sum of Money rendr'd Fabius Maximus highly applauded so many Ages since He had received the Captives from Hannibal upon a Contract for so much Money Which when the Senate would not stand to sending his Son to the City he sold the only Farm which he had in the world and presently sent Hannibal the Money If we consider the Sum but small as being the price but of seven Acres of Land and those lying in Pupinia but considering the Soul of the Giver a most large sum and far exceeding the Money For he would rather want his Patrimony than that his Countrey should be poor in Credit So much the more to be commended as it is a more certain signe of a real meaning to stretch beyond ability rather than to do the same act out of superfluity For the one can do what he performs the other more than he is able 2. Therefore a Woman of the same time Busa by name the richest in the Countrey of Apulia won her self an ample testimony of Liberality though perhaps not so great if we compare her flowing Riches to the Poverty of the Fabians For though she relieved about Ten Thousand of our Citizens the remains of the Battle of Cannae within the Walls of Canusium yet she shewed her self munificent to the Romans without prejudice to her Estate But Fabius for the good of his Countrey exchang'd Poverty for Want 3. We finde also in Quinctus Considius a most wholesome Example of Liberality not without some profit to himself Who when the Fury 〈◊〉 Catiline had put all the Commonwealth into such a tumult that the Rich themselves the Rents of Possessions falling were not able to pay their Creditors he having the Sum of one Hundred and Fifty Thousand Sesterces at use would not suffer any of his Debtors to be call'd upon either for Principal or Interest and as much as in him lay sweetned the bitterness of publick Confusion by his own private Quiet opportunely testifying that he made profit only of his Money not of Civil Blood Now they who act with rigour in business of this nature when they carry bloody Money home may hence learn to know with what an accursed and impious joy they rejoyce if they do not loath to read the Decree of the Senate which gave Considius publick thanks 4. Methinks the People of Rome seem to complain of me that while I am reporting the Munificence of particular persons I am silent of theirs For it redounds to their great praise that it should be reported what noble minds they have born to Kings Cities and Countries For the glory of all renowned acts flourishes and revives by often rehearsal After they had conquer'd Asia they gave it as a Giâ—t to King Atâ—alus to possess believing the future Empire of our City would be more high and splendid if they should lay up the richâ—st part of the World rather in the Treasury of their Gratitude than Profit A Gift more happy than the Victory it self For to have possess'd much might procure Envy to have given away so much could never want a glorious estâ—em 5. It is impossible to praise sufficiently in writing the divine spirit of the Roman People For aâ—ter Philip King of Macedon was vanquish'd when all Greece flock'd to behold the Isthmian Games T. Quincius Flaminius having caus'd silence to be made by sound of Trumpet commanded a Crier to proclaim these words The Senate and People of Rome and Q. Flamimus their General command all the Cities of Greece that were under the Iurisdiction of King Philip to be free Which being heard the People were at first struck with a sudden unexpected joy and not believing what they had heard were for a while silent But upon the second Proclamation of the Crier they fill'd the Skie with such a chearful din that it is certainly reporâ—ed that the Biâ—ds which at that instant were flying that way â—ell down amaz'd and â—errâ—â—â— d with the noise They had great Souls to take off the yoke of Servitude from the necks of so many Captives and to give Liberty to so many noble and opulent Cities To whose Majesty it belongs tâ—aâ— not onely what they freely give but also their giving of it be memorably eterniz'd There being the celebration of gain'd applause here of applause repeated FORRAIGN 1. Hiero King of Syracuse hearing of the overthrow which the Romans receiv'd at the Lake of Thrasymene sent to Rome three hundred thousand Bushels of Wheat two hundred thousand Bushels of Barley and two hundred and fourty Pound weight of Gold And not being ignorant of the Modesty of the Romans in receiving such Gifts he made as if he had presented them a Congratulation of Victory that he might compel them moved by Religion to accept of his Munificence Libâ—ral first in his ready will to send and prudent in taking care that it should not be sent back 2. I will adde to him Gillias of Agrigentum who may be thought to have had the very bowels of Liberality He was potent in Wealth but more wealthy in the Generosity of his Mind than in his Riches and always more busily employed in spending and finding waies to bestow than in getting Money So that his House seem'd to be a kind of Shop of Magnificence For there all Monuments â—it for Publick Use were erected there all Plays were set out for the delight of the People there were all preparations for Feasting and thence the scarcity of Corn was supplied This to the gâ—nerality privately the Sick were reliev'd Portions given to poor Maids and comfortable Supplies to them that were broken by Misfortune Guests and Strangers courteously received both in City and Countrey and liberally presented at their departure One time among the rest he fed and clad Five Hundred Gelâ—â—â—siâ—n Horsemen who were by Tempest forced upon his Territories What more You would have said he had no Mortal Bosome but the very Breasts of propitious Fortune herself For what Gillias possess'd seemed to be the common Patrimony of all Men. For whose Prosperity and increase of Wealth not only the City of Agrigentum but all the neighbouring Regions continually praid Place on the other side the Chests of some shut up with Locks inexorable to all Pity do you not think this expense far more laudable than that wary Parsimony LIB V. CHAP. I. Of Humanity and Clemency ROMANS 1. The Roman Senate 2. L. Cornelius Scipio Cos 3. T. Quinctius Câ—ispinus 4. M. Claudius Marcellus Procos 5. Q. Metellus Macedonicus Proconsul 6. P. Scipio Aemilianus 7. The Elder Africanus Procos 8. L. Aemilius Paulus Cos 2. 9. Cn. Pompey the Great Procos 10. Julius Caesar Cos 2. 11. Mark Antony Triumvir FORRAIGNERS 1. Alexander the Great 2. Pisistratus the Athenian 3. Pyrrhus King of Epirus 4. Antigonus King of Macedon 5. The Campanians 6. Hannibal the Carthaginian WHat better Companions could I have found out for Liberality than Humanity and Clemency The first of which shews it self in want the second
besought the Senate that they would not transfer to him his Brothers Provincial Lot which they had taken from him and promised to go himself Lieutenant to his Brother So that the Elder became inferiour to the Younger Brother the stout and couragious to the faint-hearted the renowed to a person of no fame and which is more he that was already Africanus to him that was not yet Asiaticus So that he assumed one of the most noble Sirnames and gave the other He received the Imperial Coat of one Triumph and gave the other greater by assistance than his Brother by Superiority of Command 2. But Marcus Fabius the Consul having overthrown the Veientes and Hetrusci in a most remarkable Fight would not accept of a Triumph which was offer'd him with the full consent of the Senate and eager desire of the People because his Brother a person of Consular Dignity was kill'd bravely fighting in that Battle How great was the zeal of Fraternal Charity that was lodg'd in that breast that could not be extinguish'd by the splendour of so high an honour 3. For this Example Antiquity is famous that which follows has been no small Ornament to our Age who have had the honour to see the Fraternal Yoak of the Claudian and now also the Glory of the Julian Family For so great a Love had our Prince and Parent for his Brother Drusus that when he understood at Ticinum whither he came a Conquerour to embrace his Parents that his Brother Drusus lay dangerous sick in Germany in a frightful amaze he flew out of Town And the Journey which he made appears from hence to have been so swift as if he had rode it at one breath for passing the Alpes and the Rhine he posted day and night changing his Horses above two hundred Miles through several barbarous Nations but newly conquer'd in the company of Antabagius only who was his guide But in all that hazard and danger when he had forsaken the company of Men the most sacred name of Piety and the Gods that are the favourers of all laudable Vertues even Jupiter himself the faithful Preserver of the Roman Empire accompanied him Drusus also faint and weak at that very moment when there is little or no distinction to be made between Life and Death ordered the Legions with their Ensignes to go and meet his Brother He also order'd a Praetorium to be erected for him upon the right hand and would make him take the Consular and Imperial Dignity and at the same time he submitted to the Majesty of his Brother and the sâ—roak of Death Nor can any president of Fraternal Love be compar'd to these unless it be the Examplar of Castor and Pollux 4. However it cannot be a dishonour to the Memory of the most famous Emperours to mention here the strange Love of a certain Souldier toward his Brother For he being in pay under Pompey and having slain a Soldier under Sertorius that press'd him very hard when he came to strip him and found him to be his own Brother cursing the Gods for giving him the Victory he carried him near the Camp and putting a rich Garment upon him laid him upon a Funeral Pile Which assâ—on as he had kindled with the same Sword wherewith he had slain his Brother he thrust himself to the heart and falling upon his Brother was burnt in the same flames He might have liv'd Innocent had he pleaded Ignorance but he rather chose to make use of his own Piety than the pardon of others and for that reason to accompany his Brother in Death CHAP. VI. Of Piety toward their Countrey 1. L. Junius Brutus first Consul 2. M. Curtius the Roman Knight 3. M. Genutius Cipus Pretor 4. Q. Aelius Paetus Pretor 5. P. Decius Consul 6. P. Decius Brother of Publius Consul 7. Africanus the Great 8. The Roman Citizens FORRAIGN 1. Codrus King of the Athenians 2. Thrasybulus the Athenian 3. Themistocles the Athenian 4. The Philaeni Brothers 5. Aristotle the Stagirite WE have seen Piety to private Relations we are now to shew it toward our Native Countrey to whose Majesty paternal Authority almost equal to that of the Gods has ever submitted and to which Brotherly Affection willingly yields and with a great deal of reason too For a Family may be ruin'd and yet the Commonwealth be safe but the ruine of the Commonwealth necessarily draws with it the destruction of every Family But how can we express in words what so many have testified at the expence of their own Lives 1. Brutus the first Consul meeting Aruns the Son of Tarquin the Proud whom he had expell'd from his Kingdom in the field ran at him with that fury that running each other in the body with their Spears they fell both dead at the same time I may very well adde that the Roman People paid dear for their Liberty 2. But when the Earth suddenly sunk in the midst of the Forum leaving a wide hole and that the Oracle had return'd for answer that nothing could fill up that concavity but that which the Roman People most valued Gurtius a young Gentleman noble in Birth and Minde understanding that our City did excel in Vertue and Warlike Prowess putting on all his Warlike Ornaments and getting up a Horseback he put spurs to his Horse and rid full speed into the dismal Precipice upon whom the Citizens in his honour cast Fruit and Grain and then the Earth miraculously closed again Many wonderful things did afterwards adorn the Forum Yet never did any one come near the Piety of Gurtius to his Countrey For which as deserving the chief place of Honour I will adde another somewhat like it 3. Genucius Cipus being Pretor and just coming out of the City in his Habit of General there befel him a most unheard-of Prodigy For of a suddain somewhat started out of his Forehead like Horns and a Vice answer'd that he should be a King if he return'd into the City again Which lest it should happen he condemn'd himself to perpetual Banishment A noble act of Piety which considering the honour it deserves is to be preferr'd before seven Kings In testimony whereof a brazen Image of his Head was set up upon the Gate out of which he went 4. Genucius bequeath'd the inheritance of his praise than which a greater could not be given to Aelius the Pretor For when a Crow came and sate upon his Head as he was sitting in Judgment the Soothsayers affirm'd that if he preserv'd the Crow his Family should flourish but the condition of the Common-wealth be most miserable but the Crow being slain the quite contrary would happen to both took the Crow and wrung off his neck in the view of all the Senate He lost seventeen Souldiers of his Famâ—ly all stout men at the Battle of Canâ—ae But the Common-wealth soon after recover'd itâ— glory But these Examples Sylla Marius and Cinna laugh'd at as ridiculous 5. Decius who first brought the
as of the Armed be related 1. Lu. Equitius who feign'd himself to be the Son of Ti. Gracchus and stood for the Tribuneship with L. Saturninus against Law was by C. Marius in his sixth Consulship carried to the publick Goal However the People broke open the Gates of the Prison and taking him out again carried him upon their shoulders in publick triumph 2. The same person because Q. Metellus the Censor refus'd to admit him into the Roll for the Son of Gracchus endeavoured to have stoned him to death affirming that Gracchus had but three Sons Of which one serv'd in Sardinia the second an Infant at Praeneste the third born at Rome deceased after his Fathers death neither ought the unknown rubbith of a noble Family to be remembred When the improvident Rashness of the provok'd Multitude extended it self in the mean time impudently and audaciously against the Consulship and Censorship and assail'd their Princes with all manner of Petulancy 3. That was onely Madness this a bloody Sedition For the People compell'd A. Numius the Competitor of Saturninus nine Tribunes being created and but one vacancy remaining for two Candidates to flie to his own house and then dragging him out from thence slew him that by the slaughter of an honest Citizen they might make way for a pernicious Disturber to get into Authority 4. The Consternation of the Creditors against Sempronius Asellio the Praetor brake forth into a most intollerable Rage Whom because he underook the cause of the Debts being stirr'd up by L. Cassius the Tribune they dragg'd from the Altar as he was sacrificing before the Temple of Concord and slew him in his Robes of Authority Of the Roman Souldiers 1. The Sedition of Citizens is to be detested but if we look into the Camp an equal indignation will arise When the Province of Asia was by the Sulpician Law decreed to C. Marius a private person to prosecute the War against Mithridates the Souldiers slew Gratidius sent by him to L. Sulla the Consul to receive the Legions from him Offended without doubt that they were to be commanded by a person of no Honour that had served under a person of the highest Dignity But who may endure a Souldier correcting the Decrees of the Commonalty with the Death of a Legate 2. That in the behalf of a Consul so violently acted this against a Consul For when Q. Pompey Collegue of Sylla ventured to contend with Cn. Pompey being sent to the Army by the command of the Senate the Souldiers corrupted by the delusions of an ambitious Captain fell upon him as he was beginning to sacrifice and slew him as if he himself had been the Victime And the Court forced to give way to the Camp durst not revenge so great a Crime 3. That Army also was wickedly violent who kill'd C. Carbo the Brother of Carbo thrice Consul endeavouring to amend the loose Discipline of the Souldiers crept in through the liberty of the Civil Wars and rather chose to be contaminated with the greatest of Crimes than to alter their loose and depraved Manners CHAP. VIII Of Rashness 1. P. Africanus the Greater 2. C. Caesar twice Consul 3. The Roman Army FORREIGNERS 1. Hannibal 2. The People of Athens SUddain also and vehement are the Instigations of Rashness by the stroaks whereof the minds of men are disorder'd not being able to foresee their own dangers nor prosecute the facts of others with a due consideration 1. For how rashly did the Greater Africanus cross the Sea out of Spain with two Gallies of five Oars to Syphax the King trusting his own and his Countries safety in the faithless breast of one Numidian So that in one moment it was a doubtful question whether Scipio should be the Captive or the Conquerour of Syphax 2. The doubtful attempt also of C. Caesar was protected by the Heavens For impatient of the Legions crossing from Brundusium to Apollonia leaving the Banquet out of a pretence of being sick he went aboard a small Ship and in a most rigorous Tempest sâ—eers out of the River into the very mouth of the Adriatic Sea and commanding the Ship to keep her course long tossed by contrary Waves at length he was forced to return 3. Now what a most execrable Rashness was that of the Souldiers For they were the cause that Albinus a person famous for his Nobility Conditions and great Honours through false and vain suspicions was stoned to death in the Camp And which admits of no excuse denied their Captain praying and beseeching the power of answering for himself FORREIGNERS 1. Therefore I wonder the less that the severe and cruel Hannibal would not admit the guiltless Pilot to make his defence who returning out of Italy from Petilia not believing he could reach between Italy and Sicily so soon killed the Pilot thinking he had betrayed him But at length when he found what the Pilot had said to be true pardon'd him too late when he could pay no respect to his Innocence but that of a Sepulchre And therefore in the midst of a narrow and tempestuous Frith stands an overlooking Statue expos'd to the eyes of them that sail to and fro in remembrance of Pelorium and the Punic Rashness 2. The Athenian City was also mad to Rashness which put to death unheard ten of their chief Generals returning from a noble Victory and all because they could not bury the slain Souldiers through the tempestuousness of the Sea Punishing Necessity when they should have honoured Vertue CHAP. IX Of Errour 1. Of the Roman People 2. C. Cassius Longinus Proconsul 3. The Guard of Lartis Tolumnius King of the Veientes ERrour is next to Rashness as equally prejudicial so to them also it least knows because it commits mistakes not willingly but out of false imaginations which being far spread in the breast of men if I should omit it I should be guilty of the Errour which I blame Therefore let us recite a few Mistakes 1. C. Helvius Cinna Tribune of the People returning home from Caesar's Funeral was torn by the hands of the People mistaken for Cornelius Cinna upon whom they thought to have spent their rage provoked against him because that being Caesar's Kinsman he had made an abusive Oration against him that was impiously slain And so far irritated they were by the same Errour that they carried the Head of Helvius as if it had been the Head of Cornelius fix'd upon a Pole about the Funeral-pile of Caesar A cruel expiation of Duty and Mistake 2. For Errour caused C. Cassius to punish himself For in the midst of that various and unknown event â—o the Captains themselves of the fight of four Armies at Philippi Titinius the Centurion being sent by him in the Night to see in what condition Brutus was while he fetch'd several compasses about because the darkness of the Night did not suffer him to know whether he met Foes or Friends it was long before he return'd Cassius therefore believing
