inflamed with Anger and Malice So that the Father rode in Triumph to the Capitol the Dâ—ughter to the Temple of Vesta Nor could it be righâ—y decided to which most praise was due whether to him whom Victory or her whom Piety attended 7. Pardon me most antient Hearths pardon me eternal Fires if the context of our work lead us from your most sacred Temple to the more necessary rather than magnificent part of the City For no Misfortune no Poverty cheapens the price of Piety Rather the trial of it is more certain by how much thâ— more miserable The Pretor had delivered to the Triumvir a noble Woman to be put to death in Prison ' being condemned for some hainous Crime But the Keeper compassionating her case did not strangle her presently All the while he gave her Daughter liberty to come to her after he had diligently search'd that she carried her no food believing that in a little time she might be starv'd to death But seeing her live many days without any alteration he began to consider with himself by what means she kept herself alive thereupon more diligently watching her Daughter he observ'd her giving her Breast to her Mother and pacifying the rage of her hunger with her Nipples The novelty of which wonderful sight being by him related to the Triumvir by the Triumvir to the Pretor by the Pretor to the Council of the Judges they granted the Woman her pardon What will not Piety invent that for the preservation of a Parent in prison found out so strange a means as this For what more unusual what more unheard-of than that a Mother should be nourished by the Breasts of a Child One would think this were against the course of Nature but that Nature commands us in the first place to love our Parents FORRAIGN Examples 1. The same is to be said of Pero's Piety who preserved her Father Cimon fallen into the same misfortune and in Prison nourishing him like an Infant in his decrepit Age with the Milk of her Breasts Mens eyes are fix'd and in an amaze when they behold this piece of Piety represented in painting 2. Nor can I forget thee Cimon that didst not fear to purchase the Burial of thy Father with a voluntary surrendring thy own person to imprisonment For though afterwards it hapnâ—d that thou wert both a famous Citizen and a renowned Captain yet didst thou get more honour in theprison than in the Council-Chamber For other Vertues deserve admiration but Piety merits Love 3. Nor must I forget the two Brothers whose Courage was more noble than their Birth Who being born of low Parentage in Spain grew famous by their Deaths laying down their Lives for the support of their Family For they having agreed with the Paciaeci â—or twelve thousand Pieces of Money to be paid to their Parents after their Death upon condition that they should kill Epastus Tyrant of that Countrey not only pâ—rformed the exploit but bravely fell in performing it With the same hands revengiâ—g their Countrymen punishing Epastus providing a maintenance for their antient Parents and purchasing renown to themselves Therefore now they live in their Tombs because they chose rather to support their Fathers in their old Age than to preserve their own 4. A more known pair of Brothers were Biton and Cleobis Amphinomus and Anapus The first because they drew their Mothers Chariot to the Temple of Iuno to perform the Ceremonies there The other because they carried their Father and their Mother upon their Shoulders through the midst of Aetna's flames but neither of them lost their Lives 5. Nor do I go about to detract from the honour of the Argives or to cloud the glory of the Sicilians But I hold the light of knowledg to the ignorance of a more obscure Piety which makes me renew the memory of a piece of Scythian Piety For Darius invading their Territories with a mighty Army they retreated before him to the very utmost Solitudes of all Asia Thereupon being by his Embassadours questioned when they would make an end of flying or when they would begin to fight they made answer That they had neither till'd Lands nor any Cities which were worth fighting for but when they came to the Monuments of their Ancestors then be should know how the Scythians were wont to fight By which pious answer that fierce and barbarous Nation redeem'd themselves from the scandal of Savageness Therefore is Nature the first and best Mistress of Piety which neither wanting the help of Speech nor the use of Letters through her own silent and proper Power infuses Charity into the breasts of Children What is then the profit of Learning That their Wits should be more polite but not more honest For true Vertue is rather born than acquired 6. For who taught such People as wander up and down in Carts that shelter their naked Bodies in the Woods and live by destroying Cattle like Dogs to give Darius such an Answer She that taught Croesus's Son that was born dumb to speak for the preservation of his Father For the City of Sardis being taken by Cyrus when one of the Persians not knowing who the person was furiously was going about to have kill'd his Father call'd back the Sword that was just at his Throat by crying out aloud to the Souldier that he should not kill King Croesus So that he who till that time was mute recovered his Speech for the safety of his Father 7. The same Charity arm'd a Youngman of Pinna sirnamed Pulto in the Italian War with the same strength of Body and Mind Who being Governour of the City when it was besieged when the Roman General caused his Father to be brought forth and threatned to put him to death before his face unless he would deliver up the Town made a Sally and recovered his Father out of the Enemies hands Doubly famous for that he preserved his Father and yet did not betray his Countrey CHAP. V. Of Fraternal Benevolence 1. P. Africanus the Great 2. M. Fabius Vibulanus Cs. 3. T. Caesar Augustus 4. A certain Souldier NExt to this kind of Piety follows Fraternal Benevolence For as it may be accompted the first Bond of Friendship to have received many and great Benefits the next tye is that we have received them together For how abundantly pleasant is the remembrance of those things Before I was born I liv'd in the same House My Infancy lay in the same Cradle The same Persons were Parents to both The same Vows were made for both and we enjoy the same â—â—â—our by our extraction A Wife is dear to a Husbaâ—d Children dear to a Parent Friends are acceptable and Acquaintance are delightful but when you have read what follows there is no Benevolence that exceeds Brotherly Loving Kindness 1. And this I speak by the testimony of Scipio Africanus who though he had contracted a most strict Friendship with Laelius yet he besought the Senate that they would not
