Selected quad for the lemma: war_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
war_n	caesar_n	civil_a	pompey_n	2,660	5	10.9879	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43430	Herodian's history of the Roman emperors containing many strange and wonderful revolutions of state in Europe, Asia, and Africa : also, their most remarkable embassies, speeches, antiquities, &c. : together with the most solemn ceremonies us'd at the deification of the Roman emperors : with a character of the ancient Britains / done from the Greek by a gentleman at Oxford.; History. English	Herodian.; Gentleman at Oxford.	1698 (1698)	Wing H1581; ESTC R13737	140,954	430

preserve them in their full Strength and Vigour till he saw what would be the Issue of the Battel not so much as offering to come up till he heard that Severus was slain And it appear'd afterwards that this was no ill-founded Suspicion inasmuch as Severus after he had put all Things in good Order and establish'd the Peace and Quiet of his Empire very nobly rewarded all his other Captains but put Laetus to death having respect as was thought to the Treason intended this Day But these Things hapned long after Laetus at this time appearing with so considerable a Reinforcement retriev'd the declining Vigour of Severus's Men. Severus re-mounted and put on again his Imperial Cloke Albinus's Soldiers suppos'd they had intirely defeated the Enemy and being in great disorder were unable to sustain the Attacks of these fresh Forces which fell upon them with incredible Fury and after a short Resistance put them to a precipitate Flight Severus's Army pursu'd them making a great Slaughter of them even to the Gates of the City The Number of those that were kill'd and taken on both Sides in this Engagement is variously related by the Historians of those Times After the Victory Severus's Soldiers burnt and plunder'd Lions and having taken Albinus cut off his Head and presented it to Severus thus he erected two mighty Trophies the one in the East the other in the North and I doubt whether any Thing we meet with in Story will bear a Comparison with his Victories and Battels whether you consider the Puissance of his Armies the Commotions of Nations the Number of his Engagements or the Length and Swiftness of his Marches The Battels between Caesar and Pompey between Augustus and Antony or Pompey's Sons were great and memorable Actions as also were the Atchievements of Sylla and Marius in Civil and Foreign Wars But for one Man to cut a Passage to the Empire through three Emperors actually invested in the Sovereign Dignity to overcome the Praetorian Soldiers by reach of Policy to murther an Emperor in his own Palace to vanquish another in the East where he had sat at the Helm divers Years after he was proclaim'd in Rome to make a third his Prisoner that was in actual Possession of the Empire is still more wonderful and extraordinary and you 'll scarce find any Thing upon Record that is able to parallel the Greatness of the Adventure or the Course of prosperous Fortunes by which it was atchiev'd Thus fell Albinus after he had enjoy'd his fatal Dignity for a short time and Severus soon pour'd out the Fury of his Revenge upon his Adherents in Rome and sent the Head of Albinus to be nail'd publickly upon a Gibbet He sent also Letters giving an Account of his Victory and adding by way of Postscript That he sent that Head to be fix'd upon a Gibbet and expos'd to publick View that it might be a Token of his displeasure and signifie how highly he was enrag'd against them And having put all Things in order in Britain he constituted two Governours to take care of that Island and leaving the Affairs of Gaul in such a Posture as he thought most convenient he put to death all those that had espous'd Albinus's Interest not regarding whether they had done it by Choice or were determin'd to it by Necessity and confiscating their Estates he took his March for Rome drawing with him his whole Army that his Appearance might be the more terrible He perform'd his March with his usual Speed and made his Entry into Rome his Breast still glowing with a malignant Heat against the Remainder of Albinus's Faction The People bearing Branches of Laurel receiv'd him with Acclamations of Joy and all the Marks of Honour and Respect The Senate too complemented him on this Occasion tho' most of her Members expected nothing at his Hands but Death and Destruction They knew the implacable Cruelty of his Nature and upon what slight Occasions he would proceed to the most injurious Rigours tho' now he had plausible Reasons to justifie his Indignation Severus after he had paid a Visit to Jupiter's Temples and perform'd the Sacrifices customary on the Occasion retir'd to his Palace threw a Largess amongst