Axiochus (Spenser) (Modernized)/Axiochus (Modernized)

by Plato

[Modernized]
Axiochus of
Plato, or a Dialogue
of Death, being both short
and very Elegant.

 

Socrates Clinias. Axiochus.

S I went one day to my common school Lynofargus, and being in the way by Elizeus, I might hear the voice of one calling aloud to me, Socrates. And turning me about to see whence it came, I saw Clinias Axiochus his son, together with Damon the Musician & Charmides, the son of Glauco running hastily toward Callirrhoe, whereof the one was a Master and processor of the Art of Music, & the other by means of great familiarity & acquaintance, did both love him, and also was of him beloved; whereupon I thought good, leaving my ready way, to go meet them, that I might the sooner understand his meaning. Then Clinias bursting out in tears, O Socrates (quoth he) now is the time when thou mayest shew forth thy long fostered and famous wisedom, for my father is even now taken with a grievous disease, and drawing near (as it seemeth) to his end, is therewith all grievously troubled, and greatly disquieted.) Howbeit, heretofore he was to far from the fear of death, as that he was wont pleasantly to scoff and scorn at those which used to portrait the Image of death, painting him with a dreadful countenance and griefly face. Wherefore I beseech thee O Socrates, to go and comfort my father as you were wont to do; for so the rather being strengthened with your good counsel, he shall be able without any grudging or fainting to pass through the way of all flesh, and I with the rest of his friends and kinsmen will maintain the yearly memory of that his good end.

Socrates

⁠O Clinias I will not deny thy so reasonable a request, specially concerning such a matter, as to deny it were great unkindness and discourtesy: to grant in pertaineth both to godliness and charity. Let us therefore speed us to him: for if thy father be in so sore taking, there needeth speediness and great haste.

Clinias

⁠O Socrates, I am sure that my father as soon as he but beholdeth you, will be much better at ease: for his fit and pangs of his sickness use oftentimes to surcease and be assuaged.

Socrates

⁠But that we might the sooner come to him, we took the way, which lieth beside the town wall by the Gardens for his dwelling was hard by the gates which lieth toward the Amazons pillar: whither we coming, found Axiochus (which by this time was come to himself again) being indeed somewhat strong in his body, but very weak and feeble in his mind, and resting altogether comfortless: often tossing him, and tumbling up and down in his bed, fetching deep and doleful sighs, with aboundant streams of tricking tears, and waileful wringing of his hands: whom beholoding, O Axiochus quoth I, what meaneth this? where be now those haughty and courageous words, wherewith thou was wont to scorn and despise death? where be those thy daily and continual praises of virtue and goodness vanished? where also is now that thy unspeakable stoutness, wherewith thou was wont to confirm thy self and strengthen others: for like as a cowardly champion, which at the first coming forth as to the skirmish with stately steps and a vaunting visage, doth soon after cast away his Target, and taketh him to flight: even so seemest thou now, when there is need most of all to flinch. Hast thou no more regard of thy divine and excellent nature, that sometime wast a man of so good life and talling so obedient to reasons rule? and if there were nothing else, yet shou'd it be sufficient to move thee, that thou art an Athenian borne and lastly should move thee that common saying which is worn in all mens mouths; That this our life is a Pilgrimage, which when we have ended with perfect measure and steadfast travell; it behooveth us with like constancy of mind, and joyfulness of spirit, and as it were singing a merry Pæan, to enter into the purposed place of rest. But thus to languish in despair and tenderhearted out-cries, behaving thy self like a froward Babe, in thee is neither regard of thy wisedom, nor respect of thy age.

Axiochus

⁠True indeed O Socrates, and that which thou sayest, me seemeth right: But it cometh to pass I know not how, that when I draw near unto present danger, than those great and stout-hearted words which I was wont to cast at death, do closely flit away and down are trodden underfoot. And then that Tormentor fear, the messenger of dreaded dangers, doth sundry ways wound and gall my grieved mind, whispering continually in mine care that if I be once deprived of this worldly light, and bereft of goods: I shall like a rotten block lie in the darkesome depth, neither seen nor heard of any, being resolved into dust and worms.

