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Chap. 8. Of warriours.
* 1.1AS the noble Philosopher Aristotle writeth, in the seventh of his Politickes, many cities haue flourished by makinge warre, but when they had once obtained the soueraintye; through peace they fell to decay, as iron gathereth rust with lyinge still. Valerius in the second booke, and sixt chapter, writeth,* 1.2 that Laelius Atticus Dentatus was an hundreth and twentie times in batteill, vnto which hée alwaies went with sutch courage of minde and force of body, that hée séemed euer to presume of the victory. The same aucthour also reporteth that there was one which cut of the fingers of his left hand, bicause hée woulde not goo into the Italian warre. Then by the decrée of the Senate his goodes were openly solde, and him selfe cast into perpetuall prison, enforcinge him to yéelde vp that ghost most lothsomly in cheines, which hee refused vali∣ently to venture in the fielde.* 1.3 Frontinus in the first booke, and ninth chapter reporteth, that one Seruius béeinge a younge man, and present in the batteill which kinge Tarquinius faught against the Sabines, perceiuinge those that were a∣bout the Standards to fight very slowly: snatched away one of the Standards and thrue it amongst the middes of the ene∣mies. To recouer which, the Romans fought so sharply: that they obtained both standard, and victory. Hée telleth more∣ouer of Macillius which was Consul, and at the warre which the Romans made against the Samnites, who perceiuinge the souldiours fleeing out of the batteill towardes their tentes: bent the force of his owne band which hee led, against them: swearing, that hee would fight against good Citizens if they would not fight against their enemies, and by that meanes brought them all again into the batteill.