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.

CHAP. XII. Of Deaths not Vulgar.

ROMANS.

• 1. Tullus Hostilius King.
• 2. The two Mothers.
• 3. M••. Juven••ius Thalna.
• 4. Q. Lutelius Catulus.
• 5. L. Cornelius Merula.
• 6. Herennius Siculus.
• 7. Licinius Macer.
• 8. Co••nelius Gall••s and T. Ha••erius.

FORRAIGNE••S.

• 1. Coma the Brother of Cleon Captain of the Fugitives.
• 2. Ae••chylus the Poet.
• 3. Homer.
• 4. Euripides.
• 5. Sophocles.
• 6. Philemon.
• 7. Pinda••us.
• 8. Anac••••on.
• 9. Milo the Cro••oni∣ate.
• 10. Polydamas of Syra∣cuse.

THe first and last day contain the condition of hu∣mane Life; for it is so great concern with what lucky Omens it begins, and how it ends, And there∣fore we accompt him happy that begins his Life with prosperity, and ends it with quietness. The middle course of time is sometimes rugged, sometimes cal••; always deceiving hope, while we wish it long, and yet idly consume it. For by using it well, a short time becomes long, exceeding the multitude of years in the number of famous actions. But not to wander

farther, let us mention those that have died no Vulgar Deaths.

1. Tullus Hostilius the king was struck with Thun∣der, and burnt together with his whole Palace. A singular Lot of Fa••e, by which it happen'd, that the Pillar of the City, ta••en away in the City it self, was reduced into that condition by the flame of Hea∣ven, that the Citizens might not have the honour of bestowing the last Funeral Rites upon it, the Palace being both Funeral-Pile and Sepulcher.

2. 'Tis a strange thing that Joy should do the same as Thunder; and yet it did. For news being brought of the slaughter at Thrasymene; One Mother meeting her Son safe in the Gate, expir'd in his arms; ano∣ther upon the false news of her Sons death, fitting melancholy at home, at the first sight of him, when he return'd, fell down dead. An unusual accident, that they whom Grief could not, Joy should kill.

3. But I wonder the less because they were Women. Iuventius Thalna, Colleague with T. Gracchus the Consul, sacrificing in Corsica, which he had newly subdued, and receiving Letters that Supplications we•••• decreed by the Senate, as he was intently reading them, a mist rose before his eyes, and he fell down dead before the hearth. What can we think, but that too much Joy was the cause of his Death? What if Numantia or Carthage had been d••••••v••r'd to him!

4. C. Catulus, a Captain of a greater Spirit, and Partaker with Marius in the Cimbrian Triumph, by order of the Senate, had an end more violent. For by the same Marius afterwards command••d to de••••••, covered himself up in his Bed, heated vehemently hot, and daub'd with new Lime, and so stifled him∣self.

5. At which time also L. Cornelius Merula, of Con∣sular Dignity, and Priest of Iupiter, that he might

not be a scorn to the Insolency of the Victors, opening his Veins in the Temple of Iove, avoided the denun∣ciation of his Death.

6. A sharp and stout end was that of Herennius the Sicilian, who was both a Frie••d and Southsayer to C. Gracchus. For being for that reason carried to Pri∣son, at the very threshold of Ignominy he knock'd out his own Brains against the post of the door, and there died: One degree more swift than Publick Justice, or the hand of the Executioner

7. As violent was the End of C. Licinius Macer, a Praetorian, the Father of Calvus, being guilty of Bri∣bery; while the Suffrages were separating, went into the place of Judgment, and seeing M. Cicero, who assembled the Judges, preparing to plead, he sent to tell him, the he died not condemned, but guilty, and that his estate could not be confiscated; and having so said, stopping his Mouth and Nostrils with his Handker∣chief, and holding his Breath, he prevented his punish∣ment by Death. Which being known, Cicero forbore to pronounce Sentence. Thus Illustrious person freed himself from an unusual sort of Death, from the shame of Condemnation, and his Family from Want.

