Gleanings of antiquities / By John Beaumont, Gent.

  • Beaumont, John, -1731.
Date:
1724
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Gleanings of antiquities / By John Beaumont, Gent. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    169/226 (page 155)
    for the general Council of: Greece, are faid to have caufed thole two fhort Sentences, and this other, he that anfwers pays, to be writ on the Gates of the Pythian Apollo ; as Plutarch tells us in his Difcourfe concerning Jipeaking too much. Plutarch alfo, in the Confolation he fent to Apollo¬ nius on the Death of his Son, writes thus : There are two Precepts writ in the Temple of Apollo at Delphos, very neceffary for Human Life; the one is. Knowyourfelf; the other.Nothing too much: for on thefe tw'o Precepts all the others depend. And thefe two are confonant and agree together, explaining each other as much as poffible 5 for in know yourfelf, nothing too much is contained ; and in nothing too much, know yourfelf is comprized : and therefore the Poet Ion, fpeaking of thefe two Precepts, fays thus : Know yourfelf, is eafily faid. But not fo eafy to be done; For none among the Gods above This under(lands, but Jove alone. And Pindarus fays, the Wife greatly admire this Saying, Nothing in excefs. He therefore wdio (hall always have fuch a Reve¬ rence for thefe two Precepts, as ought to be fhowni the Oracle of Apollo, will eafily apply them to all the Affairs of Human Life, and know how to carry himfelf dextroully and modeftly, having regard to Human Nature ; and not be puft up with \ a in'* Glory for any thing that might happen, nor be too much dejedted, defolate, and afHibted thro? a Weak- nefs of Mind, adverfe Fortune, or the fear of Death, which make an Xmprefhon on our Hearts for want of well knowing and confidering what ufually hap¬ pens in the Life of Man, through Neceflity and the Difpofition of Fate, So Euripides, X 2 Who