of shame [1676] “because he could not unfold
the fisherman’s riddle.” Sophocles
killed himself, [1677]"for that a tragedy of his was
hissed off the stage:”
Valer. max. lib.
9. cap. 12. Lucretia stabbed herself, and so did
[1678]Cleopatra, “when she saw that she was reserved
for a triumph, to avoid the infamy.” Antonius
the Roman, [1679]"after he was overcome of his enemy,
for three days’ space sat solitary in the fore-part
of the ship, abstaining from all company, even of
Cleopatra herself, and afterwards for very shame butchered
himself,” Plutarch,
vita ejus. Apollonius
Rhodius [1680]"wilfully banished himself, forsaking
his country, and all his dear friends, because he
was out in reciting his poems,” Plinius,
lib.
7. cap. 23. Ajax ran mad, because his arms were
adjudged to Ulysses. In China ’tis an ordinary
thing for such as are excluded in those famous trials
of theirs, or should take degrees, for shame and grief
to lose their wits, [1681]Mat Riccius
expedit.
ad Sinas, l. 3. c. 9. Hostratus the friar took
that book which Reuclin had writ against him, under
the name of
Epist. obscurorum virorum, so to
heart, that for shame and grief he made away with
himself, [1682]_Jovius in elogiis_. A grave and
learned minister, and an ordinary preacher at Alcmar
in Holland, was (one day as he walked in the fields
for his recreation) suddenly taken with a lax or looseness,
and thereupon compelled to retire to the next ditch;
but being [1683]surprised at unawares, by some gentlewomen
of his parish wandering that way, was so abashed,
that he did never after show his head in public, or
come into the pulpit, but pined away with melancholy:
(Pet. Forestus
med. observat. lib. 10. observat.
12.) So shame amongst other passions can play his
prize.
I know there be many base, impudent, brazenfaced rogues,
that will [1684] Nulla pallescere culpa, be
moved with nothing, take no infamy or disgrace to
heart, laugh at all; let them be proved perjured, stigmatised,
convict rogues, thieves, traitors, lose their ears,
be whipped, branded, carted, pointed at, hissed, reviled,
and derided with [1685]Ballio the Bawd in Plautus,
they rejoice at it, Cantores probos; “babe
and Bombax,” what care they? We have too
many such in our times,
------“Exclamat Melicerta perisse
------Frontem de rebus."[1686]
Yet a modest man, one that hath grace, a generous
spirit, tender of his reputation, will be deeply wounded,
and so grievously affected with it, that he had rather
give myriads of crowns, lose his life, than suffer
the least defamation of honour, or blot in his good
name. And if so be that he cannot avoid it, as
a nightingale, Que cantando victa moritur, (saith
[1687]Mizaldus,) dies for shame if another bird sing
better, he languisheth and pineth away in the anguish
of his spirit.
SUBSECT. VII.—Envy, Malice, Hatred,
Causes.