to talke with him apart out of all mens hearing So the roume being voided and all commaunded to depart farre ynough out of the way he draweth our his skeine and leaping aloft upon the bed stood there and held it full bent against him and threatened presently to give him the stab unlesse he would swear the oath he should teiâ—der unto him namely never to cal an assemblie or hall of the Commons togither about his fathers enditement or impanell a Iurie against him The Tribune affrighted seeing the naked weapon glittering before his face himselfe all alone and unarmed the other a tall and lustie young fellow and that which was as much to be feared as the rest foolehardie and presuming upon his strength tooke the oath in that forme as he put it unto him And afterwards he gave it out plainely and confessed for his excuse that by this meanes hee was forced in spight of his heart to surcease his suit and give over his enterprise But the Commons were not so much offended at the sonne for giving such an adventure in his fathers quarrell but they could have beene more contented and better pleased that it had lien in their power to have passed their voices for the condemnation of so cruel prowd a prisoner as they had under their hands And the more praise-worthie was this dessigne of the sonne because so great rigor of the father wrought no alienation at all in his heart from the affectionate dutie that hee owed unto him So not onely the father escaped his arraignement but this action of the young man turned to his owne honor and preferment For whereas this year it was first ordained that the Tribunes or Colonels should be chosen by voices of the legionarie souldiors for aforetime as at this day the Generals themselves made them whom they call Ruffuli in sixe places for so many were elected he obtained the second rowme and that in regard of no desert otherwise either at home or abroad which might win him this favour as who had spent his youth in the countrie altogether far from the civile societie of men The same yeare by earthquake or some other forcible violence the common place called Forum clave and opened wide welneere in the mids and suncke downe to an exceeding depth neither could that chincke or pit be filled up by casting in of earth notwithstanding every man laboured and brought what he could before that they began to enquire according as they were admonished by the divine Oracles what it might be wherein the most puissance and greatnes of the people of Rome consisted For the wisards prophesied That if they would have the state of Rome to remain sure for ever they should dedicat and offer it whatsoever it was unto that place And when they were in doubt what this should be it is reported that M. Curtius a right hardie knight and martiall yong gentleman rebuked them therfore because they doubted whether the Romanes had any earthly thing better than armour and valor Herewith after silence made he lift up his eies and beheld the temples of the immortall gods scituate neere to the Forum and the Capitoll likewise and stretching forth his hands one while toward heaven another while to the gaping chinckes and gulfe in the earth toward the infernall spirits beneath hee offered and devoted himselfe to assured death And mounting upon a brave courser as richly trapped and set out as possible he could devise armed as he was at all peeces he leapt horse and man and all into the hole The people both men and women threw in after him sundrie gifts and oblations and fruits of the earth in great plentie The place was after called Curtius Lacus of his name and not of that Curtius Metius in the old time who was a souldiour under Titus Tatius If I could by any meanes search out the truth I would not spare for any paines in that behalfe But now seeing that by reason of antiquitie the certaintie is not fully knowne wee must goe by the common voice and report of men And verily the name of the lake is more renowmed and noble by occasion of this later and fresher tale than the other After the expiation of so great and prodigious a wonder much consultation there was in the Senate that yeare as concerning the Hernickes for having sent their heraulds unto them for an almendate of harmes done but to no effect they determined with all convenient speed to propose unto the people for to proclaime warre against the Hernickes and bid them defiance The people generally with one voice liked thereof and approved it The charge of that service and exploit fell to L. Genutius his lot to undertake Now for that he was the fâ—st Consull of the Commons that by his owne auspices and conduct should manage warre the cittie was in great expectation of the sequele and issue and according to the event that should fall out good or bad in this journey they were to judge whether they had done well or amisse to communicate these dignities with the Commons But it fortuned so that Genutius being with great preparation and power set forth against the enemies was entrapped by an Ambuscado his legions upon a suddaine feare unlooked for defeated himselfe the Consul environned round about and slain by them that wist not whome they slew Which tidings being brought to Rome the Senatours were not so pensive and sorrowfull for the common calamitie as they frounced and tooke on most insolently for this unhappy expedition and conduct of the Commoner Consull and muttered in all places these and such like speeches Now let them go and create Consuls againe out of the comminaltie and translate the Auspicia whether they ought not What Because the Senatours by an Act of the Commons might be defeated and dispossessed of their dignities could so inauspicate and irreligious a lawe prevaile likewise against the gods immortall Who now themselves have taken the matter into their own hands and mainteined their power their deitie and Auspices which were not so soone medled withall and polluted by one that had no right thereto nor lawfull title but both the whole armie and captaine also were vanquished and overthrowne to teach them for ever hereafter how they make their solemne Elections of Magistrates confusedly without regard of the rightes and roialties of noble houses These speeches both Counsell house and common place rong againe withall So the Consull Servilius with consent of the Nobles named for Dictator Appius Claudius who had aforetime in an oration before the whole assembly of the Commons dissuaded the proceeding of that law and now with greater authoritie blamed the mishap of that counsell which was by him misliked and reproved A muster was proclaimed and a publike Vacation But before that the Dictatour and these new enrolled legions were gone as farre as the Hernickes confines the other armie under the leading of G. Sulpitius the Lieutenant by
men that came about him and retired to a place of safetie And in the other wing Ebutius Generall of the horsemen set upon Oct. Mamilius but he the captain I meane of the Tuscalanes was well ware of him and espied him comming and ran his horse with full carriere likewise upon him and so desperately they bare their launces one against the other that Ebutius was run quite through the arme and Mamilius wounded in the brest whom the Latines succoured and received into the middle ward As for Ebutius not able any longer to beare his staffe with his arme sore hurt withdrew himselfe out of the battell The leader of the Latines nothing dismaied for all his hurt maintained fight still and seeing his souldiors somewhat distressed he sendeth for the regiment of the Romane exuls that were under the leading of L. Tarquiniâ—s his son who sticking more courageously unto it for anger that their goods were spoiled and they driven out of their owne countrey renued the combate afresh for a while And as the Romanes from that quarter began to recule and give ground M. Valerius the brother of Publicola espying young Tarquine vaunting himselfe gloriously in the forefront of the exuls inflamed also with a desire of domesticall glorie of his house that the same familie which had the praise of expelling the kings might likewise win the honour of killing them spurred his horse and with deadly speare ran against Tarquinius who giving way to his mortall enemie retired backe to his owne regiment But Valerius by this time was disbanded from his companie and rashlie ridden into the battaile of the exiles and there a common soldior happened to charge upon him a flanke and run him through The horse staied not a jot for all the rider was wounded and so the Romane knight readie to die fell to the ground with his armor upon his bodie and paid nature her debt Posthumius the Dictator after he perceived so valiant a man fallen and the banished men advancing lustilie forward with full trot and his owne soldiors distressed and at point to turne their backs gave expresse commaundement unto his owne band which he had about him of chosen tall men for to gard his person that as manie of their fellowes as they saw to flie they should take them for enemies and kill them in the place Thus by reason of a counterfeare the Romanes made head againe and renewed the battaile Then began the Dictators cohort to fight and comming with fresh bodies and couragious stomackes charged vpon the wearied exiles and killed them one everie side Wherupon began another combat also between the Colonels captains of qualitie marke The generall of the Latines seeing the battalion of the banished well neere environed round by the Romane Dictator speedily taketh with him into the forefront of the battaile certaine squadrons of those that were appointed in the reergard to succour and aid whom T. Horminius a lieutenant espied to come marching in good order knowing amongst them Mamilius by his gorgeous harnish and goodly cote armour with farre greater violence than the Generall of the horsemen a little before encountred the Colonell of his enemies so hotly that both he ran Mamilius through his sides and slue him outright and also whilest he was disarming and rifling his bodie he was wounded himselfe with a short javeline and being brought backe with victorie into the campe at the first dressing yeelded to nature and died Then rode the Dictator apace to the horsemen and earnestly cried unto them that seeing the footmen were toiled out and wearied they would alight from their horses and take the matter into their hands The horsemen soone obeied lept from horsebacke and set forward as if they had flowne to the forefront where they opposed their targets in defence of them that fought before the ensignes Whereat presently the Infanterie began againe to take heart seeing the principall men of armes and noble young Gentlemen in the like kind of service exposed to the same danger and readie to take part with them Then at the last were the Latines put backe and their whole battel began to shrinke The gentlemen had their horses brought to them againe and they mounted on horseback to pursue their enemies The footmen likewise followed after There the Dictator omitting no helpe of God and man vowed as men say a temple to Castor and openly promised and proposed rewards to that souldior that made either first or second entrie into the enemies campe Whereupon they bestirred themselves so courageously that the Romanes at one brunt both vanquished their enemies and also were possessed of their tents This was the noble field fought at the lake Regillus The Dictator and the generall of horsemen returned into the cittie with triumph For three years after there was neither assured peace betweene them nor yet professed war Consuls were Q. Cloelius and T. Lartius After them A. Sempronius and M. Minutius Whiles these two were Consuls the temple to Saturne was dedicated and the feast called Saturnalia instituted After them succeeded A. Posthumius and T. Virginius And in this yeare and not before I find in some authours that the said battell was stricken neere the lake Regillus and that A. Posthumius suspecting the fidelitie of his brother Consul gave over his place and so was made Dictator The account of times doth so varie and is so intricate and confused whiles writers diversly set downe the cheefe Magistrates that in so great antiquitie not of acts onely but also of authours a man cannot orderly and directly distinguish according to some writers who were Consuls and what was done in every yeare Afterwards were Ap. Claudius and P. Servilius created Consius This yeare was famous for the newes of Tarquiâ—e his death He died at Cumes to which place after the defeature of the Latines power he went to Aristodemus the Tyrant At which tidings the hearts of the Nobles were wel lightened the Commons also began to look up But that joy in the Nobilitie was above measure too excessive and licentious For why the great men began now to wrong and wring the communaltie whom untill that day they had favoured and pleasured to their full power In the same yeare the Colonie Signia which king Tarquinius had erected was now stored againe the second time and the number supplied with new inhabitants And the tribes or wards at Rome were now made up 21. The temple of Mercurie was dedicated in the Ides of May. With the Nation of the Volscians in the time of the Latine warre neither was there peace nor war for both the Volscians had levied a power for aid to send unto the Latines if the Romane Dictator had not made good speed and also the Romane Dictator hastened the more for feare he should in one battell have to deale with Latines and Volscians both at once Vpon this quarrell the Consuls led forth their legions into the Volscians countrey
all his joints Then verilie the wrath of the gods taught him to be wiser And being over waried with harmes past and in feare of more presentlie to ensue he conferred with his kinsfolke and friends to be advised by them When he had declared unto them what he had seene and heard namelie how Iupiter had so often appeared unto him in his sleepe and that the fearefull displeasure and threatnings of the heavenlie gods were shewed plainlie by sundrie mischances fallen upon him by the full consent of all them that were about him he was brought in a litter to the Consuls into the Forum or common place from whence by the Consuls commaundement he was caried into the Counsell house Where when he had made report unto the Senatours of the selfe same things to the exceeding wonder and admiration of them all see another strange miracle He that was brought into the Senate house a lame creple of all his lims after he had once delivered his errand returned home to his house as it is recorded sound upon his feete Herupon the Senate decreed That the Games should be set out as magnificentlie as could be devised The these solemnities resorted by the motion and persuation of Accius Tullius a great number of Volscians But before they were begun Tullius according to the complot between him and Martius at home made a step or errand unto the Consuls at Rome saying that he would willinglie commune and treat with them apart of important affairs concerning the State When voidance was made and everie man gone he began in this wise Loth I am quoth he if otherwise I could chuse to speake ought but well of my countrimen and fellow citizens Yet come I not to complaine of anie action of theirs alreadie pasted but to give a caveat and provide that nothing be practised hereafter The nature and disposition I may tell you of our people is too too unconstant and unstaied more ywis than I would they were a great deale that have wee found and felt to our great cost and manifold damage wee I say who verilie at this day by your long sufferance and not by good desart of ours do stand in good termes of peace and safetie There is now here a great multitude of Volscians the Plaies and Games readie to be represented and celebrate Your citie will be whollie amused in the beholding therof I remember upon the like occasion what was somtimes enterprised and wrought in this citie by the youth of the Sabines and my heart doth tremble and quake for feare least some inconsiderate rash and foolish part be plaied by ours thus much O ye Consuls I thought good in our behalfe and yours both to giue you ynkling of before hand As for me I am minded presentlie to go from hence home least I being heere seene might be thought in some word or deed accessarie uno them so culpable Having made this speech he departed When the Consuls had declared in the Senate this thing so doubtfull and yet proceeding from the mouth of so sure and certaine an author behold the credite of the man as commonly it is seene rather than the likelihood of the matter caused them to be warie and circumspect yea although there was no such need or cause at al. Wherupon the Senate made an Act that the Volscians should be jogging out of the citie And divers criers or Bedles were sent out sundrie waies to command them to avoyd be packing before night At the first the Volsciens were onely much affrighted and ranne everie man to and fro into his Inne to fetch away his things But afterwards in the way homeward they began to thinke more and more of it and to grow melancholie thinking it a great indignitie that like polluted and profaned persons they should be driven from the Games on festival holidaies discarded as a man would say and excommunicate out of the companie both of God and man Thus as they went along all on a row as it were in one continued and joynt traine Tullius who was gone afore as far as the Ferentine head received the formost and chiefe of them as every one came entertained them with complaints words of indignation drew both them who willingly gaue eare to his words so fitly framed tending to stir more coles and also by their meanes the rest of the multitude into a plain field lying hard vnder the high way side Vnto whom assembled togither as it were to here a sermon he thus began to speake Admit quoth he you could forget the old wrongs and abuses offered you by the people of Rome the losses and ouerthrowes of the Volscian Nation yea and all other quarrels whatsoever how can ye put up this daies spightfull reproch and dishonour received at their handes who to our great disworship and shame haue begun their solemne Games Perceiued you not how they haue triumphed ouer you to day how as ye departed ye were a spectacle and pageant to all men cittizens and strangers and to so many neighbour nations adjoyning how your wives and children were brought as it were in a shew to make them sport and to laugh at what conceit was in their heads think ye that heard the voyce of the Bedle what thought they that beheld you as you dislodged what imagined they that happened to meete this ignominous troupe as they matched Even this no other that there was some wicked sinne among us not to be named whereby we should as malefactors haue stained polluted their games if we had ben present at the sight of them and haue committed some hainous act that would require by some satisfaction of sacrifice to be purged for that cause were driven from having any conversation fellowship and societie of good and godly men Over and besides how can you choose but thinke of this That we enjoy our liues still onely because we hastned our remoove if this may be called a remoove and not rather a plaine taking of a flight and running away And yet you reason this no enemie cittie where if ye had staied but one day longer you had died for it everie one Defiance is giuen alreadie and war denounced against you but if ye be men indeede of courage to their great cost and mischiefe that haue denounced it Thus being of themselves kindled inough with indignation and by these words enflamed and set on fire they went ever ie man his way from thence home and so effectually sollicited each one the people where he dwelt that in fine the whole nation of the Volscians revolted and rebelled To mannage this war were chosen Generall commaunders by one consent of all the citties Accius Tullius and Cn. Martius the banished Romane in whome of the twaine they reposed greater hope and this their hope failed them not So as it soone appeared that the puissance of the state of Rome consisted more in the dexteritie of good captaines than in
