uries brought it up, Megara's teat,
Alecto gave it bitter milk to eat.
And all conspir'd a bane to mortal men,
To bring this devil out of that black den.
Jupiter's thunderbolt, not storm at sea,
Nor whirlwind doth our hearts so much dismay.
What? am I bit by that fierce Cerberus?
Or stung by [2751]serpent so pestiferous?
Or put on shirt that's dipt in Nessus' blood?
My pain's past cure; physic can do no good."

No torture of body like unto it, _Siculi non invenere tyranni majus
tormentum_, no strappadoes, hot irons, Phalaris' bulls,

[2752] "Nec ira deum tantum, nec tela, nec hostis,
Quantum sola noces animis illapsa."

"Jove's wrath, nor devils can
Do so much harm to th' soul of man."

All fears, griefs, suspicions, discontents, imbonites, insuavities are
swallowed up, and drowned in this Euripus, this Irish sea, this ocean of
misery, as so many small brooks; 'tis _coagulum omnium aerumnarum_: which
[2753]Ammianus applied to his distressed Palladins. I say of our melancholy
man, he is the cream of human adversity, the [2754] quintessence, and
upshot; all other diseases whatsoever, are but flea-bitings to melancholy
in extent: 'Tis the pith of them all, [2755] _Hospitium est calamitatis;
quid verbis opus est_?

"Quamcunque malam rem quaeris, illic reperies:"

"What need more words? 'tis calamities inn,
Where seek for any mischief, 'tis within;"

and a melancholy man is that true Prometheus, which is bound to Caucasus;
the true Titius, whose bowels are still by a vulture devoured (as poets
feign) for so doth [2756]Lilius Geraldus interpret it, of anxieties, and
those griping cares, and so ought it to be understood. In all other
maladies, we seek for help, if a leg or an arm ache, through any
distemperature or wound, or that we have an ordinary disease, above all
things whatsoever, we desire help and health, a present recovery, if by any
means possible it may be procured; we will freely part with all our other
fortunes, substance, endure any misery, drink bitter potions, swallow those
distasteful pills, suffer our joints to be seared, to be cut off, anything
for future health: so sweet, so dear, so precious above all other things in
this world is life: 'tis that we chiefly desire, long life and happy days,
[2757]_multos da Jupiter annos_, increase of years all men wish; but to a
melancholy man, no