wholly defeited and foiled Say also that certaine it is how all Italie is at point readie to revolt tell me first and formost whether any one Nation of the Latine people is fallen from them to us Secondly whether any one person of the five and thirtie wards in Rome is run away and fled to Anniball When Mago said nay and denied both Why then quoth hee there be great numbers of our enemie still behind But I would gladly know what courage what heart what hopes that multitude hath When Mago answered he could not tell And nothing quoth Hanno is more eife and easie to bee knowne Say man sent the Romanes any Embassadours to Anniball to treat for peace Nay had yee any intelligence brought unto you that there was so much as one word lisped or mention made at Rome of peace When Mago said flatly nay to that too Why then quoth Hanno by this account this warre will find us worke and keepe us occupied as much as it did the very first day that Anniball set foot in Italie Howe variable for tune was in the former Punicke warre how victorie went and came reciprocally wee are most of us yet alive that well remember Wee never sped better nor had a luckier hand both by land and sea than before Caius Luctatius and Aulus Posthumius were Consuls And whiles Luctatius and Posthumius were Consuls were wee vanquished and utterly overthrowne before the Ilands AEgates And in case now which God forfend fortune should chance to change and turne her wheele hope yee to have peace then being overcome which now when we are conquerours no man offereth nor seeketh after For mine owne part if any man should aske mine opinion of peace either to present and tender it to the enemies or to accept it at their handes I wote well what to say but if yee would knowe what I thinke concerning those demaunds of Mago my advise is that there is no sence nor reason to send aide and supplies to conquerours now if they beare us in hand delude and abuse us with a vaine and false persuasion of conquest and victorie much lesse a great deale These remonstrances of Hanno tooke small effect with many of them for both the secret grudge and rancor which he bare to the Batchin house much impeached his credit and authoritie and also by reason that their mindes were so fully possessed of the present joy they could admit and abide to heare of nothing that might sound otherwise to daunt their glad harts thinking verily that the warre would soone be at an end if they now would straine a little and helpe it forward And therfore with great consent there passed an Act of the Senate That there should be a supplie sent unto Anniball of fortie thousand Numidians fortie Elephants and many talents of silver Also the Dictatour was sent before with Mago into Spaine to levie and hire twentie thousand footmen and foure thousand horsemen for to make up those broken armies which were in Italie and in Spaine But these matters as usually it hapneth in time of prosperitie were performed but slackly and at leisure The Romanes contrariwise made more speed as being by nature more industrious and besides such was their adverse fortune and extremitie that they might not sleepe their affaires and go slowly about their businesse For neither the Consull was wanting in any affaires that were by him to be managed and the Dictatour M. Iun. Brutus so soone as hee had performed all the complements concerning sacrifices and religious ceremonies proposed unto the people That as the usuall manner was he might mount on horsebacke Which done over and besides the two legions of cittizens which in the beginning of the yeare had bene levied and enrolled by the Consuls and the bondslaves that were before mustred and certein squadrons gathered togither out of the Picene Gaules countrie he proceeded to the last remedie and succour of a distressed and well neere desperate state when as honest and direct courses must give place unto commodious and profitable pollicies and alight from his horse and made proclamation That whosoever were guiltie condemned of any capitall crime or whosoever were imprisoned for debt wold willingly serve under him he would take order that they should be exempt from all punishment discharged from their creditours And of such he armed sixe thousand with the spoyles of the Gaules which in the triumph of Flaminius were carried in shew Thus he departed from Rome five and twentie thousand strong Anniball having possessed himselfe of Capua and solicited the Neapolitanes once againe and sounded their minds proposing before their eies feare and hope and all in vaine led his forces into the countrie of Nola with this minde not at first to go roughly with them to worke and by way of open hostilitie because he was not out of all hope that they would willingly come off and yeeld themselves but in case they hasted and answered not his hope and expectation in some good time hee would surely proceed against them in all extremitie and put them to whatsoever they could endure or feare The Senate and especially the principall of them continued fast and sure in their alliance with the people of Rome But the commons as their maner is desirous of alteration and to see a new world enclined wholly to the side of Anniball casting many doubts and feares that their lands and possessions should be wasted and spoiled with sundrie calamities and indignities that follow upon siege neither wanted there heads and ringleaders of a rebellion Whereupon the Senat for feare least if they should seeme to thwart and crosse them they had not bene able to withstand the violence of the multitude once up and drawne to an head closely dissimuled their intent purpose and so by temporizing prevented a present mischiefe For they made semblance that they liked well and were resolved of revolting unto Anniball but upon what conditions and capitulations they should enter into new league and amitie they knew not certeinly So having taken a farther time they dispatched in hast certeine Embassadours unto the Rom. Praetor Marcellus Claudius who remained with the army at Cannusium advertising him in how great jeopardie the state of Nola stood to wit That Anniball was alreadie lord of their lands and the Carthaginians would soone be maisters of the citie unlesse they were succored relieved that their Senat were driven to this shift for to yeeld unto the commons and graunt to revolt whensoever they would have them and by that meanes staied them that they rebelled not over hastily Marcellus after hee had commended the Nolanes willed them with the same dissimulation to protract time and hold off untill his comming in the mean while to conceale keepe secret to themselves the dealings and treaties with him and in no case to be knowne of any hope they had of aid from the Romans Himselfe went from Cannusium to Calatia and from
by servile feare and dread who reposed no trust nor hope in the love of his subjects therfore to strike the greater terror into them and hold them in aw he by himselfe alone without assistance of any counsell sat upon all matters of life and death by meanes wherof he was ablé to kill banish and condemne in forfaiture of lands and goods not those onely whom he suspected and hated but also them from whom he could looke for nothing else but spoile Thus when he had decaied the number of the nobles especially he purposed to chuse no new in their place for to make supplie tó the end that the fewer they were the more contemptible the whole order might grow and with lesse discontent put up the indignitie that they were not emploied in the State nor ought done by their advise For this king was the first that abolished the custome received and continued by all others asore him of consulting with the Senat in all matters and managing nothing without them He governed the Commonweale by himselfe and after his owne waies with whom it pleased him he made war and peace league and societie even of his owne head and would breake the same as himselfe thought good thus he did and undid all at his pleasure without regard of the peoples mind or the Senates authoritie Above all he sought to win the hearts and good wils of the Latine nation that by support of forraine power also he might be more secure and safe among his owne people neither entertained he with their princes friendship and amitie only but entred also into alliance and affinitie with them For unto Octavius Mamilius a Tusculane he gave his daughter in mariage This Mamilius was of all the Latines the principall and noblest person lineally discended if we may beleeve the common bruit and report from Vlysses and Circe By this marriage he gained many kinsfolke and friends of his new sonne in law So that now Tarquinius was in great authoritie and reputation among the lords and Barons of the Latines Whereupon he gave them knowledge and proclaimed that upon a certain day they should all meet him at the sacred grove of Ferentina to treat and commune together about matters concerning the common good of both States Thither resorted they in great number betimes in the morning And Tarquinius himselfe failed not for his part to keep the very day appointed but it was sunsetting welneere before he came There in that assemblie all day long before his comming was much talke and reasoning pro contra touching him Turnus Herdonius of Aricia had inveighed spightfully against Tarquinius in his absence for his being away saying it was no marvell indeed that he was at Rome surnamed Superbus for even then commonly they termed him so although secretly in whispering wife For could there be quoth he a prowder part plaid than thus to mock delude abuse the whole state of Latium that when their princes and nobles were cited there to appeare farte from their citties and dwelling houses he only should be absent that summoned the assemblie Which verily was but a devise of his to trie their patience that if they once tooke the yoke he might keep them stil under as his vassails for who seeth not what he reacheth at even to command and lord it over the Latines And in case his owne citizens have done well in trusting him in the rule over them if a man say they trusted him not rather that he came soulie and forcibly by it even with shameful murder the Latins also may put themselves into his hands with securitie And yet I see not why they should so doe considering he is a meere stranger and alien But how and if his owne subjects repent and are discontented with him being one after another by him murdered banished deprived and spoiled of their goods What better dealings may the Latines hope and looke for Therefore if they would be ruled by him they should depart home everie man and not keepe the day of the Diet no more than he doth that published and proclaimed it Whilest this seditious and dangerous person who by these and such like factious courses was growne to be a great man and powerable in his countrey stood arguing thus inforcing and following hard upon other points tending to the same effect in commeth Tarquinius Whereupon heebrake off his speech and all was husht Then turned every man to salure and welcome Tarquinius Who after silence made being advised by some of his familiars that were next unto him to excuse himselfe for comming at that time of the daie said that hee had beene taken to bee an arbitrator or daiesman betweene the father and the sonne and because hee was desirous and carefull to procure attonement betweene them and to make them good friends hee made the longer stay and came the later Which occasion of businesse seeing it had disappointed them of that day therefore the morrow after hee would deliver that which hee had in purpose and intended to moove unto them But Tarnus as they say could not hold nor put up so much as this with silence but brake out and said againe there was no speedier deciding and taking up of any matter than betweene the Father and the Sonne a thing that might be dispatched in few words for if he would not obey and giue place unto his father he should abide the smart of it with a mischiefe And thus the Aricine having girded as it were and glaunced at the Romane king departed out of the assemblie Which thing Tarquinius taking more displeasantly a good deale then he made semblance of forthwith devised and practised to bring Turnus to his death that he might strike the same terrour into the hearts of the Latines wherwith he had kept under his owne subjects at home And for that he had no absolut power to cause him openly to be slaine he framed most saltly a criminall action against the guiltlesse man therby wrongfully to worke his destruction By meanes of certaine Aricians of a contrarie faction he wrought a bondslaue of Turnus with a summe of monie to suffer a number of swords privily to be conveyed into his masters Inne or lodging which being done in that one night accordingly Tarquinius somewhat before day sent for the chiefe Lords of the Latines to come unto him and pretending as though he were frighted by some strange accident said that his long tarying the day before by Gods special providence as it were so appointed was for the safetie of him and them all For he was informed that Turnus contrived to massacre both him and the heads of their nation to the end that he alone might raigne over the Latines That he minded yesterday to have put this plot in execution even in the verie assemblie but the deed was deferred for that himselfe the principal author of that meeting whose life he sought for aboue all other was not in place And
great a matter the king arose and when one of the houshold brought water to quench the flambe he was by the Queene staied And after the stir was somewhat appeased she forbad the boy to be disquieted untill such time as he awoke of himselfe and within a while as the sleepe departed the blaze likewise went out and vanished away Then Tanaquil the Queene taking her husband aside into a secret roome See you this boy qd she whom we so homely keepe and in so poore and meane estate bring up Wot well this and know for certaine that he will one day be a light to direct us in our dangerous troubles and doubtfull affaires hee will bee the cheese pillar and succour of the afflicted state of the kings house Let us therefore cherish and foster with all kindnesse and indulgence the subject matter of so great a publicke and private ornament Wherupon they began to make much of the boy as if he had been one of their owne children and to instruct and traine him up in those arts whereby forward wits are stirred to great enterprises and to atchieve high place of wealth and honour And soone came that to passe which pleased the almightie gods For he proved a yong man indeed of princely nature and towardnesse in such sort that when there should be a sonne in law sought out to match with Tarquinius his daughter in marriage there was not one of all the young gentlemen of Rome to be found comparable to him in anie respect So as the king affianced his daughter unto him This so great honour whereunto he was advanced upon whatsoever cause or occasion it was induceth me to thinke he was not the son of a bondwoman nor that he served whilest he was a little one as a slave I am of their mind rather that report thus When Corniculum was won the wife of Servius Tullius a great lord and principall personage of that citie and there slaine was left great with child and being among other captives knowne whose wife she was in regard of her rare nobilitie onely was by the Queene preserved from servitude and at Rome in Priscus Tarquinius his house was delivered of a child upon which so speciall favour there grew more familiar acquaintance betweene the two ladies the Queen and her selfe and the child also brought up of a little one there in court was both tenderly beloved and also highly regarded But his mothers fortune whose hap was after her countrey was lost to fall into the hands of enemies caused men commonly to thinke that he was the sonne of a bondslave Now in the eight and thirtieth yeare almost after that Tarquinius began his raigne was this Seratus Tullius in right great estimation and credit not onely with the king but also with the nobilitie and commons Then the two sonnes of Ancus who as they alwaies before disdeained in the highest degree that they were by the deceitfull practise of their guardian so unworthily put by the inheritance of their fathers kingdome and that a stranger raigned at Rome one who was not descended of anie neighbour house thereby no nor so much as of Italian bloud so now they began much more to take stomacke and indignation in case that after Tarquinius the kingdome should not returne to them and their line but should still run on end and headlongwise fall unto such base varlets That in the same cittie a hundred yeares almost after that Romulus the sonne of a god and a god himselfe raigned therein during the time he remained here upon the earth a verie bondslave and no better and one borne of a bondwoman should be possessed of the crowne and that it would be a foule staine and dishonour generally to the name of the Romanes but most especially to their house and familie if whilest the issue male of Ancus lived the kingdome of Rome should lie open and be exposed not to strangers alone but which is more to verie bondmen and slaves This ignominie therefore and open wrong they resolve by fine force to put by and avoid howbeit the greevance of this injurie done unto them set them on against Tarquinius himselfe rather than Servius Tullius both for that the king if he lived still would be a more sharp revenger of the murder than a privat person and also if they should happen to kill Servius whomsoever besides the king would vouchsafe for his son in law him was he like to make heir apparent inheritor also of the kingdome For these considerations they lay wait for to murder the king himselfe in this manner There were for the purpose to do this feat two passing stout and sturdie heardmen chosen who having such rusticall yron tooles about them as they were woont both of them to occupie and made a great shew of a most tumultuous brawle and fray in the very porch of the court gate by which means they drew all the kings officers sergeants guard about them then as they called with a lowd voice both the one and the other upon the king in such wise as the noise was heard within the pallace they were convented before his highnes At their first comming they cried out both at once and interrupted one another in all outrageous maner so as by a sergeant they were saine to be restrained commanded to speak by turnes untill at length they gave over their confused brawlings Then one of them for the nones as it was before agreed began his tale and while the king as wholly bent to give eare turned aside towards him the other list his axe aloft and strooke the king on the head and leaving it sticking there still in the wound they whipst out both of them together and ran their waies And whilest they that stood next about Tarquinius tooke him up readie to die the sergeants made after them that were fled and apprehended them Whereupon an outcrie arose and a great concourse of people wondering what the matter might be Tanaquil in this hurliburlie caused the court gates to bee shut and commanded everie one to avoid the place and at one instant with great diligence provideth things requisit to cure the wound as if there were some hope of life and withall if that should faile shee prepareth other meanes and remedies against the worst that might happen Sending therefore in all speed for Servius when she had shewed him her husband halfe dead and alreadie bloudlesse shee tooke him by the right hand and besought him not to suffer either the death of his father in law unrevenged or his wives mother to be a laughing stocke unto the enemies Thine is the kingdome O Servius by right quoth shee if though bee a man and not theirs who by the hands of others have committed a most shamefull and villainous fact Take a good heart therefore and arme thy selfe and follow the guidance and direction of the gods who long since by a divine and heavenly flame burning about
and the whole cittie wonderfull well Servius albeit he were now without all question by so long continuance fully and really invested in the kingdome yet because he heard say that young Tarquinius otherwhile gave out speeches of him that he raigned without the nomination and election of the people therfore after he had first wan the hearts of the commons by dividing among them everyone certaine lands gotten by conquest from the enemies he adventured to propound unto the people put it to their suffrages and voices Whether their will and pleasure was that he should raigne over them Thus was he declared king with as great consent as never any before with the like But Tarquinius for all this had never the lesse hope to aspire and attaine unto the crowne nay rather so much the more because he understood the said division of the lands among the commons was a thing concluded passed against the wil mind of the Senators Taking therfore occasion therby to accuse blame Servius before them he supposed he had good means offered to wind himself into favor with the lords of the Senat so to become strong in the counsel house Over and besides he was both himself a young man of great courage hot stomack his wife likewise at home dame Tullia lay ever upon him pricked forward his distempered troubled mind for you must thinke that the roiall court of Rome also hath brought forth and afforded one example of a tragicall and horrible act that by a wearines and lothing conceived against the kings government liberty and freedome might the sooner ensue and that raigne bee the last which was by mischeefe gotten first This L. Tarquinius whether he were the sonne or nephew of Priscus Tarquinius it is not very cleare howbeit I would rather thinke with most writers that he was his sonne A brother he had Aruns Tarquinius a young gentleman of a mild nature These two as is aforesaid had married the two Tulliae the kings daughters and they also themselves were in conditions farre unlike And happily it so fell out that two froward and violent natures were not coupled together in wedlock such was the good fortune I beleeve of the Romane people that thereby the raigne of Servins might continue the longer and the cittie brought and setled in good order The younger Tullia a stout dame and a prowd greeved and vexed much that her husband had nothing in him no mettall or matter at all either to cover and desire or to enterprise and adventure her mind was fully set upon the other Tarquine him she esteemed highly and had in admiration him she said to be a man indeed and descended of roiall bloud As for her sister she despised and checked her for that she having a forward and valorous knight to her husband sat still and seconded him not in audacitie and boldnesse as a woman should doe Well in short time likenesse and disposition soone brought them together and as it is commonly seene Naught will to naught and sort best together But the mischeefe and trouble that brought all up side downe arose from the woman For she using to have secret conference with her sisters husband never ceased to speake badlie and to raile of her own husband unto his brother and of her sister unto her husband Affirming in good earnest it were better both for her selfe to be a widdow and for him to live single and without a wife than so to be mismatched as they were and through the craven cowardise of others to languish and come to nothing As for her selfe if the gods had given her an husband according to her owne qualitie and worthinesse she doubted not to see and that very shortly the crowne in her own house that now she seeth in her fathers In this manner possesseth she quickly the humorous young man and filled his head with her owne rashnesse and follies Now when Aruns Tarquinius and the elder Tullia who died just in a manner both at one time had well rid their owne houses and made way and ouverture for a new marriage it was not long but they were married with Servius his leave and connivencie rather than his good liking But then every day more than other began Tullius to be a continual more in their eies his old age hatefull and his raign more odious for now the woman minded nothing but one mischeese upon another and would not suffer her husband to be at rest night nor day least peradventure the former murders done and past should serve to no purpose and misle the effect of their designements And thus she brake out and said That she wanted not before one that carried the name of an husband with whom she served kept her selfe quiet and said nothing But she had a want of one that thought himselfe worthie of a kingdome that remembred he was the sonne of Tarquinius Priscus that loved better to be seised of a crowne and scepter indeed than hope for a kingdome and here thereof But sir quoth she if you be the man to whom I take my selfe wedded then I cal you both husband and king if not then is our case changed for the worse in that cowardlinesse is accompanied now with wickednesse Why resolve you not why arme you not your selfe and go about this businesse you need not go so far as to Corinth or Tarquinij for to seeke and compasse forraine kingdomes as your father did The gods of your owne house and native country the Image and example of your father the kings pallace and therein theroiall seat and throne of estate yea the very name of Tarquine createth nameth and saluteth you king But and if your heart will not serve you to these desseignes why beare you the world in hand and deceive them why take you so upon you as you doe to shew your selfe as a kings sonne Get you hence to Corinth againe away to Tarquinij turne backeward to your former stocke and condition more like to your brother than to your father With these and such like motives by way of reproofe she checketh the young man set him on and pricked him forwards and she her selfe for her part could be at no repose for thinking that Tanaquil an alien and stranger borne could contrive in her head and effect so great matter as to make two kings together one after other namely her husband first and afterward her son in law and she her owne selfe a kings daughter could beare no stroke either in giving or taking away a kingdome Tarquinius kindled with these furies and temptations of a woman went about laboured and made court to the Nobles especially those that were Minorum gentium estsoones putting them in mind of the pleasures and favours that his father had done them and requiring now of dutie the like good turne at their hands The young men the flower and manhood in generall of the cittie he wrought and won to himselfe with