good service of the others least if they had gotten it graunted there might have seemed more regard had of the persons than of the deserts But this noble and honourable victorie over the enemies abroad thus atchieved was obscured and foulie distained with a shamefull dome of the people in a controversie of their allies about the bounds and meeres of certaine lands The inhabitants of Aricia and Ardea having warred oftentimes one with the other about some lands in question betweene them and by giving and taking sundrie foiles and overthrows outwearied chose the people of Rome their Vinpire to decide and determine this quarell And when they were come with their counsell to plead the case the Magistrates graunted a court of Assises of the people Where was much arguing and dispute on both sides before them and after the witnesses were deposed and that at length the Tribes should be called to the scrutinie and the people give their voices there steps forth an old father one P. Scaptius a Commoner And I quoth he for my part O Consuls if it be lawfull to speake for the good of the State wil not suffer the people to erre and be deceived in this question When as the Consuls denied him audience as being an old foole and of no credite and commanded bim as he cried still that the publicke cause of the cittie was betraied to behad away he calleth for the assistance of the Tribunes The Tribunes then who lightly are ever over-ruled by the multitude rather than able to rule them yeelded unto the Commons That for as much as they were desirous to heare what the old man could say Scaptius should speak his mind at large Then setteth he the tale on end and beginneth thus I am quoth he fourescore winters old and three on the head of it and even upon that very ground for which all this strife and variance is I served as a souldior when I was no young man neither but one that had been prest to warres and received pay twentie yeares afore And it was I remember well during the siege before Corioli Hither am I now come to give evidence of a thing by long continuance of time worne out cleane and forgotten of other men but fresh in my knowledge and remembrance to wit that the lands thus litigious and in controversie had been sometime within the confines of the Coriolanes and after the winning of Corioli were seised by right of conquest to the Commons of the people of Rome I marvell much therefore by what custome and prescription the Ardeates and Aricines who never had right and interest and were not postlesled of the land so long as Corioli stood in prosperitie should hope to defeat the people of Rome thereof whom being the LL. in fee of the ground they had chosen for their Arbitrator As for mee I have but a small while to live and one foot alreadie is in grave and yet I cannot find in my heart but to that land which whilome I being a young and lustie souldior did my best to fight for and conquered with sword in hand make claime now that I am aged by word of mouth the onelie meanes left mee to recover it I advise the people therefore in good sadnesse that in a vaine respect of bootlesse modestie they condemne not their owne cause nor give away their right The Consuls marking well what audience was given to Scaptius and that he was heard not onely with silence but also with good liking and contentment cried out upon this abominable practise calling both heaven and earth to witnesse and therwith sent for the Lordes of the counsell and joyning with them went to the Tribunes fell in hand with them and instantly besought them not to go forward with this most leud action for the present a more shameful precedent for the time to come namely that Vmpiers and daies-men should convert the thing in suit unto their own and proper vantage especially considering that Admit it were a lawful thing for a judge himselfe to have an eie and regard to his own commoditie yet would there not be so much gained and gotten by comming thus betweene and interverting the land as there would be dammage and hinderance another way in alienating by those hard courses the hearts of their good friends and Allies For the losses verely and cracks of name and credit are such as may not be valued at any price And should the embassadours indeed say they go their waies home with this goodly catch and make report abroad how they have sped should our confederats heare this should our enemies come by the knowledge thereof with what griefe the one with what joy the other Thinke ye that our neighbour nations will impute attribute and ascribe this unto the speech made by Scaptius a prating old busie body one that loveth to heare himselfe speake in assemblies Nay this is certaine well may Scaptius be famous and much talked of in the playing of this pageant but the people of Rome shall incurre the obloquie to have acted the part under the visour of Scaptius of a cunning promoter and a false interceptour to himselfe of other mens right in suite For what judge at any time in a private matter hath done the like as to award the thing in question unto himselfe Why even Scaptius past all shame and grace as he is would never have done it These and such like words spake both Consuls and Senatours alowd in all their hearing But the covetousnesse of men and Scaptius that first set them a longing and their teeth a watering prevailed more than they all The Tribes were called to the Scrutinie of their voices gave judgment That the lands pertained to the common Territorie of the people of Rome Neither can it be denied but it would have so appeared indeed in case it had been tried before other judges But now for all the goodnesse of the cause is not the ignominie of the arbitrement one jote the lesse Nay the Aricines and Ardeates themselves thought not more shamefully and hardly of it than the very Senatours and Peeres of Rome The rest of the yeare continued quiet from all troubles as well domesticall as forraine THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF THE HISTORIES OF T. LIVIVS of Padoa from the foundation of the Cittie of Rome The Breviarie of L. Florus upon the fourth Booke THe law concerning marriage betweene the Nobles and the Commons was proposed and with much ado enacted by the Tribunss of the Communaltie not withstanding the Nobles withstood it Tribunes militarie with full authoritie of Cousuls were created Vnder this kind of Magistracie was the State ruled for certaine yeares both in cittie and in warre The lands of the Ardeates which had been awarded from them by an arbitvement of the people of Rome were restored againe unto them and Coloners sent to inhabite the same In the time of a great dearth and famine at Rome one Sp. Melius a Romane
them within the compasse of the campe and even to Camillus his pavilion Where to his wicked intended act he added also a more gracelesse speech saying That he yeelded Falerij into the Romanes hands in that he gaue them those children to doe with what they would whose parents were the rulers and commaunders of the cittie Which words when Camillus heard Thou commest not quoth he lewd wretch as thou art with thy lewd cursed present either to a people or to a captaine like thy selfe We have not indeed with the Faliscians any league at all by covenant of man concluded and established yet by nature there is and will be still a kind of amitie or societie betweene us and them There are lawes due for warre as well as for peace and those have we learned to observe no lesse justlie than valiantly We bare armes not against that sely age which usually is spared in rasing and sacking of townes but against armed men and those who being by us neither harmed nor provoked have assailed the Romanes campe at Veij And yet those enemies as bad as they be like as thou hast for thy part exceeded them in a new and strange kind of wickedness so will I conquere I doubt not by feats that the Romanes professe by vertue by travaile by hardie sight like as I have done Veij alreadie After this he caused him to be stripped naked and so with his hands bound behind him he delivered him to the children for to bring him backe to Falerij and gave them rods withall wherwith they might whip and drive this traiterous person forward into the cittie At which sight the people at the first came running together and then the magistrates called a Counsell to sit upon this strange occurrent But see what a change it wrought in their hearts They who a while before were with hatred anger so cruelly set as that they wished rather in a manner to be destroied with the Veientians than to accept of peace as the Capenates had done now throughout the whole cittie required to be at accord with the Romanes No talke in the market place no speech in the Counsell house but of the faithfulnes and truth of the Romanes and of the justice of their Generall And with one general consent of all Embassadours were sent to Camillus into the campe And from thence by permission of Camillus to the Senate at Rome they went to deliver up Falerij and being admitted into the Senate house in this wise by report they spake In that victorie right honourable which neither God nor man can chuse but allow are we by you and your Generall overcome and vanquished And here we render ourselves unto your hands supposing this than which to a conquerour there can be nothing more honourable that we shall live better under your government than under our owne proper lawes and liberties The event and yssew of this warre hath assourded to mankind two worthie examples to follow Yee for your part have made choice to observe faithfulnes in warre rather than to attchieve a present conquest and we again by this your faithful dealing induced provoked have willingly yeelded unto you the victory confessing our selves now presently to be your leige lawful subjects Send whom you wil to receive our armor our hostages our town with open gates Neither shal you ever repent of our alleageance nor we think much of your rule goverment Camilius had thanks both of the enemies and of the citizens The Falisci were charged with mony for that years pay that the people of Rome might be freed of their subsidie Thus when peace was graunted the armie was brought backe againe to Rome Whenas Camillus was returned after this conquest of his enemies into the cittie with much better commendation than when as in triumph he rode in a chariot drawne with white horses through the cittie as being now famous for his just dealing and faithfulnesse secretly the Senate was abashed for verie reverence of the man and could no longer beare but without further delay to acquire him of the vow he made So there were sent L. Valerius L. Sergius A. Manlius as Embassadours in one galley unwasted to present unto Apollo at Delphi by way of oblation a standing cup of gold Who not farre off from the narrow seas of Sicilie were encountred bourded by certaine Liparensian pirates or men ofwarre and had to Lipara Now the manner was of that cittie as common rovers use to doe for to devide the prise amongst them Haply the chiefe officer or magistrate for that yeare was one Timasitbeus a man more like to the Romanes than his own countrimen Who having himselfe some reverent regard of the name of Embassadours and the present of the god to whom it was sent and the occasion therof possessed the multitude also which alwaies lightly resembleth their governor with due religion and pricke of conscience This head ruler brought the Embassadours into their lodging and entertained them courteouslie at the cities charges wasted them with the convoy of a sufficient fleete accompanied them in person to Delphi and from thence conducted them home againe safe to Rome Whereupon by an Act of the Senate there was a contract made with him of amitie and mutuall intertainement and giftes bestowed upon him at the citties cost The same yeare there was doubtfull warre with the Aequians so as it was uncertaine both in the armie and at Rome whether they had woon or lost the victorie The Generals for the Romans were of the Tribunes Militarie C. Aemylius and Sp. Posthumius At the first they warred both together but after when the enemies were in sight discomsited it was agreed that Aemylius should keepe Verrugo with a garrison and Posthumius wast the borders Where as he marched somewhat negligently with his armie out of order as presently after a field woon the Aequians set upon him and having put him in fear chased him unto the hils next hand The fright whereof came from thence to the other garrison also at Verrugo Posthumius after that he had retired his men into safetie and assembled them together and there in an Oration greatly blamed and cried out upon their feare andrunning away and that they were discomsited by a most dastardly fugitive enemie the whole host cried out with one voice That they deserved to be told of it and confessed that they had committed a foule fault but they themselves would make amends therfore and promised that the enemies should carrie it neither to heaven nor hell nor joy long therwith Requiring that he would conduct them presently to the enemies campe which in sight was pight upon a plaine protesting to refuse no extremitie of punishment if they were not masters of it before night Hee then commended them and willed them to refresh their bodies and to be readie at the releese of the fourth watch Now lay the enemies likewise in the passage to intercept