Qê° VALERIVS MAXIMVS HIS COLLECTIONS Of the Memorable ACTS And SAYINGS OF ORATORS PHILOSOPHERS STATESMEN and Other Illustrious Persons of the Antient Romans and Other Foreign Nations Upon Various Subjects TOGETHER With the Life of that Famous HISTORIAN Newly Translated into English LONDON Printed for Benjamin Crayle at the Lamb in Fleetstreet next White-Fryers-Gate and John Fish nigh the Fountain-Tavern in the Strand 1684. Fab Maximus Lycurgus Caesar Alexander Pyrrhus Xerxes Marius Sylla Scipio Africâ— Themistocles Pompey Romuluâ— London printed for Samuel Speed To the Right Honourable HENEAGE Lord FINCH Baron of Daventry AND Lord High CHANCELLOR of England May it please your Honour HAving lately experienc'd the Influences of your Honours Favours I hold my self in Duty bound to pay my Acknowledgements to the utmost of my power which is in this Address to declare your Piety and your Bounty For which reasons I had been guilty of Injustice had I sought for any other Patron being lately so generously remembred by your Honour Thus I endeavour to shew my Gratitude though the highest Pinacle thereof bears no proportion with the large Pillars of your Honours High Worth and Dignity well observing what is in ancient Story recorded of Lycurgus the Lacedemonian Law-giver that he slighted the making a Decree against Ingratitude imagining no man could be so sordidly wretched as to be guilty of that horrid Crime Wherefore to pay my Debt in the best Coyn I have I humbly offer this to your Honours Patronage it being a Collection of the Acts and Sayings of Oratours and States-men and who can be more fit to receive them than the far-excelling Tully of our Age Of whom I may say as once the ancient Roman Omnium somnos tua vigilantia omnium delicias tua industria omnium vacationem tua occupatio May it please your Honour not to give your Lordship any farther trouble your Acceptance and Pardon is humbly implor'd by Your Honours Obedient Devoted and Obliged Servant Samuel Speed THE LIFE OF VALERIVS MAXIMVS VAlerius Maximus a Roman Citizen of a Patrician Family spent his childhood and youth in the study of Learning Then coming to be of age he betook himself to the VVars where he is said to have serv'd for some time and to have sail'd with Sextus Pompey into Asia VVhence returning home when he found himself able to profit his Country by well speaking as well as doing from which the love of Honour had for some time diverted him he resolv'd to put forth the Acts and Sayings the most remarkable of the Roman City and of forraign Nations which he very luckily finish'd He flourish'd in the Raign of Tiberius Caesar and in his time whose Numen he invokes he wrote this History For the Roman Emperours when by their vertue they had justly and uprightly manag'd the Empire were translated into the number of the Gods and were call'd Divi Imperatores He deriv'd his Pedigree by the Fathers side from the Valerian Family by the Mothers side from the Fabian from both which he obtain'd the name of Valerius Maximus Of his Death there is nothing certain reported AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE Contents of the Chapters A OF Abstinence Page 167 Of Arts Page 408 Of Anger Page 441 B Of Bashfulness Page 181 C Of Constancie Page 143 Of Continence Page 167 Of Conjugal Love Page 185 Of Clemencie Page 203 Of Courage at the death of Children Page 252 Of Chastity Page 256 Of Covetousness Page 446 Of Cruelty Page 434 D Of Dream Page 30 Of Degenerated Births Page 129 Of the Desire of Honour Page 417 Of Deaths not Vulgar Page 466 Of Desire of Life Page 471 E Of the Effects of Arts Page 408 Of Eloquence Page 403 Ease praised Page 402 F Of Frugality Page 66 Of Forraign Institutions Page 69 Of Fortitude Page 104 Of Friendship Page 189 Of the Fidelity of Servants Page 291 Of the change of Fortune Page 295 G Of Gratitude Page 214 H Of Humanity Page 203 Of Happiness Page 304 Of Honour Page 417 Of Hatred Page 441 I Of Innocence Page 66 Of Illustrious men Page 131 Of Ingratitude Page 221 Of Justice Page 281 Of publick Judgments Page 346 Of private Judgments Page 354 Of Industry Page 363 L Of Luckie Signes Page 16 Of Liberality Page 198 Of Love to Children Page 244 Of Luxury and Lust Page 427 Of Lyers Page 476 M Of Miracles Page 39 Of Matrimonial Ceremonies Page 52 Of Magiâ—â—rates Page 56 Of Military Discipline Page 76 Of Majesty Page 95 Of Mean Births advanced Page 125 Of Moderation Page 152 Of Modesty Page 181 Of Moderation to suspected children Page 250 Of the change of Manners Page 295 Of Memorable old Age Page 413 Of Motion of the Body Page 406 Of Magnificent things Page 421 N Of Necessity Page 334 O Of Omens Page 18 Of memorable Old age Page 413 P Of Prodigies Page 22 Of Patience Page 1â—0 Poverty praised Page 176 Of Piety toward their Country Page 238 Towards Parents Page 228 Of Publick Faith Page 287 Of Publick Judgments Page 346 Of Private Judgments Page 354 Of Pronunciation Page 406 R Of Religion Page 3 Of Feigned Religion Page 14 Of Forraign Religion Page 15 Of the Right of Triumphing Page 86 Of Reconciliation Page 164 Of Repulses Page 331 Of Rackings Page 358 On Revenge Page 361 S Of Shews Page 62 Of the Severity of the Censors Page 90 Of Self-confidence Page 133 Of Severity to Children Page 247 Of Severity Page 269 Of Stratagems Page 326 Of Study Page 363 Of Similitude of Form Page 474 T Of Towardliness Page 101 Of Things freely done Page 262 Gravely done Page 276 Of the Truth of Wives Page 290 Of Things wisely done Page 306 Craftily done Page 316 Of Testaments confirm'd Page 342 Of Testimonies Page 359 W Of Wills cancell'd Page 338 Of Women-pleaders Page 357 Y Of Yielding to Masters of Art Page 412 Quintus Valerius Maximus OF Memorable things LIB I. The PROLOGUE TO AUGUSTUS TIBERIUS CAESAR I Have resolved with thy self to collect together the Deeds and Sayings of most note and most worthy to be remembred of the most eminent persons both among the Romans and other Nations taken out of the most approved Authors where they lie scattered at such a distance that makes them hard to be known to save them the trouble of a tedious search who are willing to follow their Examples Yet I have not been over-desirous to comprehend all For who in a small Volume is able to set down the Deeds of many Ages Or what wise man can hope to deliver the order of Domestick and Forraign story which our Predecessors have done in such happy stiles either with greater care or more abounding Eloquence Therefore Caesar thy Countries onely safety thee I invoke in the beginning of my Vndertaking whom the consent of Gods and men hath ordain'd the great Commander both of Sea and Land by whose Divine providence those Vertues of which I am to discourse are most favourably cherish'd Vices most
the Roman people 2. P. Cornelius the Pretor 3. Lucius Emilius Paulus THe new Custom which was introduced among the Feasts of Bacchus when it grew to Madâ—â—â—â—â— was quite taken away Lutatius who finished 〈…〉 Punick War was forbid by the Senate to go 〈…〉 to consult Fortune judging it meet that 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—â—s of the Commonwealth should be goverâ—â—◠〈◊〉 their own national Omens and not those of 〈…〉 Countries 〈…〉 Cornelius Hispallus a forraign Pretor in the 〈…〉 at Popillius Laenas and M. Calpurnius were 〈…〉 by Edict commanded the Caldeans to depart 〈…〉 Italy who by their trivial tricks and false interpretations of the Stars cast a gainful Mist before their eyes 3. The same person banished those who with a counterfeit worship of Jupiter Sabazius sought to corrupt the Roman Customs Lucius Emilius Paulus the Consul when the Senate had decreed that the Temples of Isis and Serapis should be destroyed and that none of the Workmen durst lay hands upon the Work laying his Consular habit aside and taking a Hatchet was the first that broke open the Gates CHAP. IV. Of Luckie Signes Which the ROMANS took 1. Atius Navus the Augur 2. T. Gracchus Son of Titus Tribune 3. P. Claudius Pulcher and L. Jun. Pullus Consul 4. Lucius Metellus High-priest 5. M. Tullius Cicero 6. M. Junius Brutus Proconsul FORRAIGN 1. Alexander the Great 2. King Dejotarus 1. LVcius Tarquinius the King having a minde to adde other Troops of Horse to the Troops which Romulus had fortunately enroll'd being oppoed by the Augur in a great fury asked him If that which he thought of might be done Who answering That it might the King commanded him to â—â—eave a Whet-stone with a Rator which was no sooner brought but Atius by an incredible act made the King admire the Effect of his Profession 2. Titus Gracchus designing Tumult and Sedition sought for Lucky Signes at home which fell out very sad and contrary to his Expectation for as he was going out of doors he stumbled in such sort that he broke one of his Toes Then three Crows cawing on the wrong side let fall a piece of a Tile just before him But he contemning all these Signes and being expelled the Capitol by Scipio Nasica the High priest was knock'd on the head with a piece of Chair of State 3. P. Claudius in the first Punick War being ready to joyn Battel yet being willing to know the Signes after the old Custome when he that kept the Birds told him that the Chickens would not come out of the Penns commanded them to be cast into the Sea saying If they will not eat let um drink together with Junius his Colleague lost the Roman Navy for neglecting the Lucky Signes Of which two one fell by the Sentence of the People the other prevented the ignominy of Condemnation by killing himself 4. Metellus the High-priest travelling for Tusculanum two Crows flew directly toward his face as if they went to stop his journey yet hardly prevail'd with him to return The next night the Temple of Vesta was burnt and Metellus sav'd the Palladium out of the fire 5. M Cicero had his death foretold by an unlucky Signe for being at the Village of Cajeta a Crow strook off the Gnomon of a Sun-dial before his face and by and by flying toward him held him by the hem of his Garment till his Servants came and told him that certain Souldiers were come to kill him 6. M. Brutus having rallied the remains of his Army against Caesar and Antonius two Eagles flew one from one Camp and the other from the other and encountring one another the Eagle which came out of Brutus Camp being worsted fled FORRAIGN 1. Alexander being about to build a City in Egypt Diocrates the Architect for want of Chalk laid out the streets with Meal By and by a vast number of Birds from the next Lake devoured the Meal of which the Egyptian Priests made this Interpretation That that City should in time afford great store of Provision to Strangers 2. King Dejotarus who was very prosperous in his Actions was preserv'd by the sight of an Eagle for seeing the place whence she came out he would by no means go in there and the house fell the next night equal with the ground CHAP. V. Of Omens Which the ROMANS took 1. The Fathers Conscript 2. M. Furius Camillus Dictator 3. L. Aemilius Paulus Consul 4. Caecilia Metelli 5. C. Marius in Exile 6. Cn. Pompeius Pro-Consul 7. M. Brutus Pro-Consul 8. C. Cassius Pro-Consul 9. Q. Petillius Consul FORRAIGN 1. The Prienians 2. Apolloniates THe observation of Omens is founded upon a certain touch of Religion as depending not upon any fortuitous Chance but upon Divine Providence 1. Whereby it came to pass that when the City was destroyed by the Gauls and the Senate was consulting whether they should remove to Veii or rebuild their own Walls some Cohorts returning from Garrison a Centurion crying out in the place for publick Assemblies to his Eagle-bearer Fir your Ensigne we 'll stay here in good time the Senate hearing his voice took it for a good Omen and left off their designe of going for Veii In how few words was the Domicil of the future Empire of the World designed The Gods disdaining that the Roman Name sprung from happy Omens should change its Seat or that the glory of Victory it self should lie buried in the Ruines of a City already neer decay'd 2. The Author of this most famous Work Camillus while he was praying that if the happiness of the people of Rome seemed to any of the Gods to be too great that they would satisfie their Envy by any mischief done to himself at the end of his Prayer suddenly stumbling sell down which Omen is thought to have related to the Condemnation which he afterwards underwent But deservedly did Victory and the Prayers of this great man strive together for praise nor was the strife of his Vertue less that he increased the Good fortune of his Country wishing all its evil fortune might fall upon his own head 3. How memorable was that which befel L. Paulus the Consul who being by lot designed to make War with Perseus King of Macedon in his return to his house met his youngest Daughter at the door and observing her to look something sad kiss'd her and demanded the cause of her discontent who answered That Persa was dead that was the name of a little Dog which she highly esteemed which di'd a little before Paulus laid hold of the Omen and upon a fortuitous saying built the hopes of his future Triumphs 4. But Cecilia the Wise of Metellus when her Sisters Daughter required after the antient custom those Nuptial-Rites due to a Virgin of ripe years gave occasion to the Omen her self for the Virgin having stain in a certain Chappel for that purpose and hearing no body speak to her minde wearied with long standing she desired of her Aunt to let her have some place
Fulvius Censor turn'd his Brother out of the Senate for that he had presumed to sâ—nd home a Cohort of the Legion wherein he was a Tribune without the leave of the Consul What more difficult for a man to do than to send back with ignominy to his Country a person nearly related by Family and Marriage or to use the severity of Stripes to a person allied in a long series of Blood and Kindred or to bend his Censors frown upon the dear Relation of a Brother 6. But our City which hath fill'd the world with wonderful Examples of all sorts with a double face beholds her Axes reeking with the Blood of her Commanders lest the disturbance of Military Discipline should go unpunish'd pompous abroad but the cause of private grief enough uncertain whether to perform the office of congratulating or comforting And therefore with doubtful thoughts have I coupled you two together most severe observers of Warlike Discipline Posthumus Tubertus and Manlius Torquatus For I apprehend a fear of sinking under that weight of Praise which ye have merited and discovering the weakenss of my Wit while I presume to represent your Vertue as it should be For thou O Posthumus Dictator didst cause thy victorious Son Aulus Posthumus to be beheaded thy Son whom thou didst beget to propagate the succession of thy renowned Race and the secret instructions of thy most sacred traditions the allurements of whose infancy thou hadst cherish'd in thy Bosome and with thy Kisses whom a Child thou hadst instructed in Learning a Man in Arms good couragious and obedient both to thee and to his Countrey only because without thy command without thy leave he had overthrown his enemies thy fatherly command was the Executioner For I am certain thine eyes orewhelm'd with darkenss in the brightest light could not behold the great work of thy mind But thou Manlius Torquatus Consul in the Latine War didst command thy Son to be carried away by the Officer and to be slain like a Sacrifice though he obtain'd a noble Victory for that he had presum'd to fight with Geminius Metius Captain of the Tuscans when provoked to the Combat by him Esteeming it better that a Father should want a couragious Son than thy Countrey want Military Discipline 7. Again of what spirit think ye was Quintus Cincinnatus the Dictator at that time when the Aequi being vanquished he compelled Minutius to lay down the Consulship because the Enemies had besieged his Camp For he thought him unworthy the greatest command whom â—ot his Virtue but his Trenches and his Breastworks secur'd and who was not ashamed to see the Roman Arms trembling for fear shut up in their Turn-pikes Thus the most commanding twelve Fasces with whom remain'd the chief honour of the Senate of the Order of Knighthood of all the People with whose Nod all Latium and all the strength of Italy was govern'd now shatter'd and broken submitted to the punishing authority of the Dictatorship And lest the breach of Military Honour should go unpunish'd the Consul punisher of all Crimes must himself be punished By these Propitiatory Sacrifices as I may so say O Mars the Father of our Empire when we degenerated from thy auspicious Discipline thy Deity was appeas'd By the infamy of Kindred Relations and Brothers by the murder of Sons and the ignominious degrading of Consuls 8. To the same purpose is that which follows Papirius Cursor Dictator when Q. Fabius Rullianus Master of the Horse had contrary to his command brought forth the Army to Battle though he return'd a Victor over the Samnites yet neither mov'd with his Virtue with his Success nor with his Nobility he caus'd the Rods to be made ready and the Conquerour to be stript A spectacle of wonder to behold Rullianus Master of the Horse and a victorious General his Cloaths pull'd off his Body naked to be lacerated with the stripes of an Executioner to no other end than to sprinkle the glorious honour of his Victories so lately obtain'd with the fresh Blood of those Wounds which he had received in the Field drawn from his Body by the knotted stripes of the Lictor At length the Army mov'd by his Prayers gave him the Opportunity of flying into the City where in vain he implored the aid of the Senate for Papirius notwithstanding persever'd in requiring his punishment Wherefore his Father after having been Dictator and three times Consul was compell'd to appeal to the People and upon his Knees to beg the assistance of the Tribunes in the behalf of his Son Neither by this means could the Severity of Papirius be restain'd but being intreated by the whole City and by the Tribunes themselves made a protestation that he forgave the Punishment mot to Fabius but to the City of Rome and the Authority of the Tribunes 9. L. Calpurnius Piso also being Consul being in Sicily making war against the Fugitives when C. Titius Commander of the Horse being environ'd and oppress'd by the multitude of the Enemy had with the rest of his Souldiers deliver'd their Arms to the Enemy he punisht him with several marks of Ignominy He commanded him to march barefoot in the first Ranks from Morning till Night with a Jacket the skirts whereof were cut off and his Cloak slit from top to bottom he forbad him also the converse of Men and use of Baths and the Troops which he commanded having taken away their Horses he divided them among the Slingers Thus to his great honour did Piso revenge the great dishonour of his Countrey having brought it so to pass that they who out of a desire of Life and deserving to be hanged had suffer'd their Arms to become the Trophies of Fugitives and were not ashamed to permit the ignominious youk of Servitude to be laid upon their Liberty by the hands of Slaves might experience the bitter enjoyment of Life and covet that Death which they had so effeminately avoided 10. Not less than that of Piso was the proceeding of Q. Metellus who at the Battle of Contrebia having placed five Cohorts in a certain station and seeing them retire through the multitude of their Enemies he commanded them immedâ—â—â—â—â—y to endeavour to recover their ground again withal severely adding that is any of them flying were found in the Camp he should be used as an Enemy not hoping by this means to regain what they had lost but to punish them with the manifest hazards of the ensuing Combat Yet they having received this check weary as they were having no other encouragement but Despair renewed the fight and with the slaughter of their Enemies recover'd their station So that there is nothing like Necessity to harden humane imbecillity 11. In the same Province Q. Fabius the Great being desirous to bring down the fierce pride of a most haughty Pâ—ople forc'd his gentle disposition for a time to lay aside all Clemency and to use himself to utmost Rigour and Severity For he cut â—ff tâ—e hands of
