Containing 44 Years CHAP. VII From the Death of Servius Tullius to the Banishment of Tarquinius Superbus the seventh King of Rome which caus'd the Dissolution of the Regal State Containing 25 Years BOOK II. The Consular State of Rome From the Beginning of that Government to the Ruine of it by the first Triumvirate Containing the Space of 449 Years CHAP. I. From the Banishment of the last King to the first Dictator which was the first Intermission of the Consular Power Containing 10 Years CHAP. II. From the Creation of the first Dictator to the great Retrenchment of the Consular Power by the Tribunes of the People Containing 5 Years CHAP. III. From the Creation of the Tribunes of the People to the second Intermission of the Consular Power by the Decemviri Containing 42 Years CHAP. IV. From the Creation of the Decemviri to the third Intermission of the Consular Power by the Military Tribunes Containing 8 Years CHAP. V. From the Creation of the Military Tribunes to the Burning of Rome by the Gauls which almost ruin'd the Roman Nation Containing 54 Years CHAP. VI. From the Burning of Rome by the Gauls to the Wars with the Samnites when the Romans began much to extend their Conquests Containing 46 Years CHAP. VII From the first Wars with the Samnites to the Wars with Pyrrhus King of Epirus the first Forreigâ—er they had to deal with wherein the Romans began to learn the Arts of War Containing 63 Years CHAP. VIII From the Beginning of the Wars with Pyrrhus to the first Punick or Carthaginian War when the Romans first set Foot out of Italy Containing 16 Years CHAP. IX From the Beginning of the first Punick War to the Beginning of the second the Romans now growing Powerful by Sea as well as by Land Containing 17 Years CHAP. X. From the Beginning of the second Punick War to the finishing of it by Scipio Africanus when the Romans became perfect in the Arts of War Containiny 17 Years CHAP. XI From the End of the second Punick War to the End of the third and the Destruction of Carthage when Rome got clear of all her Rival States Containing 55 Years CHAP. XII From the Destruction of Carthage to the End of the Sedition of the Gracchi which much shook the Government and was the first Step to the Ruine of the Consular State Containing 23 Years CHAP. XIII From the End of the Sedition of the Gracchi to the End of the first Civil War in Italy and to the perpetual Dictatorship of Sylla which was the second great Step to the Ruine of the Consular State Containing 41 Years CHAP. XIV From the perpetual Dictatorship of Sylla to the first Triumvirate namely Caesar Pompey and Crassus which prov'd the Ruine of the Consular State and was the first Step to the setting up of the Imperial Containing 22 Years BOOK III. The Mix'd State of Rome From the Beginning of the first Triumvirate to the perfect Settlement of the Roman Empire Containing the space of 33 Years CHAP. I. From the Beginning of the first Triumvirate to the Death of Crassus one of the Combination which broke and divided that Party Containing 7 Years CHAP. II. From the Death of Crassus to the Death of Pompey which made way for Caesar's Absolute Authority and was the second Step to the Imperial State Containing above 5 Years CHAP. III. From the Death of Pompey to the Death of Caesar which finish'd the first Triumvirate but still kept down the Consular State Containing 4 Years CHAP. IV. From the Death of Caesar to the Defeats and Deaths of Brutus and Cassius by the second Triumvirate Octavius Anthony and Lepidus which ruin'd the Remains of the Common-wealth Containing above 2 Years CHAP. V. From the Deaths of Brutus and Cassius to the Banishment of Lepidus which vary'd the Course of the Triumvirates Power Containing 6 Years CHAP. VI. From the Banishment of Lepidus to the Death of Anthony which made way for Octavius's Absolute Authority and was the last Step to the Imperial State Containing 6 Years CHAP. VII From the Death of Anthony to the perfect Settlement of the Empire by Octavius which ended all Disturbances and brought Rome to its utmost Glory Containing 3 Years THE Roman History BOOK I. The Regal State of ROME From the Building of the City to the Overthrow of that Kind of Government Containing the Space of 245 Years The INTRODUCTION Of the Original of Rome and its Inhabitants I. IN relating such great and remarkable Affairs as those of the Romans it will be necessary to give some Account of the Original of that People And to make the Account as clear and intelligible as I can it may not be amiss first to observe that that Country which was anciently call'd Italy of which Rome was afterwards the chief City did not contain above one half of what now goes by that Name But as small as it was it contain'd many distinct Nations and People the principal of which were the Aborigines Sabines Hetrurians or Tuscans Umbri Samnites Campani Apulii Calabri Lucanii and Brutii and others of inferior Note which were often dependant on these As for the rest of what is now call'd Italy that was principally possess'd by the Gauls who had driven out the Hetrurians and settl'd themselves in these Parts being distinguish'd into several Names as the Senones the Insubres c. This Part went by the Name of Gallia Cis-Alpina and Togata to distinguish it from that Gaul which is now call'd France and was almost the same with the present Lombardy The chief Inhabitants of it besides the several Nations of the Gauls were the Ligures and the Veneti Of all the foremention'd People the Aborigines afterwards call'd by the Name of Latines were of principal Note not upon the account of any particular Excellency but as being better known and much more enquir'd after by all Historians These were of the Posterity of the Oenotrians a Grecian People of Arcadia who had driven out the Siculi the first Inhabitants of these Parts of Italy They possess'd the Country of Latium a small Country along the River Tiber about 30 Miles in length and 16 in breadth containing near a fourth Part of that little Province in the Pope's Dominions now call'd Campagna-di-Roma We find these govern'd by their own Kings nigh 200 Years before the destruction of Troy and above 1300 before Christ the first Kings we hear of in Italy or in all Europe except Greece These Kings kept their Courts at Laurentum a City about 5 Miles off the Mouth of the River Tiber and were Governors of a mixt People For first some Pelasgians out of Thessaly settled among 'em soon after Saturn from Creet who fled from his Son Iupiter which occasion'd their changing of their Names to Latines à latendo from his lying hid there next Evander from Arcadia then Hercules from Greece with their several Followers But the last who settled in this Country according to Dionysius were some
