the fair captive maid, fell upon his knees before Mystilus, the general, with tears, vows, and all the rhetoric he could, by the scars he had formerly received, the good service he had done, or whatsoever else was dear unto him, besought his governor he might have the captive virgin to be his wife, virtutis suae spolium, as a reward of his worth and service; and, moreover, he would forgive him the money which was owing, and all reckonings besides due unto him, “I ask no more, no part of booty, no portion, but Rhodanthe to be my wife.”  And when as he could not compass her by fair means, he fell to treachery, force and villainy, and set his life at stake at last to accomplish his desire.  ’Tis a common humour this, a general passion of all lovers to be so affected, and which Aemilia told Aratine, a courtier in Castilio’s discourse, “surely Aratine, if thou werst not so indeed, thou didst not love; ingenuously confess, for if thou hadst been thoroughly enamoured, thou wouldst have desired nothing more than to please thy mistress.  For that is the law of love, to will and nill the same."[5378]_Tantum velle et nolle, velit nolit quod amica_?[5379]

Undoubtedly this may be pronounced of them all, they are very slaves, drudges for the time, madmen, fools, dizzards, atrabilarii[5380], beside themselves, and as blind as beetles.  Their dotage [5381]is most eminent, Amore simul et sapere ipsi Jovi non datur, as Seneca holds, Jupiter himself cannot love and be wise both together; the very best of them, if once they be overtaken with this passion, the most staid, discreet, grave, generous and wise, otherwise able to govern themselves, in this commit many absurdities, many indecorums, unbefitting their gravity and persons.

[5382] “Quisquis amat servit, sequitur captivus amantem,
Fert domita cervice jugum”------

Samson, David, Solomon, Hercules, Socrates, &c. are justly taxed of indiscretion in this point; the middle sort are between hawk and buzzard; and although they do perceive and acknowledge their own dotage, weakness, fury, yet they cannot withstand it; as well may witness those expostulations and confessions of Dido in Virgil.

[5383] “Incipit effari mediaque in voce resistit.”

Phaedra in Seneca.

[5384] “Quod ratio poscit, vincit ac regnat furor,
        Potensque tota mente dominatur deus.”

Myrrha in [5385].  Ovid

       “Illa quidem sentit, foedoque repugnat amori,
        Et secum quo mente feror, quid molior, inquit,
        Dii precor, et pietas,” &c.

       “She sees and knows her fault, and doth resist,
          Against her filthy lust she doth contend. 
        And whither go I, what am I about? 
          And God forbid, yet doth it in the end.”

Again,