to his Tryal by Apuleius the Tribune of the People he was found guilty and banish'd to Ardea About this time the Galli Senones forsaking their own Country for its Barrenness came into Italy and besieged Clusium a Town in Etruria Three Embassadors were sent from Rome to advise them to desist from their Enterprise and one of them by name Quintus Fabius in a Battle contrary to the Law of Nations kill'd the General of the Gauls This so enrag'd them that upon denial of surrendring the Embassadors according to their Command they march'd directly towards Rome and beat the Romans on the sixteenth of the Kalends of August at the River Alia which Day was ever after reckon'd in the Kalendar amongst the Nefasti or Unlucky and call'd Aliensis The conquering Gauls enter'd the City and at first sight of the Senators dress'd in their Robes and sitting in their Ivory Chairs worship's them as the Tutelar Gods of the Place but when they found them to be Men they kill'd them with all imaginable Contempt The Remainder of the Youth fled with Manlius to the Capitol and there besieg'd by the Gauls were freed by the singular Valour of Camillus who in his absence was chosen Dictator and having gather'd the scatter'd Troops of of the Roman Army surprizing the Gauls by a sudden Onset gain'd an absolute Victory over them by his advice the Romans rebuilt their burnt Houses and were hinder'd from settling themselves at Veii Thus he restor'd the City to her Citizens and the Citizens to their City MARCUS MANLIUS CAPITOLINUS Manlius U.C. 365. for the Repulse he gave the Gauls at the Capitol Before Ch. 385. call'd Capitolinus serv'd sixteen years as Voluntier in thâ— Army he had seven and thirty Military Rewards given him and threâ— and thirty Honorable Scars on hiâ— Breast It was he when the City was taken that advis'd the Remainder of the Romans to fly to the Capitol and one night allarm'd by the Gabling of a Goose beat off the Enemy scaling the Hill for which Action he was stil'd Patron by his Citizens who in Gratitude brought him a Donative of Corn out of their particular Allowance tho they were in great want of it themselves and gave him a House at the publick Charge in the Capitol These Honours so puff'd him up that he created himself many Enemies and was accus'd by the Senate for not having made a just Distribution of the Plunder he had taken from the Gauls also for paying out of his own Estate the Debts of those who according to Law had been turned over as Slaves to their Creditors he was thrown into Prison upon suspicion of aiming at the Crown but set at Liberty by the unanimous Vote of the People relapsing into the same Crime and persevering in it he was found guilty yet upon his looking towards the Capitol and the Remembrance of his good Service perform'd there he was repriev'd but then condemn'd in another place was thrown down the Tarpejan Rock His House was demolish'd his Goods confiscated and the Manlii ever after oblig'd to renounce the Praenomen of Marcus AULUS CORNELIUS COSSUS The Fidenates U.C. 318. ancient Enemies of the Romans that they might fight without any hope of Pardon Before Ch. 432. kill'd the Roman Embassadors that were in Treaty with them against whom Quinctus Cincinnatus was sent Dictator with Cornelius Cossus General of the Horse who with his own hand kill'd King Lartes Tolumnius and was the second from Romulus that consecrated the Spoils of a slain General to Jupiter Feretrius PUBLIUS DECIUS the Father U.C. 417. Publius Decius Mus was Tribune of the Soldiers in the Samnite War Before Ch. 333. under Valerius Maximus and Cornelius Cossus the Consuls When they were block'd up by an Ambush of the Enemy in the narrow Pass of the Mountain Gaurus in Campania he with a Detachment granted him upon his request again'd an Hill frighten'd the Enemy and at Midnight escap'd safe through their sleeping Guards For which considerable Service the Army presented him with an Oaken Crown called Civica the honourable Reward of such as sav'd the Life of a Citizen in Battel and with another nam'd Obsidionalis for raising the Siege In the Latin War he and his Colleague Manlius Torquatus encamp'd at the River Veseris where both the Consuls dream'd the same night the Conquest would be theirs whose General should fall in the Battel comparing their Dreams they agreed that he whose Wing happened to be worsted shou'd vow himself to the Infernal Gods the Left Wing which Decius commanded giving way he with great resolution repeating some Solemn Prayers after Valerius the High-Priest devoted himself with his Enemies to the Infernal Gods so rushing into the Battel by his death procured Victory to the Romans P. DECIUS the Son Publius U.C. 447. the Son of the former Decius Before Ch. 303. in his first Consulship triumphed over the Samnites and consecrated the best of their Spoils to Ceres in his second and third Consulate he perform'd many noble Actions both at home and abroad In his fourth with Fabius Maximus Rullianus when the Gauls the Samnites the Umbri and the Tusci enter'd