or Lyrick Verses King of Satyrs Woman-haunter In thy words of War a Vaunter Why as to action dost thou saunter Why wilt not carry Lance or Spear Or heave up Pike what makes thee fear As if thou didst the Soul of Teles wear Brave Cleon rasps thee to the Bone As Morglay 's edge is sharp'd with Stone Whet Whet he cries Courage O Hone O Hone However Pericles was not at all moved by any of these practices of theirs but took all patiently and in silence underwent the disgrace they threw upon him and the ill will they bore him And sending out a Fleet of a hundred Sail to Peloponnesus he did not go along with it in person but staid behind that he might look after home and keep the City in order till the Peloponnesians should break up Camp and be gone Yet to court and caress the common people who were jaded and in disorder about the War he reliev'd and refresh'd them with distributions of publick moneys and made a Law for the division of Lands by lot and the plantation of Colonies For having turn'd out all the people of Aegina he parted the Island among the Athenians according as their lot fell And it was some comfort to them and ease in their miseries even from what things their enemies endured For they in the Fleet sailing round the Peloponnese ravaged a great deal of the Country and pillaged and plundred the Towns and smaller Cities And by Land he himself went with an Army into the Megarian Country and made havock of it all By which means it appears that the Peloponnesians though they did the Athenians a world of mischief by Land yet suffering as much themselves from them by Sea would not have drawn out the War to such a length but would quickly have given it over as Pericles at first foretold they would had not some divine power crost humane purposes Now in the first place there was a pestilential Disease or Murrain that seiz'd upon the City and ate up all the flower and prime of their youth and strength Upon occasion of which Distemper the people being afflicted in their Souls as well as in their Bodies were utterly inraged like Madmen against Pericles and in the same nature as Patients being grown delirious in a high Fever use to behave themselves toward their Physician or be it their Father were ready to fall foul upon him and doe him a mischief For it had been buzz'd in their ears by his enemies as if he were in the fault perswading them that the occasion of the Plague was the crowding of so many Country people together into Town in that they were forced now in the Summer time in the heat of the weather to dwell a many of them together higgledy piggledy in pitifull little Tenements and sultry Hovels enough to stifle them and to be tied to a lazy course of life within doors when as before they lived in a pure open and free air The cause and authour of all this said they is he who upon the account of the War hath poured a multitude of people from the Country in upon us within the Walls and puts so many men as he has here upon no imploy or service but keeps them pent up like Cattel in a pound and lets them be overrun with infection from one another affording them neither shift of quarters nor any refreshment He designing to remedy these things and withall to doe the enemy some inconvenience got a hundred and fifty sail of Ships ready and fill'd them with men and having imbarked a many stout Souldiers both Foot and Horse was about to weigh Anchor giving great incouragement of hope to his Citizens and no less an alarm of fear to his Enemies upon the sight of so great a force And now the Vessels having their complement of men and Pericles being gone aboard the Admiral his own Galley it happened that the Sun was in an Eclipse and it grew dark on a sudden to the extreme affrightment of them all looking upon it as a dismal token and an unlucky ill-boding Omen Wherefore Pericles perceiving the Pilot or Steersman seis'd with a great fear and at a stand what to doe he took his Cloak and put it before the man's Face and muffling him up in it that he could not see he ask'd him whether he did imagine there was any dreadfull thing or great hurt in this that he had done to him or whether he thought it was the sign of any hurt he answering No Why said he and what does that there differ from this onely that that which hath caused that darkness there is something greater than a Cloak But these are things fit to be discoursed in the Schools of Philosophy Well Pericles after he had put out to Sea as he seems not to have done any other exploit befitting such an apparade and equipage so when he had besieged the holy City Epidaurus which gave him some hope as if it would or might be taken he miscarried in his design by reason of the Sickness For it did not onely seise upon the Athenians and destroy them but also without any difference any others that upon any occasion mix'd with them or had ought to doe in the Army it carried them off too for company After this finding that the Athenians were very ill affected towards and highly displeased with him he tried and indeavoured what he could to appease them by giving them good words and to reincourage their confidence in him But he could not pacifie or allay their anger nor perswade them to any thing or prevail with them any way till they freely past their Votes upon him and taking the staff into their own hands they took away his command from him and fined him in a round sum of money which by their account that say least was fifteen Talents and they which reckon most name fifty Now he who was set down at his Trial to be his Accuser was Cleon as Idomeneus tells us but Simmias according to Theophrastus and Heraclides Ponticus has named Lacratidas for the man After this the publick heats and affairs too might quickly come to a repose and be at quiet the Commonalty having discharged their spleen and passion upon him as Wasps do their sting together with the mortal wound they gave him But his private domestick concerns were in a wretched untoward condition he having lost not a few of his Friends and acquaintance in the plague time and those of his Family having long since been in disorder and in a kind of mutiny against him For the eldest of his lawfully begotten Sons Xanthippus by name being both by nature given to expense and marrying a young and costly Dame the Daughter of Isander who was the Son of Epilycus was highly offended at his Father's niggardly thrift making him but a scanty bare allowance and giving it him by little and little
City that such peccadillio's as these were recounted for flagitious crimes and the least failures in them at first were reputed infamous and fit to be branded and marked with shame in the History of those times Now the Laws which Lycurgus ordained either in relation to Virgins or married Women were different for he esteeming procreation of Children to be the principal end of Marriage would fix no set term of age when Men or Women should be esteemed capable of giving their consents to each other in Marriage for he thought that nature being the principal guide in that matter should not be restrained with violence which produces hatred and fear but rather being gently indulged when youth and love and kindness move the coition might be more satisfactory and consequently the Children become more robust strong and healthfull But the Romans designing in the first place to deliver the Bodies of their Daughters pure and undefiled into the embraces and possession of the Husband made it lawfull for Fathers to marry their Daughters at twelve years of age or under which first way of Lycurgus seems more agreeable to the desires of Nature which onely respects the procreation of Children but the other is better adapted to make a conjugal life comfortable and calculated for the rules of moral living Howsoever those general rules which Lycurgus prescribed for education of Children for their meetings together and visits as also those regulations he made in their Feasts or Compotations Exercises and Sports do argue that Numa was in some manner inferiour to him in the art and mystery of giving Laws For as to education Lycurgus was of opinion That Parents were rather obliged to follow the inclinations and genius of their Children than to adhere to any fixt or formal rule of Discipline as for example if a Father designing to make his Son a Husbandman or a Carpenter a Brasier or a Musician will he not first consult his genius or inclinations before he oblige him to a Profession whereunto he hath no delight and for which he hath no Talent or capacity For as passengers who embark together on the same Ship though they have diverse designs and apply themselves to different interests yet when Storms arise whereby the whole Cargason is endangered they forsake the thoughts of their private concernments that they may unite their hands and heads for the common conservation in like manner the Legislatours or Law-makers whose business is the publick good are not required to give or prescribe standing rules for every particular action or private affair but such onely as respect the common use and benefit And since we may blame the common sort of Legislatours who either for want of power or knowledge take false measures in the Maxims they lay down for fundamental Laws how much rather may we except against the conduct of Numa who for the reputation of his wisedom onely being called and invited by the general consent of a new and unsettled people to be their King did not in the first place provide and constitute rules for the education of Children and the discipline of Youth for want of which men become seditious and turbulent and live not quiet in their Families or parishes but when they are inured from their Cradles to good Principles and instructed from their Infancy in the rules of Morality they receive such impressions of Vertue as make them sensible of that benefit and ease which peace and mutual agreement brings to a Commonwealth This with many others was one of the Politicks of Lycurgus and was of great use in the confirmation and establishment of his Laws An instance we have in the practice of Swearing and making Oaths a part of Religion which had proved very insignificant unless that by good discipline a principle had been at first instilled of the sacredness of such a Function and this was the cause that the Lacedemonians having sucked in these principles with their milk were possessed with a most reverend esteem of all his Institutions so that the main points and fundamentals of his Law continued for above 500 years in force with strict observance and without any violation But Numa whose whole design and aim was peace and to conserve his people in such a sense of Religion and Divine worship as might conduce to the present tranquillity did never make provisions for a future condition or for the time of War and therefore no sooner did he expire his last breath than peace vanished with it and immediately after his decease the Gates of Janus Temple flew wide open and as if War had been long pent up within those Walls it rush'd forth like a mighty Storm infesting all Italy with bloud and slaughter and thus that excellent Fabrick and composition of Equity and Justice was dissolved for want of early principles instilled by good education into youth which are the foundation to support it and the necessary cement which unites all together in a fixed and immutable habit What then may some say hath Rome been prejudiced by her Wars I answer that this question which men make who take their measures from the advance of Riches and Power exalted with Luxury rather than from that Innocence and moderation of Mind which is always accompanied with tranquillity and peace is not to be resolved by a sudden answer but by a long and philosophical discourse Howsoever it makes much for Lycurgus that so soon as the Romans deserted the Doctrine and Discipline of Numa their Empire grew and their power encreased whenas on the contrary so soon as the Lacedemonians fell from the Institutions of Lycurgus the Fabrick of their Government dissolved with their Laws and the Grecian Empire being lost they also were reduced to the utmost point of desolation and ruine And yet there is something peculiarly signal and almost Divine in the circumstances of Numa for he was an Alien and yet courted against his own inclinations to accept a Kingdom the frame of which though he entirely altered yet he performed it without force or coaction and with such lenity that nothing was acted but with the assent and concurrence of the people Lycurgus on the other side favoured the Nobility and made them the Lords and Rulers over the Commons and yet that Government was well tempered also and duly poised by Wisedom and Justice SOLON Ὠ Σόλον Ὠ Σόλον Sturt sc THE LIFE OF SOLON Translated from the Greek By Thomas Creech of Wadh. Coll. Oxon. DYdymus the Grammarian in his answer to Asclepiades concerning Solon's Tables mentions a passage of one Philocles who delivers that Solon's Father's name was Euphorion contrary to the opinion of all those who have written concerning him for they generally agree that he was the Son of Exestides a man of moderate wealth and power in the City but of a noble Stock being descended from Codrus his Mother as Heraclides Ponticus affirms was Cousin to Pisistratus his Mother and those two at
