On the fable of Hercules sailing over the ocean in an earthen pot,
see _Sap. Vet._, vol. x. p. 335. And concerning the Greek fable, see
Schneidewin, _Del. Poes._ Gr., p. 329.
Essay VI. Of Simulation and Dissimulation.--See _Antitheta_, No. 32. vol.
viii. p. 370.
"Arts of state and arts of life, as Tacitus well calleth them."] Mr.
Markby does not trace this allusion, which is not obvious.
Essay VII. Of Parents and Children.--See _Antitheta_, No. 5. vol. viii.
p. 356.
"The Italians make little difference between children and nephews, or
near kinsfolk."] Query, What ground is there for this assertion?
"Generally the precept is good: 'Optimum elige, suave et facile illud
faciet consuetudo.'"] Query, Who is the author of this precept?
Essay VIII. Of Marriage and Single Life.--See _Antitheta_, No. 5. vol.
viii. p. 356.
The answer of Thales concerning marriage is also given in Plut. _Symp._
iii. 3.
Essay IX. Of Envy.--See _Antitheta_, No. 16. vol. viii. p. 362.
"The Scripture calleth envy an evil eye."] Lord Bacon appears to allude
to James iv. 5.: "Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain, the
Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?"
"Non est curiosus, quin idem sit malevolus."] From Plautus, _Stich._ 1.
3. v. 55. "Nam curiosus nemo est, quin sit malevolus."
"Therefore it was well said, 'Invidia festos dies non agit.'"] Whence is
this saying taken? It occurs likewise in the _Antitheta_.
Essay X. Of Love.--See _Antitheta_, No. 36. vol. viii. p. 373.
"It hath been well said, that the arch-flatterer, with whom all the petty
flatterers have intelligence, is a man's self."] Query, From whom is this
saying quoted?
"It was well said, that it is impossible to love and to be wise."]
Mr. Markby cites a verse of Publius Syrus, "Amare et sapere vix Deo
conceditur." Compare Menander, _Andria_, Fragm. 1., and Ovid, _Met._ ii.
846.: "Non bene conveniunt, nec in unâ sede morantur, Majestas et amor."
"I know not how, but martial men are given to love."] Aristotle (_Pol._
ii. 9.) has the same remark, adding that there was good reason for the
fable which made Venus the spouse of Mars.
Essay XI. Of Great Place.--See _Antitheta_, No. 7. vol. viii. p. 357.
"Cum non sis qui fueris, non esse cur velis vivere."] Whatever may be the
source of this quotation, the sense seems to require _est_ for _esse_.
"It is most true that was anciently spoken: 'A place showeth the man.'"]
The allusion is to the celebrated Greek proverb "ἀρχὴ ἄνδρα δείκνυσι,"
attributed to Bias, Solon, Pittacus, and others. See Diogenianus, _Prov._
ii. 94., with the note of Leutsch and Schneidewin.
Essay XII. Of Boldness.--See _Antitheta_, No. 33. vol. viii. p. 371.
"Question was asked of Demosthenes," &c.] See _Cic. de Orat._ iii. 56.;
_Brut._ 38.; _Plut. Vit. X. Orat._ c. 8. By the Greek word ὑπόκρισις, and
the Latin word _actio_, in this anecdote, is meant all that belongs to
the _acting_ or _delivery_ of a speech. Bacon appears, by his following
remarks, not to include elocution in _actio_; which was certainly not
Cicero's understanding of the word.
"If the hill will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet will go to the hill."]
Query, What is the authority for this well-known story?