Essay XXVI. Of seeming wise.—
"Magno conatu nugas.">[ From Terence, Heaut. iii. 5. 8.: "Ne ista, hercle, magno jam conatu magnas nugas dixerit."
Essay XXVII. Of Friendship.—
"Epimenides the Candian.">[ Bacon calls the ancient Cretan priest Epimenides a "Candian," as Machiavel speaks of the capture of Rome by the "Francesi" under Brennus. Mr. Pashley, in his Travels in Crete, vol. i. p. 189., shows that Candia is a name unknown in the island; and that among the natives its ancient denomination is still in use. The name Candia has been propagated over Europe from the Italian usage.
"The Latin adage meeteth with it a little: 'Magna civitas, magna solitudo.'">[ See Erasm. Adag., p. 1293. It is taken from a verse of a Greek comic poet, which referred to the city of Megalopolis in Arcadia: "Ἐρημία μεγάλη 'στὶν ἡ Μεγάλη πόλις."—Strab. viii. 8. § 1.
"The Roman name attaineth the true use and cause thereof, naming them 'participes curarum.'">[ To what examples of this expression does Bacon refer?
"The parable of Pythagoras is dark, but true: 'Cor ne edito.'">[ Concerning this Pythagorean precept, see Diog., Laert. viii. 17, 18., cum not.
The saying of Themistocles is repeated in Apophthegms, No. 199. p. 392.
The saying of Heraclitus is repeated, Apophthegms, No. 268.; De Sap. Vet., vol. xi. p. 346. It is alluded to in Nov. Org., ii. 32.: "Quicquid enim abducit intellectum a consuetis, æquat et complanat aream ejus, ad recipiendum lumen siccum et purum notionum verarum."
"It was a sparing speech of the ancients, to say that a friend is another himself.">[ See Aristot., Mag. Mor. ii. 11.: "Μία φανὲν ψυχὴ ἡ ἐμὴ καὶ ἡ τούτου;" and again, c. 15.: "Τοιοῦτος οἷος ἕτερος εἶναι ἐγὼ, ἀν γε καὶ σφόδρα φίλον τοιήσῃς, ὥσπερ τὸ λεγόμενον 'ἄλλος οὗτος Ἡρακλῆς,' 'ἄλλος φίλος ἐγώ.'" Eth. Eud. vii. 12.: "Ὁ γὰρ φίλος βούλεται εἶναι, ὥσπερ ἡ παροιμία φησὶν, ἄλλος Ἠρακλῆς, ἄλλος οὗτος."