Moral Philosophy.

Ethica.

This Life is a way,
or a place divided into two ways,
like
Pythagoras’s Letter Y.
broad, 1.
on the left hand track;
narrow, 2. on the right;
that belongs to Vice, 3.
this to Vertue, 4.		Vita hæc est via,
sive Bivium,
simile
Litteræ Pithagoricæ Y.
latum, 1.
sinistro tramite
angustum, 2. dextro;
ille Vitii, 3.
est his Virtutis, 4.
Mind, Young Man, 5.
imitate Hercules:
leave the left hand way,
turn from Vice;
the Entrance, 6. is fair,
but the End, 7.
is ugly and steep down.		Adverte juvenis, 5.
imitare Herculem;
linque sinistram,
aversare Vitium;
Aditus speciosus, 6.
sed Exitus, 7.
turpis & præceps.
Go on the right hand,
though it be thorny, 8.
no way is unpassible
to vertue; follow whither
vertue leadeth
through narrow places
to stately palaces,
to the Tower of honour, 9.		Dextera ingredere,
utut spinosa, 8.
nulla via invia
virtuti; sequere quâ
viâ ducit virtus
per angusta,
ad augusta,
ad Arcem honoris, 9.
Keep the middle
and streight path,
and thou shalt go very safe.		Tene medium
& rectum tramitem;
ibis tutissimus.
Take heed thou do not go
too much on the right hand, 10.		Cave excedas
ad dextram, 10.
Bridle in, 12.
the wild Horse, 11. of Affection,
lest thou fall down headlong.		Compesce freno, 12.
equum ferocem, 11. Affectûs
ne præceps fias.
See thou dost not
go amiss on the left hand, 13.
in an ass-like sluggishness, 14.
but go onwards constantly,
persevere to the end,
and thou shalt be crown’d, 15.		Cave
deficias ad sinistram, 13.
segnitie asininâ, 14.
sed progredere constanter
pertende ad finem,
& coronaberis, 15.

[ CX.]

Prudence.

Prudentia.

Prudence, 1.
looketh upon all things
as a Serpent, 2.
and doeth, speaketh, or
thinketh nothing in vain.		Prudentia, 1.
circumspectat omnia
ut Serpens, 2.
agitque, loquitur, aut
cogitat nihil incassum.
She looks backwards, 3.
as into a Looking-glass, 4.
to things past;
and seeth before her, 5.
as with a Perspective-glass, 7.
things to come,
or the End, 6.
and so she perceiveth
what she hath done, and
what remaineth to be done.		Respicit, 3.
tanquam in Speculum, 4.
ad præterita;
& prospicit, 5.
tanquam Telescopio, 7.
Futura,
seu Finem, 6.
atque ita perspicit
quid egerit, &
quid restet agendum.
She proposeth
an Honest, Profitable
and withal, if it may be done,
a Pleasant End,
to her Actions.[*]		Actionibus suis[*]
præfigit Scopum,
Honestum, Utilem,
simulque, si fieri potest,
Jucundum.
Having foreseen the End,
she looketh out Means,
as a Way, 8.
which leadeth to the End;
but such as are certain
and easie, and fewer
rather than more,
lest anything should hinder.		Fine prospecto,
dispicit Media,
ceu Viam, 8.
quæ ducit ad finem,
sed certa
& facilia; pauciora
potiùs quàm plura,
ne quid impediat.
She watcheth Opportunity, 9.
(which having
a bushy fore-head, 10.
and being bald-pated, 11.
and moreover
having wings, 12.
doth quickly slip away,)
and catcheth it.		Attendit Occasioni, 9.
(quæ
Fronte Capillata, 10.
sed vertice calva, 11.
adhæc
alata, 12.
facile elabitur)
eamque captat.
She goeth on her way
warily,
for fear she should stumble
or go amiss.		In viâ pergit
cautè (providè)
ne impingat
aut aberret.

[ CXI.]