4. But ordinarily men are mistaken in the matter of their happiness, because they do not hearken to and ⟨p. 11⟩consider what is spoken to them about true happiness. Famous is that story of Croesus among the Heathens, he was a King of a great Country, and tumbled in his Gold and Silver, and Solon, that Wise man of Greece, coming into his Country, he desired to speak with him, and when he saw him, after Solon had seen and viewed all his wealth and glory, he asked him, Whom he thought to be the most happy man in the world. Imagining that Solon would have said Croesus. But Solon answered, I think Tellus was the most happy man;1 Tellus saith he, why Tellus? because said Solon, he having Governed the Commonwealth well, and brought up his child honestly and religiously, he dyed honourably. Well then said Croesus, but who dost thou think is the second happy man in the world? I think said he, those two Brothers, that instead of Horses, drew their Mother in a Chariot to the Temple. Whereupon said Croesus, what thinkest thou of me? I think says he, thou art a very rich man; but a man may be happy though he be poor, and a man may be unhappy though he be rich, for he may lose all his riches before he dye; and therefore, ante obitum nemo, I think none truly happy, but he that lives well, and dyes well; whereupon that Wise man Solon was dismissed the Court with neglect: but afterward this Croesus making war against Cyrus, he was overcome by Cyrus, and being taken Captive he was laid upon a Pile of Wood to be burned to death, then lying on the Pile of Wood, he cried out and said, O ⟨p. 12⟩Solon, Solon. Cyrus enquiring what he meant, then he said, this Solon was a Wise man of Greece, that told me, that happiness did not consist in riches, for they might all be lost, and a rich man might dye miserable, whose words said he, I then neglected, but now I find true, and therefore now I cry out and say, O Solon, Solon. And truly thus it is at this day, Preachers call upon men, and tell them, that our happiness lies not in these outward things, and they do not regard it. But there is a time a coming when men will cry out and say, O Solon, Solon; but for the present men will not hear and consider where their happiness lies, and therefore they are thus mistaken in the matter of their happiness.
4. But ordinarily men are mistaken in the matter of their happiness, because they do not hearken to and ⟨p. 11⟩consider what is spoken to them about true happiness. Famous is that story of Craesus among the Heathens, he was a King of a great Country, and tumbled in his Gold and Silver, and Solon, that Wiseman of Greece, coming into his Country, he desired to speak with him, and when he saw him, after Solon had seen and viewed all his wealth and glory, he asked him, Whom he thought to be the most happy man in the world. Imagining that Solon would have said Craesus. But Solon answered, I think Tellus was the most happy man;1 Tellus saith he, why Tellus? because said Solon, he having Governed the Commonwealth well, and brought up his child honestly and religiously, he dyed honourably. Well then said Craesus, but who dost thou think is the second happy man in the world? I think said he, those two Brothers, that instead of Horses, drew their Mother in a Chariot to the Temple. Whereupon said Craesus, what thinkest thou of me? I think says he, thou art a very rich man; but a man may be happy though he be poor, and a man may be unhappy though he be rich, for he may lose all his riches before he dye; and therefore, ante obitum nemo, I think none truly happy, but he that lives well, and dyes well; whereupon that Wiseman Solon was dismissed the Court with neglect: but afterward this Craesus making war against Cyrus, he was overcome by Cyrus, and being taken Captive he was laid upon a Pile of Wood to be burned to death, then lying on the Pile of Wood, he cryed out and said, O ⟨p. 12⟩Solon, Solon. Cyrus enquiring what he meant, then he said, this Solon was a Wiseman of Greece, that told me, that happiness did not consist in riches, for they might all be lost, and a rich man might dye miserable, whose words said he, I then neglected, but now I find true, and therefore now I cry out and say, O Solon, Solon. And truely thus it is at this day, Preachers call upon men, and tell them, that our happiness lyes not in these outward things, and they doe not regard it. But there is a time a coming when men will cry out and say, O Solon, Solon; but for the present men will not hear and consider where their happiness lyes, and therefore they are thus mistaken in the matter of their happiness.
- 1[Greek or Hebrew], vide Herodotus. ••b. 1.〈non-Latin alphabet〉, vide Herodotus. ••b. 1.
