A Defence of Poesie and Poems | Page 7

his poetry to build Thebes, and
Orpheus to be listened to by beasts, indeed, stony and beastly people,
so among the Romans were Livius Andronicus, and Ennius; so in the
Italian language, the first that made it to aspire to be a treasure-house of
science, were the poets Dante, Boccace, and Petrarch; so in our English
were Gower and Chaucer; after whom, encouraged and delighted with
their excellent foregoing, others have followed to beautify our mother
tongue, as well in the same kind as other arts.
This {5} did so notably show itself that the philosophers of Greece
durst not a long time appear to the world but under the mask of poets;
so Thales, Empedocles, and Parmenides sang their natural philosophy
in verses; so did Pythagoras and Phocylides their moral counsels; so
did Tyrtaeus in war matters; and Solon in matters of policy; or rather
they, being poets, did exercise their delightful vein in those points of
highest knowledge, which before them lay hidden to the world; for that
wise Solon was directly a poet it is manifest, having written in verse the
notable fable of the Atlantic Island, which was continued by Plato. {6}
And, truly, even Plato, whosoever well considereth shall find that in the
body of his work, though the inside and strength were philosophy, the
skin, as it were, and beauty depended most of poetry. For all stands
upon dialogues; wherein he feigns many honest burgesses of Athens
speaking of such matters that if they had been set on the rack they
would never have confessed them; besides, his poetical describing the
circumstances of their meetings, as the well-ordering of a banquet, the

delicacy of a walk, with interlacing mere tiles, as Gyges's Ring, {7}
and others; which, who knows not to be flowers of poetry, did never
walk into Apollo's garden.
And {8} even historiographers, although their lips sound of things done,
and verity be written in their foreheads, have been glad to borrow both
fashion and, perchance, weight of the poets; so Herodotus entitled the
books of his history by the names of the Nine Muses; and both he, and
all the rest that followed him, either stole or usurped, of poetry, their
passionate describing of passions, the many particularities of battles
which no man could affirm; or, if that be denied me, long orations, put
in the months of great kings and captains, which it is certain they never
pronounced.
So that, truly, neither philosopher nor historiographer could, at the first,
have entered into the gates of popular judgments, if they had not taken
a great disport of poetry; which in all nations, at this day, where
learning flourisheth not, is plain to be seen; in all which they have some
feeling of poetry. In Turkey, besides their lawgiving divines they have
no other writers but poets. In our neighbour-country Ireland, where, too,
learning goes very bare, yet are their poets held in a devout reverence.
Even among the most barbarous and simple Indians, where no writing
is, yet have they their poets who make and sing songs, which they call
"Arentos," both of their ancestor's deeds and praises of their gods. A
sufficient probability, that if ever learning comes among them, it must
be by having their hard dull wits softened and sharpened with the sweet
delight of poetry; for until they find a pleasure in the exercise of the
mind, great promises of much knowledge will little persuade them that
know not the fruits of knowledge. In Wales, the true remnant of the
ancient Britons, as there are good authorities to show the long time they
had poets, which they called bards, so through all the conquests of
Romans, Saxons, Danes, and Normans, some of whom did seek to ruin
all memory of learning from among them, yet do their poets, even to
this day, last; so as it is not more notable in the soon beginning than in
long-continuing.
But since the authors of most of our sciences were the Romans, and

before them the Greeks, let us, a little, stand upon their
authorities;
but even so far, as to see what names they have given unto this now
scorned skill. {9} Among the Romans a poet was called "vates," which
is as much as a diviner, foreseer, or prophet, as by his conjoined words
"vaticinium," and "vaticinari," is manifest; so heavenly a title did that
excellent people bestow upon this heartravishing knowledge! And so
far were they carried into the
admiration thereof, that they thought in
the changeable hitting upon any such verses, great foretokens of their
following fortunes were placed. Whereupon grew the word of sortes
Virgilianae; when, by sudden opening Virgil's book, they lighted upon
some verse, as it is reported by many, whereof the histories of the
Emperors' lives