Touroude de Vandrebanc fe PLUTARCHS LIVES Translated From the GREEK BY SEVERAL HANDS To which is prefixt the LIFE of PLUTARCH The First Volume LONDON Printed for Jacob Tonson at the Sign of the Judges-head in Chancery-lane near Fleet-street 1683. MANUS IUSTA NARDUS Charles Lord Maynard TO HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF Ormond c. My Lord LVcretius endeavouring to prove from the principles of his Philosophy that the world had a casual beginning from the concourse of Atomes and that Men as well as the rest of Animals were produc'd from the vital heat and moisture of their Mother Earth from the same principles is bound to answer this objection why Men are not daily form'd after the same manner which he tells us is because the kindly warmth and procreative faculty of the ground is now worn out The Sun is a disabled Lover and the Earth is past her teeming time Though Religion has inform'd us better of our Origine yet it appears plainly that not only the Bodies but the Souls of Men have decreas'd from the vigour of the first Ages that we are not more short of the stature and strength of those gygantick Heroes than we are of their understanding and their wit To let pass those happy Patriarchs who were striplings at fourscore and had afterwards seven or eight hundred years before them to beget Sons and Daughters and to consider Man in reference only to his mind and that no higher than the Age of Socrates How vast a difference is there betwixt the productions of those Souls and these of ours How much better Plato Aristotle and the rest of the Philosophers understood nature Thucydides and Herodotus adorn'd History Sophocles Eurypides and Menander advanc'd Poetry than those Dwarfs of Wit and Learning who succeeded them in after times That Age was most Famous amongst the Greeks which ended with the death of Alexander amongst the Romans Learning seem'd again to revive and flourish in the Century which produc'd Cicero Varro Salust Livy Lucretius and Virgil And after a short interval of years wherein Nature seem'd to take a breathing time for a second birth there sprung up under the Vespasians and those excellent Princes who succeeded them a race of memorable Wits such as were the two Plinies Tacitus and Suetonius and as if Greece was emulous of the Roman learning under the same favourable Constellation was born the famous Philosopher and Historian Plutarch Then whom Anquity has never produc'd a Man more generally knowing or more vertuous and no succeeding Age has equall'd him His Lives both in his own esteem and that of others accounted the Noblest of his Works have been long since render'd into English But as that Translation was only from the French so it suffer'd this double disadvantage first that it was but a Copy of a Copy and that too but lamely taken from the Greek Original Secondly that the English Language was then unpolish'd and far from the perfection which it has since attain'd So that the first Version is not only ungrammatical and ungraceful but in many places almost unintelligible For which reasons and least so useful a piece of History shou'd lie oppress'd under the rubbish of Antiquated words some ingenious and learned Gentlemen have undertaken this Task And what wou'd have been the labour of one Mans Life will by the several endeavours of many be now accomplish'd in the compass of a year How far they have succeeded in this laudable attempt to me it belongs not to determine who am too much a party to be a Judge But I have the honour to be Commission'd from the Translators of this Volum to inscribe their labours and my own with all humility to your Graces Name and Patronage And never was any Man more ambitious of an employment of which he was so little worthy Fortune has at last gratify'd that earnest desire I have always had to shew my devotion to your Grace though I despair of paying you my acknowledgments And of all other opportunities I have happen'd on the most favourable to my self who having never been able to produce any thing of my own which cou'd be worthy of your view am supply'd by the assistance of my friends and honour'd with the presentation of their labours The Author they have Translated has been long familiar to you Who have been conversant in all sorts of History both Ancient and Modern and have form'd the Idea of your most Noble Life from the instructions and Examples contain'd in them both in the management of publick affairs and in the private Offices of vertue in the enjoyment of your better fortune and sustaining of your worse in habituating your self to an easie greatness in repelling your Enemies in succouring your Friends and in all traverses of fortune in every colour of your Life maintaining an inviolable fidelity to your Soveraign T is long since that I have learn'd to forget the art of praising but here the heart dictates to the pen and I appeal to your Enemies if so much generosity and good nature can have left you any whether they are not conscious to themselves that I have not flatter'd T is an Age indeed which is only fit for Satyr and the sharpest I have shall never be wanting to launce its Villanies and its ingratitude to the Government There are few Men in it who are capable of supporting the weight of a just and deserv'd commendation But amongst those few there must always stand excepted the Illustrious Names of Ormond and of Ossory A Father and a Son only Worthy of each other Never was one Soul more fully infus'd into anothers breast Never was so strong an impression made of vertue as that of your Graces into him But though the stamp was deep the subject which receiv'd it was of too fine a composition to be durable Were not priority of time and nature in the case it might have been doubted which of you had been most excellent But Heaven snatch'd away the Copy to make the Original more precious I dare trust my self no farther on this subject for after years of mourning my sorrow is yet so green upon me that I am ready to tax Providence for the loss of that Heroick Son Three Nations had a general concernment in his Death but I had one so very particular that all my hopes are almost dead with him and I have lost so much that I am past the danger of a second Shipwreck But he sleeps with an unenvy'd commendation And has left your Grace the sad Legacy of all those Glories which he deriv'd from you An accession which you wanted not who were so rich before in your own vertues and that high reputation which is the product of them A long descent of Noble Ancestors was not necessary to have made you great But Heaven threw it in as over-plus when you were born What you have done and suffer'd for two Royal Masters has been enough to render you Illustrious so that
would preserve he answer'd Plutarch and probably might give this reason that in saving him he should secure the best Collection of them all The Epigram of Agathias deserves also to be remember'd This Author flourish'd about the year five hundred in the Reign of the Emperour Justinian The Verses are extant in the Anthologia and with the Translation of them I will conclude the praises of our Author having first admonish'd you that they are suppos'd to be written on a Statue erected by the Romans to his memory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cheronean Plutarch to thy deathless praise Does Martial Rome this grateful Statue raise Because both Greece and she thy fame have shar'd Their Heroes written and their Lives compar'd But thou thy self cou'dst never write thy own Their Lives have Parallels but thine has none FINIS THESEUS M Burghers delin et scâ—… THE LIFE OF THESEUS English'd from the Greek By R. Duke Trin. Coll. Cant. Soc. Volume I. AS Historians in their geographical descriptions of Countries croud into the farthest parts of their Maps those places that escape their knowledge with some such Remarks in the Margin as these All beyond is nothing but drie and desart Sands or unpassable Bogs or Scythian Cold or a frozen Sea so in this Work of mine wherein I have compared the Lives of the greatest Men with one another having run through that time whereunto probable reason could reach and through which the truth of History could pass I may very well say of those that are farther off All beyond is nothing but monstrous and tragical Fictions there the Poets and there the Inventers of Fables dwell nor is there any further to be expected ought deserving of Credit or that carries any appearance of Truth Yet having published an Account of Lycurgus the Law-giver and Numa the King methought I might not without reason ascend as high as to Romulus being brought by my History so near to his time Considering therefore with my self Whom with so great a man shall I compare Or whom oppose who can the tryal bear as Aeschylus expresses it I found none so fit as him that peopled the most celebrated City of Athens to be set in opposition with the Father of the invincible and renowned City of Rome And here it were to be wish't that this Account cou'd be so purg'd by right reason from the fabulous part as to obey the Laws and receive the character of an exact History But whereever it shall chance too boldly to contemn the bounds of credibility and will endure no mixture of what is probable we shall beg that we may meet with can did Readers and such as will favourably receive what can be related concerning things of so great Antiquity Now Theseus seems to resemble Romulus in many particulars Both of 'em born out of Wedlock and of uncertain Parentage had the repute of being sprung from the Gods Both Warriours that by all the world 's allow'd Both of them had joyn'd with strength of Body an equal vigour of Mind and of the two most famous Cities of the World the one built Rome and the other made Athens be inhabited Both were famous for the Rape of Women neither of them cou'd avoid domestick misfortunes nor the envy of their Country-men but both are said to have died by the hands of their own offended Citizens if we will believe there is any truth in relations that are delivered with the least appearance of strange or Poetical Fictions The Lineage of Theseus by his Father's side ascends as high as to Erectheus and the first inhabitants of Attica By his Mother's side he was descended of Pelops For Pelops was the most powerfull of all the Kings of Peloponnesus not so much for the greatness of his Riches as the multitude of his Children having match't many Daughters to persons of the greatest Quality and made many Sons Governours of Provinces round about him One whereof nam'd Pittheus Grandfather to Theseus was founder of the small City of the Troezenians and had the repute of a man of the greatest knowledge and wisedom in his time Which then it seems consisted chiefly in such grave Sentences as the Poet Hesiod got his great esteem by in his Book of Works and Days And even among them is one that they ascribe to Pittheus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let a friend's services meet full reward Which also Aristotle witnesses and Euripides when he calls Hippolytus Scholar of the sacred Pittheus shews the opinion that the world had of that great man About this time Aegeus being desirous of Children and consulting the Oracle of Delphos receiv'd that so celebrated answer which forbad him the use of any woman before his return to Athens But the Oracle being so obscure as not to satisfie him that he was clearly forbid this he went to Troezene and communicated to Pittheus the voice of the God which was in this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I warn thee Warriour not to broach Thy Goatskin full of generous Juice Nor footlong Spigot to produce Till thou to Athens shalt approach Pittheus therefore taking advantage from the obscurity of the Oracle prevail'd upon him it is uncertain whether by perswasion or deceit to lie with his Daughter Aethra Aegeus afterwards knowing her whom he had lain with to be Pittheus's Daughter and suspecting her to be with Child by him he left a Sword and a pair of Shoes hiding them under a great Stone that had a hollowness exactly fitting them making her onely privy to it and commanding her that if she brought forth a Son who when he came to man's estate shou'd be able to lift up the Stone and take away what he had left there she shou'd send him away to him with those things with all secrecy enjoyning him as much as possible to conceal his Journey from all men For he fear'd extremely the Pallantidae who were continually mutinying against him and despis'd him for his want of Children they themselves being fifty Brothers all of the Sons of Pallas When Aethra was deliver'd of a Son some report that he was immediately nam'd Theseus from the Tokens which his Father had put under the Stone But others say that he receiv'd his name afterwards at Athens when Aegeus acknowledg'd him for his Son He was brought up under his Grandfather Pittheus and had by him a Governour and Tutour set over him nam'd Connidas to whom the Athenians even to this time the day before the Feast that is dedicated to Theseus sacrifice a Ram giving this honour to his memory upon a much juster account than that which they gave to Silanio and Parrhasius for having onely made Pictures and Statues of Theseus There being then a custom for the Grecian Youth upon their first coming to man's estate to go to Delphos and
offer First-fruits of their Hair to the God of the place Theseus also went thither and they say that the place to this day is yet nam'd Thesea from him But he shav'd onely the fore-part of his head as Homer reports to be the custom of the Abantes And this sort of Tonsure was from him nam'd Theseis But the Abantes first us'd this sort of shaving not having learnt it from the Arabians as some imagin nor in imitation of the Mysians but being a warlike people and us'd to close fighting and above all other Nations accustom'd chiefly to engage hand to hand as Archilochus witnesses in these Verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Slings they despise and scorn to send from far The flying Dart and wage a distant War But hand to hand the trusty Swords they weild Doe all the dreadfull business of the Field This is the way of fight th' Euboeans know Nor Bow nor Sling they trust but strike themselves the blow Therefore that they might not give their Enemies that advantage of seising them by the Hair they were shav'd in this manner They write also that this was the reason why Alexander gave command to his Captains that all the Beards of his Macedonians shou'd be shav'd as being the readiest hold for an Enemy Aethra for some time conceal'd the true Parentage of Theseus and there was a report given out by Pittheus that he was begotten by Neptune for the Troezenians have Neptune in the highest veneration He is their Tutelar God to him they offer all their First-fruits and in his honour stamp't their Money with a Trident. Theseus in his youth discovering not onely a great strength of Body but an equal force of Mind and firmness of Understanding his Mother Aethra conducting him to the Stone and informing him who was his true Father commanded him to take from thence the Tokens that Aegeus had left and to sail to Athens He without any difficulty lifted up the Stone and took 'em from thence but refused to take his Journey by Sea though it was much the safer way and though he was continually prest to it by the intreaties of his Grandfather and Mother For it was at that time very dangerous to go by Land to Athens no place of the Country being free from Thieves and Murtherers for that Age produc'd a sort of men for strength of Armes and swiftness of Feet and vigour of Body excelling the ordinary rate of men and in labours and exercise indefatigable yet making use of these gifts of Nature to nothing either good or profitable to mankind but rejoycing and taking pride in insolence and pleasing themselves in the enjoyment of their inhumanity and cruelty and in seising forcing and committing all manner of outrages upon every thing that fell into their hands who thought civility and justice and equity and humanity which many prais'd either out of want of courage to commit injuries or fear to receive 'em nothing at all to concern those who were the most daring and most strong Some of these Hercules destroy'd and cut off in his passing through these Countries but some who escap'd him for fear fled and hid themselves or were spar'd by him in contempt of their abject submission but after that Hercules fell into misfortune and having slain Iphitus retir'd to Lydia and for a long time was there Slave to Omphale a punishment which he had impos'd upon himself for the murther then indeed the Lydian affairs enjoyed all peace and security but in Greece and the Countries about it the like Villanies were again reviv'd and broke out there being none to repress or chastise