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The Praise of Folly 17 my houshold Servants, and by their faithful Counsels I have subjected all things to my Dominion, and erected an empire over Emperors themselves. Thus have ye had my Lineage, Education, and Companions. And now, lest I may seem to have taken upon me the name of Goddess without cause, you shall in the next place understand how far my Deity extends, and what advantage by ’t I have brought both to Gods and Men. For, if it was not unwisely said by some body, that this only is to be a God, To help Men; and if they are deservedly enroll’d among the Gods that first brought in Corn and Wine and such other things as are for the common good of mankind, why am not I of right the &Aga, or first, of all the gods? who being but one, yet bestow all things on all men. For first, What is more sweet or more precious than Life? And yet from whom can it more properly be said to come than from me? For neither ! the Crab-favour’d Pallas’s spear, nor 2 the Cloudgathering Jupiter’s Shield, either beget, or propagate mankind; But even he himself, the | 6Bpipomdrpns Palladishasta. ? vepednyepérou Jovis agis. 1507 E
