To compare Homer and Plato together, two wonders of nature and arte for witte and eloquence, is most pleasant and profitable, for a man of ripe iudgement. Platos turning of Homer in this place, doth not ride a loft in Poeticall termes, but goeth low and soft on foote, as prose and Pedestris oratio should do. If Sulpitius had had Platos consideration, in right
256 The second booke teachyng
vsing this exercise, he had not deserued the name of Tragicus
Orator, who should rather haue studied to expresse vim Demos-
thenis, than furorem Poætæ, how good so euer he was, whom he
did folow.
And therfore would I haue our Scholemaster wey well
together Homer and Plato, and marke diligentlie these foure
pointes, what is kept: what is added: what is left out: what
is changed, either, in choise of wordes, or forme of sentences:
which foure pointes, be the right tooles, to handle like a worke-
man, this kinde of worke: as our Scholer shall better vnder-
stand, when he hath bene a good while in the Vniuersitie:
to which tyme and place, I chiefly remitte this kinde of exercise.
And bicause I euer thought examples to be the best kinde
of teaching, I will recite a golden sentence out of that Poete,
which is next vnto Homer, not onelie in tyme, but also in
worthines: which hath bene a paterne for many worthie
wittes to follow, by this kind of Metaphrasis, but I will content
my selfe, with foure workemen, two in Greke, and two in Latin,
soch, as in both the tonges, wiser & worthier, can not be looked
for. Surelie, no stone set in gold by most cunning workemen,
is in deed, if right counte be made, more worthie the looking
on, than this golden sentence, diuerslie wrought vpon, by soch
foure excellent Masters.
Hesiodus. 2.
1. outos men panariotos, os auto panta noese,
phrassamenos ta k epeita kai es telos esin ameino:
2. esthlos d au kakeinos, os eu eiponti pithetai,
3. os de ke met autos noee, met allou akouon
en thymo balletai, o d aut achreios aner.
¶ Thus rudelie turned into
base English.
1. That man in wisedome passeth all,
to know the best who hath a head:
2. And meetlie wise eeke counted shall,
who yeildes him selfe to wise mens read:
3. Who hath no witte, nor none will heare,
amongest all fooles the bell may beare.
the ready way to the Latin tong. 257
Sophocles in Antigone.
1. Phem egoge presbeuein poly,
Phynai ton andra pant epiotemes pleon:
2. Ei d oun (philei gar touto me taute repein),
Kai ton legonton eu kalon to manthanein.