about 40 Miles long and 30 broad a Spot of Ground not so large by a fourth part as either the Dukedoms of Modena Parma or Mantua and not much larger than the Territory of the Commonwealth of Luca so that this was rightly term'd by Historians the Infancy of Rome especially since most of these Parts were both able and ready to Revolt upon every little Occasion as the Romans often found afterwards so that it cost 'em many Years trouble and many hazardous Wars before they cou'd wholly subdue 'em and much enlarge their Dominions If we look upon the City it self at this time we may find it encreased after a far greater Proportion than formerly and its large Extent its numerous Inhabitants and its magnificent Structures were happy Fore-runners of its future Grandeur and Empire And these together with the wise Institutions of its Prince and the great Prudence and Gravity of its Senate were the main Supporters and Preservers of it in the midst of so many envious Neighbours and powerful Enemies tho' indeed the Inhabitants themselves were an extream rough and unpolish'd People little acquainted with Knowledge and Learning and far unlike their Successors in Skill and Conduct Their Engagements were more like so many Tumults than real Battels where Obstinacy in Fighting generally supply'd the place of Discipline in War only they had the good Fortune to deal with Neighbours who had more Barbarity and Ignorance than themselves In short what may truly be affirm'd of the old Romans is they were a People of most extraordinary Courage and Fierceness a People of prodigious Hardiness and Austerity of Life a People of indefatigable Industry and wonderful Lovers of their Country and from these main Springs afterwards proceeded many great and noble Actions Before the Conclusion of this First Book to make the Roman History as clear and intelligible as possible it may be convenient to give a Hint of the several Countries the Romans afterwards became Masters of First Gaul which was then inhabited by an unciviliz'd tho' a Warlike People was broken and divided into a great number of petty Governments Spain and Germany was much in the same Condition and Britain not much better as likewise was Dacia and Illyricum Greece was in a most flourishing wealthy Condition under several Monarchs of Renown and powerful Common-wealths but not long after became subject to the Macedonian Empire Asia Minor was almost in the same Condition then subjected to the Persian and next to the Macedonian Empires but at last partly freed from the latter Armenia was a considerable Monarchy Syria Chaldea Assyria and Mesopotamia were all powerful States but successively subject to the Persian and Macedonian Empires the first of which prov'd a separate Kingdom Iudaea was a small but noble Kingdom Egypt was also a flourishing Kingdom subject to its own Kings Africa was a powerful and growing Common-wealth who had Sicily in a great measure As for Italy it self that was divided among many petty Nations and People as was observ'd in the beginning The End of the First Book THE Roman History BOOK II. The Consular State of ROME From the Beginning of that Government to the Ruine of it by the first Triumvirate Containing the Space of 449 Years CHAP. I. From the Banishment of the last King to the first Dictator which was the first Intermission of the Consular Power Containing the space of 10 Years I. THE State of Affairs in Rome was now wholly alter'd and the Government quite chang'd Restoration of Ancient Priviledges was the Peoples constant Discourse and an odd mixture of Fury and Cunning ran through the whole Body of the Nation which causâ—d 'em to put down Kingly Government and set up that of Consuls These High Officers were two in Number first call'd Praetors next Iudices and afterwards Consuls à Consulendo from Counselling or Consulting the Common Good of the People They were yearly elected by the People in the Centuriata Comitia out of the Patricians being Persons no less than 43 Years old or nigh and of excellent Qualifications as long as there was little or no Corruptions The Consular Power was at first equal to the Regal till in a short time Poplicola brought in the Liberty of Appealing to the People Yet after this their Authority was very large for they were the Heads of the People and Senate superiour to all other Magistrates govern'd the State dispos'd of the Publick Revenues administer'd Iustice call'd and dismiss'd the Senate and all General Assemblies had all the Laws enacted in their Names led Armies appointed Officers treated with all Foreign Princes and Ambassadors and transacted many other Things in their own Names They had also the Royal Ornaments us'd by the Kings as the Golden Crown Sceptre Purple Robes White Robes the twelve Lictors with the Axes and Fasces the Ivory and Curule Chairs only to prevent the People's Jealousies the Crowns and Sceptres were never us'd but upon extraordinary Days of Triumph and commonly one was attended by the Axes and the other by the Rods changing each Month. The first Consuls were L. Iunius Brutus and L. Tarquinius Collatinus who had been the Authors of this Settlement and they immediately reviv'd the Laws of Servius Tullius concerning Publick Meetings and Assemblies with other things that conducâ—d to the Satisfaction of the common sort who look'd upon their ancient Rights as newly recover'd Before Affairs were perfectly settled in the Common-wealth some Ambassadors from Hetruria arriv'd at Rome in behalf of the late King Tarquin who was now so mortifi'd and so sensible of his Mismanagement that he made very large Promises of observing all regular Administration for the future If they wou'd receive him as their lawful King When this Proposal cou'd not be heard the Ambassadors only desir'd That he might have his Goods return'd him at least such as were his Grand-father Priscus ' s who had deserv'd no Ill at their hands But Brutus very violently oppos'd that Demand as being almost as dangerous as the other he esteeming it no good Policy to furnish an Enemy with Money against themselves however his Collegue Collatine most readily comply'd with it but putting it to the Vote it pass'd in the Negative the Voices being very nigh equal The Ambassadors meeting with no Success according to their Instructions made several plausible Excuses for tarrying in Rome longer than ordinary and in that time by their cunning Management and fair Promises found means to draw over some of Collatine's Family to their sides namely two of the Aquilii and three of the Vitellii together with Brutus's two Sons Titus and Tiberius These with some other all join'd in a Conspiracy keeping their private Meetings at the House of the Aquilii there to consult about and manage their Designs which were to kill both the Consuls and to endeavour to re-inthrone Tarquin These Conspirators cou'd not long conceal their Practices but were discover'd by a Slave call'd Vindicius who had accidentally hid