Money as borrowed of Otacilia Laterensis with whom he had lived as her Gallant With this designe that if he died she might claim that sum of the Heirs colouring the Liberality of his Lust under the title of a Debt After that Visellius contrary to Otacilia's wishes recovers Who offended that she had lost her prey by his recovery from a close Friend began to act like an open Usurer challenging the Money which as shamelesly as vainly she gap'd for by a void contract Which Aquillius a man of great authority and knowledge in the Civil Law being chosen to be Judge of consulting with the Principal Men of the City by his Prudence and good Conscience foyled the woman And if by the same form Varro might have been condemned and the adversary absolved no question but he would have willingly punish'd his soul and unwarrantable folly Now he stifled the calumny of a private Action and left the crime of Adultery to publick Justice 3. Much more stoutly and with a souldierlike Gallantry did Marius behave himself in a Judgment of the same nature For when T. Titinius of Minturnum married Fannia his wife because he knew her to be unchast and having divorc'd her for the same crime would have kept her Dower he bâ—ing chosen Judge â—nd having examined the business took Titinius aside and perswaded him to proceed no farther but to return the woman her Dower but finding that all his perswasions were in vain and being forced to pronounce Sentence he fin'd the woman for Adultery a Sesterce and Titinius the whole summ of the Portion Telling them that therefore he had observed that method of judgment because it seemâ—d to him apparent that he had married Fannia whom he knew to be a lewd woman that he might cheat her of her estate This Fannia was she who afterwards when Marius was proclaimed an Enemy received him into her house at Minturnum all bedaubed with mud and durt and assisted him what lay in her power remembring that he had adjudged her for Unchastity out of his rigorous manner of life but that he had saved her Dower out of his Religion and Piety 4. That Judgment was also much talked of by which a certain person was condemned for their because having borrowed a Horse to carry him to Aricia he rode him to the furthermost cliff of that City What can we do here but praise the Modesty of that Age wherein such minute excesses from Honesty were punished CHAP. III. Of Women that pleaded Causes before Magistrates 1. Amasia Sentia 2. Afrania the wife of Licinius Buccio 3. Hortensia Q.F. NOr must we omit those Women whom the condition of their Sex and the Garments of Modesty could not hinder from appearing and speaking in publick Courts of Judicature 1. Amaesia Sentia being guilty before a great concourse of people pleaded her own cause Titius the Praetor then sitting in Court and observing all the parts and elegancies of a true Defence not onely diligently but stoutly was quitted in her first Action by the sentences of all And because that under the shape of a woman she carried a manly resolution they called her Androgynon 2. Afrania the wife of Licinius Buccia the Senator being extremely affected with Law-suits always pleaded for herself before the Praetor Not that she wanted Advocates but because she abounded in Impudence So that for her perpetual vexing the Tribunal with her bawling to which the Court was â—naccustomed she grew to be a noted Example of Female Calumnie So that the name of Afrania was given to all contentious Women She dyed when Caesar was Consul with Servilius For it is better to remember when such a Monster went out of the world than when she came in 3. Hortensia the daughter of Q. Hortensius when the order of Matrons was too heavily taxed by the Triumvirs and that none of the Men durst undertake to speak in their behalfs she pleaded the Matrons cause before the Triumvirs not only with boldness but with success For the image of her fathers Eloquence obtained that the greatest part of the Imposition was remitted Q. Hortensius then revived in the Female Sex and breath'd in the words of his Daughter Whose force and vigour if his Posterity of the Male Sex would follow so great an inheritance of Hortensian Eloquence would not be cut-off by one action of a woman CHAP. IV. Of Rackings Endured by 1. The Servant of M. Agrius 2. Alexander the Servant of Fannius 3. Philip Servant to Ful. Flaccus ANd that we may finish all sorts of Judgments let us recite those Tortures to which either no credit all was given or else rashly too much faith 1. The Servant of M. Agrius was accused to have murthered the servant of C. Fannius and for that reason being rack'd by his Master he constantly affirmed that he did commit the fact Thereupon being delivered up to Fannius he was put to death In a little while after he that was thought to be slain returned home 2. On the other side Alexander the Servant of Fannius being suspected to have murthered C. Fl. a Roman Knight being six times tortur'd denied that he was any way concerned in it But as if he had confessed it he was condemned by the Judges and by Calpurnius the Triumvir crucified 3. Fulvius Flaccus the Consul pleading Philip his Servant upon whom the whole testimony lay being eight times tortur'd would not utter a word to his Masters prejudice And yet he was condemned as guilty when one eight times tortur'd had given a more certain argument of Innocence than eight once tormented had afforded CHAP. V. Of Testimonies void or confirmed 1. Of the Caepio 's and Metelli's against Q. Pompey 2. Of Aemilius Scaurus against several 3. Of L. Crassus against M. Marcellus 4. Of Q. Metellus the Luculli Hortensii and Lepeius against Gracchus 5. Of M. Cicero against P. Clodius 6. Of P. Servilius Isauricus against a certain person 1. IT follows that I relate pertinent Examples concerning Witnesses Cneus and Servilius Caepio born both of the same Parents and having mounted through all the degrees of Honour to the height of Greatness Also the two Brothers Q. and L. Metellus of the Consular and Censors Dignity and the other that had triumphed giving in severe testimony against Q. Pompey A. F. who stood accused of Bribery the credit of their testimony was not quite abrogated by the acquittal of Pompey but it was done so that an Enemy might not seem to be oppressed by power 2. M. Aemilius Scaurus Prince of the Senate prosecuted C. Memmius for Bribery with smart testimony He followed Flavius accused by the same Law with the same fierceness he profestly endeavoured to ruine C. Norbanus for Treason put to the publick rack yet neither by his Authority which was very great nor by his Piety of which no man doubted could he do any of them any harm 3. L. Crassus also as great among the Judges as Scaurus among the Conscript Fathers For he governed