for that they could neither annoy the Romanes by warres not keepe the Volscians still in armes brake out thus farre that they fired the cittie Satricum which had been the first place of refuge after their defeature and unhappie fight Neither left they any house in that cittie standing but set fire upon all indifferently as well profane as holy aedifices onely the Church of Dame Matuta they spared From which it was neither any religion and conscience of their own nor feare of the gods that kept them but as men report a fearfull voice heard out of the Temple with heavie threates unlesse they held their hands and kept them farre enough from burning the sacred habitations so impiously In this rage and mad fit of theirs to Tusculum they go for very spight that they forsaking the generall counsell of the Latines had not onely yeelded themselves to be in league with the Romans but also became incorporate citizens with them And comming upon them on a sodaine while their gates were open at the first shout the whole towne all but the Castle was surprised The townesmen with their wives and children were thither fled and sent messengers to Rome with certificat to the Senat of this sodaine and unlooked for accident And with all speed as appertained to the fidelitie of the people of Rome an armie was led to Tusculum wherof L. Quintius and Servius Sulpitius had the conduct At Tusculum they found the gates fast shut against them and the Latines as men both besieging and besieged And whiles of the one side they intended the defence of the wals on the other side assaulted the castle at one time they were affraid themselves and put others in fear likewise But the comming of the Romans wrought a great change and alteration in the hearts of both parties For it caused the Tusculanes of fearfull men to become exceeding cheerefull and the Latines who made full reckoning to win the fortresse out of hand as being masters alreadie of the towne had but small hope now to helpe and save themselves The Tusculans they set up a great shout from the Keepe and answered it was againe with a greater from the Romane armie The Latines were put to it hard on both sides For neither were they able to abide the violence of the Tusculans running downe the hill upon them not to put by and keepe off the Romans comming hard under the wals and assaying to breake the bars of the gates First they scaled the walles and gat upon them after they brake the port-cullies downe Thus the Latines environed with enemies both before and behind that pressed fore upon them having neither strength enough left to fight nor roome of ground to make an escape were slaine in the midst between the enemies every mothers sonne So when Tusculum was recovered out of the enemies hands the armie was brought backe againe to Rome But the more quietnesse there was that yeare without the cittie by reason of prosperous wars the more encreased the violence and hard dealing of the Senatours within and the calamities of the Commons grew every day more than other For they wanted meanes and were not able to paie for the interest that needs must be paid When nothing therfore was to be had to make paiment out of their goods they were adjudged and awarded to satisfie their creditours in their bodie and name and so their punishment served in steed of keeping their credit discharging the consideration Wherupon not only the meanest of the Commons but also the very chiefe began now to let fall their hearts and to stoupe so low that there was not a wittie nimble headed man and of experience amongst them that would put himselfe forth to stand to be a Tribune Militarie in concurrence with the Nobles which they had so earnestly shot at and laboured for no nor so much as to beare and sue for any offices of the Commons So as the Senators now seemed to have recovered againe for ever to themselves the possession of that dignitie which the Commons of late for some few yeares had usurped and occupied over their heads But that this other side might not joy too much hereat a finall occurrent hapned betweene which as it falleth out most commonly gave the occasion and first footing to an enterprise of much importance M. Fabius Ambustus a great and mightie man as well amongst those of his owne calling as also with the Commons whom he was reputed never to despise as other did of his condition and estate had two daughters married forth the elder unto Servius Sulpitius the younger unto C. Licinius Stolo a man verily of good worth and reckoning but yet a Commoner And Fabius disdaining not this alliance and affinitie wan himselfe much love and favor among the Commons Now it fell out so that these sisters were upon a time together in the house of Servius Sulpitius then Tribune Militarie and as they passed the time away as the manner is in much good talke discoursing one with another of many matters it chanced that a Sergeant or verger of Sulpitius at what time as he was comming home from the Forum or common hall rapped as the order was with his rod at the dore When the younger Fabia not acquainted with those fashions was thereat somewhat amazed her sister making a wonder at her ignorance laught her to scorne But that laughter as womans mindes god wot are soone kindled with a little set her a worke and hammered in her head Besides the traine of many that came about her weighting and giving attendance readie to know her pleasure and what she would mended the matter much I suppose she thought her sister happily wedded and repented her owne marriage upon an ill and sâ—ister judgment whereby every man repineth that his neighbour and nearest of kin especially should go beyond him and doe better then he Vpon this discontentment and fresh heartburning of hers her father haply seeing her dismaid asked her whether all were well at home But when she would have turned the cause of her griefe another way for that it stood neither with her love and kindnesse towards her sister to envie her estate nor yet with the reverent honour that she was to yeeld unto her husband to finde fault with her owne he with milde questioning came about her so that he drew from her the truth so as the confessed her griefe to arise upon this that she was disparaged and namely married not according to her qualitie but into an house uncapable both of worship favour Then Ambastus comforting his daughter willed her to be of good cheere and said That ere it were long she should see the same state the same advancement and dignitie at home which she had seene alreadie in her sisters house Hereupon began he to plot with his sonne in law joyning also unto them L. Sextius a stout young man and one that was like enough to come to preferment but that
power puissance in saving it we preserve our countrie in offering it to die we abandon and betraie our countrie To yeeld and render ourselves is a foule and shamefull thing true but such is the love of our countrie that we ought to preserve it as well with our utter shame if need require as by our death Let us undergo then and abide this shamefull indignitie whatsoever and obey that fatall necessitie which the verie gods themselves connot overcome Go to then Consuls a gods name redeem the cittie with your armour and weapons which your forefathers ransomed with their gold Then went the Consuls to Pontius for to parle And when as he began like a conquerour to debate about the capitulations of Covenants they denied plainly that any league could be made without the privitie will authoritie of the whole people nor without the Fecials and other solemne and usuall ceremonies So that this Caudine accord was not as commonly it is beleeved and as Claudius also writeth concluded by forme of absolute covenant but by way of stipulation and promise For what needed either sureties in a perfect agreement league or hostages to be given when the matter is passed by this forme of praier BY VVHOSE DEFAVLT IT HAPNED THAT THE CONDITIONS AGREED VVERE NOT OBSERVED THAT PEOPLE IVPITER VVOVLD SO SMITE AS THE SVVINE THERE VVAS BY THE FECIAL SMITTEN The Coss. Lieutenants Tresurers and Colonels who undertooke as sureties subscribed and signed and the names yet are extant of them all where if the matter had passed by way of an absolute league there should have been subscribed no more but the names of two Fecials only Moreover by reason that the conclusion of this accord was of necessitie deferred there were required also 600 horsemen hostages who should loose their heads in case the covenants of the agreement were not observed And thereupon was the time appointed and set downe of delivering the said hostages and yeelding the armie without their armour Now the comming of the Consuls renewed againe the sorrow in the campe that hardly they could hold their hands from those through whose rash conduct they were come to that place of disadvantage and through whose cowardise they were to depart from thence more shamefully than they came complaining that they had not so much as a guide to direct them nor an espiali to discover the coast but like beasts were driven blinded into a trap or pitfall and one looked upon another beholding the armor that within a while they were to deliver up viewing their right hands which anone should be unarmed their naked bodies exposed to the mercy and devotion of the enemie They set before their eies the gallows prepared by the enemie for them to passe under the skornes and reprochfull taunts of the Victor his proud and disdainefull lookes and how they disarmed should passe in a long train and go through the armed enemies then afterwards the piteous spectacle of the way which they must go the shamefull dismarch of their disgraced armie briefly their foule and dishonourable returne through the cities of their allies unto their countrie and parents whether they themselves and their ancestors often times had gone in triumph They were the onely men which without wound without dint of weapon without battaile fought were discomfited and vanquished who might not so much as draw their sword and never came to joine or encounter with their enemie having armour having strength of limme having hearts given them in vaine As they braied out with great discontentment and anguish these words the fatall hour of their reproch and shame was come which by proofe and sensible experience was to make all matters more heavie and wofull than they conceived and imagined in their mindes aforehand First and foremost were they commanded all to goe forth without the trench disarmed and in their single garments then were the hostages presently delivered and had toward after this were the serjeants and officers willed to depart from the Consuls whose rich coats of armes when they were plucked from their shoulders mooved such pitie compassion even in them who a while before with all cursing banning judged them worthie to be delivered bound hand and foot into their enemies hands for to be mangled despiteously and cut in peeces that every man forgetting his own estate wherein he stood turned away his eies as it were from an abhommable spectacle and could not indure to behold that disgracing disfiguring of so great state and maâ—estie The first that were put under the gallows were the Coss. welneere halfe naked and according to their degree and place so was everie one in order put to the shame and afterward the legions one after another The enemies in their armor stood all the while about them scorning mocking making a game of them many had swords and daggers set against their hearts in menacing wise some were hurt and stabbed to death namely such as with stern countenance and grim looks above the rest for the indignitie of these things offended the conqueror Thus were they sent with shame inough under the gallows and that which was more grievous than the thing even in the sight view of their enemies they were not so soon gotten outofthe forrest but although they semeed but then as plucked out of dark hell to see the day yet the very light it selfe was worse than all kind of deaths when they beheld so ill favored an armie unseemly And therfore albeit they might have reached to Capua before night yet being doubtfull of the faithfulnes and protection of their allies or els dismaied for very shame they cast their poore and silie bodies upon the ground about the high waies not far from Capua Wherof when news came to Capua the just due pittie which they took of their allies overcame the inbred arrogancie and pride of that people by kind Immediatly they sent unto the Coss. the ensigns ornaments belonging to their place of authoritie the lictors serjeants with their rods they sent armor and horses apparell victuall also for the soldiors bountifully and as they came neer to Capua the whole Senat and people went out to meet them and performed all duties of kindnes hospitalitie both privat and publick that could be devised and as meet was and requisite And yet neither the courteous usage the pleasant countenances and lightsome speeches of their allies could draw from them any words no nor so much as make them to hold up their heads and eies and to looke again upon their friends when they yeelded them all these comforts they could So as besides their greefe and sorrow of heart a certaine bashfulnesse and shame forced them to shun all communication and conversing with men The morrow after when as certaine young gentlemen of the Nobilitie were returned who had been sent in convoy from Capua to accompanie them and bring them on their way as farre as their liberties
one should have lived and died according to the fatall course of his owne severall destinie without the hazard of the whole and maine chance It remaineth now that forces be compared with forces and armies to armies either in number or in qualitie of souldiours or multitude of Allies from whom they had their aides There were esteemed by computation in the Taxing yeares Surveies taken by the Censors of that age two hundred fiftie thousand polls Citizens of Rome And therefore in all the revolts and rebellions of their allies the Latins they were able to levie and enroll ten legions complete of Romane citizens well neere and none else And for many yeares often times there were foure and five armies employed at once which maintained warres in Tuscane inHetruria in Vmbria take also the Gaules with you their enemies likewise Lucania in Samnium Besides al these Alexander should have found all Latium with the Sabines Volsciens and Acquians all Campania part of Vmbria and Hetruria with the Picentes the Marsians Pelignians Vestines and Apulians and all the cost adjoyning thereto of the Greekes along the nether Tyrrhen sea from the Thurians to Naples and Cumes and from thence the Samnites as farre as to Antium and Hostia All these he should have met with either mightie and puissant allies and friends to the Romanes or if they were enemies vanquished and subdued by their armes He should have passed the seas himselfe having of old Macedonian bands not above thirtie thousand foote four thousand horse and those most of them Thessalians for this was all his power And in case he had joyned thereto the Persians Indians and other such nations he should have drawne along after him more let and encombrance than help and succour by them Take this over and besides The Romanes had fresh supplies alwaies readie and neere at hand at home in the Citie whereas Alexander his armie as afterwards it happened to Annibal warring in a strange countrie would have waxed old and decayed They had for their armor and weapons a shield or buckler and a speare in manner of a pike The Romanes had a target of larger capacitie to cover the whole bodie and a javelin being a weapon much better and more forcible than the pike either to strike and push withall neere hand or to be launced a far off The souldiers I confesse both of the one side and the other stood their ground surely kept their place and array still within their severall rancks The Macedonian massive Phalanx moved not was stedfast and alwaies after one sort but the Romanes battaillon more distinct and consisting of many parts easie both to divide and display or to joyne and reunite upon any occasion To speake now of painefull worke and travaile what souldier is comparable to the Romane who better able to endure all sorts of labour Alexander by the losse but of one battaile had bene cleane done and his warre at an end for ever But the Romanes whose harts neither the shameful disgrace at Caudium nor the wofull defeature at Cannâ—â— could mate and daunt what power would have discouraged what battaile in the world would have broken their backs Certes Alexander although he had great prosperitie and good successe in his first beginnings and enterprises would oftentimes heere have missed his Persians and Indians and desired with all his heart to have had dealing with them againe and other cowardly and dastardly nations of Asia nay he would have sayd that he had warred before but with women as Alexander king of Epirus by report gave out when he was wounded to death conferring the easie occurrents of war which this yong Prince his nephew met withall in Asia with the difficulties of his owne that he found here in Italie And verily when I call to mind and remember the conflicts and fights at sea in the first Punick warre for the space of xxiiij yeares with the Carthaginians I suppose the whole age of Alexander would hardly have brought about and finished that one warre and against one of those two States And peradventure when both Carthaginians and Romanes had beene combined either according to the auncient leagues or for equall feare of a common enemie those two cities most puissant both for men and munition had taken armes at once against him he would have been overwhelmed with the Punicke and Roman warre together Moreover the Romanes have made good proofe of the Macedonians as enemies if not when they had Alexander to be their Captaine nor whiles the Empire of Macedonie was at the best and stood upright unfoiled yet tried them they have made head against them under the conduct of Antiochus Philip Perses it never cost them the losse and overthrow of their owne part no nor so much as any apparence of danger at all I would not bee thought to speake a prowd word but be it said without arrogancie and setting all our civile wars aside never were wee distressed either byhorse or foot never in open field and battaile ranged never on even and plaine ground never in unequall places of disadvantage were wee endangered The soldior in heavie complete harneis I confesse may fear the Cavallerie in the plaines may fear shot of arrowes combersome forrests and woods streight gullets unpassable wilds without waies forward or backeward but let there bee a thousand armies greater and stronger than the Macedonians or Alexander so long as we hold together and continue still in this love of peace and care of civile concord wherein we live at this present wee are able and ever shall bee to discomsite and put them all to flight After this were M. Follius Flaccina and L. Plautius Venox Consuls The same yeare there came from sundrie Nations of the Samnites Embassadours to treat for the renuing of the league and moved the Senat most humblie kneeling prostrate upon the ground but being put off referred to the people their praiers availed not to such effect for as touching a league they had a flat nay And after they had for certain daies together importuned them one by one apart with cap and cursie at length after much suit they obtained truce for two yeares And out of Apulia the Theanenses and Canusines wearied with rodes and spoile made in their territories after they had put in hostages to Lucius Plautius the Consull yeelded themselves to his protection The same yeare first began Provosts to bee created at Capua to governe under certaine lawes given unto them by L. Furius the Pretor after that themselves had made suit for the one and the other as a remedie for their state greatly decaied through civile discord And at Rome were two more Tribes added to the rest Vtentina and Falerina When Apulia began once to shrinke go backward the Theatines being also Apulians presented themselves unto the new Consuls C. Iunius Bubulcus and Q. Aemylius Barbula and sued to enter into a league with the Romanes