their insolence It was therefore a very hazardous journey to travel by Land from Athens to Peloponnesus and Pittheus giving him an exact account of each of these Thieves and Villains of what strength they were and with what cruelty they us'd all strangers perswaded Theseus to go by Sea but he it seems had long since been secretly fir'd with the glory of Hercules and had him in the highest estimation and was never more satisfy'd than in hearing those that gave an account of him especially those that had seen him or had been present at any Action or Saying of his that was remarkable Insomuch that he was altogether in the same condition that in after-ages Themistocles was when he said that the Trophies of Miltiades wou'd not suffer him to sleep so he having in such admiration the vertue of Hercules in the night his dreams were all of that Heroes actions and in the day a continual emulation stirr'd him up to perform the like Besides they were nearly related being born of Cousin Germains For Aethra was the Daughter of Pittheus and Alcmena of Lycidice and Lycidice and Pittheus Brothers and Sisters by Hippodamia He thought it therefore a dishonourable thing and not to be endur'd that Hercules shou'd every where purge both the Land and Sea from those wicked Men and that he himself shou'd flie from the like Adventures that so fairly offer'd themselves to him disgracing his Reputed Father by a mean flight by Sea and not shewing his True one as manifest a character of the greatness of his Birth by noble and worthy Actions as by the tokens that he brought with him the Shoes and the Sword With this mind and these thoughts he set forward with a design to doe injury to no body but to repel and revenge himself of all those that shou'd offer any And first of all in a set combate he slew Periphetes in Epidauria who us'd a Club for his Arms and from thence had his name of Corynetes or the Club-bearer who seis'd upon him and forbad him to go forward in his Journey Being pleas'd with the Club he took it and made it his weapon having the same use of it as Hercules had of the Lion's Skin for that he wore as evidence of what a prodigious greatness the monster was that He slew and to the same end Theseus carry'd about him this Club overcome indeed by him but now in his Hand invincible Passing on further towards the Isthmus of Peloponnesus he slew Sinnis that from the way of murther he us'd was sirnam'd the bender of Pines after the same manner that he himself had destroy'd many others before And this he did not having either practis'd or ever learnt the art of bending these Trees to shew that natural strength is above all art This Sinnis had a Daughter of most excellent beauty and more than ordinary stature call'd Perigune who when her Father was kill'd fled and was sought after with all diligence by Theseus but she flying into a place overgrown with many Shrubs and Rushes and wild Asparagus innocently made her complaint to them as if they cou'd have a sense of her misfortune and begg'd 'em to shelter her with vows that if she escap'd she wou'd
never cut 'em down or burn 'em but Theseus calling upon her and giving her his promise that he wou'd use her with all respect and offer her no injury she came forth and being enjoy'd by Theseus bore a Son to him nam'd Menalippus but afterwards she was married to Deioneus the Son of Euritus the Oechalian Theseus himself giving her to him And Ioxus the Son of this Menalippus who was born to Theseus accompany'd Ornytus in the Colony that he carried with him into Caria from whom the people call'd Ioxides have their name who have this custom deriv'd down to 'em from their Fathers never to burn either Shrubs or Rushes or wild Asparagus but to honour and worship ' em About this time the Cromyonian Sow which they call'd Phaea was a Beast not to be past by or despis'd being of great fierceness and very hard to be overcome her Theseus kill'd going out of his way to meet and engage her that he might not seem to perform all his great exploits out of mere necessity being also of opinion that it was the part of a brave man not onely to chastise villainous and wicked Men but also to fight and expose himself to the fury of the most fierce and hurtfull Monsters and wild Beasts Others relate that this Phaea was a Woman a Robber full of cruelty and lust that liv'd in Cromyon and had the name of Sow given her from the beastliness of her life and conversation and that afterwards she was kill'd by Theseus He slew also Sciron upon the borders of Megara casting him down from the Rocks being as most report a notorious robber of all passengers and as others say accustom'd out of insolence and wantonness to stretch forth his feet to strangers commanding them to wash 'em and then with a kick to thrust them down the Rock into the Sea but the Writers of Megara in contradiction to the receiv'd report and as Simonides expresses it fighting with all antiquity contend that Sciron was neither a Robber nor committer of injuries and affronts but a punisher of all such and full of all humanity and friendship to good and just men that Aeacus was ever esteemed a man of the greatest sanctity of all the Greeks and that Cychreus the Salaminian was honoured at Athens with divine worship and that the vertue of Peleus and Telamon were not unknown to any one and that Sciron was Son-in-law to Cychreus and Father-in-law to Aeacus and Grandfather to Peleus and Telamon who were both of 'em Sons of Erideis the Daughter of Sciron and Carichlo that therefore it was not probable that the best shou'd make these alliances with the worst of men giving and receiving mutually what was of greatest value and most dear to 'em but they relate that Theseus did not slay Sciron in his first Journey to Athens but afterwards when he took Eleusis a City of the Megarians having circumvented Diocles the Governour whom together with Sciron he there slew These are the contradictions which are between the Writers of this Story In Eleusis he kill'd Cercyon the Arcadian in a wrestling Match And going on a little further in the City Hermione he slew Damastes otherwise call'd Procrustes by force making him even to his own Beds as he himself was us'd to doe with all strangers this he did in imitation of Hercules For he returning always to the committers of these outrages the same sort of violence that they offer'd to others sacrific'd Busyris wrestled with Antaeus fought with Cycnus hand to hand and kill'd Termerus by breaking his Skull in pieces from whence they say comes the Proverb of A Termerian Mischief for it seems Termerus kill'd passengers that he met by running with all his force his Head against theirs Thus proceeded Theseus in the punishment of evil men who underwent the same torments from him which they had inflicted upon others justly suffering after the manner of their own injustice As he went forward on his Journey and was come as far as the River Cephisus some of the race of the Phytalidoe met him and saluted him and upon his desire to use the purifications then in custom they perform'd them with all the usual Ceremonies and having offer'd propitiatory Sacrifices to the Gods they invited him and entertain'd him at their House who before in all his Journey had not met the like civility On the eighth day of June which was then call'd Cronius he arriv'd at Athens where he found the publick affairs full of all confusion and divided into Parties and Factions Aegeus also and his whole private Family labouring under the same distemper for Medea having fled from Corinth and promis'd Aegeus to make him by her Art capable of having Children was entertain'd by him and admitted to his Bed she had the first knowledge of Theseus whom as yet Aegeus did not know and he being in years full of jealousies and suspicions and fearing every thing by reason of the Faction that was then in the City she easily perswaded him to poison Theseus at a Banquet to be prepar'd for him as a civility to a Stranger He coming to the Entertainment thought it not fit to discover himself first but being willing to give his Father the occasion of first finding him out the meat being on the Table he drew his Sword as if he design'd to cut with it Aegeus upon the sudden perceiving the Token threw down the Cup of poison and discovering his Son embrac'd him and having gather'd together all his Citizens he own'd him publickly before them who receiv'd him with great satisfaction for the fame of his Greatness and Bravery and 't is said that when the Cup fell the poison was spilt there where now is the enclosure in the Delphinian Temple for in that place stood Aegeus's House and the Statue of Mercury on the East side of the Temple is call'd the Mercury of Aegeus his Gate Now the Sons of Pallas who before were quiet upon hopes and expectation of recovering the Kingdom at least after Aegeus's death who was without Issue as soon as Theseus appear'd and was acknowledg'd the Successour to the Crown highly resenting that Aegeus first an adopted Son onely of Pandion and not at all related to the Family of Erectheus shou'd obtain the Kingdom and that after Theseus one of another Country again and a stranger shou'd obtain the Crown broke out into an open War And dividing themselves into two Companies one part of them march'd openly from Sphetta with their Father against the City the other hiding themselves in the Village of Gargettus lay in ambush with a design to set upon the Enemy on both sides They had with them a Cryer of the Town of Agnus nam'd Leo who discover'd to Theseus all the designs of the Pallantidae He immediately fell upon them that lay in Ambuscade and cut 'em all off which Pallas and his company hearing fled and were dispersed
From hence they say is deriv'd the custom among the Palleneans to have no marriages or any alliance with the people of Agnus nor to suffer their Cryers to pronounce in their Proclamations these words solemnly us'd in all other parts of the Country 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hear ye People so great is their hatred to the very name of Leo for the foulness of his Treason Now Theseus longing to be in action and withall desirous to make himself popular left Athens to fight with the Bull of Marathon which did no small mischief to the inhabitants of Tetrapolis And having overcome it he brought it alive in triumph through the City and afterwards sacrific'd it to Apollo And as to what concerns Hecale and the story of her receiving and entertaining Theseus in this expedition it seems to be not altogether void of truth for from hence the people round about meeting upon a certain day offer'd a Sacrifice which they call'd Hecalesium to Jupiter Hecalion in honour of Hecale whom by a diminutive name they call'd Hecalene because she as the custom of ancient people is shew'd her affection to Theseus by such diminutive names and having made a vow to Jupiter for him as he was going to the fight that if he return'd in safety she wou'd offer Sacrifices in thanks of it and dying before he came back she receiv'd this return of her hospitality by the command of Theseus as Philochorus relates the story Not long after arrived the third time from Crete the collectours of the Tribute which the Athenians paid 'em upon the following occasion Androgeus having been treacherously murther'd about the confines of Attica not onely Minos put the Athenians to extreme inconveniences by a perpetual War but the Gods also laid waste their Country for both Famine and Pestilence lay heavy upon 'em and even their Rivers were dried up But being told by the Oracle that if they appeas'd and reconcil'd Minos the anger of the Gods wou'd cease and they shou'd enjoy rest from the miseries they labour'd under they sent Ambassadours and with much supplication were at last reconcil'd having entred into an agreement to send to Crete the space of nine years a Tribute of seven young Men and as many Virgins as the general Writers agree and the most tragical story that goes about concerning this matter says that the Minotaure destroy'd them or that they wandring in the Labyrinth and finding no possible means of getting out miserably ended their lives there And that this Minotaure was as Euripides hath it A mingled form where two strange shapes combin'd And different Natures Bull and Man were joyn'd But Philochorus writes that the Cretans will by no means allow the truth of this but say that the Labyrinth was onely an ordinaâ—y Prison having no other ill in it than that it secur'd the Prisoners from escaping and that Minos having instituted Games in honour of Androgeus gave as a reward to the Victors those that till that time had been prisoners in the Labyrinth And that the first that overcame in those Games was one of the greatest power and command among 'em nam'd Taurus a man of no mercifull or sweet disposition but that carried himself towards the Athenians that were made his prize in a most proud and insolent manner and even Aristotle himself in the account that he gives of the Government of the Bottieans is manifestly of an opinion that these youth were not slain by Minos but that they spent the remainder of their days in slavery at Crete and that the Cretans to acquit themselves of an ancient Vow which they had made were us'd to send an Offering of the first fruits of their Men to Apollo of Delphos and that some descendants of these Athenian Slaves were mingled with 'em and sent amongst 'em and of these they that were not able to get their living there remov'd from thence first into Italy and inhabited the Country round about Japygia from thence again that they remov'd to Thrace and were nam'd Bottieans and that this is the reason why in a certain Sacrifice the Bottiean Women sing a Hymn beginning thus Let us go to Athens And from this that it appear'd how dangerous it was to incurr the hatred of a City that was Mistress of Eloquence and a Muse For Minos was always ill spoken of and represented ever as a very ill man upon the Athenian Stages neither did Hesiod at all help him when he calls him The most Royal Minos nor Homer when he styles him The Companion of Jupiter But the Tragedians prevailing made him alway appear from the Stage as a cruel and inhumane Prince But that really Minos was a very good King and Law-giver and that Rhadamanthus was a Judge under him and a preserver of the Statutes that he ordain'd Now when the time of the third Tribute was come and that the Fathers who had any young men for their Sons were to proceed by lot to the choice of those that were to be sent there arose fresh discontents and accusations against Aegeus among the people who were full of grief and indignation that he who was the cause of all their miseries was the onely person exempt from the punishment but settling his Kingdom upon a Bastard and a foreign Son took no notice of them whom he left destitute and without Children These things very sensibly affected Theseus who thinking it but just not to avoid but rather partake of the sufferings of his fellow Citizens offer'd himself for one without any lot all the rest admiring him for the greatness of his Spirit and loving him for his care of the publick and Aegeus after all his prayer and intreaty finding him inflexible and not to be perswaded proceeded to the choosing of the rest by lot But Helanicus writes that the Athenians did not send the young Men and Virgins as they were chosen by lot but that Minos himself coming thither made his own choice and that he pitch'd upon Theseus before all others upon conditions agreed between 'em that the Athenians shou'd furnish 'em with a Ship and that the young men that were to sail with him shou'd carry no weapon of War but that if the Minotaure was destroy'd this Tribute shou'd cease The two former times of the payment of the Tribute there appearing no hopes of safety or return they sent forth the Ship with a black Sail as to unavoidable destruction but now Theseus encouraging his Father and speaking greatly of himself as confident that he shou'd kill the Minotaure he gave the Pilot another Sail which was White commanding him as he return'd if Theseus escap'd to make use of that but if not to sail with the Black one and to hang out that sign of his misfortune and sorrow But Simonides says that the Sail which Aegeus deliver'd to the Pilot was not White but Purple dyed in Grain with the Flower of a certain Tree commanding him to hang out this as a