observed them to be religiously sincere Who as he had nothing while he lived that could be publikly taxed yet being deceas'd had the Concord and Unity of the City for his Patrimony 3. I cannot deny but that there was Silver in the Houses of Caius Fabricius and Q. Emilius Papus the most principal men of their times But Fabricius seem'd the more prodigal because he had a Horn-foâ—t to his Drinking-cup But Papus seem'd more head-strong who having received his Goods as hereditary would not alienate them for religions sake 4. They were also certainly very rich who were call'd from the Plough to be made Consuls for pleasures sake they plough'd the sandy and barren Soil of Pupinia and ignorant of delicacy scatter'd those vast clods with câ—ntinued sweat and labour so that those whom the dangers of the Common wealth call'd to be Emperours and Generals their want at home for why should truth conceal a Sirname compell'd to follow the call of Cowherds 5. They who were sent by the Senate to call Atilius to undertake the Government of the Roman People found him sowing in his Garden but those hands hardned with Countrey-labour establish'd the safety of the Common-wealth and defeated mighty Armies of the Enemies and those hands that lately held the Plough now hold the reins of the Triumphant Chariot Nor was he asham'd when he had laid down his Ebony Staff to return again to the Plough Tail Well may Atilius comfort the Poor but much more instruct the Rich how little the troublesome care of gathering Riches advantages the true desire of purchasing solid Honour 6. Of the same name and blood Atilius Regulus the greatest glory and the greatest calamity of the Punic War when he had ruin'd the wealth of the most insolent Carthaginian by the success of many Victories and understood that his authority was continued for the next year upon considâ—ration of his worthy deeds he wrote to the Consuls that his Bayly of his little Farm that he had in the Countrey of Popinia was deâ—d and that one that he had hired was gone away with his Utensils of Agriculture and therefore desired that a Succâ—ssour might be sent him left his land lying untill'd his Wife and Children should want Bread Which when the Consuls had râ—lated to the Senate they caus'd his ground to be let and setled a Livelihood upon his Wife and Children and ordered those things that he had lost to be redeem'd Such was the Example of Atilius's vertue to our Treasury that every Age will boast of among the Romans 7. Equally large were the Farms of L. Quinctius Cincinnâ—â—us For he possâ—ssed only seven Acres of Land and of these he had lost three forfeited for a Fine being bound to the Treasury and with the rest of this little Land he paid another Forfeiture for his Son Caeso for not appearing when he was call'd to answer the Law And yet when he was ploughing only four Acres of this Land he not only upheld the dignity of his Family but had the Dictatorship conferr'd upon him He accompts himself to live splendidly now whose House stands upon as much ground as all Cincinnatus Fâ—rm contain'd 8. What shall I say of the Aelian Family How â—icâ— were they There were Sixteen of that name whosâ— little Cottage stood where now the Marian Monuments stand and a small Farm in the Countrey of thâ— Veii that needed fewer men to till it than it had Owners and in the Parishes call'd Mâ—ximus and Flaminia they had the ground where the Theater stood bestowed upon them for their vertue by the Publick 9. That Family had not one scruple of Silver before that Paulus after he had utterly defeated Perses gave to Aelius Tubero his Son-in-Law five Pounâ— weight of Gold out of the Spoils that were taken I omit that the chief person of the City gave his Daughter in marriage to one whose â—amily and Estate was so exceeding low And he himself died so vâ—ry poor that unless he had sold one Farm which he had left there had not been sufficient for thâ— Dowry of his Wife The minds of Men and Women were then most noble in the City and the worth of every Man was then in all things weighed against his Goods and Estate For every one made it his business to serve his Country not himself And they rather chose poverty in a rich Empire than riches in a poor Empire And to this noble resolution that reward was given that it was not lawful to buy any of those things which were due to Vertue and the wants of Illustrious Men were supply'd out of the publick Stock 10. And therefore when Cneus Scipio had written out of Spain to the Senate desiring that a successor might be sent him for that he had a daughter now fit for marriage and that no portion could be provided for her without he were present The Senate lest the Commonwealth should loose a good Captain performed the office of a Father and having with the advice of his Wife and Relations agreed upon the Portion caused it to be paid out of the publick Treasury The Portion was two thousand pieces of brass mony whereby not only appears the kindness of the Conscript Fathers but the usual measure of the ancient Estates may be guessed at For they were so small that Tatia the daughter of Cato was said to have brought her Husband an exceeding Portion when she brought him ten thousand pieces of brass mony And Megullia that entred her husbands house with fifty thousand pieces of brass mony was called for that reason the Maid with the Portion And therefore the Senate vindicated the daughters of Fabricius Luscinus and Scipio from being portionless by their own Liberality seeing their Parents had nothing to give them but their wealthy honours 11. What inheritance M. Scaurus received from his Father he himself relates in the first Book that he hath wrote concerning his Life For saith he he had but ten Slaves and the whole value ef his Estate was but thirty five thousand pieces of mony These Examples therefore we ought to regard and quiet our minds with the Consolation thereof who are always complaining of the scantiness or our own Fortunes We find no Silver or a very small quantity few Servants seven Acres of barren Land domestick Indigency Funeral expences publickly defray'd Daughters without Portions But we behold famous Consulships wonderful Dictatorships and innumerable Triumphs Why do we therefore with continual reproaches torment a mean Fortune as the chief evil of human kind Who though with not superfluously flowing yet with faithful breasts nourished the Poplicolae the Emilii the Fabricii the Curii the Scipio's the Scauri and all those other supports of Vertue equal to these Let us â—ather pull up our spirits and comfort our minds debilitated with the sight of mony with the memory of former times CHAP. I. Of Bashfulness or Modesty 1. Of the people of Rome 2. C. Terentius Varro Cos. 3. C. Cicereius