into a Confederacy against the Romans their Army being drawn up in Battel and in the Fight his Wing giving ground he encouraged by the great Example of his Father sent for Marcus Livius the Pontifex and leaning on his Spear repeated after him the usual Form of Prayer thus devoting himself together with the Enemy to the Infernal Gods he rushed into the Battel and bequeathed Victory to his Soldiers His Body was magnificently interred and he prais'd in a Funeral Oration by his Colleague TITUS MANLIUS TORQUATUS Titus Manlius Torquatus U.C. 395. for the Dulness of his Parts and the Impediment of his Speech Before Ch. 355. was sent by his Father to live a private Life in the Country upon Information that his Father was accused by Pompeius the Tribune of the People he came by night to Rome and having got an opportunity to discourse the Tribune in private with his drawn Sword forc'd him in great fear to lay aside his Accusation In his Tribuneship of the Soldiers under Sulpicius the Dictator he in a Duel kill'd the Gaul that challeng'd the Romans and taking off his Chain put it on his own Neck whence he as call'd Terquatus In his Consulship against the Latins to maintain his Discipline he beheaded his own Son tho victorious for fighting against his Order and beat them at the River Veseris where his Colleague Decius devoted himself to the Infernal Gods MARCUS VALERIUS CORVINUS U.C. 407. Valerius was Tribune of the Soldiers under Camillus Before Ch. 343. in pursuing the disperst Troops of the Gauls out of Italy and with great Bravery fought the Gaul who by a Challenge had terrified the whole Roman Army A Crow from Break of Day sate upon his Helmet and in the Fight assisted him by flapping his Wing in
after the Muster of his Army at the Lake Capra he was never seen more From which Accident a Dissention arising between the Senators and the People Julius Proculus a Nobleman came before them and affirmed upon Oath that he saw Romulus on the Hill Quirinalis in a more splendid and august Form than heretofore as a Proof of his being Deified who commanded them to cease from Seditions and to love Virtue Thus they should become Lords of the World The Romans believ'd him as one of great Authority among them therefore they built Romulus a Temple upon the Hill Quirinalis and worship'd him as a God by the Name of Quirinus NUMA POMPILIUS Second King of the Romans After the Consecration of Romulus the People growing mutinous from a long Interregnum and the want of a Successor Numa Pompilius the Son of Pompo was sent for from Cures a Town of the Sabines He came to Rome with the assurance of good Omens and that he might soften this fierce People with a Sense of Religion he instituted many holy Rites built a Temple to Vesta and appointed the Vestal Nuns He ordain'd the three Flamens for the particular Sacrifices of Jupiter Mars and Romulus and constituted the twelve Salii Priests of Mars the chief of which was called Praeful He created the High-Priest and built a Temple for Janus who was represented with two Faces the Gates of which were shut in Peace and open in War He divided the Year into twelve Months by adding January and February and made many profitable Laws pretending he did all those things by the Direction of his Wife the Nymph Egeria None of his Neighbours made War upon him out of the great respect they had of his Justice He died a natural Death and was buried in the Mount Janiculus where many years after a certain Man by Name Terentius as he was ploughing found a Stone-Chest with fourteen Books in it which containing many slight and frivolous Reasons about their Religious Ceremonies were burnt in prudence by an Order of the Senate TULLUS HOSTILIUS Third King of the Romans Tullus Hostilius for his good Service against the Sabines U.C. 82. was made King Before Ch. 668. He proclaimed War with the Albans which was ended by a Combat of three Brothers on each side the Horatii on the Romans and the Curiatii on the Albans He demolished Alba for the Treachery of Metius Fufetius their General and commanded the Inhabitants to remove to Rome He built that Senate-House from him called Hostilia and added the Mount Caelius to the City At last as he imitated the Example of Numa Pompilius in his Sacrifices he by mistaking the Ceremonies performed to Jupiter Elicius so enraged the God that he was struck dead with a Thunder-Bolt and his Palace burnt with Lightning The HORATII and the CURIATII U. C. 86. The Romans and the Albans having for a long time carried on a War under Hostilius and Fufetius Before Ch. 664. and finding their Forces daily to decrease they resolved to determine it with the loss of a few The Romans chose out three Brothers called Horatii and the Albans the three Curiatii for this Combat in which two of the Romans were presently slain and the three Albans wounded Now Horatius who survived perceiving this and judging himself unable tho not wounded to fight with three feigned a Flight and by this Stratagem kill'd them one by one pursuing him as their Wounds would permit