herupon it was faith he that he fared so as he did and railed against him so bitterly the day before in his absence for that he by his long tarrying had put him by his hope and the effect of his dessignes and if all were true that was told him he nothing doubted but early in the morning at break of the day so soone as they were set in counsell together he would come armed and well appointed with a crew of his adherents sworne consederates for reported it is quoth he that a number of swords and other weapons are brought into his lodging which whether it be so or no might soone be knowne And therwith he desired them to take the paines to go with him thither And verily considering the proud nature and hautie spirit of Turnus together with his yesterdaies Oration and the long stay of Tarquinius besides for that the pretended massacre seemed therby to have beene put off and prolonged the matter became very suspcious and pregnant Thus go they with minds verily somewhat enclined and disposed to beleeue all and yet so as they would thinke all the rest but tales and lies unlesse they found the swords aforesaid Being come to the house and Turnus awakened out of sleepe certaine warders were set to keepe him on every side and when they had laid hold upon his servants who for love of their lord and master began to make resistance the swords were brought forth out of all the blind corners of the hostelrie openly to be seene then was it a cleare case and past all peradventures and Turnus was apprehended yrons clapt upon him And immediatly in all hast the Latins Assembled together to counsell in that great tumult and uprore Where upon bringing forth the sword in sight before them all they were so incensed and deadly bent against him that he was not suffered to answere and plead for himselfe but was presently at the source or spring head of the Ferentine water plunged downe a hurdle done aloft upon him greatstones heaped theron and so after a new kind of death stisled drowned Tarquinius then after he had called the Latins againe to the place of counsell much commended them for dulie executing Turnus who practising thus to alter and trouble the state was detected of a manifest intended murder made this speech unto them I might quoth he if I would by vertue of ancient rites alledge and plead that for as much as all the Latines are descended from Alba they are comprised within that consederacie and league whereby in the raigne of Tullus the whole Commonweale and State of Alba together with their inhabitants became incorporate into the Empire of Rome Howbeit in regard rather of the commoditie and weale publicke of all I judge it requisite that the league were renued and that the Latines might enjoy and be pertakers of the prosperitie and happie fortune of the people of Rome rather than evermore to hazard and suffer the destruction and desolation of their citties with the spoiling and wasting of their lands which first in Ancus daies they tasted and after in my fathers time they had abidden and suffered The Latines were hereto soone persuaded And although in that league the preheminence and soveraintie rested in the Romans yet they saw well enough that both the heads and rulers of the Latine Nation stood with the Romane king and were wrought unto his hand to side with him and also Turnus unto them was a sreth precedent and example to teach them what danger might betide euery one that should make a part against him and crosse his intention So the alliance was renewed and proclamation made that according as it was capitulated that all the serviceable men of the Latins should at a day appointed repaire in good number with their armor unto the grove of Ferentina Who when they were there met together from all parts according to the edict of the Romaine king to the end should have no captaine of their owne to lead them no privie watchwoord or regiment by themselves to direct them nor private ensignes distinct from the rest to keepe them together he shuffeled on mingled the bands and companies of Latins and Romaines one with another making one of twaine and two of one and when he had thus doubled the bands he set Centurions over them And albeit he was in peace an unjust prince yet was he in war no bad captaine nay for martiall prowesse he had beene equall to the formerkings had he not failed and degenerated in other things and thereby stained and hurt his glorie even in that behalfe He was the first that warred upon the Volscians which war after his time lasted more than 200 years and wan from them by force Suessa Pometia Where having made portsale of the pillage and raised as much gold and siluer as amounted to 40 talents he conceived in his mind to build so stately a Temple of Iupiter as might beseeme the soveraigne king of gods and men become the noble Empire of Rome and answere the majesty also of the very place where it was to stand And for the rearing and finishing of this Temple he laid that money apart that came of the spoile aforesaid But presently upon this was he surprised with a warre that held longer than he hoped it would For having made one assault in vaine upon Gabij a neighbour citie to Rome and dispairing also of any good successe by beleagering the towne for that he was valiantly repussed from the wals at the last he devised and resolved to get it by wile and deceit a course that Romaines had not usually practised For making as though he had given over and abandoned this warre as being now earnestly bent and busily occupied about laying the foundations of the Temple and folowing other publike works in the citie Sextus his sonne the yongest of three sled for the nones to Gabij complaining of his fathers intollerable rigor and crueltie against him saying That now he had turned his accustomed pride from strangers upon his owne blood and was growne to be weary of so manie children that as he had made good hand and cleane riddance of his nobles and left the Senat desolate so he might bring it to passe in his own house to leaue behind him no issue nor inheritour of the kingdome And for his owne person verily he was escaped from among the pikes and swords of his father and was persuaded fully he might no where be sure in safety but with the capitall enemies of L. Tarquinius For to put them out of doubt and that they might be no longer abused the war continued stil against them which seemed in outward shew given over and laid away and his father would not faile but whensoever he could spie his vantage and sit opportunitie come upon them at unawares But in case there were no place of refuge and protection for poore and humble suppliants amongst
strong armies of souldiours For first he went to Circeios from whence he expelled the Romane Coloners and delivered the cittie cleere and free unto the Volscians Then by crosse waies he passed into the Latine streete called Via Latima and regained from the Romanes these their townes newly gotten asore Satricum Longula Pollustia Corioli After this he wan Lanuvium againe so forward he forced Corbio Vitelia Trebia Labicos and Pedum And last of all from Pedum he marched on toward the cittie of Rome and at Cluiliae Fossae five miles off he encamped and forraied the territorie about sending with the forreiars certaine guides to keepe them from spoyling and doing harme in the Noblemens lands were it that he were more spightfull to the Commons or that thereby some discord might arise between the Comminaltie and the Senatours which doubtlesse had soone growne so mightily had the Tribunes alreadie by their complaints and accusations provoked the Commons forward who of themselves were shrewed inoguh against the heads and magistrates of the cittie but that the feare of forraine dangers the greatest bond of ciuile concord that can be held them in and knit their hearts togither were they never so jealous suspected and hatefull afore one to the other Herein onely was all their difference that the Senate and Consuls reposed hope in nothing else save onely in warre the commons on the other side were desirous of any thing whatsoever but warre Now were S. Nautius and Sex Farius Consuls who as they were surveying and mustering the legions and disposing of a good Corpus de guard upon the wals and other places wherein they thought it expedient to keep a standing watch and ward behold a mightie number called and cried hard for peace with their sedicious clamors put them in exceeding feare yea afterwards forced them to assemble the Senatehouse together and to propose concerning the sending of certaine embassadors to Gn. Martius The Lords of the Senate seeing evidently the commons hearts to faile them accepted and granted the motion propounded Whereupon were Oratours sent unto Martius to treate for peace At whose hands they received this heavie and stout answere If so be the Volsciens had their lands restored to them againe then there might be some parle and treatie of peace but if they will needs at their pleasure still enjoy that bootie which by war they have gotten then would he in remembrance of private wrongs done vnto him by his countrimen as also of the friendship and courtesie shewed him by strangers that had given him entertainement do his best to make it knowne unto the world that his courage and stomacke is incensed and not abated and quailed by his banishment Then were the same Embassadors sent againe the second time but they might not be admitted once to set foote within the campe It is reported moreouer that the verie priests in their Pontificalibus in their rich vestiments and goodly ornaments went with supplication to the tents of the enemies and turned his heart no more than the embassadors had done before them Then the dames of the cittie came flocking all about Veturia the mother and Volumnia the wife of Coriolanus Whether this proceeded from any publike counsell and was done in pollicie or came onely of womens feare I find but little in any records But howsoeuer it came about this one thing is certaine they persuaded so effectually with them that both Veturia an aged woman and also Volumnia with her two little sonnes that she had by Martius went toward the enemies campe to see if women by their praiers and teares might save the cittie which men with speare and shield could not defend When they were come into the camp word brought to Coriolanus that there was an exceeding great traine of women thither arrived at the first he as one that had relented neither for that publike maiestie in the Embassadours nor yet at the religious reverence which he both conceived in mind saw with his eies in the clergie stood much more stifly bent against the teares of seely women But afterwards one of his familiar friends who had seen and knowne Veturia there mourning and bewailing exceedingly above the rest as she stood betwixt her daughter in law and her little nephewes Iâ— mine eies be matches quoth hee and deceive me not here is your mother your wife and children Whereat Coriolanus faring like a man well neare beside himselfe arose from his seate and ran to meete his mother and to embrace her But the woman falling in steede of praiers into a fit of choller Let me know quoth she before I suffer thee to embrace me whether I am come to an enemie or to a sonne whether I be in thy campe as a captive prisoner or as a naturall mother And have I lived indeede so long and rubbed on still in this miserable old age of mine for this to see thee first a banished man and after that to become an enemie Couldest thou finde in thine heart to waste and spoyle that courtrey which bred thee which fostered thee and brought thee up And be it that thou hither marched with a cruell intent and full of threats would not thine anger and fell mood slake when thou didst set foote within the borders and marches therof And being come within the sight of Rome arose not this in thy mind thought Within those wals yonder is my house there are my house goods my mother my wife my children Why then belike if I had never been a mother and borne a child Rome had not been assaulted And if I had no sonne at all I might have died well ynough in my native countrey whiles it remained free But as for me neither can I suffer ought more for thy dishonestie and shame nor more to mine owne calamitie and miserie than this and most wretched caitife though I be yet long time so I cannot continue But for these here looke thou well to it I advise thee and have pittie of them who if thou goe on as thou beginnest are like to feele untimely death or indure long captivitie Then his wife and children hung about him and clipped him whereat the women fell a weeping on all sides bewailing their owne case and the state of their countrey So as at length the man was overcome And after he had taken them in his armes likewise he let them goe and himselfe dislodged and removed his campe backeward from the cittie When he had withdrawne the legions out of the territorie of Rome he gat himselfe men said such hatred and displeasure for this action that it cost him his life and murdered he was some report one way some another But I find in Fabius a most ancient writer that he lived untill he was an old man who reporteth this of him That oftentimes in his latter daies he used to utter this speech A heavie case and most wretched for an aged man to live
according as they had any hope to find issue to escape and had made sundrie offers attempts in vain behold one troupe oftal fellowes in a plumpe made no more ado but knowing the Consul who by reason of brave goodly armor was a faire mark charged upon his own person The first voley of their shot was receiued by those that stood about him but their violence afterwards could not be endured The Consull himselfe was wounded to death and fell down in the place al the rest were discomfited Whereupon the Tuskanes tooke more hart unto them but the Romanes were so maskared that they ran all about the campe in great feare And in extreame jeopardie had they been but that the Lieâ—enants caught up the Consull his bodie and made passage at one gate for the enemie Through which they rushed forth and dismarched disorderly untill they light vpon the other Consull presently after his victorie where they either fell againe upon the edge of the sword or were scattered and put to flight This brave victorie thus atchieved was heavie yet and sorrowfull for the death of two sonoble personages And therefore when the Senate had decreed a triumph the Consull returned this answere That willingly he could allow thereof in regard of the passing good seruice performed in that warre in case an armie might triumph without a Generall But as for himselfe seeing that his house grieued and mourned for the death of his brother Q. Fabius and that the commonwealth was halfe fatherlesse as it were for the losse of a Consull he would not accept the lawrell so deformed and foully blemished both with publike and private sorrow This triumph thus by him refused was more honourable than all the triumph in the world By which wee may see that glorie despised in due time returneth otherwhiles in greater measure Then solemnized he with great honour the obsequies one after another first of his fellow Consull and then of his owne brother And he himselfe made the funerall orations for them both But so as in yeelding unto them their due commendations he went himselfe away with the greater part And not unmindfull of that rule which he had learned in the beginning of the Consulship namely to win again the harts love of the Commons he diuided the cure of his hurt and wounded souldiours among the Senators With most of them the Fabij were charged and of none were they better tended and looked unto than of them Wherupon the Fabij now waxed popular and that for no other pollicie and intent but onely to do the common-wealth good and therefore with the favour and good will of the commons as well as of the Nobles Caeso Fabius was created Consull with T. Virginius Whose principall care above all was this even before war before musters before all things els that seeing now in some measure there was good hope of concord begun alreadie the hearts of the Commons might be perfectly linked and united togither with the Nobles and that with all speed possible In the beginning therefore of this yeare before that any Tribune of the Commons should prefer the law Agraria he thought good and gave his advise that the Nobles should prevent all go in hand first themselves to perform their part and shew their bountie namely in parting the lands gotten by conquest and freely bestowing the same as equally as might be among the Commons For it was meet requisite that they should be possessed therof whose swet of brows nay whose bloud had paied for the purchase But the Senators could not heare of that care but misliked of the motion yea and some of them complained said that the lively spirit corageous disposition of Caeso which sometimes he had was now by reason of excessive glorie growen to be toyish full of vanities And there an end of civile factions for a time But the Latines were much troubled with the reises and rodes of the Acquians Thither was Caeso with an armie sent who invaded and overran the verie countrey of the Aequians â—orraying and spoyling as he went The Aequians thereupon retired and put themselves into their townes and kept close within the walles whereby there was no memorable field fought But at their enemies the Veientians hand they received an overthrow and that through the rashnesse of the other Consull and had not Caeso Fabius come to the rescue in good time the whole armie had beene utterly lost From that time there was neither war nor peace with the Veientians but their dealing was much what after the manner of robbing For when the Romane legions were abroad they would leave the field take to their cities when they perceived the legions were remooved and gone they would make excursions and waste the countrey Thus plaied they mockholiday and dalied with them shifting off war with quietnesse and quietnes againe with war by turnes So as the Romane could neither all wholly rest carelesse and secure for them nor yet go through stitch and make an end once for all with them Besides other wars were either presently at hand to with from the Aequians and the Volscians who could no longer sit still than untill their fresh griefe and paine of the last defeature was ouerpast or else the Sabines never other but enemies yea and all Hetruria were like shortly to rise and take armes But the Veientian a continuall enemie rather than dangerous provoked them to anger with reprochfull taunts oftener than with any great perill or hurt And yet as little as it was it might no time be neglected nor gave them leave to be employed in the meanewhile otherwhere Then came the whole house and kinred of the Fabij unto the Senat and in the name of them all spake the Consul in this wife My Lords of the Senate the Veientian warre had neede rather of a resident garrison as ye know well inough to keepe the fronties than great forces for expedition As for you see ye to other warres Let the Fabij alone to deale as private enemies with the Veientians We dare undertake and warrant that the State of Rome shall receive no dishonour nor danger there We are fully minded and resolved at our owne proper cost and charges to maintaine and mannage that war as appropriate and peculiar to our name and familie the citie shal be charged neither with men nor money there Great thanks were giuen them for this their forwardnesse The Consul being come out of the Senat house was attended home with the whole generation of the Fabij who stood at the porch of the Counsell Court expecting the Senates decree And being commanded to be readie in armour well appointed the next day and to give attendance at the Consuls doore they departed from thence home to their owne houses The bruit hereof spread all over the cittie All men extoll the Fabij up to the skie saying That one familie had taken upon them the whole