his Fathers Triumph The other alive in the Triumphal Chariot expir'd the third day after Thus he that was so liberal in bestowing Children upon others was himself left childless in a short time Which Misfortune that you may know how magnanimously he brook'd it he made plainly apparent in an Oration which he made to the People concerning the Actions which he had done for them by adding this little clause When in the highest success of my felicity I was afraid most noble Romans that Fortune would do me some mischief or other I prayed to Jupiter Juno and Minerva that if any thing of Calamity threatned the Roman Government they would exhaust it all upon my Family And therefore 't is very well for according to my wishes they have so ordered it that you should rather compassionate my private than I bewail your publick losses 3. I will only adde one Domestic Example more and then permit my Story to wander Q. Marcius Rex the Elder Colleague with Cato in the Consulship lost a Son of eminent hopes and piety and which added to his calamity his onely Child Yet when he saw his Family ruin'd and ended by his death he so suppress'd his grief by the depth of his prudence that immediately he went from his Sons grave to the Senate-house and as it was his duty that day immediâ—tely summon'd all the Senators together So that had he not generously sustain'd his sorrow he could not have equally divided the light of one day between a sad and mournful Father and a stout Consul not having omitted the good offices of either FORREIGNERS 1. Pericles Prince of the Athenians in four days having lost two most incomparable Youths the very same time without any alteration in his Countenance or discomposure in his Speech made a publick Oration to the People Nay according to Cuâ—tome he wenâ— with his Coâ—onet upon his Head that he might not omit any thing of the antient Ceremony for the wound of his Family Therefore was it not without cause that a person of his magnanimous spirit obtain'd the Sirname of Olympian 2. Xenophon the next to Plato in the happy degree of Eloquence when he was performing a solemn Sacrifice received news that the eldest of his Sons named Gryllus was slain in the Battle of Mantinea However he would not forbear the appointed worship of the Gods but only was contented to lay aside his Garland which yet he put on again upon his head when he understood that he fell couragiously fighting calling the Gods to which he sacrificed to witness that he more rejoyced at the noble manner of his Death than sorrow'd for his loss Another person would have remov'd the Sacrifice would have thrown away the Ornaments of the Altars and cast away the Incense all bedabl'd with tears But Xenophon's body stood immoveâ—ble to Religion and his minde remain'd fix'd in the advice of prudence For he thought it a thing far more sad to submit to grief than to think of the loss which he had sustain'd 3. Neither was Anaxagoras to be suppress'd For hearing the news of his Sons death Thou tellest me said he nothing new or unexâ—ected For I knew that as he was begaâ— by me he was mortal These exprâ—ssions were the voice of Vertue season'd with moâ—â— wholesome Precepts which whosoever rightly understand will consider that Children are so to be begot as that we may remember that the Law of Nature has prescrib'd them a Law of receiving and yielding up their breath both at the same moment And that as no man ever died that did not live so no man ever lived that must not dye LIB VI. CHAP. I. Of Chastity ROMANS 1. Lucretia 2. L. Virginius 3. Pontius Aufidianus a Roman Knight 4. P. Maenius 5. Q. Fabius Maximus Servilianus 6. P. Attilius Philiscus 7. Claudius Marcellus 8. Q. Metellus Celer 9. T. Veturius 10. C. Pescentiâ—s 11. Cominius 12. C. Marius 13. Certain private persons that vindicated private Adulteries FORRAIGNERS 1. Hippo a Grecian 2. Chiomara wife of Orgiaguns 3. The Teutons wives WHence shall I summon thee forth fair Chastity the chief support of Men and Women For thou inhabitest the Hearths consecrated to Vesta by the antient Religion Thou broodest upon the Cushions of Iupiter Capitoline Thou the pillar of the Palatium renderest famous the most illustrious Houshold-Gods and the most sacred Genial Bed of Iuliá by thy fixed habitation there Thy Guardianship defends the honour of young Youth And out of respect to thy Deity riper age continues incontaminate Under thy protection the Matrons Stole or long Garment is reverenc'd Come hither then and know what thou thy self wouldst have others do 1. Lucretia the first Example of Roman Chastity whose manlike Soul was by the mistake of Fortune enclosed in a female Body being constrain'd to suffer herself to be ravish'd by Sextus Tarquinius the son of him sirnamed the Proud when she had before an assembly of her Kindred and Friends lamented in most passionate expressions the Injury which she had received stabbâ—d herself with a Dagger which she had conceal'd under her Garment Whose magnanimous Death gave the people an occasion to alter the Kingly Government into Consular 2. Neither would Virginius brook an injury of this nature though a person of a very Vulgar extraction but of a Patrician spirit for lest his Family should be dishonour'd he spared not his own flesh and blood For when Appius Claudius the Decemvir confiding in his power violently prosecuted the defiling of his Daughter he brought her forth publickly into the Market-place and slew her choosing rather to be the Murtherer of a chast than the Father of a contaminated Daughter 3. Nor was Pontius Aufidianus endued with less Courage of Minde being a Roman Knight who finding the Virginity of his Daughter prostituted by a Pedagogue to Fannius Saturninus not content to have put the wicked Servant to death he kill'd his Daughter And that she might not celebrate dishonourable Nuptials he married her to a bitter funeral 4. What shall I say of Pub. Maenius What a strict Guardian of Chastity was he For he punished a Freeman of his for whom he had a great kindness only because he had kiss'd his Daughter being of womans estate though it might seem not to have bin done so much out of Lust as by a mistake of breeding or long acquaintance But he thought fit to imprint the Discipline of Chastity into the apprehension of the tender Maid by the severity of his servants punishment and taught her by so severe an Example that she was not only to preserve her Virginity but her Lips uncontaminated for her Husband 5. But Quintus Fabius Maximus Servilianus after he had born many great Offices with renown coming to the Censorship question'd his only Son for the doubtful loss of his Chastity and he underwent the punishment by banishing himself out of the reach of his Father 6. I should have said the Censor had been too rigid but that P.
