The excellent and pleasant worke of Iulius Solinus Polyhistor Contayning the noble actions of humaine creatures, the secretes & prouidence of nature, the description of countries, the maners of the people: with many meruailous things and strange antiquities, seruing for the benefitt and recreation of all sorts of persons. Translated out of Latin into English, by Arthur Golding. Gent.

The fyrst Chapter (Book 1)

of Caius Iulius Solinus Polyhi∣stor, entreateth of the first foundation of the Cittie Rome. (Book 1)

THere are some which would haue it séeme,* 1.1 that the name of Rome was giuen first of all by Euan∣der: who finding there a Towne built before by the young men of Latiū which they called Valentia,* 1.2 kept the signification of the first name, & called it in Gréeke Rhome, which is the same that Valentia is in Latine. And forasmuch as the Arcadians planted themselues there vppon the highest toppe of an Hill, it came to passe that euer after the Latines termed the strongest places of Citties by the name of Arces. Heraclides is of opinion, that after the taking of Troy, certaine A∣chiues came by the Riuer Tyber, and arriued in the place where Rome is nowe: and that afterwarde by perswasion of one Rome a noble Lady (who was pry∣soner among them and at y^• time in theyr companie) they did set fire on their Shippes, setled themselues to abide, reared the wals, and called the Towne Rome, after the name of the Ladie. Ag••thocles wryteth, that it was not this Rome the prisoner as is a••oresaid, but the daughter of Ascanius and graundchild to Ae∣n••a••, that was the cause of this foresaid name of thys Cittie. There is also registred a peculiar name of Rome: but it is not lawful to be published, forasmuch as it is enacted among other secretes of our Ceremo∣nies,

that it should not be blazed abrode, to the intent that the reuerence giuen to the inacted secrecie, might abolish the knowledge thereof. And Valerius Soranus (because he durst be so bold as to disclose it contrary to the Law) was put to death in recompence of his ouer-liberall talke. Among our auncientest Religions, we worship the Chappell of Angerona, to whom wée doo sacrifice before the* 1.3 twelfth day of the Calends of Ia∣nuarie, which Goddesse (as the Gouernour of silence) hath her Image there with mouth closed, and lyppes sealed fast together. As concerning the times of the building of the Cittie,* 1.4 it hath raysed doubtfull questi∣ons, inasmuch as certayne things were builded there long before the time of Romulus. For Hercules* 1.5 (accor∣ding to the vowe that hee had made for the punishing of Cacus,* 1.6 and the recouerie of his Oxen,) dedicated an Altar to his Father Iupiter, whom he surnamed y^e fin∣der. This Cacus inhabited a place named Salines whereas is now the Gate called Trigemina. Who (as Coelius reporteth) béeing sent to ward by Tarchon* 1.7 the Tyrrhenian (to whom he came of Ambassade from King Marsias,* 1.8 accompanied with Megales the Phry∣gian) brake out of prison, and returning from whence he came, raysed a greater puissaunce, and subdued all the Country about the Riuer Vulturnus & Campane. Wherewith béeing not content, as he attempted the conquest of those thinges that were come in possession of y^• Arcadians,* 1.9 he was vanquished by Hercules, who by chaunce was there at the same time. And the Sa∣bines receyuing Megales again, were taught by him the art of Byrdspelling. Hercules also hauing lear∣ned of Nicostrate the mother of Euander (who for her skill in prophesying,* 1.10 was also called Carmentis) that he should become immortall, erected an Altar to hys owne maiestie, which among our Byshops is had in