Socrates

⁠O Axiochus thy talk is very foolish, for reasoning thus without reason, and seeking to make some sense of senseless words, thou both dost and sayest clean contrary to thy self, not marking, how at one time thou dost both complain for the lack of sense which thou shalt have and also art greatly vexed for the rotting of thy carrion Carcass, and despoiling of thy former delight: as if by this death thou shouldest not pass into another life, or shouldest be so despoiled of all sense and feeling, as thou wert before thou was first brought into this world. For even as in those years when Draco and Callisthenes governed the common wealth of Athens, thou then was vexed with no evil, for in the beginning thou was no such as to whome evil might chance: so likewise when thou hast ended this state of mortality thou shalt no more be afflicted, for thou shalt not be in such case as that any evil can touch thee. Wherefore shake off and cast away all these trifles and worldly baggage, thus weighing in thy mind, that when the frame of this earthly building is dissolved, and the soul being singled, is restored to his naturally place; this body which is then left an earthly masse and an unreasonable substance, is then no more a man. For we are a soul, that is to say, an immortal creature, being shut up and enclosed in an earthly dungeon. Wherewithal nature hath clothed us, and charged us with many miseries, so that even those things which seem pleasant to us and joyful, are indeed but vain and shadowed, being mingled and wrapped in many thousand sorrows, and those also which use to breed us sorrow and heaviness, are both sudden, and therefore more hardely avoided, and also perdurable, and therefore the more painful and wearisome. Such be diseases and inflammation of the senses: Such be inward griefs and sicknesses, through which it cannot choose but that soul must been also diseased, since that being scattered and spread through the powers and passages of the body, it coveteth the use of that open and kind heaven out of which it was denued, and thirsteth for the wonted company & surpassing delights of that eternal fellowship; whereby it is evident that the passage from life, is a change from much evil to great good.

Axiochus

⁠Since therefore O Socrates thou deemest this life so tedious and troublesome, why dost thou still abide in the same? being as thou art a man of so great wisdom and experience, whose knowledge reacheth farre above our common sense and beyond the usual reason of most men.

Socrates.

⁠Thou Axiochus dost not report rightly of me: for thou judgest as the common people of Athens, that because you see I am given to seek and search out many things, therefore I know somewhat. But to say the truth, I would heartily wish, and would the same account in great part of happiness, if I knew but these common and customable matters: so far am I from the knowledge of those high and excellent things. For these things which I now declare, are the sayings of Prodeus the wise man: some of them being brought for a penny: some for two groats, and other some (illegible text) soure: For that same notable man used to teach none without wages, having always in his mouth that saying of Epicharmus, One hand rubbeth another: give somewhat, and somewhat take. And it is not long sithence, that he making a discourse of Philosophy in the house of Callias the son of Hipponicus, such and so many things he spake against the state of life: that I also account life in the number of those things which be of the less weight. And ever since that time O Axiochus, my soul gaspeth after death, daily longing to die.

Axiochus

⁠What then was said of Producius?

Socrates

⁠Marrie I will tell you as they come to my mind. For what parcel (quod he) of our life is not full of wretchedness? doth not the baby even taken from the mothers womb, power our plenty of tears, beginning the first step of life with grief? neither afterward hath it once any breathing or resting time from sorrow, being either distresssed with poverty, or pinched with cold, or scorched with heat, or pained with stripes: and whatsoever it suffereth, utter once it cannot, but only with crying doth show his mind, having no voice but that alone to bewray his grief: and having through many woes waded to seven years of age, he is yet afflicted with greater griefs, being subject to the tyranny of the Schoolmaster and Tutor. And as his years increased, so is the number of his guides and governors increased, being afterwards in the hands of Censors, Philosophers and Captains. Soon after being waxen a stripling he is hemmed in with greater fear, namely of Lyceum, of the Academy, of the School of games, or Rulers, of Rhodes: and to shut up allnone word, of infinite miseries. And all the time of his youth is spent under over-seers which are set over him by the Arcopagits from which labours young men being once freed, are yet over-laid with greater cares and more weighty thoughts, touching the ordering of his state and trade of life: which also if they be compared with those that follow, all these former troubles may seem but childish and indeed babish trifles. For hereupon doth a troope of cui's accrew, as be the exploits of warfare, the bitterness of wounds, the continual labour, skirmishes: and then closely creepeth on old Age, in which are heaped all the harms that pertain to mankind, whether of weakness as natural, or of pain as being external. And but if one betimes restore his life as a dew debt to death: Nature ever waiting as a greedy usurer, taketh pains aforehand, snatching and pulling from this man his sight, from that his hearing, from some both two senses. And if any fortune longer then commonly is seen in this life to linger. Nature weakening her powers, doth loose, lame, and bow down all parts of his body, but they whose bodies in old age long flourisheth in mind, as the saying is, become twice children. And therefore the gods, knowing what is most expedient for men, those whom they most dearly love, do soonest take out of this vale of wretchedness. And for this cause Agamedes and Trophonicus, when they had built a Temple to Pythus Apollo, desiring of the god therefore to grant them the best reward that might be given, soon after when they laid them down to rest, never rose again.

