sent Helena for a token, as Macrobius, _7. Saturnal._ Goropius _Hermat.
lib. 9._ Greg. Nazianzen, and others suppose, but opportunity of speech:
for Helena's bowl, Medea's unction, Venus's girdle, Circe's cup, cannot so
enchant, so forcibly move or alter as it doth. A letter sent or read will
do as much; _multum allevor quum tuas literas lego_, I am much eased, as
[3449]Tully wrote to Pomponius Atticus, when I read thy letters, and as
Julianus the Apostate once signified to Maximus the philosopher; as
Alexander slept with Homer's works, so do I with thine epistles, _tanquam
Paeoniis medicamentis, easque assidue tanquam, recentes et novas iteramus;
scribe ergo, et assidue scribe_, or else come thyself; _amicus ad amicum
venies_. Assuredly a wise and well-spoken man may do what he will in such a
case; a good orator alone, as [3450]Tully holds, can alter affections by
power of his eloquence, "comfort such as are afflicted, erect such as are
depressed, expel and mitigate fear, lust, anger," &c. And how powerful is
the charm of a discreet and dear friend? _Ille regit dictis animos et
temperat iras_. What may not he effect? As [3451]Chremes told Menedemus,
"Fear not, conceal it not, O friend! but tell me what it is that troubles
thee, and I shall surely help thee by comfort, counsel, or in the matter
itself." [3452] Arnoldus, _lib. 1. breviar. cap. 18._ speaks of a usurer in
his time, that upon a loss, much melancholy and discontent, was so cured.
As imagination, fear, grief, cause such passions, so conceits alone,
rectified by good hope, counsel, &c., are able again to help: and 'tis
incredible how much they can do in such a case, as [3453]Trincavellius
illustrates by an example of a patient of his; Porphyrius, the philosopher,
in Plotinus's life (written by him), relates, that being in a discontented
humour through insufferable anguish of mind, he was going to make away
himself: but meeting by chance his master Plotinus, who perceiving by his
distracted looks all was not well, urged him to confess his grief: which
when he had heard, he used such comfortable speeches, that he redeemed him
_e faucibus Erebi_, pacified his unquiet mind, insomuch that he was easily
reconciled to himself, and much abashed to think afterwards that he should
ever entertain so vile a motion. By all means, therefore, fair promises,
good words, gentle persuasions, are to be used, not to be too rigorous at
first, [3454]"or to insult over them, not to de