revenged for Here upon he marshalleth his battaile as the ground would give him leave being the plot onely of a cittie halfe ruinate and lying along and with all of it selfe naturally uneven Forecasting and providing for all things with especiall choice and preparation to serve his souldiours turne as farre as martiall skill could possiblie reach The Gaules affrighted at this so strange an occurrent betooke them to their weapons and in a furious fit of anger rather than with any considerate discretion they ran upon the Romanes Now had fortune turned her wheele now Gods helpe and mans pollicie assisted the Romanes Therefore at the first encounter the Gaules were discomsited with as little difficultie as they themselves had atchieved the victorie at Allia Afterwards also in another more set battaile in the way of Gabes about eight miles from Rome to which place they were fled they were vanquished by the conduct and leading of the same Camillus For there were they slaine in every place their campe taken and not so much as one left to bring newes of their overthrow The Dictatour having thus delivered his countrie out of the enemies hand returneth againe with triumph into the citie And in all the sports and pleasant ditties which the souldiors rudely after their manner devised he was stiled Romulus the father of the countrie the second founder of the cittie which were no vaine titles of commendation When he had saved his countrie thus in warre he preserved it afterwards againe undoubtedly in time of peace namely in gain saying their transinigration to Veij whiles both the Tribunes enforced that matter more earnestly now after the burning of the citie and the Commons also of themselves were more enclined thereunto than before Which was one cause that after his triumph he resigned not up his Dictatorship being requested also by the Senat not to leave the citie in so doubtfull tearmes of perplexitie And first and formost as hee was evermore a most precise devout man and religious hee proposed those things which concerned the immortall gods and causeth an act of the Senate to be made Imprints that all the temples for that the enemies had held and possessed them should bee repaired bounded out new and purged Item that the manner of cleansing them should be searched out of the bookes of Sibylla by the Duumvirs Moreover that with the inhabitants of Caere there should be made a league of publicke and mutuall hospitalitie for receiving the sacred Images and priests of the people of Rome by the meanes and favour of which people the honour and service of the immortall gods was not forelet and discontinued Item That there should bee set out the Plaies called Capitolini for that Iupiter Optimus Maximus had still defended and preserved his owne seat and the Keepe of the people of Rome in that fearfull time of trouble And that M. Furius should ordain a guild or fraternitie out of those that dwelt in the hil of the capitoll for the celebration of those plaies Finally to the end there should be also some satisfaction expiation made of that night voice which being the fore-messenger and warning-giver of their destruction before the comming of the Gaules was heard and yet neglected a motion was made that a temple should be erected in the new causey to Aius Locutius The gold which was recovered by force from the Gaules as also that which out of other temples in that fearefull medley was brought into the chancell or chappell of Iupiter because they could not call to mind precisely into which churches they were to carrie it againe accordingly was all judged holie and sacred to Iupiter and order taken that it should be bestowed and laid up under his shrine And how devout the citie was appeared before in this That when there was not gold ynough in the common chest to make up the full summe of the ransome that was agreed upon betweene them and the Gaules they tooke that which the matrons wives of Rome contributed and all to spare and save the gold appointed to holy uses The matrons were therfore thanked and this honour besides done unto them That after their death they as well as their husbands should be openly praised in a solemne funerall Oration When those things were once accomplished which pertained to the gods and all done that belonged to the Senate for to doe then and not afore upon the stirres that the Tribunes kept with the Commons continually with their speeches in all their assemblies solliciting them to leave the ruines of the cittie and to remoove with all they had to Veij a towne readily furnished to their hand then I say and not before Camillus accompanied with the whole Senate came up into the common place of audience there before the people spake in this wise So grievous to me ô Quirites is all contention and variance with the Tribunes of the Commons that while I lived at Ardea I found no other comfort and solace in that most heavie wofull banishment of mine but this That I was farre ynough off from those debates and jarres In regard whereof I would never have come againe I assure you but that you called me backe both by Act of Senate and also by approbation of the people And it is not in me any change of mind but your calamitie and distressed estate that hath forced me to returne againe unto you For this was the verie point that you stood upon namely that our countrie might continue still and keepe her ancient place and not ywis that I should remaine and dwell therein againe And even now verily would I be still and keepe silence willingly but that this quarrell also is in the behalfe of my foresaid countrie the which to faile so long as life doth last for others might be a shamefull reproach but for Camillus it were most impious and abhominable For to what end have we returned to it again To what purpose when it was besiged have we delivered it out of the enemies hands if when we have recovered it we our selves abandon and leave the same And when as the gods and men of Rome kept still and inhabited the Capitoll and the castle notwithstanding the Gaules were lords and possessed of the whole cittie is it possible that both castle and capitoll after the cittie is regained should be forsaken and abandoned of the Romane victors And shall our prosperous hand over our enemies bring greater desolation to our cittie than adversity hath Verilie if it were so that we made no reckning of that religion and divine solemne service instituted even with the foundation of our cittie and that wee counted all vanities that have beene delivered unto us by tradition from our ancestors yet so evident a power of God hath assisted the Romanes that I must needs thinke that men can now no longer neglect the worship of God For consider with me I pray you either the prosperitie or the adversitie of these
government should returne to an Interreigne So there were Interregents one after another M. Manlius Capitolinus Ser. Sulpitius Camerinus L. Valerius Potitus Valerius at length held the assemblie for to elect Tribunes Militarie in Consuls authritie and created L. Papyrius Cn. Sergius L. Aemylius the second time L. Licinius T. Valerius Publicola the third time These presently after the Interreigne began their government That yeare the Temple of Mars vowed in the Gauls war was dedicated by T. Quintius a Duumvir deputed for the executing of holy duties Foure Tribes of new citizens were now adjoined Stellalina Pomatina Sabbatina Arniensis and these made up the number of the 35 Tribes And now L. Sicinius a Tribune of the Commons was in hand with the people in greater number assembled together about the Pomptine lands and more enclined they were and forward to hearken after grounds than they had beene asore And whereas it was mooved in the Senate house to make warre upon the Latines and the Hernicks that matter was not followed but put off to a further time by reason of preparation for a greater warre because Hetruria was alreadie up in armes And all was laid againe upon Caemillus his shoulders who was made Tribune Militarie with Consuls authority and had five other brethren in office joined unto him Sâ—r. Cornelius Maluginensis Q. Servilius Fidenas the sixt time L. Quintius Cincinnatus L. Horatius Pulvillus P. Valerius In the beginning of the yeare the minds of men were turned cleane away from the carefull regard they had of the Tuscane warre by reason that a number of people that fled out of the Pomptine countrie came all of a suddaine in great hast to the cittie and brought word that the Antiates were up in armes that the nations of the Latines had sent their able youth to that warre closelie under hand thereby disavowing it to be any action of the State and standing upon this point that by the covenant there was no proviso but that voluntarie soldiours might serve in what warres soever they would Now had the Romanes beene well taught and learned to set light no more by any warres The Senate therefore thanked the gods that Camillus was in place of government who if he had beene a private person was no doubt to have beene nominated and created Dictatour yea and his companions in office confessed frankely that he was the onlie man to have the soveraigne and absolute regiment of all in case there were any fearfull and dangerous warre toward and were fully resolved to yeeld up all their interest in government unto him thinking it no disparagement at all unto them nor any losse of their owne honour and reputation in conferring the same upon the majestie of so worthie a person The Senate highly commended the Tribunes and Camillus was much abashed in his mind howbeit he gave them heartie thanks and spake in this wife A waightie burthen quoth he I see is imposed upon me by the people of Rome in that they have elected and nominated me Dictatour now the fourth time a greater charge is enjoined me by the Senate the whole state and bodie of which order hath delivered so singular good opinion and judgement of me but the heaviest lode of all is laid upon me by the exceeding kindnesse and obsequious benignitie of these my honourable brethren and colleagues If any painfull travaile of mine therefore and watchfull care may be redoubled I will earnestlie endeavour I will straine and strive to answere therunto that the opinion which the cittie with so great consent hath conceived of me right as it is exceeding great so it may continue still and be perpetuall As to that warre of the Antiates there are more brags and threats than any danger and perill from thence But as I would counsaile and advise you to be affraid of no warre so I would not have you to be carelesse and secure of any The cittie of Rome is beset on everie side partlie envied and partlie hated of her neighbour borderers Need there is both of more captaines and also of more armies to manage the affaires of the Commonweale I thinke it good therfore quoth hee ô Valerius that you assist me in government and counsell and have the leading togither with me of certaine legions against the Antiate enemies That you Q. Servilius with an other armie well appointed and in readines lie encamped hard by the cittie side having an eie and good regard least either Hetruria in the meane while as of late daies or the Latines and Hernicks who trouble vs now a fresh breake out and make some rising Assured I am that you will behave your selte and quit you in this service so worthilie as may answere the famous memorie of such a father and grandsire as you have had may beseeme your owne honourable person and those six Tribuneâ—hips which you have alreadie performed As for L. Quintius let him leavie a third power of men consisting of those that are by reason of sicklinesse or other wife excused for warfare and are above the ordinarie age for militarie service to be in stead of a garison for defence of the cittie and the walles Let L. Horatius provide harnesse weapons come and other necessaries for warre at all occasions whatsoever Finally ô Sergius Cornelius wee your fellow Tribunes ordaine you president of this publicke Counsell the Custos and keeper of religion and Church matters of generall assemblies of the lawes and all other civill affaires of pollicie whatsoever Now when they had all made promise and that most willingly to do their endeavour in performing their severall charges Valerius whom he had joined with himselfe in commission added moreover and said That as he would take M. Furius to bee Dictatour so would he be unto him againe in steed of his Coronell of horsemen And turning to the Lords of the Senate exhorted them that what opinion they had of one onelic soveraigne Generall the same hope they would conceive of the whole warre The Senatours hereat tooke great joy and contentment giving out willingly with one accord that they hoped exceeding well of war of peace and generally of the State Neither shall the common-weale say they ever stand in need of Dictatour so long as such magistrates be in place so jointly agreeing in one mind together so indifferent and readie as well to obey as to rule and rather yeelding their proper praise to the honour of the common-weale than dismembring and plucking from it to their privat glorie and reputation After a Vacation or Law-steed proclaimed and the Musters taken and past Furius and Valerius set forward to Satricum whither the Antiates had not onely sent the floure of all the Volsci the choise youth out of a fresh frie and new generation but also had raised a mightie power of Latines and Hernicks out of those nations that by long peace were most frimme lustic These new enemies and old thus combined together troubled the
publike crier after an oiez made called by name for Q. Fabius Generall of the horse Who so soone as hee was come from a lower place where he was and approched neer the Tribunall then qd the Dictator I demand of thee Q. Fabius since that the rule of the Dictator is soveraine highest above al others whereunto the Consuls endued with kingly puissance and goverment do obey yea and Prators created with the same authoritie that Consuls are whether thou esteeme it meet and right that a Generall of horse should bee obedient to his commaundement or no I demaund likewise whether I my selfe knowing that I tooke my journey and went from home with doubtfull and uncertaine Auspices ought to have put the maine state of the Commonweale in hazard against the order and religious observation in that behalfe and not rather to go againe to take new Auspicia that I might adventure attempt nothing so long as I stood in doubt of the grace and favour of the gods And withall this I demaund whether the Generall of the horsmen could be freed exempt and discharged of that scruple of conscience which checked and staied the Dictatour from execution of his charge But what meane I to make these demaunds seeing that if I had departed without saying one word yet thou shouldest have framed thy opinion and applied thy mind according to the interpretation of my will and pleasure Why saiest thou nothing Answer me I say Forbad I thee not expresly to do any thing in my absence Forbad I not thee to fight with the enemies How durst thou in contempt of my commandement whiles our Auspicia were uncertaine whiles our consciences were unresolved and with scruples troubled against all Militarie customes statutes against the discipline of our ancestors and against the will direction of the gods how durst thou I say be so hardie as to encounter with the enemie To these interrogatories make answer directly Answere I charge thee to all these points and nothing but these and at the perill of thy life not a word besides Now come Serjeant and doe thine office the while To which severall articles when Fabius could not readily answere point by point one while complaining that he had him for his accuser who was the judge of his life and death otherwhiles crying out aloud that sooner might his life be taken from him than the glorie and honour of his acts and as hee jâ—stified and excused his own selfe so he began againe to challenge and accuse the Dictatour Then Papyrius being in more heate of choler than before commanded the Generall of the horsmen to be stripped out of his clothes and uncased and the rods and axes to bee brought forth readie With that Fabius calling earnestly for the helpe of the souldiors whiles the officers were a tearing and renting his clothes from his backe made meanes to retire himselfe into the rankes of the Triarij who began alreadie to make a mutinie and uprore in the assemblie From whence there arose an outcrie over all the audience Some were heard to intreat others to threat They who fortuned to stand next to the Tribunall because that being within the veiw and eie of the Dictator they might be knowne and noted besought his Majestie to spare and pardon the Generall of the horse not with him to condemne the whole armie They that were furthest off in the skirt of the assembly especially that plump and companie about Fabius rated and cried out upon such a rigorous and mercilesse Dictator And a little thing more would have made them mutinie nay within the very compasse of the Tribunall all was not cleare quiet The Lieutenants or Coronels of whole legions standing about his seat or chaire of estate intreated him to put off the matter untill the morrow to give his choler some time to coole and allow space and respite to consider of it with advise and councell saying That if Fabius had plaied a youthfull part he had paied sufficiently for it alreadie and his victorie had received disgrace and dishonour enough Beseeching him not to proceed to these extremities of utmost execution nor to set such a brand and note of ignominie shame upon the young Gentleman himselfe so rare and gallant a Knight or on his father a most honourable and excellent personage ne yet upon the noble house and name of the Fabij But when they saw how little they prevailed by their praiers and as little by any reasons they could alleage then they admonished him to have a regard to the furious assemâ—â—â— of the souldiors and that it was not for a man of his years and wisedome thus to put more fire to the hoat stomacke of soldiors enkindled alreadie nor to minister more matter of mutinie and if such a thing should happen no man would impute the blame to Q. Fabius who sought and humbly craved pardon of punishment but to the Dictator if he overcome with choler should blindly so far passe himselfe in wilfull peevishnesse as to provoke the outragious multitude against himselfe Finally that he should not thinke how they laboured thus for any affectionat favour they bare to Quintus Fabius but were readie to take an oath that they thought it not safe for the State and Common-weale that he should proceed at such a time to execute the rigour of Iustice upon Q. Fabius By these and such like remonstrances when as the Lieutenants had stirred up the Dictator his bloud against themselves rather than pacified his moode against Fabius they were commanded to go down from the Tribunall And when as the Crier had assaied to make silence al in vaine for that by reason of the noise and tumult neither the Dictator his voice nor any of his apparitors halbards about him could be heard the night came upon them and ended the hurley and garboile as if it had been a battaile in field The Generall of the horse was commanded to appeare on the morrow Now when as every man gave it out and avouched unto him that Papyrius would proceed more vehemently for that contesting of the Lieutenants and that the more hee was dealt withall the worse hee was Fabius privily stole out of the campe and fled to Rome And by the meanes of his father M. Fabius a man who had been alreadie thrice Consull and Dictatour the Senate was called together immediatly And as he was in the midst of his grievous complaints before the Lords touching the violence and wrong of the Dictatour all of a sodaine there was heard before the Councell house dore a great noise hurrying of the Lictours whiles they made way and voided the preasse And no mervaile for the Dictatour himselfe was come with a revenging mind For so soone as he had heard how Fabius was departed out of the campe he followed after with his light horsemen Then began the broile to bee renued afresh and Papyrius caused Fabius to be attached Whereupon the chiefe
and twentieth Censors from the beginning and this was reckoned the nineteenth Lustrum after the first institution In this yeare and never before the spectators of the Romane Games and Plates in regard of their happie successe in warres stood adorned with wreaths and garlands of floures upon their heads and then came up the fashion at Rome borrowed from the manner and custome of Greece to honour those with braunches of the date tree who wan the prises and were victors in those solemne Games The same yeare the Aediles curule who exhibited the said pastimes and exercises of activitie paved the causey or high way with flint or peble stone from the temple of Mars unto Bovillae and the fines of certaine Publicanes or farmers of the cittie that were grasiers and condemned paied the charges Then Papyrius held the great Assemblie for Election of new Consuls and created Q. Fabius Garges the sonne of Maximus and D. Iunius Brutus Sceva Consuls Papyrius himselfe was chosen Pretor This yeare so joious and fortunate in many respects could hardly countervaile recompence with al other comforts one only calamitie namely a pestilence and mortalitie which consumed devoured both town and countrie In so much as for the strangenes extremitie therof it was held for a prodigious portentious sign beyond all course of nature and reach of reason Whereupon the bookes of Sibylla were perused to know out of them what issue and remedie the gods would vouchsafe to shew of this maladie and miserie Wherein they found that the Image of Aesculapius must be sent for from as far as Epidaurus to Rome But for that yeare by reason that the Consuls were busied in the warres nothing was done but onely one day bestowed wholly in supplications and devout Letanies to the honour of the said god Aesculapius THE TEN BOOKES NEXT FOLLOWING OF T. LIVIVS VSVALLY CALLED THE SECOND DECADE ARE lost the arguments whereof remaine yet extant in the Abridgements or Breviaries of L. Florus which in steed of the Historie it selfe are set downe in this place The Breviarie of L. Florus to the eleventh Booke WHen Fabius Gurges the Consull had fought an infortunate battaile against the Samnites and the Senate were about to discharge and remoove him from his armie Fabius Maximus his father besought them for his sake not to offer him that disgrace and dishonour For rather than that should come to passe he promised to serve in person under his sonne in qualitie of his Lieutenant Which moved the Senat and prevailed more than anything els And hee was his words maister For hee went to the field and by his meanes and good advise the Consull his sonne was so well assisted that he defeited the Samnites triumphed over them led captive before his triumphant chariot C. Pontius Lord Generall of the Samnites and afterwards strucke off his head Whiles the cittie of Rome was pitteously visited and afflicted with the plague there were certain Embassadours addressed and sent to Epidaurus for so translate the image of Aesculapius from thence to Rome And in steed thereof they brought away a great snake or serpent which of it selfe embarked in their ship and wherein they were verily persuaded that the puissance and divine power of the said god was resident And when they had conducted it with them by sea as farre as to Rome it went forth of the owne accord and swam to the Island within Tyberis where it setled and in that very place where it tooke land they erected a temple to Aesculapius L. Posthumius a consular man i. who had been Consull having the charge of an armie was condemned and had a round fine set upon his head for that he emploied his souldiours about some worke in one of his sermes The league was now the fourth time renued with the Samnites at their earnest suit and request Curius Dentatus the Consull after he bid defeited and slaine the Samnites vanquished the Sabines who were revolted and rebelled and received them under his obeisance triumphed twise during the time of one Consulship Three Colonies were erected and peopled to wit Castrum Sena and Adria The three Triumvirs to sit upon capitall crimes were then first created Asessing was holden and a solemne Lustrum wherein by iust account were numbred 273000 cittizens of Romanes The Commons because they were deepely engaged in debt in regard of greevous and long seditions and dissentions retired in the end to Ianiculum from whence they were reclaimed and brought againe into the citie by the meanes of Q. Hortensius the Dictatour who died in the very time of his Magistracie This booke containeth moreover the exploits against the Volsinians and also the Lucanes against whom it was thought good and ordained to send aid and succours to the Tyrrhenians THe Breviarie of L. Florus to the twelfth Booke THe Romane Embassadours being murdred by the Senonois Gaule and warre thereupon denounced and proclaimed against them Lucius Caecilius the Pretour fortuned with his whole armie to bee defeited by them and put to the sword When the Romane fleet was spoiled and ransacked by the Tarentines and their Admirall besides slaine the Senate dispatched their Embassadours unto them to make complaint of these wrongs and outrages but they were evill intreated and sent away with great abuse Wherupon defiance was likewise given unto them and warre proclamed The Samnites revolted Against whom together with the Lucanes Brutians and Tuscanes sundrie battailes were fortunatly fought by divers Romane captaines Pyrrhus the King of the Epirotes or the Albanois passed over into Italy for to aid the Tarentines When a Legion of the Campans was sent under the conduct of Decius Iubellius to Rhegium there to lie in garison they treacherously flew the naturall inhabitants and seized the cittie of Rhegium to their owne behoofe The Breviarie of L. Florus for the thirteenth Booke VAlerius Levinus the Consul lost a field against Pyrrhus by occasion principally that his soldiors were terrified and amazed at the uncouth sight of the Elephants After that battaile when Pyrrhus viewed and beheld the dead bodies of the Romanes lying slaine on the ground he observed marked that all their faces were turned toward the enemie affront From thence he went forward spoiling and wasting all the way to Rome C. Fabricius was sent unto him for to treat about the redemption and ransome of the prisoners and was sollicited by the King but in vaine to abandon the service of his owne countrie The foresaid prisoners were enlarged and sent home without paying any ransome at all Cyneas was sent as Embassadour from the King unto the Senate who required that the K. his master for to end and compound all quarrels might be received into the cittie and amitie of the people of Rome but when it was thought meet to debate and consult of this important matter in a more frequent assemblie of the Senatours Appius Claudius who many a day had not intermedled with the affaires of State and Counsell
