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 MelancholySection 4 Member 1 Prognosis of Melancholy

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1651 English Page · Branch 417 of 1495

Section 4 Member 1 Prognosis of Melancholy

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1651 English

454

P. Forestus hath a story of two melancholy brethren, that made away themselves, and for so foul a fact, were accordingly censured, to be infamously buried, as in such cases they use: to terrifie others, as it did the Milesian Virgins of old, but upon farther examination of their misery and madness, the censure was revoked, and they were solemnly interred, as Saul was by David 2 Sam. 2. 4. and Seneca well adviseth, Irascere interfectōri, sed miserere interfecti; be justly offended with him as he was a murderer, but pitty him now as a dead man.

Thus of their goods and bodies, we can dispose; but what shall become of their Souls, God alone can tell; his mercy may come inter pontem & fontem, inter gladium & jugulum, betwixt the bridge and the brook, the knife and the throat. Quod cuiquam contigit, cuivis potest: Who knows how he may be tempted? It is his case, it may be thine: Quæ sua sors hodie est, cras fore vestra potest. We ought not to be so rash and rigorous in our censures, as some are; charity will judge and hope the best; God be merciful unto us all.

The Anatomy of Melancholy: Section 4 Member 1 Prognosis of Melancholy

p. 417

Pieter van Foreest tells a story of two melancholy brothers who killed themselves and for so terrible a deed were accordingly sentenced to a dishonourable burial, as is customary in such cases, to frighten others, as it did the maidens of Miletus long ago. But after further investigation of their suffering and madness, the judgment was revoked and they were solemnly buried, as Saul was by David, 2 Samuel 2:4. And Seneca gives good advice: “Be angry with the killer, but pity the one killed.” Be justly offended with him as a murderer, but pity him now as a dead man.

In this way we can dispose of their property and bodies; but what will become of their souls, God alone can tell. His mercy may come “between bridge and stream, between sword and throat”—between the bridge and the brook, the knife and the throat. “What has happened to anyone can happen to anyone”: who knows how he may be tempted? It is his case; it may be yours. “The fate that is his today may be yours tomorrow.” We ought not to be as rash and severe in our judgments as some are. Charity will judge and hope for the best. God be merciful to us all.

4926.Forestus is Pieter van Foreest. “Fact” means deed; “infamously” dishonourably; “solemnly” with proper ceremony. In 2 Samuel 2:4–5, David learns that the men of Jabesh-gilead buried Saul and blesses them; he did not himself perform the burial. Burton’s wording is retained. The burial rule and appeal to pity come from Seneca the Elder, Controversies 8.4, a rhetorical debate about denying burial to a man who killed himself. Its opposing speeches are not a simple declaration of Roman law. Foreest’s brothers, the Milesian story and the other Senecan marginal case remain uncollated.

4928.“Goods” means property. The bridge and blade images leave open the possibility of last-moment divine mercy. The two Latin maxims express shared vulnerability; the precise Buchanan elegy and the source of Quod cuiquam contigit, cuivis potest remain unverified. The final FINIS closes the First Partition, not the book. The next leaf begins the synopsis of the Second Partition, on treatment.

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.

Rights

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.