them The Conqueror in his return laden with the Spoils of his Enemies met his Sister who wept when she saw the Embroider'd Coat of her slain Lover one of the Curiatii This Indiscretion provok'd him in his rage to kill her for which bloody Fact he was condemned by the Duumviri two Judges appointed for that purpose But apappealing to the People with the assistance of his Fathers Supplications and Tears he obtain'd his Pardon yet to expiate his Crime he was forced to go under a Gibbet which is to be seen at this day in the High-way and called Sororium METIUS FUFETIUS Metius Fufetius U. C. 88. the Alban General observing himself much hated by his Citizens for putting an end to the War by the Combat of the Horatii and the Curiatii Before Ch. 662. to make amends secretly stirr'd up the Vejentes and the Fidenates against the Romans Now Tullus upon account of the League between them demanded Fufetius's Auxiliary Forces who before the Fight drew his Army upon a Hill expecting the Event of the Battle with a design to fall in with the Conqueror Tullus understanding his Design gave publick Notice that Metius was posted there by his Order by which Artifice the Enemies were terrified and easily overcome And when Metius came the next day to congratulate him for his Victory he was by King Tullus's Command tyed to four Horses and for his Treachery pull'd in pieces ANCUS MARCIUS Fourth King of the Romans Ancus Marcius U.C. 113. Numa Pompilius's Grandson by his Daughter was not unlike his Grandfather Before Ch. 667. either in his Justice or Piety He overcame the Latins added the Hills Aventinus and Janiculus to Rome new wall'd the City and confiscated the timber of some Woods for publick Shipping He laid a Tax on Salt-Pits was the first that built a Prison and planted a Colony at Ostia situate at the Mouth of the Tiber very convenient for Trade He also instituted the Office of Heralds to assist Embassadors in demanding satisfaction which Custom was borrowed from the Aequiculi a People of Latium and reported to have been found out by Rhesus at the Siege of Troy Thus having settled these things in a very short time he was taken away by an untimely Death and by that Misfortune could not complete the Character of so great a King as his Subjects expected from him LUCIUS TARQUINIUS PRISCUS Fifth King of the Romans Lucius Tarquinius Priscus was Son of that Damaratus of Corinth U.C. 137. who flying from the Tyrant Cypselus Before Ch. 613. settled in Etruria He was first called Lucumo and came to Rome from Tarquinii a City of the Tusci In his Journey thither an Eagle took off his Cap and after a high Flight replaced it on his Head Which Tanaquil his Wife observing she from her great Skill in Augury knew by that Omen he should obtain the Kingdom Tarquinius by his Riches and Industry rais'd himself to great Honour and became a particular Favourite to King Ancus who dying left him Guardian of his Children but he governed in his own Name and ruled with such Justice as if he had been lawful Successor He chose an hundred new Senators whom he stil'd the Inferior Order and doubled the Centuries of the Knights but durst not alter their Names being discouraged by Accius Navius the Augur and fully convinc'd of his Art by the Experiment of the Whetstone cut â—n two by a Razor He overthrew the Latins built the Circus Maximus for publick Shews and
his Enemies Eyes which Victory honoured him with the additional Name of Corvinus His Prudence was of great Consequence to the Common-Wealth when a great number of poor Debtors not able to pay their Creditors had attempted to seize Capua and forc'd Quinctius to head them in appeasing that Sedition by taking off the Debt SPURIUS POSTHUMIUS U.C. 433. Titus Veturius and Spurius Posthumius in their Consulship warring with the Samnites Before Ch. 317. were drawn into an Ambuscade by their General Pontius Thelesinus who sent out some pretended Deserters to tell the Romans that Luceria a City in Apulia was besieg'd by the Samnites Two Roads lead to this place the one longer but safer the other shorter yet more dangerous the Romans in great haste to raise the Seige by taking the shorter way fell into the Ambush the place where this Misfortune happen'd was call'd Furculae Caudinae Caius Pontius when he had taken them sent for his Father Herennius to consult his Judgment in this matter who answer'd He would either have them all killed to weaken their Forces beyond hopes of Recovery or else sent away without Ransom that they might be for ever oblig'd to him for such a generous Favour but he rejecting both these Propositions made them all Slaves and enter'd into a League with dishonourable Conditions on their part which the Romans so disliked that Posthumius their General was deliver'd up to them to disannul the Articles but not received upon that Account by them LUCIUS PAPIRIUS CURSOR Lucius Papirius from his swiftness call'd Cursor U.C. 434. was sent Dictator against the Samnites Before Ch. 316. perceiving the War to be undertook with ill Omens he