upon themselves and to suffer yea and offer their owne territories to be spoiled and harried for the safetie forsooth of other mens lands who were but meere aliens and strangers unto them The noyse and garboile being at length husht and appeased this answere was returned to the Embassadors That neither the Romanes had deserved so well nor the Carthaginians so ill at their hands that they should take armes either for Romanes or against Carthaginians But contrariwise they were advertised that some of their nation were by the people of Rome driven out of the marches and confines of Italie put to pay tribute yea and indured other outrages and indignities The like demaunds and answeres passed too and fro in other Councels and assemblies of Gaule neither could they meete with any friendly enterteinement or have peaceable words given them before they came to Massilia where after diligent inquirie and faithfull search made by their allies they had true advertisements that Anniball aforehand had wrought the harts of the Gaules to his owne purpose and was possessed of them but they understood withall that they were not like to continue long in good termes of kindnesse and favor even to him so fierce and savage so untractable are they and untamed by nature unlesse their Princes and rulers be ever and anon well feed and plied with gold whereof that nation of all other is most greedie covetous The Romane Embassadors having thus gone their circuite over all the States of Spaine and Gaule returned to Rome not long after that the Coss. had taken their journey into their provinces where they found the whole citie possessed with the expectation of warre so rise and currant was the rumor and bruit abroad that the Carthaginians were alreadie passed over the river Iberus Anniball after the winning of Saguntum had retired himselfe to winter in new Carthage and there having intelligence what had bene done and decreed as well at Rome as at Carthage in Affrick and that he was reputed not onely the Captaine generall and conductor but also the very author and cause of all this warre so soone as he had devided and sold the rest of the bootie and pillage that remained thought good now to make no longer delaies but assembled the soldiours of the Spanish Nation and to them he spake in this manner My trustie friends and loiall consederats I am persuaded that ye yourselves do see as well as I now that all the States of Spain are in peace and quietnesse that either yee are to make an end of souldierie all our forces to be cassed and discharged from service or else that yee must remove the warre into other lands For so shall these Nations prosper and flourish and not onely enjoy the blessings of peace but also reape the fruits of war if we will seek to gain riches and to acquire glorie and honor from others Since therefore wee are to warre shortly far from home and doubt it is when you shall see again your houses and whatsoever there is deere unto you if any of you bee desirous to visite home his wife and children kinsfolke and friends I give him licence and free pasport But I commaund you withall to shew yourselves heere againe before mee in the beginning of the next spring that with the helpe of God we may in hand with that warre whereby wee shall purchase both worship and wealth There was not one in a manner but well accepted of this libertie so franckly offered by himselfe and were desirousâ— have a sight of house land both for that overy one a readie longed for their friends and kindred and foresaw in farther time to come a greater misse and cause of more longing after them This rest all Winter time betweene their travailes past and those they were soon after to endure refreshed as wel their bodies as their minds and prepared them to abide and endure all new paines whatsoever So in the very prime of the spring according to the Edict aforesaid they all assembled together againe Anniball having taken a muster and survey of the aides that were sent unto him from all those Nations went to Gades and there to Hercules he paid his old vowes and bound himselfe to new if the rest of his enterprises should speed well and have good successe After this deviding and casting care indifferently as well for offensive as defensive warre doubting least whiles hee went by land through Spaine and France into Italie Affricke should lie open and naked to the Romanes from Sicilie side purposed to fortifie and make that part sure with strong garrisons In lieu whereof hee sent for fresh supplie out of Affricke specially of Archers and Iaâ—â—lotiers and those lightly armed to the end that the Affricanes might serve in Spaine and the Spaniards in Affrick like both the one and the other to proove the better souldiours farre from their owne countries and being bound as it were with mutuall and reciprocall pledges So hee sent into Affricke 13850 footemen armed with light targets and 870 slingers of the islands Baleares 1200 horsemen also out of sundrie Nations Which forces he disposed partly for thedefense of Carthage partly to be devided through Affricke for the guard thereof Hee sent withall certaine Commissioners into all their citties to take up souldiours and enrolled 4000 of their chosen youths who should be brought to Carthage there to lie in garison and to serve for hostages And supposing that Spaine was not to be neglected and the rather because hee was not ignorant how the Romane Embassadours had visited the same round to see how they could sollicite and worke the Princes and rulers to their mind he committed the charge of that Province to his brother Asdrubal a valiant and hardie man and furnished him with good forces especially out of Affrick to wit 11850 Affricans footmen 300 Ligurians 500 Balearo Islanders To this power of footmen three hundred horse of the Libyphoenicians a Nation mixt of Carthaginians Affricanes Of Numidians and Mores that coast upon the Ocean 1900. with a small cornet of 200 horsemen of Ilergetes out of Spaine And because hee should want no manner of land helpe foureteene Elephants besides Moreover there was a fleet allowed him for the defence of the sea coasts For by what forces and service the Romanes had before gotten victorie thereby it was likely that they would still maintaine and continue their warres 50 gallies therefore of five bankes of oates hee had at sea two of four and five of three But of the five oared gallies aforesaid he had no more but two and thirtie fitted and well appointed with rowers and marriners and so were the five of three banckes From Gades the armie of Anniball returned to winter in Carthage and from thence he passed by the citie Etovissa and marched forward with his forces to Iberus the sea coasts Where it is reported that in his sleepe hee
of the Coss. with newes that the enemies were fled in such feare as they left their tents standing entire and had quit the campe wholly and to the end their flight should be more secret and not descried they had left light fires burning in everie place Then began they all to crie call upon the Coss. for to command the standerds and ensignes to be brought abroad and to lead forth in pursuite of the enemies without any stay to make spoile and havock of their campe And in truth one of the Coss. was no wiser than the common soldiors But Paulus replied told them ever anon that they were to be circumspect and warie to looke about them what they did for feare of an ambush Yet seeing in the end no remedie and that otherwise hee could neither staie the mutinie nor rule the captaine thereof he sent out M. Statilius the Provost marshall with a troupe of Lucane horsemen in espiall to discover the coasts see all were cleare who having ridden hard to the gates and given order to all the rest for to stay without the fortifications himselfe with two horsemen besides entred within the rampire and having looked and searched every corner advisedly 〈◊〉 tired and made relation That past all peradventure there were knaves abroad a peece of 〈◊〉 cherie was in hand for why there are fires made qd he on that side only of the campe that â—â—â—ked toward the enemie the pavilions stand open and all things of price value which they 〈◊〉 most store by are left at randon even to fit our hands we have seen besides in divers places silver plate and coine scattered along the way here and there as it were a bair laid to traine us to a bootie These circumstances reported of purpose to withdraw their minds from covetous and greedie desire of pillage set them on kindled them the more And the soldiors had no sooner cried aloud that unlesse the signall were given they would set forwards without Commandersâ— but they had a captain straight at hand to lead them the way for immediatly Varro founded the march Paulus who of himselfe made slow hast and perceived besides that the birds in taking the Auspice approved not this enterprise nor gave good tokens of happy speed gave order straightwaies that his Collegue should be advertised of the unluckie Auspice who was readie now to set out of the gate with his standerd and that in any wise he should stay Wherwith albeit Varro was not wel content yet the late misfortune of Flaminius the memorable overthrow at sea of Claudius Pulcher Consull in the Punick war wrought some scruple of conscience and feare in his heart But it was even the faire grace of the gods if a man may so say and nothing else which put by and deferred rather than impeached and inhibited the danger and destruction that hung over the Romanes heads For as good hap was it chaunced at the very instant when the Consull commanded the ensignes to be brought into the campe the soldiors would not obey him that two slaves who served sometime two horsemen the one a Formian and the other a Sidicine and who in the year when Servilius and Atilius were Consuls among other foragers were taken prisoners by the Numidians made an escape and fled that day to their old maisters again Who being brought before the Coss. advertised them constantly that the whole armie of Anniball lay close in embuscado on the farther side of the mountaines The comming of these bondslaves so right and jump as they did caused the souldiors to obey their Coss. Whereas the one of them by his ambitious courting and seeking unto them at the first for a Consulship and afterwards by his unseemely indulgence and pleasing of them had lost all his majestie and reputation among them Anniball when hee saw that the Romanes rather began to stirre without advise than still to run rashly on head to the full and that his craftie devise was disclosed and tooke no effect returned againe into his campe Where hee could not for want of come make abode many daies and besides not onely souldiors who were not all one mans children but a mingle mangle and medley of all Nations began daily to plot and enter into new dessignements but also their captaine himselfe was of many minds For whereas they began with muttering and grumbling and afterwards with open mouth to demaund and call for their due wages complaining first of the death of victuals and in the end of meere hunger and famine and withall a rumour ran that the mercenarie souldiours and the Spaniards especially were minded and intended to give him the slip and to turne to the enemie Anniball likewise be thought himselfe otherwhiles as it was said how he might flie into Gallia but so as he would leave his Infanterie behind him at sixe and seven and so bee gone with his Cavallerie alone As men I say were thus plotting and devising in the campe he resolved at length to dislodge from thence and to remove into the hotter countries of Apulia where the harvest was more timely considering with all that the farther hee went from the enemies his souldiours who were by nature light-headed and unconstant would not so easily revolt and flie from him So he tooke his way by night and made fires likewise left a fewe tents standing in sight that the Romanes fearing the like traines and ambush as before might keepe in and not stirre abroad But when as the same Statilius the Lucane having scoured all the coasts both beyond the campe and the other side of the hils and brought word that he had discovered the enemies a farre off dismarching then began they the morrow after to thinke and consult of making after him with hote pursute But albeit both Consuls continued as ever before the same men still that is to say diversly minded and persisting in their severall resolutions but so as all in a manner accorded with Varro and none agreed unto Paulus but onely Servilius the Consull of the former yeere yet according to the opinion and counsull of the Maior pars they went both together for what might bold that which fatall necessitie driveth to make Cannae much renowned and famous for the notable overthrow and defeature of the Romanes Neere this village Anniball had encamped under the wind Vulâ—arnus and had it on his backe which wind when the fields are skorched and burnt with drought is wont to bring with it clouds as it were of dust Which as it was good and commodious for the very campe it selfe so it was like to serve in speciall steed when they should raunge their battaile in order and fight with the wind blowing on their backe against the enemie whose eies the dust was readie to put out flying with the wind full in their faces so abundantly The Consuls having diligently searched the waies and tried the passages ever before them
thence passed over the river Vulturnus and by the way of Satricula and Trebia journied over Suessula through the mountaines and arrived at Nola. A litle before the comming of the Romane Pretour Anniball was departed gone out of the territorie of Nola and drew downewards to the sea side neere unto Neapolis his teeth watered at the port-towne and that out of Affricke his ships might arrive thither as to a safe and sure harbour But after that hee heard that Napleswas held by a Romane provost M. Iunius Syllanus sent for thither by the Neapolitanes themselves and had received a garrison seeing hee could not be admitted into Neapolis no more than into Nola he went to Nuceria Having beleaguerd it round a long time and often assaulted it forcibly and assaied to sollicite as well the Commons as the Nobilie but without effect at the length by famine he forced them to yeeld and so became master of the towne upon composition That they should depart every man disarmed in their single garments Then as one that would seeme ever from the beginning to use clemencie to all Italians but onely the Romanes he made faire promises of great rewards advancement to honor unto all those that would tarrie behind serve under him But no man upon those hopes wold remaine with him For they all gave him the slip and went sundrie waies some to their friends and acquaintance others at a venture as their minde stood to divers citties of Campane but most to Nola and Naples Amongst the rest there were almost thirtie Senatours and those as it fell out of the best sort that came to Capua but being kept out there because they had shut their gates against Anniball they went to Cumes The pillage of Nuceria was bestowed upon the souldiours the cittie sacked and burnt Now kept Marcellus Nola not presuming more upon the strength of his owne garison than upon the confidence he had in the great men and chiefe of the cittie But he had the commons in jealoasie and aboue all one L. Bantius who for that he had complotted to rebell and therefore stood iâ— feare of the Romane deputie one while was pricked and incited to attempt treason and to betray his countrie another while in case he should faile of that opportunitie and misse his purpose to make an escape and run away to the enemie A courageous lustie yong man he was the bravest Cavalier in those daies of all the Roman confederates His hap was to be found lying halfe dead among the heapes of slain bodies before Cannae Annib. tooke order for the cuting of his hurts when he was throughly healed right courtessy sent him home well bountifully rewarded In rememberance of which favour and good turne and in token of thankfulnes he was willing to deliver yeeld Nola into the hands of Anniball to be at his devotion But the Pretour had an eye unto him observed how his head wrought and was busily occupied to bring an alteration And seeing there were but two waies to deale with him either by punishment to keepe him short and cut him off or by some benefit to winne his heart he thinking it a better course to gaine unto himselfe so hardie and valiant a friend than onely to bereave his enemie of him he sent for him in this manner spake friendly unto him You have quoth hee amongst your countriemen and fellow cittizens I see well many that envie you as it appeares well by this that there