Alcibiades's return to his Countrey whom Thucydides left meditating on that retreat Also Xenophon gives us the Enterprize of Cyrus the younger under whom he was a General against his Brother Artaxerxes with the Grecians retreat out of Persia which was afterwards an occasion of his Banishment His Institution of the Elder Cyrus is a moral Romance and shews rather what a Prince should do than what Cyrus really did there being little true History in it save the taking of Babylon and captivating of Craesus as appears by the Relation given of Cyrus in Justin and other Historians As for the Book de Aequivocis attributed to Xenophon it is an Imposture of Annius His works saith Chrysostom may teach Politicks to all Princes States-men and Generals which made Scipio and Lucullus who never went without them succeed accordingly as Cicero observes A late foolish Italian Author without any ground for it accuses Xenophon of an immodest Love for Agesilaus only because he writes so much in his praise but he had learnt too much Morality from his Tutor Socrates to commit such an Act. Qu. What account have you of Polybius Ans Polybius born at Megalopolis a City of Arcadia was the Son of Lycortas General of the Achaians by whom both Father and Son were sent Embassadors to Ptolomaeus Epiphaneus and afterwards Polybius associated with the Roman Consul as joynt-Commissioner in the War against Perseus King of Thessaly He wrote his History in 40 Books whereof only the five first remain entire with an Epitome of the 12 next following to the beginning of the 18 th Book which were thought to be epitomized by Marcus Brutus This History begins with the second Punick War and contains not only the Events that passed betwixt the Romans and Macedonian Kings to the end of that Monarchy but all other the most considerable actions of the World for 53 years for which reason he gives it the Name of Vniversal And for the more compleating hereof he travell'd himself over most part of Europe Asia and Africa being furnished with Ships by Scipio Aemilianus who together with Lelius were his two Bosom-friends whereupon Cicero saith that he wrote a distinct Treatise of the War of Numantia waged by his Friend Scipio to whom he was a Councellor though not a School-master as some would have it He dy'd in the 82 d. year of his age which was 230 years before Christ He believ'd nothing of Gods Heaven or Hell as appears by his sixth Book Dyonisius accuses his unpolite Stile Patricius without reason blames his method and Livy notwithstanding he transcribes whole Books of Polybius verbatim in his Decades dis-ingeniously terms him only a Writer not to be despised However besides the modern Casaubon Cicero and Plutarch of old did much esteem him and Brutus who disliked Cicero did much admire Polybius Finally as Vossius observes though inferiour to one or other of the Greeks for Eloquence yet to none for Civil Prudence and Military Science Qu. What account have you of Diodorus Siculus Ans Diodorus Siculus born at Agyrium a Town in Sicily lived to a great age under Julius and Augustus Caesar about the middle of whose Reign he dyed He spent 30 years in writing his Historical Library which in 40 Books whereof we have but 15 extant comprized the most remarkable passages of the World for the space of 1138 years not reckoning what was comprehended in his first six Books of those fabulous Times before the War of Troy which is certainly the best account of the ancient Heathen Mythology we have any where extant For the perfecting hereof he travell'd most part of Europe and Asia as well as into Aegypt Henry Stephens was informed that the Remainders of this Authors Works were all found in Sicily but how true I know not His stile is condemn'd as being a Sicilian and living in the declining of the Greek Tongue by Bodin His Chronology censured by Pighius and Sigonius and Ludovicus Vives inveighs against his whole Book for describing the Antiquity of the World according to the ancient Caldaean and Aegyptian Records Nevertheless Authors of no less Credit as Photius who praises his Stile together with Pliny Eusebius Justin Martyr and Stephens do at least equalize if not prefer him to the best of the Greek Historians Qu. What account have you of Dionysius Halicarnasseus Ans Dionysius of Halicarnassus in Greece lived under Augustus at Rome whither he came soon after the end of the Civil-Wars where after 22 years abode having well inform'd himself both from the most judicious Books and Men he wrote his History of the Roman Antiquities in 20 Books whereof 11 only are extant The whole Work began from the Siege of Troy and reached to the first Punick War and ended there where Polybius began But the 11 now extant conclude with the Government of the Decemviri when the Consuls resumed their Authority which was 312 Foundation of Rome He was a severe Critick and censures Plato Demosthenes and most of the Ancients also a most accurate Orator as appears by his Composition of Rhetorick now in being but too exact and rigorous in his Laws of Eloquence He too much affected digressions in his History also he was too credulous and superstitious in his Ethnick Religion as when he makes a Statue speak c. Nevertheless Photius praises his Stile as most Elegant and some prefer him before Livy but Scaliger esteems him before any of the Latines for his account of Roman Antiquities both in respect of his Chronology and Matter wherein he is very particular Qu. What account have you of Josephus Ans Josephus the Jew was born under Caligula which was 39 years after Christs Incarnation of Royal Extraction being descended from the High-Priests of Jerusalem by the Father and from the Royal Blood of the Machabees by the Mother He lived also under nine Emperours In the 26 th year of his age he went to Rome and by the assistance of Poppaea Augustus's Wife procured the release of those Priests whom Faelix had imprison'd Afterwards being chosen Captain of the Galilaeans he headed them in their revolt against the Romans under their General Vespasian and being worsted obscured himself in a Well where he endured great misery till being taken and brought to Vespasian he there prophesied of Vespasian's coming to the Empire which soon happening accordingly as also interpreting the Prophecy of a Messias to signifie Vespasian and his Son Titus he was released and made as a Friend to accompany Titus at the taking of Jerusalem After which he composed seven Books of that Judaick War which he presented to Titus who valued them above all others in his Library To this he adds his own Life written by himself And when he was returned to Rome with Vespasian he wrote his twenty Books of the Jewish Antiquities beginning from the Creation and so on to the 12 th year of Neroe's Reign As for his two Books against Apion they were to vindicate the Antiquity and