Triumvirate which prov'd the Overthrow of the Consuler and Popular State being a Combination of three of the Greatest Men in Rome either for Valour Authority or Riches Pompey being then about 47 Years of Age and Caesar 40. Thus Rome lost her Liberty after she had flourish'd many Years in a wonderful Grandeur occasion'd wholly by the numerous Abuses and notorious Corruptions in her Government and Inhabitants which shortly after plung'd her into greater Miseries than ever she felt before This Remarkable Union happen'd in the 694th Year of the City A. M. 394â— in the First Year of the 180th Olympiad 449 Years since the Beginning of the Consular State 330 since the Burning of Rome by the Gauls 270 since the Beginning of the Macedonian Empire by Alexander the Great 86 since the Destruction of Carthage and â—8 before our Saviour ' s Nativity the Roman Dominions containing now all Italy all Cisalpine-Gaul and Part of the Other all Spain and Africk all Greece and Illyricum all the Kingdoms in Asia Minor with Armenia Mesopotamia Media Syria and Iudaea and many Islands besides The End of the Second Book THE Roman History BOOK III. The Mix'd State of ROME From the Beginning of the First Triumvirate to the perfect Settlement of the Empire Containing the Space of 33 Years CHAP. I. From the Beginning of the First Triumvirate to the Death of Crassus one of the Combination which broke and divided that Party Containing the Space of 7 Years I. THE State of Rome was now arriv'd to an extraordinary Height whether we consider the Extent and Fruitfulness of its Dominions the Strength and Power of its Arms the Fame and Valour of its Commanders the Abundance and Largeness of its Revenues the Compass and Magnificence of its City and the Numbers and Riches as well as Learning and Politeness of its Inhabitants but still it wanted considerably of that Glory and Grandeur as to Dominions and much more of that Quiet and Sereneness as to Settlement it had not long after in Augustus's Reign For now the State was full of Factions and Divisions Briberies and Corruptions and likewise Feuds and Jealousies since the joyning of three such potent Men as Caesar Pompey and Crassus which caus'd many to fear the Downfall of their Ancient Liberties and that their Fears were not groundless sufficiently appear'd by the Event The first Effect of this Triumvirate was the Promoting of Caesar to the Consulship Pompey and Crassus employing all their Interest therein He had two Competitors Lucerius and Bibulus the former a Covetous tho Rich Man was taken off by large Promises and Brib'd to procure what Voices he couâ—d for Caesar. The Senators resolving to have Bibulus one of the Consuls made Great Collections among themselves and gave as much on their side Even Cato as rigid as he was was perswaded that the Law which forbad all manner of Bribery on these Occasions ought in such a case to be dispencâ—d withall when the Interest of the Common-wealth so much requir'd it so by that means Bibulus was at last chosen Consul with Caesar. The first thing Caesar did in this Office was his Confirming all Pompey's Acts according to Agreement and from that time he wholly apply'd himself to Gain the Favour of the Commons And the better to effect it he preferrâ—d a Law for dividing certain Lands in Câ—mpania among such of the poor Citizens as had three Children or more This Proposal much pleas'd the Commons and Caesar had taken the most proper Methods to make it pass for the Law was drawn up in Terms so very just and reasonable that no Man couâ—d â—â—nd fault with it He declar'd to the Senators That he wou'd do nothing without their Authority nor propose any of his Friends for Commissioners or any Man who might be liable to Suspicion but that they shou'd be all Persons of known Reputation and Abilities This plausible and cautious Way of proceeding hardly left any room for Contradiction but still the Senate that they might hinder the Law and yet not seem to oppose it adjournâ—d the Affair from Day to Day till at last Cato plainly and publickly declar'd That these Changes in State were not to be permitted after whom all the Senate likewise declared themselves to be of the same Opinion Whereupon Caesar immediately had recourse to the People much complaining to them of the Injustice and Stubbornness of the Senate taking also Pompey and Crassus along with him whose Opinions he publickly ask'd concerning this Law They both approv'd of it and Pompey further declar'd That if such as oppos'd it shou'd come with their Swords in their Hands he wou'd meet their Swords and bring a Buckler with him besides Whereupon a Day was appointed for the Publication of this Law At the appointed Day the People gather'd together in great Numbers and in spight of all Opposition drove Cato and Bibulus himself with Stones and Clubs from off the Place the Consuls Axes were broken in pieces and the People approving the Ordinance declar'd they wou'd have all the Senators swear to the Observation of it Almost all took this Oath except Cato Metellus and Favonius and they too at last after much Opposition took it to save their Fines and likewise their Lives for Caesar had caus'd the People to make it Capital for any one to refuse it Caesar made little use of the Senate after that and from that time his Collegue Bibulus never durst appear in Publick but kept himself at home for the remaining part of the Year This forceable way of proceeding extremely alarm'd the Senate every Body laughing at their Idleness and Negligence and at the Head of those Acts where the Names of the Consuls usâ—d to be inscrib'd some unknown Person instead of Caesar and Bibulus Wrote Caius Caesar and Iulius Caesar to shew that Caesar Govern'd alone Caesar having freed himself from his Collegue began chiefly to apply himself to the Equites or Knights who much courted him and having Farm'd the Customs desir'd an Abatement of the Rent The Senate refus'd to remit any thing but he shortly after procur'd the People to abate a third Part. By this and other Ways of gratifying the Common sort he perswaded 'em to decree the Province of Gaul to him for Five Years with Four Legions for he desir'd nothing so much as performing Great Exploits and the remaining part of the Year he spent in endeavouring to establish his Interest for the time to come Therefore knowing how considerable a Person Pompey was to bind him the more strongly he gave him his Daughter Iulia in Marriage a very vertuous and beautiful Lady He likewise took care that his two Friends Gabinius and Piso shou'd be prick'd for the following Year's Consuls the latter of which had lately given him his Daughter Calpurnia Clodius he procur'd to be one of the Tribunes notwithstanding his former Affront because he knew him to be an Enemy to Cicero whose Oration against Caesar in pleading