forces and so mightie in meanes as nowe they were Moreover they came not newly now to wage war without knowledge of the prowesse and martiall skill one of another for triall they had made thereof sufficient alreadie in the first punicke warre Besides so variable was the fortune of the field so doubtfully were their battailes fought that neerer losse and daunger were they who in the end wan the better and atchieved the victorie And to conclude if a man observe the whole course and proceeding of these their warres their malice and hatred was greater in a manner than theirforces whiles the Romans tooke foule skorn and disdaine that they whose hap before was to be vanquished should unprovoked begin warre afresh with the Conquerors and the Carthaginians again were as mal-content and throughlyf offended as taking themselves notwithstanding they were overcome to bee abused too much at their hands by their prowd insolent and covetous rule over them Over and besides all this the report goeth that Anniball being but nine yeares old or thereabout came fawning and flattering as wanton children doe to his father Amilcar that hee would take him with him into Spaine at what time as after the Affricane war ended his father was offering sacrifice readie to passe over thither with an armie where he was brought to the altar side and induced to lay his hand thereupon and to touch the sacrifice and so to sweare that so soone as ever he were able he would be a professed and mortall enemie to the people of Rome Vexed no doubt at the heart was Amilcar himselfe a man of high spirit and great courage for the losse of the islands Sicilie and Sardinia for not onely Sicilie was overhastily yeelded as he thought as despairing too soone of the state thereof and doubting how it should be defended but also Sardinia was by the cunning and fraudulent practise of the Romanes surprised out of the Carthaginians hands whiles they were troubled with the commotion rebellion of Affrick and a Tribute besides imposed upon them He being disquieted I say and troubled with these greefs and discontentments so bare himselfe for five yeares space in the Affricke warre which insued immediately upon the peace concluded with the Romanes and likewise after in Spaine for nine yeares together enlarging ever still the dominion of Carthage that all the world might fee he intended and dessigned a greater warre than that he had in hand and if God had spared him longer life it should have beene well seene that the Carthaginians under the leading of Amilcar would have made that warre upon Italie which afterward they waged by the conduct of Anniball But the death of Amilcar happening in so good season for the Romanes and the childhood and tendernonage of Annibal together were the cause that this war was put off and deferred In the meane time between the father and the sonne Asdruball bare all the rule for the space almost of eight years This Asdruball had ben Amilcar his minion growne highly into his grace and favour at the first as men say for the very prime and flower of his youth but afterwards in regard of the singular towardnesse of a brave and haughtie mind which soone appeared in him and for his forwardnesse to action hee was preferred to be his sonne in law and married his daughter Now for as much as he was Amilcar his sonne in law he was advaunced to the soveraigne conduct of the warre with no good liking at all and consent of the Nobilitie and Peeres but by the meanes and favour onely of the Barchinefaction which bare a great stroke and might do all in all among the souldiours and the common people Who managed all his affaires more by pollicie and sage counsell than by force and violence and using the authoritie and name of the Princes and great Lords of those countries and by intertaining friendship with the cheefe rules woon daily the hearts of new nations still and by that meanes enlarged the power and siegnorie of the Carthaginians in Spain rather than by any warre force of armes But for all this peace with forraine States he was never the more sure of his owne life at hóme For a certaine barbarous fellow for anger that his maister and Lord was by him put to death flew him in open place and being laid hold on by them that were attendant about Asdrubal his person he kept the same countenance still as if he had escaped and gone cleare away yea and when hee was by cruell torments all mangled and torne hee looked so cheerefully and pleasantly on the matter as if he had seemed to smile so far his joy of heart surpassed the paines and anguish of his bodie With this Asdruball for that hee had so singular a gift and wonderfull dexteritie in solliciting and annexing unto his dominion the Nations aforesaid the people of Rome had renued the league upon these two capitulations and conditions first that the river Iberus should limit and determine the siegnories of them both Item that the Saguntines seated in the middest between the territories of both Nations should remaine free and enjoy their auncient liberties No doubt at all there was now but when a new Commander should succeed in the rownie of Asdruball the favour of the people would goe cleare with the prerogative voice and choise of the souldiours who presently brought young Anniball into the Generall his pavilion and with exceeding great acclamation and accord of all saluted him by the name of Captaine Generall For this you must understand that Asdruball by his letters missive had sent for him being verie young and hardly 14 yeares of age yea and the matter was debated first in the counsell house at Carthage where they of the Barchine side laboured followed the matter earnestly that Annihall should be trained in warfare grow up to succeed his father in equal proesse and greatnesse But Hanno the chiefe man of the contrarie faction It is but meet and reason quoth hee that Asdruball doth demaund and yet for mine own part I thinke it not good that his request should be granted When they mused and mervailed much at this so doubtfull speech of his and wist not what construction to make of it Why then quoth Hanno to be plaine That floure and beautie of youth which Asdruball himselfe yeelded and parted with all sometimes unto Annibals father for to use or abuse at his pleasure the same he thinketh by good right he may chalenge and have again from the sonne to make quittance But it be seemeth not us sot to acquaint our yoong youths with the campe that under the colour and in steed of their militarie institution and teaching they abandon and give their bodies to serve the lust and appetite of the Generals What Is this the thing we feare That the sonne of Amilcar should tarie too long erche see the excessive graundeur and soveraintie of his father and
dreamed and sawe a vision namely a young man of divine shape and semblance saying That he was sent from Jupiter to guide him in his voiage into Italie and willed him therefore to follow him and in no wise to turne his eies from him one way or other Also that at the first he being skared and affrighted durst not look either about or behind but followed him still afterwards as men by nature are curious when hee cast and discoursed in his mind what it might be that hee was forbidden so to see behind him hee could not hold and rule his eyes but must needes looke backe and then hee beheld behind him a serpent of huge greatnesse comming amaine and all the way as it went to beare downe trees groves and thickets and after all that he perceived a great storme and tempest ensuing with mightie thunder-claps Now when hee was desirous to know what this so great confusion and straunge fight might signifie he heard a voice saying That it betokened the ruines and wasting of Italie willing him therefore to goe still forward with his voyage and search no further into the secrets of the gods but leave them to the hidden destinies Anniball right joyous at this vision passed over Iberus with his whole power devided into three parts having sent certaine before him with gifts and rewards into all parts whereas he should march with his armie to gaine the hearts of the Gaules and withall to seeke out discover the passages of the Alpes So he crossed the river Iberus with 90000 foot 12000 horse strong After this he subdued the Ilergetes the Bargusians Auselanes and Aquitain which lyeth under the hils Pyrenei The government of all these Nations heeset over to Hanno that hee might have at his commaund the streights which joined Fraunce and Spaine together Vnto whome hee allowed 10000 footemen and 1000 horse for to defend and keepe in obedience those countries After that his armie was on foote and began to march through the forrest Pyreneus and that there ran amongst the barbarous people a more certain bruit That they were to make warre with the Romanes three thousand footmen of the Carpenates returned backe and for certaine it was knowne that they departed not for feare so much of the warre as the tedious journey and unpassable waies of the Alpes Anniball considering that either to recall them or to keepe them by violence was a daungerous matter for fear least thereby hee should provoke the fierce stomackes of the rest sent home againe above 7000 of such as he perceived to be wearie and to have no mind to the service and made semblance withall that the Carpetanes were by his leave discharged And doubting least long stay ease there might tempt his souldiours and give occasion of mutinies with the rest of his forces hee passed Pyreneus and pitched his campe before the towne Illiberis The Gaules albeit they were advertised that it was Italie at which Anniball shot yet because the bruit was blased That the Spaniards beyond Iberus were by force subdued and strong garrisons placed in their citties certaine Nations of them for feare of servitude and bondage rose up in armes and assembled together at Ruscino Which being related to Anniball hee fearing more that they would stay him in his journey than endaunger him in sight sent certaine Oratours or Embassadours to their Princes and great Lords to signifie unto them That himselfe in person would gladly parle with them and that it should bee in their choise whether they would come neerer to Illiberis or himselfe goe forward to Ruscino where beeing neere together they might more easily meere and conferre For as hee was willing to receive them into his campe and would bee glad to see them there so hee would not thinke much of his paines to repaire unto them himselfe as one that was thither come as a friend and guest unto Fraunce and not as an enemie and would not by his good will draw a sword if the Gaules would let him alone before hee were entered within Italie And thus much verilie pasied by messengers and courriers betweene But so soone as the Lords of Fraunce who presently remooved their campe to Illiberis were come willingly enough to Anniball as being bribed and corrupted with money and presents they gave his armie good leave to passe through their confines along the towne Ruscino In Italie this while the embassadors of Marseilles had brought no other word to Rome but that Anniball was only gone over Iberus but by that time the Boij had stirred up the Insubrians to mutinie and were revolted themselves even as if hee had passed the Alpes alreadie which they did not so much upon old rancour and mallice to the People of Rome as for that they tooke it ill and were discontented that there were Colonies brought lately into the Gauls countrie to be planted about Padus Placentia and Cremona Whereupon they arose suddainely tooke armes and entred by force into those parts and made so soule worke and fearefull havocke that not onely the countrey people and villagers but also the three Romane Commissioners called Triumvirs to wit Caius Luctatius Aul. Servilius and Titus Annius who were come to set out the lands and territorie to the said Colonies not trusting the wals of Placentia fled to Mutina That Luctatius was one of them it is not doubted but some records have Q. Acilius and C. Herennius instead of A. Servilius and T. Annius and others againe nominate P. Cornelius Asina and C. Papyrius Maso It is uncertaine also whether they were the Embassadours sent to the Boij to reason or expostulate the matter that had abuse offred them and were evill intreated or that the Triumvirs above said were set upon and assailed as they were measuring out the lands But whiles they were thus besieged at Mutina and those Bojans lying at siege a nation unskilfull altogether in the seat of assaulting townes and likewise of all other most cowardly to attempt any martial exploits whiles they lay ydely about the wals never once advanced against them they began to make shew of a treatie for peace Wherupon the Roman embassadors or Comissioners being by the chiefe of the Gaules called out to parle were not onely against law of nations but with breach also of their faithfull promise word which they had given that time apprehended and the Gauls said plainly they would not let them go unless their hostageswere delivered them again These news touching the embassadors being reported Mutina with the garison in danger L. Manliâ—s the Pretor in great anger and indignation brought his armie in more hast than good order before Mutinaâ— There were in those daies great woods about the high way and most part of the countrie wilds and wasts not inhabited where he having engaged himselfe without his espials was intrapped within an ambush lost many of his men and hardly recovered
number of Italian confederates and allies whom Anniball had taken prisoners at Thrasymenus and dismissed there were three Campane horsemen whom Anniball even then had tolled on and allured with gifts and faire promises to win unto him the hearts of their countrimen These brought word unto him that in case he would leade and bring his armie into Campania he should soone be Lord of Capua And albeit the thing in itselfe seemed greater than the qualitie of the persons that counselled him thereto and therefore stood in mammering one while in good hope and assurance another while in feare and distrust yet they persuaded him at last to remove out of Samnium into Campania After he had admonished shed them estsoones to see that they made their word and promises good by deede and commaunded them withall to returne unto him with some of their principall citizens and countreymen he sent them away Himselfe gave commaundement to his guide to conduct him into the territorie of Casinum being advised by those that were skilfull and acquainted with the coasts of those parts that if he could gaine aforehand that pase and forest he might exclude the Romanes from comming to rescue and succour their confederates But the ambiguitie of the name and the Carthaginian language far differing from the Latine caused the guide to mistake Casilinum for Casinum and so missing of his intended journey he came downe through the Alifane Calatine and Calene countries into the plaine champion region of Stella Where seeing all the coasts environed round about with mountaines and rivers he called the guide unto him and demaunded where he was and when he answered that he should that day lodge in Casilinum then and not before the error was found and he knew that he was far out of his way for that Casinum was distant in another countrey far off And after he had beaten the guide with rods and hanged him up by the head for an example to terrifie all others he fortified himselfe within campe and sent out Maharball with the horsemen into the Falerne countrie to fetch in booties So they wasted and spoyled as farre as the waters of Sinnessa Much harme did these Numidians but the flight fright of the people was far greater And yet notwithstanding that great feare when all was on a light fire as it were and nothing but warre the Romane allies continued still firme in their faithful allegeance the reason was because they were ruled under a just and moderate government and neither refused not thought much to be subject unto their betters the only bond of loyall fidelitie But so soone as he had pitched his camp by the river Vulturnus and that the most goodly and pleasant countrie of all Italie was on fire and the villages every where burned and smoked againe whiles Fabius led his powre over the ridge of the mountaine Massicus the sedition was like to have broken out againe and certain captaines of the mutinie began to be enkindled afresh For there had ben great quietnesse all was still for some few dayes because seeing the armie march faster than their usuall manner was they supposed verily that they made more speede and hastened to save Campania from being spoyled and wasted But when they were come to the formost edge and point of the mountaine Massicus and that the enemies were within sight burning the dwelling houses of the Coloners and inhabitants of Sinuessa and likewise of the Falerne countrie and all this while not one word of battaile And are we come hither indeede quoth Minutius to behold only and to see and seede our eyes with looking on our allies consumed wasted with fire and sword and if we bash at nothing else can we for shame abide to see the calamitie of these citizens here whome our fore fathers planted in Sinuessa as coloners there to inhabite to the end that all this tract coast should be safe from the invasion of the Samnites But behold it is not a neighbour enimie the Samnir that fireth it but a foreine and alien even the Carthaginian who from the farthest most remote parts of the world whiles we stand at a bay trifle off still and for lazinesse doe nothing is come forward even hither unto us And ate we so farre degenerate with sorrow of heart I speake it from our progenitours and fathers that along which coast they thought it dishonorable unto their empire for the Carthaginian Armadoes and ships to flote faile and ride wee should see the same now pestered full of enemies the Numidians and Moores Wee who ere while taking foule scorne and great disdeine to see Saguntum besieged called not only upon men but also upon the faith of alliances and the gods to witnesse stand still gazing upon Anniball marching against the walls of a Romane Colonie and readie to assault it The smoke of the villages and the fields now on fire is readie to put out our eyes and to choke us up our eares resound and ring againe with the piteous cryes of our allies that weepe lament and call oftner unto us than unto the gods for help And we here leade our armie as if they were a stock of sheepe over the shadowe forests and hils out of the way hidden among the clouds and thick woods to keepe them from the heate of sunne If Furius Camillus had bene of mind by raunging and wandering over hils and forests in this maner to win againe the citie out of the hands of the Gaules as this our new Camillus forsooth sought out of purpose to be our only Dictator in this our distresse hard estate goeth about to recover Italie from Anniball Rome had bene French at this day which I feare me if we go thus coldly to worke our auncestors have saved reserved so often for Annibal and the Carthaginians But he a brave man and a Romane indeede that very day when word was brought to Veij that he was chosen Dictatour by the suffrages of the people and approbation of the Senators although Ianiculum was high ynough where he might have set him down and beheld the enemie at ease descended into the plain even ground and the same day in the very mids and heart of the citie where now Gaulebury or Busta Gallica standeth and the morrow after betweene Rome and Gabes slew the Legions of the Gaules And what should I say of that which happened many yeares after when at the streights of Caudium wee were put under the yoke by the Samnites our enemies Whither I pray you did L. Papyrius Cursor seeke out the mountaines of Samnium or rather lie hard upon Luceria and besiege it provoking and challenging the victorious en̄emie and thereby shooke off the yoke from the Romanes necke and laid it upon the prowd Samnites And what other thing else of late daies but expedition gave the victorie to Consul Luctatius Who the morrow after that he discovered the enemie set upon his fleet