⁠Likewise Cleabis & Biton, the sons of the Argine Nun, when their mother had made her pray to Juno, that to her sons for their great godliness might be given some singular gift (for that they when her yoke of Oxen were not readily to be found at the time of sacrifice, themselves being yoked in the chariot, drew their mother to the Temple) upon this their mothers request, the two sons the next morning were found dead. It were too long in this place to rehearse the testimonies of Poets which in their divine poesies do divinely bewail and lament the miseries of mans life, I will now only in place of many, recite the witness of one, being most worthy of memory, which thus saith,

How wretched a thread of life have the gods spun,
⁠To mortal men that in this race of life do run.

And again:

Of all that in the earth are ordained by nature,
Than man, is not to be found
⁠a more wretched creature.

⁠But of Amphiaraus what sayeth the Poet?

Him loved highest Jupiter and Apollo dear,
⁠yet could he not reach to his eldest year.
What thinkest thou of him
⁠that taught the child to cry:
What first the Sun bright day,
⁠he seeth with tender eye.

⁠But I will let them pass, least contrary to promise, I seem to discourse at large, and that in the alleading of foreign witnesses. What trade of life I pray you is there, or what occupation, of which you shall not find many that complain and greatly mislike of their present affairs. Let us overrun the companies of Artificers & craftsmen, which continually labour from night to night, and yet hardly able to find them necessaries to live, by bewailing their bare estate, & filling their nightwatchings with sorrow and tears. Let us (illegible text) the life of Mariners and Seafaring men, which make a hole through so many dangers, & which as Bias said, are neither in the number of the living nor yet of the dead, forman being borne to abide upon the earth, doth as it were a creature of a double kind, thrust himself into the maine sea and wholly put his life into the hands of fortune. But the life of husbandmen will some say is pleasant, and so in deed it is: but have they not a continual rankling gall, ever breeding new cause of grief and disquiet, sometime by reason of drought, sometime because of rain, otherwhile for scorching, oft through blasting, which parcheth the untimely ear oftentimes, because of importunate heat or unmeasurable cold, miserably weeping and complaining. But above all, that honourable state of government and principality (for I let pass many other things & wrap them up in silence) through how many dangers is it tossed and turmoiled, for if at any time if have any cause of joy, it is like unto a blown blister or a swelling sore, soon up, and sooner down: oftentime suffering a soul repulse, which seemeth a thousand times worse then death it self. For who at any time can be blessed, that hangeth upon the wavering will of the witless many? And albeit the Magistrate deserve favour and praise, yet is he but a mocking stock and scoff of the comminalty, being soon after, outcast, hissed at, condemned, and delivered to a miserable death. For where I pray three O Axiochus, (thee I ask that art in office in the commonwealth) dyed that mighty Militiades? where that victorious Themostocles? where that valiant Ephialtes? where finally those noble kings and glorious Emperours, which not long a go flourished in the commonwealth. As for my self, I could never be brought to bear office in the City: for I never accounted it as a worthy and lawuable thing to be in authority together with the madding multitude.

⁠But Theramenes and Calixenus of late memory appointing under them certain Magistrates condemned certain guiltless men not hearing their causes to underserved death. Only withstood them you, and Tripsolemus, of thirty thousand men which were gathered in the assembly.