't is frivolous since there is no Prose without something of the like nature occuring Seneca more justly accuses him of envy to Salust in preferring Thucydides so much above him but yet Seneca terms him the most Eloquent Finally the Aspersion which can with most difficulty be wip'd off from Livy is that for the which Gregory the Great prohibited him to be kept in any Christian Library and which Causabon mentions in his Preface to Polybius viz. his notorious Credulity in the Pagan Superstition where he fills his History with Prodigies as of an Oxes Speaking a Mules Engendring the Metamorphosis of Men Women and other Creatures showres of Flint-stones Milk Blood Flesh and Chalk the Statues of Gods Weeping Speaking and shedding Tears of Blood Armies engaging in the Air and Ghosts appearing together with Lakes and Rivers of Blood All which nevertheless he represents only as the fond opinions of others and not to be credited Last of all Gruterus entitles him the Prince of Latine History Barthius the Patavinian Syren and Lipsius the most Plentiful of Historians wherein as he observes we meet with things too good for us He died in the fourth year of Tiberius He was chosen by the Senate to be Tutor to the Emperour Claudius in his youth And as Pliny the younger tells us One travelled to Rome from the remotest parts of Spain only to have a sight of Livy Qu. What account have you of Vellejus Paterculus Ans Vellejus Paterculus descended from the Ancient War-like Princes of Campaigne was at first a Military Tribune in France then Praefect of Horses in Germany afterwards Quaestor and last of all Tiberius's Legate in the Pannonian War as he himself informs us About the 16th year of Tiberius he composed his Epitomy of Roman History in two Books whereof the beginning of the first is lost He pretends to begin only with the Foundation of Rome nevertheless as appears by the remains of his first Book He treats of things far more Ancient and so comes down to his own time the 16th year of Tiberius which was the 32d year after the Birth of Christ Vossius Lipsius and others extol the Elegancy of his Stile and allow him to have given us a Judicious account of some things which are not elsewhere to be met with Nevertheless he is condemned for too much flattering the House of Augustus as well as for parasitically applauding even the Extravagancies of Tiberius and his Evil Councellor Sejanus whom he magnifies for the most Vertuous of men But to conclude his greatest Excellency is his Eloquence which appears chiefly in his Invectives and Encomiums as where he traduces Mark Anthony and extols Cicero Some attribute this Author another Fragment of the defeat of the Roman Legion by the Grisons the which Vossius Velserus and other Learned Criticks have demonstrated to be a counterfeit Qu. What account have you of Valerius Maximus Ans Valerius Maximus a Roman Citizen of a Noble Patrician Family derived his Pedegree from the Valerian Family by his Fathers side and from the Fabians by his Mother In his youth he was initiated in Learning but coming to be of Age he served for some time in the Wars and Sailed with Sextus Pompejus into Asia From whence being returned to Rome he published in nine Books his various History or rather Miscellanious collection of memorable Deeds and Sayings that had occurred among the Romans the which he wrote at the latter end of Tiberius his reign and after the disgrace of Sejanus which makes him so boldly traduce that Favourite whom Paterculus was obliged to flatter as writing in the time of his Prosperity Finally he is condemn'd for the obscurity and unpoliteness of Stile Qu. What account have you of Quintus Curtius Ans Quintus Curtius Rufus though born as most think in the Reign of Tiberius yet living to a great Age flourished chiefly under Vespasian And was the same Curtius whom Suetonius makes in his younger days to teach Rhetorick under Tiberius as also the same to whom as the younger Pliny reports a Phantasme appear'd in Africa He wrote the Life and Expliots of Alexander the Great in ten Books whereof the two first and end of the fifth are lost as also the beginning of the sixth and in some parts of his tenth or last Book there appears a defect Nevertheless Christopher Bruno has supplyed the two first Books out of Arrianus Justin and Diodorus As for the Censures that pass upon him Glarian Mascardi and others condemn him for an ill Geographer in making the River Ganges run from the South and confounding Mount Taurus with Caucasus as also mistaking the Jaxartes of Pliny for the River Tanais Likewise for too much abounding in Sentences and making persons speak improper to the Characters they bear as in the Oration of the Scythians to Alexander in his seventh Book But all these accusations are frivolous and groundless in comparison of that which is urged against him for vindicating the Brutish and Unnatural Lust of Alexander to the Eunuch Bagoas which Curtius justifies as Lawful Nevertheless he is as much esteem'd of among the Criticks as any of the Latine Historians both for sincerity and Judgement and Eloquence Lipsius prefers him before all others for the perusal of Princes Vossius saith He is more Elegant than Perspicuous yet allows his Words to be Choice his Sentences Accute his Orations Eloquent and his Phrase worthy of Augustus's Age. As for his Orations whether direct or oblique they are all Excellent Neither is he impertinent in Digressions unless you will accuse his Description of India for one which was really essential to his Design Lastly Alphonsus King of Arragon was recovered from a dangerous fit of Sickness by the diversion he took in the reading of this Author which made him cry out That he owed his Recovery neither to Hippocrates nor Avicenne but only to Quintus Curtius Qu. What account have you of Tacitus Ans Cornelius Tacitus Praefect of the Belgick Gauls under the Emperour Adrian besides his Annals which reach from the Scene of Augustus to the end of Nero's Reign excepting his last twelve years wrote also an History that extends from the Death of Nero to the Government of Nerva and Trajan of which History there are now extant but Five Books And Lipsius with reason conjectures that there are at least Ten more lost in as much as they were all said to reach from Galba to Trajan which was the space of one and twenty years whereof the five we have now left us treat but of one whole year His History is quoted in the eleventh of his Annals whence we may conclude That to have been first written Now besides his Annals and History he wrote also a Treatise of Germany and its Inhabitants with another Book of the Life of his Father in Law Agricola Both which pieces are now extant But for the other Tract of the corruption of Roman Eloquence which some attribute to Tacitus and others to Quintilian
