Job 28:9

He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.

Ver. 9. He putteth forth his hand upon the rock] "He," that is, mortal man, the miner, Job 28:4 (not God, as Mercer would have it), "putteth forth his hand"; sc. to dig down these rocks, that he may come at that treasure, and make himself master of that spoil that is hidden in their entrails.

Nil tam difficile est, quod non sollertia vincit.

Alexander the Great being asked, How he so soon overran the universe? answered, I never held anything impossible to be achieved. When he had heard of anything dangerous to be done, or unlikely, he would the rather set upon it, and say, Iam periculum par animo Alexandri, This is an enterprise fit for an Alexander. So of Julius Caesar (who had in his time taken a thousand towns, conquered three hundred nations, taken prisoners a million of men, and slain as many) sings the poet (Lucan),

- Caesar in omnia praeceps,

Nil actum credens, dum quid superesset agendum,

Fertur atrox. -

Difficulty doth but whet on heroic spirits; it wakeneth, but not any way weakeneth, the courageous and industrious. Hannibal made his way through the Alps by breaking down a huge rock putrefied with fire, and vinegar poured thereon. Hence Juvenal,

Opposuit natura Alpemque nivemque

Deduxit scopulos, et montem rupit aceto.

He overturneth the mountains by the roots ] Or, he turneth it up at the roots of the mountains; sc. which he mineth, by the obstinace of his labour.

- Labor improbus omnia vincit.

Dεινος και παντολμος της φιλοχρηματιας ερως, saith Isidore, the love of money is daring and desperate.