wise men were loath it should be thought that his Condemnation had bin because his Accuser was so great a person And therefore I believe they reason'd thus amongst themselves We must not admit him that seeks the life of another to bring Triumphs Trophies and Spoils to the seat of Judgment Let him be terrible to his Enemy but let not a Citizen trusting to his high Merits and great Honour prosecute a Citizen 12. Not more eager were those Judges against a most noble Accuser than these were mild toward a Criminal of a far lower degree Callidius of Bononia being taken by night in the Husbands Bed chamber being brought to answer for the Adultery he buoyed himself up among the greatest and most violent waves of Infamy swimming like corn in a Shipwrack laying hold upon a very flight kind of defence For he pleaded that he was carried thither for the Love of a Servant-boy The place was suspected the time suspitious the Mistress of the house was suspected and his Youth suspected But the confession of a more intemperate Lust freed him from the Crime of Adultery 13. The next is an example of more concernment When the two Brothers of Cloelius were brought to answer for Parricide whose Father was kill'd in his bed while the Sons lay asleep in the same Chamber and neither Servant nor Freed-man could be found upon whom to fasten the suspicion of the Murther They were both acquitted only for this reason that it was made appear to the Judges that they were both found fast asleep with the door open Sleep the certain mark of innocent security sav'd the unfortunate For it was adjudg'd impossible that having murthered their Father they could have slept so securely over his wounds and blood PERSONS Condemned 1. Now we will briefly touch upon those to whom things beside the question did more harm than their own Innocency did good L. Scipio after a most noble Triumph over King Antiochus was condemned for taking Money of him Not that I think he was brib'd to remove beyond the Mountain Taurus him that was lately Lord of all Asia and just going to lay his victorious hands upon Europe But being otherwise a man of a most upright lâ—â—e and free far enough from any such suspicion he could nor resist the envy that haunted the two famous Sirnames of the two Brothers 2. Scipio was a person of high splendour But Decianuâ— a person of unspotted Integrity was ruin'd by his own tongue For when he accused P. Furius a man of a lewd life because that in some part of his Declamation he ventured to complain of the Death of Saturninus did not only not condemn the Guilty but suffered the Punishment appointed for him 3. The same case overthrew C. Titius He was innocent and in favour with the People for the Agrarian Law But because he had the statue of Saturninus in his house the whole College of Magistrates with one general consent ruined him 4. We may to these adde Claudâ—a whom though innocent of a crime an impious Imprecaâ—ion ruined For being crowded by the multitude as she returned home from the Playes she wished that her Brother by whom we had the greatest loss of our Naval Forces were alive again that being made often Consul he might by his ill conduct rid the City of the pesterment of the People 5. We may pass to those whom the violence of Condemnation snatched away for flight causes M. Mulvius Cn. Lollius L. Sextilius Triumvirs because they did not come so quickly as they ought to quench a Fire that happend in the Holy way being cited before the People at a prefixed day by the Tribune were condemned 6. Publius Villius also Nocturnal Triumviâ— being accused by Aquilius the Tribune fell by the Sentence of the People because he was negligent in going his watch 7. Very severe was that Sentence of the People when they deeply fin'd M. Aemilius Porcina bâ—ing accused by L. Cassius for having built his House in the Village of Alsium a little too high 8. Nor is that Condemnation to be supprest of one who being over-fond of his little Boy and being by him desir'd to buy him some Chitterlings for Supper because there were none to be got in the Countrey kill'd a Plough-Ox to satisfie the Boys desire For which reason he was brought to publick Trial Innocent had he not lived in the antient times Neither Quitted nor Condemned 1. Now to say something of those that being quâ—stioned for their Lives were neither quitted not condemned There was a Womâ—n brought before Popilius Lenaâ— the Praetor for haviâ—g beaten her Mother to Death with a Club. But he Praetor adjudged nothing agâ—inst her neiâ—her on way nor other For it was plain that she did it to revenge the death of her Children whom the Grand-mother angry with her Daughter had poysonâ—d 2. The same dâ—mur made Dolabella Proconsul of Asia A woman of Smyrna killed her Husband and her Son understanding that they had killed another Son of hers a hopeful young man which she had by a former Husband Dolabella wâ—uâ—d not take cognizance of the Cause but sent it to be determined by the Arâ—opagi at Athens Unwilling to set a woman at liberty defiled with two Murthers nor to punish her whom a just Grief had mov'd to do it Considerately and mildly did the Roman Magistrate nor did the Areopagite act less wisely who examining the cause bound the Accuser and the Criminal to appear an hundred years after upon the same ground as Dolabella acted Only he by transmitting the Trial they by deferring delay'd the difficult Sentence or Condemnation or Acquittal CHAP II. Of remarkable private Iudgments whereby were condemned 1. T. Claud. Centumalus 2. Octacilia Laterensis 3. C. Titinius Minturnensis 4. A certain person for riding a horse farther than hired for TO Publick Judgments I will adde private ones the Equity whereof in the Complainants will more delight than a great number offend the Reader 1. Claudius Centumalus being commanded by the Augurs to pull down some of the height of his House which he had built upon the Caelian Mount because it hindered them from observing their Auguries from the Tower sold it to Calpurnius Lanatius concealing the command of the Augurs By whom Calpurnius being compelled to pluck down his House brought Marcâ— Porcius Cato father of the famous Cato to Claudius as an Arbitrator and the form of Writing Whatever he ought to give him or do in good Equity Cato understanding that Claudius had for the nonce supprest the Augurs Edict presently condemned him to Calpurnius with all the Justice in the world For they that fell according to Conscience and Equity ought neither to enhance the hopes of the Bargain nor conceal the Inconveniencies 2. I have recited a Judgment famous in those times Yet what I am about to relate is not quite buried in silence C. Visellius Varro being taken with a great fit of Sickness suffered a Judgment of three thousand pieces of
