The history of the world

§. V. Of the beginning of Rome, and of ROMVLVS birth and death.

OF Rome, which deuoured the Alban Kingdome, I may here best shew the beginnings, which (though somewhat vncertaine) depend much vpon the birth and education of Romulus, the grand-child of Numi∣lor, the last that raigned in Alba. For how not onely the bordering peo∣ple, but all Nations betweene Euphrates and the Ocean were broken in peeces by the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 teeth of this fourth Beast, it is not to bee described in one [unspec 10] place, hauing 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 worke of many Ages; whereof I now doe handle onely the first, as incident vnto the discourse preceding. Q. Fabius Pictor, Portius Cato, Calphur∣nius Piso, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and others, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to deriue the Romans from Ianus: but Herodo∣tus, Marsylus, and many others of equall credit, gine the Graecians for their ancestors: and as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his fifth Booke; CAECILIVS rerum Romanorum scriptor* 1.1 eo argamento colligit, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 à Graecis esse conditam, quod Romani Graeco 〈◊〉〈◊〉, antiquo in∣stituto HERCVLI rem sacram 〈◊〉〈◊〉, matrem 〈◊〉〈◊〉 EVANDRI venerantur Ro∣mani; CAECILIVS (saith he) a Romane Historiographer, doth by this argument ga∣ther, that Rome was built by the Greekes, because the Romanes, after Greekish fashion, by ancient Ordinance doe sacrifice to HERCVLES: the Romanes also worship the mother of [unspec 20] EVANDER.

Plutarch in the life of Romulus remembers many founders of that Citie: as Roma∣nus the sonne of Vlysses and Circe; Romus the sonne of Emathion, whom Diomedes sent thither from Troy; or that one Romus, a Tyrant of the Latines, who draue the Tuscans out of that 〈◊〉〈◊〉, built it. Solinus bestowes the honour of building Rome vpon 〈◊〉〈◊〉, saying, That it was beforetimes called Valentia. Heraclides giues the denomination to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Ladie, brought thither by the Graecians: others say, That it was anciently called Febris, after the name of Februa, the mother of Mars; witnesse Saint Augustine in his third Booke de Ciuitate Dei. But Liuie will haue it to be the worke of Romulus, euen from the foundation: of whom and his [unspec 30] 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to a Roman Citizen vaunting of their originall, answered in these Verses:

Attamen vt longe repetas, longe{que} reuoluas Maiorum 〈◊〉〈◊〉 primus fuit 〈◊〉〈◊〉 tuorum, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pastor suit, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 illud quod dicerenolo.

Yet though thou fetch thy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so farre; Thy first Progenitor, who ere he were, Some Shepheard was, or else, that Ile forbeare. meaning eyther a Shepheard, or a Theefe. [unspec 40]

Now of Romulus begetting of his education and preseruation, it is said, That he had Rhea for his mother, and Mars was supposed to be his father; that he was nurst by a Wolfe, found and taken away by Faustula, a Shepheards wife. The same vnna∣turall nursing had Cyrus, the same incredible fostering had Semiramis; the one by a Bitch, the other by Birds. But, as Plutarch sayth, it is like enough that Amulius came couered with armour to Rhea, the mother of Romulus, when he begat her with child: and therein it seemeth to mee that hee might haue two purposes; the one, to de∣stroy her, because she was the daughter and heire of his elder brother, from whom he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 held the Kingdome; the other to satisfie his appetite, because shee [unspec 50] was faire and goodly. For shee being made a Nunne of the Goddesse Vesta, it was death in her, by the Law, to breake her chastitie. I also find in Fauchet his* 1.2 Antiquitez de Gaule, that Meroueë, King of the Francs, was begotten by a Monster of the Sea: but Fauchet sayes, Let them beleeue it that list; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 le croira qui voudra:

