The Anatomy of Melancholy

Name: The Anatomy of Melancholy
Author: Robert Burton

1651 English with a close modern English rendering

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The Anatomy of MelancholyDemocritus Junior to the Reader

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1651 English Page · Branch 100 of 1495

Democritus Junior to the Reader

Book Mode

1651 English

65–66

For I see no reason (as he said) why an Epicure or idle drone, a rich glutton, a usurer should live at ease, and do nothing, live in honor, in all manner of pleasures, and oppresse others, when as in the mean time a poor laborer, a smith, a carpenter, an husbandman that hath spent his time in continual labour, as an Asse to carry burdens, to do the Commonwealth good, and without whom we cannot live, shall be left in his old age to begge or starve, and lead a miserable life worse then a jument.

As all conditions shall be tied to their task, so none shall be overtired, but have their set times of recreations and holidaies, indulgere genio, feasts & merry meetings, even to the meanest artificer, or basest servant, once a week to sing or dance, (though not all at once) or do whatsoever he shall please, like that Saccarum festum, amongst the Persians, those Saturnals in Rome, as well as his master.

If any be drunk, he shall drink no more wine or strong drink in a twelve moneth after. A bankrupt shall be Catademiatus in Ampitheatro, publikely shamed, and he that cannot pay his debts, if by riot or negligence he have been impoverished, shal be for a twelve-month imprisoned, if in that space his creditors be not satisfied, he shall be hanged.

He that commits sacriledge shall lose his hands: he that bears false-witnesse, or is of perjury convict, shall have his tongue cut out, except he redeem it with his head. Murder, adultery shall be punished by death, but not theft, except it be some more grievous offence, or notorious offenders: otherwise they shal be condemned to the gallies, mines, be his slaves whom they offended, during their lives.

1075.Burtonp. 65, k: “Idem Aristot. pol. 5. c. 8. Vitiosum quum soli pauperum liberi educantur ad labores nobilium & divitum in voluptatibus & deliciis.” Editor: “Likewise Aristotle, Politics, book 5, chapter 8. It is wrong when only the children of the poor are brought up to labour, while those of the noble and rich are brought up in pleasures and luxuries.” The printed wording and reference are retained.

1076.Burtonp. 65, l: “Quæ hæc injustitia ut nobilis quispiam, aut fœnerator qui nihil agat, lautam & splendidam vitam agat, otio & deliciis, quum interim auriga, faber, agricola, quo respub. carere non potest, vitam adeo miseram ducat, ut pejor quam jumentorum sit ejus conditio? Iniqua resp. quæ dat parasitis, adulatoribus, inanium voluptatum artificibus, generosis & otiosis tanta munera prodigit, at contra agricolis, carbonariis, aurigis, fabris, &c. nihil prospicit, sed eorum abusa labore florentis ætatis fame penset & ærumnis Mor. Utop. l. 2.” Editor: “What injustice is this, that a nobleman or moneylender who does nothing should live splendidly in leisure and pleasure, while a carter, craftsman, or farmer, whom the commonwealth cannot do without, lives so miserably that his condition is worse than a beast’s? An unjust commonwealth lavishes such gifts on parasites, flatterers, providers of empty pleasures, gentlemen, and the idle, yet makes no provision for farmers, charcoal burners, carters, craftsmen, and the like; after using their labour in the prime of life, it repays them with hunger and misery.” More, Utopia, book 2, near the conclusion; Burton condenses More’s argument. The irregular quæ dat … prodigit is retained.

1077.Burtonp. 65, m: “In Segovia nemo otiosus, nemo mendicus nisi per ætatem aut morbum opus facere non potest: nulli deest unde victum quærat, aut quo se exerceat. Cypr. Echovius Delit. Hispan. Nullus Genevæ otiosus, ne septennis puer. Paulus Heuzner Itiner.” Editor: “In Segovia no one is idle, no one begs unless age or illness prevents work; no one lacks a means of earning a living or an occupation. Cyprian Echovius, Delights of Spain. No one in Geneva is idle, not even a boy of seven. Paul Hentzner, Itinerary.” Exact passages remain uncollated.

1078.Burtonp. 66, n: “Atheneus l. 12.” Editor: Athenaeus, book 12, as printed. The relevant account is in The Learned Banqueters 14.44 (639c): a Babylonian festival in which masters temporarily obey slaves. The following section also discusses the Roman Saturnalia. Burton calls the Sacaea Persian.

1079.Burtonp. 66, o: “Simlerus de repub. Helvet.” Editor: Simler, On the Swiss Commonwealth; exact passage uncollated.

1080.Burtonp. 66, p: “Spartian. olim Romæ sic.” Editor: “Spartianus: so formerly at Rome.” The passage is Historia Augusta, Life of Hadrian 18.9, traditionally ascribed to Spartianus. It orders people who squandered their property, if legally independent, to be flogged in the amphitheatre and released; its verb is catomidiari. Burton’s printed Catademiatus in Ampitheatro is retained, and the modern column follows his own gloss, “publikely shamed,” rather than substituting the fuller punishment in the source.