is never a neighbour you have at Nola that hath told me of you and how many noble exploits and good services in warre you have performed But yet your valour cannot be unknowne and hidden ever since you served in the Romane armie For many there be that were souldiours then with you which have made report unto me of your prowesse and what perils you have entred into and how often you have put your life in hazard for the safetie and honour of the people of Rome and namely how in the battaile before Cannae you gave not over fight untill at length having bled well neere to death you were borne to the ground and lay under foote overwhelmed with men horse and armour falling upon you and so kept down that you could not rise up againe But be of good cheere man and go on still in this thy verâ—ue and well doing you shall have at my hands all honour and reward that may be possible and the oftener you come to me and keepe me companie you shall find it will be more for your reputation and commoditie both The young man was glad at heart for these gracious words large promises and so Marcellus gave unto him freely a goodly brave courser and commaunded the Treasurer to tell him out in monie Bigates of silver charging his officers Lictors to let him have accesse unto him at his pleasure whensoever he came By this courteous usage and humanitie of Marcellus the young mans stout heart was so doulced mollified and easie to bee wrought that of all Confederates and Allies there was not one who bare himselfe more valiantly nor maintained more faithfully the State of Rome When Anniball was approched to the gates of Nola for he was returned from Nuceria and come thither againe and the Commons within the towne practised afresh to rebell Marcellus had a little before the comming of the enemies retired and put himselfe within the wals not for fear that he should not be able to keep the field and his hold but least he should give advantage and opportunitie to betray the cittie seeing too many of them within disposed and forward thereunto After this they began on both sides to arraunge their battailes in array the Romanes under the wals of Nola the Carthaginians before their owne fort Small skirmishes there were between the cittie the campe of Anniball with variable event of fortune because the Generals were not willing either to denie and debarre some few that were so eager and forward to call for fight or yet to give forth the signall of a generall battaile â— Whiles these two armies temporised thus and held their corps de guard continually and in manner of a solemne set Assemblie the cheefe Nobles of the Nolanes advertised Marcellus that there used to be night-meetings and conferences betweene their owne Commons and the Carthaginians and that it was plotted and set downe That when the Roman host was issued in battaile ray out of their gates the Commons in the mean while should fall to rifling of their carriages packs and trusses within and then shut the gates upon them and keepe the walls and so having the cittie an d all their goods and baggage under their hands should from thence forth receive Anniball into the cittie in steed of Marcellus Vpon these advertisements Marcellus after he had thanked and commended the Senatours of Nola determined before any commotion and mutinie arose within the wals to trie
offring their bare and naked bodies as a butt and marke to the shot of arrowes and other darts Gracchus greeved much to heare these piteous tidings yet durst he not for his life skirmish and fight without the warrant of the Dictatour and he saw full well that if he would convey come and victuals unto them openly fight he must there was no remedie Having therefore no hope at all to send any but it should be spied he devised to fill many tunnes and pipes with come that he had gotten together out of the countrie all about and withall to dispatch a messenger to the chiefe magistrate of Casilinum advising him that he should in the night season take up all those vessels which came downe the river The night next following every man watched at the river side according to the hope they conceived by the foresaid Romane messenger and so received those tunnes hulling downe the midst of the streame and the corne was equally devided among them all Thus did they the morrow after and the third day also For ever by night these vessels were let downe into the water and the same night they might easily come unto them by reason whereof the sentinels and guards of the enemies were nothing ware of that which was done But afterwards the current growing more swift and rough by occasion of continuall raynes that fell the sayd tunnes were some of them driven crosse the channell to the banke side even where the enemies warded and were espied waving and sticking among the willowes and oisiers that grew along close unto the banks whereof Anniball was advertised And so from thence forward they tended the watch more streightly that nothing sent downe the river Vulturnus could escape them and passe to the cittie Afterwards there was powred into the water great store of nuts from the campe of the Romanes which floated downe the channell unto Casilinum and with grated skimmers of wicker were taken up But at the last they within the towne were driven to this poore shift and extremitie for to take their thongs and bridle raines to plucke off the lether from their shields bucklers and make them sort in skalding water and prove how they could eat them Nay they spared not so much as mice and rats nor any other like vermin Nor there was not a weed nor a root that they could come by upon the banks and terrasses under the walles but they gathered diged up And when the enemies had turned up with a plough all the green sord of the counter-skarpe without the wals they within cast turnep seed upon the mould Whereupon Anniball made a hout at it and cried alowd What shall wee sit heere about Casilinum so long untill these rapes be come up and grown And whereas before that time he would never vouchsafe to heare of any composition and agreement now at last he was contented to take reason and be conferred withall about the raunsome of as many as were freemen within the towne And it was covenanted betweene him and them that they should pay for their redemption seven ownces of gold a peece So upon faithfull promise made securitie given they yeelded themselves andwere kept bound in prison untill they had made full payment of the gold aforesaid After which they were sent backe under safe conduct to Cumes For this is more like to be true than the report which goeth That there were sent out after them certeine horsemen who fell upon them slew them in the way Most of them were Prenestines And whereas there were of them in all five hundred and seventie in garrison the one halfe well neere were either by sword or hunger consumed All the rest togither which their Praetour Manitius one who a foretime had bene a Scribe or Notarie returned safe unto Preneste In memoriall testimonie of this his Statue was erected in the market place of Preneste armed in his cuirasse clad in a long robe with his head covered and three other images with a title or inscription engraven in a place of Brasse with this tenor That Manitius had made a vow for the soldiers who lay in garison with him at Casilinum And the same title also was graven under three other images set up in the temple of Fortuna The towne of Casilinum was restored againe to the Campanes with a strong garison of 700 souldiours deducted out of the armie of Anniball for feare least when hee was departed once from thence the Romanes should assaile them The Senate of Rome by vertue of a decree granted unto those souldiours of Preneste double wages with five yeeres vacation and rest from warfare And when to gratifie them farther for their valiant service they made offer unto them of the Burgeosie and freedome of Rome they chose rather to remaine still at home and would not change their owne countrie But what befell unto the Perusines is not recorded so plainely for neither appeareth evidence by any publike monument and memoriall of their owne nor yet decree extant of the Romans At the same time the Petellines who alone of all the Brutij remained in friendship and amitie with the Romanes were assaulted not onely by the Carthaginians that were possessed of a great part of the countrie about them but also by the other Brutij with whom they would not joine in the complot of their rebellion The Petellines not able of themselves to hold out and endure these daungers sent their Embassadours to Rome for to crave their aide and assistance whose humble praiers and pitteous teares for after an answere received That they should provide and shift for themselves they fell into lamentable mones and complaints lay prostrate upon the earth before the porch of the Counsell-house wrought exceeding compassion and pitie in the hearts both of the Senatours and also of the people whereupon the LL. were moved again the second time by M. Acmylius the Pretour to deliver their opinion And when they had cast all about and well waied and considered their present state and what they were able to do being forced to confesse that it lay not in their power to help their Allies so far distant remote from them they willed them to repaire home againe and since they had performed their fidelitie to the full according to covenant they gave them leave in this calamitie of theirs to take that course that they thought best for themselves When they were returned with this answere unto the Petellines their Senate all on a suddaine was strucken into such sorrowes dumpes and fearfull maze that some of them were of mind and gave advise to abandone the cittie and flie everie man wheresoever he could others were of opinion and persuaded that seeing they were forsaken of their old friends they should joyne with the other Brutij and by their meanes turne to Anniball and come under his protection Howbeit a third side prevailed who would in no wise that any thing should be done
not to suffer her an innocent and guildesse person to fare the worse and be punished upon harred that was borne unto her nephew Hieronymus As for me quoth she I reaped no good by his reigne and kingdome unlesse it were the banishment and absence of my husband and as by the life of Hieronymus my fortune was not so good as my sisters so after hee was murdred and dead my cause is not so bad nor like unto hers Moreover over and besides in case Andronodorus had effected his designements my sister should have ben a Queene and reigned together with her husband but as for me I must have bene a subject and servant with the rest Againe if there were any messenger sent unto Sosippus to report the death of Hieronymus and the restitution of Saracose to libertie who can make doubt but that forthwith he would be embarked and take the seas and returne againe into his countrey But how much are men put besides their hope and deceived of their expectation And who would ever have thought to have seene in a freed state his wife and children in danger to lose their lives For wherein do we hinder the common libertie or the course of lawes What danger can come to any person from us one desolate lone woman and in manner a widow and two yong maidens living as orphans fatherlesse And if it be said againe that there was in deed no feare of hurt to be imagined from us but only the kings bloud and kinred was odious in the eyes of the people Then quoth she let us be sent away farre from Saracose and Sicilie and confined over to Alexandria the wife to her husband the daughters to their owne father But when they would neither give eare to her words nor incline their hearts to pitie and compassion then because she would not spend longer time in vaine for now she saw some of them drawing their swords forth she gave over all intreating for her selfe and be sought them instantly to be good yet to the yong fully girles spare their lives unto whom being of that age even the very enemies in their heate of anger forbare to offer violence and that seeing they were to be revenged of tyrants they would not play the tyrants themselves and commit that wickednesse which they seemed to hate in others Amid these words the murderers sent from the Pretors pulled her forth of the inward and most secret place of the chappell and cut her throte and when they had so done they assayled and sell upon the maidens besprent with the bloud of their mother who for sorrow of heart and feare together being past themselves and out of their wits and as it were in a furious fit of frenzie ranne against them and gate out of the chappell minding if they could have escaped foorth and recovered the streete to set the whole citie on an uprore And so they shifted for themselves poore wenches by running too and fro within the house which was not large and spatious that for a good while they escaped amongst the thickest of so many armed men and oftentimes avoided their reaches and caught no hurt yea and when they had caught hold of them notwithstanding they were to strugle with so many hands and those so strong yet they wound away from them all untill at length after they had received many a wound filled every place with bloud they fainted sunke down yeelded up their innocent spirits This murder no doubt was of it selfe piteous but much more lamentable by occasion of a present accident For streight after came a messenger with expresse commandement to spare the women and not to kill them for that upon a sodaine the hearts of the people relented and enclined to mercie But when they heard that there was so quick dispatch made of execution that neither they had time to bethinke themselves and repent nor space to coole upon their heat they fell from pitie and compassion into an extreme fit of anger and choler The multitude thereupon began to mutter and murmure and called to have an election of Pretours in the roume of Andronodorus and Themistius for they were both of them Pretours which new election was not like to fall out in the end to the good liking and contentment of the other Pretours in place So a day was set downe and proclaimed for this election At which time it hapned that beyond all mens expectation one from the farthest part of the assembly nominated Epicides and then another from thence named Hippocrates After which the same voyces came thick and threefold still so as it seemed the multitude would wholie goe that way The people there assembled were a confused sort intermingled as well of a number of souldiers as of a companie of citizens and commoners yea and many of them were strangers fugitives shuffled among such as rather than their life desired a generall change and alteration The Pretours at first dissimuled all and would seeme to take no knowledge thereof but thought it best to put off the matter to a farther day yet overcome at last with the common accord and consent of the people and fearing withall a mutinie and sedition pronounced and declared the men aforenamed for Pretours Neither would they at first hand so soone as they were created set that abroach which was in their mind desire to effect notwithstanding they were displeased and discontented much both for that there had bene embassadors dispatched unto Appius Claudius about a truce for ten dayes and also when it was obteined that there were others addressed to treat for the renewing of the auncient league with the Romanes At the same time Ap. Claudius the Romane Generall lay at Murgantia with an Armada of 100 gallies waiting there to heare what was the event of the troubles which arose upon the murder of the tyrants and how far-forth men would proceede upon this their new and unwonted libertie And much about those dayes when as the Saracosian Embassadours were sent from Appius unto Marcellus now comming into Sicilia Marcellus himselfe after he heard the conditions of peace thought they would grow to some good agreement and conclusion in the end and therefore sent other embassadours also to Saracose personally to debate and conferre in the presence of the Pretours concerning the renewing of the league aforesaid But by thaâ— time they found not the citie in the same quiet tune and peaceable state For Hippocrates and Epicides after newes came that the Carthaginian navie was arived and rid at anker under the bay of Pachynus confidently and without all feare buzzed in the â—ares one while of the mercenarie souldiours another while of the fugitive traitours many false surmises against their brethren in office and namely that they went about to betray Saracose to the Romanes But Appius began to keepe his Armada at anchor in the very mouth of the river listening to know what hart and hope they of
