Selected quad for the lemma: friend_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
friend_n	write_v	writer_n	year_n	50	3	4.1177	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28438	Janua scientiarum, or, A compendious introduction to geography, chronology, government, history, phylosophy, and all genteel sorts of literature by Charles Blount ...	Blount, Charles, 1654-1693.	1684 (1684)	Wing B3306; ESTC R2203	36,273	146

Alcibiades's return to his Countrey whom Thucydides left meditating on that retreat Also Xenophon gives us the Enterprize of Cyrus the younger under whom he was a General against his Brother Artaxerxes with the Grecians retreat out of Persia which was afterwards an occasion of his Banishment His Institution of the Elder Cyrus is a moral Romance and shews rather what a Prince should do than what Cyrus really did there being little true History in it save the taking of Babylon and captivating of Craesus as appears by the Relation given of Cyrus in Justin and other Historians As for the Book de Aequivocis attributed to Xenophon it is an Imposture of Annius His works saith Chrysostom may teach Politicks to all Princes States-men and Generals which made Scipio and Lucullus who never went without them succeed accordingly as Cicero observes A late foolish Italian Author without any ground for it accuses Xenophon of an immodest Love for Agesilaus only because he writes so much in his praise but he had learnt too much Morality from his Tutor Socrates to commit such an Act. Qu. What account have you of Polybius Ans Polybius born at Megalopolis a City of Arcadia was the Son of Lycortas General of the Achaians by whom both Father and Son were sent Embassadors to Ptolomaeus Epiphaneus and afterwards Polybius associated with the Roman Consul as joynt-Commissioner in the War against Perseus King of Thessaly He wrote his History in 40 Books whereof only the five first remain entire with an Epitome of the 12 next following to the beginning of the 18 th Book which were thought to be epitomized by Marcus Brutus This History begins with the second Punick War and contains not only the Events that passed betwixt the Romans and Macedonian Kings to the end of that Monarchy but all other the most considerable actions of the World for 53 years for which reason he gives it the Name of Vniversal And for the more compleating hereof he travell'd himself over most part of Europe Asia and Africa being furnished with Ships by Scipio Aemilianus who together with Lelius were his two bosom-Bosom-friends whereupon Cicero saith that he wrote a distinct Treatise of the War of Numantia waged by his Friend Scipio to whom he was a Councellor though not a School-master as some would have it He dy'd in the 82 d. year of his age which was 230 years before Christ He believ'd nothing of Gods Heaven or Hell as appears by his sixth Book Dyonisius accuses his unpolite Stile Patricius without reason blames his method and Livy notwithstanding he transcribes whole Books of Polybius verbatim in his Decades dis-ingeniously terms him only a Writer not to be despised However besides the modern Casaubon Cicero and Plutarch of old did much esteem him and Brutus who disliked Cicero did much admire Polybius Finally as Vossius observes though inferiour to one or other of the Greeks for Eloquence yet to none for Civil Prudence and Military Science Qu. What account have you of Diodorus Siculus Ans Diodorus Siculus born at Agyrium a Town in Sicily lived to a great age under Julius and Augustus Caesar about the middle of whose Reign he dyed He spent 30 years in writing his Historical Library which in 40 Books whereof we have but 15 extant comprized the most remarkable passages of the World for the space of 1138 years not reckoning what was comprehended in his first six Books of those fabulous Times before the War of Troy which is certainly the best account of the ancient Heathen Mythology we have any where extant For the perfecting hereof he travell'd most part of Europe and Asia as well as into Aegypt Henry Stephens was informed that the Remainders of this Authors Works were all found in Sicily but how true I know not His stile is condemn'd as being a Sicilian and living in the declining of the Greek Tongue by Bodin His Chronology censured by Pighius and Sigonius and Ludovicus Vives inveighs against his whole Book for describing the Antiquity of the World according to the ancient Caldaean and Aegyptian Records Nevertheless Authors of no less Credit as Photius who praises his Stile together with Pliny Eusebius Justin Martyr and Stephens do at least equalize if not prefer him to the best of the Greek Historians Qu. What account have you of Dionysius Halicarnasseus Ans