part will neither forsake the Common-weale nor suffer any Citizen else of Rome to abandon her And if I faile witting and willing then confound mee ô lup opt Max. and bring a most shamefull end upon my house my familie and all that I haue Sweare thou ô L. Cecilius after me as I haue done I aduise thee yee all that are here present take the same oath for whosoever shall refuse knowe hee assuredly that upon him I haue drawne this sword Here at they being no lesse terrified than if they had seene the Conquerour himselfe Anniball in person tooke the oath every one and yeelded themselves vnto Scipio for to be kept in ward to serve against Anniball At the same time whiles these things were working at Cannusium there arrived at Venusia upon foure thousand foote and horsemen together such as in their flight had bene disparkled asunder all over the fields and repaired unto the Consull there The Venusines tooke order for them all that they should be gently enterteined and carefully tended and divided into severall houses they bestowed upon the horsemen a side cassock a coat 25. Quadrigates a peece and gave ten Quadrigates to every footman and armour besides to as many as wanted And in all other courtesies of hospitallitie both publike and private they strove and endevored that the people of Venusia should not in any kinde of friendly offices come behinde one woman of Cannusium Howbeit in regard of the great multitude the burthen and charge lay more heavie upon Dame Busa for now their number was risen to be ten thousand Then Appius and Scipio having intelligence that the other Consull was alive and well dispatched a messenger presently to advertise him how many footmen and horsemen there were in all with them and to know his pleasure withall whe then lie would commaund the armie to be brought unto Venusia or abide still at Cannusium But Varro the Consul of his owne accord brought his forces to Cannusium So as by this time they made a prettie good shew of a Consular army seemed sufficient to defend themselves if not by force of armes in the field yet at least wise with the strength of walles within the towne But the newes came to Rome that there was not so much as this small remnant left of Cittizens and Confederates together but that the two Consuls and both the armies were put all to the sword and hewen in peeces to the last man Never was there knowne so great terrour and turmoile within the wals of Rome and the citie still remaining in safetie I wil therfore even at first sinke under my lode say nothing at all never wil I go about to recount those things by discourse of words which in reporting I should make lesse than they were indeed For there went not now a flying rumour first of one soile and then of another to day of this losse and to morrow of that as the yeere before when the Consull his armie were defaited at Thrasymenus but manifold overthrowes together were multiplied all hudle at ones to wit how both the Consuls were slaine and two Consular armies lost no campe not a pavilion of the Romanes left standing neither Leader nor Soldier remaining alive and how Anniball was now become Lord of Apulia of Samnium and well nere of all Italie full whole And verily there is not I suppose a nation under the cope of heaven besides but would haue bene overwhelmed and crushed utterly under the huge heape and heauie waight of so great a runne and overthrow Should I compare therwith the desaiture and foile that the Carthaginians â—eceived at the Ilands Aegates in a conflict at sea wherewith they were so quelled and their backs so broken that at one clap they lost Sicilia and Sardinia both and that which more is yeelded themselves tributaries and subjects to the people of Rome Or should I make comparison of their unfortunate and unhappie battaile in Affrike afterwards wherein this very same Anniball gave over play yeelded the bucklers and confessed himselfe vanquished Nay they are not any way comparable with this but only that they were borne and supported with lesse courage and valour of mind Well to proceede P. Furius Philus and M. Pomponius the Pretours assembled the Senate in the Court Hostilia for to consult about the defence and guard of the citie for they made no doubt but now that the armies were both defaited the enemie would speedily come to assault Rome the onely peece of worke and warlike service that remained behind undone But being to seeke what counsell to take and what remedie to devise for redresse of these calamities so exceeding great and grievous and yet not knowne to the full and interrupted and shrewdly troubled besides with the clamorous noyses and plaints of women whiles that in every house almost they ceased not to mourne weepe and waile confusedly as well for the quick as the dead because as yet it was not openly for certain knowen who were alive and who were slaine Then Fabius Max. gave his opinion that certaine light horsemen should be made out and sent forth by the highwaies Appia Latina to ride along enquire of them whom they hapned to meete with such I meane as fled and were skattred here and there asunder if happily some of them could report upon his knowledge what was become of the Consuls and the Armies and in case the immortall gods had of their mercie and compassion spared some poore remnant still of this miserable and wofull empire for the Romane name where that residue of small forces was what way Anniball tooke and whither he was gone after the battaile was fought what preparation he maketh what presently he is doing or intendeth for to do His advise was I say that to espie herken and learne certainely these premisses certaine lustie young men active and industrious should be imployed But for the LL. of the Senate thus much that considering there were few Magistrates at home and those notable to rid the citie of this tumultuous and fearefull hurliburly therefore they should take upon themselves to debarre the dames and women for comming abroad and force them every one to keepe home and tarrie within dores to restraine the plaints and outcryes of housholds and families to cause silence throughout the citie to take order that all Posts and messengers of newes should be brought before the Pretors and that every man should attend at home the tidings good or bad that concerned himselfe or his owne state Over and besides that they should set warders at the gates to see that no person went out of the citie and compell every man to hope for no other earthly safetie for themselves but in the preservation of the citie and walls thereof And when the tumult and hurry is once husht then quoth he may the Senatours well be called againe into the Counsell house and consult for the defence
To this effect there was an Embassage sent secretly from the Lords and Princes of the Island And the principall actour and procurer hereof was Hersicora a man in those daies of greatest authoritie and power among them Vpon these tidings aforesaid happening so just at one time they were both disquieted and also refreshed So they sent Mago with his fleet and other forces into Spaine and they chose for the expedition into Sardinia Asdruball surnamed Calvus for the L. Generall furnished and appointed with as great a power almost as Mago had At Rome likewise the Consuls having dispatched the affaires of the citie addressed themselves to the war T. Sempronius appointed Sinuessa to be the Rendez-vous where the souldiours should meete at a certaine day And Q. Fabius by an order and direction from the Senate made an Edict That all men should before the first day of Iulie next ensuing gather all their come out of the countries and convey the same into the principall walled strong townes proclaiming that whosoever did not accordingly their fields he would lay wast sell their servants in port sale at the speare and set their farmes and villages a fire Not so much as the Pretors themselves created for civill jurisdiction and to decide law matters were freed and exempted from the conduct of warre As for Valerius the Pretor he was appointed to goe into Apulia for to receive the armie of Terentius and when the legions were returned out of Sicilie to imploy them especially for the guard and defence of that countrie and that the armie of Terentius should be sent with some one of the Lieutenants And M. Valerius had 25 saile allowed him to keep and defend all the sea coasts betweene Brundusium Tarentum The like number of ships was assigned to Q. Fulvius the citie Pretor for to guard the river side neere adjoyning to the citie of Rome C. Terentius the Proconsull had in charge to take up by commission souldiours in the Picene countrey and to guard those quarters And T. Octacilius Crassus after that hee had dedicated the temple of Mens in the Capitoll was sent into Sicilie as Lord Admirall of the Armado there Vpon this warre betweene two of the mightiest citties and most puissant states of the world there was not a king and prince no nor a Nation under heaven but was amused Among whom Philip king of the Macedonians had an eie thereto and was more intentive in that he was neerer unto Italie and onely devided from thence by the Ionian sea Hee at the first when the bruit came to his eares That Anniball was passed beyond the Alpes as hee joied much that there was warre kindled betweene the Romanes and the Carthaginians so as long as it was uncertaine whether nation was the stronger he wavered in mind and was in suspence whether of the twaine he should wish to have the victorie But after that he heard once that in three severall battailes one after another Anniball and the Carthaginians had gotten the better hand hee enclined to the fortunate side and sent Embassadours unto Anniball who falling off and desirous to avoid the havens of Brundusium and Tarentum which were guarded and kept by the Romane fleet arrived and landed at the temple of Iuno Lacinia and so through Apulia travailing toward Capua chaunced to light upon the mids of the Romanes corps de guard and were brought before M. Valerius Levinus the Lord Deputie being then encamped before Nuceria Where Xenophanes the principall of the Embassadours bashed not to say That he was sent from king Philip to treat and conclude a league and amitie with the people of Rome and had commission direction to the Consuls to the Senate likewise and people of Rome to that effect Valerius taking great contentment to heare of this new societie and friendship with so noble a king especially upon the rebellion of so many old allies courteously intreated and friendly entertained this false hearted enemie in steed of a trustie friend appointed diverse to accompanie him forward to guide him carefully in the waies and to shew him what places what passages and streights were held and kept either by the Romanes or the enemies Xenophanes with these instructions passed through the middest of the Romane guards into Campania and so the next way arrived at the campe of Anniball and made a league and amitie with him under these conditions and capitulations Imprimis That king Philip should with a right puissant Armada for that he was supposed able to set out 200 saile passe over into Italie wast and spoile all the sea coasts and to his power maintaine war by sea and land Item That when the warre was finished all Italie together with the very cittie of Rome should be possessed by the Carthaginians and Anniball and unto him all the pillage and bootie likewise should belong Item When Italie was thus subdued that they should saile into Greece and wage warre with what Princes there they pleased and that all the citties of the maine and the islands which lay to Macedonie should fall unto Philip and bee annexed to his kingdome In these tearmes and upon these articles in manner was the league concluded and confirmed betweene the Generall Anniball and the Embassadours of the Macedonians and with them were sent backe unto the king for the better ratifying of the said covenants certaine Legaâ—es to wit Gisgo Bostar and Mago who arrived together at the same temple aforesaid of Iuno Licinia where there rid closely a ship at anker expecting their returne From whence being departed they were not so soone launched out into the deepe and had taken the open sea but they were descried by the Roman fleet that guarded the coasts of Calabria Q. Fulvius Flaccus made out certain Corcyreans to pursue fetch in that ship Wherupon the Macedonians began to flie but seeing themselves overmatched in swiftnesse of saile and not able to make way with them they yeelded themselve sunto the Romans were presented unto the Admirall Who demaunded what they were from whence they came and whither they were bound Xenophanes who had already sped â—o well by making of a lye began to cog againe and say That he was sent from Philip unto the Romanes that he came unto M. Falerius because to him onely he was able to passe in safetie but could not possibly get beyond Campania being so strongly kept with garisons of the enemies But afterwards upon the sight of the Carthaginian habite and apparell they began to suspect the embassadors of Anniball and they being questioned withall their speech and language bewraied them Then was their retinue taken apart and threatned to confesse Letters also were found upon them sent from Anniball unto Philip concerning the peace betweene the king of the Macedonians and Anniball Vpon these matters thus detected and certainely knowne it was thought good to convey the Embassadors and their companie with all speede prisoners to Rome unto the Senate
the Leontine countrie unto whom no doubt if you would promise a reward out of the Princes treasure you shall be lord of all This perilous unhappie counsell of a woman Andronorus neither despised and rejected altogither nor yet presently accepted and embraced supposing it a better and safer course if hee meant to aspire unto high dignitie and great puissance for the present to temporize and give place unto the necessitie of the time And therefore hee willed them to carrie backe unto the Senate this answere from him That hee submitted himselfe and would be ordered and set downe by the Senate and the people The morrow after so soone as it was daylight hee caused the gates of the Iland to be set open shewed himselfe in the market place of Acradina where hee ascended up unto the altar of Concord from which the day before Polyneus had made a speech unto the people Hee began his oration with an excuse of his late comming and long stay behind and ctaved pardon therefore alleadging that hee had kept the gates shut not because he meant to separate his own affairs from the State not to take such part as the citie tooke but when swords were once drawn hee feared what would be the end and issue of murders massacres whither men would stay their hands when there was assurance of libertie effected as being contented with the death only of the Tyrant or whither as many as either in bloud and kindred or in affinitie and alliance or in other offices or service were toward the K. his court should be touched culpable in the fault of another and so likewise have their throats cut For after that quoth hee I understood once that they who had delivered and set free their countrie were minded and willing to save preserve it thus enfranchised and that there was consulting on all hands indifferently for the good of the state I made no longer doubt of the matter but to yeeld both mine owne person and also all that ever was under my hand as committed unto me upon trust and fidelitie unto my native countrie now that he who put all into my hand is through his own follie outrage overthrown and brought to confusion Then turning to the murderers of the tyrant and by name calling unto Theodorus and Sosis A noble and memorable peece of service yee have alreadie done qd he but trust me truly your glorie in this behalfe is begun onely and not throughly finished and performed nay a great daunger is yet behind unlesse yee see to the generall concord and unitie of all parts that the common libertie of the cittie turne not into pride and insolencie beyond all measure After his speech ended he laid downe the keies of the gates and of the kings treasure at their feet And so for that day when the people were dismissed from the assemblie with joy and mirth they went in procession and supplication with their wives and children round about all the Churches and chappels of their gods The day following the solemne Election was held for the creation of Pretours And first before all others Andronodorus was chosen and the rest for the most part the very murderers of the Tyrant They elected also two that were absent to wit Sopater and Deomenes Who being advertised of all matters that passed at Syracuse delivered up the kings treasure which lay in the Leontines countrie and was now brought unto Syracuse into the hands of the Treasurers who for the same purpose were created Likewise that which was in the Island and in Acradina was committed over unto their custodie That part also of the wall which devided the Island from the rest of the cittie and was supposed too strong a bar betweene was by common consent cast downe and rased And as their minds were thus affected and enclined to procure and mainteine libertie so all other matters sorted sutable and followed aâ—ter accordingly Hippocrates and Epicides when tidings came of the Tyrants death which Hippocrates would faine have had concealed and therefore flew the messenger that brought newes thereof being forsaken of the souldiours returned to Syracusa supposing for the present that to bee the safest course they could take Where because they would grow into no suspition nor be noted to seek for some opportunitie and occasion of change and alteration in the State first they presented themselves before the Pretours Governours of the cittie and so by their mediation they had accesse to the Senate They gave out that they had been sent from Anniball unto Hieronymus as unto a friend and confederate and had yeelded obedience unto him as they were willed by their owne Generall and Commander Now their desire was to return againe unto Anniball But for as much as they might not travaâ—le in safetie for the Romane forces that raâ—nged all over Sicilie they craved a convoy and sufficient guard to conduct them as farre as to Locri in Sicilie assuring them that by this small courtesie and defart of theirs they should reape great thanks of Anniball and come into high favour with him The suite was soone obtained For desirous they were that those Cavaliers that used to lead the king and were expert and skilfull besides in war and there with needie and audacious should bee sent away but they made not so good speed to put this their desire in execution as they should have done For in the mean season these young and lustie martiall men and such as ever had conversed with the souldiours went up and downe one while to them another whiles to the fugitive straungers that were revolted who for the most part were sailers and sea men that came from the Romanes yea and sorted themselves with the basest and most abject persons of the Commoners spreading tales and whispering into their eares sundrie suspitious matters of crime against the Senatours and great men of the Nobilitie saying that they plotted and practised closely under hand nothing else but that Syracusa under a colour of reconciliation and accord should be reduced to the obedience of the Romanes and then the side and faction and some few with them that are of counsell to renue the association might bee lords and tyrannize over the rest By this meanes there flocked multitudes everie day more than other to Syracusa whose eare were tickled and itched still to heare such sunnises and were apt ynough to give credite thereto And they gave not onely Hippocrates and Epicides but Andronodorus also good hope of an alteration and a new world For he being at length overcome with the importunate suggestions of his wife whoever put into his head That now was the only time to usurpe and take upon him the rule of the State whiles all things were troubled and in a confused medley upon their new and unknowne libertie whiles the souldiours were presented in their way to bee dealt with all and dayly mainteined and fed out of the kings
