s it not such
indignity for the Trojans and Greeks to contend ten years, to spend so much
labour, lose so many men's lives for Helen's sake, [4880]for so fair a
lady's sake,

"Ob talem uxorem cui praestantissima forma,
Nil mortale refert."

That one woman was worth a kingdom, a hundred thousand other women, a world
itself. Well might [4881]Sterpsichores be blind for carping at so fair a
creature, and a just punishment it was. The same testimony gives Homer of
the old men of Troy, that were spectators of that single combat between
Paris and Menelaus at the Seian gate, when Helen stood in presence; they
said all, the war was worthily prolonged and undertaken [4882]for her sake.
The very gods themselves (as Homer and [4883]Isocrates record) fought more
for Helen, than they did against the giants. When [4884]Venus lost her son
Cupid, she made proclamation by Mercury, that he that could bring tidings
of him should have seven kisses; a noble reward some say, and much better
than so many golden talents; seven such kisses to many men were more
precious than seven cities, or so many provinces. One such a kiss alone
would recover a man if he were a dying, [4885]_Suaviolum Stygia sic te de
valle reducet_, &c. Great Alexander married Roxanne, a poor man's child,
only for her person. [4886]'Twas well done of Alexander, and heroically
done; I admire him for it. Orlando was mad for Angelica, and who doth not
condole his mishap? Thisbe died for Pyramus, Dido for Aeneas; who doth not
weep, as (before his conversion) [4887]Austin did in commiseration of her
estate! she died for him; "methinks" (as he said) "I could die for her."

But this is not the matter in hand; what prerogative this beauty hath, of
what power and sovereignty it is, and how far such persons that so much
admire, and dote upon it, are to be justified; no man doubts of these
matters; the question is, how and by what means beauty produceth this
effect? By sight: the eye betrays the soul, and is both active and passive
in this business; it wounds and is wounded, is an especial cause and
instrument, both in the subject and in the object. [4888]"As tears, it
begins in the eyes, descends to the breast;" it conveys these beauteous
rays, as I have said, unto the heart. _Ut vidi ut perii._ [4889]_Mars videt
hanc, visamque cupit._ Schechem saw Dinah the daughter of Leah, and defiled
her, Gen. xxxiv. 3. Jacob, Rachel, xxix. 17, "for she was beautiful and
fair." Da