BIBLIOTHECA,
a Library, a Room filled with Books.
The Kings of the Race of Attalus, being Lovers of Sciences and Learning, built a Li∣brary at Pergamus. King Piolemy did the like at Alexandria. Plutarch writes, that the Kings of Pergamtu's Library contained Two Hundred Thousand Volumes, but was much inferior to that of the Kings of E∣gypt, which Aulus Gellius assures us had Seven Hundred Thousand; and Gallen tells us, that the Kings of Egypt were so very zea∣lous to increase the number of the Books of their Library, that they would give any price for the Books, which were brought them, which gave an Occasion of forging abundance of Books, and attributing them to such Authors, as did not compose them, that they might put a greater value upon them.
This Library was burnt by the Romans in the first War, which they made in E∣gypt. Aulus Gellius says, that it was set on Fire through mere carelessness, and that not by the Roman Soldiers, but by their Auxiliary Troops; which he may be thought to speak, that he might free his own Na∣tion from the imputation of so barbarous an action, since the Persians, as illiterate as they were thought, spared the Library of Athens, when Xerxes had taken that City, and set it on fire.
The Roman Emperors erected diverse Li∣braries at Rome with great expence, and much magnificence; and Augustus caused a beautiful and spacious Gallery to be made in Apollo's. Temple, that he might put