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.

FORRAIGNERS.

1. We have been intent in relating our own, let us be more succinct in the repetition of Forreign Ex∣amples. Polemo, a young Athenian Gentleman, but infinitely debauch'd, and one that gloried in his shame, rising from a Banquet, not after Sun-set, but after Son-rising, as he went home saw Xenocrates the Philosopher's door standing wide open. Drunk as he was, richly perfum'd, gayly clad, and with his Gar∣land upon his Head, he enter'd the School, that was full of Grave and Learned Men; and nothing asham'd of the manner of his entry, he sate down to throw his drunken Jests upon the noble Disputes and whole∣som Precepts that were then utter'd. The company being offended, Xenocrates kept his temper, and began to dispute of Modesty and Temperance. The Gra∣vity of whose Speech causing Polemo to repent, he first threw his Garland to the ground, presently after he withdrew his arms (a token of Modesty among the A∣thenians) under his Cloak; shortly after he left his feasting Mirth; and lastly, laid aside all his Debauche∣ry; and being cur'd with the wholesome Medicine of one Oration, of an infamous Glutton became a fa∣mous Philosopher. For his minde was only a Pilgrim in wickedness, not an Inhabitant.

2. It troubles me to remember Themistocles in his Youth; whether I consider his Father that disinherited him, or his Mother that hang'd herself to see the wi∣cked course of life her Son led; when he himself after∣wards became the most famous person that ever Greece brought forth; and was the pledge either of hope or despair between Asia and Europe. For the one had him the Patron of her Safety, the other entertain'd him as the Surety of Victory.

3. Cimon in his youth was look'd upon as a fool; but the Athenians found the benefit of his foolish commands: Compelling them to condemn them∣selves of stupidity, who had accus'd him of Folly.

4. Two distinct Fortunes, shar'd Alcibiades be∣tween them. The one, that assign'd him a splendid Nobility, vast Wealth, Beauty incomparable, strength of Body, a most piercing Wit, and the passionate love of his Countrey-men: The other, that inflicted upon him Condemnaton, Banishment, Sale of his Estate, Poverty, the hatred of his Countrey, and a violent Death. Neither the one nor the other altogether, but by intermission, like the ebbing and flowing of the Sea.

5. Polycrates, the Tyrant of Samos, lived in such a prodigality of Fortunes savours, that he was admir'd even to Envy, not without cause; his endeavors all prosper'd; his hopes reap'd the fruit of what they de∣sired; his wishes were no sooner nam'd than granted▪ To desire, and be able to perform, was the same thing. Once only Fortune chang'd her countenance, when he threw a Ring, which he highly esteem'd, into the Sea, that he might not be said to have undergone no misfortune; which however he presently recover'd, the fish being taken that had swallowed it. But he could not always hold this prosperous course of feli∣city, that swell'd his full fails: For Orontes, one of Darius's Commanders, having taken him, caus'd him to be crucified upon the highest top of the Mycalensian Mountain. From whence the City of Samos, long oppressed by his severe Tyranny, with the joyful eyes of freemen beheld his ••tinking Arteries, his members besmear'd with Blood, and that left hand, to whom Neptune had restor'd the Ring by the hand of the Fisherman, the sad spectacle of Misfortune.

6. Dionysius also when he had enter'd upon the

Tyranny of Sicily, by his Fathers Will, the Lord of a vast Wealth, a Captain of Armies, an Admiral of a Navy, potent in Horse, yet was forced to teach School at Corinth, for his livelihood: And at the same time, of a Tyrant being now become a School-master, he wa••n'd his Elders by such a change, how little they were to trust to Fortune.

7. Next to him follows Syphax the King, who underwent the same severity of Fortune; to whom however at the same time, Rome by Scipio, Carthage by Asdrubal, made their addresses for his Friendship. But while he stood thus courted, that he seem'd to be an Arbiter of Victory between the greatest and most potent People in the world; In a short time after, he was brought chain'd by Laelius to Scipio, and now lyes prostrate at the feet of him, whom he thought it fa∣vour enough before, as he sate upon his Throne, to take by the hand. Thus meerly vain, and fragil, and like the baubles Children play with, are those great things which we call Human Power and Wealth: On a suddain they abound, and vanish as soon: In no place or person fix'd upon a stable foundation; but ••oss'd hither and thither by the uncertain state of For∣tune, miserably they precipitate them into the depth of Calamity, whom but now they had exalted as high as Heaven. And therefore they are neither to be esteemed nor accompted Felicity, which to the end they may redouble a desire of enjoying them, are wont to oppress with a heavier weight, those that they flatter'd before with their most indulgent favours.