THE ancient statues of Castor and Pollux are called
				by the Spartans Docana; and they are two pieces of wood
				one over against the other joined with two other cross
				ends, and the community and undividedness of this consecrated representation seems to resemble the fraternal
				love of these two Gods. In like manner do I devote this
				discourse of Brotherly Love to you, Nigrinus and Quintus,
				as a gift in common betwixt you both, who well deserve
				it. For as to the things it advises to, you will, while you
				already practise them, seem rather to give your testimonies
				to them than to be exhorted by them. And the satisfaction you have from well-doing will give the more firm durance to your judgment, when you shall find yourselves approved by wise and judicious spectators. Aristarchus the
				father of Theodectes said indeed once, by way of flout
				of the Sophists, that formerly there were scarce seven
				Sophists to be found, but that in his time there could
				hardly be found so many who were not Sophists. But I
				see brotherly love is as scarce in our days as brotherly
				hatred was in ancient times, the instances of which have
				been publicly exposed in tragedies and public shows for
				their strangeness. But all in our times, when they have
				fortuned to have good brothers, do no less admire them
				than the famed Molionidae, that are supposed to have been
				born with their bodies joined with each other. And to
				enjoy in common their fathers’ wealth, friends, and slaves
				
				 
				
				is looked upon as incredible and prodigious, as if one soul
				should make use of the hands, feet, and eyes of two
				bodies. And Nature hath given us very near examples of the
				use of brothers, by contriving most of the necessary parts
				of our bodies double, as it were, brothers and twins,—as hands, feet, eyes, ears, nostrils,—thereby telling us
				that all these were thus distinguished for mutual benefit
				and assistance, and not for variance and discord. And
				when she parted the very hands into many and unequal
				fingers, she made them thereby the most curious and artificial of all our members; insomuch that the ancient philosopher Anaxagoras assigned the hands for the reason of
				all human knowledge and discretion. But the contrary to
				this seems the truth. For it is not man’s having hands
				that makes him the wisest animal, but his being naturally
				reasonable and capable of art was the reason why such
				organs were conferred upon him. And this also is most
				manifest to every one, that the reason why Nature out of
				one seed and source formed two, three, and more breth
				ren was not for difference and opposition, but that their
				being apart might render them the more capable of assisting one another. For those that were treble-bodied and
				hundred-handed, if any such there were, while they had
				all their members joined to each other, could do nothing
				without them or apart, as brothers can who can live together and travel, undertake public employments and practise husbandry, by one another’s help, if they preserve
				but that principle of benevolence and concord that Nature
				hath bestowed upon them. But if they do not, they will
				not at all differ in my opinion from feet that trip up one
				another, and fingers that are unnaturally writhen and distorted by one another. Yea, rather, as things moist and
				dry, cold and hot, partake of one nature in the same body,
				and by their consent and agreement engender the best
				
				 
				
				and most pleasant temperament and harmony,—without
				which (they say) there is neither satisfaction nor benefit in
				either riches or kingship itself, which renders man equal to
				Gods,—but if excess and discord befall them, they miserably ruinate and confound the animal; so, where there is an
				unanimous accordance amongst brothers, the family thrives
				and flourishes, and friends and acquaintance, like a well
				furnished choir, in all their actions, words, and thoughts
				maintain a delightful harmony.
				
				 But jarring feuds advance the worst of men, 
 such as a vile ill-tongued slave at home, an insinuating
					parasite abroad, or some other envious person. For as
					diseases in bodies nauseating their ordinary diet incline
					the appetite to every improper and noxious thing; so
					calumny freely entertained against relations, and through
					prejudging credulity enhanced into suspicion, occasions an
					adopting the pernicious acquaintance of such as are ready
					enough to crowd into the room of their betters. The Arcadian prophet in Herodotus was forced to
				supply the loss of one of his feet with an artificial one
				made of wood. But he who in a difference throws off his
				brother, and out of places of common resort takes a stranger for his comrade, seems to do no less than wilfully to
				mangle off a part of himself, attempting to repair the barbarous breach by the unnatural application of an extraneous
				member. For the ordinary inclinations and desires of men,
				being after some sort of society or other, sufficiently admonish them to set the highest value upon relations, to pay
				them all becoming respects, and to have a tender regard
				for their persons, nothing being more irksome to nature
				than to live in that destitution and solitude that denies
				them the happiness of a friend and the privilege of communication. Well therefore was that of Menander:
				
