gly by
discovering his entrails? Wherefore not thy nature but the weakness of
the beholders' eyes maketh thee seem fair. But esteem the goods of the
body as much as you will, so that you acknowledge this, that whatsoever
you admire may be dissolved with the burning of an ague of three days.
Out of which we may briefly collect this sum; that these goods, which
can neither perform that they promise, nor are perfect by having all
that is good, do neither, as so many paths, lead men to happiness, nor
make men happy of themselves.

VIII.

Eheu quae miseros tramite deuios
Abducit ignorantia!
Non aurum in uiridi quaeritis arbore
Nec uite gemmas carpitis,
Non altis laqueos montibus abditis 5
Vt pisce ditetis dapes
Nec uobis capreas si libeat sequi,
Tyrrhena captatis uada.
Ipsos quin etiam fluctibus abditos
Norunt recessus aequoris, 10
Quae gemmis niueis unda feracior
Vel quae rubentis purpurae
Nec non quae tenero pisce uel asperis
Praestent echinis litora.
Sed quonam lateat quod cupiunt bonum, 15
Nescire caeci sustinent,
Et quod stelliferum trans abiit polum,
Tellure demersi petunt.
Quid dignum stolidis mentibus inprecer?
Opes honores ambiant; 20
Et cum falsa graui mole parauerint,
Tum uera cognoscant bona.

VIII.

Alas, how ignorance makes wretches stray
Out of the way!
You from green trees expect no golden mines
Nor pearls from vines,
Nor use you on mountains to lay your net
Fishes to get,
Nor, if the pleasant sport of hunting please,
Run you to seas.
Men will be skilful in the hidden caves
Of the ocean waves,
And in what coasts the orient pearls are bred,
Or purple red,
Also, what different sorts of fishes store
Each several shore.
But when they come their chiefest good to find,
Then are they blind,
And search for that under the earth, which lies
Above the skies.
How should I curse these fools? Let thirst them hold
Of fame and gold,
That, having got false goods with pain, they learn
True to discern.

IX.

"Hactenus mendacis formam felicitatis ostendisse suffecerit, quam si
perspicaciter intueris, ordo est deinceps quae sit uera monstrare." "Atqui
uideo," inquam, "nec o