3.03

Hippocrates who cured so many Diseases, was not able to Recover himself: The Chaldeans who foretold other Peoples Death, at last: met with their own. Alexander, Pompey, and Julius Cæsar, who had destroyed so many Towns, and Cut-off so so many Thousands in the Field, were forc'd at last to March off themselves : Heraclitus who argued so much about the Worlds being set on Fire, perish'd himself by a Counter-Element, and was Drown'd in a Dropsy. Democritus was eaten up with 2 Lice, and Socrates was dispatched by another sort of Vermin, 3 And what are these Instances for? Why, to shew what we must all come to. Look you; You are got Abroad, you have made your Voyage and your Port; Debark then without any more ado; if you happen to Land upon another World, there will be Gods enough to take care of you : But if it be your Fortune to drop into nothing; why then your Virtue will be no more solicited with Pleasure and Pain; then you'll have done drudging for your Carcass : whereas as Matters go now, the best Moyety of you has sometimes the worst Office : For if I mistake not, the one is all Soul, and Spirit, whereas the other, is but Dirt, and Putrefaction.

Translator Notes

  1. 2.
    In this story about Democritus, the Emperour seems to be singular.
  2. 3.
    The Informers Anytus and Melitus.