I.] ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 135 



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 

 advantage, answered, &quot; That Sylla could not skill of letters, and there 

 fore knew not how to dictate.&quot; 



And here it were fit to leave this point, touching the concurrence of 

 military virtue and learning, for what example should come with any 

 grace, after those two of Alexander and Ca?sar, were it not in regard 

 of the rareness of circumstance, that I find in one other particular, as 

 that which did so suddenly pass from extreme scorn to extreme wonder ; 

 end it is of Xcnophon the philosopher, who went from Socratcs s 

 school into Asia, in the expedition of Cyrus the younger, against king 

 Artaxcrxes. This Xcnophon at that time was very young, and never 

 had seen the wars before ; neither had any command in the army, bat 

 only followed the war as a voluntary, for the love and conversation of 

 Proxenus his friend. He was present when Falinus came in message 

 from the great king to the Grecians, after that Cyrus was slain in the 

 field, and they a handful of men left to themselves in the midst of the 

 kings territories, cut off from their country by many navigable rivers, 

 and many hundred miles. The message imported that they should 

 deliver up their arms, and submit themselves to the king s mercy. To 

 which message before answer was made, divers of the army conferred 

 familiarly with Falinus : and amongst the rest Xenophon happened to 

 say, &quot; Why, Falinus, we have now but these two things left, our arms 

 and our virtue ; and if we yield up our arms, how shall we make use of 

 our virtue?&quot; Whereto Falinus, smiling on him said, &quot;If I be not 

 deceived, young gentleman, you are an Athenian, and, I believe you 

 study philosophy, and it is pretty that you say ; but you are much 

 abused, if you think your virtue can withstand the king s power.&quot; Here 

 was the scorn : the wonder followed ; which was, that this young 

 scholar, or philosopher, after all the captains were murdered in parley 

 by treason, conducted those ten thousand foot, through the heart of all 

 the king s high countries, from Babylon to Grajcia in safety, in despite 

 of all the king s forces, to the astonishment of the world, and the 

 encouragement of the Grecians in time succeeding to make invasion 

 upon the kings of Persia ; as was after purposed by Jason the Thessa- 

 lian, attempted by Agesilaus the Spartan, and achieved by Alexander 

 the Macedonian, all upon the ground of the act of that young scholar. 



To proceed now from imperial and military virtue to moral and 

 private virtue ; first, it is an assured truth, which is contained in th0 

 verses ; 



Scilicet ingcnuas didicissc fidclitcr artcs, 

 Eraollit mores, nee sinit esse feros. 



It takcth away the wildncss, and barbarism, and fierceness of 

 men s minds : but indeed the accent had need be upon fidclitcr ; for a 

 little superficial learning doth rather work a contrary effect. It takcth 

 away all levity, temerity, and insolcncy, by copious suggestion of all 

 doubts and difficulties, and acquainting the mind to balance reasons on 



