GREENE'S FAREWELL TO FOLLY 1 Modern spelling tran

GREENE’S FAREWELL TO FOLLY 40
________________________________________________________________________
Yet by your leave, Messire Benedetto, quoth the Lady Margaret, you speak too generally
of age, for the very constitution of the natural temperature of our bodies is able to
infringe your reasons, seeing that same naturalis calor is overpressed with a cold dryness
in age, which in youth, furthered with moisture, causeth such voluptuous motions. Cupid
is painted a child, Venus without wrinkles in her face, and they which calculate the
influence of Saturn set not down many notes of venery.
How philosophically you speak, quoth Peratio, and yet small to the purpose, for although
natural heat be extinguished in age, yet remains there in the mind certain scintillulae
voluptatis, which confirmed by a saturnal impression, were harder to root out than were
they newly sprung up in youth; neither did Messire Benedetto conclude generally of old
men, but brought in as a premise or proposition that age as well as youth was infected
with this folly. But well it is, Lady Margaret, that our discourse stretcheth not so far as
women, nor to talk of their wanton affections, lest happily we had untied such a labyrinth
of their lascivious vanities as might have made us sooner desire our rest than end the
discourse.
You are always glancing at women, quoth Cosimo, not that you are a Pythagorian, and
hate that sex, for, sir, I know your lips can digest such lettuce, but that your mouth were
out of temper if once a day you had not a woman in your mouth, herein resembling
Marcus Lepidus, who made an invective against sumptuousness of diet, himself being
called the glutton of Rome, not that he was sparing in his cheer, but that Athens [sic for
‘others’?] abstaining from dainty cates might leave the market more stored with delicate
dishes.
Benedetto was nipped on the head with this sharp reply, especially for that all the whole
company laughed to see how he answered with silence, & Farnese, about whom the talk
began, made this answer:
I cannot deny, gentlemen, but anger [sic for ‘age’?] is subject to many foolish and
intemperate passions, & therefore to be comprehended within the compass of this folly,
but either age or youth, it breedeth many enormities, so that for this night I will take in
hand to send you all to bed with a farewell of four verses which I read once in the
monastery of Santo Marco in Venice. The author I know not. The verses are these:
Quatuor his poenis Certo afficietur adulter,
Aut Egenus erit Subita vel morte peribit,
Aut Cadet in causam qua debet Iudice vinci,
Aut aliquod membrum casu vel Crymine perdit.
The time of the night being somewhat late, they took his jest for a charge, and solemnly
taking their leave, every man departed quietly unto his lodging.
The third discourse of folly
Modern spelling transcript copyright 2007 Nina Green All Rights Reserved