return'd to Rome to consult the Soothsayers for better Divination and left the Command of the Army to Fabius Rullianus with Orders not to fight upon any Occasion yet he inticed by a fair Opportunity fought the Enemy for which Papirius at his return would have beheaded him For the safety of his life he escaped to Rome where it was not in the Power of the Tribunes to defend him nevertheless by his Fathers Tears and the Peoples Intreaty he was at last pardoned and Papirius triumph'd over the Samnites He was very pleasant in his Conversation and a great Lover of Jests as appear'd one time after having severely reprimanded the Praetor of Praeneste for his Cowardise he order'd the Lictors to make ready their Axes and when he saw him sufficiently terrified with the fear of Death commanded them only to cut up the Roots that hinder'd their March The HONORABLE Mr. ROBERT BERTIE From the Year 434. to 511. U.C. QUINCTUS FABIUS RULLIANUS U.C. 434. Q. Fabius Rullianus was the first of his Family Before Ch. 316. for his Valour call'd Maximus when he was General of the Horse under Papirius Cursor he conquer'd the Samnites but had like to have been beheaded by the Dictator for fighting without Order in his absence He first triumph'd over the Apuli and Lucerini then over the Samnites thirdly over the Gauls the Umbri the Marsi and the Tusci In his Censorship he distinguish'd the Libertini in respect of their Votes into four inferior Tribes and would not be chose Censor a second time declaring it was not for the good of the Commonwealth to have the same Men often Censors He first instituted the Cavalcade of the Roman Knights on the Ides of July from the Temple of Honor upon white Horses to the Capitol At his death so much Money was collected for him by publick Contribution that his Son made a publick Feast and gave a Dole of raw Flesh to the People MANLIUS CURIUS DENTATUS U.C. 404. Manlius Curius Dentatus first triumph'd over the Samnites Before Ch. 446. whom he conquer'd as far as the Adriatick Sea At his return to Rome he thus signaliz'd the Greatness of his Victory in an Affembly of the People I hvae taken so much Land that it would turn a Desart had I not taken so many Prisoners to inhabit it and have taken so many Men that they must perish with Hunger had I not taken so much Ground for them to subsist on He triumph'd a second time over the Sabines and thirdly enter'd the City with a less Triumph call'd Ovation for conquering the Lucanians He drove Pyrrhus King of Epirus out of Italy In the Division of the publick Lands he gave forty Acres a Man amongst the People and reserv'd but forty for himself professing that none ought to be reckon'd a Roman Citizen who could not be contented with it He was so moderate in his Desires that he answer'd the Samnite Embassadors proffering him a great Present of Gold as he was at Dinner upon roasted Turnips I had rather eat these Turnips in this Earthen Dish and govern them that possess such Riches When he was accus'd of converting to his own use the publick Money he produced for his Vindication a Wooden Cruet which he us'd at his Sacrifices solemnly swearing he never had any thing more of the Enemies Spoils in his House He brought the Aqueducts of the River Anio into Rome at the Expence of the same Plunder and in his Tribuneship forced the Senate to make the Law from him call'd Curia by which Magistrates might be elected out of the Plebeians for which many Obligations the Republick conferr'd upon him an House and five hundred Acres of Land in Tiphata APPIUS CLAUDIUS CAECUS Appius Claudius Caecus U.C. 462. in his Censorship Before Ch. 288. tho he admitted the Libertini into the Senate prohibited the Musicians from publick Feasting and playing on Pipes in Jupiter's Temple Two Families call'd the Potitii and the Pinarii had for many Ages been constituted to perform Sacrifices to Hercules he brib'd the Potitii to instruct the common Slaves in those Religious Ceremonies for which Offence he was struck blind and the Race of the Potitii utterly extinguish'd He violently oppos'd the Communication of the Consulship to any Plebeian and would not gratifie the Ambition of Fabius Rullianus to have absolute Command without Decius Mus in the War against the Samnites He conquer'd the Sabines Samnites and Hetrurians and pav'd the way as far as Brundusium whence it was call'd the Appian Road. He finish'd the Aqueduct which was brought into Rome from the River Anio and was the only Man that kept the Censorship five years together When a Peace was concluding with King Pyrrhus and his Embassador Cineas had corrupted many of the Senators Appius old and blind was brought in his Litter into the Senate and with a noble Speech broke off those base Propositions PYRRHUS King of Epirus Pyrrhus U.C. 472. King of Epirus was by his Father descended from Achilles Before Ch. 278. by his Mother from Hercules he ambitiously aimed at the Empire of the World and perceiving the Romans very powerful consulted the Delphick Oracle about the Fortune of the War whom Apollo thus ambiguously answer'd Aio te Aeacida Romanos
