Romæ antiquæ descriptio a view of the religion, laws, customs, manners, and dispositions of the ancient Romans, and others : comprehended in their most illustrious acts and sayings agreeable to history / written in Latine by ... Quintus Valerius Maximus ; and now carefully rendred into English ; together with the life of the author.

Forraign Examples of Religion, observed or neglected.

1. As to the Fact of Pleminius, it was well punish'd by the Conscript Fathers. But against the sorbid Vi∣olencies of King Pyrrhus, the Goddess her self defen∣ded her self well enough: for the Locri being com∣pelled to give him money out of her Treasury, while he was sailing upon the Sea laden with his impious Prey, by force of a mighty Tempest his whole Navy was cast away upon the shoar adjoyning to the said City▪ where the money being found entire, was re∣stored to the most sacred Treasury of the Goddess.

2. But the Act of M••ssanisa was of another na∣ture, whose Admiral having landed in Melita, and ta∣ken out of the Fane of Iuno certain Ivory-teeth of an immense proportion, and given them as a Present to the King; Massanisa no ••ooner understood from whence they came but he commanded them to be carri∣ed back ••n a Gall••y with five Oars, and put in the place

whence they were taken, having caus'd certain Words to he carved upon them, signifying that the King had taken them ignorantly, and willingly restored them.

3. Dionysius, born at Syracuse, us'd to make J••sts of his Sacriledges, of which he committed more than we have now room to recount: for having plundered the Temple of Iuno at Locri, and sailing upon the Sea with a prosperous gale, laughing to his ••riends, he said, What a pleasant Voyage have the Gods granted to us Sacrilegious Robbers! Having taken al••o a Cloak of Massie gold from Iupiter Olympian, which Hier•• the Tyrant had dedicated to him out of the spoils of the Carthaginians; and throwing over the Statue a Wool∣len-mantle, told his Companions, That a Cloak of Gold was too heavy in the Summer, too cold in the Winter; but a Woollen Cloak would serve for both Seasons. The same person commanded the Golden beard of Esculapius to be taken from his Statue in his Temple at Epidaurum, saying, It was not convenient for Apollo the Father to be without a Beard, and the Son to have so large a one. He also took away the Silver and Golden Tables out of other Temples, where finding certain Inscriptions, after the manner of Greece, that they be∣longed to the good Gods, then said he, Through their go••dn••ss we will make use of them. He also took away the little Statues of Victory, Cups and Crowns which they held in their hands being all of Gold, saying, He did but borrow them, not take um quite away: say∣ing. It was an idle thing, when we pray to the Gods for good things, not to accept um when they hold um forth to us. Who in his own person though he were not re∣warded according to his deserts, yet in the infamy of his Son, he suff••red after death what in his life-time he had escaped.

4. For the avoiding whereof, Timasitheus Prince of the Liparitans by his wisdom provided for his own

and his Countries safety: for when certain of his Sub∣jects, using Pyracy, had taken a Golden cup of a very great weight, and that the people were gathered to∣gether to divide the spoil, understanding that is was consecrated to Apollo Pythian in lieu of their Tenths by the Romans, he took it from them, and carefully sent it to Delphos.

5. Milisian Ceres, when Miletum was taken by A∣lexander, and that several Souldiers were broken into the Temple to plunder it, on a sudden depriv'd them all of their sight.

6. The Persians coming to Delos with a Navy of a thousand Ships, behaved themselves more irreligiously than rapaciously toward the Temple.

7. The Athenians banish'd Diagoras the Philoso∣pher, because he adventured to affirm that he knew not whether there were any Gods or no; or if there were any, of what nature they were. They also con∣demned Socrates, because he endeavoured to introduce a new Religion. They endured Phidias when he af∣firmed that it was better to make the Statue of Miner∣va of Marble rather than of Ivory, by reason it was more lasting; but when he added, that it was also cheaper, they commanded him silence.

8. Diomedon, one of the ten Captains who at Ar∣ginusa won a great Victory to the Athenians, but to himself the reward of Condemnation; being now led to his undeserved Execution, spake nothing else, but onely that the Vows which he had made for the safety of the Army might be performed.