't is thought by Lipsius and other Learned men to have been written by neither Now among these many Judicious persons who extol this Author Vossius though he prefers the Eloquence of his History before that of his Annals yet allows him to be every where Grave and Elegant Also Lipsius calls him a sharp and prudent Writer and Imitator of Salust Sidonius would have him never mention'd without Praise But the Emperour Tacitus had so great a veneration for his Ancestor and Name-sake that he made his Books be transcrib'd no less then ten times in one year and caused his Statue to be erected in all publick Libraries Notwithstanding he hath not been totally exempt from Censure For Alciatus rather out of Affection than Reason preferr'd his Friend Paulus Jovius before him and Ferret as well out of Ignorance as Vanity accuses Tacitus of writing ill Latine However Pliny the younger magnifies his Eloquence therein Also Vopiscus only to justify his Assertion that all Narrations are mixt with untruths accuses Tacitus of delivering falsities but gives no instance where Likewise Chrysostom and Tertullian bribed rather with Religion than Judgment accuse Tacitus as an Imposture for that he derides the Christians abuses the Miracles of Moses and upbraids the Jews for their adoring the Effigies of an Ass in the fifth Book of his History Which as coming from an Heathen is not altogether so criminal but rather to be condemn'd for a digression than for an Impiety Finally he equals as well Thucydides as Salust in the number of his choice Sentences out of which the wisest Politicians have selected their most prudent Maxims of State Qu. What account have you of Lucius Florus Ans Lucius Annaeus Florus descended from the Noble Annaean Family and thereby allayed to the Senececaes lived under the Emperour Adrian and composed an Epitomy of Roman History in four Books Some question whether he was the same Author that annex'd the Arguments to Livy's History but 't is a great errour to imagine that he ever design'd the Epitomy of all Livy's works much less that he should occasion the loss of any part of them His stile is Poetical using like Virgil Hemesticks in his Periods and writes more like a Declamer than a Historian which makes Sigonius brand him for impertinent His account of the Suns being seen to fall into the Ocean and there heard with Horrour to extinguish its Beams in the Waves as mention'd in his Description of Brutus his Sea Voyage also his Report of two Spirits in the shape of young men appearing in Rome near the Temple of Castor and Pollux when he speaks of the defeat of Cimbri by Marius are things altogether incredible and not fit to be inserted in History as Scaliger in his Comment on Eusebius well observes Yet notwithstanding Vossius allows him to be a Writer that is both Elegant and Eloquent and except in some few places truly Florid. Qu. What account have you of Suetonius Ans Caius Suetonius Tranquillus whose Fathers name was Suetonius Lenis as he himself testifies in the Life of Otho was Secretary of State to the Emperour Adrian till being suspected of too great Familiarity with the Empress Sabina he was removed from that Employ After which he apply'd himself to writing and compos'd these several Pices To wit The Lives of the Twelve first Roman Emperours beginning with Julius Caesar and ending with the death of Domitian in the 98th year of Christ which piece is now extant Together with other Tracts of the Illustrious Grammarians Rhetoricians and Poets whereof at this day only some Fragments remain Besides a Discourse of the Roman Games a piece call'd the Republick of Cicero and of the most Illustrious Families of Rome all which are perish'd in the ruines of time Ausonius likewise tells us of another Book of Kings divided into three parts Which he saith was written by Suetonius and afterwards contracted into a Poem by Pontius Paulinus But for that Treatise of the Life of the Elder Pliny which goes under the Name of Suetonius it was certainly none of his for the great Intimacy betwixt our Author and the younger Pliny would have produced a more Honourable Character of his Friends Uncle the Elder Pliny than is there to be found had Suetonius been the Writer of it Some are of opinion that the beginning of his first Book of the twelve Caesars is wanting because there is no mention of the Birth and first years of Julius Caesar as there is of the Original and Education of all the other Emperours in the rest of their Lives As for the Censures that are passed upon Suetonius they are chiefly two the first For his exclaiming against the turbulent Superstition of the Christians And the second for his Description of Vice in the Lives of Tiberius Nero and Caligula whereof if you will pardon him the first as an Heathen I see not how he could avoid the other as a Faithful and True Historian Nevertheless Pliny calls him A most Learned and Honest Author Suidas the famous Roman Grammarian Vopiscus a fair Candid and Compendious writer But Ludovicus Vives saith That of all the Greek and Latine Historians He is the most pure and diligent speaking Truth boldly Nay many prefer him before Livy Salust or Tacitus which Character though Vossius will not assent to yet doth he approve of those other Encomiums given him by Vopiscus and Vives This Author was at first rendred into English by that Voluminous Translator Dr. Philemon Holland which gave occasion for one merrily dispos'd to break this quibling Jest upon him Philemon with Translations doth so fill us He will not let Suetonius be Tranquillus Qu. What account have you of Justin Ans Justin flourish'd under Antonius Pius and abbreviated those forty four Books of the Vniversal History of two thousand years from Ninus to Augustus which Trogus Pompejus had before composed under the reign of Tiberius and whereof nothing but this Epitomy remains which nevertheless we find not to occasion the loss of the Original as some imagine Martin the Polander as well as Munster confound this Author with Justin the Martyr making them one of the same because they were Contemporaries but without any colour of Reason as appears by the Scurrilous Invective made by this Historian against the Jews in his 36th Book which the Martyr would never have been guilty of Now of this Author as well his Method wherein he follows his Original even in the very number of Books as his Stile are both highly commended The seven first Books comprehend the Infancy of the World or first Inhabitants thereof beginning with the description of Kings Places and Countries of the first Assyrian or Babylonish Monarchies and from the seventh to the one and fortyeth Book is a continued Series of the Empire of Macedon beginning with Philip the Father of Alexander the Great He used no direct Orations for that had rendred him guilty of the same errour which Trogus himself condemned in