Hatred to Rome From that time he served in those Wars under his Father after whose Death he sought all Occasions of Breaking with the Romans To which end he within six Months after destroyed the City Saguntum in Spain then in Confederacy with them From whence making his Way over the Alpes he passed into Italy and beat Publius Scipio at Ticinum Sempronius Longus at Trebia Flaminius at the Lake Trasimenus also Paulus and Varro at Cannae And might further have carried his Victories by taking Rome it self had he march'd directly thither and not turn'd aside into Campania to enjoy the Pleasures of that rich Country But after this when he had encamp'd his Army within three Miles of the City he was beat back by great Storms of Wind and Rain His Troops were first weakened by Fabius Maximus then repulsed by Valerius Flaccus next put to flight by Gracchus and Marcellus and being recalled into Africa he was there totally routed by Scipio From thence he fled to Antiochus King of Syria and incited him to make War against the Romans after whose Overthrow he was necessitated to retire to Prusias King of Bythinia to whom Titus Flaminius was sent on an Embassy to demand him but he prevented his being deliver'd up by drinking a Poison carried for such an Occasion in the hollow of his Ring and so died At Lybissa a Town of Bythinia he was put into a Stone Coffin with this Inscription on it Here lies HANNIBAL Q. FABIUS MAXIMUS Quintus Fabius Maximus Cunctator was called Verrucosus U.C. 535. from a Wart he had on his Lip and Ovicula Before Ch. 215. from his mild Nature In his Consulship he triumph'd over the Ligures and weak'ned Hannibal by his prudent Delaying to give him Battle He suffered Minutius General of his Horse at his Request to have equal Power in the Army with himself yet after that Arrogance refused not to relieve him when he had brought his Troops by ill Conduct into great Danger He shut up Hannibal in the Plains of Falernus and kept Manlius Statilius from revolting to the Enemy by his generous gift to him of a Horse and Arms also obliged a brave Soldier of the Lucanian Squadron who often left the Camp and neglected his Duty being transported with a violent Passion for a beautiful Woman by buying and presenting her to him He retook Tarentum from the Carthaginians and the Statue of Hercules which he brought from thence he placed in the Capitol And when the Senate would not approve of his Ratifying the Articles made between him and the Enemy about the Redemption of Prisoners he sold his Estate for two hundred thousand Sesterces with which he preserved his Honour and performed his Contract PUBLIUS SCIPIO NASICA Publius Scipio Nasica was a Man so eminent for his Virtue that he had the Image of Cybele Mother of the Gods by order of the Senate committed to his Care to be kept in his House till her Temple should be built He was so superstitious that when he understood himself to be chosen Consul by Gracchus with ill Omens he abdicated his Office In his Censorship he pulled down the Statues which many out of Ambition had erected for themselves in the Forum And in his Consulship took Delminium chief City of the Calmatians Out of Modesty he refused the Title of General offered him by the Soldiers as he did the Honour of a Triumph conferred on him by the Senate He was so very eloquent so well skilled in the Law and so extremely wise in all his Affairs that he was called Corculum or The Prudent Man M. CLAUDIUS MARCELLUS Marcus Marcellus slew Virdumarus U.C. 530. General of the Gauls in a single Combat Before Ch. 220. and was the Third from Romulus that dedicated the rich Spoils of a slain General to Jupiter Feretrius He first taught Soldiers to retreat without turning their Backs and by taking Advantage of a narrow Pass at Nola made Hannibal know he was not invincible Syracuse a City in Sicily was taken by him after three years Siege and when the Senate upon some false Accusation denied him the Honour of a Triumph he conscious of his just merit triumph'd from his own Authority on Mount Alban In his fifth Consulship he was unluckily drawn into an Ambuscade by Hannibal and slain His Funeral was solemnized with great Pomp but his Bones as they were sent to Rome were intercepted by Numidian Pyrats and lost LIVIA CLAUDIA the Vestal Virgin Whilst Hannibal wasted Italy U. C 549. the Romans consulting the Books of the Sybils Before Ch. 201. sent for the Image of the Goddess Cybele from Pessinuns a Town of Phrygia And as they came up the Tiber against the Stream the Ship on a sudden stopp'd in deep Water from whence it could by no Means be moved till by Direction in the same Books they understood that it might be drawn up the River by the Hand of a very chaste Woman Whereupon Claudia a Vestal Virgin unjustly suspected of Incontinency entreated the Goddess that if she knew her to be chaste she would vouchsafe to follow her then tying her Girdle to the Ship she drew it up the Tiber. The Image of the Goddess whilst her Temple