St. Augustine, Of the citie of God vvith the learned comments of Io. Lod. Viues. Englished by I.H.

L. VIVES.

A Few (a) of the greatest] The Plebeians, either through hate to the Nobles, or ambition in them-selues, disturbed the common state exceedingly, to assure and augment their owne: pretending the defence of the peoples freedome, notwithstanding in all their courses the Pa∣triots opposed them, abstracting from the peoples meanes to share amongst them-selues, preten∣ding the defence of the Senates dignity, which the state would haue most eminent: but indeed they did nothing but contend & bandy factions, each with other, according to his power. (b) deserts] Some books put in incesserant, but it hurteth the sence. (c) Where then were] All this relation of Augustines is out of Liuie: read it in him least our repitition becomme both te∣dious and troublesome. (d) It was scaled] Incensum scaled, and not incensum fired: (e) SP. Aemilius] This must be Melius assuredly, by the history. (f) Bed-spreadings] It was an old fashion to banket vpon beds. But in their appeasiue, and sacrifical banquets, in the Temples, and in the night orgies, they made beds in the place, for the gods to lye and reuel vpon, and this was called Lectisterium, Bed-spreading. the Citty being sore infected with the plague (saith Liuie lib. 5.) a few yeares ere it was taken by the Galles, the Sybils bookes directed the first Bed-spreading, * 1.1 to last eight dayes: three beds were fitted: one for Apollo and Latona, one for Dia∣na and Hercules, one for Mercury and Neptune. But how this can bee the first Bed-spreading I cannot see, seeing that in the secular games y^t Poplicola, Brutus his Collegue ordayned, there were three nights Bed-spreadings: Valer lib. 2. Censorin de die Natall. (g) Another] In y^• Consul∣ship of C L. Marcellus & T. Ualerius, was a great question in the Court about poisons because many great men had bene killed by their wiues vsing such meanes. (h) Then grew wars] Against * 1.2 the Samnites, Galles, Tarentines, Lucans, Brutians, and Hetrurians: after al which, followed Pyrr∣hus the King of Epirus his warre. But now a word or two of the Proletarij, the Brood-men here named: Seruius Tullus the sixt King of Rome, diuided the people into six companies or formes, in the first was those that were censured worth C. M. Asses; or more, but vnder that King the greatest Censure was but C X M. (Plin: lib. 33.) the second contained all of an estate between

C. and LXXV Asses. the third, them vnder L. the fourth them vnder XXXV. the fift, them vnder XI. the last was a Century of men freed from warre-fare, Proletarii or Brood-men, and Capiti-censi. A Brood-man was hee that was rated ML. Asses in the Censors booke more or * 1.3 lesse, and such were euer forborne from all offices and vses in the Cittie, beeing reserued onely to begette children, and therefore were stiled Proletarii, of Proles, brood or ofspring. The Ca∣pite Censi were poorer and valued but at CCCLXXV. asses. Who because they were not cen∣sured by their states, were counted by the poll, as augmenting the number of the Cittizens. These two last sorts did Seru. Tullius exempt from all seruice in warre, not that they were vnfit them-selues, or hadde not pledges to leaue for their fealty, but because they could not beare the charges of warre; for the soldiers in those daies maintained them-selues. It may be this old custome remained after the institution of tribute, and the people of Rome thought it not fitte that such men should go to warre, because that they accounted all by the purse. This reason is giuen by Valerius and Gellius. But these Brood-men were diuers times ledde forth to the wars * 1.4 afterward, mary the Capite Censi neuer, vntill Marius his time, and the warre of Iugurthe: Salust. Valer. Quintillian also toucheth this In milite mariano. And here-vppon Marius their Ge∣nerall was called Capite Census. (i) Pyrrhus] Descended by his mother from Achilles, by his father from Hercules, by both from Ioue: This man dreaming on the worlds Monarchy, went * 1.5 with speed at the Tarentines intreaty against the Romaines: hence hoping to subdue Italie, and then the whole world, as Alexander had done a while before him. (k) Who asking] Cicero de diuinat. (lib. 2) saith that it is a verse in Ennius: Aio and as in the text. Which the Poet affir∣meth that the Oracle returned as answer to Pyrrhus in his inquiry hereof. Whence Tully wri∣teth thus.

But now to thee Apollo, thou that sittest vpon the earths nauell, from whence this cruel and superstitious voice first brake. Chrysippus fill'd a booke with thine Oracles, but partly fai∣ned (I thinke) and partly casuall, as is often seene in ordinary discourses: and partly equiuocall, that the interpreter shall need an interpreter, and the lotte must abide the try all by lotte: and partly doutful, & requiring the skil of Logike.

Thus farre he: seeming to taxe Poets verse with falshood: Pyrrhus is called Aeacides, for Achilles was son to Peleus, and Peleus vnto Aacus. Virgill. ipsum{que} Aeacidem &c. meaning Pyrrhus. (l) Pyrrhus was conqueror] Pyrrhus at Hera∣clea * 1.6 ouerthrew Valerius, Consull, but got a bloudy victory: whence the Heraclean victory grew to a prouerb; but after Sulpitius and Decius foyled him, and Curius Dentatus at length ouer∣threw him and chased him out of Italy. (m) And in this] This is out of Orosius (lib. 4.) hapning in the Consulship of Gurges and Genutiu•…•…, in Pyrrhus his warre. (n) Prince of physicke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: Iatros is a Physitian, Obstetrix, a mid-wife: and Archiatri were also the Princes Physitians: Ius∣tin. * 1.7 Codic. Of the Comites, and Archiatri which the Spaniards call Protomedici, &c. (o) Great pestilence] (Oros. lib. 4.) In the entrance of the first Affrican warre. (p) In which] Cice. de diuini: (lib. 2) at large, of the Sybils and their books. (q) Many of the temples] The Sooth saiers answer in Tullies time concerning the prodigies, was y^• very same. Cic. Orat. de Aruspic. respons.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Bed-sprea∣ding.
• * 1.2

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 vsed at Rome.
• * 1.3

  A Brood-man.
• * 1.4

  Capitae censi
• * 1.5

  Pyrrhus.
• * 1.6

  He•…•…aclear. victory.
• * 1.7

  Archiatri.