also of Alexander, and of Scipio African, there are pocticall inuentions: but to answere these imaginations in generall, it is true, that in those times, when the World was full of this barbarous Idolatrie, and when there were as many gods as there were Kings, or passions of the minde, or as there were of vices and vertucs; then did ma∣ny women greatly borne, couer such slips as they made, by protesting to bee forced by more then humane power: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 did Oenone confesle to Paris, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 had beene rauished by Apollo. And Anchyses boasted that hee had knowne Venus. But Rhea was made with childe by some man of Warre, or other, and therefore called Mars, the God of battell, according to the sense of the time. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was ouercome by a strong wit, and by such a one as had those properties ascribed to Apollo. The Mother of [unspec 10] 〈◊〉〈◊〉 might fancie a Sea Captaine to be gotten with yong by such a one: as the Daughter of Inachus fancied, according to Herodotus. Aeneas was a bastard and be∣gotten vpon some faire Harlot, called for her beautie Venus, and was therefore the child of lust, which is Venus. Romulus was nurst by a Wolfe, which was Lupa, or Lu∣pina, for the Curtesans in those dayes were called Wolfes, quaenunc (sayth HALI∣CARNASSAEVS) honestiori 〈◊〉〈◊〉 amicae appellantur; Which are now by an honester name called friends. It is also written, that Romulus was in the end of his life taken vp into heauen, or rather out of the world by his Father Mars, in a great storme of thunder, and lightning: so was it said that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vanished away by the Riuer Ni∣micus: but thereof 〈◊〉〈◊〉 also speaketh modestly; for he rehearseth the other opini∣on, [unspec 20] that the storme was the furie of the Senatours, but seemeth to adhere partially to this taking vp; and many Authours agree, that there was an vnnaturall darke∣nesse, both at his birth and at his death, and that hee might bee slaine by thunder or lightning, it is not vnlikely. For the Emperour Anastasius was slaine with lightning, so was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Father of Pompey slaine with a thunder-bolt: so Carus the Empe∣rour (who succeeded Probus) whilest he lodged with his Armie vpon the Riuer Ti∣gris, was there slaine with lightning. But a Mars of the same kinde might end him that began him; for he was begotten by a man of warre, and by violence destroyed. And that he dyed by violence (which destinie followed most of the Roman Empe∣rours) it appeareth by Tarquinius Superbus: who was but the seuenth King after him: [unspec 30] who when hee had murthered his Father-in-law, commanded that hee should not bee buried, for (said he) Romulus himselfe dyed and was not buried. But let 〈◊〉〈◊〉 end this dispute; whose words are these: They (sayth he) who draw neerest to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, say that he was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by his owne Citizens; and that his crueltie in punishmnets of offendors, together with his arrogancie, were the cause of his 〈◊〉〈◊〉. For it is reported, that both when his mother was rauished, whether by some man, or by a God, the whole body of the Sunne was eclipsed, and all the earth couered with darkenesse like vnto night, and that the same did happen at his death.

Such were the birth and death of Romulus: whose life historified by Plutarch, doth containe (besides what is here alreadie spoken of him) the conquest of a few [unspec 40] myles which had soone beene forgotten, if the Roman greatnesse built vpon that foundation, had not giuen it memorie in all ages following, euen vnto this day. A valiant man hee was, very strong of bodie, patient of trauell, and temperate in dyet, as forbearing the vse of wine and delicacies: but his raging ambition he knew not how to temper, which caused him to slay his brother, and neglect reuenge of the death of Tatius, his companion in the Kingdome, that he himselfe might be Lord alone in those narrow Territories. He 〈◊〉〈◊〉 seuen and thirtic 〈◊〉〈◊〉: first alone, then with Tatius, and after his death single, till he was slaine, as is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shewed: after which time the Soueraigntie fell into the hands of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, a man to him vn∣knowne, and more Priest like than King-like: wherein Rome it selfe in her later [unspec 50] times hath somewhat resembled this King. For hauing long beenesole Gouernesse till Constantinople shared with her: afterwardes, when as the Greeke Emperour was crushed by forraine enemies, and the Latines dispoyled of Imperiall power, she fell into the subjection of a Prelate, swelling by degrees from the Sheepe-hooke to the

Sword, & therewith victorious to excessiue magnificence, from whence by the same degrees it fell, being driuen from luxurie to defensiue armes, and therein hauing bin vnfortunate, at length betakes her selfe againe to the Crosiers staffe.

And thus much of Rome in this place by occasion of the Storie of the times of King Ahaz, during whose raigne in Iurie, the foundations of this famous Citie were laied.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Stra. 1. 5. fol. 159
• * 1.2

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. fol. 114