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Now it is but just to recommend the generosity of this woman,
1
because when the king had forbidden her to use that art whence her circumstances
were bettered and improved, and when she had never seen the king before,
she still did not remember to his disadvantage that he had condemned her
sort of learning, and did not refuse him as a stranger, and one that she
had had no acquaintance with; but she had compassion upon him, and comforted
him, and exhorted him to do what he was greatly averse to, and offered
him the only creature she had, as a poor woman, and that earnestly, and
with great humanity, while she had no requital made her for her kindness,
nor hunted after any future favor from him, for she knew he was to die;
whereas men are naturally either ambitious to please those that bestow
benefits upon them, or are very ready to serve those from whom they may
receive some advantage. It would be well therefore to imitate the example
and to do kindnesses to all such as are in want and to think that nothing
is better, nor more becoming mankind, than such a general beneficence,
nor what will sooner render God favorable, and ready to bestow good things
upon us. And so far may suffice to have spoken concerning this woman. But
I shall speak further upon another subject, which will afford me all opportunity
of discoursing on what is for the advantage of cities, and people, and
nations, and suited to the taste of good men, and will encourage them all
in the prosecution of virtue; and is capable of showing them the of acquiring
glory, and an everlasting fame; and of imprinting in the kings of nations,
and the rulers of cities, great inclination and diligence of doing well;
as also of encouraging them to undergo dangers, and to die for their countries,
and of instructing them how to despise all the most terrible adversities:
and I have a fair occasion offered me to enter on such a discourse by Saul
the king of the Hebrews; for although he knew what was coming upon him,
and that he was to die immediately, by the prediction of the prophet, he
did not resolve to fly from death, nor so far to indulge the love of life
as to betray his own people to the enemy, or to bring a disgrace on his
royal dignity; but exposing himself, as well as all his family and children,
to dangers, he thought it a brave thing to fall together with them, as
he was fighting for his subjects, and that it was better his sons should
die thus, showing their courage, than to leave them to their uncertain
conduct afterward, while, instead of succession and posterity, they gained
commendation and a lasting name. Such a one alone seems to me to be a just,
a courageous, and a prudent man; and when any one has arrived at these
dispositions, or shall hereafter arrive at them, he is the man that ought
to be by all honored with the testimony of a virtuous or courageous man:
for as to those that go out to war with hopes of success, and that they
shall return safe, supposing they should have performed some glorious action,
I think those do not do well who call these valiant men, as so many historians
and other writers who treat of them are wont to do, although I confess
those do justly deserve some commendation also; but those only may be styled
courageous and bold in great undertakings, and despisers of adversities,
who imitate Saul: for as for those that do not know what the event of war
will be as to themselves, and though they do not faint in it, but deliver
themselves up to uncertain futurity, and are tossed this way and that way,
this is not so very eminent an instance of a generous mind, although they
happen to perform many great exploits; but when men's minds expect no good
event, but they know beforehand they must die, and that they must undergo
that death in the battle also, after this neither to be aftrighted, nor
to be astonished at the terrible fate that is coming, but to go directly
upon it, when they know it beforehand, this it is that I esteem the character
of a man truly courageous. Accordingly this Saul did, and thereby demonstrated
that all men who desire fame after they are dead are so to act as they
may obtain the same: this especially concerns kings, who ought not to think
it enough in their high stations that they are not wicked in the government
of their subjects, but to be no more than moderately good to them. I could
say more than this about Saul and his courage, the subject affording matter
sufficient; but that I may not appear to run out improperly in his commendation,
I return again to that history from which I made this digression.