OF KING CR^SUS AND
place. " sorsoth (quoth he) that is Cleobis and Bito, which were Argiues, and liued a contented life. And in all pastimes to proue force and maifterie, they bare away the prife and viftorie. And of them these thinges be remembred ; when the feaftfull day of luppiter was celebrated amonges the Argiues; their mother fhould be caried to the Temple in a Chariot, drawen with a yoke of Oxen, which were not come out of the countrie at the appointed time. The yonge men feinge that the hower was come, entred into the yoke themfelues, and drewe the chariotte the space of XLV. ftades to the Temple. After this acte feene of all the people there, th'ende of their life was such, as certainly God gaue to vnderftaiid by them, that better it is to die, then Hue. for the Argiues that were af- fembled about Bito and Cleobis, with moutes and acclamations, praised the good willes of those children, and the women them- selues said, 'That happie was the mother, which brought sorth such lineage/ Their mother then ioyfull for that fact, and of the reputation of her sonnes, kneeled downe besore the Image of luno, humbly befeechinge her to giue her sonnes the thinge that were beft for a man to attaine vnto. Her prayer ended, fhe made her facrifice, which done, the two yonge men prefently died in the temple. In token of whose noble Hues, the Argiues erected two Images at Delphos." And to them Solon appointed the second place of bliffulnes. Craefus moued with these words, said vnto Solon. "Thou straunger of Athens, is our felicitie in such litle reputation with thee that thou doest preferre besore vs these priuate men ? " Solon aunswered : "Sir fhal I assure you of humaine things, knowing that God enuieth the state of men, and troubleth them so often : in length of time many thinges be feen, which men would not fee, and many thinges be fuflfred, that men would not suffer. Let vs affigne to mans life the terme of LXX. yeres : in which yeares are the nomber of XXV.M.CC. dayes, in which com putation the leape moneth, which is February, is not comprehend ed. But if you wil that other yeres be longer, by reason of that moneth, to th' end the howers may be adioyned to them, that want then the leape monethes, maketh the time to amount (aboue LXX. yeares) to xxv. monethes, and the dayes of those monethes amount to M.V.C. But admit that LXX. yeares with their leape monethes, be
THE