Axiochus

⁠It is as thou sayest Socrates, and since that time I have refrained my self from the stage: neither hath any thing ever to me seemed of greater weight, then the governing or the common-wealth, and that is well known to them which are in the same office. For thou speakest these things, as having out of some high lost only overlooked the troubles and tempests of the common-wealth, but we know the lame more assuredly, having made proof therefore in ourselves, for the common people indeed our friends Socrates is unthankful, disdainful, cruel, envious, and unlearned, as that is gathered together of the scum and dregs of the rascal route, and a sort of idle losels: whom he that flattereth and feedeth is much worse himself than they.

Socrates

⁠Since therefore O Axiochus, thou dost so greatly disallow that opinion, which of all other is counted most honest and liberal, what shall we judge of the other trades of life? shall wee not think that they are likewise to be shunned: I remember that I once heard Predicus say; that death pertaineth neither to the living nor to the dead.

Axiochus

⁠How mean you that, Socrates?

Socrates

⁠Mary thus; that death toucheth not them that are as for those that are departed out of this life, are now no more, and therefore death now touchech them not: for thou art not yet dead, neither if thou decease, shall it concern thee, for thou shalt then have no more. Therefore, most vain is that sorrow which Axiochus maketh, for the thing which neither is present, nor shall ever touch Axiochus himself. And even as foolish is it, as if one should complain and be afraid of Scylla, or the Centaurs, which were monsters, of Poets brood, which neither now belong to tee, nor to thy lives end shall appertain; for fear is concieved of such things as be: but of such things as be not, what fear can there be?

Axiochus

⁠Truely Socrates, you have fetched these things, out of the riche and most aboundant Storehouse of your wonderful wisdom: And thereof riseth that your mildness and lightness of speech, which you use to allure the minds of young men to virtue. But the loss of these worldly commodities, doth not a little vex and disquiet my mind; albeit these reasons, which now to my great god liking you have alledged, seem to me much more allowable, than those which late you used; for my mind is not carried away with error through the enticement of your words, but perceiveth them well, neither do those things greatly move my mind:, which only have a colour and shadowed show of truth, being set out with slanting pride, and glory of words, but yet truth have they none.

Socrates

⁠Thou art far wide Axiochus, and reasonest unskilfully, joining the feeling of evil, with the want of good things, forgetting thy self that then thou shalt be in the number of the census dead. For him indeed which is bereft of all good things, doth the contrary force of evil things greatly vex. But he which hath no being, can take nor feel nothing, in place of those things whereof he is despoiled. Then by what reason can any grief bee conceived of that thing, which breedeth no sense nor perseverance of any thing which hurteth. For if in the beginning O Axiochus, thou didst not, thought indeed in vain, join sense and feeling to death, most unwisely, thou shouldest never had cause to fear death. But now thou doest confound thy self, and speakest contrane to thy self, oft fearing that thou shalt bee deprived of soul and sense together, and oft thinking that with thy sense thou shalt feel that thing, whereof there is no sense nor feeling. And to this purpose do all those excellent and notable reasons of the souls immortality tend.

⁠For it is not the weak nature of mortal man, to raise himself to the fulfilling of such high and haughty matters, as to despise the ramping rage of wide beasts, to jeopard himself in the wasteful sea, to build Cities, and them with laws and policy to establish: to look up into heaven, and mark the course of the Stars; and the ways of the Sun and Moon, with their risings and setting, to consider their eclipses, their spaces, their making of the nights and days alike their double conversions, to behold the order of the winds, the seven worn stars, of winter, of summer, of storms, with the violent rage of whirlwinds, and as it were these labours of the world, to deliver to posterity, unless in our minds there were a certain divine spirit and understanding, which could comprehend and reach unto the supernatural knowledge of so great mutters.

⁠Wherefore now O Axiochus, thou art not in the way to death, but to immortality, neither shalt thou (as thou didst seem right now to fear) be bereft of all good, but shall hereby enjoy true and perfect good: Neither shalt thou perceive such dirty pleasures as are these, being mingled with the puddle of this sinful body, but most pure and perfect delight being devoid of all contagious trouble. For being loosed and delivered out of the darksome dungeons of this body, thou shalt pass to that place where is no lack nor complaint, but all things full of rest, and devoid of evil. Moreover there is calm and quiet living without all knowledge of unrest, peaceable and still occupied in beholding the course & frame of Nature, and studying Philosophy, not to please the idle ignorant and common sort, but with upright and undeceivable truth.

