CHAP. VII. of Dreams.

Of the ROMANS.
• 1. Artorious Physician to Augustus.
• 2. Calpurnia.
• 3. P. Decii, T. Manlii Con∣sul.
• 4. Of T. Atinius.
• 5. Cicero in Exile.
• 6. C. Sempronius Grac∣chus.
• 7. Cassius Parmensis.
• 8. Arterius Rufus a Roman Knight.

FORRAIGN.
• 1. Annibal.
• 2. Alexander.
• 3. Simonides.
• 4. Croesus.
• 5. Cyrus.
• 6. Himera.
• 7. The Mother of Dion. Ty∣rant.
• 8. Amilcar.
• 9. Alcibiades.
• 10. An Arcadian.

NOw because I have touched upon the Riches of Midas, and the Eloquence of Plato, I will shew you how the quiet and safety of many men has been shadowed out under several representations.

1. And where shall I sooner begin, than from the most sacred memory of Divine Augustus? His Physi∣cian Artorius being asleep, the night before the day wherein the Romans fought one against the other in the fields of Philippi, the appearance of Minerva admo∣nish'd him to warn Augustus, then lying very ill, that notwithstanding his sickness he should not abstain from the Battel: Which Caesar hearing, caus'd himself to be carried in a Litter into the Field, where, while he laboured above his strength for the Victory, his Camp was taken by Brutus▪ What other 〈◊〉 we think then, Page  31 but the Divine Benevolence so ordain'd it, that a per∣sonage destined to immortality, should not be subject to a Fate unworthy his Divinity?

2. Nor was it onely the Dream of Artorius that gave warning to Augustus, who had a natural perspi∣cacity and vigour to judge of every thing, as a fresh and domestick President: For he had heard that Cal∣purnia the Wife of his Parent Iulius, the last night that he lived upon earth, dream'd that she saw her Husband lie stabbed and bleeding in her bosom; and being affrighted with the strangeness of the Dream, was an earnest suiter to him to abstain from going to the Senate the next day: but he, lest he should have been thought to have been mov'd with a womans dream, went the rather to the Senate-house, where the Murtherers quickly laid violent hands upon him. It is not needful to make any comparison between the Father and the Son, both equal in their Divinity: for the one had made way for himself to Heaven by his own works, the other was to let the world enjoy his Vertues a long time. Therefore the Gods were one∣ly willing that the first should know the approaching change, which the other was to defer; it being enough that one Honour should be given to Heaven, and ano∣ther promised.

3. Admirable also was that Dream, and famous in the Event, which the two Consuls Decius Mus, and Monlius Torquatus dream'd, when they lay incamped not far from the foot of the Mountain Vesuvius, at the time of the Latin War, which was very sharp and dangerous: For a certain person foretold to both of them, that the Manes and Terra Mater claim'd as their due the General of one side, and the whole Army on the other: But that which Captain soever should assail the forces of the Enemy, and devote himself a Victim for the good of his Army, should obtain the Victory. Page  32 This the Entrails of the Sacrifices confirmed the next mo•ning to both Consuls, who endeavoured either to expiate the misfortune, if it might be averted, or else resolv'd to undergo the determination of the Gods. Therefore they agreed, that which Wing should begin to faint, the other should with his own life appease the Fates; which while both undauntedly vent•red to perform, Decius hapned to be the person whom the Gods required.

4. The Dream which follows, seems to concern publick Religion. A certain Master of a Family ha∣ving caused his Servant to be whipped, and brought him to the punishment of the Fork in the Flaminian Circus, at the time of the Plebeian Plays, a little before the Show was about to begin, Iupiter, in a Dream, commanded Titus Atinius, one of the Vulgar, to tell the Consuls, That he that had done'd before the last Circensian Games, did no way please him; and that un∣less the fault were expiated by an exact restoration of the Plays, there would ensue not a little vexation and trou∣ble to the City. He tearing to involve the Common∣wealth by Religion to his own disadvantage, held his peace. Immediately his Son, taken with a sudden fit of sickness, died. Afterwards being asked by the same God in his sleep, Whether be thought himself pu∣nished enough for the neglect of his Command? yet re∣maining obstinate, was strucken with a general weak∣ness of body: At length, by the advice of his friends, being carried in a Horse-litter to the Consuls Tribunal, having fully declared the cause of his misfortunes, to the admiration of all men recovering his former strength, he walked afoot to his house.

5. Nor must we pass over in silence, that when M. Cicero was banished the City, by the Conspiracy of his Enemies, He diverting himself in a certain Village in the Country of Atinate, and falling asleep in the field, Page  33 as he thought himself wandring through strange pla∣ces and uncouth Regions, he thought he met C. Marius in his Consuls Robes, who asked him, What he made there wandring with so sad a Countenance? Whereup∣on Cicero making his condition known to him, the Consul took him by the right hand and delivered him to the next Lictor, to conduct him to his own Mo∣nument, telling him, That there there was a more joyful hope of his better condition laid up for him. Nor did it otherwise fall out; for the Senate made a Decree for his return in the Temple of Iupiter built by Marius.

6. But C. Gracchus was most openly and apparently foretold, in a Dream, the mischief of an approaching mischance: for being asleep, he saw the shape of his Brother Titus, who told him, There was no way for him to avoid the same Fate which he had undergone, when he was driven out of the Capitol. This many related from the mouth of Gracchus himself, before he had under∣taken the Tribuneship, wherein he perish'd. And one Caelius a Roman Historian, said, He had heard much talk thereof while Gracchus was living.

7. But that which follows, far exceeds the dire Aspect of the foreg•ing Narration. Antonius having lost the Battel of Actium, Cassius Parmensis, who had taken his part, fled to Athens; where he fell asleep in the night, being tired with care and trouble: He thought there came to him a person of a very great stature, black Complexion, his Beard deformed, and long hanging Hair, who being ask'd what he was, answer∣ed, Cacodaemon. Being affrighted with so horrid a sight, and terrible a name, he called up his Servants, and demanded of them if they saw any one in such a habit, either come in or go out of the Chamber: Who affir∣ming that no such had come there, he again betook himself to his rest; when immediately the same shape appeared to him again; whe•e •waking altogether, he Page  34 called for a light, commanding the Servants to depart. But between this night and the loss of his head, which Caesar took from him, there followed a very short space of time.

8. But the Dream of Aterius Rufus, a Roman Knight, was more plainly hinted to him: for he dream'd one night, at a time when there was a great Fencing-prize at Syracuse, that he saw himself slain: which he told the next day to those that sate by him in the Play-house. It happened afterwards, that neer to the Knights place, the Net-player was introduced with the Challenger, whose face when he saw, he said, that he was to be slain by the Net-player; and imme∣diately would have departed. They endeavouring by discourse to put away his fear, were the cause of the destruction of this miserable man. For the Net-play∣er being driven thither by his Antagonist, and cast up∣on the ground, as he lay along endeavouring to de∣fend himself, he ran Aterius thorough the body with his Sword.