was building was placed in the House of Scipio Nasica so honoured from the general Opinion of being the best Man in Rome M. PORCIUS CATO CENSORIUS M. Porcius Cato was born at Tusculum U.C. 557. but invited to fix at Rome Before Ch. 193. by Valerius Flaccus He was Tribune of the Soldiers in Sicily and behaved himself with great Valour whilest he was Questor under Scipio as he did with great Justice when Pretor In that year of his Pretorship he conquer'd Sardinia and was there instructed in the Greek Tongue by Ennius the Poet. In his Consulship he Hispania Tarraconensis and to secure them from rebelling he sent his Orders to all the Cities to demolish their Walls which every one of them imagining as only sent to them in particular readily obeyed In the Syrian War against Antiochus being Tribune of the Soldiers under Marcus Acilius Glabrio he gained the Pass of Thermopylae at the Streights of Mount Oeta and by that prevention routed the Enemy In his Censorship he turned Lucius Flammius who formerly had been Consul out of the Senate because in his Government of Gaul to please his Miss he ordered a Captive to be brought out of Prison and killed before her He was the first that built a stately Piazza calling it Porcia after his own Name and opposed the Luxury of the Roman Matrons when they demanded the Privilege of wearing their rich Ornaments taken from from them by the Oppian Law He was so indefatigable a Prosecutor of ill Men that in the fourscorth year of his Age he accused Galba for robbing the Lufitanians in his Pretorship and was himself impeached four and forty times but always honourably acquitted In the Debates of the Senate in the third Punick War he was
for demolishing Carthage his natural Vigor lasted so long that he had a Son at fourscore whose Effigies was often brought out to honour a Funeral Solemnity C. CLAUDIUS NERO and ASDRUBAL HANNIBAL's Brother Asdrubal U.C. 545. the Brother of Hannibal passed into Italy with great Recruits Before Ch. 205. for the strengthening his Army and the Roman Empire had then been utterly ruined if he had once joyned his Brother But Claudius Nero whose Camp was in Apulia near Hannibal leaving part of his Forces behind him drew out a large Detachment of his choicest Men and marching directly against Asdrubal joined M. Livius his Colleague at a Town called Sena by the River Metaurus in Calabria where they two together beat Asdrubal After this Victory Nero returned to his Camp with the same speed and threw Asdrubal's Head before his Brother Hannibal's Trenches At which sight Hannibal publickly declared he was overcome by the ill Fortune of Carthage For this good Service Marcus Livius entered Rome with a greater Triumph and Nero with a less because the Action was not performed within his Province P. CORNELIUS SCIPIO Publius Scipio called Africanus U.C. 551. for his Courage and Conduct in the Conquest of Africa Before Ch. 199. was supposed to be the Son of Jupiter for before his Mother was with Child of him a Serpent supposed the Genius of Jupiter was seen in her Bed and in his Childhood a Snake twined about him without doing him any harm The Dogs never bark'd at him altho he went into the Capitol at Midnight nor did he ever undertake any Business till he had sate meditating a good while near the Image of Jupiter as if he received Directions from that God He but eighteen years of Age by his singular Valour saved his Father's Life at Ticinum and so great Influence was the Authority of Scipio that he put a stop to the young Noblemen and hinder'd them from leaving Italy and conducted the Remainder of the Army after the Defeat of Cannae through the Enemies Camp to Canusium At four and twenty he was sent Pretor into Spain and took Carthago Nova now Carthagena the same day he came before it when his Soldiers brought him a young Maid whose Beauty attracted every one to be a Spectator he out of Modesty would not see her but gave order that she should be restored to her Father and betrothed Lover a Prince of Celâ—iberia He beat Asdrubal and Mage Hannibal's Brothers out of Spain made a League with Syphax King of Mauritania and received Massanissa into the Number of the Allies Returning home after these Victories he was made Consul before he was old enough according to Law and by the Consent of his Colleague passed over into Africa and forc'd his way through Asdrubal's and Syphax's Camp in one night He vanquished Hannibal after he was recalled out of Italy and imposed new Laws upon the conquered Carthaginians In the War against Antiochus he was his Brother's Lieutenant and his Son that was taken Prisoner was returned without Ransom in honour of the Father Being accused of Extortion by the Petilii and Naevius Tribunes of the People with great assurance he tore his Book of Accounts in pieces before the People and said This day I conquered Carthage 't was a good piece of Service to the Commonwealth let us go to the Capitol and return our publick Thanks to the Gods Then he left the ungrateful City spending the rest of his