and the first Triumvirate are too short the first Triumvirate it self is too long in his second Edition and too short in the first and the second Triumvirate is too short in both Besides he is often too flat and insipid to affect us throughly and the Actions of the bravest Men are related too coldly and unconcern'dly to move us as they ought which together with his frequent Want of Transitions and Words of Connection and his often mixing of critical Learning makes him far less pleasant than otherwise he might be And what still adds to these Imperfections is the Obscurity of his Stile which proceeds sometimes from his unlucky or unnatural Misplacing of his Words and sometimes from his affecting a Shortness without throughly considering and pre-observing the Dangers that attend that useful Way of Writing His Collections indeed are admirable both for their Usefulness and Exactness his Decision's very just and faithful and his Learning very uncommon and curious In short we may say that no Man ever more truly and carefully brought together the principal Matters of all the Roman Historians than he and that he was an incomparable Collector and Compiler tho' at the same time he was but an indifferent Historian I fear I have been too long upon this last but still I must beg the Reader 's leave to consider the two remaining The History of the two Triumvirates is a Translation from the French and contains only 30 Years but of the busiest Time of the Common-wealth It is a History very ingeniously writ handsomly put together and faithfully collected and is far more pleasant and palatable than Howel's Yet as few Years as it contains it is manifestly too tedious in many Places which is occasion'd sometimes from the natural Verboseness of the French Temper and sometimes from the Author 's descending too particularly to the lesser and more private Actions of Mankind which makes him fall from the Majesty of a Historian to that of a Biographer And notwithstanding his being so very particular he has wholly left out all Caesar's Wars with the Gauls which gain'd him so much Glory and Reputation and was the Original of all his future Greatness Pedro Mexia is a Translation from the Spanish and contains the Lives of all the Roman and German Emperors to his own Time which plainly shews him a Biographer tho' besides he has many excellent Marks of a Historian He begins almost at the latter end of this History and in effect contains not much more than 33 Years of it and in that short Space he is extreamly imperfect in one of the most principal Actions of the Roman History namely the Settlement of the Roman Empire by Augustus After all this I suppose it will be expected that my own Piece is every way faultless and has all the Perfections that can be desir'd from a Book of this Size or Proportion but I will not be so foolishly vain as to pretend to that I can only say that I have in some measure endeavour'd to avoid the Defects and Faults of those Writers whom I have here taken notice of and likewise to imitate their Excellencies especially those of the Ancients as far as the Compass I have taken wou'd admit of which has been a severe Curb to me But to come closer to the Matter it will be convenient to let the Reader know in short what he is to expect from this Book It is an intire tho' short Account of the Roman Affairs for 727 Years in which Compass of Time the most memorable things were Acted and the most famous of the Classical Authors flourish'd It is collected with the utmost Fidelity from almost all the Roman Historians whatsoever but more especially from these seven most noted Dionysius Hal. Livy Plutarch Polybius Dion Cassius Appian and Caesar. I found it very inconvenient to crowd the Margent of every Page with these and many other Names as many do but when it is needful I quote 'em in the Body of the Book particularly when any uncommon Story is related or any doubtful Point is to be decided I have likewise been oblig'd to some of our Modern Writers but to none so much as Howel and the History of the two Triumvirates both whose accurate Collections have often sav'd me much Trouble tho' I examin'd the Originals from whence they had ' em Upon that Account I have copy'd 'em in many Places and that too almost verbally whenever I found it both for the Ease of my self and the Advantage of my Book For I am never cautious in Borrowing as long as I acknowledge it and can benefit my Reader whose Good I always study before my own Commendation The Method of the whole I have endeavour'd to make as easie and as natural as I cou'd dividing and distinguishing the Books Chapters and Sections with all the Skill and Iudgment I had so that I hope it will be all of it clearly comprehended and the principal Matters as easily remember'd Nothing is more necessary than convenient resting Places for a Reader to take Breath at and the want of this or the like Method will appear apparently in any Man 's reading over Livy For tho' the Regal State may there be clearly enough comprehended by reason of the Nature of the Subject yet the vast Variety of the Matter that follows will not be master'd and retain'd without toiling and sweating For it is a great Inconvenience when the Reader must separate and distinguish the Matter where the Author has not done it Then to make it still more Clear I have all the way intermix'd so much Chronology and Geography as is necessary to illustrate the Story As for the Stile I have made it as plain and intelligible as I cou'd and as I have no ways affected Flourishes and the French Finery so for the most part I have avoided all Meanness of Words or Expressions endeavouring in some measure to preserve the Gravity which belongs to History and which ought not to be omitted in a Collection Yet I must acknowledge that I have bestow'd too little Pains in the perfecting of the Stile in some places at least not so much as I shou'd have done had it been a Translation of any ancient Author I mean as to the Nicities of our Tongue and the Perfection of Periods The Speeches are generally the most carefully done tho' I cou'd scarce take any verbally by reason of the little Compass I was allow'd And upon that account I was forc'd in some places to follow their Sense at a distance which some that are over nice will scarcely allow to a faithful Historian And this little Compass likewise hinder'd me from having all the Transitions I cou'd have desir'd tho' those are the principal Beauties belonging to the Way and Manner of writing Historical Matters To come to the Use of this Book It will be particularly useful to Young Students and Gentlemen by giving 'em an Insight into the principal of the Roman Customs Laws