this is as much as is worthy the Relation concerning the Amazons For the account which the ancient Author of a Poem call'd Theseis gives us of this Invasion of the Amazons how that Antiope to revenge her self upon Theseus for refusing her and marrying Phaedra came down upon the City with her Train of Amazons was defeated and had most of her Followers slain by Hercules is manifestly nothing else but Fable and the Invention of a Poet. It is true indeed that Theseus marri'd Phaedra but that was after the death of Antiope by whom he had a Son call'd Hippolytus or as Pindar writes Demophoon As to the Calamities which befel both Theseus and his Son since none of the Historians have contradicted the Tragick Poets that have written of them they are altogether to be receiv'd for truths as they are deliver'd from the Stage There are also other Reports concerning the Marriages of Theseus the beginnings of which were neither honourable nor their events fortunate which yet were never represented in the Grecian Plays He forc'd Anaxo the Traezenian having slain Sinnis and Cercyon he ravish'd their Daughters he marri'd Peribaea the Mother of Ajax and then Pheribaea and then Jope the Daughter of Iphicles Further he is accus'd for deserting Ariadne as is before related being in Love with Aegle the Daughter of Panopeus an action neither just nor honourable And lastly for the Rape of Helen which fill'd all Attica with War and Blood and was in the end the occasion of his Banishment and Death as shall hereafter be related Herodorus is of opinion that tho' there were many famous Expeditions undertaken by the bravest and most honourable Captains of his Time yet Theseus never made One amongst them nor appear'd in any great and publick Action once only excepted when he joyn'd with the Lapithae in their War against the Centaurs but others say that he accompani'd Jason to Colchos and Meleager to the slaying of the Calydonian Boar and that hence this came to be a Proverbial Speech Not without Theseus Also that Theseus without any aid of the Heroes of his Time did himself perform very many and very great Exploits and that from the high esteem the World set upon his Valour it grew into a Proverb This is another Theseus He was also very instrumental to Adrastus in recovering the Bodies of those that were slain before Thebes but not as Euripides in his Tragedy says by force of Arms but by perswasion and mutual agreement and composition for so the greater part of Historians write nay Philochorus adds farther that this was the first Treaty that ever was made for the recovering and burying the Bodies of the dead tho' the History of Hercules says that he was the first that ever gave leave to his Enemies to carry off the Bodies of their slain The Burying-places of the Common Souldiers are yet to be seen in the Village call'd Eleutherae and those of the Commanders at Eleusis where Theseus allotted them a Place for their Interment to oblige Adrastus And that the dead Bodies were thus recover'd Aeschylus is Witness in his Tragedy call'd the Eleusinians where Theseus himself is brought in relating the Story as it is here told which quite overthrows what Euripides writes on this Subject in his Play call'd The Suppliants The extraordinary and so much celebrated Friendship between Theseus and Peirithous is said to have been thus begun The Fame of the matchless Strength and Valour of Theseus being spread through all Greece Peirithous was enflam'd with a desire to be satisfi'd and make a tryal himself of what he had heard so much by Report to this end he seized a Herd of Oxen which belong'd to Theseus and was driving them away from Marathon when News was brought that Theseus pursu'd him in Arms upon which disdaining to fly he turn'd back and went on to meet him But as soon as ever they had view'd one another each so admir'd the Gracefulness and Beauty and was seiz'd with such a Reverence for the Bravery and Courage of the other that they forgat all thoughts of Fighting and Peirithous first stretching out his hand to Theseus bade him be Judge in this Case himself and promis'd to submit willingly to what-ever he demanded in satisfaction for the injury he had done But Theseus not only forgave him all the damages he had sustain'd but entreated him to be his Friend and Brother in Arms and there immediately they swore an inviolable friendship to each other After this Perithous married Deidamia and invited Theseus to the Wedding entreating him to come and see his Countrey and enter into alliance with the Lapithae he had at the same time invited the Centaurs to the Feast who growing hot with Wine began to be very insolent and lewd and offer'd violence to the Women which so enrag'd the Lapithae that they took immediate revenge upon them slaying many of them upon the Place and afterwards having overcome them in Battel drove the whole Race of them out of their Countrey Theseus all along taking their part and fighting on their side But Herodotus gives a different Relation of these things That Theseus came not to the assistance of the Lapithae till the War was already begun and that it was in this Journey that he had the first sight of Hercules having made it his business to find him out at Trachine where he had chosen to rest himself after all his wandrings and his labours and that this Enterview was honourably perform'd on each part with extream Civility Respect and Admiration of each other Yet it is more credible what other Historians write that there were before frequent Enterviews between them and that it was by the means of Theseus that Hercules was initiated and admitted to the Ceremonies of the Goddess Ceres having by his intercession also been first purifi'd upon the account of several rash Actions of his former Life Theseus was now fifty years old as Hellanicus reports when he ravish'd Helen who was very young and not of Age to be marri'd Wherefore some Writers to take away this Accusation of one of the greatest Crimes that is laid to his charge say that he did not steal away Helen himself but that Idas and Lynceus were the Ravishers who brought her to him and committed her to his charge and that therefore he refus'd to restore her at the demand of Castor and Pollux or according to others that her own Father Tyndarus sent her to be kept by him for fear of Enarsphorus the Son of Hippocoon who would have carri'd her away by force when she was yet a Child But the most probable Relation and that which has most Witnesses on its side is this Theseus and Peirithous went both together to Sparta and having seiz'd the young Lady as she was dancing in the Temple of Diana Orthia fled away with her There were presently Men in Arms sent to pursue the Ravishers but they followed the pursuit no
these Women after they had burnt the Ships did make use of such like Allurements to pacifie their Husbands and allay the displeasure they had conceiv'd Some say that Roma from whom this City was so call'd was Daughter of Italus and Leucaria others of Telephus Hercules's Son who was married to Aeneas others again of Ascanius Aeneas's Son But then some say Romanus the Son of Vlysses and Circe built it some that Romus the Son of Emathion whom Diomede sent from Troy and others that it was founded by Romus King of the Latines that drove out the Thuscans who came originally from Thessaly into Lydia and from thence into those Parts of Italy Nay those very Authors who by the clearest Reasons make it appear that Romulus gave Name to that City do yet strangely differ concerning his Birth and Family For some write he was Son to Aeneas and Dexithea Daughter of Phorbas who with his Brother Remus in their Infancy was carried into Italy and being on the River when the Waters were very rough all the Ships were cast away except only that where the young Children were which being safely landed on a level Bank of the River they were both unexpectedly sav'd and from them the Place was call'd Rome Some say Roma Daughter of that Trojan Lady who was married to Latinus Telemachus's Son was Mother to Romulus others that Aemilia Daughter of Aeneas and Lavinia had him by the God Mars and others give you little less than meer Fables of his Original As to Tarchetius King of Alba who was a most wicked and cruel Man appear'd in his own House a strange Vision which was the Figure of a Man's Yard that rose out of a Chimney-hearth and stay'd there for many days Whereupon the Oracle of Tethys in Thuscany being consulted the result of it was that some young Virgin should accept of its Court and she should have a Son famous in his Generation eminent for Vertue good Fortune and strength of Body Tarchetius told the Prophecy to one of his own Daughters and commanded her to entertain the Lover but she slighting the Matter put her Woman on the execution of it Tarchetius hearing this in great indignation imprison'd the Offenders purposing to put 'em to death but being deterr'd from Murder by the Goddess Vesta in a Dream enjoyn'd them for their punishment the working a piece of Cloth in their Chains as they were which when they finish'd they should be suffer'd to marry but what-ever they work'd by day Tarchetius commanded others to unravel in the night In the mean time the Waiting-woman was deliver'd of two Boys whom Tarchetius gave into the hands of one Teratius with strict Command to destroy 'em but he expos'd 'em to Fortune by a River-side where a Wolf constantly came and suckled 'em and the Birds of the Air brought little morsels of Food which they put into their mouths till a Neat-herd spying 'em was first strangely surpriz'd but venturing to draw nearer took the Children up in his arms This was the manner of their preservation and thus they grew up till they set upon Tarchetius and overcame him This Promathion says that writ the History of Italy but Diocles Peparethius deliver'd first amongst the Graecians the most principal Parts of the History that has most credit and is generally receiv'd him Fabius Pictor in most things follows Yet here too are still more Scruples rais'd As for Example The Kings of Alba descending lineally from Aeneas the Succession devolv'd at length upon two Brothers Numitor and Amulius Amulius to divide things into two equal shares put in equivalency to the Kingdom all the Treasury and Gold that was brought from Troy Numitor chose the Kingdom but Amulius having the Money and being able to do more with that than Numitor he both with a great deal of ease took his Kingdom from him and withal fearing lest his Daughter might have Children made her a Vestal Nun in that condition for ever to live a single and Maiden Life This Lady some call'd Ilia others Rhea and others Sylvia however not long after she was contrary to the establish'd Laws of the Vestals discover'd to be with Child and should have suffer'd the most cruel punishment had not Antho the King's Daughter mediated with her Father for her nevertheless she was confin'd and debarr'd all humane conversation that she might not be deliver'd without his knowledge In time she brought forth two Boys extraordinary both in the bigness and beauty of their Bodies Whereupon Amulius becoming yet more fearful commanded a Servant to take and cast 'em away this Man some call Faustulus others say Faustulus was the Man who brought them up who-ever the Servant was he put the Children in a small Trough and went towards the River with a design to cast them in but seeing the Waters flow and pouring in mighty surges upon him he fear'd to go nigher but dropping the Children near the Bank went himself off the River overflowing the Flood at last bore up the Trough and gently wafting it landed 'em on a very pleasant Plain which they now call Cermanum formerly Germanum perhaps from Germani which signifies Brothers Near this Place grew a wild Fig-tree which they call'd Ruminalis either from Romulus as it is vulgarly thought or from Ruminating because Cattel did usually in the heat of the day seek Cover under it and there chew the Cud or chiefly from the suckling of these Children there for the Ancients call'd the Dug or Teat of any Creature Ruma and the tutelar Goddess of all young Children they still call Rumilia in sacrificing to whom they made no use of Wine but Milk While the Infants lay here History tells us a she-Wolf nurs'd 'em and a little Wood-pecker constantly fed and foster'd 'em these Creatures are esteem'd holy to the God Mars and for the Woodpecker the Latines still egregiously worship and honour it Whence it was not altogether incredible what the Mother of the Children said that she conceiv'd with Child by the God Mars tho' they say that mistake was put upon her by Amulius himself being by him robb'd of her Honour who appear'd to her all in Armour and so committed a Rape upon her Body Others think the first rise of this Fable came from the Childrens Nurse purely upon the ambiguity of a word for the Latines not only call'd Wolves Lupae but also lewd and prostitute Women And such an one was the Wife of Faustulus who nurtur'd these Children Acca Laurentia by Name to her the Romans offer Sacrifices and to her in the Month April the Priest of Mars does offer up a special Libation and they call it the Laurentian Feast they honour also another Laurentia much upon the like occasion as thus The Keeper of Hercules's Temple having it seems little else to do propos'd to his Deity a Game at Dice laying down that if he himself won he would have something valuable of the