Life in exile and at his death begged of his Wife that his Body should not be carried back to Rome MARCUS LIVIUS SALINATOR In his first Consulship triumph'd over the Illyrians yet sometime after was maliciously accused by all the Tribes except the Metian for embezelling the publick Stock In his second Consulship he was joined with his Enemy Claudius Nero but rather than the Government should sustain any prejudice from their Variance he was freely reconciled to him and upon their Victory over Asdrubal Hannibal's Brother rode in Triumph into the City He was also chose with the same Nero in his Censorship and set a Poll-Tax upon every Tribe except the Metians taking away their Pension because they had either condemned very unjustly at first or else had done very ill in conferring so great Honours upon him after a former suspicion TITUS QUINCTIUS FLAMINIUS Was the Son of that Flaminius who who was killed at Trasimenus He was sent Consul into Macedonia and guided by King Carops's Shepherds into the Province He routed King Philip and took his Camp receiving from him his Son Demetrius for an Hostage tho afterwards he made him pay a great Ransom before he restored him to his Kingdom He took also the Son of Nabis King of Lacedemon as a Pledge for his Fidelity and at last made Proclamation by the common Cryer at the Nemaean Games with general Applause that all the Graecians should enjoy their ancient Liberties This was he that was sent to Prusias to demand Hannibal MARCUS FULVIUS NOBILIOR In his Pretorship conquered Spain for which good Service he enter'd the City with a less Triumph called Ovation The Aetolians and Ambracians were routed by him in several Battels who in the Macedonian War had first sided with the Romans but afterwards revolted to Antiochus King of Syria He drave them into their City Ambracia and by a Blockade forced them to surrender yet he plunder'd them of nothing but their Statues and Pictures which were carried before him in Triumph His Friend Quintus Ennius wrote a noble Poem in commendation of this Victory tho it was sufficiently famous of it self and needed not the Art of a Poet to set it off Mr. HEARY MOLINS D'AVENANT From the Year 563 to 660. U. C. L. SCIPIO ASIATICUS SCipio Asiaticus U.C. 563. Brother to Scipio Africanus Before Ch. 187. was a Man of a weak Constitution yet upon the Account of his Valour in Africa was recommended by his Brother for Consul and having him for his Lieutenant-General beat Antiochus King of Syria at Mount Sipylus in Caria where the Enemies Bows by reason of the excessive Rain were made useless He took from him part of his Hereditary Kingdom and from his Success gained the Name of Asiaticus Some time after he was accused for embezelling the Publick Treasure but Gracchus Tribune of the People satisfied of his Integrity tho his Adversary stop'd any farther Proceeding yet Marcus Cato the Censor afterwards took from him his Horse as a particular Mark of Disgrace ANTIOCHUS King of Syria Antiochus U.C. 560. King of Syria trusting too much to his own Power Before Ch. 190. waged War with the Romans under pretence of recovering the City of Lysimachia built by his Ancestors in Thrace and then in the possession of the Romans In a short time he seized on all Greece with the adjacent Islands but ruined himself by Luxury in the Island Euboea Upon the Approach of Acilius Glabrio he drew up his Forces in the Straits of the
with the Badges of Honor that nothing might be taken notice of as greater than himself When he was Tribune of the People he promised the Latins to make them free of the City he divided Lands amongst the Common People and by way of Exchange granted the Roman Gentlemen the privilege of sitting in the Senate House and the Senators the management of the Court of Judicature He was so extravagantly liberal that he declared he had left no Magistrate for the future any thing to give away but the Heavens and the Dirt of the Earth Hence wanting Money he did many things beneath his Honour For Money he delivered up to King Bocchus Magulsa a Prince of Mauritania who had left his Country for fear of the King's displeasure and was devour'd aftertwards by an Elephant and also he concealed in his House Adherbal Son to the King of Numidia residing at Rome as an Hostage in hopes of receiving a large Ransom from his Father He was so haughty that he threatened to throw his Adversary Servilius Caepio headlong from the Tarpeian Rock for opposing him And when Philip the Consul would not consent to his Laws about the Division of Lands he twisted his Neck before the People so violently that a great quantity of Blood gushed out at his Nostrils which he to upbraid him for his Luxury said Was not Blood but the Gravy of Thrushes Ar last he was hated as much as he had been formerly beloved for tho some People were glad at their receiving of the Lands yet others were vexed at their being turned out Many of the Gentlemen were pleased with the Liberty of coming into the Senate but they whose Names were omitted by the Censor took