and Magistrates I mean such of 'em as cannot be so clearly learnt from Rosinus and Books of mere Antiquities It is the Historical Account of all the various Occasions and Circumstances that can best clear some of these things The Tribunes of the People may serve for one Instance of this for no Man can throughly understand the Nature of those Magistrates without reading the History of their Creation and likewise their chief Actions afterwards And still that this Book might be as compleat as I cou'd make it I have at the most convenient Places intermix'd the History of the Roman Learning and given a short Account of all the Principal Authors as far as this History reaches But still I have taken care to join all this to the rest in such a manner as both might make but one entire Body But to shew more noble Uses of this Book and that I may incite all Gentlemen to be well acquainted with the Roman History of which this is an Introduction I shall give 'em the sence of what a very Ingenious Man says upon this Subject It is the Story of the Fate and Fortunes of a City that rais'd it self to an Universal Empire and became the Metropolis of the whole World and all from a Troop of Vagabond Shepherds pack'd together upon the Banks of Tiber. It is a long Train of the Adventures of a People scandalous as it were in their Origine coming of an Extraction in a manner Infamous born and nurs'd up in Plunderings and Murders and train'd up in Villanies who became Wise Frugal Iust Passionately studious of Glory till they infinitely over-topp'd the rest of Mankind A People whose Prudence in their Counsels whose Maturity of Deliberations whose Diligence in Execution whose profound Secrecy in the most important Affairs and whose noble Resolution in unavoidable Dangers and the greatest Extreâ— tremities ought to be remember'd to all Ages It is a History of a State that grew so mighty from so small Beginnings of its Progress its strange Changes the Revolutions of its Power and Greatness its amazing Exaltation and the miraculous and almost unconceivable Pitch of Glory it arriv'd at and all by its patient enduring of Hardships by its Perseverance in Labours by its exact Observation of Laws by the inviolable Severity of its Discipline in the Duties of Peace and War and by training up a well regulated and couragious Soldiery encourag'd and elevated with the sole Prospect of aggrandizing the Roman Name It was a Nation that was Virtuous through a true Principle of Honour whose Valour was more the Product of the Head than Heart a Nation that courted or avoided Danger from a result of Prudence and knew as well when to expose it self as when to retreat by the Dictates of Reason and obtain'd the Sovereignty over the rest of the World more by the Reputation of its Virtue than the Force of its Arms. AN ADVERTISEMENT OF THIS Second Edition IN the Preface to this History I acknowledg'd that I had not bestow'd sufficient Pains in the perfecting the Stile in some places which proceeded not only from a want of Time but also from the great Care I had upon me of perfecting the Matter and proportioning its several Parts to that small Compass to which I was over-strictly confin'd The principal Fault besides a little Abruptness in some few Periods was the having Expressions in several Places somewhat too low and vulgar for History which requires the utmost Purity as well as the greatest Strength This Fault is in a great Measure corrected in this Edition which I assert with the greater Freedom because I have been much assisted by Persons of the greatest Judgment in these Matters whose Names I ought not to mention without their particular Leave In examining the Stile I likewise found the Matter in many Places defective and capable of great Improvements with no great Inlargements for which reason I have made several considerable Additions in most Parts of this History especially in the last Book and particularly in the third and Fourth Chapters where several Material Actions were manifestly too shortly and lamely related I am truly sensible that I have disoblig'd those Persons who have bought the First Edition in not putting these Additions in distinct Places whereby they might have had 'em without buying the whole but I hope they will the more readily pardon me since these Additions are of that Nature that in many Places it wou'd be as difficult to separate 'em from the Body of the Book as to separate the Alterations made in the Style I undertook this Second Edition the more willingly because the Number of the First was so small and therefore the less Injury done to the World but I here promise never to make any further Additions to it for the future nor any Corrections except those of the Press Of which thâ—re are these following Errors in this Edition occasion'd by my Distance from the Town which I desire the Reader to correct before he reads the Book ERRATA PAge 26. in the Margent read 83. p. 73. l. 20. for are r. were p. 153. l. 9. between the and Dictator r. first p. 176. l. 21. r. being p. 178. l. 1. between the and time r. Night p. 185. l. 26. for there r. thâ—â— p. 220. l. 〈◊〉 for stand r. and. p. 223. l. 10. after 〈◊〉 add rais'd l. 12. dele rais'd l. 25. after such add in p. 249. l. 4. r. Massina p. 257. l. 27 r. Myssians p. 276. l. 30. r. Maâ—ilius p. 283. l. 5. r. shew'd l. 12. r. proceeded p. 284. l. 17. r. Dele Notwithstanding p. 300. in the Margent r. 696. p. 302. l. 26. dele Reveral p. 303. l. 7. for 〈◊〉 in r. not a Tiâ—â—sand p. 306. l. 12. r. to hnder p. 308. l. 12. r. Labienus p. 312. l. 3. r. Parthia p. 416. l 17. r. Casariâ— p. 440. l. 31. dele the second to p. 445. l. 9. after this add were There are some few other Errors but such as will not easily mislead the Reader THE CONTENTS BOOK I. The Regal State of Rome From the Building of the City to the Overthrow of that Kind of Government Containing the space of 245 Years THE INTRODUCTION Of the Original of Rome and its Inhabitants CHAP. I. From the Building of the City to the Death of Romulus the first King of Rome Containing the space of 37 Years CHAP. II. From the Death of Romulus to the Death of Numa Pompilius the second King of Rome Containing 44 Years CHAP. III. From the Death of Numa to the Death of Tullus Hostilius the third King of Rome Containing 33 Years CHAP. IV. From the Death of Hostilius to the Death of Ancus Marcius the fourth King of Rome Containing 24 Years CHAP. V. From the Death of Ancus Marcius to the Death of Tarquinius Priscus the fifth King of Rome Containing 38 Years CHAP. VI. From the Death of Tarquinius Priscus to the Death of Servius Tullius the sixth King of Rome
