WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS. 459 



it terminates in madness. And hence the allegory of Pcnthcus and 

 Orpheus being torn to pieces is evident ; for every headstrong passion 

 is extremely bitter, severe, inveterate, and revengeful upon all curious 

 inquiry, wholesome admonition, free counsel and persuasion. 



Lastly, the confusion between the persons of Jupiter and Bacchus 

 will justly admit of an allegory, because noble and meritorious actions 

 may sometimes proceed from virtue, sound reason, and magnanimity, 

 and sometimes again from a concealed passion and secret desire of 

 ill, however they may be extolled and praised, insomuch that it is 

 not easy to distinguish betwixt the acts of Bacchus and the acts of 

 Jupiter. 



XXX.-THE FABLE OF PERSEUS, OR WAR. 



EXPLAINED OF THE PREPARATION AND CONDUCT NECESSARY 



TO WAR. 



&quot; THE fable relates, that Perseus was despatched from the cast by 

 Pallas, to cut off Medusa s head, who had committed great ravage 

 upon the people of the west ; for this Medusa was so dire a monster as 

 to turn into stone all those who but looked upon her. She was a 

 Gorgon, and the only mortal one of the three, the other two being in 

 vulnerable. Perseus, therefore, preparing himself for this grand 

 enterprise, had presents made him from three of the gods : Mercury 

 gave him wings for his heels ; Pluto, a helmet ; and Pallas, a shield 

 and a mirror. But though he was now so well equipped, he posted 

 not directly to Medusa, but first turned aside to the Grcic, who were 

 half-sisters to the Gorgons. These Grc;e were grey-headed, and like 

 old women from their birth, having among them all three but one eye, 

 and one tooth, which, as they had occasion to go out, they each wore 

 by turns, and laid them down again upon coming back. This eye and 

 this tooth they lent to Perseus, who now judging himself sufficiently 

 furnished, he, without farther stop, flics swiftly away to Medusa, and 

 finds her asleep. But not venturing his eyes, for fear she should 

 wake, he turned his head aside, and viewed her in Pallas s mirror ; and 

 thus directing his stroke, cut off her head ; when immediately from the 

 gushing blood, there darted Pegasus winged. Perseus now inserted 

 Medusa s head into Pallas s shield, which thence rctainH the faculty 

 of astonishing and benumbing all who looked on it.&quot; 



This fable seems invented to show the prudent method of choosing, 

 undertaking, and conducting a war ; and, accordingly, lays down three 

 useful precepts about it, as if they were the precepts of Pallas. 



The first is, that no prince should be over-solicitous to subdue a 

 neighbouring nation ; for the method of enlarging an empire is very dif 

 ferent from that of increasing an estate. Regard is justly had to contiguity, 

 or adjacency, in private lands or possessions ; but in the extending of 

 empire, the occasion, the facility, and advantage of a war, arc to be 