Axiochus

⁠O Socrates with this thy gladsome speech thou hast now brought me unto a clean contrary mind, for so far am I now from dread of death, that I am even set on fire and burn with desire thereof. And that I may stay my self in the steppes of them which are counted workmasters of speech, I will say thus much more excellently. Now I begin to behold those high matters, and do overlook that eternal and heavenly course of things, having now raised up my self out my weakness, and being as it were renewed and refreshed of my former malady.

Socrates

⁠If you demand of me another reason, and sign of the souls immortality, I will tell you what the wise man Gobriad showed me: He said that at what time Xerxes conveyed his huge Army into Greece, his Grandfather which was of the same name, was sent into Delos to defend that Island in which were two Gods borne. In the same Island that his Grandfather learned out of certain brazen Tables which Opis and Hecuergus had brought out of the Northern Countries. That the soul after time it is dissolved from the body passeth into a certain darksome place, a Coast that lieth under the earth wherein is Plutoes Pallace no less than Jupiters kingdom: For the earth being equally balanced in the middest of the world, and the compass thereof being round as a ball, that the one half Sphere thereof is allotted to the higher God, and the other half to the infernal powers; betwixt whom there is such kindred and alliance, that some be brothers, and other some brothers children. But the entry of the way which leadeth to Plutoes kingdom is fenced with iron gates, and fastened with brazen bolts: which when a man hath opened, he is entertained of the River Acheron; next which is Cocytus: which Floods being overpassed, he must come before Minos and Rhadamanthus, the merciless Judges: which place is called the plain of Truth where the Judges sit examining every one that cometh thither how he hath lived, and with what trade or manner of life he hath inhabited his mortal body, with whom there is no place of lies; nor refuge for excuses. Then they which in their life time were inspired and led with a good Angell, are received into the household of the blessed, where all seasons flower with abundance of all fruits, where from the silver springs do calmly run the Crystal streams, where the flourishing meadows are clothed with changeable Mantles of glorious colours, where are famous Schools of renowned Philosophers, goodly companies of divine Poets, trim forts of Dauncers, heavenly Music, great banquets furnished with costly cares. Tables abounding with all bounty, delights without all care, and pleasures without all pain: For the Inhabitants thereof are neither touched with force of cold, nor pained with excess of heat, but the moderate Air breatheth on them mildly and calmly, being, lightened with the gentle Sunbeams.

⁠In this place, and in the Elysian fields, they which have taken holy orders are highly advanced and reverenced, daily ministering the unsearcheable rites of Religion. Wherefore then shouldest thou doubt but to be made partaker of the same honor, being one of the seed of that heavenly race: It is an old saying and rightly reported, that Hercules and Bacchus going down to hell, they were instituted in holly orders, and that they were emboldened to go thither of the Goddess Eleunsina. But they which being wrapped in wickedness have led an ungodly life, are snatched up by the Furies, and by them carried through the lowest hell into deep darkness and utter confusion, where the place and abode of the wicked is, and where the three score daughters of Danaus dwell, whose punishment is continually to fill a fort of bottomless vessels, where also is to bee seen the unquencheable thirst of Tantalus, the gnawen Entrails of Titius, and the endless stone of Sisiphus, whose end beginneth a new labour. There be they rent of wild a new labour. There be they rent of wild beasts, continually scorched with burning Lamps pained with all kind of torments, and afflicted with endless penance. These things I remember that I have heard Gobrias tell; but you Axiochus may judge of them as you lift. Only this I know and alluredly hold fast that every mans mind is immortal and passing out of this life feelth no grief nor sorrow. Wherefore O Axiochus whether thou be carried unto those highest Palaces or lower Vawts, needs must it be that thou shalt be blessed because thou hast lived well and godly.

Axiochus.

⁠Minding to have said something unto thee (O Socrates) I am impeached with bashful shame: For so far am I now from the horror and dread of death, that I continually covet the time thereof: So hath thy heavenly and comfortable speeches pierced and recieved my faint heart. And now loath I this life, and scorn the delights thereof, as that shall from henceforth pass into a better abode. And now by my self alone will I recount these thy notable sayings, but I pray thee (O Socrates) after noone resort to me again.

Socrates

⁠I will do as you say, and now will I return to walk in my school Lynosargus from whence I was hither called.

FINIS.