open in time of War and to be shut in time of Peace as it continu'd all his Reign which as some observe never hapned but four times from his Reign to that of Tiberius Caesar. To the two Flamens or High-Priests of Iupiter and Mars he added a third of Quirinus or Romulus and to this Prince also is ascrib'd the bringing in of the Pontifices whereof he himself was one and officiated accordingly He also ordain'd the Vestal Virgins being four in Number to whom he gave very great Privileges particularly when they went abroad they had the Fasces carry'd before 'em and in their Walks if they met with a Malefactor leading to Execution they had the Power of freeing him from Death upon Oath given that the Meeting was meerly Accidental He also Instituted the Orders of the Salii and the Feciales Priests devoted to Mars the former were to carry those Sacred Shields call'd Ancilia and the latter to judge of the Equity of War and proclaim it with much Ceremony This Prince tho' naturally averse to all Wars yet consider'd that Peace and Security might too much soften and degenerate the Minds of the Multitude therefore he us'd his utmost Endeavours to imprint on their Minds the Notions of Religion and Vertue and the due Reverence of God And to gain the more Credit and Obedience to his Constitutions he pretended he had often and immediate Converse with the Goddess Egâ—ria and wou'd be often telling them that strange Visions and Apparitions were seen and Prophetick Voices heard which Stories had great and remarkable Effects upon a People so superstitiously inclin'd Yet his Religion was of a refin'd Nature being much like that of Pythagoras afterwards and as he taught That the Principle of all Things was not to be perceiv'd by Sence nor was liable to Motion but was Invisible Immortal and to be apprehended by the Understanding alone so Numa forbad the Romans to use the Image of any God which represented him under the Form of a Man or any other living Creature And this was strictly observ'd in all their Temples and Sacred Places for 170 Years at the least they holding it a great Crime to liken such superiour Beings to Things so much below ' em For the Encouragement of Agriculture he divided those Lands which Romulus had gain'd in War among the poorer sort causing his Subjects to apply themselves to Husbandry and by such kind of Employments to cultivate their Minds as well as the Earth Then he divided all the Lands into several Parcels to which he gave the name of Pagi or Boroughs and over every one of these he ordain'd a Chief or Arbitrator in Judicial Causes And that he might take away all Distinction of Roman and Sabine which threatn'd the State with endless Factions and dangerous Divisions he divided all the Inhabitants according to their several Trades and Occupations making every Art a particular Company and Society and appointing to every one their respective Courts and Privileges and this was his Master-piece in Politicks He much abated the Rigour of that Law made by Romulus concerning the Power of Fathers over their Children making it unlawful for 'em to sell their Sons after Marriage because it was very unjust that a Woman who had marry'd a Free-Man shou'd be constrain'd to live with a Slave He also prescrib'd Rules concerning Mourning a Child of Three Years and so upwards to Ten was to be mourn'd for so many Months as it was Years old and the longest time of Mourning for any Person was not to exceed the term of Ten Months Which also was the Time appointed for Widdows before which they cou'd not without great Indecency marry again but in case Circumstances were such as not to admit of so long a Term they were first to sacrifice a Cow with a Calf for Expiation of their Fault One of the principal Things done by this Prince was the Reformation of the Year which in Romulus's Time was much out of Order some Months having more than 35 Days and some fewer than twenty Numa finding the Solar Year to exceed the Lunar by eleven Days doubled these eleven Days and every other Year inserted a Month after February consisting of 22 Days which was by the Romans call'd Mercedonius because it was the usual time for paying of Wages He likewise chang'd the Order of the Months making Ianuary and February the first and second Months which were the two last in Romulus's Days Ianuary had its name from Ianus the most ancient God or King in Italy February was so call'd from the Expiations which us'd to be in it signify'd by the wor'd Februa March so call'd from Mars the suppos'd Father of Romulus which upon that account had been plac'd first April from Aphrodite or Venus because of the Superstitious Worship which was perform'd in it when the Women were crown'd with Myrtle May so nam'd from Maia the Mother of Mercury to whom this Month was made Sacred Iune from Iuno or as some will have it from Iuventus because the Season is warm and as it were Iuvenile The rest had their Names from their Order as Quintilis Sextilis September October November and December only Quintilis and Sextilis were afterwards turn'd into Iuly and August by the Emperors Iulius Caesar and Augustus Numa was marry'd to Tatia King Tatius's Daughter by whom he had one Daughter nam'd Pompilia and after a Reign of 43 Years being above 80 Years old he dy'd and was bury'd with great Honour and Solemnity He forbad his Body to be burnt as it was usual in those days but was bury'd in a Stone Coffin under the Hill Ianiculum and the Books of his Ceremonies were laid by him in another being Twelve written in Latin and as many in Greek These were taken up about 400 Years after and because it was thought a piece of Impiety to communicate such Mysteries to the Multitude were burnt by Order of the Senate He kept the State in such a constant Peace by his prudent Management as did very much contribute to the Strength and Security of the City and he much improv'd and polish'd the rough Genius of the Roman People CHAP. III. From the Death of Numa to the Death of Tullus Hostilius the Third King of Rome Containing the space of 33 Years I. UPon the Death of Numa the Government once more devolv'd upon the Senate and after several Interreges Tullus Hostilius was created King by the universal consent of all People He was Grandson to the famous Hostilius who in Romulus's Days had behav'd himself very Valiantly against the Sabines in the Citadel and had Marry'd the Daughter of Hersilia He was of a bold and fiery Temper and one who often sought and greedily embrac'd all Occasions of War led to it partly by his own proper Inclination and partly by the Glory and Renown of his Grand-Father As he thought the Love of his Subjects the most necessary thing to carry on