very great reuerence. Moreouer he made the consept, within the which he taught the Potits, howe they shoulde solemnize his rites and ceremonies in offe∣ring Oxen. Hercules Chappell is in the Oxe-market,* 1.11 wherein are remayning the monuments of hys ban∣quet and maiestie, euen vnto this day. For such a gyft is giuen it from Heauen, that neither dogs nor flyes can enter into the place. For at such time as hee was offering the inwards of his sacrifice, it is sayd that he cursed the God Myagrus,* 1.12 and left his Clubbe in the Porche, at the smell whereof dogges ran away, and so it continueth to this howre. The Church also which is called the Treasory of Saturne,* 1.13 was builded by hys companions in the honor of Saturne, whō they had lear¦ned to haue béene an inhabiter of that Country. Fur∣thermore they named the Hill where now is y^e Capi∣toll, Saturnes Hyll. Of the Castle also which they builded, they named the Gate Saturnes Gate,* 1.14 which afterward was called Pandangate. At the foote of the Hill Capitoline, was the dwelling of Carmentis, and there is nowe the Chappell of Carmentis, wherof the Gate of Carmentis taketh his name.* 1.15 As for y^e Pallace it is not to be doubted but that the Arcadians were founders thereof, who also before that time builded the Towne Palanteum, which the Aborigens inhabi∣ted a whyle, but afterward (for the noysomnesse of the fenne and marrys which the Tyber running by it had made) left it vp and remooued to Rhaeatee. There are that thinke thys Hill tooke hys name of the blea∣ting of shéepe by chaunging of Letters, or of Pale the Goddesse of Shéepeheardes, or (as Silenus prooueth) of Pallas the daughter of Hyperboreus, whom Hercules de∣flowred on that Hyll. But howsoeuer these thyngs agrée: it is manifest that the glorye of the Romaine name did chéefely spring out of that* 1.16 luckye fore••o∣ken: specially séeing that the account of the yéeres

bringeth good reason to ground the trueth vppon. For (as Varro a most exquisite Author affirmeth) Romulus the sonne of Mars and Rhaea Siluta, or (as diuers o∣ther suppose) of Mars and Ilia, builded Rome. And at the first Rome was called square, because it was plat∣ted out by line and leuell. It beginneth at the Groue that is in the floore of Apollo, and endeth at the vpper brew of Cacus staiers, where as was y^e cotage of Fau∣stulus. And there dwelled Romulus that luckely layd the foundation of the walles in the 18. yere of his age, the* 1.17 eleuēth Calends of May betwéene two & thrée of the clock, as Lucius Tarutius the famous Mathema∣tick hath left in wryting. Iupiter béeing at that time in Pisces. Saturne, Venus, Mars, & Mercurie in Scor∣pio: the Sonne in Taurus: and the Moone in Lybra. And it was euer after kept for a custome, that no sa∣crifice should be slayne by men on theyr birth dayes, to the intent that that day should be pure from blood∣shed. The signification whereof (men holde opinion) was taken of the deliueraunce of Ilia. The said Ro∣mulus raigned thirty and seauen yéeres.* 1.18 He ledde the first tryumph that euer was. And first hee tryumphed ouer the Ceninenses, and spoyled Acron theyr King, whose Armour he first dedicated to Iupiter F••retrius, and hung it vp in hys Temple, terming it by y^• name of a rich spoyle. Secondly he triumphed ouer the An∣tenua••s: and lastly ouer the Vien••s. Finally at y^e Fen of Caprea he vanished away, the* 1.19 Nones of Iuly.

Now will I shew in what places the other Kinges dwelt.* 1.20 Tatius dwelt in the Towre where as nowe is the Temple of Iuno Moneta: who in the fift yeere af∣ter his comming into the Cittie, béeing murthered by the Laurents, departed out of this lyfe, the 27. Olim∣piad. Numa dwelt first on Quirins Hyll,* 1.21 and after∣ward by Vestaas Church, in the Court, which yet still

beareth the same name. Hee raigned 43. yéeres, and is buried vnder Ianiculum, Tullus Hostilius* 1.22 dwelt in Ve∣lia, where afterward was made the Temple of Hous∣hold Gods. He raigned two and thirty yéeres, and di∣ed in the thirty fiue Olympiade. Ancus Martius* 1.23 dwelt in the vpper ende of the holy stréete, wher now is the Temple of the Gods called Lares. Hee raigned thirty and foure yéeres, and dyed the 41. Olympiade. Tarquine* 1.24 the elder, dwelt at the Gate Mugonia, aboue the New stréete, and raigned seauen and thirty yeres. Seruius Tullius* 1.25 dwelt in the Exquilies aboue Olbyes Hyll, and raigned forty and two yéeres. Tarquine* 1.26 the proude dwelt in the Exquilies also, vpon Mount Pul∣lus, by the Béechie Lake, and raigned twentie & fiue yéeres.* 1.27 Cincius thinketh that Rome was builded in the twelfth Olympiad. Fabius ••ictor thinketh it was builded in the eyght. N••epos and Lactātius approouing the opinions of Eratosthenes and Apoll••dorus) suppose it was builded in the second yéere of the seuenth O∣lympiad. Pomponius Atticus, and Marcus Tullius C••••ero, hold opinion, that it was builded y^e third yéere of the sixt Olympiad. Therefore by conferring our time•• with the Gréekes, wee finde that Rome was builded in the beginning of the seauenth Olympiad, the foure hundred and thrée and thirty yéere after the taking of Troy. For the gaming of Olympus (which Hercules made in y^• honor of Pelops hys great Grand∣father by the mothers side,) béeing left of, was by Iphiclus (one of hys posteritie) renued after the de∣struction of Troy, the foure hundred and eyght yéere. Wherevpon it commeth to passe, that the first Olym∣piad is reckoned from Iphiclus. So letting passe sixe Olimpiads betwéene Iphiclus & the building of Rome,* 1.28 of which euery Olympiad contayneth foure yéeres, séeing that Rome was builded in the beginning of the

