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.

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Title
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.
Author
Valerius Maximus.
Publication
London :: Printed by J.C. for Samuel Speed ...,
1678.
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Subject terms
Valerius Maximus.
Rome -- Social life and customs.
Cite this Item
"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." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A64912.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 8, 2024.

Pages

Page 405

STRANGERS.

1. Pisistratus is reported to have prevail'd so far by speaking, that the Athenians taken only with his Ora∣tion, permitted him the Regal Sway: And, which was more, when Solon, the greatest Lover of his Countrey, endeavoured all he could to the con∣trary.

2. But Pericles, together with his happy endow∣ments of Nature, carefully polish'd and instructed by his Master Anaxageras, laid the yoak of Servitude upon the free necks of the Athenians. For he swayed the City, and carried affairs which way he pleas'd. And when he spoke against the Will of the People, his language nevertheless was pleasing and popular, and therefore the calumniating Wit of the Old Co∣medy, though it would be snarling at his Power, yet confess'd, that there was an Eloquence sweeter than Honey that hung upon his Lips; and that it left certain stings in the mindes of them that heard it. It is reported that a certain person, who being very old, chanc'd to hear the very first Oration of Peri∣cles a young man, who at the same time had heard Pesistratus then decrepit with age, could not contain himself from crying out, That that Citizen ought to be lookt after, because his Oration was most like to the Ora∣tion of Pisistratus. Neither did the man sail in his judgment of the Speech, nor the presage of his dispo∣sition. For what was the difference between Pisistra∣tus and Pericles, but that the first held the Govern∣ment by force of Armes, the other governed without force?

3. What may we think of the Eloquence of Hege∣sias the Cyrenian? Who so represented the miseries of Life, that his words taking deep root in the hearts

Page 406

of his hearers, begot a desire in many to seek a volun∣tary Death? And therefore he was forbid by King Ptolomie to dispute any farther upon that subject.

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