his Soldiers and gave a Dole to the People on the Account of his Victory To the first of these he granted divers Privileges out of his meer Grace and Bounty being such as they had never before enjoy'd he encreas'd their Allowances of Corn authoriz'd them to wear Rings of Gold and permitted Women to live with them These Things were heretofore judg'd inconsistent with the Rules of Military Discipline and that unincumber'd Freedom and Readiness for Action which is requir'd in a Soldier He was the first that alter'd their course and wholesom Diet the Consequence whereof was a sensible Decay of Force and Vigour and utterly destroying the ancient Discipline and Authority of Generals He engag'd them in dissolute Courses and taught them to love Money After he had made these Alterations he came into the Senate and ascending the Imperial Throne broke out into a vehement Impeachment of Albinus's Friends some of whose secret Letters he produc'd and laid before them which were those he found in Albinus's Cabinet others he upbraided with the curious Presents which they had made him others again he tax'd with the having favour'd the Eastern Faction So that upon the whole Matter he put to death all the most eminent Men in the Senate with all such as were most considerable for Wealth or Family in the Provinces He pretended to act in this Affair by the Dictates of Revenge tho the truth is he was urg'd on by a more prevailing Passion which he had for Money to which none of the Emperors was ever so totally enslav'd For as in Strength of Body Vigour of Mind and Conduct of Military Affairs he equall'd the most renowned Generals so he was excessively covetous insomuch that he sought Money by all even the most unwarrantable Means as by Injury Oppression Murther c. He was rather fear'd than belov'd by his Subjects tho' it was the principal Study and Endeavour of his Life to be Popular To this end he frequently exhibited Publick Shows which were both various and magnificent In these a hundred Wild Beasts were often slain at a time which he procur'd from all Parts of the World He made frequent and noble Largesses to the People and entertain'd them with Publick Games wherein Wrestlers Stage-players c. were drawn from all Parts to contend for the Prize And I have seen in his Time Shews of all sorts represented in all the Theaters in Rome with sacred Rites and Ceremonies solemniz'd after the manner of the Mysteries of Ceres These were the Ludi Seculares which are never renew'd till three Ages be compleat from the last Celebration at which time Cryers go through Rome and Italy to make Proclamation that the People may come and behold what they had never seen before nor could

naturally desirous of Revolutions and Changes This was a long Reign and they grew weary of it they could not expect to get any thing under the present Government in regard the Emperor was not so sollicitous to procure their Favour as he was in the first Years of his Reign and they might reasonably hope for greater Honours and Advantages under a Prince that was advanc'd to the Throne solely by their Interest having no Grounds himself to expect such Promotion These Motives put together made them resolve the Death of Alexander and the Advancement of Maximine who was their Fellow-Soldier and Companion and was the fittest Man that could be pitch'd upon to prosecute the War against the Germans by reason of his Personal Valour and Military Experience In pursuance of these Resolutions they assembled in the Field arm'd and Maximine at the Head of them making as if he would only direct them in their ordinary Exercises Some say he was privy to their Designs and others affirm the contrary However that was they proclaim'd him Emperor and invested him with the Imperial Robes He at first declin'd and rejected the Purple but when the Soldiers drew their Swords and threatned to kill him if he did not comply he chose rather to run a future Hazard than expose himself to a present Danger and so accepted the Honour and declar'd that he had had frequent Intimations by Dreams and Oracles That he should one Day sit at the Helm of the Empire He protested also to them That his Compliance in this Particular was much against his Will but he could not resist their Importunity And advis'd them seeing they would needs have it so instantly to stand to their Arms and establish what they had done by surprizing Alexander before the News of what had hapned had reach'd his Ears and putting his Guards and Soldiers in Consternation by which Means they might either be perswaded to join with them in pushing on the Revolution or they might easily be forc'd to a Submission being unprovided of all Things for making a Resistance Maximine was very careful to cherish that Affection which they had