ALIQUID MALI PROPTER
vicinum malum.[1]

Misfortune caused by a bad neighbour

Raptabat torrens ollas quarum una metallo,
Altera erat figuli terrea facta manu.
Hanc igitur rogat illa, velit sibi proxima ferri,
Iuncta ut praecipites utraque sistat aquas.
Cui lutea haud nobis tua sunt comercia curae.
Ne mihi proximitas haec mala multa ferat.
Nam seu te nobis seu nos tibi conferat unda,
Ipsa ego te fragilis sospite sola terar.

A stream was carrying along two pots, one of which was made of metal, the other formed by the potter’s hand of clay. The metal pot asked the clay one whether it would like to float along close beside it, so that each of them, by uniting with the other, could resist the rushing waters. The clay pot replied: The arrangement you propose does not appeal to me. I am afraid that such proximity will bring many misfortunes upon me. For whether the wave washes you against me or me against you, I only, being breakable, will be shattered, while you remain unharmed.

In senatum boni principis.

On the senate of a good prince

Effigies manibus truncae ante altaria divum
Hic resident, quarum lumine capta prior.
Signa potestatis summae, sanctique senatus
Thebanis fuerant ista reperta viris.[1]
Cur resident? quia mente graves decet esse quieta
Iuridicos, animo nec variare levi.
Cur sine sunt manibus? capiant ne xenia, nec se
Pollicitis flecti muneribusve sinant.
Caecus at est princeps, quòd solis auribus absque
Affectu, constans iussa senatus agit.

Figures without hands sit here before the altars of the gods. The chief of them is deprived of sight. These symbols of the supreme power and of the reverend senate were discovered by men of Thebes. - Why do they sit? - Because lawgivers should be serious, of a calm mind, and not change with inconstant thoughts. - Why have they no hands? - So that they may not take gifts, nor let themselves be influenced by promises or bribes. But the president is blind, because the Senate, by hearing alone, uninfluenced by feeling, impartially discharges what it is bidden to do.

Thebani viri prudentissimi ex civitate The-
bae in Graecia finxerunt huiusmodi similacra
ante Deorum altaria sedentia, omnia manibus
  Link to an image of this page  [g3r p101]truncatis praeter supremum manus quidem ha-
bentem, sed obcaecatum. Exprimere tali figu-
ra volentes, summae potestatis atque boni Se-
natus exemplum, sedent autem vel ideo, quia
Iudices graves quietos & constantes esse
oportet, nec facilè commoveri, ut habetur apud
Iure consultos, in Lege observandum. ff.[2] de officio
Praesid. Vel quia semper observatum, ut pote-
stas seu Iudices pro tribunali sederent, ut iuri-
bus clare expressum. c. fin. de re iudic. lib. 6. Lex
qui pro tribunali. ff[3]. eodem titulo. Sic etiam alibi, & in
sacris Bibliis videre est, ex verbis Davidis in-
quientis. Ex omnibus autem filiis meis elegit
Dominus Salomonem, ut sederet in trono Re-
gni & c. 1 . Paralipomenorum 28. Carent etiam manibus,
ne videlicet Ius dicentes vel Senatores acci-
piant munera, seu donis aut promissis cor-
rumpi patiantur, quod & Legibus & poenis
hodie prohibetur, ut in Lege plebiscito. ff[4]. de officio
Praesid. & gravius in Authentico[5] scriptum est exem-
plar. § quapropter. in fine Collationis[6] 2. Quod au-
tem horum Princeps caecus sit, significatur il-
lum auribus tantùm absque omni affectu seu
personarum respectu, constanter, ac iustè Sena-
tus decreta iussaque peragere debere, hoc ut
etiam hodie fiat, iureiurando adstringendos
esse Iudices omnes minores sancitum est, in
Authentico ius iurandum quod potesta. ab his. §. &
aequus, Collatio 2. Praeter eos qui superiorem non
  Link to an image of this page  [g3v -p102]recognoscunt. His tamen si secus fecerint ter-
ribilius iudicium erit. Deo nanque inspectore ad
hibito causas proferet dirimendas, ut in Lege rem
non novam. §. cùm igitur, in fine Codicis de Iudic. [7]