and sometimes he that deals between man and man, raiseth his own credit with both, by pretending greater interest than he hath in either. And in these and the like kinds, it often falls out that somewhat is produced of nothing; for lies are sufficient to breed opinion, and opinion brings on substance. In militar[1] commanders and soldiers, vain-glory is an essential point; for as iron sharpens iron, so by glory[2] one courage sharpeneth another. In cases of great enterprise upon charge[3] and adventure, a composition of glorious natures doth put life into business; and those that are of solid and sober natures have more of the ballast than of the sail. In fame of learning, the flight will be slow without some feathers of ostentation. Qui de contemnendâ gloriâ libros scribunt, nomen sumn inscribunt.[4] Socrates, Aristotle,[5] Galen,[6] were men full of ostentation. Certainly vain-glory helpeth to perpetuate a
- ↑ Militar. Military.
"And there instruct the noble English heirs,
In politique and militar affairs."
Ben Jonson. Underwoods. LXIII. A Speech. According to Horace.
- ↑ Glory. Boastfulness. Now obsolete, except in the combination, 'vainglory.' "I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks." Isaiah x. 12.
- ↑ Charge. Expense or cost; "charge and adventure" means 'cost and risk.'
- ↑ Those who write books condemning glory inscribe their names therein. Bacon is quoting Cicero, "Quid? nostri philosophi nonne in iis libris ipsis, quos scribunt de contemnenda gloria, sua nomina inscribunt?" What? shall not our philosophers who write condemning glory inscribe their names in their own books? M. Tullii Ciceronis Tusculanarum Disputationum ad Brutum Liber I. Caput 15.
- ↑ Aristotle, 384–322 B.C., one of the most famous and influential of the Greek philosophers. He was the founder of the Peripatetic school of philosophy, and the teacher of Alexander the Great. His extant works include the Politics, Poetics, Nichomachean Ethics, Metaphysics, Rhetoric, etc.
- ↑ Claudius Galenus, born about 130 A.D., was a celebrated Greek physician and philosophical writer.
