Defence of Poesie (53-55)

But now indeede my burthen is great, that Plato his name is laide vppon mee, whom I must confesse of all Philosophers, I haue euer esteemed most worthie of reuerence ; and with good reason, since of all Philosophers hee is the most Poeticall: yet if hee will defile the fountaine out of which his flowing streames haue proceeded, let vs boldly examine with what reasons hee did it . First truly a man might maliciously obiect, that Plato being a Philosopher, was a naturall enemy of Poets. For indeede after the Philosophers had picked out of the sweete misteries of Poetrie, the right discerning true points of knowledge: they foorthwith putting it in methode, and making a Schoole Art of that which the Poets did onely teach by a diuine delightfulnes, beginning to spurne at their guides, like vngratefull Prentices, were not content to set vp shop for themselues, but sought by all meanes to discredit their maisters, which by the force of delight being barred them, the lesse they could ouerthrow them, the more they hated them. For indeed they found for Homer, seuen Cities straue who should haue him for their Cittizen, where many Cities banished Philosophers, as not fit members to liue among them. For onely repeating certaine of Euripides verses, many Atheniens had their liues saued of the Siracusans; where the Atheniens themselues thought many Philosophers vnworthie to liue.

Certaine Poets, as Simonides, and Pindarus, had so preuailed with Hiero the first, that of a Tyrant they made him a iust King: where Plato could do so little with Dionisius, that he himselfe of a Philosopher, was made a slaue. But who should do thus, I confesse should requite the obiections made against Poets, with like cauillations against Philosophers: as likewise one should do, that should bid one read Phaedrus or Simposium in Plato, or the discourse of loue in Plutarch, and see whether any Poet do authorise abhominable filthinesse as they doo. Againe, a man might aske, out of what Common-wealth Plato doth banish them, in sooth, thence where he himselfe alloweth communitie of women. So as belike this banishment grew not for effeminate wantonnesse, since little should Poetical Sonnets be hurtful, when a man might haue what woman he listed. But I honor Philosophicall instructions, and blesse the wits which bred them: so as they be not abused, which is likewise stretched to Poetrie. S. Paul himselfe sets a watch-word vppon Philosophie, indeed vppon the abuse. So doth Plato vppon the abuse, not vpon Poetrie. Plato found fault that the Poettes of his time, filled the worlde with wrong opinions of the Gods, making light tales of that vnspotted essence ; and therfore wold not haue the youth depraued with such opinions: heerein may much be said ; let this suffice.

The Poets did not induce such opinions, but did imitate those opinions alreadie induced. For all the Greeke stories can well testifie, that the verie religion of that time, stood vpon many, and many fashioned Gods: Not taught so by Poets, but followed according to their nature of imitation. Who list may read in Plutarch, the discourses of Isis and Osiis, of the cause why Oracles ceased, of the diuine prouidence, & see whether the Theology of that nation, stood not vpon such dreams, which the Poets indeede superstitiously obserued. And truly since they had not the light of Christ, did much better in it, then the Philosophers, who shaking off superstition, brought in Atheisme. Plato therfore, whose authoritie, I had much rather iustly consture, then vniustly resist: ment not in generall of Poets, in those words of which Iulius Scaliger saith; Qua authoritate barbari quidam atque hispidi abuti velint ad poetas et U00E8 rep. Exigendos. But only ment to driue out those wrong opinions of the Deitie: wherof now without further law, Christianitie hath taken away all the hurtful beliefe, perchance as he thought nourished by then esteemed Poets. And a man need go no further then to Plato himselfe to knowe his meaning: who in his Dialogue called Ion, giueth high, and rightly, diuine commendation vnto Poetrie. So as Plato banishing the abuse, not the thing, not banishing it, but giuing due honour to it, shall be our Patron, and not our aduersarie. For indeed, I had much rather, since truly I may do it, shew their mistaking of Plato, vnder whose Lyons skinne, they would make an Aslike braying against Poesie, then go about to ouerthrow his authoritie ; whome the wiser a man is, the more iust cause he shall finde to haue in admiration: especially since he attributeth vnto Poesie, more then my selfe do ; namely, to be a verie inspiring of a diuine force, farre aboue mans wit, as in the forenamed Dialogue is apparant.