Consuls limited with Senators and Tribunes and in time of War or distress by Dictators who becoming perpetual were at last called Emperours Qu. How many were the first Kings of Rome name them in order Ans Seven to wit Romulus Numa Pompilius Tullius Hostilius Ancus Martius Tarquinius Priscius Servius Tullius and Tarquinius Superbus who by reason of his Tyranny was the last King of the Romans after whom they govern'd by Consuls till the Emperours times Qu. Who was the first Roman Emperour Ans Julius Caesar who making himself perpetual Dictator and having defeated Pompey took upon him the sole government of the Empire and so began the fourth Monarchy called the Roman which was afterwards established by Augustus Qu. How many years was it from the building of the City of Rome to the death of Julius Caesar Ans 710 years which was about 42 years before the Birth of Christ who was 14 years old when Augustus dy'd Qu. The first period of this Roman Empire reaching from Julius Caesar to Constantine the Great tell me in order the Names of the several Emperours Ans Julius Caesar Augustus Tiberius Caligula Claudius Nero Galba Otho Vitellius Flavius Vespasian Titus Vespasian Domitian Nerva Trajanus Adrianus Antonius Pius Anton. Phylosoph Commodus Pertinax Didius Julianus Septimius Severus Caracalla Macrinus Heliogabalus Alexander Severus Maximinus Thrax Balbinus Puppienus Gordianus Philippus Arabs Decius Tribonianus Gallus Valerian Galienus Claudius secund ' Aurelianus Tacitus Probus Carus Dioclesian and Constantius Chloras Father of Constantine the Great Qu. How many years was it from Julius Caesar to Constantine the Great Ans About 355 years Qu. Why is the first period of the Roman Empire reckon'd but to Constantine the Great when he had so many considerable Emperours that succeeded him as Constantius Julian the Apostate and others Ans First because Constantine the Great was the first Christian Emperour and secondly because he removed the Imperial Seat from Rome in Italy to Byzantium in Greece where building a great City he call'd it after his own Name Constantinople which soon after produced a division of the Empire into East and West betwixt Arcadius and Honorius and so it continued for several years under two several Emperours Qu. What became of the Empire of the East after its division Ans The Empire of the East together with its chief City Constantinople was taken by the Turks who now possess it about 230 years ago from the last Greek Emperour Constantius Palaeologus whereupon 't is observ'd that as the City of Constantinople was built by a Constantine the first whose Mothers Name was St. Helena so likewise was it lost under a Constantine the eleventh whose Mothers Name also was Helena Qu. What became of the Empire of the West which was held at Rome after Honorius Ans About 100 years after Honorius the Empire of the West was destroy'd together with its Emperour Augustulus by Odoacer King of the Herulii which Empire hath been since succeeded by two Successions of Western Franks the first beginning with Charles the Great and the second with Radulphus Auspurgensis of the House of Austria who possesses the German Empire at this present time But here it is observable how that as the Roman Empire was founded by an Augustus so was it lost by an Augustulus Qu. How was the Roman Empire destroy'd Ans By the Invasion of Barbarians such as were the Hunns Goths and Vandals Qu. Which are the best Writers of this Fourth or Roman Monarchy Ans Caesar's Commentaries Dionysius Halicarnasseus Valerius Maximus Livy Plutarch Suetonius Tacitus both the Plinies Velleius Paterculus Ammianus Marcellinus Appian Lucius Florus Herodian Polybius Dion Cassius Salust Zozimus Procopius Jornandes Cassiodorus Agathias Historiae Augustae Scriptores and all the Byzantine Writers besides many learned modern Authors of the same Subject LIB IV. OF THE GREEK and ROMAN HISTORIANS Qu WHich are the most eminent of the Greek Historians Ans Herodotus Thucydides Xenophon Polybius Diodorus Siculus Dionysius Halicarnasseus Josephus Plutarch Philostratus Arrianus Laertius Appian Dion Cassius Herodian Eunapius Zozimus Eusebius and the Byzantine Historians as Procopius Agathias c. Qu. What account have you of Herodotus Ans Herodotus born at Halicarnassus a City in Greece is the most ancient of Historians we have extant next to Moses and therefore called by Cicero the Father of History He lived about 450 years before Christ when being a man of Quality and Power in his Countrey and opposing Lydamus his Cities Tyrant he was forced to fly to Thurium where he wrote those Nine Books of History which Posterity called by the names of the Nine Muses and which contained the most remarkable Transactions of the World during 240 years beginning from the time of Cyrus the first King of Persia and so on to Xerxes's time wherein Herodotus himself lived As for the Life of Homer though very ancient and ascribed to him it is thought to have been wrote by some other hand Herodotus his Stile like Homer's is sweet and easie his Dialect Ionick Some as Plutarch and Chrysostom esteem him fabulous but Camerarius Stephens especially our late Voyages and Discoveries have sufficiently vindicated him He dyed and was buried at Thurium Qu. What account have you of Thucydides Ans Thucydides was twelve years younger than Herodotus and lived 438 years before Christ Being but a Boy he wept at the hearing of Herodotus repeat his History whereby Herodotus presaged his future parts He was the Son of Orolus of a Royal Extraction and married a rich Wife the King of Thrace his Daughter by which means he expended much money both to the Athenians and Lacedemonians for good intelligence of their proceedings whereof being well informed he wrote his History and call'd it A possession for everlasting which gives an account of the Peleponesian Wars with the Athenians for one and twenty years together in 8 Books whereof the last seems uncorrect and unfinished to the former seven which makes some think it wrote by his Daughter others by Theopompus but Vossius by Thucydides himself whilst he was sick His method is preferr'd above all others His Stile pithy and full of matter His Dialect most pure Attick However Dyonisius accuses him of using obsolete words His Orations filled with good Argument but tedious Lastly he was an enemy to Fables and his Relations most faithful writing only of such things as were acted in his own time and knowledg which advantage Herodotus wanted Qu. What account have you of Xenophon Ans Xenophon by Birth an Athenian and Son of one Grillus lived 400 years before Christ He was a second Tresmegistus being a great Captain Phylosopher and Historiographer His Attick Dialect was so pure that he was called Apes Attica and was therefore envy'd and hated of Plato He was so generous that he exposed the Writings of Thucydides which he might have delivered for his own Xenophon's History treats of 46 years Transactions of the Greeks and begins where Thucydides ended shewing