togither more freely and not be too nice coy and bashfull one to the other After that your espoused wife taken captive by our souldiours was brought unto me and that I heard of the exceeding fansie and affection that you cast unto her I beleeved it full wel for her singular beautie deserveth no lesse Now for as much as my selfe if I might be allowed to use the pastimes of youth I meane no otherwise than in honest lawful love were not called away by the common-weal emploied wholly in other affairs of state I would think to be pardoned and held excused if I had an extraordinarie liking to a spouse of mine owne and loved her extreamly I must therefore needs favour and tender your love which is the thing I can considerng that I may not the other in any wise Your sweet-heart and best beloved I have entertained as well and as respectively as she should have bene with your father and mother in law who are her owne kind and naturall parents Reserved she hath bene kept for you alone that you might receive her at my hands unspotted and untouched and a present beseeming me and you both In lieu and recompence therefore of this boone and gift which I now bestow upon you I require at your hands againe this onely promise and faithfull covenant that you will bee a friend and well-willer to the state of Rome And if you take me in deed to bee a good and honest man such as these nations and people here have knowne my father and unckle to have bene before me know you thus much that in the cittie of Rome there are many more like unto us and that there cannot at this day a nation in the world be named which you would wish lesse to bee an enemie to you and yours or desire more to entertaine as your friend The young gentleman being abashed for very modestie and yet right glad and joyfull withall held Scipio by the hand called upon all the gods and besought them in his behalfe to thanke and recompence him therefore since it lay not in his owne proper power in any proportion or measure to be thankfull and make requitall either as himselfe could with or as Scipio had deserved Then were the parents kinsfolke of the maid called for who seeing the damosell freely rendred and given them againe for whose raunsome and redemption they had brought with them a sufficient summe of gold fell to intreating and requesting Scipio to vouchsafe for to accept the same at their hands as a gift and token of their good will assuring him that in so doing they should take themselves no lesse bound and beholden unto him than for the restoring and delivering of the virgine untouched and undefiled Scipio seeing them so earnest and importunate promised for to receive it and withall commaunded that it should be laid downe at his feet and calling Allucius unto him Here quoth he over and besides all your other dowrie which your father in law must pay you have from me thus much more money to mend your marriage with take this gold therefore to your selfe and keepe it for your owne use And so after this rich reward given and great honour done unto him hee was dismissed and departed home with much joy and hearts content where he made report unto his countriemen and people of the praise-worthie vertues of Scipio and the favours from him received Saying moreover there was come into Spaine a young man resembling the immortall gods in all respects who as well by bountie liberallitie and bestowing benefits as by martiall prowes and force of arms is in the very way to win and conquer all So when he had assembled and mustred all his vassails and tennants he returned within few daies accompanied with a traine of foureteene hundred of the best and most choise horsemen of his countrie Scipio keeping Laelius still with him untill by his advise and counsell hee had disposed of the captives hostages and other prises and pillage after hee had setled all in good order appointed a Galeace of five bankes of ores wherein he embarked the prisoners with Mago and some fifteen Senators besides who togither with him were taken sent them to Rome with a messenger to carrie tidings of this victorie Himselfe determined to sojourne a few daies in Carthage which time he spent in training and exercising his souldiours as well of land service as at sea The firâ—t day he caused the legions to runne too and fro in their armour foure mile out in length The second day he commaunded them to scoure and furbush their harnesse weapons before their tents Vpon the third day they joined encountred in battel wise practised to fight with blunt wasters and bastons yea and launced one at another darts javelens rounded at the point end with bals in maner of foiles The fourth day they rested and reposed themselves On the fift day againe they ran at turnement as before armed This order they kept exercising laboring and resting by turnes so long as they abode at Carthage And thus much for the Legionarie souldiours The sea servitours and mariners used in calme water and still weather to row up into the sea and there to make triall of the nimblenesse and agilitie of their ships representing shewes of sea-fight and skirmish Thus without the cittie they enured their bodies quickened their spirits and courages both on land and water Within the towne there was nothing heard but preparation of warre furniture All the publicke shops and worke houses full of smithes enginers and all other artificers for the purpose plying their worke and never going from it The Generall himselfe as supervisor with equall and indifferent care oversaw all One while he would bee with the armada in the harbour another while he conversed among the legions and turnoied with them A time he would set by for to visit the workes about the walles see how they went forward Otherwiles he would be in the shops aforesaid among the multitude of the carpenters and smithes and other artisanes viewing what they did there and in the arsenall and ship-docks observing and marking how much they went forward day by day striving a vie as they did who could do most and quit himselfe best Having thus set them aworke repaired the wals which he had battered and shaken and placed certaine guards there for the defence of the cittie he tooke his journey to Taracon and all the way he was visited and plied with sundrie embassages Some of them hee aunswered and dispatched as hee was in his journey others he put off to give their attendance at Taracon for thither he had summoned all the allies and confederates both new and old to meet him And in manner all the citties and States on this side Iberus and many also of the farther province of Spaine there assembled The Carthaginian captaines and commaunders at the first for the nonce suppressed stopped
the number of the captives found they were ten thousand foot and two thousand horse Of which number as many as were Spaniards he set at libertie and sent them home without ransome But as for all the Africanes hee commaunded the Treasurer to make money of them Then the whole multitude of the Spaniards as well those that before had yeelded themselves as they that were taken prisoners the day before saluted him with great consent and generall voice by the name and title of king Wherupon Scipio after silence made by the crier said That he tooke the name of L. Generall or Commander to be the greatest of all other names by which his own soldiers used to call him As for the title of King howsoever in other places it was great and honorable at Rome surely it was odious and intollerable For his owne part the mind indeed hee caried of a king and if they deemed it to be the highest honour that can fall to the nature of man let them judge so in their owne hearts secretly and please themselves with that style only he wished them to forbeare the word and tearme thereof These very Spaniards as barbarous as they were perceived by this speech how haughtie and magnanimous hee was who in the height of spirit contemned that as a base thing wherat in admiration onely of the very title all mortall men besides are amazed and astonied After all this he bestowed upon the Princes and great Potentates of the Spaniards sundrie gifts And of the horses whereof he had taken in the field and campe great store hee gave Indibilis the choise of three hundred where he would When the treasurer was selling the Affricanes according to the Generall his commaundement he hapned upon a yong springall and stripling of rare and singular beautie and hearing that he was of roiall bloud hee sent him to Scipio And when Scipio demaunded of him who he was and what countrieman and wherefore at those yeares he was in campe among rude souldiours I am saith hee a Numidian borne and with that his eies stood full of water and in my countrie they call me Massiva Being left an orphane and fatherlesse I was brought up with my grandfather by the mother side Gala the king of the Numidians And with my unckle by the mother Masanissa who was lately come with a power of horsemen to aid the Carthaginians it was my hap to saile over into Spaine And never to this day have I bene in any battel by reason that Masanissa would not in regard of my tender age suffer me in any hand to go to the warres Howbeit that very day when the battaile was fought with the Romanes unwares to my said unckle I secretly got an horse under me and armour upon my backe and went foorth into the field where my horse chaunced to fall and cast me downe headlong on the ground and so it was my fortune to be taken by the Romanes Scipio gaue order that this Numidian youth should be kept safe so proceeded to finish matters that were brought before him as he sat upon the Tribunall in marshall court And after he was come back from thence into his roial pavilion he called the party again before him asked him whither he were willing to returne againe to Masanissa Whereat the teares gushing out of his eyes for joy yea full faine quoth he and with all my heart Then after he had given the yong gentleman a ring of gold a coat embrodered with purple stud-wise with a Spanish souldiours cape a golden clasp or button a brave courser with all the furniture and caparison therto belonging he sent him away and commanded certaine horsemen to safe-conduct and accompanie him so farre as he would himselfe Then Scipio fell to consult about the warre Some there were that advised him presently to pursue Asdruball but he supposing that to be a daungerous course for feare least Mago and the other Asdruball should joyne their forces to his he sent onely a good guard to keep the passage of the hill Pyreneus and imploied the rest of the summer in receiving homage and fealtie of other States of Spaine Within few daies after the battell at Boetula when as Scipio in his returne to Taracon was gone past the chase or forrest of Castulo Asdruball the sonne of Gisgo and Mago the two Generals arrived out of the farther province of Spaine unto Asdruball the sonne of Amilcar But they came a day after the faire and too late to helpe an overthrow past alreadie yet in very good time to give counsell for the managing and executing of the warre behind There as they conferred together concerning the disposition of the Spaniards and how they stood affected in the countries of each province onely Asdruball the sonne of Gisgo was of opinion and persuaded That the utmost tract and coast of Spaine which lieth upon the Ocean and Gades was hitherto unacquainted with the Romanes and therefore fast ynough and sure to the Carthaginians But the other Asdruball and Mago were of another mind and agreed in this That Scipio with his favours and benefits had possessed the affections hearts of all men alreadie both in generall and also in particular and that there would never be an end of sliding from them and siding to the Romanes before that all the Spanish souldiours were either remooved into the farthest parts of Spaine or conveighed over into Fraunce And therefore albeit the Senate of the Carthaginians had not graunted out any such act and commission yet there was no remedie but that Asdruball must go over into Italie where Anniball was the head of the war in whom lay the main chance of all by which means also he might withdraw out of Spain all the Spaniards far ynough from the naming and hearing of Scipio For Asdruball his armie as well by daily falling away and revolting to Scipio as also by the late defeature much empaired was to be replenished again with new souldiours Moreover that Mago should deliver his armie to Asdruball the sonne of Gisgo and himselfe in person crosse over into the Baleare islands with a great summe of money to wage new aids and succours from thence And that Asdruball the sonne of Gisgo with his armie should retire farther up into Portugall and not encounter the Romanes at all in any hand And that out of all the Cavallerie there should bee chosen out the very flower and strength to the full number of three thousand for Masanissa and that he should raunge and overrun all the hither province of Spaine partly to helpe the distressed Allies and partly to spoile the enemies townes and forray their lands After these orders and directions set downe the Generals departed asunder to the execution of these determined dessignements Thus yee see what were the affaires and occurrences of Spaine for that yeere At Rome the fame of Scipio grew greater every day than other Fabius for the winning of Tarentum albeit
Lucanes countrey the rumor and voice went that the welkin was on fire and at Privemum while the skie was bright and faire the sunne appeared red all day long At Lanuvium in the temple of Iuno Sospita there was heard in the night season a mightie great noise Nay and more than this in sundry places as men say were many monstrous and straunge births seene In the Sabines countrey one child was borne and no man knew what to make of it male or female and another likewise was found of sixteene yeeres of age a very Hermaphrodite of doubtfull sex between both At Frusino there was a lambe yeaned with a swines head and at Sinuessa a sow farrowed a pig with the head of a man In the Lucanes countrey there was foled upon the common ground a colt with five feet All these monsters were ugly to see and abominable and holden for great defects and errours of nature working strangely out of kind But above all others those birthes both male and female or rather neuter were most abhorred and detested and order was given presently that they should be cast into the sea even as of late daies when C. Claudius and M. Livius were Consuls the like deformed monster was thither had away and drowned Neverthelesse the Decemvirs were commaunded to turne over and peruse the bookes of Sibylla to know what such prodigious monsters might portend who by their learning and out of those bookes gave direction to make the same sacrifices which last of all for the like uncouth sights were made Moreover they gave commaundement that certaine hymnes and songs should be chaunted throughout the citie by three severall quires of nine virgins in every one and an oblation to be offered by them with all devotion to queene Iuno C. Aurelius the Consull caused all this to be perfourmed according to the order and direction of the Decemvirs And as in our fathers daies Livius composed the dittie of the hymne so at that time P. Licivius Tegula framed and set downe a forme of song which they should sing Thus when all things were expiate and satisfaction made accordingly for the appeasing of the wrath of the gods for even at Locri also the sacriledge was found out by Q. Minutius and the mony missing was raised out of the goods of the offenders and guiltie persons and bestowed there againe in the treasurie as the Consuls were minded to take their journey into their provinces there repaired many privat citizens unto the Senat unto whom the third paiment was due that yeere for the loane of mony which in the time of M. Valerius and M. Claudius Consuls they had lent out and disbursed because that the Consuls had made them answere That the stocke of the citie chamber was hardly able to defray the charges of a new warre which required maintenance of a mightie navie and of puissant armies and therefore flatly denyed them and said That they had not wherewith to satisfie and make present paiment The Senate could not endure that they should haue this occasion to make complaint considering that if the commonwealth would still employ the money upon the Macedonian warre also which was granted in loane for the Punicke warre this would be the end of it that one warre following thus in the necke of another their owne money which was lent upon a curtesie and benevolence out of their privat purses should be little better than confiscate for some forfeiture and fall to the exchequer and common chest of the citie These private persons demaunding nothing but reason and right and the citie withall not able to discharge her debt the LL. set downe a middle and indifferent course betweene honestie and profit and that was this That for as much as many of these men said that the citie had much land upon sale and they were to buy and make purchase therefore the common grounds lying and being within fiftie miles of Rome every way should be granted unto them in see farme and the Consuls to set downe an estimate of their value and worth and charge them with a chiefe rent or tribute of 3 farthings an acre by the yeere to testifie only that they were the cities lands to the end that if any man hereafter when the citie should be aforehand and in case to repay the former debt were desirous to have money rather than land he should restore the lands and possessions againe into the cities hands and receive his money These private citizens who were the foresaid creditours accepted gladly of this offer and condition And hereupon this land was called by the name of Trientius and Tributus because it was set out granted in lieu of a third part of the lone money Then P. Sulpitius after he had pronounced his vowes abovesaid in the Capitoll and departed out of the citie in his coat of armes with the Lictors huishers afore him arrived at Brundusium and so with the old voluntary soldiers drawne out of the army that was returned from Affricke whom he had enrolled into legions and ships chosen out of the fleet of Cornelius the Consull he loosed from Brundusium and the next day after landed in Macedonia where there attended him the embassadors of the Athenians who humbly besought him to deliver them from the siege that invested their citie So C. Clau. Gento was incontinently sent to Athens furnished with 20 long ships of war a strength of men for the king himself in person besieged not Athens but even then made hot assault upon the town Abydus as having alreadie given proofe of his forces in sea fight both with the Rhodians and king Attalus and in neither battell had good successe But besides the ordinarie stoutnesse and pride engrassed in him by nature hee was aloft now and looked high by reason of the alliance made betweene him and Antiochus king of Syria with whom he had parted the richesse and realme of Aegypt unto which they both aspired upon the newes they heard of the death of king Ptolomeus Now the Athenians had drawne upon themselves the warre against king Philip upon a small occasion and of no importance who of all their auncient estate and glorie retaine nothing els but great heart and hautie spirit It fortuned that two young men of Acarnania who had taken no orders and were not consecrate entred among the other multitude into the temple of Ceres in the time of the feastivall daies and celebration of sacrifices to that goddesse belonging and being altogether ignorant in the custome of that solemnitie and religion and asking some foolish absurd questions nothing sit for that time or place were soone bewraied by their speech and language who being convented before the Prelats of the said temple notwithstanding it was evidently proved and knowne that upon an error onely and oversight and not for any ill intent they were come into the church yet were they put to death as fellons and guiltie of some hainous fact in the highest