Herostratus HOnour whence it arises or of whatsoever it may be the Habit or how it ought to be purchas'd and whether it may not be neglected by vertue as unnecessary let them take care that employ their Contemplations upon these things and who are able eloquently to express what they have prudently observed I in this work being content to finde out Authors for deeds and deeds for Authors shall endeavour to finde out by proper Examples how great the desâ—â—e of it is wont to be 1. The Elder Africanus would have the Effigies of Ennius placed among the Monuments of the Cornâ—liaâ— Family because he thought his Acts illustrated by his Wit Not ignorant that as long as the Roman Empire might flourish and Africa lay captive at the feet of Italy and that the Capitol possess'd the Pillar of the whole World their Remembrance could not be extinguished especially enlightned by the Beams of Learning A man more worthy of Homer's than a rude and unpolish'd Eulogy 2. The same was the honorable minde of D. Brutus a famous Captain in his time toward Accius the Poet With whose familiar Courtship and acute applauses being mainly delighted he adorn'd the Entries of the Temples which he had consecrated out of his Spoils with his Verses 3. Neither was Pompey averse from this affectation of Glory who bestowed upon Theophanes the Mytelenian a Writer of his Acts a whole City in a Harangue before the Souldiers Prosecuting the Grandeur of his Gift with an accurate and approved Oration 4. L. Sulla though he minded no Writer yet he so vehemently assum'd to himself the honour of Iugurth's being brought to Marius by King Bocchus that he wore that Delivery in his Seal Ring Afterwards how great an admirer of Honour the slightest footstep whereof he ador'd 5. And that I may adde to Generals the noble minde of a Souldier When Scipio was dividing the Military gifts to those that had done bravely T. Labienus putting him iâ— minde of giving a Golden Bracelet to an eminent and stout Knâ—ght which the General resufing to do that the honour of the field might not be â—solated in him who hâ—d serv'd but a little before he gave the Knight Gold himself out of the Gallie plunder Neither did Scipio put it up silently For said he to the Knight thou hast the Gift of a rich man Which when he had taken casting the Gold at Labienus feet he held down his Countenance But when Scipio said to him The General gives thee Silver Bracelets he went away with a chearful Countenance So that there is no Humility so great which is not touched wiâ—h a desire of Glory 6. It is also sought sometimes out of the lowest things For what meant C. Fabius that most noble Commonwealths man For when he painted the walls of the Temple of Safety which C. Iunius Bubulcus had consecrated he inscribed his Name upon them For that only Ornament was wanting to a Family most famous for Consulships Priesthoods and Triumphâ— And though he stoopt to a mercenary Art yet he would not have his labours obliterated how mean soever they were following the example of Phidias who included his own face upon the Shield of Minerva in such manner that if it were pull'd away the whole work would be quite spoiled STRANGERS 1. But better had he done to have imitated Themistocles had he bin taken with forraign Examples who is reported to have bin so prick'd with the sting of Honour that he could not sleep a nights and being ask'd what he did abroad at that time of the night made answer That he could not sleep for the Trophies of Miltiades For Marathon rous'd up his noble Minde to ennoble Artemisium and Salamis with Naval Glory The same person going to the Theater and being ask'd whose voice was most pleasing to his ears made answer His that shall sing my acts â—he best and loudest He added as it were an honourable sweetness to Honour it self 2. The Breast of Alexander was insatiable of Applause who when Anaxarchus his Companion by the authority of Democritus affirm'd that there were innumerable worlds How miserable then said he am I that have not conquered one Man thought his Honour too much confin'd that had not all that which suffices for the Habitation of the Gods 3. I will adde the thirst of Aristotle after Honour as great as that of a King and a young man For he had given certain Books of Oratory to Theodectes his Disciple to put forth in his own name and being afterwards vex'd that he had let go the Title to another insisting upon some things in his own Volume he addes that he had discoursed more plainly of them in the Books of Theodectes Did not the Modesty of so great and so diffusive a Science withhold me I would say he was a Philosopher whose great parts ought to have been delivered to a Philosopher of a nobler Soul But Honour is not contemn'd by thosâ— that desire to introduce the Contempt of it For to those very Volumes they diligently set their Names that what they take away by Profession they may attain by Usurpation of Memory But this dissimulation of theirs whatever it be is more to be endur'd than the purpose of those who while they labour for eternal Memories strive to become famous by wickedness 4. Among which I know not whether Pausanias may not be first mentioned for when he had ask'd Hermocrates how he might suddenly become famous and that the other had answered By killing some great person presently went and slew Philip. And indeed what he covered he had for he render'd himself as infamously famous for the Murther as Philip was eminent for his Vertue to Posterity 5. But this desire of Glory was sacrilegious For there was one sound out who would set on fire the Temple of Diana at Ephesus tâ—at by the destruction of that lovely Pile his name might be known to the whole world Which fury of his minde he discovered upon the Rack Yet the Ephesians had taken care by a Decree to abolish the memory of the worst of men had not the eloquent Wit of Theopompus comprehended the fact in his History CHAP. XV. What Magnificent things befel to every one To ROMANS 1. P. Africanus the Greater 2. M. Cato the Censor 3. P. Scipio Nasica 4. P. Scipio Aemilianus 5. M. Valerius Corvus 6. Q. Mutius Scaevola 7. C. Marius 8. Cn. Pompey the Great 9. Q. Lutatius Catulus 10. Cato of Utica 11. L. Marcius a Roman Knight 12. Sulpitia Ser. daughter of Q. Flaccus STRANGERS 1. Pythagoras Samian 2. Gorgias the Leontine 3. Amphiaraus the Prophet 4. Pherenica a Gâ—ecian Woman WHat Magnificent things have deservedly beâ—aln every one being put to publick view will afford delight to ingenious minds because the value and force of the Rewards and the contemplaâ—ion of Honours is equally to be considered Nature affording us a kind of pleasure when we see Honour industriously coveted and gratefully â—epaid But though the