came within sight and viewed each other they made a Challenge to fight a single Duel the Armies standing unconcerned by hereupon Romulus prayed and made a Vow to Jupiter if he did conquer his Enemy to dedicate his Adversary's Armour to his Honour upon which he both overcame him in Combat and after Battel was joyn'd routed his Army also and then took his City but did those he found in it no injury only commanded them to demolish the Place and attend him to Rome there to be made Citizens equally capable of all Priviledges and indeed there was nothing did more advance the Greatness of Rome than that she did always unite and incorporate whom she conquer'd into her self Romulus that he might perform his Vow in the most acceptable manner to Jupiter and withal make the Pomp of it delightful to the eye of the City cut down a tall Oak which he saw growing in the Camp which he adorn'd like a Trophy and fasten'd thereon Acron's whole Suit of Armour in its right symmetry of Parts then he himself girding his Garment about him and crowning his Head with a Laurel-Garland his Hair gracefully flowing carried the Trophy lying at length upon his right Shoulder and so march'd on singing Songs of Triumph and his whole Army following after the Citizens all receiving him with Acclamations of Joy and Wonder the Pomp of this day was the cause and rais'd the Emulation of all after-Triumphs This Trophy was dedicated to Jupiter sirnamed Feretrius from ferire which in Latin is to smite for Romulus pray'd he might smite and overthrow his Enemy These Opima spolia or royal Spoyls are so call'd says Varro from their Richness which the word Opes signifies the one would more probably conjecture from Opus a Deed or Act for when the General of an Army with his own hand kills his Enemy's General to him alone is granted the Honour of offering the Opima spolia as being the sole performer of that Act or Deed of Bravery And on three only of the Roman Captains did this Honour ever happen to be conferr'd First on Romulus upon killing Acron the Ceninensian next on Cornelius Cossus for slaying Volumnius the Thuscan and lastly on Claudius Marcellus upon his conquering Viridomarus King of the Gauls The two latter Cossus and Marcellus made their Entries in triumphant Chariots bearing their Trophies themselves but that Romulus made use of a Chariot Dionysius is in the wrong for History says Tarquinius Damaratus's Son was the first that brought Triumphs to this great Pomp and Grandeur others that Publicola was the first that rode in Triumph however all the Statues of Romulus in Triumph are to be seen in Rome on Foot After the Overthrow of the Ceninensians the Sabines still protracting the time in Preparations the People of Fidena Crustumerium and Antemna joyn'd their Forces against the Romans Battel was no sooner joyn'd but they were likewise immediately defeated surrendred up to Romulus their Cities to be spoil'd their Lands and Territories to be divided themselves to be transplanted to a Colony at Rome All the Lands which Romulus acquir'd he distributed among the Citizens except only what the Parents of the stolnvirgins had and them he suffer'd to possess their own the rest of the Sabines being enraged here-at choosing Tatius their Captain march'd straight against Rome the City was almost inaccessible having for its Fortress that which is now the Capitol where a strong Guard was placed and Tarpeius was their Captain not Tarpeia the Virgin as some say who would make Romulus guilty of a foolish Action But still Tarpeia the Captain 's Daughter coveting the golden Bracelets she saw them wear betrayed the Fort into the Sabines hands and asked in reward of her Treachery all they wore on their left Arms. Tatius conditioning thus with her in the night she opened one of the Gates and received the Sabines in And truly for ought I see it is not Antigonus alone that said He lov'd Betrayers but hated them after they had betrayed nor Caesar when he told Rhymitalces the Thracian that He lov'd the Treason but hated the Traitor but it is a general kind of Affection all Men who have occasion for wicked Persons bear towards them much such as they have for venomous Creatures when they stand in need of their poyson and gall for as they love them while they are of use so they abhor their ill qualities when that is over And thus did Tatius behave himself towards Tarpeia for he commanded the Sabines in regard to their Contract not to refuse her the least part of what they wore on their left Arms upon that he himself first took his Bracelet off his Arm and threw that together with his Buckler at her and all the rest following she being born down and quite smother'd with the multitude of Gold and their Shields died under the great weight and pressure of them nay Tarpeius himself being prosecuted by Romulus was found guilty of Treason as Juba says Sulpitius Galba relates Those who write otherwise concerning Tarpeia as that she was the Daughter of Tatius the Sabine Captain and being forcibly detain'd by Romulus acted and suffer'd thus by her Father's contrivance speak very absurdly of whom Antigonus is one but Smylus the Poet of all Men who thinks Tarpeia betrayed the Capitol not to the Sabines but the Gauls having fallen in Love with their King does plainly dote Thus he writes Tarpeia 't was who dwelling close thereby Open'd the Walls of Rome to th' Enemy She hot in lust of the besieging Gaul Betray'd the City's Strength the Capitol And a little after speaking of her Death But yet the Gauls that strong and numerous Foe Drown'd not the Traitress in the Waves of Po But with their Shields thrown on her Body overlaid So died and was entomb'd at once the wretched Maid Tarpeia afterwards was buried there and the Hill from her was call'd Tarpeius until the Reign of King Tarquin who dedicated the Place to Jupiter at which time her Bones were removed and so it lost her Name except only that part of the Capitol which they still call the Tarpeian Rock from whence they are wont to cast down headlong Malefactors The Sabines being possess'd of the Hill Romulus in great fury bade them Battel and Tatius put on the courage to accept it perceiving if they were so constrain'd where he might make a secure Retreat The Level in the middle where they were to joyn Battel being surrounded with many little Hills seem'd to enforce both Parties to a smart and desperate Conflict by reason of the Difficulties of the Place which had but a few narrow Out-lets inconvenient either for refuge or pursuit It happen'd too the River having overflowed not many days before there was left behind in the Plain where now the Market stands a deep blind Mud and Slime which tho' it did not appear much to the eye and was not easily avoided
yet at bottom was very deceitful and dangerous upon which the Sabines being unwarily about to enter had good luck befel them for Curtius a gallant Man eager of Honour and of aspiring thoughts being mounted on Horse-back gallop'd a good distance before the rest but his Horse was mired and he endeavour'd a while by Whip and Spur to disintangle him but finding it impossible he quitted his Horse and saved himself the Place from him to this very time is call'd the Curtian Lake The Sabines having escaped this danger began the Fight very smartly the fortune of the day being very dubious tho' many were slain amongst whom was Hostilius who they say was Husband to Hersilia and Grandfather to that Hostilius who reign'd after Numa It is probable there were many other Battels in a short time after but the most memorable was the last in which Romulus having receiv'd a Wound on his Head by a Stone and being almost fell'd to the ground by it and disabled to sustain the Enemy the Romans upon that yielded ground and being driven out of the Field fled to the Palatium Romulus by this time recovering his Wound a little running upon his Men in flight remanded them to their Arms again and with a loud voice encouraged them to stand and fight But being overpowr'd with the number and no body daring to face about he stretching out his hands to Heaven pray'd to Jupiter to stop the Army and not to neglect but rather maintain the Roman Cause which was now in extream danger This Prayer both wrought a great Reverence in many for their Prince and a strange resolution too on the sudden in their minds The Place they first stood at was where now is the Temple of Jupiter Stator which may be interpreted the Stayer there they rallied their Forces and repuls'd the Sabines even to the Place call'd now Rhegia and the Temple of Vesta where both Parties preparing to renew the Fight were prevented by a strange and unexpressible sight for the Daughters of the Sabines which were formerly stoln came running in great confusion some on this side some on that with miserable cryes and lamentations like distracted Creatures into the midst of the Army and among the dead Bodies to come at their Husbands and at their Fathers some with their young Babes in their Arms others their Hair loose about their Ears but all calling now upon the Sabines then upon the Romans in the most tender and endearing words Hereupon both melted into compassion and fell back that they might stand betwixt the Armies Now did a strange lamentation seize all and great grief was conceiv'd at the sight of the Women and at their Speech much more which from Expostulations and high words ended in Entreaties and Supplications Wherein say they have we injured or offended you that we formerly have and now do suffer under these Calamities We were ravish'd away unjustly and violently by those whose now we are that being done we were so long neglected by our Fathers our Brethren and Countreymen that time having now by the strictest bonds united us to those whom we once mortally hated has brought it about that the very Men who once used violence to us we now have a tenderness for in War and lament their deaths So that you do not now come to vindicate our Honour as Virgins from them that injured us but to force away Wives from their Husbands and Mothers from their Children making this your rescue more grievous to us Wretches than your former betraying and neglect of us was so great is their Love towards us and such your Compassion if you make War upon any other occasion for our sakes you ought to desist who are our Fathers our Grandfathers our Relations and Kindred if for us take us and your Sons-in-law and restore us to our Parents and Kinsfolk but do not rob us we humbly beseech you of our Children and Husbands lest we again become Captives Hersilia having spoken many such words as these and others earnestly praying a Truce was made and the chief Officers came to a Treaty the Women during that time brought and presented their Husbands and Children to their Fathers and Brethren gave those that would eat Meat and Drink and carried the wounded home to be cured and shewed also how much they govern'd within doors and how indulgent their Husbands were to 'em in demeaning themselves towards 'em with all kindness and respect imaginable Upon this Conditions were agreed upon that what Women pleas'd might stay where they were exempt from all drudgery and labour but Spinning that the Romans and Sabines should inhabit the City promiscuously together that the City should be call'd Rome from Romulus but the Romans Quirites from the Countrey of Tatius and that they both should govern and command in common The Place of this Ratification is still call'd Comitium from Coire to agree The City being thus doubled in number an 100 of the Sabines were elected Senators and the Legions were increas'd to 6000 Foot and 600 Horse then they divided the People into three Tribes the first from Romulus were named Rhamnenses the second from Tatius Tatienses the third were call'd Luceres from the Lucus or Grove where the Asylum stood whither many fled for Sanctuary and were received into the City and that they were just three the very Name of Tribe and Tribune does testifie each Tribe contained then ten Curiae or Wards which some say took their Names from the Sabine Women but that seems to be false because many had their Names from different Regions Tho' 't is true they then constituted many things in honour to the Women As to give them the way where-ever they met them to speak no ill word in their presence not to appear naked before them that they should not be summon'd into Court before a Judge sitting on Cases of Blood that their Children should wear an Ornament about their Necks call'd the Bulla because it was like a Bubble and the Praetexta a Garment edged with purple The Princes did not immediately joyn in Council together but at first each met with his own Hundred afterwards all assembled together Tatius dwelt where now the Temple of Moneta stands and Romulus close by the Steps as they call them of the fair Shore near the descent from the Mount Palatine to the Circus Maximus There they say grew the Holy Cornel-tree of which they report that Romulus once to try his strength threw a Dart from the Aventine Mount the Staff of which was made of Cornel which struck so deep into the ground that no one of many that tryed could pluck it up Now the Soyl being fertil nourish'd the Wood and sent forth Branches and produced a Trunk of considerable bigness this did Posterity preserve and worship as one of the most sacred things and therefore wall'd it about and if to any one it appear'd not green nor flourishing but inclining to fade and wither he
