The Modern Statesman, Chapter 26
CHAP. XXVI.
Of Temperance, and he Roman practice of it.
THis vertue by the Greeks is called foreign, quasi foreign, as it were the preſerver of Prudence: for pleaſure and grief corrupt foreign, thoſe faculties which are to conſider of action: and a mind taken up with either of theſe cannot well intend the end for which foreign, all things ought to be choſen or dore. Now Temperance moderating theſe paſſions keeps the mind undiſturbed, and deſervedly is ſtiled, The Conſervatrix of Prudence.
We ſhall define it, A vertue preſerving a juſt decorum in the deſiring and enjoying ſenſual delights: for grief, which comes within its verge, that only ariſes from want of fruition. It is therefore the duty of a temperat man to abhor diſhoneſt, moderately to deſire, and enjoy lawful pleaſures, and not immoderately to grieve when deprived of them. Now lawful-pleaſures are ſuch as firſt foreign, conduce to bodily health, or as foreign, exceed not our eſtates, and miſbecom the rank and quality we live in.
And of what avail this vertue is to the preſervation and growth of a State, Hiſtory and obſervation every where, and every day, may clearly make out unto us. This was it ſet Rome upon her legs; This is it that made her Citizens able of body, both to fight, and endure the field; This made her Captains contemn bribes; and her Generals in the height of, military heat, and ſucceſs, ſlight pleaſure, and conſtantly keep the publick good, and their own honour in their eye. Thus ſhall we ſee the noble Curius, when the conquered Samnites profered him Gold, ſhew them his Dinner (for he was at their coming cooking it himſelf) which was a few rape roots in a pipkin, telling them there was no great need of gold to furniſh his table, and that he had rather command over ſuch as had Gold, than poſſeſs it himſelf. And when ſome complained that he had aſſigned too little of the conquered Lands to private men, and too much to the Publick, He told them, He hoped that there was never a Roman Citizen which would count that land too little which was ſufficient to maintain him. Thus ſhall we ſee Scipio Africanus, when the Souldiers brought him a moſt beautiful Damoſel, taken in the ſack of New Carthage in Spain, and hearing ſhe was betroathed to Allucius a young Prince of the Celtiberians, he ſent for him, and not only beſtowed on him his beautiful Bride, but a great ſum of Gold as her portion, which her parents brought for her ranſome. Let us behold the event, this young Prince goes home rapt with joy, filling every place with the praiſe and merit of Scipio, telling his Countrymen, Veniſſe Diis ſimillimum juvenem, vincentem omnia cum armis, tum benignitate, ac beneficiis, There was a Godlike young man arrived, conquering all both by force and bounty: and within a few daies returned with 1400 horſe to Scipio's Camp. Thus by his temperance he advanced the Roman cauſe, which he prefer'd above all private pleaſure, and gave Carthage a greater blow in this victory over himſelf, than in that other of taking their City, though the moſt conſiderable they had in Spain▪ I ſhall conclude all with that ſpeech of Asdruball ſurnamed the Kid, the Carthaginian Legat to the Roman Senate, Raro ſimul hominibus bonam fortunam, bonamque mentem dari: populum Romanum eo invictum eſſe quod in ſecundis rebus ſapere, & conſulere meminerit: & hercle mirandum fuiſſe, ſi aliter facerent: ex inſolentia, quibus nova bona fortuna ſit, impotentes laetitiae inſauire: populo Romano uſitate, ac prope jam obſoleta ex victoria gaudia eſſe, ac plus pene parcendo victis, quam vincendo imperium auxiſſe. God hath given England her ſhare of ſucceſs, we have not of late known what it is to be conquered, but as if we had been the adopted ſons of victory, ſhe hath perch'd upon our conquering enſigns, and pitch'd her pavilion among our tents. O let us then endeavour not to be tranſported with any unbecoming paſſions, which may force this glorious Virgin to bluſh, to hide her head, and be aſhamed to keep us company any further; but as we increaſe in power, let us grow in vertue; thus ſhall we be eſtabliſhed, and to our wreaths of Palm and Laurel ſhall the Olive chaplet be added, and we enjoy the pleaſant fruits of Peace at home as well as honourable eſteem of valour abroad.
—Sic, ſic juvat ire— Per altos virtutum gradus patet aſcensus ad aeternitatem.
FINIS.
End of the text · George Wither, The Modern Statesman (1653)