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THE ANATOMY OF MELANCHOLY
upon our adversary's head." "For if you put up wrong" (as Chrysostom comments), "you get the
victory; he that loseth his money, loseth not the conquest in this our philosophy." If he contend
with thee, submit thyself unto him first, yield to him. Durum et durum non faciunt murum, as the
diverb is, two refractory spirits will never agree, the only means to overcome is to relent,
obsequio vinces. Euclid in Plutarch, when his brother had angered him, swore he would be
revenged; but he gently replied, "Let me not live if I do not make thee to love me again," upon
which meek answer he was pacified.
"Flectitur obsequio curvatus ab arbore ramus,
Frangis si vires experire tuas."
"A branch if easily bended yields to thee,
Pull hard it breaks: the difference you see."
The noble family of the Colonni in Rome, when they were expelled the city by that
furious Alexander the Sixth, gave the bending branch therefore as an impress, with this motto,
Flecti potest, frangi non potest, to signify that he might break them by force, but so never make
them stoop, for they fled in the midst of their hard usage to the kingdom of Naples, and were
honourably entertained by Frederick the king, according to their callings. Gentleness in this case
might have done much more, and let thine adversary be never so perverse, it may be by that
means thou mayst win him; favore et benevolentia etiam immanis animus mansuescit, soft
words pacify wrath, and the fiercest spirits are so soonest overcome; a generous lion will not hurt
a beast that lies prostrate, nor an elephant an innocuous creature, but is infestus infestis, a terror
and scourge alone to such as are stubborn, and make resistance. It was the symbol of Emanuel
Philibert, Duke of Savoy, and he was not mistaken in it, for
"Quo quisque est major, magis est placabilis iræ,
Et faciles motus mens generosa capit."
"A greater man is soonest pacified,
A noble spirit quickly satisfied."
It is reported by Gualter Mapes, an old historiographer of ours (who lived 400 years
since), that King Edward senior, and Llewellyn prince of Wales, being at an interview near Aust
upon Severn, in Gloucestershire, and the prince sent for, refused to come to the king; he would
needs go over to him; which Llewellyn perceiving, "went up to the arms in water, and embracing
his boat, would have carried him out upon his shoulders, adding that his humility and wisdom
had triumphed over his pride and folly," and thereupon he was reconciled unto him and did his
homage. If thou canst not so win him, put it up, if thou beest a true Christian, a good divine, an
imitator of Christ, ("for he was reviled and put it up, whipped and sought no revenge,") thou wilt
pray for thine enemies, "and bless them that persecute thee;" be patient, meek, humble, &c. An
honest man will not offer thee injury, probus non vult; if he were a brangling knave, 'tis his
fashion so to do; where is least heart is most tongue; quo quisque stultior, eo magis insolescit,
the more sottish he is, still the more insolent: "Do not answer a fool according to his folly." If he
be thy superior, bear it by all means, grieve not at it, let him take his course; Anitus and Melitus
"may kill me, they cannot hurt me;" as that generous Socrates made answer in like case. Mens
immota manet, though the body be torn in pieces with wild horses, broken on the wheel, pinched
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