demaunded that the Rhodian galley aforesaid with all her mariners and the garrison also of king Attalus might be sent away in safetie and themselves permitted to depart the towne every one with a single suite onely of apparell But Philip made answere againe that he had no peace for them at all unlesse they would quit the place and simply commit themselves unto his mercy This embassage related unto them set them in such an heat and choler that partly for spight and indignation and partly upon despaire they fell into the semblable rage that the Saguntines did in times past All the dames and wives of the citie they commaunded to be shut up within the temple of Diana their young boies and maidens that were free borne the sucking babes together with their nourses they caused to be bestowed within the common place of publicke exercise their gold and silver they tooke order to be brought into the market place their rich attire their costly apparell and furniture to bee cast into the two gallies the one of Rhodes and the other of Cyzicum which rid in the haven and last of all that their priests should be brought forth with their beasts for sacrifice and altars erected in the middest of the place There first were certaine men chosen of purpose who so soone as they perceived the battaillon of their countrimen defeated and slaine fighting before the breaches of the wall immediately should run upon their wives and children kill them without mercie cast away into the sea their gold and silver and all the furniture abovesaid that was in the gallies and set the edifices and houses asire as well publicke as private in as many places as possibly they could For the performing and execution of these premisses they were bound by an oth ministred unto them the forme whereof with a cursed malediction thereto annexed they pronounced word for word from the Priests mouth Then as many as were of lawful age to beare armes sware likewise That not one of them would depart out of the battaile alive but with victorie Thus remembring the oth they had taken and how they called the gods to witnesse they fought so resolutely that whereas the night would have parted the combate the king terrified with their furious rage first gave over the conflict The cheese and principal men of the cittie whose charge was to play the more cruell and horrible part in this tragicall act seeing there remained but few alive after this skirmish and those greevously wounded and tired out of heart for wearinesse the next morning early by day-break sent their priests with their insules and veiles of peace to render the citie unto Philip. Before the towne was fully yeelded M. Acmylius the youngest of those three Roman embassadours which were sent to Alexandria hearing of the streight siege of the Abydenes came by the consent of the other two unto Philip. Where he laid open his greevances made complaint That he had warred upon Attalus the Rhodians and namely even then besieged assailed Abydus most forcibly And when the king answered that Attalus and the Rhodians without just cause on his part offered began first to molest and trouble him What! quoth Aemylius againe were you molested and troubled first by the Abydenes too Philip who was not wont to be told the truth so plainly thinking this rejoindre of his more bold and malapert than to be offred to a king Your youthfull age quoth he and faire face and above all the Romane name maketh you hardie and audacious But I would advise you all first to remember your covenants and to interteine peace with me For in case ye once begin with me and put me to it I do you to understand that I also am fully resolved to make you feele the smart and know that the realme and nation of the Macedonians is no lesse renowmed for seates of armes than the Romans Philip having dismissed the embassador and seized upon all the gold and silver that lay on an heap together lost all the bootie of men of qualitie that might have yeelded him a round raunsome For the multitude of common people fell into such a fit of rage and madnesse that all of a sodaine they imagined those who let their lives in the conflict were betrayed and so casting one in anothers teeth their perjurie and charging the priests especially that they were foresworne in delivering them alive unto the enemie whom they had devoted appointed to death they ran at once from al parts to the pitiful massacre of their own wives children and when they had so done they made no more ado but by fire by sword by drowning hanging and one way or other they wrought a quick dispatch and cleane riddance of themselves also The king amazed and astonied to see them thus horne-wood stayed the bloudie hand of his owne souldiours saying that he would allow the Abydenes three daies to dye in During which terme of time the conquered Abydenes exercised more fearefull crueltie upon their owne persons than ever the conquerours would have put in practise in the heigth of their heate and choletick furie In so much as there was not one of them came alive into the enemies hands but such as either fast tyed with bonds or otherwise by some forcible meanes were stayed from being their own hangmen and the butchers of their proper bodies Philip after he had placed a garison at Abydus returned into his owne realme Now when this miserable calamitie of the Abydenes had fleshed Philip to enterprise warre against the Romanes like as Anniball afore him tooke hart by the wofull destruction of Saguntum to do the semblable behold he was encountred with posts that brought newes how the Consull was in Epirus alreadie and had withdrawen his land-forces to Apollonia and bestowed his servitours at sea in Corcyra there to winter In this while the embassadours who were sent into Affrica had their dispatch and this answere from the Carthaginians First as touching Amilcar the Generall of the armie and forces in Fraunce they could do no more but banish his person and confiscate his goods Then concerning the fugitive traitours and rebels which were run from the Romanes they had sent home againe unto them as many as they could search out and come by and to that purpose they would addresse embassadours themselves unto the Romanes to satisfie the Senate in that behalfe And presently they sent to Rome two hundreth thousand Modij of wheare and other two hundred thousand into Macedonie to the armie there From thence the Romane Embassadors went forward to the kings in Numidia To king Masanissa they delivered the presents which the Romanes sent and declared unto him their commission at whose hands they received a thousand Numidian horse whereas he offred them two thousand himselfe tooke order for their embarking so dispatched them into Macedonie with provision of two hundred thousand measures of wheare and as
time past the sacred land of Apollo with a great summe of money because hee would not seeme now also to passe by this friend cittie allied unto him without some roiall bountie and munificence he gave freely unto them sixe talents of silver and ten thousand Medimnes of corne and so returned to his ships at Cenchreae Nabis also having strengthened the garison in Argi returned to Lacedaemon and after himselfe had robbed the men of their monie and goods hee sent his wife thither to doe the like by the women Who sending for the honourable and worshipfull dames of the citie inviting them one by one to her house otherwhiles many together at once such as were of kin one to another by flattering and by threatning gat from them not only all the gold that they had but in the end stript off their apparell also and all the jewels and ornaments that they ware THE XXXIII BOOKE OF THE HISTORIES OF T. LIVIVS of Padoa from the foundation of the Cittie of Rome The Breviarie of L. Florus upon the three and thirtith Booke TItus Quintius Flamininus the Proconsull ended the warre with Philip after hee had vanquished him in a pight field neere Cynocephalae in Thessalie L. Quintius Flamininus brother to the said Proconsull having forced Leucas the head citie of Acarnania received the Acarnanians upon their submission and surrender C. Sempronius Tudisanus the Pretour was slaine and his armie defeated by the Celtiberians Attalus being fallen suddainely sicke was remooved from Thebes to Pergamus and there departed this life Peace was graunted to Philip upon his suite and libertie restored to Greece L. Furius and C. Claudius Marcellus the two Consuls subdued the Boians and Insubrians in Gaule Marcellus triumphed Anniball having practised in Affrick to raise war but to no effect was therupon accused unto the Romanes by letters sent from the principall of the adverse faction but for feare of the Romanes who had dispatched their embassadours to the Carthaginian Senate about him be fled unto Antiochus king of Syria who also prepared then to make warre upon the Romanes The beginning is not extant in the Latine adjoining in those quarters to Acarnania There was a streight passe or gullet there halfe a mile almost in length but not halfe a mile in breadth at the end of this streight standeth the citie Leucas planted against an hill that turneth to the East looketh toward Acamania The base town is built upon a plain reaching along the sea that devideth Leucadia from Acarnania Wherupon the citie as well on the land side as by sea is easie to be forced For the fourds of the water resemble a standing lake rather than a sea and the whole soile is a light earth minable and easie to bee wrought into so that in many places at once the wals either undermined or shaken with the ram came tumbling down But as the town it selfe was assaultable so the hearts of the townsmen were invincible For night and day they gave not over to repaire the cracks of the shaken wal to fill up the open breaches and ruines to make head lustily and skirmish with the enemie and rather to defend the walls by force of armes than to save themselves by strength of their walls And surely a longer siege they would have made of it than the Romanes hoped but that certaine banished persons Italians borne dwelling in Leucas let in and received armed soldiors on the castle side Howbeit the Leucadians embattelling themselves in their market place encountred them as they ran downe from the higher ground with a great crie and noise and maintained battell with them for a long time In this meane while the walls in diverse places were skaled with ladders and the enemies mounting over the heapes of stones that lay at the breaches entred the towne And now by this time the lieutenant in person with many companies environed them as they fought some were slaine in the middest others flung away their weapons and yeelded to the conquerour After few daies upon the newes of the field fought at Cynocephalae all the States of Acarnania came in and submitted themselves to the lieutenant At the same time whiles fortune turned thus about and bare downe a side all at once the Rhodians also sent out Pausistratus their Pretour with eight hundred footmen of Achaea and about 1900 souldiours well armed gathered out of all sorts of auxiliaries to regaine and reconquer from Philip the country of Peraea lying in the maine and firme land which had been held sometime and possessed by their auncestours And these aids were compounded and mixed of French Nisuetes Pisuetes Tanians and Areans of Affricke and Laodiceans of Asia With these forces Pausistratus encamped in the territorie of Stratonicea and there hee seized of a commodious place and very good for his purpose unwares to the kings companie that had holden the same Thither came also to aid them in very good time a regiment of a thousand foot and a hundred horse of Achaeans levied for that purpose and were commaunded by Theoxenus Dinocrates a captaine under the king willing to recover the said hold againe first pitched his tents hard against the enemie campe But afterwards hee remooved to another fort in the territorie likewise of Stratonicea which they call Astragon and having rallied together all the garrisons dispersed asunder in divers places and sent for the auxiliarie bands also of Thessalians even from Stratonicea he took his way and marched toward Alabanda where the enemies were The Rhodians likewise for their part were readie for battell and after they were encamped of both sides neere together immediately they entred into the field to fight it out Dinocrates placed in the right point five hundred Macedonians and the Agrians he put in the left in the maine battell hee bestowed all those that hee had gathered together out of the garrisons belonging to the forts above said who for the most part were Carians the points he flanked round about with his cornets of horie The Rhodian cohort was marshalled in this manner The auxiliaries of the Candiotes and Thracians kept the right point the hired souldiours and they were a power of elect footmen stood in the left in the middest were the aids a medley of many nations the Cavallerie and all the light armed souldiours that were compassed the corners like wings All that day the two armies stood only upon the banke of a brooke which ran between them with a small and shallow water and after some loose shot discharged they retired into their tents The next day they were raunged in like order and strucke a battaile exceeding the proportion of their number for on each side there were not above three thousand foot and upon a hundred horse but they were even matched not in number only and armour but also in equall courage and hope alike The Achaei first passed over the said brooke and charged upon the Agrians afterwards the whole armie ran as one
