quiring of his soldiers to carry gold about them, that the fear of losing that, might make them the more constant in their resolutions. Contrary unto this we shall often observe, that despair and extremities do put men upon bold adventures. As no men fight more desperately than cowards, when they cannot fly; as the historian noteth of Cn. Piso, a confederate of Catiline, that by poverty he became desperate, and thereby emboldened unto that attempt, wherein he might either rise by the ruin of others, (having neither merit nor hope to rise by their favours) or at least not to be ruined without company. d As that which shakes a tree, doth often serve to settle and fasten it; so many times dangers and extremities do excite strength as in the height of a fever or phrensy, men show more strength and agility of body, than in their perfectest healths—and as they say of beasts', they bite with more venom and indignation, when they are wounded and ready to die. And therefore Homer expresseth the dying of wounded enemies by biting of the ground; so utmost extremities of miseries make men put out the more boldness, either in revenge or new attempts, because they may be better, but they cannot be worse. And it is a kind of impunity to be so low, as that a man hath not a condition to fall from. "Moriensque recepit, Quas nollet victurus aquas." h In a famine, a man will eat and drink that, which, in plenty, he could not have the courage to look on. And this cause of boldness is thus expressed by the poet, when he showeth how the youth of Troy, seeing their city burnt and sacked, grew unto a desperate resolution; 'Sic animis juvenum furor additus: inde, (lupi ceu • Summæ audaciæ, egens, factiosus; quem ad perturbandam rempublicam inopia, ac mali mores stimulabant. Sallust. d Plut. in Numa. e Sæpe contemptus hostis cruentum certamen edidit. Liv. 1. 2.-Spes desperatione quæsita. Patere, 1. 1.-Ignaviam necessitas acuit, et spei sæpe desperatio causa est. Q. Curt. 1. 5.-Dant animum ad loquendum libere ultimæ miseriæ. Liv. 1. 29. f Maxime mortiferi esse solent morsus morientium animantium. Florus.—Jul. Capitol. in Maximino. Impunitatis genus est non habere pœnæ locum. Sen. h Lucan. Cum fortuna miserrima, tuta est; nam timor eventus deterioris abest. Ovid. de Pont. 1. 2. Eleg. 2. Exegit cæcos rabies, catulique relicti Faucibus exspectant siccis,) per tela, per hostes, Thus youth did rage, despairing of their lives, Like wolves of prey, whom extreme hunger drives And being sure to die, dare that, which fear, Another cause of boldness is experience, when a man hath often done a thing with success, often seen dangers and escaped them, as mariners at sea; found other men, upon as small hopes as he himself hath, to go through the like matters without doubt or hesitation. For examples do put life, hope, and emulation into men, as we noted before; and we are encouraged sometimes rather to err in good company, than to go right alone: and this argument Æneas used in the Poet: "Vos et Scyllæam rabiem, penitusque sonantes Experti; revocate animos, mostumque timorem You by Charybdis and by Scylla sail'd, Where waves through rocks did sound; nor hath prevail'd 'Gainst you that worser rock, the Cyclops' den: Then cast off fears, and show yourselves brave men. And as experience, so, on the contrary side, ignoranceTM is as usual a cause of confidence; as we see children will put their fingers in the fire, and play with serpents, as not acquainted with any hurt they can do them. We may too often meet with men like waters and vessels, which the shallower and emptier they be, do make the louder noise, and make use of other men's ignorance to gain boldness and credit to their own. To which purpose it is a grave expression of the poet", En. ii. Vid. Veget, de re militar. 1. 3. c. 11. λοὺς νενικηκέναι παῤῥοῦσι. Εth. 1. 3. c. 11. nos duces sequentibus. Quint. 1. 1. c. 6. * Διὰ τὸ πολλάκις πολύ 1 Vel error honestus est mag... Ἡμεῖς οἱ ἰδιῶται οὐ δεδοίκαμεν. Laert. in Arist. Et. 1. 30, 8. et 10.—Plin. ). 4. ep. 7.-Quo, moriture, ruis, majoraque viribus aades? Fallit te incautum pietas tua. Æn. 10.-De audacia puerili, vid. Val. Max. 1. 3. c. 1. Eurip. Hippol. Οἱ γὰρ ἐν σοφοῖς Φαῦλοι, παρ' ὄχλῳ μουσικώτεροι λέγειν. Those whom wise men know for dull, With vulgar ears are wondrous musical. And as flies are esteemed very bold creatures, because they often return to the same place; so the boldness of these kind of speakers is usually discovered in vain and empty tautologies;-which is the reason why (as the orator P noteth) they are usually more copious than far learneder men; 'Quia doctis est electio et modus,' because able speakers use choice and judgement in what they produce. . Another cause of boldness in attempts may be religion", and a confidence of divine direction unto what we do. Jehu's pretence unto zeal, was that which caused him to march furiously. And in this case, as the historian speaks, Melius vatibus quam ducibus parent;' men are apter to be led by their prophets than by their captains. And we find when God would encourage his people in their wars, he gave them signs and assurances for their faith to rely upon above their fears, that where reason