Dionysius of Halicarnassus in Greece lived under Augustus at Rome whither he came soon after the end of the Civil-Wars where after 22 years abode having well inform'd himself both from the most judicious Books and Men he wrote his History of the Roman Antiquities in 20 Books whereof 11 only are extant The whole Work began from the Siege of Troy and reached to the first Punick War and ended there where Polybius began But the 11 now extant conclude with the Government of the Decemviri when the Consuls resumed their Authority which was 312 Foundation of Rome He was a severe Critick and censures Plato Demosthenes and most of the Ancients also a most accurate Orator as appears by his Composition of Rhetorick now in being but too exact and rigorous in his Laws of Eloquence He too much affected digressions in his History also he was too credulous and superstitious in his Ethnick Religion as when he makes a Statue speak c. Nevertheless Photius praises his Stile as most Elegant and some prefer him before Livy but Scaliger esteems him before any of the Latines for his account of Roman Antiquities both in respect of his Chronology and Matter wherein he is very particular Qu. What account have you of Josephus Ans Josephus the Jew was born under Caligula which was 39 years after Christs Incarnation of Royal Extraction being descended from the High-Priests of Jerusalem by the Father and from the Royal Blood of the Machabees by the Mother He lived also under nine Emperours In the 26 th year of his age he went to Rome and by the assistance of Poppaea Augustus's Wife procured the release of those Priests whom Faelix had imprison'd Afterwards being chosen Captain of the Galilaeans he headed them in their revolt against the Romans under their General Vespasian and being worsted obscured himself in a Well where he endured great misery till being taken and brought to Vespasian he there prophesied of Vespasian's coming to the Empire which soon happening accordingly as also interpreting the Prophecy of a Messias to signifie Vespasian and his Son Titus he was released and made as a Friend to accompany Titus at the taking of Jerusalem After which he composed seven Books of that Judaick War which he presented to Titus who valued them above all others in his Library To this he adds his own Life written by himself And when he was returned to Rome with Vespasian he wrote his twenty Books of the Jewish Antiquities beginning from the Creation and so on to the 12 th year of Neroe's Reign As for his two Books against Apion they were to vindicate the Antiquity and

't is thought by Lipsius and other Learned men to have been written by neither Now among these many Judicious persons who extol this Author Vossius though he prefers the Eloquence of his History before that of his Annals yet allows him to be every where Grave and Elegant Also Lipsius calls him a sharp and prudent Writer and Imitator of Salust Sidonius would have him never mention'd without Praise But the Emperour Tacitus had so great a veneration for his Ancestor and Name-sake that he made his Books be transcrib'd no less then ten times in one year and caused his Statue to be erected in all publick Libraries Notwithstanding he hath not been totally exempt from Censure For Alciatus rather out of Affection than Reason preferr'd his Friend Paulus Jovius before him and Ferret as well out of Ignorance as Vanity accuses Tacitus of writing ill Latine However Pliny the younger magnifies his Eloquence therein Also Vopiscus only to justify his Assertion that all Narrations are mixt with untruths accuses Tacitus of delivering falsities but gives no instance where Likewise Chrysostom and Tertullian bribed rather with Religion than Judgment accuse Tacitus as an Imposture for that he derides the Christians abuses the Miracles of Moses and upbraids the Jews for their adoring the Effigies of an Ass in the fifth Book of his History Which as coming from an Heathen is not altogether so criminal but rather to be condemn'd for a digression than for an Impiety Finally he equals as well Thucydides as Salust in the number of his choice Sentences out of which the wisest Politicians have selected their most prudent Maxims of State Qu. What account have you of Lucius Florus Ans Lucius Annaeus Florus descended from the Noble Annaean Family and thereby allayed to the Senececaes lived under the Emperour Adrian and composed an Epitomy of Roman History in four Books Some question whether he was the same Author that annex'd the Arguments to Livy's History but 't is a great errour to imagine that he ever design'd the Epitomy of all Livy's works much less that he should occasion the loss of any part of them His stile is Poetical using like