induced the same to plunge and lose it selfe in his,
which likewise having seized all his will, brought
it to lose and plunge it selfe in mine, with a mutuall
greedinesse, and with a semblable concurrance.
I may truly say, lose, reserving nothing unto us,
that might properly be called our owne, nor that was
either his or mine. When Lelius in the presence
of the Romane Consuls, who after the condemnation of
Tiberius Gracchus, pursued all those that had beene
of his acquaintance, came to enquire of Caius Blosius
(who was one of his chiefest friends) what he would
have done for him, and that he answered, “All
things.” “What, all things?”
replied he. “And what if he had willed
thee to burne our Temples?” Blosius answered,
“He would never have commanded such a thing.”
“But what if he had done it?” replied
Lelius. The other answered, “I would have
obeyed him.” If hee were so perfect a friend
to Gracchus as Histories report, he needed not offend
the Consuls with this last and bold confession, and
should not have departed from the assurance hee had
of Gracchus his minde. But yet those who accuse
this answer as seditious, understand not well this
mysterie: and doe not presuppose in what termes
he stood, and that he held Gracchus his will in his
sleeve, both by power and knowledge. They were
rather friends than Citizens, rather friends than
enemies of their countrey, or friends of ambition
and trouble. Having absolutely committed themselves
one to another, they perfectly held the reines of
one anothers inclination: and let this yoke be
guided by vertue and conduct of reason (because without
them it is altogether impossible to combine and proportion
the same). The answer of Blosius was such as it
should be. If their affections miscarried, according
to my meaning, they were neither friends one to other,
nor friends to themselves. As for the rest, this
answer sounds no more than mine would doe, to him that
would in such sort enquire of me; if your will should
command you to kill your daughter, would you doe it?
and that I should consent unto it: for, that
beareth no witnesse of consent to doe it: because
I am not in doubt of my will, and as little of such
a friends will. It is not in the power of the
worlds discourse to remove me from the certaintie
I have of his intentions and judgments of mine:
no one of its actions might be presented unto me,
under what shape soever, but I would presently finde
the spring and motion of it. Our mindes have
jumped [Footnote: Agreed.] so unitedly together,
they have with so fervent an affection considered
of each other, and with like affection so discovered
and sounded, even to the very bottome of each others
heart and entrails, that I did not only know his, as
well as mine owne, but I would (verily) rather have
trusted him concerning any matter of mine, than my
selfe. Let no man compare any of the other common
friendships to this. I have as much knowledge
of them as another, yea of the perfectest of their