it ill The Senators were satisfied with the privilege of having power in the Courts of Judicature but were displeased that the Gentlemen should be ranked with them Whereupon Livius in great perplexity how to put off the Demands of the Latins who pressed to be made free of the City according to his promise on a sudden fell down in the Street either of an Epilepsie or having drunk on purpose some Goats Blood He Was carried home half dead publick Prayers were made for him over all Italy and when the Latins designed to kill the Consul at the great Festival on Mount Alban he gave Philip notice to take care of himself for this he was afterwards accused in the Senate and assassin'd in the Street one time as he was a going home by Philip and Caepio as 't was generally suspected C. MARIUS the Father Caius Marius was seven times Conful U.C. 650. born of mean Parentage at Arpinum Before Ch. 100. but by degrees advanced to the highest Places of Honor. Whilst he was Lieutenant under Metellus in Numidia he got the Consulship by accusing him and taking Jugurtha prisoner led him in Triumph before his Chariot He was chose Consul for the year ensuing nemine contradicente and triumph'd for his Victory over the Teutones in Gaul at Aquae Sextiae and the Cimbri in Italy in the Claudian Fields In his sixth Consulate which he enjoyed six years successively by a Decree of the Senate he put to Death Apuleius Saturninus Tribune of the People and Glaucias the Paetor for raising a Sedition When he would have supplanted Sulla by Sulpicius's Law and been General in his stead in the War against Mithridates he was driven out of Rome by his power and forced to hide himself in a Marsh at Minturnae Upon his Discovery he was cast into prison and by his Majestick Look frightened the Gaul that was sent to execute him Whence escaping in a small Vessel he passed into Africk and lived there a long time in Banishment But at last recalled by Cinna the Consul he broke open all Work-houses and mustered up an Army of Slaves and glutting his Revenge by the Slaughter of his Enemies in his seventh Consulship some say the killed himself C. MARIUS the Son U.C. 670. Caius Marius the Younger invaded the Consulship at Five and twenty years of Age Before Ch. 80. which over early Honor his Mother with Tears lamented for he was as cruel as his Father and beset the Senate-House murther'd his Enemies and threw their Bodies into the River Tiber. In his Preparations for the War against Sulla whilst he lay down in the open air to refresh himself tired out with watching and labor at Sacriportus his Forces were routed as he slept and he came up to them only time enough to run away amongst them He fled from thence to Praeneste where Lucretius Offella block'd him up and trying to make his escape through some subterraneous Passages but finding them all secured he desired Pentius Gelesinus to kill him LUCIUS CORNELIUS CINNA U.C. 665. Lucius Cornelius Cinna was a very wicked Man Before Ch. 85. and by his unparallel'd Cruelty almost ruin'd the Common-wealth In his first Consulship he would have made a Law for recalling the Exiles but was oppos'd by his Colleague Octavius and turned out of his Office Upon which he left the City and making all the Slaves free by their assistance vanquished his Enemies killed Octavius and got possession of Mount Janiculus He made himself Consul a second third and fourth time and then as he was preparing for a War against Sulla he was stoned to death by his Army at Ancona for his insufferable Cruelty C. FLAVIUS FIMBRIA Caius Flavius Fimbria U.C. 665. one of the cruellest of Cinna's Officers Before Ch. 85. went Lieutenant under Valerius Flaccus the Consul into Asia but was dismissed upon some private Grudge and to revenge himself by his corrupt Practices he prevailed with the Army to revolt and kill'd their General Then seising on the Insignia that belonged to the Consul he took the Government upon himself and beat Mithridates out of Pergamus giving Orders that Ilium should be burnt because they did not open their Gates soon enough to him and put all the Officers in the Garrison to the Sword but Minerva's Temple received not the least Damage by the Flames preserved in every ones Opinion by the Power of the Goddess Soon after he was block'd up by Sulla at Pergamus and seeing his Army desert him slew himself VIRIATHUS LUSITANUS Viriathus a Lusitanian U.C. 619. by reason of his great Poverty was at first a Day-Labourer Before Ch. 131. then for his Activity a Huntsman for his Boldness a Robber and at last a great Commander He waged War against the Romans and beat first their General Claudius Unimanus and afterwards Caius Nigidius He was willing to make peace with the Romans while his Arms were successful but after he was routed by them and had yielded up all things else upon the seizure of their Arms he renewed the War And Caepio finding that he could overcome him no other way hired two of his Guards to kill him as he lay drunk upon the Ground but the Senate did not approve of this Victory