Fortune doth not therefore want a just confidence in its self 3. But Zeuxis having painted Helen thought it not fit to expect what men would say of his Work but presently added these Verses out of Homer Iliad 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I cannot blame the man that for her strives Like an Immortal God she is So that the Painter did not arrogate so much to his Art to think he had drawn so much Beauty as Leda might assume through her Celestial Birth or Homer express by his divine Wit 4. Phidias also alluded to the Verses of Homer in a notable Saying For having finish'd the Statue of Jupiter Olympic than which never humane hand did make a more famous Piece being ask'd by his Friend whither he directed his mind when he form'd the Face of Jupiter of Ivory as if he had seem'd to fetch it from Heaven reply'd that he made use of these following Verses Iliad 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With his black brows he to her nodded Wherewith displayed were his Locks Divine Olymyus shook at stirring of his Godhead 5. But now the most renowned Captains suffer me no longer to insist upon mean Examples For Epaminondas when his Citizens in anger commanded him in contempt to take care of paving the Streets in the Town which was one of the lowest Offices among them without any hesitation took it upon him promising in a short time to make the City most beautiful By his wonderful Industry making the most vile Office to be coveted for a great honour 6. But Hannibal remaining in Exile with King Prusias and being the occasion of his giving Battle though the other told him that the Entrails portended no good Success made this reply Hadst thou rather said he believe a little Calves flesh than an old General A brief and concise Answer considering the number of the Words considering the sence a copious reply and of great authority For he that had wrung out of the hands of the Romans both Spains and having reduc'd the force of Gallia and Liguria under his subjection had open'd a new Passage through the Alps laying at the Kings feet the dire memory of the Thrasymene Lake the famous monument of the Punic Victory at Cannae Capua taken and all Italy rent and torn could not endure that his glory witnessed by long experiment should be put in competition with the Liver of one Sacrifice And certainly as to what concern'd the exploring of Military Sacrifices and making conjectures of Warlike Conducts the breast of Hannibal was far above all the little fires all the Altars of Bithynia in the judgment of Mars himself 7. That saying also of King Cotys was the mark of a most generous Spirit who so soon as he understood that the Athenians had given him a City made answer that he would give them the Law of his Nation Thereby equalling Thrace to Athens lest by accounting himself unable to requite such a benefit he should have been esteem'd to have thought too meanly of his Original 8. Nobly was it said also of both the Spartans one of whom being reproved that he went to battle being lame reply'd That it was his intention to fight and not to run The other being told that the Sun us'd to be obscur'd with the Darts of the Persians A very good story quoth he for we shall fight the better in the shade Another Person of the same City and Courage made answer to his Host shewing him the high and broad Walls of his City If ye made um for your Women said he ye did well if for your Men 't was ignominiously done CHAP. VIII Of Constancy ROMANS 1. Q. Fulvius Flaccus 2. Q. Fabius Maximus 3. Q. Calpurnius Piso 4. Metellus Numidia 5. Scaevola the Elder 6. Sempronia Sister of the Gracchi 7. Pontius the Centurion 8. Mevius the Centurian FORRAIGN 1. Blassius the Salapian 2. Phocion the Athenian 3. Socrates the Athenian 4. Ephialtes the Athenian 5. Dion of Syracuse 6. Alexander the Great THere remains the labour of Constancy as it were due to him that has demonstrated an open and couragious breast endued with good Confidence For Nature has provided that whoever believes himself to have comprehended any thing orderly and rightly in his minde should stifly defend it and put it into act against opposition or if not done should bring it to effect without delay maugre all resistance 1. But while I seek for an Example of what I propound looking about me at a distance before all the rest the Constancy of Fulvius Flaccus offers it self He at that time held Capua which through the fallacious promises of Hannibal had resolv'd by their vile Revolt to put the Kingdom of Italy into the Conquerours hands Having therefore made a true value of the Enemies Crime he purposed with himself wholly to extirpate the Senate of Capua who were the Authors of that wicked Decree To this intent he sent them all to Theana and Calena laden with Chains into two several Prisons resolving to execute his purpose when he had done some other things which required a more necessary speed In the mean time a Rumour being spread of more favourable Proceedings being intended toward them lest they should escape their deserved punishment he took horse in the night-time posts to Theana where he put to death all that were in custody there thence hasting to Calena he finish'd the work of his severe Resolution For though while yet the Campanians were bound to the stake he had received Letters in favour of them he notwithstanding kept the Letters as he received them in his left hand commanding the Lictor to do his duty nor would he open them till he knew it was too late to obey them By which Constancy of his he surmounted the glory of a Victory For if we make his Estimate by dividing the praise between himself we shall finde him greater in Capua punish'd than in Capua taken 2. This was a Constancy in Severity that which follows a most admirable Constancy in piety which Fabius Maximus render'd indefatigable for the good of his Country He told out the Money to Hannibal for the Captives being publickly defrauded of it he said nothing The Senate had made Minutius Master of the Horse equal to him in Authory he held his tongue And although provoked with many other injuries he persisted in the same habit of minde nor would ever give his pâ—ssion liberty to be angry with the Commonwealth so stedfast was the love he bare to his Citizens In his managing the War was not his Constancy the same The Roman Empire broken at the overthrow at Cannae seem'd scarce able to provide another Army and therefore believing it to be better to delay and weary the force of the Carthaginians than to come to Handy-blows with all his power though provoked with the frequent taunts of Hannibal though he had many times
commended 10. Nor does the Younger Africanus suffer us to pass him by in silence Who being Censor when he muster'd the Army and in the Sacrifice then wont to be made the Scribe was also singing a solemn Hymn of Praise set down in the Books the Gods were supplicated to prosper and advance the affairs of the Roman People They are said he in a condition good and great enough and therefore I desire the Gods to preserve them safe as they are And therefore ordered the Song to be mended accordingly in the publick Records Which Modesty the Censors when they muster'd ever after us'd in their Prayers Prudently believing that then the increase of the Roman Empire was to be sought when they sought for Triumphs but Seven Miles from the City But when they now possessed the greatest part of the World that it was a piece of over-Covetousness to desire more Being happy if they lost nothing of what they had already won Nor did his Moderation appear less in his Censorship before the Tribunal For when he was mustering the Centuries of the Horsemen when he saw Licinius the Priest appear according to his Summons I know said he that he hath perjur'd himself in a set form of fram'd words for the nonce And therefore if any one would accuse him he would be a witness But 〈◊〉 no man appear'd Deliver thy Horse said he Priest 〈◊〉 buy the Censor's mark lest I be forced to act the part of an Accuser Witness and Judge against thee 11. Which temper of minde is also taken notice of in Q. Scaevola a most excellent Personage For being produced as a witness against a Criminal when he had answered that which seemed to make much against the party he added at his going away that they ought not to give him onely Credit unless many others did aver the same thing for that to believe the testimony of one seem'd to be of a very evil Example Whereby he procured that Faith which was due to his Sincerity and at the same time gave wholsome advice for the Common good 12. I am sensible what Citizens what Deeds and Sayings of theirs I am forced to comprehend in a narrow compass of Oration but when many and great things are to be spoken concerning the renown of great men there is no relation comprehending infinite persons and transactions that can perform both And therefore our purpose is not to praise but to record them all and therefore the two Metelli the Macedonian and Numidian two the greatest Ornaments of their Country desire leave to be briefly remember'd The Macedonian Metellus had most eagerly contended with the African Scipio and this Contention arising out of an Emulation of each others Vertue grew to most grievous and terrible hatred of each other but when he heard it reported that Scipio was slain he ran into the publick street with a sad Countenance and confused Out-cry crying out Arm arm Citizens arm the Walls of our City are defaced and ruined For Scipio was violently slain at home in his own house Oh unhappy Commonwealth in the death of Africanus but happy in the generous and kinde Lamentation of Macedonicus For at the same time he made known how brave a Prince she had lost and how brave a one she enjoy'd He ordered his Sons also to be the Supporters of his Bier adding this voice of Honour to his Funeral That it would never be their fortune to perform that Office to a greater man Where were now those many Quarrels in the Court those many dissentions before the Pulpits for Orations where the Gown-contests of so great Leaders and Commonwealths-men All these this most Venerable Moderation utterly cancell'd 13. But the Numidian Metellus driven from his Country by Popular Faction retir'd into Asia where when he received Letters as he was at Tralles beholding certain sports reporting that with the universal consent of Senate and People his return to his own Country was freely granted him he would not stir out of the Theatre till the Play was ended Not shewing any change of gladness to those that sate next him of any side but confin'd his great joy within himself carrying the Countenance in his Exilement as at his Restoration So indifferently did he behave himself between Adversity and Prosperity by the advantage of his Moderation 14. So many Families being numbered up famous for one kind of Vertue is it fit that we leave out the Portian Name as wanting their share in this part of Glory The younger Cato will not so permit it not a little trusting to no small Exemplar of his own Moderation He had brought the Cyprian Money with great diligence and sincerity into the City for which Office the Senate ordained that at the next Praetorian Assemblies Extraordinary consideration should be taken but he would not suffer it to be done affirming it to be unjust that what was never decreed to any other should be decreed to him And lest any new Custome should arise from his person he rather chose the hazards of the field than to accept the kindness of the Senate 15. While I am endeavouring from hence to pass to Forraign Examples Marcus Bibulus a person of great Dignity and sacred for his high Honours lays hands upon me who when he lay in Syria receiving News that two of his Sons of admirable hopes were both slain by the Souldiers of Gabinius the Murtherers of whom were afterwards sent him bound by Cleopatra to take the revenge of so great a Calamity at his own pleasure He notwithstanding so great an advantage was offered him that a person so provoked could not desire a greater yet caused his Grief to give way to his Moderation sending immediately back to Cleopatra the Butchers of his own flesh and blood telling her withal That the power of Revenge did not belong to him but to the Senate FORRAIGN 1. Architas the Tarentine while he almost drowns himself at Metapontus in the Precepts of Pythagoras after long labour and study having freighted himself with the whole Body of Learning returned into his own Country where when he came to look after his Estate he found through the negligence of his Bayliff his Farms very much decay'd and spoil'd Whereupon beholding his ill-deserving Servant I had most certainly said he punish'd thee according to thy desert but that I am angry with thee And therefore he had rather let him go unpunish'd than in his anger punish him more than was just 2. The Moderation of Architas was over-liberal that of Plato more temperate For being over-vehemently provok'd by a Servant that had committed a great Crime fearing he should himself exceed the measure of his chastisement committed the correction to his Friend Speusippus deeming it an unhandsome thing if he had done amiss that the fault of his Servant and the correction of Plato should deserve the same reprehension which makes me no less wonder that he was so constantly moderate toward Zenocrates his Scholar Plato was informed
contemn'd the Riches ot the Samnites the Samnites admir'd his Poverty For when they brought him a great weight of Gold sent him by their Country-men for a Present and kindly desired him to accept of it he fell into a laughter and presently quoth he You that are come hither upon a needless if I may not all it idle Embassie go tell the Samnites That Curius had rather command rich men than be rick himself and carry back that pretious gift invented to the evil of mankind and remember that I can neither be overcome in Battle nor be corrupted with Money The same person when he had driven Pyrrhus out of Italy nevertheless would nor touch the least part of all those Royal spoils that did so inrich the City Moreover he would not exceed the usual measure of Popular assignement though the Senate gave to himself Fifty Acres of Land to the people but Seven Acres esteeming him no good Citizen that could not be contented with what was given to others 6. Of the same opinion was Fabricius Luscinus greater than any person of his time in Honour and Authority in Estate not above the meanest Who when the Samnites who were under his protection sent him a Present of Ten pound of coyned Silver Five pound weight of Gold and as many Servants he sent them back to Samnium by the advantage or his Continency rich without Money and attended without a Family so much did he abound in Honour purchased by the contempt of those things Nor was the expectation of Fabricius unanswered in the refusal of those Presents For the Embassadour returning so Pyrrhus and hearing Cyrnas the Thessalian telling the King of a certain Athenian famous for his Wisdom who was of opinion that men should do nothing but for pleasure's sake look'd upon it as a monstrous saying and immediately decri'd that kind of Wisdom both before Pyrrhus and the Samnites For though the Athenians did glory in their Learning yet there was no prudent person but would rather chuse to follow the self-denâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Fabricius than the Precepts of Epicurus which the event prov'd true For that City which indulged so much pleasure lost a very large Dominion but an industrious and laborious Country holds its own And this City could bestow that Liberty which the other valu'd not 7 One might easily conjecture Elius Tubero sirnamed Carus to have been the Disciple of Curius and Fabricius to whom being then Consul when the Etolians sent a vast present of Silver Plate not onely of a very great weight but also most exquisitely wrought by reason that their Embassadours whom they had formerly sent to congratulate him upon their return had related how they saw him feeding onely in Earthen Dishes He immediately bid them be gone with their Baggage admonishing them withal that they should not think that Continency and Poverty wanted the same supply How well did he prefer his own Domestick meanness before the Etolian Splendour if the succeeding Ages would have followed his Example But now to what a height are we grown that Servants refuse to make use of that Houshold-stuff which would serve a Consul before 8. But after the overthrow of Perseus Paulus had so glutted the old Hereditary poverty of our City with Wealth that at that time the Roman people first began to think of laying Taxes yet no way enriched his own Family accompting it enough that he by his Victories got Honour while others got the money 9. To this sound judgment of his Q. Fabius Gurges Cn. Fabius Pictores and Ogulnius subscribed who being sent Embassadours to King Ptolomy sent those Gifts which they had privately receiv'd from the King into the publick Treasury before they would give an account of their Embassie to the Senate judging that there was nothing due for faithful service to the publick but the reward of Praise But now the Senate shew'd their gratitude and the exact discipline of our Ancestors For what they had laid up in the Treasury was restor'd to the Embassadours not only by the Decree of the Senate but by the consent of the People which was by the Questors with the same willingness paid Thus the Liberality of Ptolomy the Abstinence of the Embassadours the Equity of the Senate and People had in all an equal share of applause 10. That Calpurnius Piso was an Imitator of the Fabii and Ogulnii the Story makes manifest The Consul having freed Sicily from the bloody War of the Fugitives like a Commander rewarded those with Gifts whose assistance he had made most use of among the rest he gave to his Son who had behaved himself valiantly a Crown of Three Pound weight of Gold saying withal That the chief Magistrate should not take out of the publick Treasure to expend upon his own Family and that therefore he would leave so much Gold over and above to the Young man in his Will to pay for it that though he received his Honour publickly he should receive the price privately from his Father 11. Let us see if we can finde any great person in this age that makes use of Goatskins for his Coverlid and while he rules all Spain has but three Servants to attend him that spent no more than Five Hundred Farthings and somewhat over in his preparation for his Journey that drank the same Drink and eat the same Meat which the Mariners fed upon would not that be wonderful indeed Yet all this did the Elder Cato patiently endure confining himself with an extraordinary delight to a pleasing custome of Frugality 12. The Younger Cato was born at a great distance from the Continence of the antient times coming into the world at such a time when the City abounded in Riches and all manner of Voluptuousness Yet he having a command in the Civil Wars and having his Son along with him nevertheless had but twelve Servants with him in number more than the former Cato used but the alteration of the times being consider'd fewer 13. I am not a little delighted in repeating the Acts of Illustrious Heroes Scipio Aemilianus after he had born two Consulships and been eminent for two Triumphs of his own Conquests yet went upon a great Embassie accompanied with no more than Seven Attendants And yet 't is believed he might have purchas'd more with the Spoils of Carthage and Numantium but that the praise of his great deeds should accrew to himself the Spoils to his Countrey And therefore when he travell'd through the Countries of his Associates and Allies and other forraign Nations they were not accompted his Slaves but his Victories Nor did men consider how much Gold and Silver but how much weight of worth he bare about him 14. This Continence appear'd in the very breasts of the generality of the People but it shall suffice to relate two Examples of ages far distant one from another Pyrrhus when he saw the violence of his fury at a stand that the hearts of his Epirotes began to fail designing to