seauenth Olimpiad, it must néedes fall out that there were iust foure hundred thirty and thrée yéeres be∣twéene the destruction of Troy, and the foundation of Rome. To the proofe of this argument maketh, that when Caius Pompeius Gallus, and Quintus Verani••s were Consuls, it was the eyght hundred and first yere from the building of the Cittie: which time of theyr Consulshipp was registred in the common Recordes, to be the two hundreth and seuenth Olimpiad. Nowe multiplie two hundred and sixe. Olimpiads by foure▪ and they shall amount to eyght hundred and twentye foure yéeres, to the which must bee added y^• first yeers of the seauenth Olimpiad, to make vp full twenty and fiue aboue eyght hundred. Out of the which summe, abate twenty and foure yéeres for the sixe Olimpiads that were behind: and the remnant shall appeare to be eyght hundred and one yéeres. Wherefore séeing that the beginning of the two hundred and seauen O∣limpiad is accounted for the eyght hundreth and firste yéere of the building of the Cittie, it is to bee beléeued that Rome was builded the first yéere of the seauenth Olimpiad. The which was gouerned by Kinges two hundred and one and forty yéeres.* 1.29 The estate of the Tennement was erected the thrée hundred and second yéere. The first Punick warre was begun the foure hundred fourescore and ninth yéere. The second Pu∣nick war, the fiue hundred and thirty fiue yéere. The third Punick warre, the sixe hundred and foure. The warre of the Confederats, the sixe hundred thréescore and second yéere. Unto the yéere that Hircius and Pa••¦sa were Consuls, there had passed seauen hundred and tenne yéeres. In the time of whose Consulship, Cae∣sar Augustus* 1.30 was created Consull in the eyghteenth yéere of his age. Who so behaued himselfe in the en∣trye of his raigne, that through hys circumspect∣nesse,

the Empyre of Rome was not onely in quiet, but also safe and frée from all danger. The which time was almost alone to be found, wherein warres for the most part had longest discontinuance, and wits chiefly florished. Undoubtedly to the intent that during thys vacation time, when warres ceased, the exercises of vertue should not growe out of vre.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Opinions con∣cerning the name of Rome.
• * 1.2

  Valentia.
• * 1.3

  That is about the 19. day of December.
• * 1.4

  The time of the buildinge of Rome.
• * 1.5

  Hercules.
• * 1.6

  Cacus.
• * 1.7

  Tarchon.
• * 1.8

  Marsias.
• * 1.9

  Megales a Ph••y∣gian the firste founder of the arte of Bird∣spelling among the Sabines.
• * 1.10

  Nicostrate coū∣ted one of the nine Sybilles.
• * 1.11

  Hercules Chap∣pell, and the in∣stitution of hys Ceremonies.
• * 1.12

  Myagrus the God of Flyes.
• * 1.13

  The Treasorie of Saturne.
• * 1.14

  The dwelling of Nicostrate.
• * 1.15

  Wherof the Ro∣mane Pallace tooke that name.
• * 1.16

  That is to sa•• of Romulus.
• * 1.17

  The time of the building of Rome by Ro∣mulus, the 19. of Aprill.
• * 1.18

  The first Try∣umph.
• * 1.19

  The seconde day of Iuly.
• * 1.20

  Tatius king of the Sabines.
• * 1.21

  Numa Pompili∣us the second K. of the Romains.
• * 1.22

  Tullus Hostiliu••
• * 1.23

  Ancus Martiu••
• * 1.24

  Tarquine the Elder.
• * 1.25

  Seruius Tullius.
• * 1.26

  Tarquine the proude.
• * 1.27

  Opynions of the time of the buil∣ding of Rome.
• * 1.28

  An Olimpiad and what it con∣tayneth.
• * 1.29

  Of the sundry gouernments in Rome.
• * 1.30

  Caesar Augustus.