1081.Burtonp. 66, q: “He that provides not for his family, is worse then a thief. Paul.” Editor: Compare 1 Timothy 5:8, which says “worse than an infidel” in the King James Bible, not “thief.” Burton’s wording is retained.

1083.Burtonp. 66, r: “Alfredi lex. utraque manus & lingua præcidatur, nisi eam capite redemerit.” Editor: “Alfred’s law: let both hands and the tongue be cut off, unless he redeems it with his head.” The note is attached where printed, at sacrilege; the body distributes the penalties across sacrilege and perjury. Attribution uncollated.

1084.Burtonp. 66, s: “Si quis nuptam stuprârit, virga virilis ei præciditur; si mulier, nasus & auriculæ præcidatur. Alfredi lex. En leges ipsi Veneri Martique timendas.” Editor: “If a man has illicit intercourse with a married woman, his penis is cut off; if a woman, her nose and ears are cut off. Alfred’s law. Behold laws to make Venus and Mars themselves afraid.” The irregular Latin agreement is retained. Exact legal source uncollated.

1085.Burtonp. 66, t: “Pauperes non peccant, quum extrema necessitate coacti rem alienam capiunt. Maldonat. Summula quæst. 8. art. 3. Ego cum illis sentio qui licere putant à divite clam accipere qui tenetur pauperi subvenire. Emmanuel Sa. Aphor. confess.” Editor: “The poor do not sin when extreme necessity compels them to take another’s property. Maldonado, Summula, question 8, article 3. I agree with those who think it lawful to take secretly from a rich man who is obliged to help the poor. Manuel de Sá, Aphorisms for Confessors.” Exact passages uncollated.

The Anatomy of Melancholy: Democritus Junior to the Reader

p. 100

For I see no reason, as he said, why a pleasure-seeker or idle drone, a rich glutton or moneylender, should live at ease, doing nothing, enjoying honour and every kind of pleasure, and oppressing others, while a poor labourer, smith, carpenter, or farmer, who has spent his life in ceaseless toil, carrying burdens like an ass for the commonwealth’s benefit, and without whom we could not live, should be left in old age to beg or starve, leading a miserable life worse than a beast of burden.

Just as people of every rank shall be bound to their tasks, no one shall be overworked. Everyone shall have appointed times for recreation and holidays, to indulge their inclinations, with feasts and cheerful gatherings. Even the humblest craftsman or lowest servant shall be free once a week to sing or dance—though not all at once—or do whatever he pleases, as at the Persian festival of the Sacaea or the Roman Saturnalia, with as much freedom as his master.

Anyone who gets drunk shall drink no more wine or strong drink for the next twelve months. A bankrupt shall be publicly disgraced in the amphitheatre, publicly shamed. Anyone unable to pay his debts who has impoverished himself through extravagance or negligence shall be imprisoned for twelve months; if his creditors have not been paid within that time, he shall be hanged.

Anyone who commits sacrilege shall lose his hands. Anyone who bears false witness or is convicted of perjury shall have his tongue cut out, unless he gives his head to save it. Murder and adultery shall be punished by death, but theft shall not, except in especially serious cases or where the offenders are notorious. Otherwise they shall be condemned for life to the galleys or mines, or to slavery under the person they wronged.

About This Reading Edition

Robert Burton’s Anatomy ranges across medicine, philosophy, poetry, religion, and everyday life in its inquiry into melancholy. This complete parallel edition pairs the 1651 English text with a close modern English rendering, preserving the three Partitions, Democritus Junior’s address to the reader, verse, and the historical index.

Historical Text and Translation

The historical text follows the sixth edition, printed at Oxford for Henry Cripps in 1651, using the McGill University Library copy. The supplied edition documents missing printed pages 98–99 supplied from another 1651 copy at the Bavarian State Library. Historical folio labels and their irregularities remain visible; web reader numbers identify reflowed passages and do not claim to reproduce PDF pagination.

About Diotimos Editions

Diotimos Editions prepared the close modern English rendering and editorial matter. All 8,755 original and modern passage pairs remain aligned, with verse breaks, italics, continuations, and linked annotations preserved. Burton’s 6,781 historical notes retain their attribution; 6,895 editorial notes remain distinct. The introduction, Note on the Text, contextual lexicon, indexes, source documentation, and bibliography are included. The engraved frontispiece remains available in the original downloads.

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Burton’s historical text is in the public domain. The modern English rendering, introduction, notes, and editorial matter are © 2026 Diotimos Editions and appear with the site owner’s permission. The complete supplied PDF, EPUB, Word, and Markdown files remain available unchanged. The PDF and Word edition preserve the original parallel page layout.