PART II.

Containing an account of the living and dying Sayings of men eminent for their Greatness, Learning, or Virtue; and that of divers periods of time, and nations of the world. All concurring in this one teftimony, "That a life of strict

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virtue, viz. To do well, and bear ill, is the 66 way to everlasting happiness." Collected in favour of the truth delivered in the First Part. WIL

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By WILLIAM PENN.

The PREFACE.

O CROSS, NO CROWN fhould have ended here; but that the power, examples and authorities have put upon the minds of people, above the most reasonable and preffing arguments, inclined me to prefent my readers with fome of those many instances that might be given, in favour of the virtuous life recommended in our difcourfe. I chose to caft them into three sorts of testimonies (not after the threefold subject of the book, but) fuitable to the times, qualities, and circumstances of the perfons that gave them forth; whofe divers excellencies and ftations have tranfmitted their names with reputation to our own times. The firft teftimony comes from thofe called Heathens, the fecond from Profeffed Chriftians, and the last from Retired, Aged, and Dying Men; being their last and ferious reflections, to which no oftentation or worldly interefts could induce them. Where it will be easy for the confiderate reader to obferve how much the pride, avarice, and luxury of the world, ftood reprehended in the judgments of perfons of great credit amongst

amongst men; and what was that life and conduct, that in their most retired meditations, when their fight was cleareft, and judgment most free and difabused, they thought would give peace here, and lay foundations of eternal bleffedness.

CHAP. XIX.

The teftimonies of feveral great, learned, and virtuous Perfonages among the Gentiles, urged against the exceffes of the age, in favour of the felf-denial, temperance, and piety herein recommended.

I. Among the Greeks, viz. §. 1. Of Cyrus. §. 2. Artaxerxes. §. 3. Agathocles. §. 4. Philip. §. 5. Alexander. §. 6. Ptolomy. §. 7. Xenophanes. §. 8. Antigonus. §. 9. Themiftocles. §. 10. Aristides. §. 11. Pericles. §. 12. Phocion. §. 13. Clitomachus. §. 14. Epaminondas. §. 15. Demofthenes. §. 16. Agaficles. §. 17. Agefilaus. §. 18. Agis. §. 19. Alcamenes. §. 20. Alexandridas. §. 21. Anaxilas. §. 22. Arifton. §. 23. Archidamus. §. 24. Cleomenes. §. 25. Derfyllidas. §. 26. Hippodamus. §. 27. Leonidas. §. 28. Lyfander. §. 29. Paufanias. §. 30. Theopompus, &c. §. 31. The manner of life and government of the Lacedæmonians in general. §. 32. Lycurgus their lawgiver. (II.) Among the Romans, viz. §. 33. Of Cato. §. 34. Scipio Africanus. §. 35. Auguftus. §. 36. Tiberius. S. 37. Vefpafian. §. 38. Trajan. §. 39. Adrian. §. 40. Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. §. 41. Pertinax. §. 42. Pefcennius. §. 43. Alexander Severus. §. 44. Aurelianus. §. 45. Dioclefian. §. 46. Julian. §. 47. Theodofius. (III.) The lives and doctrines of fome of the Heathen philofophers among the Greeks and Romans, viz. §. 48. Thales. §. 49. Pythagoras. §. 50. Solon. §. 51. Chilon. §. 52. Periander. §. 53.

Bias. §. 54. Cleobulus. §. 55. Pittacus. §. 56. Hippias. §. 57. The Gymnofophiftæ. §. 58. The Bamburacii. §. 59. The Gynæcofmi. §. 60. Anacharfis. §. 61. Anaxagoras. §. 62. Heraclitus. §. 63. Democritus. §. 64. Socrates. §. 65. Plato. §. 66. Antisthenes. §. 67. Xenocrates. §. 68. Bion. §. 69. Demonax. §. 70. Diogenes. §. 71. Crates. §. 72. Aristotle. §. 73. Mandanis. §. 74. Zeno. §. 75. Quintilian. §. 76. Seneca. §. 77. Epictetus. (IV.) Of virtuous Heathen women, viz. §. 78. Penelope. §. 79. Theoxena. §. 80. Pandora and Protagenia. §. 81. Hipparchia. §. 82. Lucretia. §. 83. Cornelia. §. 84. Pontia. §. 85. Arria. §. 86. Pompeja Plautina. §. 87. Plotina. §. 88. Pompeja Paulina. §. 89. A reproof to voluptuous women of the times.

§. I.

