A booke called the Foundacion of Rhetorike Part 16

In the makyng of _Ethopoeia_, lette it be plaine, and with- out any large circ.u.mstaunce.

[Fol. xlix.v]

In the makyng of it, ye shall diuide it thus, to make the Oracion more plaine, into three tymes.

{ A presente tyme. } { A tyme paste. } { A tyme to come. }

_Eidolopoeia_ is that part of this Oracion, whiche maketh a persone knowne though dedde, and not able to speake.

[Sidenote: _Eidolopoeia_[.]]

_Eidolopoeia_ is called of Priscia.n.u.s, a imitacion of talke of any one, vpon a dedde manne, it is then called _Eidolopoeia_, when a dedde man talketh, or communicacion made vpon a dedde manne.

_Eidolopoeia_, when a dedde manne talketh, is set forthe of Euripides, vpon the persone of Polidorus dedde, whose spi- rite entereth at the Prologue of the tragedie.

Hector slain, speaketh to Eneas in _Eidolopoeia_. O Eneas thou G.o.ddes sonne, flie and saue thy self, from this ruine and fire: the enemies hath taken the walles, and loftie Troie is prostrate to the grounde. I would haue thought, I had died valiantlie inough to my countree, and my father Priamus, if with this my right hande, Troie had bee defended.

Polidorus beyng dedde, in _Eidolopoeia_ talketh to Eneas whiche Uirgil sheweth in his thirde booke of Eneados.

Iulia the wife of Pompei beyng dedde, spake to Pompe, preparyng his arme against Cesar, _Eidolopoeia_. Reade Lu- cane, in the beginnyng of his thirde booke.

Tullie vseth _Eidolopoeia_, when he maketh talke vpon Hiero beyng dedde.

If that kyng Hiero were reduced fro[m] his death, who was a aduauncer of the Romaine Empire, with what counte- naunce, either Siracusa or Rome, might be shewed to hym, whom he maie beholde with his iyes. His countree brought to ruin, & spoiled, if that kyng Hiero should but enter Rome, euen in the firste entryng, he should beholde the spoile of his countree.

Tullie also vseth the like _Eidolopoeia_, as thus, vpon Lu- [Fol. l.r]

cius Brutus dedde.

[Sidenote: Lucius Brutus.]

If it so wer, that Lucius Brutus, that n.o.ble and famous manne were on liue, and before your presence: would he not vse this oracion: I Brutus, somtyme did banishe and cast out for crueltee, the state and office of kinges, by the horrible fact of Tarquinius, againste Lucretia, and all that name bani- shed, but you haue brought in tyrauntes. I Brutus did re- duce the Romain Empire, to a fredome and libertee: but you foolishly can not vphold and maintein, thesame giuen to you.

I Brutus, with the daunger of my life, haue saued my coun[-]

tree of Roome, but you without all daunger, lose it.

-- _Prosopopoeia._

AS co[n]cerning _Prosopopoeia_, it is as Pristia.n.u.s saith, when to any one againste nature, speache is feigned to bee giuen.

Tullie vseth for a like example this, when he maketh Roome to talke againste Cateline.

-- _Prosopopoeia_ of Roome.

[Sidenote: Catiline.]

NO mischief hath been perpetrated, this many yeres, but by thee Catiline, no pestiferous acte enterprised, without thee: thou a lone, for thy horrible murther perpetrated vpon the citee of Rome, for the spoile and robbe- ries of their gooddes art vnpunished. Thou onelie haste been of that force and power, to caste doune all lawes and aucthori- tee. Although these thinges were not to be borne, yet I haue borne them: but now thy horrible factes are come to soche an issue, that I feare thy mischiues. Wherfore leaue of Cateline and deminishe this feare from me, that I maie be in securitee[.]

Lucane the Poete, intreating of mightie and fearce war- res, againste Pompei and Cesar, maketh Roome to vse this _Prosopopoeia_ againste Cesar.

_Quo tenditis vltra quo fertis mea signa viri, Si iure venitis si aues hucusq[ue] licet._

_Prosopopoeia_ is properlie, when all thinges are faigned bothe the maners, the persone, as of Roome in this place.

[Fol. l.v]

-- What lamentable Oracion Hecuba Quene of Troie might make, Troie being destroied.

[Sidenote: Kyngdomes.]

WHat kyngdome can alwaies a.s.sure his state, or glory? What strength can alwaies last? What [Sidenote: Okes.

Cedars.]

power maie alwaies stande? The mightie O- kes are somtyme caste from roote, the Ceadars high by tempestes falle, so bitter stormes dooe force their strength. Soft waters pea.r.s.eth Rockes, and ruste the ma.s.sie Iron doeth bryng to naught. So nothyng can by stre[n]gth so stande, but strength maie ones decaie: yea, mightie kingdoms in time decaie haue felt. Kingdomes weake haue rose to might, and mightie kyngdomes fallen, no counsaile can preuaile, no power, no strength, or might in lande. G.o.d disposeth Princes seates, their kyngdome there with stan- des. I knewe before the brickell state, how kyngdomes ruine caught, my iye the chaunge of fortune sawe, as Priamus did aduaunce his throne, by fauour Fortune gat, on other For- tune then did froune, whose kingdom did decaie. Well, now [Sidenote: Fortune hath no staie.]

