it, riot maintains it, idleness nourisheth it, &c. which makes [4788] Gordonius the physician cap. 20. part. 2. call this disease the proper passion of nobility.  Now if a weak judgment and a strong apprehension do concur, how, saith Hercules de Saxonia, shall they resist?  Savanarola appropriates it almost to [4789]"monks, friars, and religious persons, because they live solitarily, fair daintily, and do nothing:”  and well he may, for how should they otherwise choose?

Diet alone is able to cause it:  a rare thing to see a young man or a woman that lives idly and fares well, of what condition soever, not to be in love. [4790]Alcibiades was still dallying with wanton young women, immoderate in his expenses, effeminate in his apparel, ever in love, but why? he was over-delicate in his diet, too frequent and excessive in banquets, Ubicunque securitas, ibi libido dominatur; lust and security domineer together, as St. Hierome averreth.  All which the wife of Bath in Chaucer freely justifies,

       For all to sicker, as cold engendreth hail,
        A liquorish tongue must have a liquorish tail.

Especially if they shall further it by choice diet, as many times those Sybarites and Phaeaces do, feed liberally, and by their good will eat nothing else but lascivious meats. [4791]Vinum imprimis generosum, legumen, fabas, radices omnium generum bene conditas, et largo pipere aspersas, carduos hortulanos, lactucas, [4792]erucas, rapas, porros, caepas, nucem piceam, amygdalas dulces, electuaria, syrupos, succos, cochleas, conchas, pisces optime praeparatos, aviculas, testiculos animalium, ova, condimenta diversorum generum, molles lectos, pulvinaria, &c.  Et quicquid fere medici impotentia rei venereae laboranti praescribunt, hoc quasi diasatyrion habent in delitiis, et his dapes multo delicatiores; mulsum, exquisitas et exoticas fruges, aromata, placentas, expressos succos multis ferculis variatos, ipsumque vinum suavitate vincentes, et quicquid culina, pharmacopaea, aut quaeque fere officina subministrare possit.  Et hoc plerumque victu quum se ganeones infarciant, [4793]ut ille ob Chreseida suam, se bulbis et cochleis curavit; etiam ad Venerem se parent, et ad hanc palestram se exerceant, qui fieri possit, ut non misere depereant, [4794]ut non penitus insaniant? Aestuans venter cito despuit in libidinem, Hieronymus ait. [4795]_Post prandia, Callyroenda_.  Quis enim continere se potest? [4796]_Luxuriosa res vinum_, fomentum libidinis vocat Augustinus, blandum daemonem, Bernardus; lac veneris, Aristophanes. Non Aetna, non Vesuvius tantis ardoribus aestuant, ac juveniles medullae vino plenae, addit [4797]Hieronymus:  unde ob optimum vinum Lamsacus olim Priapo sacer:  et venerandi Bacchi socia apud [4798] Orpheum Venus audit.  Haec si vinum simplex, et per se sumptum praestare possit, nam—­[4799]_quo me Bacche rapis tui plenum_? quam non insaniam, quem non furorem a caeteris expectemus? [4800]Gomesius salem enumerat inter ea quae intempstivam libidinem provocare solent, et salatiores fieri foeminas ob esum salis contendit:  Venerem ideo dicunt ab Oceano ortam.