harbour into the open sea and passe without daunger Passe quoth he Passe they shall make no doubt of that Many things I tell you considered in their owne nature are combersome and difficult but by pollicie and wit of man are easily welded and wrought with a sleight Yee have a cittie here seated upon a plaine and champaine ground the waies answering to every side of it are even large and broad ynough yea and open to all quarters I will chuse that way which crosseth the middest of the cittie and passeth along to the haven and the sea and so will carrie and transport the ships upon waines with no great adoe and trouble And so both the sea shall bee ours cleare which now the enemies keepe and also wee shall besiege the castle round as well by sea as by land nay more than that within shorttime wee shall either enter it being abandoned of the enemies or else bee maisters both of it and them together These words not onely put them in good hope that the enterprise would be effected but also set them in a wonderfull good conceit admiration of the captain himselfe Then out of hand all the waines and carts were taken up from all places as many as could bee had and were put together and coupled one to another Divers cranes and other instruments were set to for to draw up the ships to land the way made plaine and levell that the carts might go more easily passe away with lesse trouble more expedition After this they got together draught oxen cartjades and other labouring beasts yea and men also for to draw and thus the worke was lustily begun insomuch as within few daies the fleet well rigged appointed and dressed was brought about the castle and rid at anker even in the avenue and entrie of the haven In these tearmes stood Tarentum when Anniball left it and returned backe to his wintering harbours But authours write diversly of this revolt of Tarentum whither it happened the yeare past or at this present But the greater number of them and those that lived neerer to that time when the remembrance of these matters was fresh affirme that it was this very yeare At Rome the Consuls and Pretours both remained still untill the fifth day before the Calends of May by occasion of the Latine holydaies upon which day when they had performed a solemne sacrifice with all complements thereto belonging on the Albane hill they departed every one to his severall charge and province After this there crept into the minds of men a new scrupulositie of conscience upon certaine propheticall verses of one Martius a noble famous prophet in times past Now by reason that in the yeare before there was diligent search and inquilition made for such bookes of Fortune according to a decree graunted out of the Senate those verses came to light and to the hands of M. Aemylius Pretour of the cittie who sat upon that commission And he immediately gave them to Sulla the new Pretour Of two prophesies of Martius the one which afterwards caried the greater authoritie with it by reason of the event that happened so right and declared it so evidently caused the other also whereof the time was not yet come to be of credite and beleeved The former contained a Prediction of the overthrow at Cannae in these or such like words From Trojane line O Romane once descended Flie Canna river neere to Cannae towne Least strangers borne who have thy death intended Force thee to fight on Diomede his downe But warning mine thou wilt not rest upon Vntill with bloud thou first doe fill the plaine And then to sea from fruitfull land anon Thy men shall downe the streame by thousands slaine Thy flesh must bait the fish in Ocean deepe And lure the soules that flie from high to pray And feed wild beasts on earth below that keepe Marke well my words love thus me taught to say And they who had been souldiors and served in those warres knew as perfectly Diomedes his plaines and the river Canna as they did the very defeiture it selfe and losse at Cannae Then was the other prophesie likewise read which was the darker of the twaine not onely because future things are more uncertaine than those which are past alreadie but also by reason of the kind of writing which was more obscure and intricate in these tearmes If enemies yee would expell if botch and plaguie sore Sent from a farre ye would drive forth and vexed be no more To Phaebus Romanes I advise ye vow from yeare to yeare To set forth plaies in solemne wise with mirth and merrie cheare From publicke stocke the people must part of the charge disburse The rest shall yee for you and yours defray with private purse The soveraine Pretour must precure these games to be perform'd Who sits in place mens pleas to beare and see all wrongs reform'd Then shall the ten Decemvirs hight the Greekish rites observe In slaying beasts for sacrifice and nothing from them swerve If all be done accordingly your ioy shall aye increase Your State shall daily grow in wealth and fruits of blessed peace For god Apollo will you save he will your foes destroy Who at their pleasure wast your fields and worke you much annoy For the explanation and expiation both of this prophesie they tooke one whole day And the morrow after there passed a decree from the Senate That the Decemvirs should peruse and looke into the bookes of Sibylla about the exhibiting of those said games in the honour of Apollo and celebrating likewise of the sacrifices And when all was perused and relation made before the Senate the Lords made an Act and set downe an order First to vow and set forth solemne pastimes accordingly to the honour of Apollo Item After the Games were done and finished to allow the Pretour twelve thousand Asses toward the expenses of the divine service and two greater beasts for sacrifice There passed also another Act of the Senate That the Decemvirs should celebrate divine service and sacrifice after the observance and rites of the Grecians and offer upon the altar these beasts to wit an Oxe with guilded hornes and two white female goats with guilded hornes likewise for Don Apollo and a cow with hornes in like manner guilded for Dame Latona The Pretour when hee was to represent the Games within the Circus Maximus gave commaundement and made proclamation That the people during the time of those solemnities should contribute money for an offering to Apollo every man according to his abilitie and as he might well spare This is the beginning of the Apollinare Games plaies exhibited for to obteine victorie and not for to escape some plague or pestilence as most men suppose And when they were celebrated the people stood to behold and look on adorned with garlands upon their heads and the dames and matrones of the citie went in procession made
foote from Anniball whom he himselfe pursued still at heeles and so much the more hotely because he fell off and forbare to fight set the LL. of the Senate into a great perplexitie for feare either to call away the Consull from the warres especially now in the mids of his best service or to be without Consuls the next yeare But it was thought in the end the best course that Valerius the Consull although he were not in Italie but beyond sea should rather be sent for and called forth of Sicilie So by order from the Senate there were letters dispatched unto him from L. Manlius the Pretour of the citie together with those other letters of M. Marcellus the Consull to geve him to understand what the reason was why the LL. called him rather out of his Province than his colleague and companion in government At the same time there fortuned Embassadors to come unto Rome from King Syphax recounting what prosperous warres their king had fought with the Carthaginians assuring the Senate that their lord and maister as he was not a greater enemie to any nation than to the Carthaginians so he was not more readie to friend any state than the Romanes saying moreover that he had sent aforetime his Embassadors into Spaine unto the Romane Generals Cn. and P. Scipions and now was most willing to seeke for the amitie and friendship of the Romanes even at the very fountaine and well head The Senate not only returned answere to those embassadors in most gratious courteous termes but also addressed embassadors of their owne with rich gifts unto the king and by name L. Genutius P. Petellius and P. Popilius The presents which they caried were a side robe and a kirtle of purple an yvorie chaire a boll or cup of beaten gold weighing five pound These Embassadors had in commission and charge presently after they had dispatched with the king to visit other princes and great lords of Affrick and for to bestow on them also they caried robes purfled and embrodred with purple and golden bowles of three pound weight Likewise there were sent as farre as Alexandria in Aegypt unto K. Ptolomeus and Cleopatra the queene M. Attilius and M. Acilius as embassadors for to call to remembrance and renew the old friendship and to them also they presented gifts namely unto the king a long robe and a kirtle of purple with an yvorie chaire unto the queene a rich mantle of Baudkin wrought with sundrie colours with a vaile of purple In this summer time whiles these foresaid matters passed there were from out of the cities and countrie townes adjoyning many prodigious sights and fearefull tokens reported At Tusculum there fell a lambe having an udder yeelding milke the louver or lanterne of the temple of Iupiter was stricken with lightning and in manner all the rouse uncovered And much about those daies at Anagnia the very soyle and ground before the gate thereof caught fire with lightning and for one day and night burned so without any matter of fuell and the foules and birds of the aire forsooke their nests which they had built in trees of the grove consecrated to Diana neere unto the carrefour or crosse waie of Anagnia Neere unto Tarracina there were seene in the sea not farre from the haven serpents of an huge and wonderfull bignesse to leap up above the water and to disport and play like fishes At Tarquinij a swine farrowed a pig with a mans face Also in the territorie of Capena about the grove and temple of Feronia there were foure statues sweat much bloud a day and a night These fearefull tokens were by a decree of the Prelats purged and expiate by greater sacrifices And a solemne Supplication proclaimed one day at Rome in every church and chappell before all the shrines of the gods and another day in the territorie of Capena at the said grove and chappell of Feronia M. Valerius the Consull called by the foresaid letters of the Senate after he had recommended the charge of the province and the armie unto Cincius the Pretour and sent M. Valerius Messala the Admirall of the navie with a certaine number of ships into Affrick as well to fetch in prizes as to espie and learne what the people of Carthage did and went about himselfe with ten saile tooke the seas and having a prosperous fore-wind arrived at Rome And being come presently he assembled the Senate where he declared what acts and deeds he had performed in his province namely Whereas for the space almost of three score yeares there had bene warre in Sicilie both by land and sea and the same oftentimes fought with great losse and many deffeatures that he now had brought those troubles to an happie end and set the province in quiet That there was not in all Sicilie one Carthaginian left nor one Sicilian of all them that for feare had bene chased and driven out from thence but was returned and there replanted that they were all brought home againe to their owne cities to inhabit to their own lands to plough and sow that now at last the fore-let and wast ground was husbanded againe and made fruitfull not only for the profit and commoditie of the occupiers and tenants thereof but also for the most assured reliefe and sustentation of the people of Rome both in warre and peace After this Mutines and the rest who had deserved any thing well of the citie of Rome were brought into the Senat unto whom both all and some for the credit of the Consull and to discharge him of his promise unto them there were rendred all sorts of honorable recompense Mutines also was enfranchised citizen of Rome and a Bill was preferred in that behalfe to the people by the Tribune of the Commons and with the graunt and auctoritie of the Senate During these affaires at Rome M. Valerius Messala arrived in Affrick with a fleete of 50 fayle and being landed one morning before day sodainly and unwares to the people of the countrie made a roade into the territorie about Vtica and having forraid it farre and neere taken many men and women prisoners and raised a great bootie of all sorts of things besides returned to the Armada and crossed the seas back for Sicilie and arrived againe at Lilybaeum upon the thirtenth day after he loosed from thence and tooke the seas first Of the captives after streight examination he learned thus much which also he set downe orderly in writing and sent unto the Consull Laevinus that he might be acquainted likewise with the state of the affaires in Affrick namely that there were in Carthage five thousand Numidians under the conduct of Masanissa the sonne of Gala a most forward young man and a right valiant warriour that there were other souldiers also throughout all Africk waged and levied for money readie to be transported and sent over into Spaine unto Asdruball to the end that he with a most puissant power might with all speed
the Brutians Lucans countrie against Anniball unto the other Gallia against Asdruball who as the rumour and bruite went was come forward neere unto the Alpes Of those two armies which were in Gallia and in Hetruria he whose fortune was to go into Gallia was to chuse which armie he would and have besides that other of the cittie And he whose lot should be to go into the Brutians countrie besides the new legions enrolled of cittizens was to take unto him the armie of whether Consull he list of the former year Also Quintius Fabius the Pro-consull had the charge of that armie which the Consull refused and his authoritie was renued for one yeare longer As for C. Hostilius whose province Tarentum they exchanged for Hetruria they altered his province againe to wit Capua in stead of Tarentum Vnto him was allowed that one legion which Fulvius the last yeare commaunded Now encreased their care every day more than other concerning the comming of Asdruball into Italie And the Embassadours of the Massilians had brought newes first that hee was passed over into Gallia and that the minds of the Gaules were mightily cheered up by his comming because the speech went that he had brought a huge deale of gold with him for to hire wage souldiours for aid in the warres Then afterwards Sex Antistius and M. Retius who were sent Embassadours backe with them from Rome for to see whether it were so indeed had made relation unto the Senate that they had sent certaine of purpose guided by the Massilians who by meanes of their especiall friends the princes and lords of the Gaules might learne the truth and bring word backe accordingly By whose report it was for certaine knowne that Asdruball having levied alreadie a puissant armie was minded the next spring to passe over the Alpes and that there was nothing els staied him but that it had beene done alreadie saving onely the avenues of the Alps which were closed up with the winter snow In the roume of M. Marcellus L. Aquilius Paetus was created Augur and so consecrated And likewise Cn. Cornelius Dolabella was inaugurat or installed king of the sacrifices in steed of Marcus Martius who died two yeares before In this very same yeere the citie was purged and there was a generall survey and numbring of the people by the Censors taken P. Sempronius Tuditanus and M. Cornelius Cethegus There were reckoned and entred into the Censours bookes of cittizens 137108. A smaller number by much ods than before the war It is recorded in the Annales that this yeere first after that Anniball came into Italie the Comitium was built over head and covered And that the Romane Games were once renued by the Aediles of the chaire Q. Metellus and C. Servilius and that the other Games called Plebeij were renued two daies by Q. Manlius and M. Caecilius Metellus Aediles of the Commons who also offered three images and set them up in the chappell of Ceres And the solemne feastivall dinner of Iupiter was celebrated by occasion of those Games Then C. Claudius Nero and M. Livius the second time entered their Consulship who because whiles they were but Coss. elect they had cast lots for their provinces commaunded the Pretors to do the like And to C. Hostilius fell the jurisdiction over the citizens who had that likewise over strangers and forrainers to the end that the other three might go forth into their provinces To A. Hostilius was allotted Sardinia to C. Manlius Sicilia and to L. Porcius Fraunce In summe the legions were in number three and twenty divided into the provinces in this sort to wit the Consuls had two apeece Spaine foure The three Pretours for Sicilie Sardinia and Fraunce each of them twaine C. Terentius in Hetruria commaunded two Q. Fulvius in the Brutians country other two Q. Claudius about Tarentum and the Salentines conducted twaine and Caius Hostilius Tubulus at Capua one Last of all two were enrolled for the cittie In the foure first legions the people chose all the Colonels or Marshals but to all the rest the Consuls sent new to make up the defect Before the Consuls went forth there was a Novendiall sacrifice celebrated because at Veij it had rained stones from heaven And after one prodigious sight was once minded and spoken of there were as it is commonly seene others also reported namely that in Minturnae the temple of Iupiter and the sacred grove of Marica was smitten with lightning and at Atellae the wall and gate likewise was blasted with fire from heaven The men of Minturnae spake also of a more fearfull and terrible thing than that to wit that there ran a river of bloud in their very gate Last of all at Capua a Wolfe entered the gate at night and werried and dismembred one of the watchmen These wonderfull signes were expiate with sacrificing of greater beasts and a supplication was holden for one day by vertue of a decree from the Prelates Then was the Novendiall sacrifice once againe renued because it was seene that in Armilustrum it rained stones And mens minds were no sooner freed of one religious scruple but they were troubled againe with another For word was brought that at Frusino there was an infant borne as big as ordinarie a child is at foure yeeres of age And the thing was not so straunge for the bignesse of the bodie as for that it was borne doubtfull whether it were male or female like as two yeeres before at Sinuessa The wisards that were sent for out of Hetruria said that this of all other was a foule and filthie monster and that it should bee had foorth of the dominion of Rome and drowned in the deepe so as it might touch no ground Whereupon they put it alive into a coffer and when they had carried it a good way into the sea they flung it in Moreover the Prelates made a decree that certaine virgines in three companies having nine apeece should goe through the citie sing certaine canticles And whiles in the temple of Iupiter Stator the maidens were a learning their song by heart devised and framed in verse by Livius the Poet the temple of queene Iuno in the Aventine hill was stricken with lightening from heaven And when the Aruspices had declared that this prodigious token touched the matrones and dames of the cittie and that the goddesse was to be pacified with an oblation they were by vertue of an edict granted out by the Aediles of the chaire called all into the Capitoll as many as had any house either in the citie of Rome or within ten miles every way And they among themselves chose five and twentie into whose hands all the rest should put some small portion of their dowrie Of which there was made a faire and large golden bason for to be presented unto Iuno and it was brought into the Aventine and withall the dames offered unto her purely and chastly their sacrifices And streight after the
affections Well the letters were first red in the Senate and then in the assembly of the people and there according to the divers dispositions of men some tooke joy and contentment of mind as upon a certaintie others would give no credit before they either heard the messengers speake directly from the Consuls or saw their letters After this word came that there were Embassadours themselves at hand And then in deed there ran to meet them of all sorts young and old euery one desired to be the first to see and to heare these so glad tidings And they went out so far as the bridge Milvius all the way along was full of people These embassadors or messengers were L. Veturius Philo P. Licinius Varus Q. Cecilius Metellus Who being accompanied with people of all degrees and qualities that flocked about them came as farre as to the common place some questioned with themselves others enquired of their traine and retinue what newes and how the world went And as any one had caught an end from them that the armie and captaine Generall of the enemies was slaine or the Romane legions safe and the Consuls haile and well hee would immediatly impart his joy unto others Much ado had they to come into the Curia and more ado there was to keep out the multitude that they were not mingled among the lords of the Senate But at last the letters were red in the Senate From thence were the Embassadours brought into the generall assembly of the people And L. Veturius after hee had red the letters explained himselfe from point to point in order how every thing was done with great applause and afterwards with a generall shout of all the assembly who hardly could conceive in their minds so great joy Then they ran divers waies some to the temples of the gods to render thanks others to their owne houses to communicate with their wives and children so luckie and fortunate tidings And the Senate decreed a solemne procession for three daies togither forasmuch as M. Livius and C. Claudius the Consuls with the safetie of the legions had vanquished the enemies killed their Generall and put their armie to the sword This procession C. Hostilius the Pretour published in the open assembly of the people and it was celebrated and solemnized both by men and women All the temples for three daies fully were likewise replenished with the one sex and the other For the Matrones and Dames of the citie in their best apparrell togither with their children yeelded praise and thankes to the immortall gods as if now they had beene freed from all feare and the warre come to a finall end for ever This victorie altered the very slate and course of the common-weale so as from that time forward as in time of setled peace men durst make contracts buy and sell borrow and lend yea and pay debts to their creditors C. Claudius the Consull so soone as he was entred into the campe againe caused the head of Asdruball which he had preserved with great care and brought with him to bee throwne out before the Corps de guard and stations of the enemies and that the Affricane captives should be shewed bound as they were in chaines and two of them to be sent loose unto Anniball to declare and recount in order how everything hapned Anniball having at once received this double blow mourning as well for the publicke losse of the state as for the calamitie hapned in his owne house fetched a deepe sigh by report and said Ah I see well the hard fortune of Carthage And dislodging from thence because he would bring togither all his forces which being dispearsed asunder he was not able to hold and maintaine into the utmost angle of Italie the Brutiens countrie hee brought thither as well the Metapontines even the whole state of them who abandoned their owne townes and citties as also the Lucanes as many as were subject unto him and under his obedience THE XXVIII BOOKE OF THE HISTORIES OF T. LIVIVS of Padoa from the foundation of the Cittie of Rome The Breviarie of L. Florus upon the eight and twentith Booke THE prosperous affaires in Spaine under the conduct of Syllanus the Lieutenant of Scipio and L. Scipio his brother atchieved against the Carthaginians as also the acts performed by Sulpitius the Pro-consull and Attalus the king of Asia the lesse in the quarrell and behalfe of the Aetolians against Philip king of the Macedonians are reported and set downe in this booke When there was a triumph decreed and granted unto M. Livius and C. Claudius Nero the Consuls Livius because he had performed the exploit in his owne province rode in a chariot drawne with foure steeds and Nero because hee came into the province of his colleague to helpe forward the victorie rode after him mounted on horsebacke Howbrit even thus in this habit and manner of triumph he carried the more glorie port and reverence for to say a truth in this war hee had done more good service than his brother Consull The fire went out in the chappell of Vesta by negligence of a virgin that had the keepingand tending thereof and looked no better unto it The said virgin was well whipped P. Scipio finished the warre in Spaine against the Carthaginians when it had continued foureteen yeares and in the fist yeare after that he went from the cittie of Rome And having disseized the enemies quite of the possession of Spaine he recovered it wholly for the Romanes From Taracon hee losed with two barkes and sailed into Africke unto Syphax king of the Numidians with whom he concluded a league Asdruball the sonne of Gisgo sat there with him at one table and they supped togither He exhibited a game and pastime of sword-playing at new-Carthage in the honor of his father and uncle and the same was not performed by common fencers and sword-plaiers hired thereto but by such as either for the honour of their captaine or to determine some controversie gave defiance one to the other and entred the lists in combat Among whom two great LL. of the countrie who were brethren sought at sharpe for the soveraigntie of the kingdome When the cittie Astapa was besieged and assailed by the Romanes the townsmen caused a mightie pile of wood to be made and set on fire and when they had killed their wives and children they threw themselves headlong into the fire after them Scipio himselfe whiles he lay grievously sicke and there hapned by occasion thereof a mutinie to arise in one part of his army when he was amended once made an end thereof and compelled the states of Spaine that mutined to come in and yeeld obedience againe There was likewise an amitie and societie concluded with Masanissa king of the Numidians who also promised him his aid in case he would come over into Africke With the Gaditanes also after the departure of Mago from thence who had received letters from Carthage that he
