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68 Erasmus
expos’d with t other to so many hazzards. Nor
does Homer, that Father of trifles, dissent from
me; who not only call’d all men 1¢ wretched and
full of calamity’, but often his great pattern of
Wisedom, Ulysses, 2‘ Miserable ’ ; Paris, Ajax,
and Achilles no where. And why, I pray? but
that, like a cunning fellow and one that was
his craft’s-master, he did nothing without the
advice of Pallas. In a word he was too wise, and
by that means ran wide of Nature. As therefore
amongst men they are least happy that study
Wisedom, as being in this twice-Fools, that when
they are born men they should yet so far forget
their condition as to affect the life of Gods;
and after the Example of the Gyants, with their
Philosophical gimcracks make a War upon
Nature : so they on the other side seem as little
miserable as is possible, who come nearest to
Beasts and never attempt any thing beyond
Man. Go to then, let’s try how demonstrable
this is; not by Enthymems or the imperfect
Syllogisms of the Stoicks, but by plain, down¬
right and ordinary Examples.
And now, by the immortal Gods! I think
1 SerXods rai pox@npods. 2 SvaTnvov.