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.

EXTERNAL.

1. And to repeat something of the Grecians, that Alcibiades, whose Vertues or whose Vices were most pernicious to his Countrey, we cannot say; for with the one he deceiv'd his Citizens, with the other he oppress'd um: He being a Youth, and coming to his Uncle Pericles, and beholding him sitting melancholy in a p••ivate place, ask••d him, why he shewed so much trouble in his Countenance. Who replying, that he had by command of the City built the Out-gates of the Castle of Minerva, and was not able to give any ac∣compt of the vast Treasure spent in the service, and that therefore he was troubled: Rather should you endeavour, said the Boy, to finde out a way, how y••u should give no accompt. Thus a▪ most great and wise man, not able to counsel himself, follows the ad∣vice of a Child, and so order'd it, that the Athenians engaged in a sharp War with their Nei••hbours, had no time to look after Accompts. But let the Athe∣nians consider, whether they had most reason to la∣ment or be glad for the Birth of Alcibiades; whose Stories fluctuate in a doubtful opinion between admi∣miration and detest••tion of the person.