Quintius who had both been Consuls before In this Year the Consuls finding the Publick Business to increase to ease themselves procur'd two new Magistrates to be created call'd Censors so nam'd because the Business of the Census which had been instituted by Servius Tullius the Sixth King of Rome was one great part of their Office These Magistrates at first made no great Appearance but in a short time they became Persons of extraordinary Dignity and Power having all the Ornaments and Ensigns of Consuls except Lictors At the beginning they were created for five Years which space was call'd Lustrum as was formerly observ'd but soon after their time was shortned to a Year and half but still they were chosen but once in five Years the Census being no oftner perform'd Their Power was very large and their Office very extensive for tho' at first they only perform'd the Census making an Estimate of Men's Estates distributing them into their several Classes and Centuries taking the Numbers of the Inhabitants c. yet in a short time they became Publick Inspectors of Men's Lives and Manners and were therefore frequently call'd Magistri Morum and took upon 'em to degrade Senators upon Misdemeanors to take away Horse and Ring from Equites or Knights and to turn Plebeians out of their Tribes and put 'em into a Lower and many other things of the like Nature The two first Censors were Papirius and Sempronius both Patritians and the two last Years Consuls and these high Officers were for nigh 100 Years chosen out of the Patritians and only such as were Eminent and Famous and had formerly been Consuls till the Plebeians found the way to this as they did to all other Offices Afterwards the Roman Colonies had their Magistrates call'd Sub-Censors who gave an Account to these of the Number of Inhabitants and their Wealth which was immediately register'd in the Censor's Books The Fathers were extreamly satisfy'd that they had got these Magistrates created out of their own Body and the Tribunes esteeming their Power to be inconderable were willing enough to agree to it In this same Year the Ardeans as being Allies sent to the Romans for Succour against the Volsci who were call'd in by some dangerous Factions among themselves and had reduc'd them to great Extremities The Romans were ready to serve the Persons they had so lately injur'd about their Lands and immediately Geganius the Consul was sent with a considerable Army against the Volsci and he soon reliev'd the Ardeans and clear'd the Country of the Enemy This Victory was very memorable and the Consul had a noble Triumph Clulius the Volscian General being led before the Chariot Ardea had now been so dispeopled with the Factions and the late Wars that they were willing to accept of a Roman Colony which the Senate sent soon after and to shew a further Piece of Generosity restor'd all the Lands they had before adjudg'd to the Publick Use tho' with the great Complaints of many of the Commons II. The Heats of the Commons were still kept alive but for some time were of no dangerous Consequence till three Years after Sp. Maelius a rich Knight incourag'd upon these Contentions by his large Bounty to the Poorer Sort in time of a great Famine began to affect Popularity and by that means to aspire to the Sovereignty His Designs were soon guess'd at and he was accus'd of this by Minucius who had the care of the Provisions which thing in these unsettled times so startled the Senate that by advice of Quintius the Consul they order'd a Dictator to be immediately created the Tumult hourly increasing Quintius Cincinnatus now 80 Years old was the Person who chose Servilius Ahala for his Master of the Horse The Dictator presently summon'd Maelius to appear who being well back'd and supported by the Mob refus'd to obey now breaking out into open Rebellion whereupon Ahala set upon him in the Forum and kill'd him and was justifi'd by Quintius who commanded his Goods to be sold and his House to be demolish'd The Tribunes inrag'd at the Death of their great Friend Maelius procur'd Military Tribunes instead of Consuls to be created for the following Year now six Years after their first Institution hoping that some Plebeian might get into the number of Six which might give 'em an Opportunity of revenging his Death But Three only were created all Patritians too and their Expectation wholly unanswer'd The following Year Consuls were created again and in the same Year Fidenae a Roman Colony revolted to Tolumnius King of the Veientes and to inhance their Crime by his Instigation they treacherously murder'd the Ambassadors sent thither who dying thus for the Publick the Senate generously appointed Statues to be erected in their Honour This War in the beginning prov'd so dangerous and threatning to the Romans that they were forc'd to create a Dictator to manage it Mamercus Aemilius being the Person who made choice of Quinctius Ciâ—cinnatus an Eminent Youth of the City for his Master of the Horse Aemilius the Dictator obtain'd a great Victory over the Enemy in which Battel Cornelius Cossus a Tribune in the Army slew King Tâ—lumnius with his own Hands and by that means obtain'd the Honour of the Opima Spolia or Royal Spoils which were the only Spoils of that Nature since the Reign of Romulus These Spoils were a great Grace to Aemilius's Triumph and a great Honour to Cossus they being with extraordinary Pomp and Ceremony consecrated to Iupiter Feretrius Two Years after this there hapned a great Plague in the City and the Fidenates and Veientes press'd so hard upon the Romans that they were forc'd to have recourse to another Dictator and Servilius Priscus was created who chose Aebutius Elva for his Master of the Horse Servilius was so successful as not only to drive the Enemy back but to take the Town of Fidenae which he did by a Mine The taking of Fidenae was so disadvantageous to the Enemy that the Veientes sent to all their Neighbours about for Succour threatning no less than entire Destruction to Rome These formidable Preparations put the Romans upon creating another Dictator a little above a Year after the last which was Aemilius who had been Dictator three Years before and he chose Posthumius Tubertus for his Master of the Horse In a short time the Romans found that the Veientes cou'd procure no Aid so the Dictator had little Employment abroad but resolving to do something at home he caus'd the Censorship to be reduc'd to a Year and a half which was eight Years after its first Institution and then laid down his Office The Censors from this took an Occasion to remove him out of his Tribe which so inrag'd the People that the next time they procur'd Military Tribunes to be brought in again after there had been Consuls four Years And in this Election notwithstanding the great Industry of the Tribunes of the People they
