epi. 58. Wherefore hath our mother the earth brought
out poisons, saith [2764]Pliny, in so great a quantity,
but that men in distress might make away themselves?
which kings of old had ever in a readiness, ad
incerta fortunae venenum sub custode promptum,
Livy writes, and executioners always at hand.
Speusippes being sick was met by Diogenes, and carried
on his slaves’ shoulders, he made his moan to
the philosopher; but I pity thee not, quoth Diogenes,
qui cum talis vivere sustines, thou mayst be
freed when thou wilt, meaning by death. [2765]Seneca
therefore commends Cato, Dido, and Lucretia, for their
generous courage in so doing, and others that voluntarily
die, to avoid a greater mischief, to free themselves
from misery, to save their honour, or vindicate their
good name, as Cleopatra did, as Sophonisba, Syphax’s
wife did, Hannibal did, as Junius Brutus, as Vibius
Virus, and those Campanian senators in Livy (Dec.
3. lib. 6.) to escape the Roman tyranny, that
poisoned themselves. Themistocles drank bull’s
blood, rather than he would fight against his country,
and Demosthenes chose rather to drink poison, Publius
Crassi filius, Censorius and Plancus, those
heroical Romans to make away themselves, than to fall
into their enemies’ hands. How many myriads
besides in all ages might I remember, qui sibi lethum
Insontes pepperere manu, &c. [2766]Rhasis in the
Maccabees is magnified for it, Samson’s death
approved. So did Saul and Jonas sin, and many
worthy men and women, quorum memoria celebratur
in Ecclesia, saith [2767]Leminchus, for killing
themselves to save their chastity and honour, when
Rome was taken, as Austin instances, l. 1. de Civit.
Dei, cap. 16. Jerome vindicateth the same in Ionam
and Ambrose, l. 3. de virginitate commendeth
Pelagia for so doing. Eusebius, lib. 8. cap.
15. admires a Roman matron for the same fact to
save herself from the lust of Maxentius the Tyrant.
Adelhelmus, abbot of Malmesbury, calls them Beatas
virgines quae sic, &c. Titus Pomponius Atticus,
that wise, discreet, renowned Roman senator, Tully’s
dear friend, when he had been long sick, as he supposed,
of an incurable disease, vitamque produceret ad
augendos dolores, sine spe salutis, was resolved
voluntarily by famine to despatch himself to be rid
of his pain; and when as Agrippa, and the rest of
his weeping friends earnestly besought him, osculantes
obsecrarent ne id quod natura cogeret, ipse acceleraret,
not to offer violence to himself, “with a settled
resolution he desired again they would approve of
his good intent, and not seek to dehort him from it:”
and so constantly died, precesque eorum taciturna
sua obstinatione depressit. Even so did Corellius
Rufus, another grave senator, by the relation of Plinius
Secundus, epist. lib. 1. epist. 12. famish
himself to death; pedibus correptus cum incredibiles
cruciatus et indignissima tormenta pateretur, a cibis