				 ’Tis not o’ th’ store of sprightly wine,
				 Nor plenty of delicious meats, 
 Though generous Nature should design
				 T’ oblige us with perpetual treats;
				 ’Tis not on these we for content depend,
				 So much as on the shadow of a friend. For a great deal of friendship in the world is really no
					better and no more than the mere imitation and resemblance of that first affection that Nature wrought in parents towards their children, and in their children towards
					one another. And whoever has not a particular esteem
					and regard for this kind of friendship, I know no reason
					ally one has to credit his kindest pretensions. For what
					shall we make of that man who in his complaisance, either
					in company or in his letters, salutes his friend by the name
					of brother, and yet scorns the company of that very brother
					whose name was so serviceable to him in his compliment?
					For, as it is the part of a madman to adorn and set out
					the effigies of his brother, and in the mean time to abuse,
					beat, and maim his person; so, to value and honor the
					name in others but to hate and shun the brother himself is
					likewise an action of one that is not so well in his wits as he
					should be, and that never yet considered that Nature is a
					most sacred thing. I remember, when I was at Rome, I undertook an
				umpirage between two brothers. The one pretended to the
				study of philosophy, but (as it appeared by the event) with
				as little reason as to the relation of a brother. For, when
				I advised him that now was the time for him to show his
				philosophy, in the prudent managery and government of
				himself, whilst he was to treat with so dear a relation as a
				brother, and such a one especially as wanted those advantages of knowledge and education that he had; Your
				counsel, replied my philosopher, may do well with some
				illiterate novice or other; but, for my part, I see no such
				great matter in that which you so gravely allege, our being
				the issue of the same parents. True, I answered, you declare evidently enough that you make no account of your
				
				 
				
				affinity. But, by your favor, Mr. Philosopher, all of your
				profession that I ever was acquainted with, whatever their
				private opinions were, affirm both in their prose and poetry
				that, next to the Gods and the laws, her conservators and
				guardians, Nature had assigned to parents the highest
				honor and veneration. And there is nothing that men can
				perform more grateful to the Gods, than freely and constantly to pay their utmost acknowledgments and thanks
				to their parents, and those from whom they received their
				nurture and education; as, on the other hand, there is no
				greater argument of a profane and impious spirit than a
				contemptuous and surly behavior towards them. We are
				therefore enjoined to take heed of doing any one wrong.
				But he that demeans not himself with that exactness before
				his parents that all his actions may afford them a pleasure
				and satisfaction, though he give them no other distaste,
				is sure to undergo a very hard censure. Now what can
				more effectually express the gratitude of children to their
				parents, or what actions or dispositions in their children
				can be more delightful and rejoicing, than firm love and
				amity amongst them? And this may be understood by lesser instances. For,
				if parents will be displeased when an old servant that has
				been favored by them shall be reproached and flouted at
				by the children, or if the plants and the fields wherein
				they took pleasure be neglected, if the forgetting a dog or
				a beloved horse fret their humorsome age (that is very apt
				to be jealous of the love and obedience of their children),
				if, lastly, when they disaffect and despise those recreations
				that are pleasing to the eye and ear, or those juvenile exercises and games which they themselves formerly delighted
				in,—if at any of all these things the parents will be angry
				and offended,—how will they endure such discord as inflames their children with mutual malice and hatred, fills
				their mouths with opprobrious and execrating language,
				
				 
				
				and works them into such an inveteracy that the contrary
				and spiteful method of their actions declares a drift and
				design of ruining one another? If, I say, those smaller
				matters provoke their anger, how will all the rest be resented? Who can resolve me? But, on the other hand,
				where the love of brothers is such that they make up that
				distance Nature has placed them at (in respect of their
				different bodies) by united affections, insomuch that their
				studies and recreations, their earnest and their jest, keep
				true time and agree exactly together, such a pleasing consort amongst their children proves a nursing melody to the
				decayed parents to preserve, and maintain their quiet and
				peace in their old (though tender) age. For never was
				any father so intent upon oratory, ambitious of honor, or
				craving after riches, as fond of his children. Wherefore
				neither is it so great a satisfaction to hear them speak well,
				find them grow wealthy, or see them honored with the
				power of magistracy, as to be endeared to each other in
				mutual affection. Wherefore it is reported of Apollonis
				of Cyzicum, mother of King Eumenes and three other sons,
				Attalus, Philetaerus, and Athenaeus, that she always accounted herself happy and gave the Gods thanks, not so
				much for wealth or empire, as because she saw her three
				sons guarding the eldest, and him reigning securely among
				his armed brothers. And on the contrary, Artaxerxes, understanding that his son Ochus had laid a plot against his
				brothers, died with sorrow at the surprise. For the quarrels of brothers are pernicious, saith Euripides, but most of
				all to the parents themselves. For he that hates and
				plagues his brother can hardly forbear blaming the father
				who begot and the mother who bare him.