Then I said: "Thou thyself knowest that the ambition of mortal things
hath borne as little sway with me as with any, but I desired matter of
action, lest old age should come upon me ere I had done anything." To
which she answered: "This is the only thing which is able to entice such
minds as, being well qualified by nature, are not yet fully brought to
full excellence by the perfecting of virtues, I mean desire of glory,
and fame of best deserts towards their commonwealth, which how slender
it is, and void of all weight, consider this: thou hast learnt by
astronomical demonstrations that the compass of the whole earth compared
to the scope of heaven is no bigger than a pin's point, which is as much
as to say that, if it be conferred with the greatness of the celestial
sphere, it hath no bigness at all. And of this so small a region in the
world only the fourth part is known to be inhabited by living creatures
known to us, as Ptolemy[117] proveth. From which fourth part, if thou
takest away in imagination the seas, the marsh grounds, and all other
desert places, there will scarcely be left any room at all for men to
inhabit. Wherefore, enclosed and shut up in this smallest point of that
other point, do you think of extending your fame and enlarging your
name? But what great or heroical matter can that glory have, which is
pent up in so small and narrow bounds? Besides that the little compass
of this small habitation is inhabited by many nations, different in
language, fashions, and conversation, to which by reason of the
difficulties in travelling, the diversity of speech, and the scarcity of
traffic, not only the Fame of particular men but even of cities can
hardly come. Finally, in the age of Marcus Tullius, as he himself
writeth,[118] the fame of the Roman Commonwealth had not passed the
mountain Caucasus, and yet it was then in the most flourishing estate,
fearful even to the Parthians and to the rest of the nations about.
Seest thou therefore how strait and narrow that glory is which you
labour to enlarge and increase? Where the fame of the Roman name could
not pass, can the glory of a Roman man penetrate? Moreover, the customs
and laws of diverse nations do so much differ the one from the other,
that the same thing which some commend as laudable, others condemn as
deserving punishment. So that if a man be delighted with the praise of
fame, it is no way convenient for him to be named in many countries.
Wherefore, every man must be content with that glory which he may have
at home, and that noble immortality of fame must be comprehended within
the compass of one nation.
Now, how many, most famous while they lived, are altogether forgotten
for want of writers! Though what do writings themselves avail which
perish, as well as their authors, by continuance and obscurity of time?
But you imagine that you make yourselves immortal when you cast your
eyes upon future fame. Whereas, if thou weighest attentively the
infinite spaces of eternity, what cause hast thou to rejoice at the
prolonging of thy name? For if we compare the stay of one moment with
ten thousand years, since both be limited, they have some proportion,
though it be but very small. But this number of years, how oft so ever
it be multiplied, is no way comparable to endless eternity. For limited
things may in some sort be compared among themselves, but that which is
infinite admitteth no comparison at all with the limited. So that the
fame of never so long time, if it be compared with everlasting eternity,
seemeth not little but none at all. But without popular blasts and vain
rumours you know not how to do well, and, rejecting the excellency of a
good conscience and of virtue, you choose to be rewarded with others'
tattling. Hear how pleasantly one jested at this vain and contemptible
arrogancy. For having assaulted with reproachful speeches a certain
fellow who had falsely taken upon him the name of a philosopher, not for
the use of virtue but for vainglory, and having added that now he would
know whether he were a philosopher or no by his gentle and patient
bearing of injuries, the other took all patiently for a while, and
having borne his contumely, as it were, triumphing, said: 'Dost thou now
at length think me a philosopher?' To which he bitingly replied: 'I
would have thought thee one if thou hadst holden thy peace.' But what
have excellent men (for of these I speak) who seek for glory by virtue,
what have we, I say, to expect for these by fame after final death hath
dissolved the body? For if, contrary to our belief, men wholly perish,
there is no glory at all, since he to whom it is said to belong is
nowhere extant. But if a guiltless mind freed from earthly imprisonment
goeth forthwith to heaven, will she not despise all earthly traffic who,
enjoying heaven, rejoiceth to see herself exempted from earthly affairs?
[117] Claudius Ptolemaeus, mathematician, astronomer, geographer, fl.
A.D. 139-161.
[118] Cf. _Somn. Scip._ 6. 14 ap. Macr. _Comment._ ii. 10.