free without any empeachment to furnish himselfe with forces both for land and sea above all things studied and devised how to repaire his fleete for feare hee should bee quite disseized and dispossed of the sea And evermore this ran in his mind that he had an overthrow and yet the Rhodians fleete was away For thus he cast with himselfe that if they also should be present at the next conflict and surely the Rhodians thought he will not for any thing be behind againe hee then should have need of a mightie number of ships to match the enemies Armada as well in greatnes as goodnesse And therefore he had both sent Anniball into Syria for to take up the ships of the Phaenicians and also commaunded Polyxenidas to repaire those vessels which he had alreadie and to make and rig others with so much more diligence as his fight afore was lesse fortunate Himselfe passed the winter in Phrygia and seeking for aid out of all places he sent out as farre as into Gallograecia The people there at that time were great warriours keeping still the courages of Gaules for that the race of that nation was not yet extinct and worne out His sonne Seleucus he had left in Aeolis with an armie to keepe the maritime cities in obedience which Eumenes from Pergamus of one side and the Romanes from Phocaea and Erythrae on the other side sollicited to rebellion The Romane fleete as I said before wintered at Canae Thither in the mids almost of winter came Eumenes with two thousand foote and a hundred horse Who having given out unto Livius that great prizes might be raised out of the enemies territorie about Thyatira had so persuaded and wrought with him that he sent with him five thousand souldiours who being setforth to this rode and expedition in few dayes drove away a mightie bootie Amid these matters there hapned a mutinie i n Phocaea by occasion of some that would have withdrawne and turned away the hearts of the multitude unto king Antiochus The wintering of the fleete was chargeable to that citie The imposition of a tribute was heavie in regard that they were put to the finding of five hundred side cassockes and as many coates for liveries the scarcitie of corne also was grievous unto them for which default the ships and the Romane garrison abandoned the place and departed whereupon that faction which in all their speeches and assemblies drew the common people to side with Antiochus was rid of all feare The Senate and the principall citizens of Phocaea were of opinion to continue to the last in the association of the Romans but the persuaders and counsellers of a revolt were of more credit with the multitude The Rhodians were not so flow the summer past but they were as forward now in the spring for before mid-March they sent out the same Pausistratus admirall of a fleet of six thirtie saile And by this time Livius loosed from Canae and sailed toward Hellespontus with thirtie ships and seven gallies of foure bankes of oapes which king Eumenes had brought with him to the end that he might prepare things necessarie for the passage of the armie which hee supposed would come by land And first he sel with the bay or port which they cal The rode of the Achaeans from whence he went up to Ilium where after he had sacrificed to Minerva hee gave gracious audience to the embassages of the neighbors bordering which came from Eleus Dardanus Rhoetium who committed their cities unto his protection From thence he directed his course to the streights of Hellespontus and leaving ten ships in the rode overagainst Abydus with the rest of the fleet he passed over into Europe to assault Sestos As the armed souldiours approched their wals the frantike priests of Cybele called Galli bestraught of their wits presented themselves first unto them before their gates in their solemn habit and vestiments saying That they being the servaunts and ministers of Dame Cybele the mother of the gods were come by the instinct and commandement of that goddesse to beseech the Roman Generall to spare the wals and the citie And not one of them had any harme done unto them Anon the whole bodie of the Senat with the magistrates came forth to yeeld the towne From thence they crossed over to Abydus where after many parlies in which they had sounded their minds and could have no answere tending to peace they addressed themselves to lay siege to the citie and to assault it Whiles these things stood thus about Hellespont Polyxenidas a Rhodian borne but banished his countrey and a captaine for king Antiochus hearing that a Rhodian fleet was gone to sea and that Pausistratus their admirall had in open audience given out certaine prowd and disdainefull speeches against him entred into a privat quarell with him tossing devising in his mindnight and day nothing els but how he might by some effectuall and worthie deedes checke and consute those brave and glorious words of his He dispatched therefore unto him as a messenger a man well knowne unto him with credence and instructions to give him to understand that himselfe would if he might stand both Pausistratus and his countrie in good steed and that Pausistratus if it pleased him had meanes to restore him againe into his native countrie When Pausistratus mervailed hereat and was very inquisitive to know how this mought be effected and gave him his faithfull promise at his request either to joyne with him in the action or els to conceale all and keepe counsell then the messenger declared that Polyxenidas would make over unto him the kings navie either entier or the greater part thereof and in consideration and recompense of this so great demerit he desired no more but that he might returne into his country The importance of this matter was so great that he neither beleeved his words nor yet neglected and despised the same So he went to Panormus a place in the land of Samos and there he abode to view see the thing that was offred unto him Courriers there ran betweene and never would Pausistratus geve credit to the partie untill Polyxenidas wrote a letter with his owne hand in the presence of his said messenger that he would performe whatsoever he had promised yea and sent the same letters sealed with his owne signe Manuell By this sure pledge or gage Pausistratus made full account that he had the traitour surely bound and obliged unto him For thus he thought that Polyxenidas living as a subject under the king would never hazard the danger of such pregnant matter to appeere against himselfe testified under his owne hand-writing so from that time forward the meanes of this pretended and counterfeit treason was devised and agreed upon Polyxenidas gave him to understand that he would of purpose lay aside and neglect preparation of all furniture that he would ne ither have rowers nor other mariners in any number about his
abroad to the punishment of a certeine intestine conspiracie at home The Pretours cast lots for their provinces T. Menius had the jurisdiction of the citizens and M. Licinius Lucullus betweene citizens and strangers Vnto C. Aurelius Scaurus sell the governance of Sardinia and to P. Cornelius Sulla of Sicilie L. Iuintius Crispinus was assigned to the hither Spaine and P. Galpurnius Piso to the farther Both Consuls were enjoined to make inquisition into secret conspiracies within the citie There was a certeine Grecian of base degree and condition who came first into Hernaria a man not endued with any of those artes whereof that nation of all others most learned hath brought many unto us as well for the erudition of our minds as the trimming of our bodies but a sacrificing priest he was and a divining wisard withall Neither was he one that made outward prosession of teaching men and thereby getting a living openly and so by an ouvert shew of religion possessed their heads and minds with feare and horror but the knowledge he had forsooth of certeine hidden and secret sacrifices These mysteries of his at first he taught but unto a few howbeit afterwards they began to be communicated and divulged as well to men as women and to this religion were added pleasures and delights of wine and good cheere to the end that more customers might be allured and enticed for to have a liking thereof Now when as wine had drowned and droused the understanding when the night seasn when the entermingling of men and women together one with another and namely they of young and tender yeeres with those of elder age had cleane put out extinguished all respect and regard of shame fast honestie there began first to be practised all sorts of corruption for every one had all pleasures readie at commaundement and his choise of those whereto by nature he was more prone and given to lust after Neither was there wickednes committed here of one sort namely the abusing of mankind womankind one with another without distinction but out of this shop and workhouse proceeded false witnesses forging of seales depositions testimonies and more than so wrong and untrue informations From hence came the divelish cast of poisoning privie murders of the neerest of kindred in one house and the same so secret that otherwhiles the bodies would not be found for to be committed to the earth Many sinfull parts were there played by way of fraud guile and cunning cousenage but more by apert force As for violence it was kept close hidden byreason that with the hideous noises with the sound and ringing of tymbrels tabours and cymbals there could no voice nor word be heard of such as cried our when either they were forced to vilanie abuse or beaten and wounded to death The infection of this catching poison out of Hetruria spred as far as Rome like a contagious maladie At the first the spatious capacitie of the citie having bin used to wink beate with such enormities concealed all at length revealed it was detected to the Cos. Posthumius much after this maner P. Ebutius whose father had served in the warres in qualitie of a gentleman of Rome with a citie horse left an orphane after that is guardians were likewise deceased became ward to his mother Duronia and his father in law her second husband T. Sempronius Rutilius under whom he had his bringing up Now as his mother was wholly devoted and obsequious unto her husband so his father in law had so handled the matter in his guardianship that he could make no good accoumpt thereof and therefore his desire was that either the infant his ward should be made away or else obliged and enthralled unto him The only way to compasse and bring this about was the corruption and abuse of the Bacchanales The mother therefore upon a time called her sonne unto her and told him that she had made a vow for him when he was sick that so soone as ever he should recover and be well againe she would present him to the priests of Bacchus to be consecrated and prosessed in their mysteries and now quoth she seeing that by the goodnes of the gods thou art amended and I thereby obliged by the bond of that vow I will acquit my selfe thereof and performe it accordingly She bare him in hand therefore that he must for ten dayes live chat and not touch a woman and at the tenth dayes end after he had taken his supper and was well washed and purified after the manner she would bring him into the holy place of those sacred mysteries Now there was a famous strumpet by condition a bondwoman enfranchised named Hispala Fessenia too good ywis for that occupation which she used while she was a young wench and a bondservant but yet still after that she was manumised and in franke state of a freed denizen she mainteined her selfe by the same trade and manner of living Growen she was into familiar acquaintance with the foresaid young Ebutius by reason they were neere neighbours and dwelt not farre asunder yet so as she endamaged not the youth one jot either in charging his purse or touching his credit For she it was that first was inamored upon him and him she woed and for as much as he had but short allowance every way from his mother and father in law and by them kept hardly he was mainteined well by the bounteous liberalitie of this loving harlot Nay more than that in continuance of time she was so deepely ingaged in him that when her owne patron was dead and herselfe at the disposition of none she sued unto the Tribunes and the Pretour for another tutor because she ment to make her last will and testament wherein she declared Ebutius her onely heire in remainder to all that she had There passing thus betweene them these gages and pledges of love and they using to empart the one unto the other the secrets of their hearts the young youth by way of mery and pleasant talke willed her one day not to marvell or thinke any thing in it if for certeine nights he lay away and parted beds with her for that upon a religious zeale and devotion that he had he was minded to be prosessed and consecrated by the priests of Bacchus and all to be assoiled from a vow made in regard of his health The woman hearing him say so and troubled in spirit Many god forsend quoth she and I would not that for all the good in the world And better it were for me and you too to dye both at once than so to do and with that she threatned she cursed and banned wishing all mischiefe and plague to light upon them that had put such a thing into his head The youth wondered much to heare her words and to see her so to fare and take on beyond all reason and order beseeching her of all loves to be content and to
part soever of the warre which hee charged and laid upon mee Also when L. Scipio the Consull his successor determined to lead his armie by land to Hellespont I not only gave him leave to passe peaceably through my realme but also caused the high waies to bee paved and gravelled bridges to bee made against his comming yea and furnished him with provision of victuals And this did I not in Macedonie alone but also throughout all Thrace where among other matters this was not of least importance and consequence to restrainethose barbarous nations there from running upon them and to keepe them in peace and quietnesse In consideration now of this kind affection of mine if I may not call it a good desert unto you whether ought yee Romanes in reason to give mee somewhat to that I have to augment and encrease my dominion by your largesse and munificence or to take from mee as you doe that which I have either in mine owne right or by gift from you The Macedonian citties which you confesse to have been parcels of my kingdome are not restored unto mee Eumenes on the other side he comes to make spoile of me as if I were Antiochus and marke I pray you the devise of it he pretendeth a decree of the ten delegates to colour his most shamelesse impudent and cautelous falshood even that by which himselfe may bee most refuted and convicted For in very expresse and plaine tearmes it is thus written That Chersonnesus and Lysimachia are given to Eumenes Where I pray you and in what corner of the instrument and patent stand Aenus Maronea and the citties of Thrace Shall hee obtaine that at your hands and by your meanes as given and graunted from those ten Delegates which hee never durst so much as once demaund and require of them Tell mee if the thing bee worth so much in what place yee would raunge and reckon me If your purpose bee to persecute mee as an enemie and mortall soe spare not but goe on still as yee have begun but if you respect mee as a king as your allie and friend I beseech you repute me not worthie of so notorious and manifest a wrong This Oration of the king in some measure mooved the Commissioners and therefore by framing a meane and indifferent answere they held the matter still in suspence undecided If say they the citties in question were given to Eumenes by vertue of a decree set downe by the tenne Delegates wee will not chaunge nor alter any thing therein But in case Philip acquited them by conquest and force of armes hee should have held them as the guerdon of his victorie If neither wee are of opinion That the hearing and decision of this difference shall bee referred over to the Senate and to the end that all may remaine entire the garrisons in those citties shall bee withdrawne and depart These I say were the causes that principally estraunged the affection of Philip from the Romanes and wrought discontentment in his heart insomuch as evident it is that the warre was not enterprised by his sonne Perseus upon any new quarrels and fresh occasion but upon these motives let unto him by his father to bee pursued No suspition was there at Rome of a Macedonian warre L. Manlius the Pro-consull was returned out of Spaine and when he demaunded a triumph of the Senate assembled in the temple of Bellona the same in regard of his noble and worthie exploits might have beene obtained but for example sake it was not graunted For an order it was in Rome by auncient custome of their forefathers that no man might triumph who brought not his armie backe with him unlesse hee left unto his successour the province fully subdued and settled in peace Howbeit Manlius was allowed an indifferent honour namely to enter into the citie by way of Ovation In which solemnitie he had borne before him in a pompeous pageant two fiftie coronets of gold Moreover in gold a hundred thirtie two pound weight and in silver sixe thousand three hundred Also he pronounced aloud in the Senate that Q. Fabius the Questour was comming and brought with him ten thousand pound weight more of silver and eightie of gold which he meant likewise to bring into the chamber of the citie That yeere a great commotion and insurrection there was of bondslaves in Apulia L. Posthumius the Pretour had the government of Tarentum and he sat in inquisition upon a damned crew of certaine herdmen and grasiers who had conspired together and used to rob by the high way side and in the common pastures belonging to the citie which commission he followed with such severitie and rigor that he condemned seven thousand of them Many escaped and fled but many were executed and suffred death As for the Consuls long were they kept in the citie of Rome about the levie of souldiers but at length they went into their provinces The same yeere C. Calpurnius and L. Quintius the Pretours in Spaine having in the beginning of the Spring led forth their armies out of their wintering holds and joyned their forces togither in Beturia advaunced forward into Carpetaine where the enemies were encamped with a resolution to manage and conduct the warre with one joynt mind and common councell together Not farre from the cities Hippon and Toletum there began a skirmish betweene the foragers of both parts that were gone forth to make provision seconded they were from the one campe and the other by meanes whereof the whole armies of both sides by litle and litle came forth into the field to strike a full battell In this tumultuarie medley the enemies had the vantage as well of the ground wherein they were embattailed as of the manner of fight and service By reason whereof both the Roman armies were discomfited and driven back into their campe but the enemies pressed not upon them notwithstanding they were put in great fright and much disordered The Romane Pretors doubting least their camp the morrow after should be assailed dislodged in the night betwene in great secret silence without any found of trumpet and departed In the morning by breake of day the Spaniards in ordinance of battaile approched the trench and rampier and beeing entred within the campe which they found void and emptie beyond their hope and expectation they rifled and ransacked all that the Romanes left behind them whiles they made hast away in the night season from whence the enemies returned to their owne campe and there for certaine dayes abode in standing leaguer and stirred not In that battell and in the chase together there were slaine of Romans and allies 5000 and with the spoiles of their bodies the enemies armed themselves from thence they marched to the river Tagus The Romane Pretours in the meane season employed all that time to levie and assemble new forces out of the consederate cities of Spaine and in comforting and encouraging the hearts of their own souldiors after