Honour of the Jews from a Work which Apion had publish'd to the disadvantage of Philo and his Countrey-men Josephus tho' Hebrew was his Mother-Tongue wrote his Books in Greek wherein he was most perfect to have them more generally understood by the Greeks and Romans The credit of his History is blamed by many as Maldonat Melchior Canus Pererius Baronius and others as Gregory who says in his Posthuma that Josephus destroys several Miracles in Holy-Writ only to make them seem credible Nevertheless Justin Martyr Eusebius St. Jerom Suidas Calvisius and Scaliger prefer him to the best of Writers next those of the Holy-Writ as doth the Letters of King Agrippa approve him for the truest of Authors As for his Testimony of Christ in the 22 d. Book of his Antiquities it is by the most judicious Criticks thought to have been inserted by another hand though very ancient Josephus publish'd his Writings also as well in Hebrew as Greek Finally Josephus has not only writ many things contrary to Moses but also omitted many Evangelical Truths as the coming of the Wise-men to Judaea also Herod's Massacre of the Infants and therefore ought to be read with caution Some as Munster confound with this Author that Counterfeit Josippus Gorionides his Wars of the Jews Qu. What account have you of Plutarch Ans Plutarch who lived under Domitian and Nerva but flourished chiefly under Trajan about 100 years after Christ was born at Cheronaea in Baeotia He was a Priest of Apollo and both a great Historian and Phylosopher First as for History he wrote the Lives of 24 Famous Grecians educated at Sparta and Athens and of 25 Romans bred up under the several Governments at Rome His Greek Lives begin with Theseus King of Athens in the year of the World 2750. and end with Philopaemenes General of the Achaians in the year of the World 3821. which was 121 years before Christ His Roman Lives begin with Romulus the Founder of Rome and end with Galba and Otho about 70 years after Christ and 820 from the building the City of Rome Now secondly for his Phylosophy contain'd in the Book of his Morals he learnt it partly from his Father Lampras his Oratory partly from his Grandfather Nicarchus his Phylosophy and partly by the Converse of his Brother Timon but mostly from his Aegyptian Tutor Ammonius and Travels into Aegypt He is esteem'd by all as a most wise grave Author both in Phylosophy and History Qu. What account have you of Philostratus Ans Philostratus flourish'd from Severus to Phillippus and at the request of Julia Augusta Severuses Wife whose Secretary he was wrote the Life of Apollonius Tyanaeus a Pythagorian Magician in eight Books wherein he followed the Relations of Damis the Assyrian and Apollonius his Associate in his Travels as also the Records of Maximus the Aegaean and two others besides Apollonius his own Testament of himself and written with his own hand From hence Hierocles who is for that cause Answered by Eusebius attempts to prefer Apollonius before Christ which has rais'd an unjust out-cry of the PRIESTS against our Author Philostratus ☜ whose Style is Elegant Greek as well as his Geographical Descriptions especially of India useful and such as are not to be found in others But to say the worst of him Philostratus is as Merric Causabon observes though fabulous where he would make a God of a Magician yet for some strange Relations once suppos'd false and now approv'd true well deserving to be Read Qu. What account have you of Arrianus Ans Arrianus of Nicomedia a City in Bithynia was a Priest of Ceres and Proserpine and flourish'd under the Emperours Adrians Antonius Pius and Marcus Aurelius Antonius He was as well a Phylosopher as Historian being Educated under Epictetus the Stoick whose Phylosophy he collected from his Discourses and afterwards published in Writing as an Enchiridion Besides which he published of his own Composure seven Books of the Expeditions of Alexander the Great and an eighth Book of so much of the East-Indies as was known in his time He wrote also ten Books of Alexander's Successors whereof at this day there remains only Photius's Abridgement He wrote likewise four other Tracts none of which are at this time extant one of Timoleon of Corinths Acts in Sicily Another of the Art which Dion of Syracuse used to free those Countries from the Tyranny of Dionysius the Second A third of the Parthians descent from Sythia and Wars with the Romans under Trajan And the fourth called the Alanick History which makes some believe him to be the same Arrian that Dion says was Governour of Cappadocia under Adrian that made War upon the Alanians His Greek is so Attick and Sweet that it gave him the name of the new or young Xenophon whom attempted to imitate Not only Lucian and Photius of old but also Scaliger Vossius and Bodin of the modern Criticks prefer him to the best of the Greek Historians provided you will pardon his Arrogance in the middle of his first Book where he boasts himself to exceed all other Authors as much as Alexander excell'd all other Conquerors Finally of his eight Books the only that are extant of him he professes in the first seven concerning Alexander to follow the Relations given him by Aristobulus and Ptolomaeus Lagus their Writings who were Captains under Alexander and in his other eighth and last Book of the East-Indies to follow the Geography of Marinus Tyrius who in this point far exceeds Ptolomy Qu. What account have you of Diogenes Laertius Ans Diogenes Laertius so called from Laerte a Town in Cilicia where he was born liv'd under Antonius Pius or soon after He wrote the Lives and Apothegms of the Phylosophers in ten Books beginning with Thales and ending with Epicurus whom being himself an Epicurean he favours even to a fault making him place his chief Happiness in the pleasures of the mind and not of the body which is contrary to the Character given both by Cicero and other Ancient Authors of Epicurus Nevertheless from hence Gassendus too much enclin'd to this Epicurian Sect takes occasion to write so favourably of its Founder However as Lactantius treats only of the Moral Phylosophers so we owe our best account of Natural Phylosophers to Laertius notwithstanding Keckerman who is more studious of Modern than Ancient Writers condemns him Finally Ludovicus Vives tells us that this Piece was written by Laertius to a woman Qu. What account have you of Appian Ans Appian of Alexandria remov'd thence to Rome where he liv'd under Trajan Adrian and Antoninus Pius at first the quality of Advocate but afterwards for his parts preferr'd to be one of the Emperors Proctors He wrote in 24 Books an History Royal beginning with the taking of Troy and success of Aeneas and extending to the reign of Augustus nay with some reflections even to the times of Trajan But of all these we have none at this time extant save his Punick