a heart inferior to a womans before thou hadst tryed the indulgence of thy parents 2. A meaner Victime to Misfortune than T. Gracchus though of the Senatorian order was C. Plancius the Numidian yet as to affection of the same nature equal to him in affection For hearing news of the death of his Wife impatient of grief he stab'd himself with his Sword but by the timely coming in of his Servants being hindred from executing his purpose and the wound being dressed and bound up he no sooner found his oportunity but cutting his Swathes and tearing open the wound again he would not endure his soul opprest with grief to remain in his Bowels Testifying by the violence of his death what a Conjugal flame he had shut up in his brest 3. As of the same name so endued with the same love was M. Plautius Who being commanded to return with the Confederate Navy into Asia and putting into Brundusium whither his Wife Orestella coming to visit him fell sick and dyed after she was laid upon the Funeral pile betwixt the last duties of anointing and kissing her he fell upon his naked Sword whom his friends as he was in his Military Coat and Booted laid by his Wife Whole Monument is yet to be seen at Tarentum with this Inscription THE LOVERS TOMB And it is not to be question'd but that if there were any sence left in departed Souls that they enter'd Elysium joyful of each others company 4. The same Affection is noted in Julia the daughter of C. Caesar Who when she saw the Garment of her Husband Pompey the Great brought home sprinkled with Blood from the Common-Hall where the Aedils were chosen swounded away and with the suddainness of the fright miscarried and presently expired to the great detriment of the whole world Whose tranquillity had not been disturb'd with so severe a fury of so many Civil Wars if the Amity of Caesar and Pompey had remained link'd with the Bonds of common Affinity 5. All Ages will also with due admiration reverence thy most chast fires O Porcia Daughter of Marcus Cato who understanding that her Husband Brutus was overthrown and slain at the Battle of Philippi not having a weapon ready didst swallow burning Coals thy feminine Soul imitating the masculine Death of thy Countries welfare FORRAIGN 1. There are some Forraign Amours just and honest not shadow'd nor obscur'd with the vail of Ignorance of which it will be sufficient to touch upon a few How much Artemisia Queen of Caria bewailed the Death of her Husband Mausolus might seem a light thing to the most exquisite honours of all sorts which she did him and the Magnificence of that Monument which became one of the Seven Wonders of the World For why shouldst thou labour to recount all those Honours or insist upon the Glory of that Monument when she her self would not be satisfied without being the living and breathing Sepulchre of Mausolus by the testimony of those who report that she drank up his Ashes mixt in a certain drink 2 Hipsicratea also the Queen so entirely loved Mithridates her Husband that she let go all the reins of Affection For whose love she apparell'd her beauty in Mans Apparel and accustom'd her self to manlike Exercises cutting her Hair and betaking her self to her Horse and Arms that she might the more easily partake of his labours and dangers and not only so but after he was overcome by Pompey following him with an indefatigable Body and Minde in his flight through many rough and barbarous Nations Whose faithful society was a great comfort and asswagement of the Misfortunes and Calamities of distressed Mithridates For with his Court and Family he seem'd to wander but with his Wife only to live in Exile 3. But why should I rummage Asia why the immense Solitudes of Barbarous Countries why the lurking Holes of the Pontic Sea When Lacedemon the most splendid glory of Greece lays before our eyes a principal Exemplar of Conjugal Fidelity to be compared for the wonder of the action with the most and greatest Miracles of that City 4. The Minyans setled in the Island of Lemnos and drawing their Original from the antient Companions of Jason through success of time expell'd by the Pelasgi wanting the wealth of others seated themselves in the high Taygetan Mountains whom at length the Spartans entertained as descended from the Tyndaridae which noble pair of Brothers had displayed their splendour in that renowned Ship translated to the Stars and thus mingled among them they enjoyed the same Laws and Priviledges But this good turn they turned to the injury of the well deserving City affecting the Kingdome and therefore committed to the publick Prison they were reserv'd for publick punishment Which when they were to suffer according to the Custome of the Lacedaemonians in the Night-time their Wives of noble Race desiring leave of the Keepers to take leave of their dying Husbands entred the Prison and changing their Habits gave their Husbands liberty having covered their Faces under pretenc of sorrow to depart Now what shall I adde more in this place but that they were Wives worthy for the Minyans to marry CHAP. VII Of the Bond of Friendship Among the ROMANS 1. T. Sempronius Gracchus with C. Blosius 2. Sempronius Gracchus with Pomponius and Lucretius 3. Lucius Rheginus with Servilius Caepio 4. T. Volumnius with M. Lucullus 5. Lucius Petronius with P. Caelius 6. Servius Terentius with D. Brutus 7. C. Laelius with Scipio and M. Agrippa with Augustus FORRAINERS 1. Damon and Pythias 2. Alexander the Great with Ephestion LEt us now consider the Bond of Friendship potent and mighty and no way inferiour to the strength and force of the Blood In this more certain and demonstrable that this the chance of birth a fortuitous work produces the other the uncompell'd Will contracts upon grounds and reasons of solid judgment And therefore it is an easier thing and less subject to reprehension to slight a Kinsman than a Friend For the one betokens a wicked ingratefull disposition the other only a levity of minde For when the life of man lies as it were in a solitude without the guard of Friendship so necessary an assistance ought not unadvisedly to be chosen but being once approved ought not in any measure to be despised But the most sincere Friendship always appears in Adversity where whatever good offices are performed proceed from a constant kindness and affection The adoration of Felicity being to be attributed more to Flattery than Love is full oâ— Suspicion and still desires more than it expends For men of unshaken fortunes more desire friends either for a guard or for their society For affairs that go well and prosperously as being favour'd with heavenly Success have the less need of other assistance And therefore their Memories have lasted longer in the Book of Memoires who have deserted their Friends in Adversity than theirs who have only been the Companions of Prosperity No man talks
as a reward of that Victory whereby he preserved the Laws Peace and Liberty of his Countrey was not permitted to live in the City and therefore weaâ—iâ—d with envy and slaunder he begg'd a Lieutâ—nancy of the Senate and having made a set Speech wherein he prayed to the Immortal Gods that his ingratetul Countrey might never have occasion to use him again he went into Sicily and there spent the remainder of his days 3. But what Satyr can be sharp enough what words severe enough to express the Ingratitude of P. Sextilius who being defended and fairly brought off from an Accusation highly Criminal by C. Caesar yet betrayed and delivered him up to the cruelty of his enemy coming to his house tor shelter in the time of Cinna's proscription Had his accuser implored the same kindness upon his knees it had bin inhumane to have denied him For those that injuries do cause us to hate misery makes us to compassionate But Sextilius betrayed not his Accuser but his Protector to the cut-throat hand of his most inveterate adversary if for fear of death unworthy of life if for hope of reward most worthy of death 4. To repeat another Example of the same nature M. Cicero had defended C. Popilius Lenas of the Countrey of Picena with no less Care than Eloquence when his Cause was very doubtful This Popilius afterwards being neither in word or deed injur'd by Cicero of his own accord begg'd of M. Antonius that he might be the person to be sent by him to cut his Throat in his Banishment and having obtain'd that detestable Commission away he flew over-joy'd to Cajeta and that very person I need not say who was the author of his dignity and safety but also one who ought to have been respected by him to the utmost that very person did he command patiently to lie down and have his head struck off And thus laden with the head of the Roman Eloquence and the most famous right hand of Peace he return'd with joy to the City as if he had brought along with him the Spoils of some Enemy Letters are too imperfect to set forth this Monster seeing there is not another Cicero living to bewail his unhappy fate 5. What shall I say of thee Great Pompey I know not While I consider the vastness of thy great Fortune and Renown that once orespread the Sea as well as the Land But though we should be silent the Death of Cn. Carbo by whom thou wert protected in thy youth when contesting in the Forum for thy estate slain by thy command will never be forgotten by which ingrateful fact thou didst seem to stand more in awe of Sylla's Power than to consult thine own Honour FORRAIGNERS 1. But lest other Cities should insult after we have confess'd our own Infirmities we finde that the Carthaginians had an intention to have kill'd or banish'd Hannibal after that for their honour and for the enlargement of their Empire he had slain so many of our Generals and cut to pieces so many of our Armies that had he but slain so many common Souldiers of his Enemies it had won him renown sufficient 2. Lacedaemon never bred a greater or more profitable Citizen than Lycurgus being a person that the Pythian Apollo did not disdain to speak to when he consulted the Oracle and told him He knew not whether he were to be accompted a Man or a God Yet neither the Integrity of his Life nor the constant Love which he bare his Countrey nor all the wholesome Laws which he had made could preserve him from the hatred of his Citizens For sometimes they threw stones at him in the Streets they put out one of his Eyes and at last utterly banish'd him out of his Countrey What may we think of other Cities when a City so famous as this for Constancy Moderation and Gravity proved so ungrateful against a Citizen so well deserving 3. Take Theseus from Athens and either there would have been no such thing as Athens or else not half so famous For he reduced his scatter'd Countreymen into one City and gave the shape and form of a City to a wild and clownish People before When he was but a Youth he quelâ—'d the usurping Tyranny of Minos He tam'd the boundless insolency of the Thebans He assisted the Sons of Hercules and where-ever Enormity was grown headstrong and monstrous he overcame it by his Vertue and his Power Yet was he banished by the Athenians and the Island Scyros less than the Exile became only famous for his Tomb. Solon also that made such wholesome Laws and so famous withal that had the Athenians used them still they had been still the Lords of great Territories Who took Salamine a strong Fortress that threatned their ruine and was but a little distance from them Who foresaw the Tyranny of Pisistratus and was the first that durst advise the People to resist him by force of Arms in his old age lived an Exile in Cyprus Nor was it his hap to be buried in his own Countrey of which he had so well deserved The Athenians had dealt well by Miltiades had they after the Battle of Marathon wherein he overcame the Persians with their loss of three hundred thousand Men sent him presently into Exile and not kept him in prison till he died Nay more than that they would not suffer his Body to be buried till Cimon his Son had surrender'd himself into the same place A sad Inheritance for the Son of so great a Captain who was himself afterwards one of the greatest Captains of that Age. Aristides also who was the Rule of Justice all over Greece and the greatest example of Continence that ever was was commanded to depart his Countrey Happy Athens could they have found out any one that had been either a Good Man or a Lover of his Countrey after this man was gone with whom Sanctity itself seem'd to go along Themistocles was a notable example of all that had experience of the Ingratitude of their Countrey For when he had setled Athens in Peace and raised it to be the most famous the most wealthy the Mistriss of all Greece he found his Countrey-men so incens'd against him that he was forc'd to flie to the mercy of Xerxes whom he had ruin'd before Phocion who was endow'd with two qualities which are the best to appease Wrath and Fury I mean Eloquence and Integrity was forced by the Athenians to fly his Countrey and when he was dead he was not permitted so much as one turf of Athenian land to cover his bones Certainly then it must be lookt upon as a publick piece of Madness by common consent to punish the greatest Vertues as the greatest Crimes which not being to be any where endured ought to have been more especially exploded and abominated in Athens where there is a Law against Ingratitude And not without reason because he looses and abolishes the commerce of doing and receiving Benefits which is the
Consulship into his own Family seeing the Romans ready to fly and almost overthrown in the Latin War vowed his own Life for the safety of the Army and presently putting Spurs to his Horse he flew into the midst of his Enemies seeking his own Death and the Safety of the Commonwealth and having made a great slaughter at length orewhelm'd with the multitude of Piles and Darts the Victime fell And from his Blood and Wounds sprang an unlookt for Victory 6. There might have been but one example of such a General had he not begot a Son answerable to him in courage For he in his fourth Consulship with the same devotion and stoutness in fight with the same event of fortune sustain'd the weak and sinking force of our City And therefore it was a difficult thing to understand whether it were more profitable for the Roman City to have the Decii Commanders or to loose them For living they kept her from being vanquished but by their death it overcame 7. The Elder Scipio did not loose his Life for the Commonwealth but he carefully provided against the destruction of the Commonwealth For when our City after the Battle of Cannae expected nothing else but to be the Victor Hannibal's prey and that therefore by advice of L. Metellus the reliques of the broken Army were consulting to forsake Italy He being a young Tribune and drawing his Sword threatned death to every man that would not take an Oath never to forsake his Countrey And not only shew'd an example of Piety himself but recall'd it back when it was just forsaking the breasts of others 8. To come from particulars to generals How was the City equally divided in their flames and equally inflamed with the Love of their Countrey For the Treasury being emptied in the Second Punic War that there was not enough for the performance of their divine Ceremonies the Publicans going to the Censors promised to let out their Money in the same abundance as if Money had abounded in the City and not require a Farthing profit till the War was ended The Masters also of the Slaves whom Sempronius Gracchus had made free for fighting so stoutly at Beneventum forbore to ask any Money for their Service In the Camp it self there was not a Knight not a Centurion that desir'd any Pay The Men and Women also brought what Gold and Silver they had nay the Children also brought their Purple Coats and Golden Hearts that hung about their Necks which were the ensignes of their Ingenuities Nor would any one take advantage of the benefit of the Senates Decree whereby such and such were freed from Taxes For they were not ignorant when Veia was taken when the Gold which Camillus had vowed as the Tenth of their Spoil should have been sent to the Oracle of Apollo but could not be purchased that the Matrons brought in all their Golden Ornaments into the Capitol They had also heard that the Thousand Pound of Gold which was to be paid to the Gauls when they besieged the Capitol was made up by their Liberality And therefore out of their own Goodness and admonished by the Example of Antiquity they thought they were not to be out-done FORREIGN Examples 1. But I will touch upon some few Forreign Examples to the same purpose The King of the Athenians Codrus when he saw his Territories wasted and invaded by vast numbers of his Enemies despairing of humane assistance sent to the Oracle of Apollo and by his Embassadors desired to know which way he might avoid that terrible War The God returned for answer that it would be ended when he fell by his Enemies hand Which was not only spread about among his own People but in the Camp of the Enemy who thereupon commanded that not a man should touch the body of Codrus Which when the King understood he threw off his Royal Robes and in a servile Habit threw himself into the midst of a Squadron of the Enemy that were out a forraging and wounding one of them with a scythe provoked the souldier to kill him by whose Death Athens escaped ruine 2. From the same Fountain of Piety flowed the soul of Thrasybulus For he being desirous to free his Countrey from the oppression of the Thirty Tyrants and was going about the enterprize with a small number of Men one of his Company said to him How much will Athens be indebted to thee if they regain their Liberty by thy means The Gods grant answered he that I may have then paid them what I owe them With which Wish he heap'd a greater honour upon his renowned work of destroying the Tyranny 3. But Themistocles whose Vertue made him Conquerour his Countries injury the General of the Persians that he might not be forced to invade it having instituted a sacrifice he drank up a full Beaker of Bulls Blood and fell before the Altar a renowned Victime of Piety 4. There follows an Example of the same nature When Carthage and Cyrene contended most obstinately for a spot of ground at length it was agreed to send certain Young-men from such a distance and where ever they met that place to be the bound of both their Territories But in this Agreement two Carthaginian Brothers call'd Philaeni were too hard for the other setting out sooner and making more haste which when the Young-men of Cyrene understood they for a long time complain'd of their fallacy but at length they resolv'd to recompence the injury by proposing a severe condition For they proposed to the Carthaginians that that place should be the bounds agreed upon provided the Philaeni would suffer themselves to be buried there But the event disappointed their expectation for they without any delay delivered their bodies to be buried Who because they rather desired large bounds to their Countrey than large limits of Life lye entombed in honour the Punic Empire being extended by the resignation of their bones Where are now the proud Walls of Carthage Where is the Maritime Glory of that Port Where is their Navy so terrible upon every shore Where are all their Armies Where their numerous Squadrons of Horse Where those Souls that were not satisfied with the vast tract of Africa All these things Fortune divided between two Scipio's But the destruction of their Countrey did not abolish the memory of that noble Act perform'd by the Philaeni So that mortal courage or strength can purchase nothing immortal but Vertue alone 5. This Piety was inflamed with youthful Zâ—al But Aristotle hardly able to maintain the reliques of old Age in his wrinkled Members so strongly laboured for the safety of his Countrey that he snatch'd it out of the hands of the Macedonians almost levell'd with the ground and in their possession as he lay in his little Bed in Athens So that Stagira was no less famous for being subverted by Alexander as for being restor'd by Aristotle Hence it is apparent how kinde nay how profuse in their piety in their Countrey
