Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/369

THE LOVER OF GLORY. 365 imitation the men that have been celebrated by the pens of all men, such as Aristides, Phocion, Socrates, Epaminondas, Scipio Africanus, Cato Senior, and Cato of Utica, and Marcus Brutus, and the like, who both by war and peace studied to deserve as well as possible of the commonwealth. This is the fertile field of glory. Ph. But among those famous men, Aristides suffered banishment for ten years, Phocion and Socrates drank poison, Epaminondas was accused of treason, and so was Scipio ; Cato the Elder being accused was obliged to plead forty times in his own defence ; Cato of Utica killed himself, and so did Brutus. But I would have glory without envy. Sy. Ay, but that is more than Jupiter granted even to Hercules himself ; for after he had tamed so many monsters, last of all he had Hydra to engage with, and that was the longest engagement of them all. Ph. I would neither envy Hercules the glories of his labours ; I only account them happy men that obtain a good name not sullied with envy.

Sy. I perceive you would have a pleasant life, and for that reason are afraid of envy ; nor are you in the wrong, for that is one of the worst of monsters. Ph. It is so. Sy. Then live a private life. Ph. But that is to be dead, and not to live. Sy. I understand what von would be at ; you would walk in the sun and have no shadow. Ph. That is impossible. Sy. And so it is equally impossible to obtain glory and be free from envy ; glory accompanies well-doing, and so does envy glory. Ph. But the old comedian tells us that glory may be with- out envy, saying, Ita ut facillime sine invidia laudem invenias et amicos pares. Sy. If you will be content with that praise which young Pamphilus gained by obsequiousness and agreeableness of humour, you may from the same place fetch the method of obtaining what you desire so earnestly. Remember in everything, ne quid nimis [not to overdo anything] but yet mediocriter omnia [all things with moderation] ; be easy in bearing with the manners of other persons, taking no notice of small faults ; and do not be obstinate and tenacious of your own opinion, but be conformable to the tempers of others ; do not contradict any one, but be obliging to all. Ph. Many persons have a mighty affection for youth, and so it is no hard matter to obtain such praise as that. That which I would have is a certain gloriousness of name that should ring all the world over, that should increase in illustriousness as I do in age, and be most renowned after my death. Sy. I commend the greatness of your mind, Philodoxus ; but if you are ambitious of a glory that proceeds from virtue, it is the chiefest virtue to be regardless of glory, and the highest commendation not to aspire after praise, which follows them most that endeavour to shun it. Therefore you ought to take care, lest the more strenuously you pursue it, the more you be frustrated of it. Ph. I am not an insensible Stoic ; I am subject to human affec- tions. Sy. If you acknowledge yourself to be a man, and do not refuse to submit to those things that are human, why do you pursue those things which are denied even to God himself ? for you know that saying of Theociitus, that was as truly as it was wittily said, Jovem nee pluvium, nee serenum, placere omnibus, that Jupiter does not please all men, either when he sends rain or fair weather.

Ph. Perhaps there is no fire but there is some smoke; but yet there are some things that are without smoke. Although it be impossible for