Syriack Parthian Mithridattick Spanish Hannibalick Illyrian and Civil VVars of the Romans For as for his Celtick or VVar with the Gauls we have none but a fragment thereof left us His Stile is plain and easie and his Orations moving his Descriptions of his Battails Natural and full of Military knowledge for all which he is much extoll'd by Photius And lastly for his method he endeavour'd to imitate Thucydides and Salust but fell far short In so much that 't is rather Rapsody of things most important than a continued History as Livyes He flatters the Romans right or wrong and as Bodin observes in many Relations appears too Credulous Also Sigonius accuses him of great Levity and many Omissions But what is worst of all he inserts as his own whole Paragraphs out of Polybius Plutarch and other Antique Authors without ever acknowledging his Theft which was I conceive one great reason that exasperated Scaliger so far as in his Notes upon Eusebius to call Appian a meer Child in History Qu. What account have you of Dion Cassius Ans Dion Cassius whose Sirname was Coccius or Cocceianus was born at Nicea a City of Bithynia whither he like wise retir'd in his old Age to avoid the Praetorian Militia being advised thereto by his Familiar Spirit or Daemon which directed him in all things as Socrates's did him and diverted him from his former Phylosophical Learning and Interpretation of Divine Dreams whereof he compos'd a Book to the writing of History He liv'd under the Tyrannies of Commodus Caracalla Macrinus and Heliogabulus in whose Reigns by the prudent conduct of himself he escap'd the loss either of Life Goods or Reputation and arrived safely to the peaceable happy Reign of Alexander Severus under whom he publish'd his Roman History being directed thereto by his Genius as well as commanded by Septimius Severus His Father Apronianus was a Consular man as well as Governour of Dalmatia and Proconsul of Cilicia Also he himself having Consular Dignity twice bestowed upon him and commanding Pergamus Smyrna Africk Austria and Hungary was afterwards made Joynt-Consul with the Emperour Alexander His History comprehends 981. years viz. from the Building of Rome to the Reign of Alexander Severus in 80 Books divided into eight Decades whereof the first 34 Books are lost Also of the twenty we have only the Epitomy of Xiphiline a Constantiniopolitan Monk for all that we have entire of Dion Cassius besides this Compendium are only the Events of 300 years beginning with Lucullus about 71 years before Christ and ending with the Death of the Emperour Claudius But all this Authors VVritings that are lost what are most to be lamented are the 40 last years whereof he was an Eye-witness He employ'd ten years in providing Materials for his History and twelve more Composing it He imitates Thucydides in his Narratives and Orations but not in his Obscurity his Language saith Photius is Elevated Copious and Artificial but without Labour he hath discover'd the Arcana Imperii Election of their Magistrates Roman Rites and Ceremones the Apothesis and Consecration of their departed Emperours together with the Ceremony of August's Funeral Livia's Mourning and the letting flye the Eagle from the Funeral Pile better than any other Historian either before or since Nevertheless he is condemn'd for his tedious superfluity of Orations for too much adhering to Caesar against Pompey in complyance with the Times for impartially siding with Antonius and bespattering Cicero for too much Superstition and Credulity given to Vespasian's Cure and Appollonius Tyanaeus his Prediction as well as for his Calumnies against Seneca unless his abbreviator Tigellinus misquotes him But I shall not accuse him as Barronius does for attributing the Victories of Marcus Aurelius rather to the Magick of the Egyptian Sorcerer Arnaphis than the Prayers of the Christians because he himself was an Heathen Lastly besides his History Suidas and Volaterranus how true I know not make him the Author of Arrianus the Phylosophers Life the Actions of Trajan certain Itineraries three Books de Principe and some small Tracts of Morality Qu. What account have you of Herodian Ans Herodian the Son of Apollonius Difficilis was originally a Grammarian of Alexandria and liv'd in the third Century under Commodus the Emperour He wrote Eight Books of History of his own time beginning with the Death of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus the Philosopher and ending with the Murder of the two Emperors Balbinus and Puppienus His History comprehends the space of 70 years and is prais'd not only by Photius for his Elegant Stile but also by Julius Capitolinus Tribonius Pollio Ammianus Marcellinus and Stephanus for the Fidelity of his Roman Accounts wherein according to his Latin Interpreter Angelus Politianus he only swerves in his Relation of Alexander and Maximus He imitates Dion Cassius in his Relation of the Ceremonies used at the Apotheosis of the Roman Emperors particularly of Severus his Funeral Rites in the beginning of his fourth Book As for the Censurers upon Herodian he is thought by some to be too full of Orations as also to be too severe upon the Empress Mammea out of ill will to her Son Alexander Severus to whom he was a declar'd Enemy Suidas saith that Herodian wrote many other Pieces the which if he did are now lost Qu. What account have you of Eunapius Ans Eunapius Sardianus liv'd in the times of Valentinian Valens and Gratian He is called Sardianus from Sardis a City in Lydia the place of his Birth from whence he travelled to Athens and there became eminent as well for Sophistry and Physick as History being the Disciple of the Great Proaetesius and nearly related to the Noble Sophist Chrysanthius who married Eunapius his Sisters Daughter At the perswasion of this Chrysanthius he wrote an elegant piece of the Lives of the Sophists and afterwards that other Historical Tract of the Roman Emperours beginning where Herodian left off and so continuing it to his own times Photius praises his Stile but condemns his History for traducing Constantine the Great and extolling Julian as also in his Lives of the Sophists for being too severe upon the Christians Lastly besides these two pieces here mention'd we have likewise a fragment of another Treatise of Eunapius Entituled de Legationibus which was first publish'd by Andrea Shottus and is now annexed to the Byzantine Historians Qu. What account have you of Zosimus Ans Zosimus liv'd in the time of Theodosius the younger and wrote six Books of History whereof the first doth briefly describe all the Emperours from Augustus to Probus and so on to Dioclesian But the other five Books which extends to the Siege of Rome by Alaricus are more copious and large especially when he treats of the grounds of the Division betwixt Arcadius and Honorius whereof he himself was an Eye-witness This History of Zosimus is said to be a meer Abridgement of Eunapius except in those passages where he praises Stilico whom Ennapius condemns Evagrius Photius and