Accuser Thou tellest no untruth Pompey said he I come from the infernal shades to accuse Libo But when I was there I saw Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus all bloody and weeping for that being of a noble Extraction of an upright Life and Conversation and a great Lover of his Countrey he was put to death in the flower of his youth at thy command I saw there also Brutus famous in the same degree hack'd and hew'd complaining that the same calamity befel him first through thy perfidy and then by thy cruelty I saw Cn. Carbo a zealous defender of thy youth and of thy paternal estate in his third Consulship laden with those chains which thou didst cause to be put upon him and upbraiding thee that contrary to all equity and justice he was slain by thee a private Roman Knight when he was the greatest Officer in the Commonwealth I saw in the same habit and condition a person of the Pretorian Order Perpenna cursing thy Cruelty and all with one consent bewailing their hard fate that they should fall uncondemn'd under such a young hangman as thou It was lawful for a Member of a Municipal Town that still had a twang of his Fathers servitude with an unbridled rashness and an unsufferable malice to recal to minde the wide wounds which he had receiv'd in the Civil War now grown dry with age And therefore at that time he was in the strongest condition to reproach Pompey as well as in the safest 9. Diphilus the Tragedian when in the Apollinary Plays he came to that Verse wherein there is this Sentence Our misery is Magnus he pronounced the words pointing full upon Pompey And being rebuk'd by the People immediately fell to act him as a person that carried himself too great and busie in Authority With the same petulancy he repeated those other words The time shall come when thou shalt bewail that vertue 10. The mind of Marcus Castricius was also inflam'd with Liberty who being the chief Magistrâ—â—e at Placentia at what time Cn. Corbo the Consul caâ—â—â— a Decree to be made that the Placentines should gâ—â—â— Hostages neither obey'd his Authority nor subâ—â—â—ted to Greater Men. And to one that told him Hâ— had many Swords he answer'd And I years The Legions were amaz'd to behold such stout Reliques of Old Age. And Carbo's anger surceas'd of it self having so little matter to rage upon knowing how small a part of his life he should deprive him of 11. But the Accusation of Ser. Galba was strangely presumptuous Who forbore not to tax the sacred Julius himself after all his Victories as he sate in the Seat of Judicature Caius Julius Caesar said he I took up money upon my bail for Pompey the Great thy Son-in-Law in his third Consulship What shall I do Must I suffer He deserv'd to have been turn'd out of the Court for upbraiding him so openly with the sale of Pompey's Goods But he more mild than Clemency it self caus'd Pompey's Debt to be paid him out of his own Treasury 12. A. Caesellius a famous Civilian yet how sawcie and impertinent For no Favour no Authority could compel him to make a Bill of sale of those Goods which the Triumviri had given away By that Judgment of his excluding the purchases of Victory out of all course and form of Law The same person when he had spoken many things against Caesar's Faction and that his Friends admonish'd him to be silent There were two things he answered most bitter to most men that gave him the boldness which he took that was to say old Age and want of Children FORRAIGNERS 1. A Woman of another Countrey intrudes among so many Men who being undeservedly condemned by King Philip in his drink I would appeal to Philip said she but it must be when he is sober The smart sentence rows'd him and by her present courage she compell'd the King to examine the business more strictly and to give a juster Sentence So that she extorted that Justice which she could not get by fair means borrowing her assistance rather from her frankness of Speech than from her Innocence 2. The next now is not only a stout but a lepid and witty liberty of speech A very antient Woman when all the Syracusans pray'd for the Death of Dionysius the Tyrant by reason of his Cruelty and Oppression on pray'd every day to the Gods for his life and safety Which when the Tyrant understood admiring her undeserved kindness he sent for her and enquired of her what merit of his made her so careful of him Then Truely Sir said she the reason of my designe is very well grounded For when I was a Girl and that a very severe Tyrant ruled over us I desired his death he being slain one more cruel came in his place then I prayed that he might be taken out of the way after whom we began to feel thee worse than all the rest And therefore fearing lest if thou shouldst die a worse than thee should succeed I pray to the Gods for thy safety Which facetious boldness Dionysius himself had not the face to punish 3. Between these and Theodorus the Cyrenean there might be a kind of match made for stoutness of mind as vertuous though not so fortunate For when Lysimachus threatned to put him to death Truely said he You think you have a great purchase because you understand the vertue of Cantharides But when the King being incens'd at his Answer commanded him to be nail'd to the Cross Fright your Courtiers said he with that Sentence for 't is all one to me whether I stink under ground or above CHAP. III. Of Severity ROMANS 1 The Roman People 2. P. Mutius Scaevola Tribune of the People 3. The Senate of Rome 4. M. Curius Dentatus Cos 5. L. Domitius Ahenobarbus 6. M. Horat. Tergeminus 7. The Senate of Rome against Incest 8. The Kinsmen against Witches 9. Egnatius Metellus 10. C. Sulpitius Gallus 11. Q. Antistius the Old 12. P. Sempronius Sophus FORRAIGNERS 1. Lacedaemonians 2. Athenians 3. Cambyses King of Persia IT is necessary we should arm our selves with Cruelty while we treat of the terrible and horrid acts of Severity that having laid our more humane thoughts aside we may be at leasure to give ear to Rigour For such inexorable Revenge such several sorts of Chastisement will come to be known as though they may be accounted the fortresses of the Law yet should hardly be inserted into the number of peaceful Pages 1. M. Manlius was thrown headlong from the place from whence he had repulsed the Gauls Because he endeavour'd wickedly to have opprest that Liberty which he had so couragiously defended Of which sharp Sentence this was the Preface I lookt upon thee as Manlius when thou dravest the Senones headlong down the Rock when thou he camest a Changeling I lookt upon thee as one of the Senones themselves There is a Character of eternal Memory fix'd upon his punishment For for his sake it
death for drinking Wine For which fact he was so far from being accus'd that he was not so much as reprehended every one believing that for good examples sake she had undergone the punishment of violated Sobriety very justly For indeed whatever woman covets the immoderate use of Wine shuts the door to all Virtues and opens it to all Vices 10. Terrible also was the Matrimonial frown of C. Sulpitius Gallus who divorc'd his Wife because he understood that she went abroad with her head unvail'd A rigid Sentence and yet there was some reason for it For the Law said he confines thee to have no other Judges of thy Beauty but my eyes for these adorn thy self be thou only fair to these and do thou believe their judgment The farther sight of thee where it was needless must of necessity be suspicious and criminal 11. Nor did Qu. Antistius Vetus think otherwise who divorc'd his Wife because he saw her talking in the street with a certain ordinary freed Woman for being incens'd at the fault he prevented the crime and avoided the injury that he might not revenge it 12. To these we must adde P. Sempronius Sophus who divorc'd his Wife because she went to see a Play without making him acquainted therewith While this care was taken of old to prevent the Crimes of Women they were free from offending FORRAIGNERS 1. But though the Roman Examples might suffice to instruct the whole world yet will it not be irksome to know what Forraigners have done The Lacedaemonians caus'd the Books of Archilochus to be thrown out of their City because they thought them not modest and chast enough to be read For they would not have the minds of their Children season'd with those things which would be a greater mischief to their Manners than a profit to their Ingenuities And therefore they punish'd the greatest Poet or the next to the greatest in the world by exiling his Verses because he made smutty Satyrs against Lycambis who had injur'd him 2. But the Athenians put Timagoras to death because that in the Salutation which he gave Darius he flatter'd him after the manner of his own Countrey taking it in indignation that the honour of their whole City should be as it were submitted to the Persian Slavery by the flatteries of one single Citizen 3. But the Severity of Cambyses was more than extraordinary who caus'd the Skin of a certain corrupt Judge to be flea'd from his body and nail'd upon the Seat where he commanded his Son to succâ—ed him CHAP. IV. Of things gravely said or done ROMANS 1. T. Manlius Torquatus 2. P. Scipio Aemilianus 3. C. Popilius Laenas 4. P. Rutilius Rufus 5. M. Junius Brutus Proconsul FORREIGNERS 1. The Cinninienses 2. Socrates the Athenian 3. Alexander the Great 4. The Lacedaemonians 5. Paedaretus the Spartan TEnacious Memory keeps in strict remembrance the great and most excellent part of applause which those things deserve among renowned men which were gravely said or done by them Among the plentiful Examples whereof let us select neither with too sparing or too liberal a hand those which may rather satisfie than satiate expectation 1. When our City was in a strange confusion upon the Overthrow of Cannae when the Safety of the Commonwealth hung with a slender thread upon the fidelity of our Allies That they might continue the more stedfast in the defence of the Roman Empire the greatest part of the Senate moved that the Princes of the Latins might be admitted among them As Annius formerly and the Campanians averi'd that one of the Consuls ought to belong to Capua and the other to Rome so sick was then the condition of the Roman Empire Then Manlius Torquatus of the race of him who had overthrown the Latins near the River Veseris in a memorable Battle with a loud voice declared That if any of the Associates durst come to give his vote among the Conscript Fathers he would kill him with his own hand The threats of this one single person both restor'd the pristine heat to the languishing spirits of the Romans and hinder'd Italy from advancing themselves to equal Priviledges with our City For as before they were broken by the Arms of the Roman People so now they gave over vanquish'd by this mans words Equal to this was the Gravity of Manlius For when the Consulship was conferr'd upon him by the consent of all men and that he refus'd it by reason of the Infirmity of his Eyes yet for all that was vehemently urged to accept it Choose said he some other person upon whom to confer this Honour for if ye compel me to take it upon me neither shall I endure your Customes neither will you endure the Severity of my Government If the voice of a private person was so heavy what would the Fasces of the Consul have bin 2. No less mean was the Gravity of Scipio Aemilianus both in the Court and in his Assembly-Speeches Who when Mummius was his companion in the Censorship though noble yet effeminate and weak declar'd in a publick Speech before the Rostra that he would have acted for the Majesty of the Common-wealth whether his Citizens had given him a Companion or not The same person when Ser. Sulpicius Galba and Aurelius Cotta Consuls contended in the Senate whether of the two should be sent against Viriatus into Spain and that there hapned to be a great dissention among the Fathers while they all expected him to declare his opinion I think it not fit that either of them should be sent said he in regard the one has nothing and the other never knows when he has enough Believing that want and covetousness were Mistresses both alike unâ—iâ—â—o â—each good government By which saying he obtain'd that neither were sent into the Province 3. But C. Popilius being sent Embassadour to Antiochus to command him to surcâ—ase the War which he wag'd against Ptolomy when he came to him and that the King with a chearful and friendly Countenance held him out his right Hand he would not give him his own again but deliver'd him the Senates Letters which when Antiochus had read he told him he would consult his Friends But Popilius incens'd at his delay Before thou goest out of this circle said he give me the answer which I shall return to the Senate You would not have thought him an Embassadour that spoke but the whole body of the Senate For immediately the King affirm'd that he would give no farther occasion for Ptolomie to complain And then at length Popilius took him by the hand as an Associate Behold the force of a concise and efficacious Gravity of Mind and Speech At the same time it terrified the Kingdom of Syria and protected Egypt 4. But I cannot tell whether I should first consider the Words or Deeds of P. Rutilius for there lies an admirable stress in both When he withstood the urgent request of a certain Friend and the other very much offended
upraided him in these words What need have I then of thy friendship if thou wilt not do for me what I desire made this answer What need I of thine if for thy sake I should do any unhandsome action To these words were agreeable those deeds when rather through the dissention of the two Orders than for any fault of his own he was arraign'd he neither put on sorry Cloaths nor laid aside the Senatorian Ornaments nor made any Supplication to the Judges nor spoke any thing unworthy the splendour of his past years But so order'd it that his Tryal was rather an Experiment than any Impediment of his Gravity And when Sylla's Victories gave him liberty to return into his own Countrey he rather chose to tarry in Banishment than to do any thing against the Laws And therefore more justly might we have given the Title of Happy to the Manners of so grave a Man than to the prosperous Arms of the other more potent Conquerour Which Sylla usurp'd but Rutilius deserv'd 5. M. Brutus the Murtherer of his own Virtues before he was the Parricide of the Parent of his Countrey for by one foul deed he overthrew them all and defil'd his memory with an unexpiable detestation as he was going in to his last Battle to some that told him it was not convenient to fight Boldly said he I go into the Battle for this day either all things will be well or I shall have nothing to care for For he presum'd he could not live without Victory nor dye without Security FORRAIGNERS 1. The person beforementioned puts me in mind to relate what was said to Decius Brutus in Spain For when all Lusitania had surrendred it self to him and only the City of Cinninia obstinately held out and that the Consul thought to have bought them out they presently made answer to his Commissioners That their Ancestors had only left them their Swords to defend their City but no Money to purchase their Liberty from a covetous General A Saying more noble for Romans to have spoken than to have heard from others 2. Nature led them into these paths of Severity But Socrates the most famous Pillar of the Grecian Learning when he was to plead his own Cause at Athens and that Lycias had repeated to him an Oration compos'd by himself for him to make use of in the Court of Judicature humble suppliant and accommodated to the danger that threatned him Take it away said he for if I could be brought where I might repeat it in the farthermost deserts of Scythia there I should think I deserved death He contemn'd Life that he might not want Gravity choosing rather to dye like Socrates than to live like Lysias 3. As great as he in Wisdome Alexander as great in War shewed himself to be of the same mind For Darius having tried his force in two Battles and therefore offering him a part of his Kingdome and his Daughter in Marriage with Ten Hundred thousand Talents when Parmenio told him that if he were Alexander he would accept the Condition He made answer And so would I were I Parmenio An expression worthy of the two Victories and deserving the third which he obtain'd 4. This was the effect of a magnanimous Minde in Prosperity That more generous whereby the Lacedaemonian Ambassadors testified to his Father the miserable condition of their fortune For when he impos'd most intolerable Burthens upon their City they made him answer That if he should persist to command them things more grievous than Death they would prefer Death before his Commands 5. No less grave was the Saying of that Spartan who excelling both in Nobility and Sanctity of Mind being put by the Magistracy which he petition'd for I rejoyce exceedingly said he that my Countrey produces men more worthy than my self By which Speech he equall'd the honour he was put by CHAP. V. Of Justice ROMANS 1. The People of Rome 2. The four Tribunes of the People 3. Ti. Gracchus Censor 4. Colledge of Tribunes of the People 5. Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus 6. Licinius Crassus the Oratour 7. Cor. Sylla Consul FORRAIGNERS 1. Pittacus of Mitylene 2. Aristides the Athenian 3. Zeleucus the Locrian 4. Charundas the Thurian 'T Is now time to enter the sacred recesses of Justice where alwaies the respect of just and honest Actions is conversant with Religious Observation Where Modesty is studied and Desire gives way to Reason there nothing is reputed profitable that is not honest Of which our City among all Nations is the most certain and principal Example 1. When Camillus the Consul besieg'd the Falisci a School-master brought over to the Roman Camp several Youths and those the most noble in the City under pretence of taking them to walk abroad Not questioning but they being in the power of the Romans that the Falisci would submit themselves to our General Upon which affair after consultation the Senate decreed that the Youths should be sent home lashing their Master all the way while his hands were tyed behind him Which Justice of theirs overcame the Minds of those whose Walls they were not able to expugn For the Falisci overcome by their Kindnesses not by their Arms open'd their Gates to the Romans The same City oftentimes rebelling but alwaies broken by adverse Fortune was at length constrained to yield to Q. Lutatius the Consul Against which when the Roman People desir'd to have shewn the extremity of their Revenge when they understood from Papyrius who by the Consuls command had writ the Articles of Surrender that the Falisci had surrender'd themselves to the Faith not to the Power of the Romans they laid aside all their Anger lest they should be wanting to their Justice suppressing the force of their Hatred which is not easily overcome and the pride of Victory which easily begets Licentiousness Another time when P. Claudius having by his prosperous conduct taken the Camerini had sold them under the Spear according to custome though thereby they saw their Exchequer filled with Money and their Empire enlarged yet because it did not seem to be done according to the Rules of Honour and Justice they sought them diligently out and redeemed them again assigning them a place of habitation in Aventinum and restoring them their Lands They gave them Money also to build Chappels and purchase Sacrifices and by their Justice gave the miserable an occasion to rejoyce in their destruction being so rais'd again What I have related was confin'd within our own Walls and the neighbouring parts what I now relate has flown over all the world Timochares the Ambracian promis'd Fabritius the Consul that he would poyson Pyrrhus by the assistance of his Son who was his Cupbearer Notice whereof being given to the Senate they sent Embassadors to give Pyrrhus intelligence of it admonishing him to be careful against such kind of treachery Remembring that their City was built by the Son of Mars and that War was to be carried on by Arms and