Minde is carried here immediately to a splendid House the bountiful and most honoured Temple it will be better restrain'd For to him to whom the ascent to Heaven is free though the greatest yet they are less than what are due which are bestowed on Earth 1. To Scipio Africanus the Consulship was granted long before his time To whom what was assign'd him in his life-time would be too long to relate because they are many and not necessary as being in part already related And therefore I will adde what is at this day eminent He has an Image placed in Great Iupiters Temple which when there is any Funeral of the Cornelian Family is fetch'd from thence So that to that onely Image is the Capitol like a Porch or place where those Images are usually placed 2. As truly as was the Senate-House it self to the Elder Cato's Image from whence it is brought forth upon the same occasions of that Family A Grateful Order that would have so profitable a Member always dwell with them wealthy in all the Gifts of Vertue and great rather by his own Merit than by the benefit of Fortune by whose counsel Carthage was ruin'd before it was laid waste by the Sword of Scipio 3. A rare Example of Honour arises also from Scipio Nasica For by his Hands and into his House before he was yet a Questor the Senate by the command of Pythian Apollo would have the Mother of the gods received and entertained when recalled â—rom Pessinuntes Because the same Oracle ordered those Offices to be done to the Mother of the gods by a most holy man Unfold all the Fasti set all the Triumphal Chariots together and you shall finde nothing more spâ—endid than such a preeminency in Manners 4. The Scipio's often produce their Ornaments â—o be remembred by us For Aemilianus was made a Consul by the People when but a Candidate for the Aedil-ship Which the Army advised the Senate ought to be done So that it is hard to know whether the Authority of the Conscript Fathers or the Counsel of the Souldiers added most Honour to him For the Gown made Scipio Consul against the Carthaginians but the Sword desired him And again when he went into the field to the Election of the Questors to give his voice for Q. Fabius the Son of Maximus's Brother they brought him home a Consul To the same person the Senate gave a Province without Lot first Africa then Spain And these things neither to an ambitious Senator nor Citizen as the most severe course of his Life and his clandestine Death being slain by treachery declaâ—'d 5. As â—or M. Valerius the Gods as well as his Fellow-Citizens made him famous for two things The first by sending a Crow for his defence when he fought hand to hand with the Gaul the other giving him the Consulship at three and twenty years of Age. The Valerian Family assumes the name of Corvinus The other is added as an Ornament glorying as well in the earliness of the Consulship as in the priority of being made so 6. Nor was the Glory of Q. Scaevola whom L. Crassus had for his Colleague leâ—s illustâ—ious who obtain'd Asia and so stoutly and so justly held it that the Senate by their Decree propounded Scaevola as a President and Example for others that were to go into the several Provinces of the Empire 7. Those words of the Younger Africanus pruduced the seven Consulships and two Triumphs of â— Marius for he was full of joy to his dying day Who when he served on Horseback under that Captain Scipio being asked at Supper if any thing cross should befal him whom the Commonwealth would have equally great with him the General looking upon Marius sitting a little below him Even thâ—â— man answered he By which Augury it cannot be well conjectured whether the most perfect Vertue more certainly foresaw a Rising vertue or whether he more efficaciously inflamed him to it For that Military Supper portended to Marius the most splendid future Suppers in the whole City For when the Messenger brought the News at the beginning of the Night that the Cimbrians were overthrown there was no man that offer'd not at his Table as it had been the Altar of the Immortal Gods 8. Now what large and new Honours were heap'â— upon Pompey partly by the flattery of Favour partly by the noise of Envy Being a Roman Knight he was sent Consul into Spain with equal command to Pius Metellus Prince of the City Before he had stood for any Honour he triumph'd twice The beginnings of Magistracy he took from the chief Command The Third Coâ—sulship he sway'd alone by the Decâ—ee of the Senate He triumph'd at once over Methridates Tigranes and several other Kings Nations Cities and the Pirats 9. Q. Catulus also was by the voice of the People of Rome within a little advanc'd to the Stars For being asâ—'d by him in the Common-hall whether they persever'd to repose the whole management of all things in one Pompey they cried out with one voice In thee The great force of a judgment of Reputation which equall'd Catulus included in the space of two Syllables to the great Pompey with all the Ornaments that I have related 10. The reception of M. Cato returning out of Cyprus with the Royal Money may seem wonderful To whom at his lâ—nding thâ— Consuls and other Magistâ—ates the Senate and all the People of Rome attendeâ— ouâ— of duty Rejoycing not at the vast weight of Gold and Silver but for that Cato hâ—d brought back the Navy safe 11. But I cannot tell whether the Example of the unusual Honour done to L. Marcius be not one of the chief whom the two Armies upon the death of P. and Cn. Scipio torn and shattered by the Victory of Hannibal chose him their General when their sâ—feâ—y was reduced to the last gasp leaving no place for Ambition 12. Deservedly Sulpitia deserves to be remembred after the Men the Daughter of Serviâ—s â—â—â—â—â—â—dus and the Wife of Fulvius Flaccus Who when the Senate upon the Decemvirs inspection into the Sibylls Books had decreed that the Image of Venus Turn-heart should be consecrated whereby the minds of the women might be changed from Lust to Chastily and that of all the Matrons an hundred out of an hundred ten were chosen by Lot to give judgment concerning the most châ—st Women she was preferr'd before all the rest STRANGERS 1. But because Forraign Honours may be related without any diminution of our Roman Majesty let us pass over to them The Hearers of Pythagoras gave him so much Veneration that they accompted it a Crime to question what they had received from him And being asked the reason they onely answered that He had said it A great Man but no farther than his School hitherto However the same veneration was given him by Cities The Crotoniates earnestly desired of him that their Senate which consisted of a Thousand People might take advice of him And
