The Roman historie containing such acts and occurrents as passed under Constantius, Iulianus, Iovianus, Valentinianus, and Valens, emperours. Digested into 18. bookes, the remains of 31. and written first in Latine by Ammianus Marcellinus: now translated newly into English. Wherunto is annexed the chronologie, serving in stead of a briefe supplement of those former 13. bookes, which by the iniurie of time are lost: together with compendious annotations and coniectures upon such hard places as occurre in the said historie. Done by Philemon Holland of the citie of Coventrie, Doctor in Physicke.

CHAP. III. A long narration at touching the Obeliske, which was erected in the greatest shew-place at Rome.

IN these good beginnings of easement and refreshing given unto Gaule, whiles Orphitus as yet * 1.1 governed the second time as * 1.2 Prae∣fect, the Obeliske was erected at Rome in the great Cirque or Shew-place: concerning which, I will now, because it is a fit time and place therefore, make some briefe discourse. The citie * 1.3 Thebes in auncient time built, famous for the sumptuous and stately wall, as also for the en∣trie into it at an hundred gates, the first founders thereupon tearmed Hecatompy∣los, after the denomination whereof there is a province at this day called Thebais. This citie, what time as Carthage began to spread her dominion farre, the Car∣thaginian captaines by a suddaine and unexpected rode surprised and destroyed: and afterwards when it was reedified, Cambyses that renowmed king of Persia, a prince all the while he lived encroching upon the territories of other kings, and cruell withall, after he had broken into Aegypt, gave the attempt to assault it, that from thence he might carry away a mightie masse of riches and pillage, forbearing not so much as the temples and the gifts offered there unto the gods: who whiles he busily bestirred himselfe among those that fell to spoyle and saccage, chaunced by occasion of his loose and large garments that entangled him, to catch a fall for∣ward: with which suddaine and forcible fall, his owne * 1.4 dagger that he wore close unto his right thigh happened to bee unsheathed, and so dangerously to wound him, that he had like thereof to die. Long time after, Cornelius Gallus procurator of Aegypt, whiles Octavian was Emperour of Rome, pilled and beggered this citie, taking to his owne use the most part of the wealth thereof: and upon his returne home, when he was judicially accused for his robberie & wasting of the province, fearing the nobilitie, unto whom the said Emperour had committed this matter to be enquired into and examined, who also were highly offended and bitterly bent against him, he fell upon his owne sword, and killed himselfe. This is that Gallus the Poet, if I take not my marke amisse, whom Virgil bewailing after a sort in the latter end of his Bucolickes, in a mild kind of verse maketh a dittie of. In this citie among mightie great cisternes, and sundry huge massie pieces of worke, expressely resem∣bling the images of the Aegyptian gods, we saw many Obeliskes standing, and o∣thers lying along and broken, which the auncient kings, after they had in warre subdued other nations, or growne prowd of their prosperitie and high estate, hew∣ed out of the bowels of mountaines (which they stucke not to search for, even a∣mong the utmost inhabitants of the earth) erected on high, and in their religious devotion dedicated to the Gods in heaven. Now an Obeliske is a most hard and rough stone, broad beneath, and sharpe above, rising by little and little to a mightie height, and because it might resemble a ray or sunne-beame, waxing smaller and smaller, it is with foure-faces brought up to a narrow top, and the same is smoo∣thed also artificially by the workemans hand. The infinite number of Characters and markes of sundry shapes, tearmed Hieroglyphickes, which we behold cut eve∣ry where into it, the auncient authoritie of sacred wisedome from the very first be∣ginning hath ennobled. For they engraving many kinds of birds and wild beasts, even those of another world, by reason that the memoriall of their Emperors more

publiquely reached to the ages of future times, shewed thereby the vowes of kings either promised or performed: for not as now adaies a certaine set and expedite number of letters uttereth & declareth whatsoever mans mind is able to conceive, so did the Aegyptians in old time use to write; but for every nowne or name they had one severall letter, and sometimes under one verbe or word they signified whole sentences and full meanings. For the knowledge and skill whereof, this ex∣ample for the while in these two instances may serve. By a Vulture or Gripe they represent the vocable or name of Nature; because our Naturalists do report, there can bee no males found among these foules: and by the forme of a Bee making honey, they shew a king, declaring by these signes, That in a ruler there ought to be with sweetnesse a sting also growing: and of this kind there be a great number. And for that a sort of flatterers, as the manner is, puffing up Constantius, buzzed this without all measure into his eares, That whereas Octavianus Augustus had tran∣slated two Obeliskes from the citie * 1.5 Heliopolis in Aegypt, whereof the one was placed in Circus Maximus, the other in Campus Marcius; but as for this one now newly brought over, he durst not once meddle with, nor stirre it, as affrigh∣ted with the greatnesse and difficultie of the worke: know they thus much, who are ignorant of the thing, That the said auncient prince, when he had transported some of them, passed by this, untouched and undealt withall for this reason, That being by a speciall gift dedicated unto the god Sunne, and set fast within the sacred * 1.6 chappels of a sumptuous and stately temple, which might not once be touched and prophaned, it mounted up aloft as the head and top of all the other. But Con∣stantine [the Great] making small account of that, displaced and unseated this huge masse, yea, and thinking truly, that it was no breach nor offence of religion, if taking this admirable monument out of one temple, he consecrated it in Rome, that is to say, the temple of the whole world, suffered it to lye a long time, whiles necessarie meanes for the translation thereof were a providing. Which being con∣veyed along the channell of Nilus, and landed at Alexandria, there was a ship of huge and strange bignesse built, & the same to be rowed with three hundred oares. After which provision thus fore-cast, and the abovesaid * 1.7 prince departed this life, the urgent hast of effecting this businesse was slacked: and at length (late though it were) being shipped, partly by sea, and partly up the streame of Tibris (fearing, as it were, least that which Nilus almost unknowne had sent, himselfe should hardly bee able under danger of his owne course to bring up to the walls of his owne foster citie) conveyed it was into Vicus Alexandri, a towne situate three myles from Rome: from whence beeing layed upon certaine draught-vices and engines, it was faire and softly drawne by the gate Ostiensis and the publicke wa∣tering poole, and so brought into the Circus Maximus. After all this, there remai∣ned onely the rearing thereof, which unneath or not at all was thought could bee effected: and after they had erected high posts with danger ynough (a man that had beene there, would have thought he had seene a very wood of frames and en∣gines) fastened there were to them huge and long ropes, in manner of manifold threds or strings spred so exceedingly thicke together, that they hid the very skie: whereto the massie stone it selfe with images portrayed in it, like so many letters written upon it, was bound, and by little and little strained aloft and held in the aire betweene heaven and earth, and so hanging a long time, whiles many thousands of men swung about and turned it round, as they would doe myll-stones, placed it was in the middest of the shew-place, and upon it a bowle or globe of brasse set,

glittering with thin plates of gold; which being forthwith smitten with a violent blast of lightening, and therefore taken away, the counterfeit in brasse of a torch or fire-brand, layed over likewise with gold-foyle, sparkled and shone againe as it were a mightie flame. The ages also next ensuing brought over others; whereof one was erected in the Vaticane, a second in the Hortyards of Salustius, and two in the monument of Augustus.

Notes

• * 1.1

  at Rome.
• * 1.2

  much like to a Lord Iustice or Maior.
• * 1.3

  in Aegypt.
• * 1.4

  or Rapiar.
• * 1.5

  The citie of the Sunne, in which sence it is at this day called Beth∣••emes.
• * 1.6

  or places.
• * 1.7

  Constantine.