FABIANA FAMILIA,
The Fa∣bian Family, Illustrious among the Romans, which has given many great Men to the Commonwealth. This only Family, under the command of Fabius Caeso, made war against the Veyentes, and lost 306 Men in an Engage∣ment at Cremera. This Family obtain'd seven several Consulats next after one another; from whence you may conjecture that they were able to make up a great Army, with the addition of their Friends, Clients and Freed∣men.
The Veyentes having drawn the Fabians into an Ambuscado, defeated them, took and plundered their Camp, and of the whole Fa∣bian Family left alive only one young man, fourteen Years old, the Son of M. Fabius, and the Off-spring of all the Fabians, who were since so serviceable to the Commonwealth, and particularly Fabius sirnamed Maximus; who seeing Rome divided in two Factions, divided the People in four Tribes of the City, and by this means took away from the People the Authority of bestowing Offices, upon those who gave them the most, and of whom they expected greater rewards. This Fabius throughly routed Hannibal with a prudent slowness, and repaired the losses that the Ro∣mans had suffered by the Arms of Hannibal, whereupon he was called Cunctator the delayer, because he did only keep Hannibal close, and incamped to his own advantage, without en∣gaging him; wherefore Ennius said.
Unus cunctando qui nobis restituit rem.
Q. Fabius Rutilianus, Colonel of the Horse, engaged the Samnites, during the absence and against the order of the Dictator Papyrius, and routed them. The Dictator prosecuted him, and would have him be punished with death, though the Senate interceded for him; but at last Papyrius granted him his life, at the request of the People, speaking thus to him.
Live thou, Fabius, said he to him, more glorious in this universal Love that the Roman people shews thee, than the Victory which thou hast obtained over the Enemy. And grant the Gods, that thy bad Example be not pre∣judicial to the State.