s, to right thyself, or hast given just cause of offence, 'tis no injury
then but a condign punishment; thou hast deserved as much: _A te
principium, in te recredit crimen quod a te fuit; peccasti, quiesce_, as
Ambrose expostulates with Cain, _lib. 3. de Abel et Cain_. [4004]Dionysius
of Syracuse, in his exile, was made to stand without door, _patienter
ferendum, fortasse nos tale quid fecimus, quum in honore essemus_, he
wisely put it up, and laid the fault where it was, on his own pride and
scorn, which in his prosperity he had formerly showed others. 'Tis [4005]
Tully's axiom, _ferre ea molestissime homines non debent, quae ipsorum
culpa contracta sunt_, self do, self have, as the saying is, they may thank
themselves. For he that doth wrong must look to be wronged again; _habet et
musca splenem, et formicae sua bills inest_. The least fly hath a spleen,
and a little bee a sting. [4006]An ass overwhelmed a thistlewarp's nest,
the little bird pecked his galled back in revenge; and the humble-bee in
the fable flung down the eagle's eggs out of Jupiter's lap. Bracides, in
Plutarch, put his hand into a mouse's nest and hurt her young ones, she bit
him by the finger: [4007]I see now (saith he) there is no creature so
contemptible, that will not be revenged. 'Tis _lex talionis_, and the
nature of all things so to do: if thou wilt live quietly thyself, [4008]do
no wrong to others; if any be done thee, put it up, with patience endure
it, for [4009]"this is thankworthy," saith our apostle, "if any man for
conscience towards God endure grief, and suffer wrong undeserved; for what
praise is it, if when ye be buffeted for you faults, ye take it patiently?
But if when you do well, ye suffer wrong, and take it patiently, there is
thanks with God; for hereunto verily we are called." _Qui mala non fert,
ipse sibi testis est per impatientiam quod bonus non est_, "he that cannot
bear injuries, witnesseth against himself that he is no good man," as
Gregory holds. [4010]"'Tis the nature of wicked men to do injuries, as it
is the property of all honest men patiently to bear them." _Improbitas
nullo flectitur obsequio_. The wolf in the [4011]emblem sucked the goat (so
the shepherd would have it), but he kept nevertheless a wolf's nature;
[4012]a knave will be a knave. Injury is on the other side a good man's
footboy, his _fidus Acliates_, and as a lackey follows him wheresoever he
goes. Besides, _misera est fortuna quae caret inimico_, he is i