others say that he barks like a Dog at the Christians and unworthily traduces Constantine the Great As also that he not only irreligiously bespatters Christianity but Superstitiously adhers to Paganism being over-credulous in sundry of the Heathen Miracles However Leunclavius who first Translated Zosimus into Latin makes great Apologies as well for his inveighing against the Christians since Zosimus himself was an Heathen as for his Traducing Constantine since he discovers as well his Vices Lastly Photius applauds the Purity of his Stile the Brevity of his Sentences and Conciseness of his Phrase being exempt from Figures or long Orations Qu. What account have you of Eusebius Ans Eusebius Pamphili so called from the Intimacy betwixt him and the Martyr Pamphilius was Bishop of Caesarea the chief Metropolitan of all the Churches in Palestine and most Ancient of all the Ecclesiastical Writers in the fourth Century For as St. Jerome in his Life tells us Eusebius flourish'd under Constantine the Great and his Son Constantius So that perhaps fear might oblige him to render a more favourable account of Constantine than Zosimus did As for his Writings they are various both Prophane and Sacred The Prophane is his Chronicle from the beginning of the World to Constantines twentieth year which was 326 years after Christ Joseph Scaliger esteems this Piece to be only a Transcript out of Julius Africanus As for the Sacred Writings of Eusebius they were these Of Evangelical Preparation fifteen Books Of Evangelical Demonstration twenty Books whereof but ten are now extant Of Divine Apparitions five Books Of Ecclesiastical History ten Books Of the Disagreement of the Evangelists upon the Prophet Esay ten Books Against Porphyrie thirty Books whereof twenty were only known to St. Jerome Of Topicks one Book A Defence of Origen in six Books The Life of Pamphilius in three Books and several other Books of Martyrs Learned Commentaries on the whole Book of Psalms The Life of Constantine in four Books Against Hierooles Eight Books Against Fatal Destiny one Book and three Books against Marcellus mention'd by Socrates lib. 2. Ecclest Hist All which several Pieces have been Translated by several hands In his Evangelical Demonstration he seems to favour Arrianism notwithstanding his Subscription to the Nicene-Council and therefore is to be read with Caution Qu. What account have you of Procopius Ans Procopius was born at Caesaria in Palestine from whence he went to Constantinople in the time of the Emperour Anastatius by whom he was highly esteem'd as also by Justin the first and afterwards by Justinian so as to be preferr'd to the Senate with the Quality of Illustrious and created Praefect of New Rome Besides which he was chief Secretary to the General Belisarius in all the Wars of Persia Africk and Italy which makes him every where give so Honourable a Character of him Procopius was both an Orator Sophister Rhetorician and Historian His History consists of eight Books whereof the first two comprehend the Persian War Abbreviated by Photius The two next the Vandal Wars and the four last the War with the Goths Of all which there is a Compendium in the Preface of Agathias who began his History where Procopius ended His ninth Book called Anecdota or the Secret History of Justinian which is a Scurrilous Invective against that Emperour and his Wife Theodora though mention'd in Suidas was thought by Vossius to have been lost but has since been made publick by Heschaelius and others Now besides the fore-mention'd Pieces there is another Treatise de Aedificiis in six Books which Procopius wrote for the Honour of Justinians Buildings in which Discourse there are some passes that make many esteem our Author a Christian but if his whole works are examin'd he will be found no better than a Superstitious Ethnick Writer Procopius is extreamly condemn'd not only for his too severe reproach of the French but likewise for his Anecdota or Libellous Invective against the Emperour and Empress Justinian and Theodora Which not only varies from it in Stile but also in Matter contradicts all his other Works wherein he ever mentions the Emperour and Empress with great Honour and Applause Insomuch that for this very reason many have doubted whether that Piece is not Spurious and written by some other hand Lastly by his Oblique Orations he attempts to imitate the Ancients but comes far short of them His Translator Porsona did rather pervert than convert him Qu. What account have you of Agathias Ans Agathias the Son of Memnonius was born at Murina a City of Asia in the Reign of Justinian he professed the Law and pleaded as an Advocate at Smyrna for which reason he was Sir-named Scholasticus His first study was Poetry which made him publish many small Poems in Heroick Verse under the Title of Daphnicks together with divers Epigrams whereby being prepar'd with a Stile most agreeable florid he by the advice of Eutychianus prime Secretary of State undertook to write an History concerning the Empire and Deeds of Justinian in five Books beginning where Procopius left off which Piece he finish'd in the Reign of Justin the second as he himself declares in his Preface Now albeit Agathias highly extols Procopius yet he differs from him in many things particularly in his commending the French whom Procopius decryes He likewise though an Heathen as appears by his Discourse of Stephen the Proto-martyr seems to speak more favourably of the Christians in the beginning of his History where he praises the French for being so Finally his account of the Oriental Monarchys in the end of his second Book as well as his Succession of the Persian Kings after Artaxerxes in his fourth Book are rendred very considerable by the assistance of his Interpreter Sergius who was furnish'd herein by the Notaries and Library-keepers of all the Kings and publick Archives in Persia LIB V. OF THE ANCIENT LATINE HISTORIANS Qu. WHich are the most eminent of the Ancient Latin Historians Ans Julius Caesar Salust Livy Paterculus Valerius Maximus Quintus Curtius Tacitus Florus Suetonius Justin and Marcelinus Qu. What account have you of Julius Caesar Ans Cajus Julius Caesar descended from the Noble Julian Family was the first Founder of the Roman Empire yet no less eminent for his Commentaries than his Conquests Using his Pen with the same Vigour as he us'd his Sword in so much that as Quintilian observes he was the only Roman who for Eloquence might have been opposed to Cicero And who as Gyraldus saith did alone overcome all others both in Writing and Fighting In his tender years he addicted himself to Poetry and Compos'd the Tragedy of Oedipus the Praise of Hercules and several other Poems under the Title of Julii which Augustus afterwards prohibited to be publish'd Neither was he less famous for his Skill in Oratory witness his Funeral Orations on his Wife Cornelia and Aunt Julia his Accusation of Dolabella his Invectives against Cato and his Orations for the Bythinian Law Plautia