express'd for him by doubling their Allowance of Corn by promising large Donatives and granting a general Pardon of all Crimes of what Nature soever After which he led on his Men to the Emperor's Pavilion which was not far off This sudden and surprizing Turn of Affairs extremely alarm'd Alexander insomuch that he abandon'd his Tent and flew out like a Mad-man crying and trembling and upbraiding Maximine with Perfidiousness and Ingratitude He ran out into a long Enumeration of the Favours he had conferr'd upon him and reprov'd his Adherents for rashly engaging in traiterous Designs contrary to the Duty of their Allegiance Nevertheless he promis'd to grant all their Demands and redress all their Grievances provided they would lay down their Arms. The Soldiers that were about him encourag'd him in this Exigency by their chearful Acclamations and promis'd to stand by him with their Lives and Fortunes But as soon as that Night was over and the News came in the Morning that Maximine was advancing against them and a Cloud of Dust was descry'd afar off and a Noise as it were of a great Multitude was heard Alexander came out again into the Field and call'd his Soldiers together and exhorted them to be firm to him to protect their Prince who had been brought up among them and had govern'd for Fourteen Years with so much Gentleness and Equity that not one Subject had so much as Cause of Complaint given him So all Men seeming mov'd with Compassion he bid them stand to their Arms and put themselves in posture to receive the Enemy Which they promis'd to do but fell away by degrees and deserted him Some there were that imputed this Defection to the Practices of the Captain of the Praetorian Band and of some of the Emperor's Confidents and would have impeach'd them of that Fact Others laid the Blame on his Mother whose covetous Temper and extreme Parsimony in giving out Munificences to the Soldiers had render'd her Son odious They staid for some time debating the Point to and fro till Maximine came in sight and bid them abandon a wretched Woman and that easie dis-spirited Boy who could truckle so tamely to a Mothers Tyranny and join themselves to a Man of Courage and Conduct who had been their Companion in Arms and was an old and experienc'd Captain Hereupon they all revolted from Alexander and unanimously proclaim'd Maximine Emperor Alexander in great Fear and Distraction made a shift to return to his Tent tho' with great difficulty and embracing his Mother he bewail'd his Misfortune and as some say accus'd her as the procuring Cause of it expecting every Moment the Messenger of Death Maximine as soon as he was proclaim'd Emperor by the Army order'd a Tribune and certain Centurions to dispatch Alexander and his Mother and all such as pretended to make any Opposition They forthwith executed their Warrant rushing into the Emperor's Tent and killing him and his Mother and all those that seem'd to be honour'd and esteem'd by him except such as fled and absconded for the present all which were afterwards apprehended by Maximine and put to death This was the End of Alexander and his Mother after he had reign'd Fourteen Years without spilling any Blood or giving the Subject any just Ground of Complaint He abhorr'd all cruel and tyrannical Methods and never put any Man to death without Legal Process He was naturally inclin'd to Gentleness and Beneficence and the whole Tenor of his Government had been without Reproach or Blemish had not the sordid Avarice of his Mother thrown some Scandal upon it AN EPITOME OF THE Seventh Book MAximine a Thracian of prodigious Size and most bloody in his Nature opens his Reign with great Cruelties being mov'd to it by the Conscience of his own mean Birth and exasperated by a Combination of the Tribunes against him and by the Defection of the Soldiers He attacks the Germans within their Woods and Morasses defeats and puts them to flight He is cruel to his Enemies but infinitely more tyrannical to his own Subjects whose Estates he makes no scruple to seize without any Colour or Pretence of Right He is universally hated A Commotion is rais'd in Africk where the Procurator is kill'd and Gordian Proconsul of Africk is chosen Emperor and having us'd Means to dispatch Vitalian Captain of the Praetorian Band in Rome his Election is ratified by the Senate Soon after Cappellian marches against him and quells the Commotion and he is slain in Africk together with his Son Maximine leaves Pannonia and takes his march towards Rome with his whole Army Maximus and Balbinus are elected Emperors and Gordian's Nephew created Caesar A Civil War breaks out in Rome between the Populace and the Praetorian Soldiers of which Gallicanus was the Author The Seventh Book THe Account of Alexander's Life and Death after