parts in manner by turnes they retired safely into the battaile of footmen Now when as the battels were not past halfe a mile asunder one from another Scipio sounded the retreat and opened his ranks received all the horsemen and light armed souldiours within the middle ward and having divided them in two regiments hee bestowed them for succours and supplies behind the wings Now when the time was come to joyne in medley hee commaunded the Spaniards and those were the maine battaile to take sure footing and go steedily togither faire and softly himselfe out of the right wing for that point he commanded dispatched a messenger to Syllanus Martius willing them to stretch out that wing on the left hand like as they saw him to draw it a length on the right with direction also unto them that they togither with the light horsemen and light appointed footmen should encounter and close with the enemie before that both battailes might meet and joyne togither Thus having enlarged out at full their wings they with three squadrons of footmen and as many cornets of horsemen togither with the light armed skirmishers advanced with full pace directly afront the enemies whiles the rest followed sidewaies a crosse Now there was a void peece of ground in the mids between by reason that the Spaniards ensignes went but slowly forward and the wings had bene in conflict alreadie when the floure and strength of the enemies battaile consisting of old beaten Carthaginian and Africane souldiors were not yet come within the darts shot neither durst they put in to succour them that were in fight for feare they should open the main battaile for the enemie that came directly against them Their wings were much distressed in the fight on every side For the horsemen the light armed souldiours and the skirmishers having wheeled about and set a compasse to environ them ran upon them on their flanks The cohorts of footmen charged upon them afront al to break off their wings from the bodie of the battell And as now in every respect the fight was unequall so the rable of camp-followers Baleare Ilanders raw untrained Spaniards opposed against the approved Romane and Latine soldiors pulled down a side The day went on stil Asdrubal his armie began to faint and no mervaile for they were surprised taken of a sodain betimes in the morning wer forced in hast to enter into the field go to battel before they had refreshed strengthned their bodies And to that purpose Scipio had drawne the day on length and trifled out the time that the battell might be late For it was the seventh houre or one a clocke after noone before the ensigne of footmen charged upon the side points And a good deale later it was ere the maine battailes fought and joined together so that the heat of the noone sunne the paine of long standing in armour and hunger and thirst came all together to enfeeble and spend their bodies before that they came to handstrokes and to buckle with their enemies which was the cause that they stood leaning and resting themselves upon their shields And over and besides all other troubles the Elephants also affrighted and madded with this tumultuous and disordered manner of fight of horsemen skirmishers and light armed souldiours together ran from the wings upon the main battell The captaines therefore themselves being thus tainted as well in courage of heart as in bodily strength gave ground and reculed Howbeit they still kept their arraies as if the whole battell had retired whole and sound by the commaundement of their Generall But when the winners and conquerours on the other part were so much more forward to charge upon them more hotely on every side because they saw them to lose their ground and shrinke backe so as their violence could not well be endured then albeit Asdruball held them still together and did what he could to stay their flight crying eftsoones alowd unto them that there were hils behind them and places of safe retreat if they would retire in good sort moderately and in orders yet when they saw their enemies presse so hard upon them killing and hewing in peeces those that were next unto them feare was above shame and so immediately they shewed their backe parts and ran away all at once as fast as they could Yet at first when they came to the root and foot of the hils they began to make a stand and rallie the souldiours againe into order of battell seeing the Romanes to make some stay of advauncing their ensignes up the hill But afterwards when they perceived them to come lustily forward they began againe to flie afresh and so in feare were forced to take their campe Neither was Scipio himselfe farre from their trench and rampier but in that very brunt had beene maister thereof but that immediately upon the hote gleames of the sunne when hee shineth in a waterie skie full of blacke and rainie clouds there powred downe such store of showers and tempests that hardly could he himselfe after his victorie recover his owne campe And some there were also that made it a scruple and matter of conscience to attempt any more for that day The Carthaginians although they had great reason to repose themselves and take their necessarie rest so wearied as they were with travell and sore wounded especially seeing the night was come and the stormie raine continued yet because their feare and present daunger wherein they stood gave them no time to loiter and slacke their businesse against the next morning that the enemies should earely assaile their campe they gathered up stones from out of the vallies neere about them and piling them one upon another amended the height of their rampier purposing to defend themselves by the strength of their fence seeing small helpe and remedie in force of armes But the falling away of their Confederates was the cause that their departure flight from thence seemed more safe than their abode there would have beene This revolt was begun by Altanes a great lord of the Turdetanes for he with a great power of his followers and retrainers fled from the Carthaginians to the adverse part Whereupon two strong walled townes together with their garrisons were yeelded by the captaines unto Scipio Asdruball therfore fearing least this mischeefe might spread farther now that their minds were once set upon rebellion dislodged about the midnight following and removed Scipio so soone as he was advertised at the breake of the day by those that kept standing watch in their stations that the enemies were gone having sent his horsemen before commanded the standerds and ensignes to bee advaunced and led so speedie a march that if they had gone streight forward and followed their tracks directly they had no doubt overtaken them but beleeving certaine guides that there was a shorter way to the river Baetis they were advised to charge upon them as they passed over But
enemies much greater and stronger rather than here whereas you may fight with the power of two armies against one toiled out of heart in so many battailes and wearied with long warfare so tedious and grievous withall Consider with your selfe what conformitie and resemblance there is betweene your dessignes and your fathers He as Consull having made a journey into Spaine to the end that he might encounter Anniball as hee came downe the Alpes returned out of his owne province into Italie and you when Anniball is in Italie purpose to abandone and leave Italie And why forsooth not because you judge it good for the common-weale but because you thinke it an enterprise that may emport you in great honour and glorie like as when you being captaine Generall of the people of Rome left your province at randon and your armie at sixe and seven without warrant of law without order or act of Senate hazarded in two bothomes the whole state and majestie of the Empire of Rome which at that time togither with the daunger of your life incurred the perill and jeopardie of the maine chance To conclude for mine own part my lords of the Senat I am of this mind this is my conceit That P. Cornelius was not created Consull privately for himselfe and his owne behouse but for the good of the common-weale and us all and that the armies were levied and enrolled for the guard of the cittie and defence of Italie and not for the Consuls in their owne proud selfe-conceit and overweening of themselves after the manner of absolute KK to transport and lead into what parts of the world they list themselves When Fabius by this Oration premeditate and framed to the time had through his authoritie and the long setled and confirmed opinion that men had of his wisedome drawne unto his side a good part of the Senate and specially the auncients insomuch as the greater number commended the grave counsell of the old man above the lustie and youthfull courage of the other gallant then Scipio by way of answere made these remonstrances and spake in this wise My lords of the Senate even Fabius himselfe in the beginning of his Oration said very well That his opinion which he was to deliver might be suspected of detraction and envie Of which note verily I durst not my selfe taxe and accuse a man of his qualitie reputation so much as me thinkes is not so well cleered as it ought to be the very suspition it selfe and I wote not whither it bee by a default of his speech and oration or that the thing it selfe is so pregnant For in such manner he extolled with goodly words and magnified his owne dignities and renowmed deeds and all to quench the jealousie and crime of envie as if my selfe were to feare the danger of emulation and concurrence of some companion of the basest degree and condition and not of him who because he farre surpasseth other men which height and pitch of honour I denie not but I endevour my selfe to reach unto would not in any hand that I should compare with him So highly hath hee advanced himselfe in regard of his old yeares considering that hee hath gone through all rankes of honour and so low debased me and put me downe even under the age of his own sonne as though the desire and love of glorie should passe no farther than the length of mans life and the greatest part thereof extended not to the memorie of posteritie and the future time This I hold for certaine that it is a thing incident to the most magnanimous men of greatest spirit and courage to have a desire for to match themselves not onely with them that live in their daies but with the most famous and excellent personages that ever were or might be in any age And certes for mine own part ô Q. Fabius I will not make it goodly but frankly bewray my mind that way namely that I would full fain not only attain unto your praise-worthie acts commendable vertues but also with your good leave be it spoken if possibly I can even to excell surmount the same And therefore let us not carrie this mind either you toward mee or I to those that are younger than my selfe To be unwilling and thinke much that any one cittizen among us shouldprove equall to our selves for in so doing wee should offer wrong and doe hurt not onely to them whom we have envied and maligned but also prejudice the common-wealth and in manner the whole state of all mankind And thus much to your selfe He hath now my lords recounted to what great perils I should enter into by the Africk voyage in such sort as he would seem not only to have a carefull regard of the common-wealth and the armie but also to pitie me and tender my case fortune Whence commeth it that you shuld al on a sodain take so great care for me when my father and unckle both were slaine when their armies both twaine were utterly almost diffeated and put all to the sword when Spaine was lost when foure armies of Carthaginians and foure Generals held all in feare by force of armes when there was a captain sought for to undertake that warre and no man durst bee seene to put himselfe forward no man so hardie as to present and offer his service but my selfe and when the people of Rome had committed the charge and government of Spain to me a yong man but foure twentie yeares old how hapned it that no man then tooke exception of my age made mention of the enemies force discoursed of the difficultie and daunger of the warre or laid abroad the late and fresh defeature and death of my father and uncle I would demaund and gladly know Whither we have susteined now lately some greater calamitie and losse in Affricke than we received at that time in Spaine or if the armies at this present in Africke be more puissant or the captaines more in number or better in valour than they were in Spaine at that time or whither mine age then was more ripe and sufficient to mannage warres than now it is Last of all whither it be better more commodious and easie to mainteine warre with the Carthaginian enemie in Spaine than in Africke After that I have discomfited put to flight foure hoasts of Carthaginians after I have either forced by assault or reduced under mine obeisance for feare so many citties after I have vanquished and subdued all even as far as to the Ocean sea so many princes and potentates so many fierce cruell nations after I have so fully recovered Spaine as there is not remaining to be seen there so much as the sooting and bare token of any war an easie matter it is and all one to elevate and depresse the acts past that I have atchieved as also par-die it will be when I returne with conquest out of Africke to debase and make nothing of
torch or blasing Starre reaching from the East to the West that in Tarracina the gate and in Anagnia as well the gate as the wall in divers parts were blasted and shaken with lightning lastly that in the temple of Iuno Sospita in Lanuvium there was a noyse and a rumbling heard with an horrible crack For the expiation and purging of these prodigies there was a supplication holden for one day and a novendiall solemne sacrifice was also celebrated because it had rained stones out of the sky Besides all this there was some consultation about the receiving of dame Idaea For over and besides that M. Valerius one of the embassadors was returned and had brought word that she would be very shortly in Italie there came a new messenger with tidings that she was now alreadie at Taracina This deliberation about no small matter namely whom they should geve judgement to be the best man simply in the whole citie held the Senate much amused considering that every one for his part was more desirous of true victorie preeminence in this behalfe than of any promotions honors or dignities whatsoever awarded unto them by the voyces either of Senators or Commoners In conclusion they judged P. Scipio the sonne of that Cn. who was killed in Spaine a very young man and as yet not of full age to be a Questor the very bestman without exception in the whole citie Vpon what motives of his singular vertues they were induced thus to deeme of him as I could willingly have delivered unto posteritie what had ben set down in record by the auncient first writers of those times so I wil not interpose mine own conceits in guessing at a thing which hath lien dead and buried so long time This P. Cornelius was commaunded to go accompanied with all the dames of the citie as far as to Ostia there to meete the Goddesse and then to take her forth of the ship and being once set a land to deliver her unto the foresaid matrones for to be devoutly caried to the citie Now when the ship was arrived at the mouth of the river Tyberis he according as he was directed went abourd in a pinnace launched into the sea where he took the goddesse at the Priests hands brought her ashore And the dames which were the noblest and chiefe of the citie amongst whom Claudia Quintia was the ladie most renowmed received her This Claudia who before time as it isreported was of no better name and same than she should be now by this religious and devout ministerie was for her chastitie and continencie recommended better to posteritie These women caried this goddesse charily and daintely in their hands and tooke her by turnes one in course after another All the citie came forth by heapes to meete her and along the streets as she was conveighed they stood at the dores with censers making sweet perfumes burning frankincense yea prayed unto her that she would willingly enter the citie of Rome and continue propice and gracious unto it Thus they transported her into the temple of Victoria within mount Palatine the day before the Ides of April which was alwayes after kept as a festivall holiday The people with great frequencie brought gifts unto Palatium whic h they offred unto the goddesse solemnized a Lectisternium And those plaies called Megalesia came up then and were first instituted Now when the Counsell were busie sat about the supplie of those legions which were in the provinces there were certaine of the Senatours began to whisper blow into their heads That the time was now come no longer to abide those things which during the troubles and daungerous daies they made a shift to endure considering that now at length by the goodnesse of the gods all feare was past and the daungers overblowne At which words the lords of the Senate being in great expectation and attentive to heare out the rest they went on said That those 12 colonies of the Latines which whiles Q. Fabius and Q. Fulvius were Consuls refused to set our souldiours now almost for six yeares had intermitted their service in the wars as exempted from warfare altogither and enjoyed that immunitie as an honour and reward for their good deserts whereas in the meane time other loyall and obedient allies were by mustering every yeare continually wasted and consumed in performance of their faithfull allegeance and dutifull service to the Empire of Rome At this speech the lords called not so much to mind a thing long forlet and almost worne out of rememberance as they were provoked to anger and grew very hote and therefore would not suffer the Consuls to passe any other matter before but decreed that they should peremptorily convent to Rome the magistrates and ten principall cittizens out of every of these Colonies to wit Nepet Sutrium Ardea Cales Alba Carseoli Sora Suessa Setia Circeij Narnia and Interamna for these were the Colonies touched in that point above-named and to lay upon them every one a double levie of footmen to that number and proportion which they were charged with when they set out most in the service of the Romane warres ever since that the enemies were come into Italie besides one hundred and twentie horsemen a peece And in case any one of those colonies were not able to make up that full number of horsmen then to allow for every man of armes three footmen Provided alwaies that for foote and horse both such should be chosen and no other as were most substantiall and of the best haviour and bee sent to what place soever there was need of supplie even out of Italie And if any of them refused thus to do then the Consuls had commission to stay the magistrates and deputies aforesaid and not to give them audience in the Senate although they should require the same before they had performed those impositions Moreover those Colonies were enjoyned to pay every yeare a tax or tribune and that there should be raised and levied one Asse in the thousand of their substance by the month and be assessed in those Colonies according to the rate and rule that the Romane Censors should set downe which they gave order to bee the same that was laid upon the people of Rome the information thereof to be exhibited presented at Rome by the sworne Censours of the foresaid colonies before they went out of their office By vertue of this Act of the Senate the magistrates and chiefe men of those Colonies were sent for compelled to repaire to Rome and when the Consuls demaunded of them those souldiours and tribute aforesaid they began all of them but some more than others to resuse and gainsay it yea and flatly to denie that so many souldiours could possibly bee made nay hardly were they able although they should streine themselves to furnish the bare single number according to the usuall proportion and old prescript order requesting and