coming home he presently call'd a Hall and forgetting himself enter'd the Hall with his Sword on Whereupon being minded of the breach of his own Law by one that stood next him Well said he the same person shall establish it and immediately drawing his Sword fell upon it and died When it was lawful for him to have defended or excused his errour he rather chose to make the punishment publick than put a slur upon Justice CHAP. VI. Of Publick Faith Among the Romans 1. The Roman Senate 2. L. Manlius M. At ilius Cos 3. The Roman Senate 4. The Elder Africanus 5. The Roman Senate FORRAIGNERS 1 The Saguntines 2. The Petellines WHen this Image is set before our eyes the venerable Divinity of Truth stretches out her right hand the most certain pledg of human Safety Which how it has flourished in our City all Nations have been sensible of and we shall make evident in a few Examples 1. When Ptolomey the King had left the People of Rome to take the tuition of his Son upon them the Senate appointed M. Aemilius Lepidus the High-Priest to be Guardian to the young Infant and sent him to Alexandria for that purpose making use of the sanctity of a famous and most upright person whose publick Abilities had been sufficienty known among them lest the credit and dignity of the City should have been any way injur'd This became not only the preservation but the ornament of the Royal Infancy so that when he came of age he knew not of which he had most to boast whether in the Fortune of his Father or the Majesty of his Tator 2. Famous also was the succeeding piece of Roman Integrity A great Navy of the Carthaginians being overthrown near the Coast of Sicilia the Captains of the Enemies quite out of heart began to think of making some overtures of Peace But when it was argued who should go Amilcar refus'd for fear lest the Romans should serve him as the Carthaginians had served Cor. Asina the Consul whom they had detainâ—d a Prisoner in Chains But Hanno better understanding the Roman Faith very confidently profer'd himself To whom as he was in treaty when a Tribune of the People spoke and bid him take heed he had not the same usage as the Consul Cornelius had had both the Consuls commanding the Tribune to be silent Hanno cryed they from that fear the reputation of our City frees thee It had made them famous that they could be Masters of so great a Captain of their Enemies but much more famous that they would not 3. The same reputation the Conscript Fathers observ'd in defending the Priviledges of Embassadors For when M. Aemilius Lepidus and C. Flaminius were Consuls Culeo the Praetor by an order of the Senate caus'd L. Minutius and L. Manlius to be deliver'd to the Carthaginian Embassadors by the Heralds themselves because they had laid violent hands upon them The Senate regarding more their own Honour than the persons for whose sake they did the Justice 4. These Examples the Elder Africanus following when he had taken a Vessel wherein were several persons and many of the chiefest among the Carthaginian Nobility yet he dismiss'd them all untoucht because they told him they were sent as Embassadors to him though he knew it to be an excuse of their own framing to avoid the present danger that the Faith of the Roman General might rather seem to be deceiv'd than implor'd in vain 5. Let us not forget that noble Act of the Senate by no means to be omitted Q. Fabius and Cn. Apronius Aediles by reason of a Tumult that happen'd had sent away the Embassadours that came from Apollonia to Rome Which so soon as the Senate understood they caus'd them to be deliver'd up to the Embassadours by the hands of the Heralds and sent a Questor to convoy them to Brundusium lest they should receive any injury in their passage Could such a Court as that be said to be a Council of mortal Men and not rather the Temple of Faith Which was no less admir'd by our Allies than it was religiously observ'd in our City FORRAIGNERS 1. For before the miserable slaughter of the two Scipio's in Spain and the destruction of as many Armies of the Roman Nation the Saguntines being restrain'd within their own Walls by the victorious Arms of Hannibal when they could no longer resist the Carthaginian power they brought forth all their most precious things into the Market-place and kindling the Pile threw themselves into the common and publick fire that they might not be accompted false to our Alliance I cannot but believe that Faith her self surveying humane affairs lookt with a sorrowful countenance beholding such a religious observance of her Laws condemn'd by such a fatal Event to the Arbitration of unjust Fortune 2. By an act of the same nature the Petellines obtain'd the same applause Who being besieg'd by Hannibal because they would not forsake our Alliance sent Ambassadours to the Senate imploring relief But the Romans because of their losses at Cannae not being able to succour them gave them liberty to provide the best they could for their own safety So that they were free to accept of Conditions from the Carthaginians However they turning their Women aged and infirm people out of the City obstinately defended their Walls to the last So that their whole City expir'd before they would lay aside their respect to the Roman Alliance Nor did Hannibal take Petellia but the sepulchre of the Petellian Faith CHAP. VII Of the Truth of Wives to their Husbands 1. Aemilia the Wife of the Elder Scipio 2. Thuria the Wife of Q. Lucretius Vespillo 3. Sulpitia the Wife of Lentulus 1. THat we may not omit the Truth of Women in Matrimony Aemilia the Wife of the Elder Africanus the Mother of Cornelia Mother of the Gracchi was so dutiful and patient that though she knew her Husband had a kindness for one of her Maids she took no notice of it because she would not blemish the Conquerour of Africa with the guilt of Unchastity And so far she was from revenge that after her Husbands death she set her Maid free and gave her in marriage to a Freed man of his 2. When Q. Lucretius was banished by the Triumvirs Thuria his Wife kept him out of harms way between the head of the Bed and the ceiling of the Chamber not without great danger to her self And so true she was to him that while others that were banished as he was wander'd in pinching extremity in remote Countries among Enemies he all the while lay safe in the bosome of his Wife 3. Sulpitia being kept up very strictly by her Mother Julia for â—ear she should follow hâ—r Husband Lentulus Crustellio banish'd by the Triumvirs into Sicily nevertheless made her escape in a disguise and with only two Maid-servants and two Men-servants got safe to him Banishing her self that she might not fail in her duty toward her Husband CHAP.
Maximus 5. Q. Lutatius Catulus 6. L. Cornelius Scylla the Happy 7. T. Aufidius 8. P. Rupilius 9. P. Ventidius Bassus 10. L. Cornelius Lentulus Lupus 11. Cn. Cornelius Scipio Asina 12. Licinius Crassus the Rich. 13. Q. Servilius Caepio 14. C. Marius 15. C. Julius Caesar FORRAIGNERS 1. Polemon the Atheman 2. Themistocles the Athenian 3. Conon the Athenian 4. Alcibiades 5. Polycrates 6. Dionysius of Syracuse 7. Syphax King of the Numidians A Considerate Change can either adde much to the Trust or diminish the Care of worthy men whether we consider our own condition or the nature of others For when we perceive some to have risen from low and contemptible beginnings why should we not then have better thoughts of our selves Knowing that it is a foolish thing to forejudge ones self of perpetual infelicity and to change our hope which sometimes rightly favours uncertain things into certain desperation 1. Manlius Torquatus when he was a Youth was look'd upon to be of so dull and heavy a disposition that he was sent into the Countrey by his Father Lucius Manlius a person of great worth to follow the Plow as bring unfit either for publick or private business Afterwards he pleaded for his Father being accus'd for some misdeameanour and carried the Cause for him He cut off his Sons head though a Victor because he had fought against his command with the Enemy and with a most splendid Triumph he reviv'd his Countrey groaning under the Latin War Thus his adverse Fortune clouded him in his Youth that he might shine more glorious in his Elder Years 2. Scipio Africanus the Elder whom the Immortal Gods decreed to be born that there might be a person in whom Vertue might shew it self in all its variety is reported to have led a debauch'd life in his younger years remote from the crime of Luxury yet more soft and idle than his Punic Trophies or his yoaking the conquer'd Carthaginians 3. C. Valerius Flaccus also in the time of the Second Punic War began with a lewd course of life But being chosen Flamen by P. Licinius the High-Priest to the end he might reclaim him applying himself to the care of the sacred things and the observation of the religious Rites and guided by Religion it self the Captain of Frugality he became as great an Example of Sobriety and Piety as he was before of Luxury 4. No person led a more debauch'd Life than Q. Fabius Maximus who afterwards by the signal Victory which he obtain'd against the Gauls purchas'd to himself and his posterity the Sirname of Allobrogicus Yet in his elder years our City could boast of no such Ornament as he was nor was any person so renowned as he 5. Who is ignorant how highly the Authority of Q. Catulus was advanc'd at that very rime when there was a crowd of famous men living Whose younger years you will finde to have been guilty of much Luxury and Softness Which however was no impediment to him but that he became the Prince of his Countrey had the honour to have his name shine in the Capitol and by his own courage to bury a Civil War that was rising with a mighty force to seize the Commonwealth 6. But L. Sylla till he came to be Questor led a life infamous for his Whoring Gaming and Drinking Whereupon it was reported that Marius being engag'd in a very smart War in Africa complain'd that they had sent him such an effeminate Questor But his Vertue having as it were broken down the fences of wickedness made a shift to chain the hands of Jugurth quell Mithridates withstand the billows of the War of our Allies break the power of Cinna and compel him that had despis'd him when his Questor in Africa to fly a proscrib'd Exile into the same Province for safety Which so various and so contrary acts he that shall with a serious minde consider would believe there were two Sylla's in one man I would have call'd him a vicious youth but a brave man had he not himself assum'd the title of Happy 7. And as we have admonish'd Nobility to regard itself by the benefit of repentance let us adde a few Examples of those that dar'd aspire from meaner beginnings T. Aufidius who once had the gathering but of a small pittance of the Asiatic Tribute afterwards rul'd all Asia as Consul Nor did our Allies disdain to obey his Fasces whom they had seen flattering the Tribunals of Forreignâ—rs For he behavd himself faithfully and nobly plainly demonstrating that his former way of living was only the effect of Fortune but that the present advancement of his Dignity was to be attributed to the greatness of his parts 8. Publius Rupilius was no Toll-gatherer in Sicilia but only a mean Officer under them so miserable poor that he had nothing to keep Life and Soul together but a small Office that depended upon the leave of the vanquish'd Yet from him Consul afterwards all Sicilia receiv'd their Laws after he had freed them from the terrors of a smart War of the Pirats and Fugitives I believe that the very Ports themselves if there be any sence in mute things admir'd the wonderful change in the Condition of that man For the same person that they had teen exacting the dayly Customs the same person they saw giving Laws to Navies and Armies 9. To this increase of Dignity I will adde a greater When Asculum was taken Cn. Pompeius the Father of Pompey the Great prostituted to the eyes of the People P. Ventidius a beardless Youth in the Triumph that he had obtain'd Yet this was that Ventidius who afterwards triumph'd at Rome over the Parthians and reveng'd the death of Crassus miserably foyl'd in a strange Countrey Thus he that a Captive dreaded imprisonment now a Victor crowns the Capitol with his success And this is farther remarkable of the same person that he was made Pretor and Consul both in one and the same year 10. Now let us consider the diversities of Chance L. Lentulus was depos'd by the Caecilian Law of his Consulship being convicted of Bribery and yet was created Censor with L. Censorinus Thus Fortune shufflâ—d him between Honour and Disgrace condemning him in his Consulship and honouring him with the Office of Censor when he was condemn'd neither suffering him to enjoy a lasting happiness nor long to abide in a miserable condition 11. Thus Fortune shew'd her power also in Cn. Cornelius Scipio Asina Who when he was Consul being taken by the Carthaginians at Liparae and had lost all by the right of War yet by the favour of Fortune recovered all and was again created Consul Who would have thought he should have been brought from the Fasces to the Fetters of the Carthaginians Who would have thought again that from the Punic chains he should have advanc'd himself to the highest degrees of Honour But yet he was from a Consul made a Captive and from a Captive became Consul 12. What Did not the
might appear the more faithful to the ashes of the slain Sertorius being besieg'd by Pompey having devoured all other creatures in their City fell to feast upon their Wives and Children And to the end the Armed Youth might nourish their Bowels with their own bowels the longer they were not afraid to salt up the unfortunate remainders of the dead bâ—dies Think you it would be an exhortation prevalent enough in the field to exhort such Souldiers to sight for the safety of their Wives and Children It had bin more proper for so great a Captain to have punisht such an Enemy than to seek for Victory For Revenge would have purchased them more Liberty than Victory could win them Honour in comparison of whom Serpents and wild beasts were gentle and merciful creatures For those dear pledges of Life dearer to them than their lives themselves were the Dinners and Suppers of the Catagurritans CHAP. VII Of Wills cancell'd 1. A Father that disinherited his Son 2. M. Anneius Carsâ—olanus 3. C. Tettius 4. Sulpitia the mother of the Trachali 5. Terentius 6. Naevianus 7. Juventius LEt us now go to that sort of business which among all the actions of Men is the last thing done and their chiefest care And let us consider what Wills have bin cancell'd after they were legally made or might have bin cancell'd when they stood firm and transferr'd the honour of Inheritance to others than those that expected it 1. Which that I may do according to the order which I have proposed I will begin with the Father of a certain Souldier who hearing a false report of the death of his Son from the Camp made other Heirs in his Will and died The Youngman returning home after the war Was ended found the dores shut against him by the errour of his Father and the impudence of his Friends For how could they shew themselves more shameless than they did The Souldier had spent the flower of his youth in his Countries Service had undergone most dreadful Labours and Dangers shewed the Wounds which he had received in Battle and only begg'd that lazy Drones a very burthen to the very City it self might not possess his Ancestors Inheritance Therefore laying aside his Armes he was forced to commence a Gown-war in the Court of Justice A hard case while he is forc'd to contend for his Fathers estate with wicked Heirs before the Centumviri though they could not choose but give their Opinions for him while the Sentence of the Court gave him the day 2. Marcus Anneius the Son of M. Carseolanus a famous Roman Knight adopted by Sufenas his Uncle cancell'd his Fathers Will who had left him out of it by the Sentence of the Centumviri before whom he tryed the Cause though Tullianus the familiar Friend of Pompey the Great who was a witness to it were made Heir Therefore he had more to do with the power of a person potent in Court than with the ashes of his Father Yet though both did what they could to hinder him he obtain'd his fathers Goods For L. Sextilius and P. Popilius whom M. Anncius as being his nearest Relations had made Heirs of the same part which was given to Tullianus durst not contend by their Otahs with the young man Though they might have bin sent for at that time by the highest Authorities then in being to have defended the Will And it was some pretence for the Heirs that M. Anneius was translated into the Family of Sufenas But the strong tye of procreation overcame both the Fathers Will and the Authority of so great a Personage 3. C. Tettius an Infant born of Petronia the Wife as Tettius as long as he liv'd being disinherited by his Father was restor'd to his Inheritance by the Decree of the divine Augustus doing like a Father of his Countrey In regard that Tettius had so unjustly abrogated the paternal Name by giving away his estate from a Son so legally born to his own Right 4. Septicia also the Mother of the Trachali of Ariminum being angry with her Sons out of spite when she was now past child-bearing married Publicius an old man and lâ—ft both her Children out of her Will Who appealing to the divine Augustus he disapprov'd both the Marriage and disannul'd the Will For he order'd that the Sons should have their Mothers estate and commanded the Husband to restore her Dower because she did not marry out of hopes of having Children If Justice her self had given sentence in this case could she have pronounc'd a juster Sentence Thou despisest those whom thou hast begot thou marriest past Child-bearing thou breakest the order of Wills out of a violent humour and dost not blush to give all thy Patrimony to a person to whose feeble body thou hast prostituted thy old Age. And therefore while thou thus behavest thy self thou art cast down to Hell by the voice of heavenly Thunder 5. Famous is the Constitution of C. Calpurnius Piso Praetor of the City For when Terentius complain'd before him together with his eight Sons whom he had bred up to be men that one of his Sons whom he had parted with in Adoption had disinherited him gave him the possession of the young mans estate and would not suffer the Heirs to go to Law The Paternal Majesty of the man mov'd Calpurnius doubtless together with the gift of Life and the benefit of Education but that which more moved him was the number of his other Children that stood by seeing seven Brothers and a Father disinherited by one Child 6. How prudent was the Decree of Mamercus Aemilius Lepidus the Consul Genucius a certain Priest of Cybele besought the Praetor of the City Cn. Orestes that the goods of Naevianus might be restor'd to him the possâ—ssion whereof he had by Will obtain'd Mamercus being thereupon appeal'd to by Surdinius whose Freed-man had left Genucius his Heir disannull'd the Praetors Sentence saying That Genucius who had of his own accord suffered himself to be gelt for so are all the Priests of Cybele was not to be reckon'd either a man or woman A Decree befitting Mamercus befitting the Prince of the Senate whereby he provided that the Tribunals of Magistrates should not be polluted by the obscence presence and scandalous voice of Eunuchs 7. Q. Metellus was a much more severe Praetor than Orestes Who would not give Vecilius the Pandar the possession of the Goods of Juventius left him by Will For that noble and grave Personage did not think the condition of a Court of Judicature and a Brothel-house to be the same Neither would he approve the fact of that man who had thrown away his estate upon an unclean stable nor give the same right to one that made a publick profession of Dishonesty as to a Citizen of a good Conversation CHAP. VIII Of Testaments confirm'd and unlookt for Inheritances Of the ROMANS 1. Sempronius Tuditanus 2. Aebucia 3. Q. Metellus 4. The Brother of Pompeius of Rhegium 5. Q.