I knowe the brickle state, that fortune hath no staie, all rashe her giftes, Fortune blind doeth kepe no state, her stone doth roule, as floodes now flowe, floodes also ebbe. So glory doth remaine, sometyme my state on high, was sette in Princelie throne, my porte and traine ful roiall was, a kyng my father also was, my housband scepter held. Troie and Phrigia ser- ued his becke, many kynges his power did dreade, his wille their power did serue. The fame of Troie and Brute, his glorie and renoume, what landes knoweth not? But now his falle, all toungues can speake, so greate as glorie was, though kyngdomes stronge was sette, loftie Troie in duste prostrate doeth lye, in blood their glorie, people, kyng are fal- len, no Quene more dolefull cause hath felte. The sorowes depe doe pa.s.se my ioyes, as Phebus light with stormes caste [Sidenote: Hector.]

doune. Hectors death did wounde my hart, by Hectors might Troie stiffe did stande, my comforte Hector was, Priamus ioye, of Troie all the[m] life, the strength, and power, his death [Fol. lj.r]

did wound me for to die, but alas my dolefull and cruell fate to greater woe reserueth my life, loftie Troie before me felle, sworde, and fire hath seate and throne doune caste. The dedde on heapes doeth lye, the tender babes as Lions praies [Sidenote: Priamus.]

are caught in bloode, before my sight, Priamus deare mur- dered was, my children also slain, who roiall were, and prin- ces mates. No Queene more ioye hath tasted, yet woe my io- yes hath quite defaced. My state alwaie in bondage thrall, to serue my enemies wille, as enemie wille, I liue or dye. No cruell force will ridde my life, onely in graue the yearth shal close my woes, the wormes shall gnawe my dolefull hart in graue. My hedde shall ponder nought, when death hath sence doune caste, in life I sought no ioye, as death I craue, no glorie was so wished as death I seeke, with death no sence.

In prison depe who dolefull lieth, whom Fetters sore dooeth greue. Their dolefull state moste wisheth death, in dongion deepe of care my harte moste pensiue is, vnhappie state that wisheth death, with ioye long life, eche wight doeth craue, in life who wanteth smart? Who doeth not feele, or beare som- time, a bitter storme, to doleful tune, mirth full oft chaunged is, the meaner state, more quiet rest, on high, who climes more deper care, more dolefull harte doeth presse, moste tempestes hie trees, hilles, & moutaines beare, valleis lowe rough stor- mes doeth pa.s.se, the bendyng trees doeth giue place to might by force of might, Okes mightie fall, and Ceders high ar re[n]t from the roote. The state full meane in hauen hath Ancre caste, in surgyng seas, full ofte in vaine to saue the maste, the shippe Ancre casteth.

-- The descripcion.

THis exercise profitable to _Rhetorike_, is an Ora- cio[n] that collecteth and representeth to the iye, that which he sheweth, so Priscia.n.u.s defineth it: some are of that opinion, that descripcion is not to bee placed emo[n]g these exercises, profitable to _Rhetorike_. Because [Fol. lj.v]

that bothe in euery Oracion, made vpon a Fable, all thyn- ges therein conteined, are liuely described. And also in euery Narracion, the cause, the place, the persone, the time, the fact, the maner how, ar therin liuely described. But most famous and Eloquente men, doe place descripcion, in the nomber of these exercises. Descripcio[n] serueth to these things, the person, as the Poete Lucane describeth Pompei & Cesar: the person is described, thynges or actes, tymes, places, brute beastes.

_Nec coiere pares, alter vergentibus annis In senium longo que toge, tranquilior vsu.

Dedidicit. &c._

Homer describeth the persone of Thersites, in the second booke of his Ilias.

Homer setteth out Helena, describing the persone of Me- nalaus and Ulisses, in the fowerth booke of Ilias.

Thynges are described, as the warres attempted by sea and lande, of Xerxes.

Lucan describeth the war of the Ma.s.silia[n]s against Cesar[.]

Thusidides setteth forthe in a descripcion, the warres on the sea, betwene the Corcurians, and the Corinthians.

Tymes are described, as the Spryng tyme, Sommer, Winter, Harueste, Daie, Night.

Places are described, as Citees, Mountaines, Regions, Floodes, Hauens, Gardeines, Temples: whiche thynges are sette out by their commoditees, for Thusidides often ty- mes setteth forthe Hauens and Citees.

Lucane also describeth at large, the places, by the whiche the armie of Cesar and Pompei pa.s.sed. The descripcion of a- ny man, in all partes is to bee described, in mynde and bodie, what he was.

The acttes are to bee described, farre pa.s.sed, by the pre- sente state thereof, and also by the tyme to come.

As if the warre of Troie, should be set forthe in a descrip- cion, it must bee described, what happened before the Greci- ans arriued at Troie, and how, and after what sorte it was [Fol. lij.r]

ouerthrowne, & what thing chaunced, Troie being destroid.

So likewise of Carthage, destroied by the Romaines.

Of Hierusalem, destroied by t.i.tus Uespasia.n.u.s, what ad- monicion thei had before: of what monsterous thynges hap- pened also in that ceason: Of a Comete or blasyng Starre, and after that what followed.