saw cause of doubting, faith might see all defects supplied in God: so to Gideon, to Ahaz, to Hezekiah, and others. And the church' complains of the want of them in their times of calamity; "We see not our signs; neither is there amongst us any prophet, or any one that knoweth how long." When Joshua did fight, Moses" did pray; and Israel was more encouraged by the intercession of the one, than by the valour of the other. And the Philistines were never more affrighted, than when Israel brought forth the ark of God against them. For as Ajax in the poet X - Εἴ τις Θεῶν Βλάπτει, φύγοιλ ̓ ἂν ὁ κακὸς τὸν κρείσσονα. "If God will fight, He can make weak men put the strong to flight." And therefore Tolumnius the soothsayer, having received Rhet. I. 2. c. 5. Qu. Curt.1.4. • Judges De impetu animorum divinitus excitato, vid. Plut. in Coriol. vi. 36. Isai. vii. 11, 12. 2 Kings xix. 29. 2 Sam. v. 24. t Psalm ixxiv. 9. Sophocl. Ajax. vid. happy auguria,' doth thereupon grow to resolutions of courage. "Hoc erat, hoc votis' (inquit)' quod sæpe petivi: Accipio, agnoscoque Deos: me, me duce, ferrum This, this, is that which in my chiefest thought I still desir'd, and now find what I sought: The divine tokens I embrace and see; Come, soldiers, take your swords and follow me. C Unto this head of religion belongeth innocency, as a most excellent cause of boldness: for the righteous is bold as a lion, which careth not, though a multitude of shepherds come out against him. And the philosopher telleth us, that they who have done no wrong unto others, are confident of success in their attempts; believing that they shall find no enemies, because they have provoked none. A notable example whereof we have in M. Publius Furius, the Roman consul; who was so confident of his own integrity in publick administration, that being deputed by lot to govern the province of Spain, he chose the two bitterest enemies that he had in the city, to be coadjutors with him in that dispensation. Whereunto may be added the answer which Drusus gave to him who would have contrived his house for secrecy, when he told him, that he would wish his house were pervious and transparent, that privatest actions might be seen in publick.' And as religion and innocency, so, on the other side, deboishness and desperateness of living, doth implant a marvellous boldness in the minds and faces of men, when they have no modesty or shame to restrain them. As we see in gypsies, parasites, jugglers, Savuатолoiì, neurosрastæ, and such like. And therefore such kind of men, both in Scripture and in other writings, are said to have faces of brass, and necks of iron; whorish and impudent foreheads that b Rhet. 1. 2. c. 5. a Prov. xxi. 21. & Æneid. 12.-Priscum populis de more Latinis Auspicium, quum bella parant mentesque deorum Explorant super eventu, &c. Sil. Ital. 1. 5. Isai. xxxi. 4. Vid. Iliad. y. 23. c Val. Max. 1. 3. c. 7. Vid. haud dissimile exemplum Catonis. Plut. de util. ex hostib. capiend. d Kuvans apud Homerum. Jer. iii. 3. Isai. xli. 4. Ezek. xvi. 3.—Os ferreum, Cic. in Pisonem.-Jul. Pollux. 1. 4. c. 28,-Plut. in Alcib.-Vid. Theophrast. wepl ȧnovoías.-Arist. Ethic. l. 3. c. 9. cannot blush nor be ashamed; and these words, aτóvoa, avαxurlía, Eutoλμía, we shall find for synonymous, and of equal signification; whereof the former signify despair, impudence; and the other, boldness. Again, as impudence, so shame and fear of disgrace is a great cause of boldness, in virtuous and honourable attempts: for there is no man of generous principles, but will much rather choose an honourable danger than a sordid safety, and adventure his person before he will shipwreck his honesty or good name; choosing ever to regulate his behaviour rather by a moral than a natural fear, to give an account of himself rather to those that love his virtues, than to those who love his fortunes. In one word, standing more in awe of men's hearts than of their hands, and shuuning more a just reprehension than an unjust injury. And to this purpose it is gravely observed by the historian, that the dishonour which the Romans suffered ad Furcas Caudinas,' was that which procured their adversaries a bloody overthrow afterward, "Quia ignominia nec amicos parat nec inimicos tollit:" their saving of the lives of the Romans to bring ignominy upon them, being esteemed not a benefit, but a scorn. A very like example we have hereunto in the servants of David, abused and put to shame by Hanun the son of Ammon. And thus the poet expresseth the courage of Entellus, revived by the fall, which he had from Dares: "At non tardatus casu, nec territus heros, Acrior ad pugnam redit, et vim suscitat ira: Another cause of boldness, is immunity from danger, or at least a versatilousness and dexterity of wit to evade it, or shift through it. And therefore though cunning men dare not always second their contrivances with execution, nor let h • Πουλυδάμας μοι πρῶτος ἐλεγχείην ἀναθήσει. f 2 Sam. x.-Mixtus dolor et pudor armat in hostes. 8 Eneid. 15.-Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito. Æneid. 1. 6.-Arist. Eth. 1. 3. cap. 11. h Qui ad fraudem callidi sunt, non tantum audent, quantum excogitant. Cic. pro Cluentio. |