A righte noble and pleasant history of the successors of Alexander surnamed the Great, taken out of Diodorus Siculus: and some of their lives written by the wise Plutarch. Translated out of French into Englysh. by Thomas Stocker

¶Of certen victories which the Romaines haue vp∣pon the Tyrrhenians and Samnites. And of cer∣ten Innouations, by Appie Claudie the Romaine Censor made, in contempt and defacing of the Senate and nobles, in fauoure of the commu∣naltie.

The .v. Chapter.

ABout the same time, the Tyrrhenians besieging the Citie of Souttre,* 1.1 a colonie of the Romaines, were in vattaill by the Romaine Consuls vanquished & cha∣sed home into their campe: whiche Romaines came thy∣ther with great power, of purpose to rayse their siege. On the other side, the Samnites séeing the Romaine armies farre from their countrey, burnt, wasted, and pilled the landes and countrey of the Iapides, confederats with the Romaines. By reason whereof the Consuls were enfor∣ced to deuide their armie, leauing Fabie in Toscane,* 1.2 and sent Martie against the Samnites,* 1.3 who tooke by force the citie of Aliphe, and deliuered the Allies of the Romaine people, from the necessitie and daunger they were in. Agayne, Fabie séeing that a great number of the Tyr∣rhenians were assembled to besiege the Citie of Souttre, secretly departed from that quarter, and passing throu∣ghe the territorie of their neighbours, before they were espied, entred the hie countrey, whiche of long had bene vnpilled and vnrobbed of any enemie, and spoyled and fouraged it all ouer, and slew numbres of the paysaunts that resisted hym, and tooke many prisoners. Whiche done, he went against Perouse: and finding the Tyrrhe∣nians there assembled in battaill,* 1.4 discomfited them, and slew a great numbre, wherwith they were maruelously amazed: for the Romaines had neuer ben so beforehand as Fabie was thē. Who after that victorie, trused with the Aretians, Crotonians and Perousians: and shortly after

tooke by force the citie of the Tyrrhenians named Castolle,* 1.5 by meane whereof they were enforced to raise their siege from before the citie of Souttre.

In this season Appie Claudie and Lucie Claudie were by the Romaines elect and named Censores.* 1.6 And the said Appie being throughe flatterie of his companion, in all doings followed, chaunged and altered many of the an∣cient customes of the citie, for he (to please the commu∣naltie) had no regard to content the Senate. And firste, he caused a pipe of lead to be brought into the Citie by conductes foure score furlongs long, to the great coste and charge of the common treasure, withoute making the Senate any thing priuie thereto, and called it after his owne name Appie. He likewise caused the wayes and straights, from Rome to Capue, being a thousand fur∣longs distaunt betwene, to be paued, and called them Appie, he playned and leuelled also all the rockes and mountaynes, and filled vp all the ditches and vallies w^t earth and rubushe, so that he had about those works em∣ployed & bestowed almost the whole reuenue of y^e Citie, to haue his name ymmortall, for his liberalitie and mu∣nificence towardes the weale publicke, besides great nouelties and chaunges in the Senate by him made. For where in times past were none but of the noblest houses and greatest wealth admitted to the dignitie of a Senator, he put in many sclaues borne, wherewith the nobles and gentlemen were greatly offended. He likewise graunted to euery of the Citizens, to enrolle & writte him selfe in what tribe he would, and in the same paye his rente. Moreouer, when he perceyued the no∣bles wholie moued and bent against him, he woulde do nothing, that in any wise should seeme to please or con∣tent them, nor do any thing according to their intention and desire, that by any meane might displease the meane sorte of the communaltie: making in this sorte hys parte good against the nobles, through the good willes of

the commons. So that, when it came to the musters of the horssemen, he woulde not once reiect any horsse of theirs, and in vewing the Senate, would not put backe one of the infamed according to the auncient custome therein always before obserued and kepte. By reason whereof, the Senates to despite him, when they assem∣bled the Senate, would not once cal to counsail the Se∣nators by him appointed, but onely those whiche before had ben by the others Censors nominated and chosen. Howbeit, the communaltie thinking to please Appie, & to vpholde and mainteyne that whiche he had done, and also desiring that the promotion of their kinsfolkes and friends by him pronounced Senators might take effect, chose to the chief and principall office of Edilite Gne Fla∣uie,* 1.7 sonne to a bondman: whiche thing in Rome was ne∣uer before seene. When all these things were finished and done, and that the ende and terme of Appie was cō∣sumed and determined, to auoyde the malice and dis∣pleasure of the nobles cōceyued against him, he feigned and countrefaited blindnesse, and neuer after remoued out of his owne house.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Souttre.
• * 1.2

  Fabie.
• * 1.3

  Martie.
• * 1.4

  Perouse.
• * 1.5

  Castolle.
• * 1.6

  Ap. Claudius. I. Claudius.
• * 1.7

  Gne Flauie.