but Hamilcar being a stronger Man was kept in together with the dead Body of Bostar five days longer having only so much Sustenance allow'd him as might serve to prolong his Life in Misery At last the Magistrates being inform'd of this began to relent and strictly forbid any more of such Usuage commanding that Bostar's Ashes should be sent home and the rest of the Prisoners shou'd be us'd more moderately Which was done to let the Enemy know that the Romans were too generous to insult over the Miseries of unhappy Men or to countenance any cruel Actions tho' they had been incited by the highest Provocations and all the Sentiments of a most just Retaliation The following Year because the Land-Forces were very fearful of the Enemies Elephants and pursu'd their Affairs with small Vigour the Romans provided another Fleet and Besieg'd Lilybaeum by Sea and Land a Town standing upon the Southern Promontory of Sicily over against Africk The Romans were very unsuccessful in this Expedition losing most of their Ships in a short time partly by the Mismanagement of the Consul Claudius Pulcher and partly by other Misfortunes so that the whole Fleet was soon reduc'd to an inconsiderable number Lilybaeum was still closely invested by Land but the small Successes of the present Consuls and other Losses occasion'd the creating of a Dictator to Command the Forces in Sicily This was Attilius Calatinus who appointed Caecilius Metellus who had Triumph'd over the Carthaginians for his Master of the Horse and was the first Dictator that ever led an Army out of Italy but nothing memorable was acted by him in Sicily before the time of his Office expir'd The Romans now began to feel the Weight and Charge of the War more than ever and they found that the City was not only drein'd of Money but of Men too for in the next Lustrum there were but 251222 Free Citizens Poll'd For Seven Years did the Romans abstain from any Sea-Preparations in which time another Dictator was created in the Consuls Absence for holding the Comitia for a New Election which was Coruncanius Nepos and his Master of the Horse was Fulvius Flaccus At this time Amilcar the Carthaginian Admiral extreamly infested the Coasts of Italy which made the Romans resolve once more to try their Fortune at Sea and accordingly they fitted out a considerable Navy out of their private Purses the Treasury being now exhausted With this they gave the Carthaginians a notable Overthrow nigh the Aegatian Isâ—es taking and sinking 120 of their Ships according to the most modest Computation This great Loss brought 'em to a Peace which after two Consultations was concluded upon these Articles First That the Carthaginians shou'd lay down 1000 Talents of Silver and 2200 more within 10 Years time Secondly That they shou'd quit Sicily with all the Isles thereabouts Thirdly That they shou'd never make War upon the Syracusians or their Allies nor come with any Vessels of War within the Roman Dominions and Fourthly That they shou'd deliver up all their Prisoners without Ransom as also the Deserters Thus ended the first Punick or Carthaginian War by the Greek Writers call'd the Sicilian War after it had continu'd 24 Years in the 51â—th Year of the City 23 Years before the Second and 239 before our Saviour's Nativity wherein the Romans are said to have lost 700 Vessels and the Carthaginians no more than 500. IV. All Affairs now seem'd to succeed prosperously with the Romans and in the same Year that this long War was ended Two New Tribes were added to the rest namely the Veline and Quirine which now made up the Number 35 which Number was never after exceeded At this time the Romans began to grow more polite a little applying their Minds to something of Study and Learning particularly Poetry and the Year after this War the first Tragedies and Comedies were made by Livius Andronicus a Graecian by Birth one Year before Ennius the Poet was Born about 160 after the Deaths of Sophocles and Euripides and 62 after that of Menander He drew the Minds of the People from the Use of the Satyr which had immediately succeeded the old Stage-Plays call'd Ludi Fescennini spoken of in the Sixth Chapter of this Book which Satyr was a sort of a Dramatick Poem full of Jests and Raillery wholly different from the Satyrs of Lucilius and Horace afterwards Naevius was the first Poet that follow'd his example five Years after the Year before which were celebrated the great Secular Games the third time which were also call'd Ludi magni and Ludi Terentini and were of two sorts the Greater celebrated every 120 Years and first instituted in the 298th Year of the City and the Lesser celebrated every 100 Year and first instituted about the 305th Year of the City after the Banishment of the Decemviri But these now celebrated were of the former sort There were also other Games call'd Ludi Tarentini which were very different from the Ludi Seculares which I mention that Learners may avoid Confusion But to return to the Roman Affairs the Carthaginians soon after their Peace with the Romans fell into a Bloody War between themselves and their Mercenary Soldiers which proceeded both from their Want of Pay and their Want of Employment and this with much Difficulty and Loss was ended by Amilcar after more than Three Years During which time several of the Romans who traded into Africk were secur'd by the Carthaginians lest they shou'd furnish their Enemies with Provisions But when Ambassadors were sent to Carthage to complain of this Usage they kindly dismiss'd all that were in Custody which so affected the Romans that they generously sent 'em all their Prisoners without Ransom and for a short Space there seem'd to be an extraordinary Friendship between these two Nations But soon after their Troubles were ended the Sardinians inviting over the Romans to that Island they sail'd thither which much offended the Carthaginians who thought themselves to have the greatest Right to it so they prepar'd to send Forces thither The Romans took an Occasion from thence to proclaim War against 'em complaining That these Preparations were design'd more against them than the Sardinians This so terrify'd the Carthaginians who found themselves in no Condition to begin a new War that they were forc'd to yield to Necessity and not only quit all Sardinia but further to pay the Romans 1200 Talents This tho' submitted to at present prov'd afterwards the Occasion of a more bloody and dangerous War than the former In the sixth Year after the Carthaginian War the Romans being in perfect Peace with all their Neighbours the Temple of Ianus was shut the second time it being open 437 Years In the following Year was the first Divorce in Rome and two Years after a Dictator was created for holding the Comitia and this was C. Duilius his Master of the Horse being Aurelius Cotta For five Years successively the Temple