Tullus the King for having slain his Sister was acquitted by appealing to the people The one was incens'd by the Cruelty of the Murther the other by the reason of the fact enclin'd to Mercy believing the immature love of the Virgin more severely than impiously punish'd And thus the brothers arm being sav'd by so stout a correction reap'd as much honour from the blood of his near relation as from the blood of an enemy 2. Before the Roman people shewed themselves fierce preservers of Chastity afterwards more mild Judges than Justice it self required For when Servius Galba was severely accused by Libo a Tribune of the People for that being a Praetor in Spain he had put to death a great number of the Lusitanians contrary to his Faith given them and that Cato at that time very aged in an Oration upon publick Record had made good what the Tribune had done so that the party accused had not a word to say for his own defence yet when with tears in his eyes he only recommended to the Assembly his little Children and the young Son of Sulpitius Gallus neerly related to him he so appeas'd the wrath of his Judges that he who was but just now ready to be condemn'd by the Vote of all had hardly in an instant one Vote to his prejudice Pitie not Equity rul'd that Inditement since that Absolution that could not be granted to Innocency was given out of respect to the Children 3. Like to this was that which follows Aulus Gabinius in the height of Infamy being by the accusation of C. Memmius expos'd to the suffrages of the People seem'd to be past all hope For the Inditement was full the Defence weak and his Judges such as with a precipitate malice desired his punishment The Officers and Imprisonment hovered before his eyes and yet all vanished away by the interposition of propitious Fortune For Sisenna the Son of Gabinius by an impulse of consternation throwing himself a Suppliant at the feet of Memmius besought there some asswagement of the Tempest where the whole fury of the Storm first arose Whom the Victor beholding with a stern countenance and tearing his Ring from his finger suffer'd for some time to lye groveling upon the ground Which sad spectacle wrought that effect that Laelius the Tribune by a general consent order'd the prisoner to be set at liberty Teaching us that no man ought insolently to abuse the successes of Prosperity nor over-weakly to be cast down by Adversity 4. Which is made manifest by the next Example Publius Claudius I cannot tell whether to the greater detriment of Religion or his Countrey in regard he contemn'd the antient Customes of the one and lost a noble Navy of â—other being expos'd to the anger of the People when it was thought he could no way avoid the punishment that he deserv'd saved himself from Condemnation by the benefit of a suddain storm By which means the Trial being laid aside it pleased the People never to bring it on again as if the Gods themselves had forbid it Thus was he saved by a Land-storm whom a Sea-tempest had like to have brought to condemnation 5. By the same sort of assistance the Chastity of Tuccia a Vestal Virgin and accus'd of Incest escaped out of a black cloud of Infamy Who trusting to the sincerity of her Innocency ventur'd the hope of her safety upon a doubtful argument For snatching up a sieve Vesta said she If I have always attended thy Rites with clean and chast hands grant that I may take up water out of Tiber in this and carry it to thy Temple Nature gave way to the rash and bold Imprecation of the Priestess 6. Lucius Piso also being accused by Claudius Pulcher for having done great and intolerable injuries to the Roman Allies by a luckly chance escaped the fear of an unquestioned ruine For at the same time that they were about to give severe Judgment against him there fell a sudden shower which filled his mouth full of durt as he lay prostrate at the feet of his Judges Which Spectacle changed the whole Trial from Severity into Pity and Clemency For they believ'd he had given full satisfaction to their Allies by being compell's to prostate himself so submissively and rise again with so much deformity 7. I will adde two that escaped by their Accusers own fault Quintus Flavius the Augur was accused by Valerius the Aedil and proved guilty to the People and being condemn'd by the Votes of fourteen Tribes cryed out he was innocently condemn'd To whom Valerius made answer with a loud voice that he car'd not whether he were put to death Guilty or Innocent so he were put to death Which violent speech brought over the rest of the Tribes to his Adversaries side He had cast his enemy when he certainly thought him ruin'd he restor'd him and lost the victory even in the victory it self 8. C. Cosconius found guilty by the Servilian Law and for many evident and notorious crimes condemned was sav'd by one Verse recited in the Sessions-House by Valerius Valentinus his Adversary signifying by a Poetical Joke that he had defil'd a noble Youth and a free Virgin For they thought it unjust that he should go away Victor who rather deserv'd to give the Palm from himself than to take it from another Therefore was Valerius rather condemn'd by the Absolution of Cosconius than Cosconius freed at his Trial. 9. I will touch upon those also whose Crimes having ruin'd all their hopes have been pardon'd for the renown of their Relations A. Attilius Calatinus being condemn'd for having betrayed the Town of Sora and a person otherwise infamous only a few words of Q. Maximus his Father-in-law sav'd from the threatning danger wherein he affirmed that if he found him guilty of that crime he would break oft his affinity Presently the People yielded up their own to the judgment of one man believing it an unworthy thing not to believe his Testimony whom they had entrusted in the greatest Dangers of the Commonwealth 10. M. Aemilius Scaurus also guilty of Bribery made so lame and pitiful defence at his Trial that his Accuser said openly that he should have liberty to name an hundred and twenty witnesses for himself and that he would be content to have the prisoner acquitted if he could produce so many in the Province from whom he had never taken any thing Yet though he could not make use of so fair a condition he was freed for the sake of his Nobility and the fresh memory of his Father 11. But as the Fame of Great men has prevailed to protect the Guilty so has it as little avail'd to oppress them rather it has bin a safeguard to them in the height of Prosecution P. Scipio Aemilianus accused L. Cotta to the Praetor whose cause though it were full of deep crimes was seven times delayed and the eighth judgment acquitted him For those wise men were loath it should be thought that
potent and happy salaries of his Eloquence Prince of the Court of Judicature as the other of the Senate Yet when he shot a Thunderbolt of Testimony against Marcellus it fell heavy indeed but vanished in smoak 4. Again there was Q. Metellus the holy the Luculli the Hortensii M. Lepidus what weight did they not onely lay upon the life of C. Cornelius accused of Treason but also denied that the Commonwealth could stand so long as he were safe All which Ornaments of the City it shames me to relate it were all kept off by the shield of Justice 5. What! M. Cicero who by the warfare of the Law attained to the highest Honours and the noblest place of Dignity was he not as a witness thrown out of the very Camp of his Eloquence while he swore that Clodius was at his house in Rome for by that one argument of his absence the Prisoner fended off the villany which he had committed And so the Judges rather chose to acquit Clodius of the Incest than Cicero of the Infamy of Perjury 6. Among so many Witnesses of high degree I will relate one whose authority is confirmed by a new manner of reasoning in Court Publius Servilius a Consul a Censor a Triumpher who added the name of Isauricus to that of his Ancestors when walking by the Court he saw several Witnesses produced against a Criminal he placed himself among the Witnesses and to the great admiration of the Parties Friends and Accusers thus began This person said he most reverend Judges that pleads what Countrey he is of or what course of life he leads or whether he be deservedly or wrongfully accused I know not But this I know that meeting me once in the Laurentine Way as I was travelling along in a very narrow passage he would not alight from his horse which whether it belong to your cognizance I know not do you consider that I thought it not fit to conceal this matter Presently the Judges condemned the Party scarce hearing any other Witnesses For the Grandeur of the Speaker prevailed with them and his Indignation at the contempt of his neglected Dignity believing that he that scorn'd to reverence Princes would not stick to run into any wickedness CHAP. VI. Of those who committed themselves what they revenged in others 1. C. Lic Hoplomachus 2. C. Marius six times Consul 3. C. Licinius Calvus Stolo 4. Q. Varius Ibrida NOr must we pass over in silence those who committed themselves what they condemned in others 1. C. Licinius sirnamed Hoplomachus desired of the Praetor that his Father might be deprived of his estate as one that consumed it What he requested he obtained But he himself in a short time after when the Old-man was dead presently wasted a great sum of Money and several Farms left him by his Father Worthy that vicissitude of punishment as one that rather chose to consume his estate than take it as an Heir 2 C Marius had acted the part of a great and faithful Citizen in ruining or L. Saturninus who held forth a Cap to the Slaves like an Ensigne inviting them to take up Armes But when Sylla invaded the City with his Army he himself fled to the assistance of the Slaves by holding forth the Cap as the other had done Therefore while he imitates a fact which he had punished he found another Marius to ruine him himself 3. But Caius Licinius Stolo by whom the Plebeians were empowred to sue for the Consulship when he had made a Law that no man should possess above five hundred Acres of Land he purchas'd a thousand himself and to cover the matter made over the half to his Son For which reason being prosecuted by Popilius Laenas he was the first that fell by his own Law And taught us that nothing ought to be imposed but what every one first imposes upon himself 4. Q. Varius because of the obscurity of the place where he was born sirnamed Ibrida or half-Citizen being a Tribune of the People made a Law against the Intercession of the Colledge of Tribunes wherein there was a command to enquire by whose treachery the Allies were stirr'd to take up Armes to the great detriment of the Commonwealth For first he stirred up the War of the Allies and then the Civil War But while he acts the part of a pestiferous Tribune before that of a certain Citizen his own Law cut him off entangled in his own domestick snares CHAP. VII Of Study and Industry Among the ROMANS 1. M. Cato the Greater 2. Cato of Utica 3. M. Terentius Varro 4. C. Livius Drusus 5. Paulus the Senator and Pontius Lupus 6. Crassus Mutianus 7. Q. Roscius the Comedian FORREIGNERS 1. Demosthenes of Athens 2. Pythagoras of Samos 3. Plato of Athens 4. Democritus of Abdera 5. Carneades the Cyrenaean 6. Anaxagoras the Clazomenian 7. Archimedes of Syracuse 8. Socrates the Athenian .. 9. Isocrates the Athenian 10. Chrysippus of Tarsus 11. Cleanthes of Assium 12. Sophocles of Athens 13. Simonides of Ceji. 14. Solon of Athens 15. Themistocles of Athens WHerefore do I delay to commemorate the force of Industry By whose active spirit the Stipends of Warfare are corroboraetd and the glory of the Forum is enflamed all Studies are cherished in her faithful breast Whatever is performed by the Hand by the Minde by the Tongue by her is added to the heap of applause which being an admirable vertue strengthens her self yet more by her own Constancy 1. Cato in the fourscore and sixth year of his age while he persists with a youthful vigour in defending the Commonwealth accused of a Capital Crime by his Enemies pleaded his own Cause Yet no man ever observed so large a Memory a greater strength of Body or less hesitation of Speech Because he kept all those things in equal condition and perpetually exercised by Industry And at the very conclusion of his laborious life he opposed his own most eloquent Defence to the Accusation of Galba touching Spain The same person desired to learn the Greek Language How late we may thence guess in that he was an old man before he learnt to read Latine But when he had won great Honour by his Eloquence he did it to make himself skilful in the Civil Law 2. Whose wonderful Offspring nearer to our age Cato also burn't with such a desire of learning that in the very Court it self before the Senate fill'd he would be reading Greeks Books By which Industry he shewed that some want time others have more than they need 3. But Terentius Varro an Example of Humane Life and one that might be truly call'd A space of years not so much for his years which were equal to an Age of Time as for the vivacity of his Style For in the same Bed his Breath and the course of his egregious Works expired 4. Livius Drusus man of the same perseverance who defective in vigour of Age and Eye-sight most bountifully interpreted the Civil Law to the People
and composed most profitable Monuments for them that desire to learn if For though Nature might make him old and Fortune blind yet neither could prevent him from being vigorous and quick-sighted in minde 5. But Paulus the Senator and Pontius Lupus a Roman Knight famous Pleaders in their times having both lost their sight with the same Industry continued at the Bar. Therefore were they also more frequently heard amid the concourses of some that were delighted with their Wit and of others that admir'd their Constancy For they that are disheartned by such Misfortunes generally desire dismission adding voluntary to fortuitous darkness 6. Now P. Crassus when he came Consul into Asia against King Aristonicus with so much care he comprehended in his minde the knowledge of the Greeks tongue that he understood it though divided into five Dialects in all its parts and quantities Which mightily won him the love of the Allies while he answered every one in the Language wherein they made their requests before his Tribunal 7. Let not Roscius be left out a notable Example of Theatrical Industry who never exposed to the People any other Action or Gesture but what he had studied before at his own house Therefore did not the Art of Playing make Roscius esteemed but Roscius made the Art of Playing esteemed whereby he obtained not onely the favour of the people but the familiarity of Princes These are the rewards of an intent anxious and never-ceasing Study For which reason the person of a Player is not impudently inserted among the praises of so many great men FORRAIGNERS 1. The Grecian Industry also because it was very advantageous to ours ought to receive the fruit which it deserves from the Latine Tongue Demosthenes upon the mentioning of whose name arises in the thoughts of the hearers the perfection of the greatest Eloquence when in his youth he could not pronounce the first Letter of the Art which he so much affected with so much labour vanquished the defect of Pronunciation that no man ever pronounced it naturally more freely Then again having a shrill squeaking Voice harsh to the ear he brought it at length to a grave and acceptable Tone Then being but a weakly man he borrowed from labour and practice that strength of Body which nature had denied him For he comprehended several Sentences in one breath and pronounced them walking up hill with a swift pace And standing upon the Sea-side made his Declamations to the roaring of the Waves that he might enure his ears with patience to the clamours and noises of tumultuous Assemblies He is reported also to have accustomed himself to speak much and long with stones held in his mouth that he might speak with more freedom when it was empty He warred against Nature and came off Victor with a most obstinate strength of minde overcoming her malignity 2. And that we may ascend to a more antient act of Industry Pythagoras a most perfect work of wisdome from his Childhood and inflamed with a desire of understanding all Honesty and Vertue went into Egypt where being accustomed to the language he search'd the Commentaries of all the antient Priests and brought away the Observations of innumerable Ages Then travelling into Persia he delivered himself up to be taught by the exact prudence of the Magi From whom he treasur'd up in his docible minde the Motions of the Stars their Courses their Effects Properties and Force being courteously explained to him From thence he visited Creet and Lacedaemon into