deorum. Divisum
imperium cum Jove Caesar habet._ "Caesar divides the empire with Jove."
Aproyis, an Egyptian tyrant, grew, saith [6629]Herodotus, to that height of
pride, insolency of impiety, to that contempt of Gods and men, that he held
his kingdom so sure, _ut a nemine deorum aut hominum sibi eripi posset_,
neither God nor men could take it from him. [6630]A certain blasphemous
king of Spain (as [6631]Lansius reports) made an edict, that no subject of
his, for ten years' space, should believe in, call on, or worship any god.
And as [6632]Jovius relates of "Mahomet the Second, that sacked
Constantinople, he so behaved himself, that he believed neither Christ nor
Mahomet; and thence it came to pass, that he kept his word and promise no
farther than for his advantage, neither did he care to commit any offence
to satisfy his lust." I could say the like of many princes, many private
men (our stories are full of them) in times past, this present age, that
love, fear, obey, and perform all civil duties as they shall find them
expedient or behoveful to their own ends. _Securi adversus Deos, securi
adversus homines, votis non est opus_, which [6633] Tacitus reports of some
Germans, they need not pray, fear, hope, for they are secure, to their
thinking, both from Gods and men. Bulco Opiliensis, sometime Duke of
[6634]Silesia, was such a one to a hair; he lived (saith [6635]Aeneas
Sylvius) at [6636]Vratislavia, "and was so mad to satisfy his lust, that he
believed neither heaven nor hell, or that the soul was immortal, but
married wives, and turned them up as he thought fit, did murder and
mischief, and what he list himself." This duke hath too many followers in
our days: say what you can, dehort, exhort, persuade to the contrary, they
are no more moved,--_quam si dura, silex aut stet Marpesia cautes_, than so
many stocks, and stones; tell them of heaven and hell, 'tis to no purpose,
_laterem lavas_, they answer as Ataliba that Indian prince did friar
Vincent, [6637]"when he brought him a book, and told him all the mysteries
of salvation, heaven and hell, were contained in it: he looked upon it, and
said he saw no such matter, asking withal, how he knew it:" they will but
scoff at it, or wholly reject it. Petronius in Tacitus, when he was now by
Nero's command bleeding to death, _audiebat amicos nihil referentes de
immortalitate animae, aut sapientum placitis, sed levia carmina et faciles
versus_; instead of good counsel and div