which are least contradicted and following those Authours which are most worthy of credit The Poet Simonides will needs have it that Lycurgus was the Son of Prytanis and not of Eunomus but in this opinion he is singular for all the rest deduce the Genealogy of them both as follows Aristodemus Patrocles Sous Eurytion Prytanis Eunomus who by his first Wife had a Son nam'd Polydectes and by his second Wife Dianissa had this Lycurgus whose Life is before us but as Eutychidas says he was the sixth from Patrocles and the eleventh from Hercules Be this as it will Sous certainly was the most renown'd of all his Ancestours under whose conduct the Spartans subdu'd Ilotos and made Slaves of the Ilotes and added to their Dominions by Conquest a good part of Arcadia There goes a story of this King Sous that being besieged by the Clitorians in a dry and stony place so that he could come at no water he was at last constrained to agree with them upon these hard terms that he would restore to them all his Conquests provided that Himself and all his Men should drink of a Spring not far distant from his Camp after the usual Oaths and Ratifications he call'd his Souldiers together and offered to him that would forbear drinking half his Kingdom for a reward their thirst was so much stronger than their ambition that not a man of them was able to forbear in short when they had all drank their fill at last comes King Sous himself to the Spring and having sprinkled his face onely without swallowing one drop he marched off in the face of his Enemies refusing to yield up his Conquests because himself and all his men according to the Articles had not drank of their water Although he was justly had in admiration as well for his wit and abstinence as for his warlike exploits yet was not his Family sirnamed from him but from his Son Eurytion of whom they were call'd Eurytionides the reason of this was that Eurytion took a course never practis'd by his wise Predecessours which was to flatter and cajole his own Subjects by slackening the reigns of the Royal Authority But see what followed the people instead of growing more tractable by it made new encroachments upon him every day insomuch that partly by taking advantages of the too great easiness or necessities of the succeeding Princes partly by tiring out and vexing those which used severity they at last brought the Government into contempt and soon after the whole Kingdom into Anarchy and confusion In this miserable estate things continu'd a long time and amongst its other tragical effects it caused the death of the Father of Lycurgus for as the good King was endeavouring to quell a riot in which the parties were come to blows he was among them most barbarously butchered and left the title of King to his eldest Son Polydectes but he too dying soon after the right of Succession as every one thought rested in Lycurgus and reign he did untill he had notice that the Queen his Sister-in-law was with Child upon this he immediately declar'd that the Kingdom belong'd to her issue provided it were Male and that himself would exercise the Regal Jurisdiction onely as his Guardian and Regent during his minority soon after an overture was made to him by the Queen that she would make her self miscarry or some way destroy that she went with upon condition that he would marry her when he came to the Crown Though he was extremely incens'd against the Woman for this unnatural proposal yet wisely smothering his resentments and making shew of closing with her he dispatch'd the Messenger with a world of thanks and expressions of joy but withall dissuaded her earnestly from procuring her self to miscarry because that the violent means used in such cases would impair her health if not endanger her life withall assuring her that himself would so order it that the Child as soon as born should be taken out of the way By these and such like artifices having drawn on the Woman to the time of her lying in as soon as ever he heard that she was in labour he sent some of his Council to be by and observe all that past with order that if it were a Girle they should deliver it to the Women but if a Boy that they should bring it to him wheresoever he were and whatsoever a-doing It so fell out that as he was at Supper with his principal Magistrates the Queen was brought to bed of a Boy who was soon after presented to him as he was at the Table he taking him tenderly into his arms said to those about him behold my Lords of Sparta here is a King born unto us this said he laid him down upon the Chair of State and nam'd him Charilaus that is the Joy of the people because they were so much transported with joy both at the birth of the young Prince and the contemplation of the noble Mind and Justice of Lycurgus and yet his good reign lasted onely eight months But Lycurgus was in nature a Prince and there were more who obeyed him upon the account of his eminent Vertues than because he was Regent to the King and had the treasure and strength of the Nation in his hands Yet could not all this ensure him from envy which made a push at him as is usual before he was well settled in his high Trust the Heads of this Faction were the Kindred and Creatures of the Queen-mother who pretended not to have been dealt with sutably to her quality and her Brother Leonidas in a warm debate which fell out betwixt him and Lycurgus went so far as to tell him to his face that he was very well assured that e'er long he should sec him King by this reflecting insinuation he endeavour'd to make the people jealous of Lycurgus thus preparing the way for an accusation of him as though he had made away with his Nephew if he should chance to fail though by a natural death words of the like import were designedly cast abroad by the Queen-mother and her adherents Being exceedingly troubled at this and not knowing what it might come to he thought it his wisest course to decline their envy by a voluntary exile and so travel from place to place untill his Nephew came to marriageable years and by having a Son had secured the Succession setting sail therefore with this resolution he first arrived at Crete where having considered their several Forms of Government and got an acquaintance with the principal men amongst them some of their Laws he very much approv'd of and resolv'd to make use of them in his own Country and a good part of them he rejected as useless Amongst the persons there the most renown'd for their ability and wisedom in State matters was one Thales whom Lycurgus by repeated importunities and assurances of Friendship at last persuaded to go over to
emulations amongst the Senatours for though all agreed that it was necessary to have a King yet what Person or of what Nation was the dispute For those who had been builders of the City with Romulus though they had already yielded a share of their Lands and dwellings to the Sabines who were Aliens yet could not be perswaded to resign into their hands the Regal Authority On the other side the Sabines alledged that their King Tatius being deceased they had peaceably submitted to the obedience of Romulus so that now their turn was come to have a King chosen out of their own Nation nor did they esteem themselves inferiour to the Romans nor to have contributed less than they to the increase of Rome which without their numbers and association could never have merited the name of a City Thus did both parties argue and dispute their cause but lest in the mean time Sedition and discord should occasion Anarchy and confusion in the Common-wealth it was agreed and ordained That the hundred and fifty Senatours should interchangeably execute the Office of supreme Magistrate and with all the formalities and rites of Regality offer the solemn Sacrifices and dispatch judicial Causes for the space of six hours by day and six by night the which vicissitude and equal distribution of power would remove all emulation from amongst the Senatours and envy from the people when they could behold one elevated to the degree of a King levelled in a few hours after to the private condition of a Subject which Form of Government was termed by the Romans Interregnum Nor yet could this plausible and modest way of Rule escape the censure of the Vulgar who termed it a design of some few who to abolish the Kingly Government intended to get the power into their own hands and therefore to circumvent this plot they came at length to this conclusion that the party which did elect should choose one out of the body of the other that if the Romans were Electours they were to make choice of a Sabine and if the Sabines elected they were to choose a Roman this was esteemed the best expedient to reconcile all parties and interests for that the created Prince would be obliged to favour the one for their suffrages in his election as he was the other on score of relation and consanguinity In pursuance of this agreement the Sabines remitted the choice to the ancient Romans being more inclinable to receive a Sabine King elected by the Romans than to see a Roman exalted by the Sabines consultations being accordingly held Numa Pompilius of the Sabine race was elected a person so famous and of that high reputation that though he were not actually residing at Rome yet no sooner was he nominated than accepted by the Sabines with applause and acclamation equal to that freedom which the Romans shewed in his election The choice being declared and made publick principal men of both parties were appointed to compliment and intreat the Prince that he would be pleased to accept the administration of the Kingly Government Now this Numa resided at a famous City of the Sabines called Cures whence both the Romans and Sabines gave themselves the name of Quirites as a comprehensive name for both Associates Pomponius an illustrious person was his Father and he the youngest of his four Sons being by Divine Providence born on the eleventh of the Kalends of May which was the day on which the Foundation of Rome was laid he was endued with a Soul rarely tempered by Nature and disposed to Vertue and excellently improved by Learning Patience and the studies of Philosophy by which advantages of Art he regulated the disorderly motions of the Mind and rendred Violence and Oppression which had once an honourable esteem amongst the barbarous Nations to be vile and mean making it appear that there was no other Fortitude than that which subdu'd the Affections and reduc'd them to the terms and restraints of Reason Thus whilst he banished all luxury and softness from his own home he gave a clear and manifest indication to all Citizens and strangers of his sound and impartial judgment not delighting himself in divertisements or profitable acquisitions but in the worship of the immortal Gods and in the rational contemplation of their Divine Power and Nature to all which renown and fame he added this farther glory that he took Tatia for his Wife who was the Daughter of that Tatius whom Romulus had made his Associate in the Government nor yet did the advantage of this Marriage swell his vanity to such a pitch as to desire to dwell with his Father-in-law at Rome but rather to content himself to inhabit with hâ—s Sabines and cherish his own Father in his old Age the like inclinations had also Tatia who preferred the private condition of her Husband before the honours and splendour she might have enjoyed in her Father's Court. This Tatia as is reported after she had lived for the space of thirteen years with Numa in conjugal society dyed and then Numa leaving the conversation of the Town betook himself to a Country life and in a solitary manner dwelt in the Groves and Fields consecrated to the Gods where the common fame was he gained such acquaintance and familiarity with the Goddess Egeria that he lived in those retirements free from all disturbances and perturbations of mind and being inspired with the sublime and elevated pleasure of a celestial marriage he had arrived to a beatitude in this life and to a clear notion of Divine Sciences There is no doubt but that such fancies as these have had their original from ancient Fables such as the Phrygians recount of Atis the Bythinians of Herodotus the Arcadians of Endymion and a thousand other Demons which past Ages recorded for Saints that were beatified and beloved of the Gods nor doth it seem strange if God who places not his affection on Horses or Birds should not disdain to dwell with the vertuous and entertain a spiritual conversation with wise and devout Souls though it be altogether irrational to believe that the Divine Essence of any God or Demon is capable of a sensual or carnal love or passion for humane Beauty And yet the wise Egyptians did not conceive it an absurd fancy to imagin that a Divine Essence might by a certain spiritual impulse apply it self to the nature of a Woman and lay the first beginnings of generation though on the other side they concluded it impossible for the Male-kind to have any congress or mixture with a Goddess not considering that there can be no real coition but where there is a mutual communication of one to the other The truth of the matter is this those men are onely dear to the Gods who are vertuous and those are beloved by them whose actions are regulated by the rules of Divine Wisedom and therefore it was no errour of those who feigned that Phorbas Hyacinthus
or to teach him a gentile or gracefull deportment but whatever was delivered to him to improve him in prudence or in the management of publick affairs he would apprehend it immediately and understand it beyond one of his years for in such things he confided in his own natural parts and therefore afterwards in discourses of Humanity the liberal Sciences and gentile Education being derided by those who thought themselves well skilled therein he was forced to defend himself somewhat arrogantly saying I understand not how to touch a Lute or play upon a Harp but if a small mean obscure City were committed to my charge I know well how to make it considerable great and glorious Yet notwithstanding this Stesimbrotus says that Themistocles was a hearer of Anaxagoras and that he studied natural Philosophy under Melissus but he must needs err in the time for Melissus was Commander of the Samians when Pericles made War against Samos but Themistocles was much elder than Pericles whereas Anaxagoras was very conversant with him They are therefore rather to be credited who report that Themistocles was an earnest follower of Mnesiphilas the Phrearian who was neither Oratour nor natural Philosopher but a Professour of that which was then called Wisedom or a prudence exercised in ordering publick concerns and an accurate understanding and judgment in affairs of State which profession being begun by Solon was preserved successively as a Sect of Philosophy but those who came afterwards and mixed it with pleadings and disputes in Law and transferred the practical part of it to a mere art of speaking and an exercise of words and terms were generally call'd Sophisters However Themistocles when he entred upon affairs of State applied himself to Mnesiphilas In the first motions of his youth he was not regular nor well poised drawing the lines of his affairs according to his own natural fancy without reason or instruction and made great alterations in his designs on the one hand and on the other and very often determined for the worst as he afterwards confessed saying Ragged Colts make the best Horses when it comes to pass that they are well taught and managed But those who upon this account do erroneously raise reports of his being disinherited by his Father and that his Mother died for grief of her Son's lewdness do certainly most falsely calumniate him and there are divers who relate to the contrary how that to deterr him from dealing in the publick and to let him see how the vulgar behave themselves towards their Leaders when they have at last no further use of them his Father shewed him the old Galleys as they lay neglected and forsaken upon the Sea-shore without any care taken of them yet it is evident that early even in his younger years Themistocles did most violently and with great eagerness apply himself to understand how to govern and to win glory and honour in which being earnest to be the first from the very beginning he by this rashness presently created to himself the hatred of the most powerfull and chiefest in the City but more especially of Aristides the Son of Lysimachus who always opposed him and yet all this great enmity between them seem'd to have but a light beginning for they both were in love with the fair Stesilaus of Teios as Ariston the Philosopher relates and from that time they perpetually contended with their Parties and Factions in the Commonwealth not but that the disagreeableness of their lives and manners may seem to have encreased the difference for Aristides was of a mild nature good and fair conditioned and governing all things for the best with justice and security not