whose Laws and Manners having made inspection he descended to the Olympian Games where when to the admiration of all Greece he had given evident demonstration of his multiplied knowledge being ask'd by what Title he went by he made answer that he was not Wise for that title belong'd only to the seven most excellent men but a Lover of Wisdome He also travelled into part of Italy then called the bigger Graecia in the chiefest and richest Cities whereof he shewed the effects of his Studies Whose burning Funeral-Pile Metapontus beheld with eyes full of veneration A Town more famous for Pythagoras Tomb than the monument of its own ashes 3. Plato having Athens for his place of Nativity and Socrates for his Master both place and man fertil in Learning fraught also himself with a celestial abundance of Wit when he was accounted the wisest of all Mortals to that degree that if Jupiter should descend from Heaven he could not make use of a more elegant or happier Eloquence yet for all this he travell'd to Egypt where he learnt from the Priests of that Nation the manifold secrets of Geometry and the reason of their Celestial Observations And at the same time that the studious Gentlemen of Athens sought for Plato whom every one strove to have his Tutor he by visiting the riddle-like Banks of Nile and vast Regions extended Barbarisme and the winding Canals of a strange Countrey of an Ancient Master became a Scholar No wonder then that he travell'd into Italy there from Archytas of Tarentum Timaeus Arion and Caetus of Locri to learn the precepts of Pythagoras For so great a plenty so great an abundance of Learning was every where to be collected that it might easily be dispersed from one place to another through the whole world He had also under his head at above fourscore years of age when he lay a dying the jeasts of Sophron. So that the last hour of his Life was not free from the exercise of Study 4. But Democritus for all his vast wealth which was so great that his Father could have given a Banquet to the Army of Xerxes that his minde might be more free for the study of Letters keeping a small pittance to himself gave all the rest to his Countrey Then abiding at Athens for several years spending all his time in gaining and practising learning he liv'd unknown in the City as he testifies in a certain Volume I am in a maze at so much Industry and therefore must go on 5. Carneades was a laborious and diuturnal Souldier of Wisdome's For after the expiration of ninety years he made one end of Living and Philosophizing He had so addicted himself to the works of Learning that when he sate down to eat busie in his thoughts he would forget to reach his meat But Melissa whom he kept as a Wife dutiful to supply his hunger never went to interrupt him but fed him So that he lived only in his Soul which was encompass'd with a superfluous body Being to dispute with Chrysippus he purged his body before-hand with Hellebore to explain his own minde more attentively and refel his adversary more powerfully Which Potions he made afterwards to be coveted on purpose by such as were covetous of applause 6. What can we think was the zeal of Anaxagoras for Learning Who returning home after a long Travel and seeing his estate lye untill'd and waste I had not been safe said he had not these decayed An expression
becoming far-fetch'd Wisdome For had he labour'd more in the manuring his Lands than his Minde he had remained Master of his family at home but had not returned into his Country the great Anaxagoras 7. I might say that the Industry of Archimedes was very profitable but that it gave him life and took it from him again For when Syracuse was taken Marcellus was sensible that his Victory was much delayed by his Engines yet infinitely taken with the Prudence of the person he commanded the Souldiers to spare his Life assuming perhaps almost as much glory in saving Archimedes as in destroying Syracuse But while Archimedes was making Figures with his minde and eyes fixed upon the ground a Souldier that was broken into his house to plunder with his drawn Sword asked him who he was The Philosopher was so intent that he return'd him no direct Answer but parting the dust with his finger Have a care said he of spoyling this Circle Thereupon as one that slighted the Victor of the Empire the Souldier cut off his Head and blended his blood with the Lineaments of his Art Thus the same Study gave him his Life and deprived him of it again 8. Most certain it is that Socrates when he was stricken in years began to learn Musick believing it better to learn that Art late than never How little an accession of knowledge was that to Socrates Yet the obstinate Industry of the person to so much wealth and treasure of Learning would also adde the profitable Elements of Musick Thus while he thought himself poor lo learn he made himself rich to teach 9. And that we may reduce the Examples of a long and successful Industry to one head Isocrates compos'd that most noble Book entitled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he was fourscore and four years of Age yet a work full of life and spirit By which it appears that the members of learned men growing old yet their Minds by the benefit of Industry retain the full vigour of Youth Nor did he end his days till he had five years enjoyed the fruit of the admiration of his work 10. Lesser bounds terminated the life of Chrysippus yet was he not short-liv'd for he left behind him the thirty ninth Book of his Logicks a book of exact nicety begun in the Eightieth Year of his Age. Whose Study in delivering the monuments of his Wit took up so much time and labour that a longer life would be requisite to understand the depth of his writings 11. Thee also Cleanthes so industrious in searching after and so laboriously delivering Wisdome the Deity of Industry could not but admire when she beheld thee in thy youth maintaining thy self by carrying water in the Night in the Day a diligent hearer of Chrysippus and till the Hundredth year within one with attentive care instructing thy Disciples With a double labour thou hast taken up the space of one Age making it uncertain whether thou wert a better Scholar or a Master 12. Sopholces had also a glorious combat with Nature as liberal of his wonderful Works as she was liberal in giving him long Time to compose them For he lived near an Hundred years his Oedipus Coloneus being written by him just before his death By which one Tragedy he won the honour from all the Poets in that way Which Jophon the Son of Sophocles would not have concealed from Posterity and therefore caused it to be inscribed upon his Fathers Tomb. 13. Simonides the Poet at Fourscore years of Age boasts himself that he taught Verses and contended for the prize at those years Nor was it but reason that he should long enjoy the fruit of his own Wit who was himself to communicate them for the benefit of eternity 14. Now for Solon how industrious he was he has declared in his Verses Wherein he signifies that he grew old always learning something and the last day of his life confirmed it For as his Friends were sitting by him and discoursing among themselves upon some subject or other he listed up his head then just about to bow to fate and being asked why he did so That when I understand said he what it is you are disputing upon I may dye Certainly Sloath had bin banished from among mankinde if all men should come into the world with the same Spirit that Solon leâ—t it 15. How great was the Industry of Themistocles Who though he had the care of the greatest affairs of his Countrey upon his shoulders yet was able to remember the particular names of all his fellow-Citizens And being through high Injustice driv'n from his Countrey and compell'd to fly to Xerxes whom a little before he had vanquish'd in battle before he came into his presence he accustom'd himself to the Persian language that having purchas'd commendation by labour he might render the Tone of his voice familiar and so customary to the Kings ear 16. The Applause of both which sorts of Industry two Kings divided between them Cyrus remembring all the names of his Souldiers Mithridates learning two and twenty several Tongues spoken within his Dominions This first that he might address himself to his Army without a Director The other that he might discourse to the people whom he govern'd without an Interpreter CHAP. VIII Of Ease praised ROMANS 1. P. Aemilianus and C. Laelius 2. Mutius Scaevola Augur FORRAIGNERS 1. Socrates of Athens 2. Achilles in Homer EAse because it seems to be contrary to Industry but chiefly to Labour ought to be briefly touch'd upon Not that which extinguishes but which recreates Vertue For the sloathful ought to avoid the one and the brave and stout may desire the other They that they may not live like Drones these that by a seasonable intermission from toyl they may be the fitter for Labour 1. The famous pair of Friends Scipio and Laelius united together not only by the bond of Love but by an association of all other Vertues as they perform'd the journey of a painful life with equal steps so they generally relax'd from business by consent For it is certain that at Caieta and Laurentum they used to gather up Shells and little Stones upon the Shoar And this L. Crassus often reported from the mouth of Q. Scaevola who was Son-in-Law to Laelius 2. As for Scaevola as he was the most certain witness of their Relaxation so he himself was wont to play at Ball having us'd to delight himself in that sort of exercise when the weight of his business was over Sometimes he was wont to spend his time at Chess and Tables after he had bin long ordering the Rights of his Citizens and the Ceremonies of his Gods For as he acted Scaevola in serious things so he shewed himself but only Man in his Sports and Recreations as whom Nature will not suffer to abide continual Labour FORRAIGNERS 1. This Socrates saw to whom no part of Wisdom was obscure which made him that he did not blush when Alcibiades setting a
reed between his legs laugh'd at him for playing with his little Children 2. Homer a Poet of a Celestial Wit seem'd to be of the same minde when he fitted the soft Harp to the Martial fingers of Achilles to ease their Military pain with the soft recreations of Peace CHAP. IX Of the force of Eloquence In ROMANS 1. Mu. Valerius Maximus Dictator 2. Marcus Antonius the Orator 3. C. Aurelius Cotta STRANGERS 1. Pisistratus of Athens 2. Pericles of Athens 3. Hegesias of Cyrene THough it be certain that the force of Eloquence is infinitely prevalent yet is it convenient that it should be displayed under proper Examples to the end the power thereof may be the better testified 1. The Kings being ejected the Common-people in dissention with the Fathers betook themselves to Armes and pitch'd upon the Banks of the River Anio upon the holy Hill So that the state of the Common wealth was not only bad but in a most miserable condition the rest of the body being divided from the head And unless Eloquence had befriended Valerius the hopes of so great an Empire had bin ruin'd in its Infancy For he by an Oration reduc'd the people glorying in a new and unwonted freedome to their obedience to the Senate brought them to take sober counsels and joyn'd the City to the City Therefore to eloquent words Wrath Consternation and Armes gave way 2. Which also restrain'd the Swords of Marius and Cinna raging with an impetuous desire of shedding Civil blood For certain Souldiers being sent by their Captains to take off the Head of M. Antonius stupified with his language they return'd their drawn Swords unstain'd with blood into their Scabbards Who being gone P. Antronius who had not heard the voice of Mar. Antonius to the Souldiers performed the severe command barbarously obsequious to his Masters How eloquent therefore may we think him to be whom none of his Enemies durst adventure to kill who would but admit his charming language to his ears 3. Divine Julius the perfect Pillar as well of the celestial Deities as of humane Wit demonstrated the force of his own Eloquence saying in his Accusation of Cn. Dolabella whom he convicted of Bribery that the best cause in the world had been extorted from him by the Patronage of C. Cotta For then the greatest force of Eloquence complain'd Of which having made mention because I can bring no greater Example at home we must travel abroad STRANGERS 1. Pisistratus is reported to have prevail'd so far by speaking that the Athenians taken only with his Oration permitted him the Regal Sway And which was more when Solon the greatest Lover of his Countrey endeavoured all he could to the contrary 2. But Pericles together with his happy endowments of Nature carefully polish'd and instructed by his Master Anaxageras laid the yoak of Servitude upon the free necks of the Athenians For he swayed the City and carried affairs which way he pleas'd And when he spoke against the Will of the People his language nevertheless was pleasing and popular and therefore the calumniating Wit of the Old Comedy though it would be snarling at his Power yet consess'd that there was an Elequence sweeter than Honey that hung upon his Lips and that it left certain stings in the mindes of them that heard it It is reported that a certain person who being very old chanc'd to hear the very first Oration of Pericles a young man who at the same time had heard Pisistratus then decrepit with age could not contain himself from crying out That that Citizen ought to be lookt after because his Oration was most like to the Oration of Pisistratus Neither did the man sail in his judgment of the Speech nor the presage of his disposition For what was the difference between Pisistratus and Pericles but that the first held the Government by force of Armes the other governed without force 3. What may we think of the Eloquence of Hegesias the Cyrenian Who so represented the miseries of Life that his words taking deep root in the hearts of his hearers begot a desire in many to seek a voluntary Death And therefore he was forbid by King Ptolomie to dispure any farther upon that subject CHAP. X. Of Pronuntiation and apt Motion of the Body In ROMANS 1. C. Gracchus 2. Q. Hortensius 3. M. Tullius STRANGERS 1. Demosthenes the Athenian BUt the Ornaments of Eloquence consist in apt Motion of the Body and due Pronuntiation Wherewith when she has furnished her self she assails men three ways by invading their Mindes and delivering up the ears of the one and the eyes of the other to over-persuasion 1. But to make this good in famous men C. Gracchus more happy in his Eloquence than his Designes because he strove with a turbulent Wit rather to disturb than defend the Commonwealth as often as he spoke to the People had a Servant that understood Music behinde him who with an Ivory Pipe regulated the tone of his Voice raising the note when it was too low and pitching it lower when it was too high and eager Because heat and violence of action did not suffer him to be a true Judge of the equality 2. Quintus Hortensius thinking there was very much to be ascribed to a decent and comly motion of the Body spent more time in practising that than in studying for Eloquence So that it was hard to know whether the Concourse were greater to hear or see him So mutually did his Aspect serve his words and his words his Aspect And therefore it is certain that Roscius and Aesopus the most skilful Actors in the world would be always in Court when Hortensius pleaded to carry away his postures to the Stage 3. Now as for M. Cicero he has himself declar'd how great a value he set upon both these things of which we have discours'd in his Oration for Gallius reproaching Callidius the Accuser that when he affirm'd that he would prove by Witnesses Writings and Examinations that the Party accus'd had prepared poyson for him he did it with a smooth Countenance a faint Voice and a calm manner of speaking whereby he detected as well the fault of the Orator as the argument of his weak cause concluding thus Couldst thou do thus M. Calidus unless thou didst but counterfeit STRANGERS 1. Consentaneous to this was the judgment of Demosthenes who being ask'd what was the most efficacious part that belong'd to speaking answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or dissimulation of Speech and Gesture Being again and a third time asked the same question he gave the same answer confessing that he owed almost all to it Therefore was it rightly said of Aeschines who leaving Athens because of the Judicial Ignominy put upon him and going to Rhodes when he had there repeated his own Oration against Ctesiphon and the Oration of Demosthenes for him with a loud and pleasing voice and that all admir'd the Eloquence of both but somewhat more that of Demosthenes What