"There be many excellent straines in that Poet (Lucan), wherewith his Stoicall Genius hath liberally supplyed him; and truely there are singular pieces of the Philosophy of Zeno, and doctrine of the Stoickes, which I perceive, delivered in a Pulpit, passe for currant Divinity, yet herein are they extream that can allow a man to be his owne Assassine, and so highly extoll the end of Cato, this is indeed not to feare death, but yet to be afraid of life. It is a brave act of valour to contemne death, but where life is more terrible then death, it is then the truest valour to dare to live, and herein Religion hath taught us a noble example: For all the valiant acts of Curtius, Scevola, or Codrus, doe not parallell or match that one of Job, and sure there is no torture to the racke of a disease, nor any Poneyard in death itselfe like those in the way or prologue unto it.Emori nolo, sed me esse mortuum nihil curo, I would not dye, but care not to be dead. Were I of Cæsars Religion I should be of his desires, and wish rather to be tortured at one blow, then to be sawed in peeces by the grating torture of a disease."