Virgil Hemesticks in his Periods and writes more like a Declamer than a Historian which makes Sigonius brand him for impertinent His account of the Suns being seen to fall into the Ocean and there heard with Horrour to extinguish its Beams in the Waves as mention'd in his Description of Brutus his Sea Voyage also his Report of two Spirits in the shape of young men appearing in Rome near the Temple of Castor and Pollux when he speaks of the defeat of Cimbri by Marius are things altogether incredible and not fit to be inserted in History as Scaliger in his Comment on Eusebius well observes Yet notwithstanding Vossius allows him to be a Writer that is both Elegant and Eloquent and except in some few places truly Florid. Qu. What account have you of Suetonius Ans Caius Suetonius Tranquillus whose Fathers name was Suetonius Lenis as he himself testifies in the Life of Otho was Secretary of State to the Emperour Adrian till being suspected of too great Familiarity with the Empress Sabina he was removed from that Employ After which he apply'd himself to writing and compos'd these several Pices To wit The Lives of the Twelve first Roman Emperours beginning with Julius Caesar and ending with the death of Domitian in the 98th year of Christ which piece is now extant Together with other Tracts of the Illustrious Grammarians Rhetoricians and Poets whereof at this day only some Fragments remain Besides a Discourse of the Roman Games a piece call'd the Republick of Cicero and of the most Illustrious Families of Rome all which are perish'd in the ruines of time Ausonius likewise tells us of another Book of Kings divided into three parts Which he saith was written by Suetonius and afterwards contracted into a Poem by Pontius Paulinus But for that Treatise of the Life of the Elder Pliny which goes under the Name of Suetonius it was certainly none of his for the great Intimacy betwixt our Author and the younger Pliny would have produced a more Honourable Character of his Friends Uncle the Elder Pliny than is there to be found had Suetonius been the Writer of it Some are of opinion that the beginning of his first Book of the twelve Caesars is wanting because there is no mention of the Birth and first years of Julius Caesar as there is of the Original and Education of all the other Emperours in the rest of their Lives As for the Censures that are passed upon Suetonius they are chiefly two the first For his exclaiming against the turbulent Superstition of the Christians And the second for his Description of Vice in the Lives of Tiberius Nero and Caligula whereof if you will pardon him the first as an Heathen I see not how he could avoid the other as a Faithful and True Historian Nevertheless Pliny calls him A most Learned and Honest Author Suidas the famous Roman Grammarian Vopiscus a fair Candid and Compendious writer But Ludovicus Vives saith That of all the Greek and Latine Historians He is the most pure and diligent speaking Truth boldly Nay many prefer him before Livy Salust or Tacitus which Character though Vossius will not assent to yet doth he approve of those other Encomiums given him by Vopiscus and Vives This Author was at first rendred into English by that Voluminous Translator Dr. Philemon Holland which gave occasion for one merrily dispos'd to break this quibling Jest upon him Philemon with Translations doth so fill us He will not let Suetonius be Tranquillus Qu. What account have you of Justin Ans Justin flourish'd under Antonius Pius and abbreviated those forty four Books of the Vniversal History of two thousand years from Ninus to Augustus which Trogus Pompejus had before composed under the reign of Tiberius and whereof nothing but this Epitomy remains which nevertheless we find not to occasion the loss of the Original as some imagine Martin the Polander as well as Munster confound this Author with Justin the Martyr making them one of the same because they were Contemporaries but without any colour of Reason as appears by the Scurrilous Invective made by this Historian against the Jews in his 36th Book which the Martyr would never have been guilty of Now of this Author as well his Method wherein he follows his Original even in the very number of Books as his Stile are both highly commended The seven first Books comprehend the Infancy of the World or first Inhabitants thereof beginning with the description of Kings Places and Countries of the first Assyrian or Babylonish Monarchies and from the seventh to the one and fortyeth Book is a continued Series of the Empire of Macedon beginning with Philip the Father of Alexander the Great He used no direct Orations for that had rendred him guilty of the same errour which Trogus himself condemned in