for Decius the Samnite for Sextilius and others Likewise his two Books of Analogy gave him great repute among the Grammarians Besides which he wrote several other Tracts of Augurie and witty Apothegms as well as of the motion of the Stares which he had Learnt in Egypt and wherein he Prognosticated his own Death on the Ides of March as the Elder Pliny relates nor is he less eminent for his Reformation of the Kalender But what surpassed all his other Writings were his seven Books of Commentaries describing nothing but his own Actions and things that he himself had seen Asinius Pollio that carping Critick accuses him as Suetonius saith for suerving from the Truth in many Relations about himself and that he differs extreamly from the account which Dion Plutarch and other Authors give of the same Actions as also that he reports many things unjustly to the Defamation of the Ancient Gauls But these Censures are only conjectural As for the excellency of his Stile 't is so Easie Natural and Eloquent that his Latin has ever been compar'd to Xenophon's Greek as well as his other Characters The eight Book of his Commentaries was written by Hirtius Caesars Writings though adorn'd with some Orations are destitute of many Rhetorical Ornaments wherewith he could have beautified them in so much that Cicero esteems his Commentaries to be nothing but short Notes prepared by Caesar in order to a more compleat History had not his untimely Murder prevented him Qu. What account have you of Salust Ans Crispus Salustius or as others call him Sallustius was born at Amiternum in the Sabines Territory the third year of the 173 d. Olympiad which was the same year that Sylla's Souldiers took and Sack'd Athens for he was Elder than Caesar though he out-liv'd him seven years Salust was first Educated in Rome spending his youth in Ingenious Studies so as to be preferr'd to many considerable Offices in the Government as Senator Tribune Treasurer and Praetour in Africk by the favour of Julius Caesar in which last Office by his Extortions he grew so vastly Rich as to purchase the Village Tiburte and his Country-house at Tivoli as well as the chief Houses on Mount Quirinal in Rome together with those spacious Gardens called at this day The Gardens of Salust He was descended from the Noble Salustian Family and Educated under his Tutor Attejus Praetextatus Philologus Of his Works Catalin's Conspiracy and the Jugurthine War are the two chief that are extant Besides which he wrote the History of Rome from its foundation with a particular Narration of Marius and Sylla as also the Atchievments of Pompey in the Mithridatick War of all which we have only some few Fragments remain but for the true delivery of his Punick History he was so Zealous that he Travail'd into Africa on purpose to be the better inform'd His Stile in imitation of Thucydides whom Quintilian compares him to is Concise Short and Pithy Of the Ancients as well as Tacitus and Seneca as St. Austin did highly esteem Salust and of the modern Criticks Lipsius Turnebus and Scaliger prefer him to Caesar or Livy Nevertheless Asinius Pollio Livy and others accuse him for inventing new words as well as for the using obsolete ones and for too much obscure brevity in his expressions wherein Tacitus imitates him He is likewise censur'd for stealing out of Thucycides and Cato many Select Sentences and for the too often repetition of the same words as well as for inserting many inessential things into his History more especially his two Prefaces before Catalin's Conspiracy and the Jugurthine War which relate not at all to the following subjects But the first a general Harangue against Idleness and the second an Invective against those whom Debauchery diverted from their Employs Yet that for the which he was the most condemned is his own extravagant Life so much contrary to his Writings When not being satisfied with his own Wife Terentia whom he married after her Divorce from Cicero he was taken in Adultery with Fausta Lucius Sylla's Daughter for the which he was not only expell'd the Senate but condemn'd also to be Whipt by Milo and fain to buy off that punishment with Money Finally his Orations discover both his amity to Caesar and enmity to Cicero Notwithstanding some question whether these two address'd to Caesar were Salusts or no. But most certain it is that that one Oration which Cicero ascribes to Salust is counterfeit and none of his it being in no wise Historical The most considerable of his Friends were Julius Caesar Cornelius Nepos Messala and Nigidius Figulus Qu. What account have you of Livy Ans Titus Livius Patavinus was born at Padua and flourish'd chiefly under Augustus and Tiberius He began to write after Augustus's Triumph for the War at Actium and finished his History in the beginning of Tiberius's reign He wrote as Seneca tells us many Philosophical Dialogues before he came to Rome the which he dedicated to Augustus Caesar whereby he procured his Favour And Quintinian informs us that in a Letter to his Son he deliver'd many excellent Precepts of Rhetorick but his chief Piece is his History which contain'd 142 Books or as some say but 140. beginning with the Foundation of Rome by Romulus and extending for the space of 746 years to the German War mannag'd by Drusus who lost his Life in that Expedition This History was not divided into Decades as now we find it by Livy himself but by others since his time And of the 140 or 142 Books which he wrote there remain at present not above 35. neither are those altogether entire For that the whole second Decade is wanting also we have but the first third and fourth with half of the fifth which was found at Wormes by one Symon Gryneus Likewise the beginning of the fourty third Book has been lately recover'd by a Manuscript in the Chapter of Bamberg But for the remaining fourteen Decades we must rest contented with the Epitomy of Florus who as some vainly fancy was the occasion of the loss of the whole His Stile notwithstanding Asinius Pollio blames it for its Patavinity or Paduan Dialect where he writes sibe for sibi and quase for quasi as we now pronounce it is yet extoll'd by Quintilian as most Eloquent and his History equall'd to Herodotus Also however the Emperour Caligula accuses him of Verbosity yet the same Prince was no less an enemy to Homer Virgil Seneca and all Ingenious men It is true that Augustus blamed Livy for too much favouring Pompey's party against Caesar but yet he withdrew not his favor from him as perceiving it his Countries cause who were all of the Pompejan Faction Again Trogus Pompejus as Justin informs us accuses Livy's Orations as too direct and long which censure might happily arise out of Jealousy betwixt two Historians of the same Age and Subject And for what Mascardi blames him of beginning his History with part of an Hexameter Verse