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YRUS (than whom a greater monarch we hardly find in story) is more famous for his virtue, than his power; and indeed it was that which gave him power. God calls him his fhepherd: now let us fee the principles of his conduct and life. So temperate was he in his youth, that when Aftyages urged him to drink wine, he answered, I am afraid left there fhould be poison.in it; having feen thee reel and fottish after having drunk thereof. And fo careful was he to keep the Perfians from corruption of manners, that he would not fuffer them to leave their rude and mountainous country, for one more pleasant and fruitful, left through plenty and ease, luxury at last might debase their fpirits. And so very chafte was he, that having taken a lady of quality, a moft beautiful woman, his prifoner, he refused to see her, saying, I have no mind to be a captive to my captive. It feems, he claimed no fuch propriety; but fhunned the occafion of evil. The comptroller of his houfhold asking him one day what he would please to have for his dinner? Bread, faid he; for I intend to encamp nigh the water: a fhort and eafy bill of fare: but this fhews the power he had over his appetite as well as his foldiers; and that he was

fit

fit to command others, that could command himself, according to another faying of his, No man (faith he) is worthy to command, who is not better than thofe who are to obey: and when he came to die, he gave this reafon of his belief of immortality, I cannot, faid he, perfuade myself to think, that the foul of man, after having fuftained itself in a mortal body, fhould perish when delivered out of it, for want of it: a saying of perhaps as great weight, as may be advanced against atheism from more enlightened times..

§. II. ARTAXERXES MNEMON, being upon an extraordinary occafion reduced to eat barley bread and dried figs, and drink water; What pleasure (faith he) have I loft till now through my delicacies and excefs!

§. III. AGATHOCLES becoming king of Sicily, from being the son of a potter, always, to humble his mind to his original, would be daily ferved in earthen veffels upon his table: an example of humility and plainnefs.

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§. IV. PHILIP king of Macedon, upon three forts of good news arriving in one day, feared too much fuccefs might tranfport him immoderately; and therefore ed for fome disappointments to feafon his profperity, and caution his mind under the enjoyment of it. He refused to oppress the Greeks with his garrifons, faying, I had rather retain them by kindness, than fear; and to be always beloved, than for a while terrible. One of his minions perfuading him to decline hearing of a cause, wherein a particular friend was interested; I had much rather, says he, thy friend fhould lose his cause, than I my reputation. Seeing his fon Alexander endeavour to gain the hearts of the Macedonians by gifts and rewards, Canft thou believe, fays he, that a man that thou haft corrupted to thy interefts will ever be true to them? When his court would have had him quarrel and correct the Peloponnenfes for their ingratitude to him, he faid, By no means; for if they defpife and abuse me, after being kind to them, what will they do if I do them harm? A great example of patience in a king, and wittily faid. Like to this was his reply to the ambaffadors of Athens, whom asking after audience,

audience, If he could do them any service, and one of them furlily anfwering, The beft thou canst do us is, to hang thyfelf; he was nothing disturbed, though his court murmured; but calmly faid to the ambassador, Those who fuffer injuries, are better people than those that do them. To conclude with him, being one day fallen along the ground, and feeing himself in that posture, he cried out, What a fmall fpot of earth do we take up! and yet the whole world cannot con

tent us.

§. V. ALEXANDER was very temperate and virtuous in his youth: a certain governor having written to him, that a merchant of the place had feveral fine boys to fell, he returned him this answer with great indignation, What haft thou seen in any act of my life, that fhould put thee upon fuch a meffage as this? and avoided the woman his courtiers flung in his way to debauch him. Nay, he would not fee the wife of Darius, famed for the most beautiful princess of the age; which, with his other virtues, made Darius (the last Persian king) to fay, If God has determined to take my empire from me, I wish it into the hands of Alexander, my virtuous enemy. He hated covetoufness; for though he left great conquefts, he left no riches; which made him thus to anfwer one that asked him dying, Where he had hid his treasures; Among my friends, fays he. He was wont to fay, He owed more to his master for his education, than to his father for his birth; by how much it was lefs to live, than to live well.

§. VI. PTOLEMY, fon of Lagus, being reproached for his mean original, and his friends angry that he did not refent it; We ought, fays he, to bear reproaches patiently.

§. VII. XENOPHANES being jeered for refusing to play at a forbidden game, anfwered, I do not fear my money, but my reputation: they that make laws, must keep them. A commendable faying.

§. VIII. ANTIGONUS being taken fick, he said, It was a warning from God to inftruct him of his mortality. VOL. II.

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A poet