for glory or the favour of the people he was often forced to oppose Themistocles and to stand up against the encrease of his authority who stirred up the people to many attempts and brought in great innovations for it is said that Themistocles was so transported with the thoughts of glory and so inflamed with the desire of performing great actions that although he were but young when the Battel of Marathon was fought against the Persians and the warlike conduct of their General Miltiades was every where noised about he was taken notice of to be thoughtfull and to go meditating many things alone by himself to pass the nights without sleep and to refuse his accustomed meetings and recreations and to those who wondred at this change in his manner of living and demanded the reason of it he gave this answer that the Trophies of Miltiades would not let him sleep and when others were of opinion that the Battel of Marathon would put an end to the War Themistocles thought that it was but the beginning of far greater Conflicts for which he prepared himself continually for the good of all Greece and exercised the City as one foreseeing at a great distance what was likely to come to pass And first of all the Athenians being accustomed to distribute the revenue proceeding from the Silver Mine at Laurion he was the onely man that durst propose to the people that this distribution should cease and that with the Money Ships should be built to make War against the Aeginetes who were the most flourishing people in all Greece and by the number of their Ships held the Sovereignty of the Sea and to this Themistocles did easily persuade them not by stirring them up against Xerxes or the Persians who were at a great distance and their coming was very uncertain and at that time not much to be feared but by seasonably making use of the emulation hatred and anger of the Athenians against the Aeginetes he induced them to these preparations So that with this Money an hundred Ships were built with which they afterwards fought against Xerxes and in a short time he caused them to descend and drew the City toward the Sea with this advantage that those who on Land were not a fit match for their neighbours with their Ships might be able to free themselves from the Persians and become rulers of Greece So that as Plato says instead of making them a standing Militia and stout Souldiers that would not give way in fight he turned them into Mariners and Sea-men tossed about the Sea and gave occasion for this reproach against him that he took away from the Athenians the Spear and the Shield and bound them to the Bank and the Oar. These things he performed getting the better of Miltiades who opposed him as Stesimbrotus relates but whether or no he hereby injured the purity and exact rule of Government let those who are more judicious determine But that the deliverance of Greece came at that time from the Sea and that those Galleys established the City of Athens again after it was destroyed to omit others Xerxes himself is a sufficient witness who though his Land Forces were still entire after he had been worsted at Sea fled away and thought himself no ways able to encounter
what he did in the time of the Holy War For whereas the Lacedemonians having gone with an Army to the City Delphi restored Apollo's Temple which the Phocians had got into their possession to the Delphians again immediately after their departure Pericles coming with another Army brought in the Phocians again And the Lacedemonians having engraven an Oracle or be it a privilege of consulting the Oracle before others which the Delphians gave them upon the forehead of a brazen Wolf which stands there he also having received from the Phocians an Oracle or the like privilege for his Athenians had it cut upon the same Wolf of Brass on his right side Now that he did well and wisely in this that he kept the force and power of the Athenians within the compass of Greece the things and passages themselves that happen'd afterward did bear sufficient witness For in the first place the Euboeans revolted against whom he past over with Forces and then immediately after news came that the Megarians were set upon in War and that the Enemies Army was upon the borders of the Attick Country under the command and conduct of Pleistonax King of the Lacedemonians Wherefore Pericles went with his Army back again in all haste out of Euboea to the War which threatned home and because there were a many brave fellows in Arms on the other side who dared him to fight he did not venture to engage or to come to handy-blows with them but perceiving that Pleistonax was a very young man and that he govern'd himself mostly by the counsel and advice of Cleandrides whom the Overseers or Curatours of the State whom they call Ephori had sent along with him by reason of his youth to be a kind of Guardian and Assistant to him he privately applied his temptation to him and in a short time having corrupted him with money he prevailed with him to withdraw the Peloponnesians out of the Attick Country When the Army was retir'd and dispersed into several quarters through their Towns and Cities the Lacedemonians being grievously offended at it amerced their King in a great sum of money by way of Fine which he being not able to pay quitted his Country and removed himself from Lacedemon the other Gentleman Cleandrides who fled for it having a sentence of death past upon him by them for betraying them This man was the Father of that Gylippus who defeated the Athenians and beat them so at Sicily And it seems that this covetousness was an hereditary disease that past from Father to Son for he also whom we last mention'd was upon a like account caught in foul practices and was turned out of Town at Sparta for it But this is a story we have told at large where we discourse the affairs of Lysander Now when Pericles in giving up his accounts of this Expedition had set down a disbursement of ten Talents which comes to about 1500 pounds Sterling as laid out upon a fit and usefull occasion the people without any more adoe not troubling themselves to canvass the mystery how it was expended freely allow'd of it And some Historians in which number is Theophrastus the Philosopher have reported it for a truth that year by year Pericles sent privately the foresaid sum of ten Talents to Sparta wherewith he complemented those that were in any Office or place of Trust to keep off the War not to purchase peace neither but to redeem time to the intent that having at leisure provided himself he might the better make a War hereafter Wherefore presently upon this turning his Forces against the revolters and passing over into the Island Euboea with fifty Sail of Ships and five thousand Men in Arms he overthrew and won their Cities and drove out those of the Chalcidians whom they called Hippobotae i. e. Horse-feeders the chief persons for wealth and reputation among them and removing all the Hestiaeans out of the Country brought in a Plantation of his own Country-men the Athenians in their room to dwell there by themselves treating those people with that severity for that they having taken an Attick Ship prisoner had put all the men on board to death After this was over having made a truce between the Athenians and Lacedemonians for thirty years he orders by publick Decree an Expedition against the Isle of Samos upon this pretence that they when they were bid to leave off the War they had with the Milesians did not as they were bid to doe But by reason that what he did against the Samians he is thought to have done it in favour of Aspasia and to gratifie some humour or design of hers she being that Country-woman here in this place may be a fit occasion most properly for us to make inquiry concerning this Woman what cunning art or charming force she had so great as to inveigle and captivate as she did the chief persons of the Government and to afford the Philosophers occasion so much to discourse about her and not to her disparagement neither Now that she was a Milesian by birth the Daughter of one Axiochus is a thing acknowledged And they say that she in imitation of one Thargelia a Courtisan one of the old Ionian stamp used to make her addresses to personages of the greatest power and to clap them on board For that same Thargelia being a handsome Woman to see to and having a gracefull carriage and a shrewd wit into the bargain kept company with a great many of the Greeks and wrought all those who had to doe with her over to the Persian King's interest and by their means being men of the greatest power and quality she sowed the seeds of the Median Faction up and down in several Cities And for this Aspasia they say that she was courted and caressed by Pericles upon the account of her wisedom and knowledge in State affairs For Socrates himself would sometimes go to visit her and fome of his acquaintance with him and those who used her company would carry their Wives along with them to her as it were to Lecture to hear her discourse though by the way the House she kept was little other than a Vaulting School she being a Governante of no modest or creditable imploy but keeping a parcel of young Wenches about her who were no better than they should be Now Aeschines saith also that there was one Lysicles a Grasier or Mutton-monger who of a great Clown and a pitifull Sneaksby as naturally he was did by keeping Aspasia company after Pericles his death come to be a chief man among the people of Athens And in a Book of Plato's intitled Menexenus though the first part of it is written with some pleasantry and sport yet there is so much of History in it that she was a Woman with whom many of the Athenians convers'd and often resorted to as the common opinion was upon the account
for him in his own way and at his own Weapon And indeed the Army of Hannibal was at this time partly worn away with continual action and partly become soft and dissolute with great opulency and luxury When the Senate had before them the business of this Triumph Marcus Livius who was Governour of Tarentum when it was betrayed to Hannibal and then retired into the Castle which he kept till the Town was re-taken openly declared that by his resistance more than by any action of Fabius Tarentum had been recovered to whom Fabius laughing at his envy and ambition reply'd You say very true for if Marcus Livius had not lost Tarentum Fabius Maximus had never recover'd it The People of Rome thought no honour too great for him they gave his Son the Consulship of the next year who when he was entred upon his Office there being some business then on foot about provisions for the War his Father either by reason of Age and infirmity or perhaps out of design to try his Son came up to him on Horseback Whereupon the young Consul presently bid one of his Lictors command his Father to alight and tell him that if he had any business with the Consul he should come on foot This infinitely pleased the old man and although the standers by seem'd offended at the imperiousness of the Son towards a Father so venerable for his age and his authority yet he instantly lighted from his Horse and with open armes and great speed came up and imbraced his Son telling him Now thou art my Son indeed since thou dost understand thy self in the Authority thou hast received and knowest whom thou art to command This was the way by which we and our forefathers have advanced the dignity of the Commonwealth in preferring that to our own Fathers and Children And indeed it is reported that the great Grandfather of our Fabius who was undoubtedly the greatest man of Rome in his time both in Reputation and Authority who had been five times Consul and had been honour'd with several Triumphs for as many Victories obtained by him took pleasure in serving as Legate under his own Son when he went Consul into his Province And when afterwards his Son had a Triumph bestow'd upon him for his good service the old man followed on Horseback his triumphant Chariot as one of his Attendants and made it his glory to be the greatest man in Rome and to have such a Son and yet to be subject to the Law and the Magistrate But the praises of our Fabius are not bounded here his manly courage in bearing his losses more eminently shew'd the greatness of his Soul than his prosperous successes For loosing this Son of his in the flower of his age and in the height of his promotion with wonderfull moderation he did the part of a pious Father and of a Heroe whom nothing could daunt For as it was the custom amongst the Romans upon the death of any illustrious person to have a Funeral Oration recited by some of the nearest Relations he himself took upon him that office and delivered himself upon the subject to the great satisfaction and applause both of Senate and People After Publius Cornelius Scipio who was sent Proconsul into Spain had driven the Carthaginians defeated by him in many Battels out of that Province and had reduced several Towns and Nations under the obedience of Rome he was received at his coming home with a general joy and acclamation of the People who to shew their gratitude and high esteem of him design'd him Consul for the year ensuing Knowing what high expectation they had of him he thought the design of onely driving Hannibal out of Italy not great enough to answer the hopes and the happiness they promised themselves from his Consulship He therefore propos'd no less a task to himself than to make Carthage the seat of the War and so to oblige Hannibal instead of invading the Countries of others to draw back and defend his own To this end he made use of all the credit and favour he had with the People and assiduously courting them left no popular art untry'd that he might gain them to second his design Fabius on the other side oppos'd with all his might this undertaking of Scipio telling the People that nothing but the temerity of a hot young man could inspire them with such dangerous Counsels which by drawing away their Forces to parts so remote might expose Rome it self to be the conquest of Hannibal His authority and perswasions prevail'd with the Senate to espouse his Sentiments but the common People thought that he envied the Fame of Scipio and that he was afraid lest this young Conquerour should have the glory to drive Hannibal out of Italy and to end the War which had for so many years continued and been protracted under his Government To say the truth when Fabius first oppos'd this project of Scipio I believe he did it in consideration onely of the publick safety and of the danger which the Common-wealth might incur by such a way of proceeding but when he found Scipio every day increasing in the esteem of the People envy then and ambition took hold of him which made him so violent in his opposition For he apply'd himself to Crassus the Collegue of Scipio and perswaded him not to yield that Province to Scipio but that if his inclinations were for that War he should himself in person lead the Army to Carthage He also hindred the giving money to Scipio for the War who was forc'd to raise it upon his own credit and interest and was supply'd by the Cities of Hetruria which were wholly devoted to him On the other side Crassus would not stir against him nor remove out of Italy as being in his own nature an Enemy to strife and contention and also as having the care of Religion by his Office of high Priest Wherefore Fabius try'd other ways to break the design He declaimed both in the Senate and to the People that Scipio did not onely himself fly from Hannibal but did also endeavour to drain Italy of all their Forces and to spirit away the youth of the Country to a Foreign War leaving behind them their Parents Wives and Children a defenceless Prey to the Enemy at their doors With this he so terrified the People that at last they would onely allow to Scipio for the War the Legions which were in Sicily and three hundred of those men who had so bravely served him in Spain In these transactions hitherto Fabius onely seem'd to follow the dictates of his own wary temper But after that Scipio was gone over into Africa when news was brought to Rome of his wonderfull exploits and Victories of which the fame was confirm'd by the Spoils he sent home of a Numidian King taken Prisoner of a vast slaughter of their men of two Camps of the Enemy burnt and destroy'd and in them a
