech was thus : Caesar did extremely affect 

 the name of king ; and some were set on, as he passed by, 

 in popular acclamation to salute him king ; whereupon, 

 finding the cry weak and poor, he put it off thus in a kind 

 of jest, as if they had mistaken his surname : Non Rex sum, 

 sed Caesar : a speech, that if it be searched, the life and 

 fulness of it can scarce be expressed : for first it was a 

 refusal of the name, but yet not serious : again it did 

 signify an infinite confidence and magnanimity, as if he 

 presumed Caesar was the greater title ; as by his worthi- 

 ness it is come to pass till this day : but chiefly it was a 

 speech of great allurement towards his own purpose ; as if 

 the state did strive with him but for a name, whereof mean 

 families were vested ; for Rex was a surname with the 

 Romans, as well as King is with us. 



The last speech which I will mention, was used to 

 Metellus; when Caesar, after war declared, did possess 

 himself of the city of Rome ; at which time entering into 

 the inner treasury to take the money there accumulate, 

 Metellus being tribune forbade him : whereto Caesar 

 said, c That if he did not desist, he would lay him dead in 

 the place ' ; and presently taking himself up, he added, 

 ' Young man, it is harder for me to speak it than to do it.' 

 Adolescens^ durius est mihi hoc dicere quam facere. A speech 

 compounded of the greatest terror and greatest clemency 

 that could proceed out of the mouth of man. 



But to return and conclude with him : it is evident him- 

 self knew well his own perfection in learning, and took it 

 upon him ; as appeared when upon occasion that some 

 spake what a strange resolution it was in Lucius Sylla to 

 resign his dictature, he scoffing at him, to his own advan- 

 tage, answered, * That Sylla could not skill of letters, and 

 therefore knew not how to dictate.' 



And here it were fit to leave this point touching the 

 concurrence of military virtue and learning ; (for what 