soudered with lead Both these chests had a superscription upon them in Greeke and Latine letters to this effect That in the one of them lay buried Numa Pompilius the sonne of Pompo sometime king of Rome and in the other were bestowed the bookes of the said Numa The owner of this ground opened these coffers by the advise and counsell of his friends and that which carried the title and inscription of the kings sepulture was found emptie without any shew or token of the reliques of a mans body or anything els by reason the bones and all were rotten and consumed in continuance of time after so many yeers past In the other were found two fardels wrapped within waxe candles or ceare-clothes conteining either of them seven bookes which were not only whole and sound but also seemed very fresh and new One seven of them were written in Latin as touching the Pontificiall law the other seven in Greeke entituled The discipline or doctrine of Philosophie such as those daies might affourd Valerius Antias saith moreover That they were the bookes of Pythagoras according to the common received opinion of Numa that he was the disciple of Pythagoras herein giving credit to a probable lie resembling a truth These books were first read by those friends of his who were present at the place where the chests were opened but afterwards as they came into more mens hands to be read it chaunced that Q. Petilius the lord cheefe justice of the citie desirous to peruse those bookes borrowed them of L. Petilius with whom he was familiarly acquainted by reason that the abovenamed Quintus Petilius had chosen the foresaid Lucius into the decurie of the Scribes and Secretaries Who after he had read the titles with the summaries and contents of every chapter and finding the most part thereof tending directly to abolish the state of religion then established said unto L. Petilius that he purposed to fling those bookes into the fire but before hee did so hee would permit him to use what meanes hee thought by order of law or otherwise would serve his turne to recover the said bookes out of his hands and good leave hee should have to take that course without his displeasure or any breach of friendship betweene them The Scribe or notarie aforesaid goeth to the Tribunes for their assistance the Tribunes put the matter over to the Senat before whom the Pretour said plainely That he was readie to take his corporall oth if he were put to it that those bookes ought neither to be read nor kept Whereupon the Senate judged that for such a matter the offer onely of the Pretors oth was sufficient and that the bookes should be burned with all speed possible in the open place of assemblies called Comitium but they awarded withall that there should bee paied unto Q. Petilius the right owner as much money for the bookes as the Pretour and the more part of the Tribunes of the Commons esteemed them worth The Scribe would touch none of the money but his bookes were burnt in the foresaid place before all the people in a light fire made by the ordinarie servitours attending upon the sacrificers The same summer there arose suddainely a great warre in higher Spaine The Celtiberians had gathered a power of five and thirtie thousand men a number more than lightly at any time before they had levied Now as Q. Fulvius Flaccus lord Deputie of that province Hee for his part because he was advertised that the Celtiberians put their youth in armes had raised and assembled as great aids of the confederates as he could but nothing came hee neere to the enemie in numbers of souldiours In the beginning of the Spring hee led his armie into Carpetania and encamped before the towne Ebura after hee had planted a meane garrison within it A few daies after the Celtiberians pitched their tents within two miles from thence under a little hill When the Romane Pretour perceived they were come he sent his brother Marcus Fulvius with two companies of the horsemen of allies in espiall to view the enemies campe willing him to approach as neere to the trench and rampier as hee could and to see what compasse the campe tooke but to forbeare skirmish and in any hand to retire in case he perceived the Cavallerie of the enemies made out against him According to this direction hee did in every respect And so for certaine daies together there was nothing done but onely these two companies of horsemen shewing first and afterwards retiring backe so soone as the Cavallerie of the enemies issued out of their campe At length the Celtiberians also came forth and advaunced forward with all their power as well horse as foot and having set them in ordinance of battell staied as it were in the middes betweene The whole ground was a smooth and even plaine fit to joyne a battaile in There stood the Spaniards I say expecting their enemies but the Romane Pretour kept his men within the rampier foure dayes togither and they likewise of the other side held the same place still in battaile array The Romanes all that while st irred not a foot The Celtiberians then seeing the enemies refused fight held themselves quiet also within their camp onely the horsemen rid forth and they kept a corps de guard to be in readines if peradventure the enemies should be busie come abroad Both of the one side and the other they went out at the back-side of their camp to purvey forage fewel and impeached not one another The Roman Pretor supposing now that after so many daies rest the enemies were borne in hand and hoped fully that hee would never begin first commanded L. Actlius to take with him the left wing of the cavallerie six thousand of the provinciall auxiliaries and to fetch a compasse about the hill which stood behind the enemies and from thence so soone as they heard a crie to run downe a maine and charge upon their campe And because they might not be dscovered in the night time they departed Flaccus the next morning by peepe of day sent out C. Scribonius a colonell of the allies against the enemies campe with the extraordinarie horsmen of the left wing whom when the Celtiberians beheld both approaching neere toward them and also more in number than uually they had bene they put forth all their Cavallerie at once out of the gates withal gave the signal to the Infanterie also to come abroad Scritonius according to the direction given him so soon as ever he heard the first noise shout of the horsmen turned the head of his horse and retired back full upon the campe therwith the enemies followed more freely first the horsemen and within a while the footmen also making full account to be masters of the Roman leaguer that day verily now were they not past halfe a mile When Flaccus supposed that they were trained farre enough from their owne camp for succouring
thereof begun thought good it was and requisite that order first should be taken for the expiation of prodigies and the pacification of the gods by way of humble praiers such as were represented and delivered unto them out of the fatall bookes of Sibylla For at Lanuvium were seene as the common voice went certaine shewes and resemblances of a mightie great navie Item At Privernum there grew blacke wooll out of the earth Also in the Veientian territorie neere a towne called Remens it rained stones Moreover all the countrey Pomptinum was overcast as it were with clouds of Locusts and within the land of Gallia there were seen certain fishes to leap from under the clots of earth that were turned with the plow as it took stitch and made surrow For these straunge and fearfull sights the foresaid bookes were looked into and perused and out of them the Decemvirs declared pronounced both unto what gods sacrifice should be offered and what beast were to be slain therfore moreover that the one supplication should bee holden as propitiatorie for those prodigious tokens as also the other which the yeare before had been vowed for the health of the people should now bee performed and holydaies kept therefore So the sacrifices were accomplished according to the order and forme set downe in writing by the Decemvirs The very same yeere was the church of Iuno Lacinia uncovered upon this occasion Q. Fulvius Flaccus the Censor was building of a temple to Fortuna equestris which hee had vowed during the warre against the Celtiberians when he was lord pretour in Spaine His desire and earnest endevor was to straine himselfe that there might not be in Rome a temple of more state and magnificence than this And supposing that it would be a great beautie and ornament unto it in case the roofe were covered with tiles of marble hee went into the Brutians countrey and there he was so bold with the church abovesaid of Iuno Licinia as to untile the one halfe thereof making full account that so much would served for to cover that temple which hee was a building Boates and barges hee had readie for to receive and carrie away the said tiles or sclates without being empeached or controlled for this sacriledge by the allies whom he held in awe and frighted by his Censorian authoritie Now after the Censor was returned to Rome those marble sclates were disbarked out of the foresaid vessels and conveighed to the temple And albeit no words were made from whence they came yet concealed it could not bee And hereupon arose much muttering in the Senate and from all parts thereof they called hard upon the Consuls to have the matter put to question and debated of The Censor was sent for who was no sooner entered into the Senate but both all in generall and also every one in particular had a fling at him and much more sharpely reproched him to his face in these tearmes That hee could not bee content to abuse and violate the most holy and stately church in those parts which neither Pyrrhus nor Anniball ever offered violence unto unlesse he uncovered it also in foule sort and in manner laid it ruinate The lanterne thereof was taken away and gone the rouse left bare and naked exposed and open to raine and soule weather and thereby subject to rot that hee being chosen Censor for to reforme the manners of other to whome it appertained by his office after the auncient maner and custome to see that the temples were close and covert to call upon that all publicke places be kept wind-tight and water-tight and in sufficient repaire that he I say of all others should raunge over the cities of allies and consederate States pulling downe their temples as hee goeth and uncovering the roases of the sacred edifices and in demolishing the churches of the immortall gods commit that which if he did but practise upon the privat houses of allies might seem an unworthie act and a great indignitie and finally by rearing one temple with the ruine of another obligue the people of Rome with the verie guilt of his owne crime as if ywis the immortall gods were not the same in all places but that we must honour and adorne some of them with the spoile of others Now as it was apparent before the matter was put to the censure of the Senate which way the LL. enclined in opinion so immediately upon the proposing thereof they all opined and gave one sentence That order should bee taken with the publicanes of the citie workes for the carrying backe againe of the same sclates to the former temple and that certaine propitiatorie sacrifices should bee offered for the pacification of Iuno As for all ceremonies requisite toward the divine service aforesaid they were with all complements performed accordingly but the farmers who had undertaken at a price to recarie those tiles brought word that they had landed them in the churchyard and there left them because they might not meet with any workeman who could devise with all the skill cunning he had how to bestow them as they were laid and couched before Of those Pretours who were gone into their provinces M. Fabius as he was in his journey toward high Spaine died at Massiles by the way and therefore upon intelligence given thereof by the Massilian embassadours the Senate ordained that P. Furius and Cn. Servilius whome to succeed others were to be sent should cast lost betweene themselves whether of them should continue still in government and have the charge of high Spaine And the lot fell out very well and fit that the said P. Furius who had ruled the said province before should there remaine The same yere by occasion that a good part of the Ligutians and Gaules territorie woon by conquest lay void and was not as yet in the tenor and occupation of any man there passed an Act of the Senate that it should be divided by the poll So A. Attilius the L. chiefe Iustice of the cittie of Rome by vertue of a decree graunted out of the Senat created ten Decemvirs or commissioners for that purpose to wit M. Aemylius Lepidus C. Cassius T. Ebutius Parrus C. Tremellius P. Cornelius Cethegus I and L. both named Apulius M. Caecilius C. Salonius and C. Munatius To every Romane cittizen they set out ten acres apeece and to the Latine allies three About the same time that these affaires passed at Rome there arrived thither embassadours out of Aetolia about their owne civill discords and seditions Likewise there came others from Thessalie reporting what was a doing in Macedonie For Perseus casting now in his mind how to compasse that war which during his fathers life he devised and thought upon endevoured to draw and win unto him not onely all the nations but the citties of Greece by sending his embassages among them and promising liberally more than he performed Howbeit the hearts of the most part were inclined to him and favoured
should preferre a bill unto the common people that those three should be in full commission of commaund and government that day when they were to ride triumphant into the citie See how meane things escape the touch of envie but the highest commonly are met with No doubt was made at all of the triumph of Anicius no yet of Octavius But Paulus with whom even they themselves would have been abashed to compare could not avoid the backbiting of slaunderous and malicious tongues His souldiours according to the auncient discipline of warre he had held hard to their service And to them had he given a donative indeed out of the bootie but more niggardly and with a lighter hand than they hoped for from out of so great wealth and riches of the kings yet in good faith to say a truth full well he knew that if he had satisfied their greedie desire and dealt still amongst them til they had cried Ho he should have left himselfe just nothing to have brought into the common treasurie So that all this Macedonian armie gave a shew by this time as if they had but cold devotion to their Generall either to appeare or to give their voices for the setting forward of the bill aforesaid as touching his triump plenarie power of commaund when the day of assembly should come Over and besides Ser. Sulpitus Galba who had been a martial Colonell in the second legion in Macedonie and in private enmitie with the Generall both himselfe in persons was in hand with them and by the souldiors also of his owne legion sollicited and spurred on the rest to appeare in sufficient number there for to give their suffrages against him and checked the bill saying That as he was an imperious and lordly commaunder so hee was as miserable a pinch-pennie withall and a good deed it were to denie his grace and to crosse the law proposed for his triumph so to be revenged of him throughly for no doubt the commons of the citie would goe that way that they should see the soldiours to lead before He could not for sooth say they give money among his souldiors liberally well he shall surely know that his souldiors yet can give him honour but never let him looke for the fruit of favor and grace where he hath deserved none These words set them agog and when Tib. Sempronius a Tribune of the Commons read out and published the foresaid bill in the Capitoll and that by permission of law any privat person might have spoken there to and no man came forth as being a matter whereof no doubt and question was to be made then Servius Galba sodainly slept foorth and required of the Tribune That for as much as it was so far forth dayes as being the eight houre thereof so that he had not time enough to declare and shew at large what allegations he had why they should not graunt L. Aemylius a triumph they would adjourne the assembly to the next day and betimes in the morning set the matter on foot againe for that he had need of a whole day and no lesse to plead that cause to the full as he should doe But when the Tribune willed him againe to speake his mind that day if he had ought to say he made a speech and with his long oration held the court untill it was within night putting them in mind and alleadging How precisely and rigorously he had exacted at their hands all militarie duties how he had imposed upon the souldiors more painfull and dangerous labour than need was but contrariwise in dealing rewards and bestowing honourable recompences for good service hee was over-straight laced and too short in every point and verily souldiere and warfare if it continued still under such captaines will be more hard travelsome and rough to soldiors and warriours but when all is done and victorie obteined rewarded it shall be with bare povertie and neglect of honour Ceretes the Macedonians are in better case yet than the Romane soldiors But if they would be present in great frequencies the next morrow for to denie and revoke this bill then these rich and mightie men shall know full wel That all lieth not in the hands of the captaine and commaunder but that the souldiours also can doe somewhat The souldiours animated and induced with these perrillous words resorted the day following in so great multitudes and pestered the whole Capitoll so full as none but they could come in to give their voice The first tribes that were called in clearely cassed the grace which when the principall and cheefe men of the citie saw they ran all into the Capitoll with open mouth crying out upon this indignitie offered That L. Paulus a conquerour in so great and daungerous a war should be deprived of his due triumph and the grand Commaunders and Generals of the field were now subjected and enthralled to the loose licentiousnesse and greedie avarice of their soldiours In this one thing say they have we too too much faulted such hath been our favour and partialitie and so loth have we been to displease any but what will become of us in the end if soldiours once may come to be lords and maisters thus to crow over their Generals And every man railed and cried out upon Galba In the end after this garboile was appeased M. Servilius who sometime had bene Consull and great maister of the horse under the Dictatour requested the tribunes that they would begin all again annulling that which was past give him leave withall to make a speech before the people The Tribunes went aside to consult of this matter and in fine over-ruled with the authoritie and countenance of the nobles and peeres of the citie began to treat afresh and goe in hand with all matters a new making it known openly that they would recall back those first tribes in case M. Servilius and other private men who were willing to utter their mind to the cause had once spoken Then said Servilius as followeth Maisters and friends citizens here of Rome if and by nothing else it might bee judged how singular and how excellent a commaunder Lucius Aemylius was in the field this onely if there were no more may suffice that having in his campe such seditious and light headed persons for his souldiours and an adversarie of his owne among them so noble of birth so rash of action and withal98l so arrogant and selfe-conceited readie to incite and stirre up a multitude to commotion yet troubled he never was with any mutinie at all in his whole armie The same severtie it was in government and conduct that held them in aw and good order which now at this present they hate and detest And so long as they were mannaged by auncient discipline they durst nor quetch nor give offence As for Sergius Galba if like a new barrister who is to shew the first proofe and to give the assay and hansell of
confiscate and his house laid levell with the ground and the plot where it stood by the Romanes was made a void yard The temple of Murtiae goddesse of Idlenesse was under the Aventine upon the ascent of the hill called Clivus Publicus in that part whereas folke goe up to the church of Saint Prisca Hereupon the mount Aventine was sometime called Murtius Moreover some there be that in this place would have the Asylum to stand but wee have shewed before that the Asylum was first built by Romulus upon the Capitol But in processe of time after that so great riches and wealth was gathered and laid up there in the Capitoll and that otherwhiles the Senat used there to meet and sit in counsell the Romans thought it not with the safest for them that theeves fellons and other leaud infamous persons of all sorts should come for refuge thither and there abide and therefore they supposed it better for their securitie to translate this priviledged sanctuarie to some other place VVhereupon not there alone but in many other parts afterward there began sanctuaries to be set up not at Rome only but also in other quarters of the world CHAP. X. Circus what it is why it was so called and for what cause ordained THe place where games and exercises of disport were performed was called the Cirque so named for that scaffolds were built in circuit round about to behold the pastimes and within that compasse the said solemnities were exhibited also for that the pompe was carried in shew and the horses ran about the goles there Built it was round but longwise like an arch or bow having in the circuit about it steps one above another with apt seats for the beholders that one should not hinder the prospect of another in the mids were two marks or goles distant alike one from the other Also the barriers or carceres so called because the horses stood there pent and kept in untill the magistrat gave the signall to begin the course Now these solemnities of games and plaies are feastivals in the honour of their gods for ordained they were first and still are observed and kept either for their birth-daies and nativities or dedications of temples And at the first verily were hunting and baiting of beasts which they called Munera to the honor of Saturne But the stage plaies were due to Liber the Circensian games to Neptune and Ceres Thus these pastimes were assigned some to these gods and others to those and in honour and memoriall of them yeerely solemnised As for the games Circenses they were so called because when they were performed they had the banke of the river of one side and swords set to flanke the other But of these games plaies and solemne sights Sisinius hath written at large CHAP. XI The great shew-place called Circus Maximus TArquinius Priscus instituted first this large circuit for running of races and laid the foundation thereof betweene the two mounts Aventine and Palatine But Caesar was hee that enlarged it and made it more magnificent and stately For being as it was three furlongs and an halfe in length and foure acres broad it is thought that it was Caesar and not Tarquine who set it out to that largenesse and this soundeth like to a truth considering that in Tarquines daies the citie was not so populous neither given so much to these shewes and sights as in the time of Caesar and therefore the place required not so great a compasse of ground Now this Cirque for three parts thereof to wit the two sides and one of the ends had a ditch digged ten foot deepe and as many broad behind that ditch were galleries built three stories high these had seats made beneath with stone and above of timber al which galleries had one and the same bases for they closed together round like a globe Able they were to receive a hundred and fiftie thousand men See more hereof in Dionysius Plinie Livie and others who have written of the Romane edifices This Cirque Augustus adorned and beautified afterwards for hee made the barriers of marble and guilded the goales and many other ornaments hee set it out withall Lastly when it was decaied and fallen down Trajane reedified it made it more ample and trimmed it up Yea and after him Heliogabalus set thereto besides most faire and goodly Columnes and garnished them with gold and paved the very floore with Chrysocolla But as touching the beautie of this Cirque Nazarius writeth much For by report so elegant it was that men resorted to it not so much to behold the exercises and maistries there as the pleasant and defectable beautie of the place Maximus therefore it was called either because consecrated it was to Vortumnus the greatest of the gods or for the excellencie and sumptuousnesse of the games or else because in comparison of other Cirques to wit Flaminius and the other called Intimus i. the inmost this was the biggest For Plinie hath left in writing that it lay out in length three furlongs and one in breadth so as it would well serve for two hundred and sixtie thousand men to sit within it CHAP. XII The temples and altars which we read to have been in the Circus Maximus or about it COnsus is reported to bee the god of Counsell either for that hee concealeth mens counsels or openeth them unto men This god had an altar in the great shew-place covered over which betokeneth that counsell ought to be close and couvert For which cause this altar as we read was by the old Romans to him consecrated For they at what time as they consulted about the ravishing of the Sabine maidens fearing least they should have been detected before the time dedicated this altar to this god and erected the portraiture and image of him thereon VVhich altar verily either by some injurie of the times or through mens neglect of the gods continued so forlet as in the end it was altogether unknowne where it stood At length found it was againe and at all other times remained covered but in the time of horse-runnings and then it was uncovered and set open To this god was the feast also instituted called Consualia And those disports and pastimes which they devised for the ravishment of the Sabine virgins were celebrated at this altar by certaine priests belonging to that god In like maner Neptune surnamed the Chevalier had a temple in this Circus Max. which in the yeer of our Lord 1526 was found behind the temple of S. Anastasia at the foot of the mount Palatine in the very foundations of the Circus for such markes and tokens were there to be seene that by good evidences it appeared that this was the very temple of Neptune For the honour of this Neptune the games Circenses were by men in old time solemnized Also to Genius the guide director of secret plots they erected an altar in the great Cirque Over and besides these this Cirque