Nobility and were true lovers of their Country Indeed the authority of Pericles in Athens was much greater than that of Fabius in Rome for which reason it was more easie for him to prevent miscarriages commonly arising from weakness and insufficiency of Officers since he had got the sole nomination and management of them onely Tolmides broke loose from him and contrary to his orders unadvisedly fought with the Boeotians and was slain whereas Fabius for want of that general power and influence upon the Officers had not the means to obviate their miscarriages but it had been happy for the Romans if his Authority had been greater for so we may presume their disasters had been fewer As to their liberality and publick spirit Pericles was eminent in never taking any gifts and Fabius for giving his own money to ransome his Souldiers though the sum did not exceed six Talents This right we must doe Pericles that no man had ever greater opportunities to enrich himself as having had presents offer'd him from so many Kings and Princes and States of his Alliance yet no man was ever more free from corruption And for the beauty and magnificence of Temples and publick Edifices with which he adorn'd his Country it must be confest that all the Ornaments and Structures of Rome to the time of the Caesars had nothing to compare either in greatness of design or of expence with the lustre of those which Pericles onely erected at Athens The End of the First Volume The comparison between Theseus and Romulus Homer The Family of Theseus * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a putting any thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to adopt or acknowledge one for his Son The Education of Theseus Theseus reputed the Son of Neptune His relation to Hercules He slew Periphetes He kills Sinnis * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He begets Menalippus of Perigune the Daughter of Sinnis Slays the Cromyonian Sow Phaea Kills Sciron Kills Cercyon and Procrustes Arrives at Athens Aegeus perswaded to poison him not knowing him to be his Son He is discovered to his Father The Pallantidae rebell They are overcome and dispers'd by Theseus He takes the Bull of Marathon alive The murther of Androgeus The Cretans Offering to Apollo Theseus offers himself voluntarily to be sent to Crete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ilicis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Offering at the Delphinian Temple * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying a Goat His Arrival at Crete and Adventures there Taurus envied by the Cretans Ariadne in love with Theseus Deucalion 's Message to Athens Theseus 's Answer He fits out a Navy The Surprisal of Cnossus Ariadne left in Cypros Her death A Ceremony instituted in memory of Her Theseus his return from Crete His and his Pilots forgetfulness fatal to Aegeus Theseus his Ship Perswades the Inhabitants of Attica to reside together in one City * Metaecaea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Transmigration Lays down his Regal Power His Voyage into the Euxine Sea He builds Pythopolis Gives Battel to the Amazons Peace concluded His Marriages In most of the printed Copies it is read This is another Hercules but some Manuscripts read it better as it is here translated The occasion of the Friendship between Theseus and Peirithous The Rape of Helen Accompanies Peirithous to Epirus Peirithous 's Death Theseus in Prison Menestheus stirs up the Athenians against Theseus Castor and Pollux invade Athens for the recovery of Helen They take Aphidnae * In Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hercules procures the release of Theseus He returns to Athens Slighted by the Athenians He sails to Scyrus His Death * Whence Rome was so call'd * Divers Opinions of the Name of Rome * Of Romulus 's Birth * His Mother Faustulus * Cermanum * Ruminor signifies to chew the Cud. * Rumilia * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Velabrum Romulus his Education * Ruma signifying a Dug The occasion of Romulus and Remus being known Remus 's Speech Amulius is slain * The first design of building Rome Romulus and Remus differ about the Place Remus is slain Romulus begins to build The day when He divides the People * From lego to choose * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Stratagem upon the Sabine Virgins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 congrego to gather together The reason of the word Talasius at Weddings * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Ceninenfian 's War against Romulus Are conquered The Sabines besiege Rome Tarpeia betrays it And is kill'd in recompence * Tarpeia Rupes The Sabines and Romans fight Are parted by the Women A Peace made The City settled * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The rise of several Customs and Feasts * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The occasion of the death of Tatius Romulus takâ—s Fidenae A Plague at Rome Cameria is taken The Veientes subdued Romulus grows insolent * Celer swift Offends the Senate Dies Several Opinions of his Death * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Julius Proculus decides the Matter Why Romulus was call'd Quirinus * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How old he was when he died * Lib. de Laced Rep. †This was the first Life that Plutarch publish'd and he seems to have a particular respect to this people by writing a Book of their wise Sayings * A subtile promise †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stab'd with a Cooks Knife * They call'd them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lycurgus envied Lycurgus his Travels Homer 's Works brought to light by Lycurgus This Story of the Aegyptians is confirm'd by some Greek Historians His return and the alterations he made This Oracle is extant at length in Herodotus The Rhetra or Oracle * Plato no great friend to a Monarchy * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same story is told of Dionysius the Tyrant Cic. Tusc Pol. lib. 7. * The Romans allow'd them to marry at twelve years of age he covertly blames them for it †A Remedy almost as bad as the Disease blam'd and derided by the other Graecians * They kept their Court at a place called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †These places they call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Store-houses an unnatural custom †in Alcib priore Their Exercises Their Habit. Their Diet. Their Thievery Barbarous Superstition Their Lovers Their short Sayings * The form of crying quarter among the Ancients †He seems to allude to the Questions which us'd to be put to the young Lads as Who is the best man in Sparta * a lover of the Lacedemonians †a lover of his own Country-men Their Poetry * To the young men †To the old men Their going to Battel * He alludes to the Olympick Games * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 12 in a side the Captain and Lieutenant excepted How they spent their time †These
several of the Buildings The Long Wall The Cdéum or Musick-Theatre Musick Games instituted The Acropolis or Cittadel A strange accident Minerva 's Statue Several slanders and abuses put upon Pericles Why hard to find out Truth in History Pericles his brave reply when accused for wasting publick Moneys He foils Thucydides and rules all alone He alters his Policy He plays the State-physician The force of Rhetorick His reputation and integrity Some Authours censure of his great power The long time of his Government His thrifty management of his own Estate His House-keeping His Steward Anaxagoras slighted the world The difference betwixt a Philosopher and a Statesman in the manner of their living Anaxagoras in great want A notable saying of his A great project of Pericles for a Convention of all Greece Commissioners dispatch'd to summon them The Project fails His military Conduct A rash attempt of Tolmides The judgment of Pericles upon it The event made it good His Expedition to the Chersonese in Thrace Another round the Morea Another to Pontus He curbs the peoples extravagant designs of making War abroad He reserves their Forces against the Lacedemonians A passage in the Holy War New troubles arise Those of Euboea revolt The Lacedemonians make an inroad They are bought out Cleandrides sentenced for his treachery Gylippus his Son taken in the like practice Pericles his Accounts past He keeps Pensioners at Lacedemon He chastiseth the Euboean revolters The War against Samos The story of Aspasia Thargelia such another A shrewd Woman and much frequented Pericles his former Wife He marries Aspasia The Poets Lampoon her Another so called Concubine to Cyrus An account of the Samian War The ground of it Pericles changes their Government He takes Hostages of them They proffer money He refuseth it They revolt They are beaten in a Fight at Sea They are block'd up in Town Pericles goes off with 60 Gallies The Samians take the advantage and get a victory They mark the Athenian prisoners with an Owl As the Athenians had done them with a Samaena Pericles relieves the Army Beats the Samians Incloseth them with a Wall He orders a Lottery by a white Bean. Engines of Battery Artemo why called Periphoretus Another account of him Pericles takes the Town Duris gives a tragical account of it And is cenfured for it Pericles takes care for the burial of his dead The Ladies complement him Elpinice privately quips him He answers her pleasantly He is said to have been conceited of this Victory As he had reason The occasion of the Peloponnesian War Pericles sends aid to Corcyra by Lacedaemonius His spite to Cimon 's Family He sends more help but too late Several complaints from the other Greeks against the Athenians The business of Megara the main occasion of the War Ambassadours sent from Lacedaemon about it Polyarces his device to re concile the quarrel The ground of the Athenians quarrel against the Megarians The quarrel improv'd by the Herald's death who was sent to them The Megarians reflexion upon the Herald's death Pericles hindred the rasing of the Decree against the Megarians and why The likeliest reason why Pericles hindred it Phidias a favourite of Pericles accused by Menon His main crime the rarity of his Work He is sentenced to Prison and there dies Menon 's reward Aspasia impeached Pericles order'd to bring in his Accounts This order put into general terms Aspasia begg'd off by Pericles He sends away Anaxagoras He promotes the War A message from the Lacedemonians to the Athenians It doth not succeed Pericles prevents suspicion of compliance The Lacedemonians come in with a great Army Pericles is not for giving them battel He minds the publick business without consulting the publick or taking notice of peoples discontents Cleon a Ringleader of the Malecontents * A notorious Coward Pericles sends out a Fleet to the Enemies Country He divides Moneys and Lands among the people The Enemies sufferings equal to theirs A great Plague breaks out The cause of it imputed to Pericles He goes out with a great Fleet. An Eclipse of the Sun happens His device to cure the Pilot of his fear He besiegeth Epidaurus but miscarries He cajoles the people in vain He is turn'd out of Office and fined His domestick misfortunes His eldest Son's quarrel to him He abuseth his Father with stories A Law case about the death of a Horse Pericles his loss of friends by death His unconcernedness His younger Son's death troubles him He is invited again to the Government He undertakes it The Law of Bastardy An Instance of its inconvenience Pericles his proposal to repeal it His Bastard Son legitimated Pericles is sick of the Plague Wears an Amulet about his Neck As his Friends were discoursing of him He overhears them and makes a worthy Reply An Encomium of him His good qualities made him deserve the title of Olympius The Poets mistake who ascribe passions to the Gods Pericles is mist after his death His seeming Arbitrariness excused and commended Fabius by generous purposes aspires to renown Hannibal 's first prodigious march into Italy Fabius 's deliberate advice ineffectual to move Flaminius He dies courageously Fabius by general consent chosen Dictatour His zeal for the performance of religious duties He prudently manages the War with Hannibal Hannibal politickly provokes the Romans to engage Through unskilfulness in the Language he commits a great errour His Stratageme to regain the Passes Fabius upon divers accounts evil spoken of Minutius in Fabius 's absence attacks the Carthaginians Fabius oppos'd by the Tribune Metellus He divides the Army with Minutius The dangerous consequence of Minutius 's rash separating from Fabius Fabius succours Minutius Minutius sensible of his errour submits to Fabius The indiscreet behaviour of Terentius Varro the Consul Fabius 's weighty instructions to Paulus Aemilius Varro 's fatal ingagement with the Carthaginians at Cannas Aemilius the Consul dismounted He dies valiantly Capua revolts to Hannibal Fabius of an even temper in the greatest consternation An Instance of a generous disposition in the Romans Marcellus chosen joint-Commander with Fabius He is circumvented and slain by Hannibal The winning behaviour of Fabius towards his fickle Allies A pleasant fetch of his to reduce a common Souldier His Policy in regaining Tarentum Hannibal diverted by a subtilty of Fabius The inhumane cruelty of Fabius at the sacking of Tarentum Hannibal in vain attempts to relieve it Fabius 's jocular reply to Marcus Livius The transcendent dignity of a Magistrate Scipio thwarted in his designs by Fabius Crassus no promoter of martial exploits The deserved renown of Scipio in Africk He is envy'd by Fabius Pericles 's numerous Victories eclipsed by one of Fabius ' s.