change was in the House of the Curii while our City and Judgment-Seat beheld the rigid Brow of the Father and the high Debt of six hundred Sesterces of the Son contracted by the ignominious Injury done to the Noble Youth of Româ— Therefore at the same Time and under the same Roof two several Ages lived the one of Frugality the other of vitious Prodigality 7. By the Sentence against P. Clodius what strange Luxury appeared in him what a savage Lust Who though guilty of Incest that he might be acquitted bought whole nights of the Matrons and noble Youth at vast rates to pleasure his Judges withal In which horrid and abominable Crime I know not which first to detest whether him that first invented that way of Corruption or they that suffer'd their Chastity â—o mediate to Perjury or they that valued Adultery beyond Justice 8. Equally abominable was that Banquet which Gemellus a Tribunitian Traveller of good Parents but one that had betaken himself to a Servile employment prepar'd for Metellus Scipio Consul and the Tribuneâ— of the People to the great scandal of the City For having set up a Stew in his own House he prostituted therein Mucia and Fulvia both taken away from Father and Mother and Saturninus a Youth of a Noble Family Bodies of infamous suffering brought to be the scorn of drunken Lust Banquets not to be celebrated by Consuls and Tribunes but to have been punish'd 9. But enormous was the Lust of Catiline For being mad in love with Aurelia Orestilla when he saw one Impediment to hinder him from being married to her poyson'd his own and only Son almost of age and presently kindled the Nuptial Torch at his Funeral-Pile bequeathing his want of Children as a gift to his new Bride But behaving himself at length with the same minde as a Citizen as he had shewed himself a Father he fell a just Sacrifice to the Ghost of his Son and his impiously-invaded Country STRANGERS 1. But the Campanian Luxury how profitable was it to our Country For embracing invincible Hannibal in the arms of her Allurements she fitted him to be vanquished by the Roman Souldiers She called forth a vigilant Captain she invited a couragious Army to long Banquets and with plenty of Wine the fragrancy of Oyntments and the lascivious soâ—â—ness of Venery inveagl'd them to Sleep and Pleasure And then was the Punic fierceness broken when it lay encamped among the Persumâ—rs of Capuâ— What then more ignominious than these Vices what more hurtful by which Vertue is worn out Victories languish Honour stupified is turn'd to Inâ—amy and the vigour of Body and Minde quite weakned and brokâ—n So that it is hard to say which is worst to be subdued by them or by the Enemy 2. Which inâ—ested the City of the Volsinians with sad and direful slaughters It was rich it was adoâ—n'd with Customes and Laws it was the Head and Metropolis of Hâ—truriâ— But when once Luxury crept in it fell into an Abyss of Injuries and Infaâ—â—y â—ill she became subjected to the insolent power of her Servants Who at first in a small number daâ—ing to enter the Senate House in a short time overturn'd and master'd the whole Commonwealth They order'd Wills to be made at their own pleasure They forbad the Meetings and Feastings of the Free-men and married their Masters Daughters Lastly they made a Law that their Adulteries committed with Widows and married-Married-women should go unpunished and that no Virgin should marry a Freeman unless some of them before had had her Virginity 3. Xerxes out of the proud imitation of his vasâ— wealth grew to that height of Luxury that he propounded Rewards to them that should invent any new Pleasure What a ruine befel a most wide Empire too deeply plunged in Pleasure and Voluptuousness 4. Antiochâ—â— the King not a whit the morâ— conâ—inent whose blinde and mad Luxury the Army imitating had most of them Golden Nails under the soles of their Shoes and bought Silver Dishes for their Kitchins and had their Tents of Tapestry-work adorn'd with Gold and Silver A booty more desireable by a needy Enemy than any delay to a stout Souldier from Victory 5. Ptolomey the King liv'd by the accession of his Vices and was therefore call'd Physâ—on Than whose Wickedness there could be nothing more wicked He married his eldeâ—t Sister married before to theiâ— common Brother then having viâ—iated her Daughter he divorced the Sister that he might marry the Daughter 6. Like to their Kings were the People of Egypt who under the command of Archelaus sallying out of their City against A. Gabinius when they were commanded to entrench themselves cry'd out That that was a work to be done at the publick Châ—rge And therefore their Courages weakned with the softnesâ— of Pleasures could not stand the sury of our Army 7. But more effeminate were the Cyprians who suffer'd their Women to lye upon the grouâ—d for their Queens to tread upon when they ascended into their Chariots For for men if men they were it had been better not have lived at all than to live obedient to such a soft Command CHAP. II. Of Cruelty In ROMANS 1. Cor. Sylla Dicâ—ator 2. C. Marius seven times Consul 3. L. Junius Damasippus 4. Munatius Fla us STRANGERS 1. Carthaginians 2. Hannibal 3. Mithridates 4. Numulizinthes King of Thrace 5. Ptolomey Physcon 6. Darius Ochus 7. Artaxerxes Ochus 8. The Aâ—henians 9. Perilluâ— of Sicily 10. Hetrurians 11. Certain Barbarians THis last Society of men carried a lascivious Countenance Eyes greedly after Novelty of delight and a Minde transported through all the allurements of Pleasure But the horrid habit of Cruelty is of another nature savage Countenance violent Minds terrible Utterance Mouths full of Threats and bloody Commands to which being silent is but to increase its fury For how shall she set bounds to her self unless she were recall'd by the bridle of reprehension In short since it is her business to make herself dreaded let it be ours to have her in abomination 1. L. Sylla whom no man can either sufficiently praise or dispraise who while he seeks after Victory represents himself a Scipio to the Roman People while he exercises Cruelty a meer Hannibal For having egregiously defended the cause of the Nobility â—ruelly he overflow'd the whole City and every part of Italy with rivers of Civil Blood Four Legions of the adverse party â—rusting to his Faith and following his Banners in a publick Village in vain imploring the compassion of his faithless arm he caused to be cut in pieces Whose lamentable cries pierc'd the ears of the trembling City and Tibur was compelled to waâ—t away their memberless Bodies impatient of so heavy a burthen Five thousand Praenestines hope of safety being granted them by Cethegus being call'd sorth without the Walls of the Free-town after they had thrown away their Armes and lay prostrate upon the ground he caus'd to be slain and their Bodies to be thrown about the