8. This a stout Death, the next ridiculous. For Cornelius Gallus, and T. Ha••erius a Roman Knight, ex∣pir'd at their Ven••ry. But what imports it to repre∣hend the Fate of those, whom not their Lust, but the condition of human•• frailty brought to an end? For the end of Li••e being expos'd to various and occult Causes, sometimes certain accidents g••in the title of Supreme Fate, when they rather happen at the time of Death, than any was hasten it.

FORREIGNERS.

1. The Deaths of Strangers are also very remark∣able;

as that of Coma, the Brother of Cleon the greatest Captain of Thieves in his time. For he being brought to Rupilius the Consul after the taking of Enna, which the Thieves kept, being examined touching the force and designes of the Fugitives, re∣suming time to collect himself, he covered his Head with his Knees bent, and holding his Breath, he ex∣pir'd in the hands of his Keepers, an in the si•••••• of the supreme Command. Let the miserable ••••••en•• themselves, to whom it is more profitable to dye than live, with timorous and dubious counsel how to end their Lives: Let them sharpen their Knives, temper Poysons, take Halters, view Precipices, as if it re∣quired some preparation or exact method to separate the strict society of Soul and Body. Coma made use of none of these, but his Soul being shut up in his breast, found its own way.

2. The Death of Aescbylus, though not voluntary, may be however related for the novelty. For walking out of the Town where he liv'd in Sicily, he sate down in a convenient place; upon whom an Eagle bearing a Tortoise▪ deceived by the baldness of his head, let fall the Tortoise to break it, that he might come at the fl••sh. And by that blow the beginning of a higher Tragedy was stifled in the birth.

3. Now was the cause of Homer's Death vulgar: Who is said to have died for grief, because he could not answer a question which the Fishers put to him.

4. More sad was the destiny of Euripides. For re∣turning to the house where he lay in Macedonia, from supping with King Archelaus, he was torn to pieces by Dogs. A fate too severe for so great a Wit.

5. Sophocles b••ing very old, and having rehears'd a Tragedy at the publick place for trial of Wit, after a long dispute remaining at length Victor by one voice, died for joy that he had won.

6. Philemon was carried off by immoderate laughter. For an Ass eating certain Figs that were prepared for him, and set before him, he call'd the boy to drive him away: who not coming till the Ass had eaten them all up; Because thou comest so late, said he, prethee give the Ass some Wine too; and prosecuting his Jeast with a in••emperancy of Laughter, stopp'd up the passages of the Spirits.

7. But Pindarus laying his head in the School on a Boy's lap, who was his only delight, and composing himself for rest, was not known to be dead, till the Master of the Exercising-place, where he lay, going to shut the doors, sought in vain to wake him. Cer∣tainly the same savour of the Gods granted him his Poetic Eloquence, and such an easie Death.

8. As happen'd also to Anacreon, though he had outlived the age of man, whom, cherishing his old age with the juice of Raisins, the more thick moi∣sture of one Grape sticking in his Throat, carried off.

9. I will adde those, whose Exit and Intent were alike. Milo the Crotoniate, as he was travelling, see∣ing an Oak clest with Wedges, trusting to his strength, went to the Oak, and thought with his hands to pull one from the other. But the Wedges falling out, the Oak closed again, and there kept him, till with all the Palms and Victories he had won, the wild beasts came and devoured him.

10. Polydamas also, the Wrastler, being forced by s••ress of weather to shelter himself in a Cave, which being weakned and ready to fall, while his Compani∣ons ran away, he only stood still, thinking to have up∣held the weight with his Shoulders. But being op∣prest with a weight more powerful than humane streng••h, the shelter which he sought from the show∣er, b••••••me the Sepulch••r of his own mad ••ate▪

These Examples may te••ch us, that Vigour of Minde and vast Strength of Body are not always compani∣ons. Nature not affording two such great Benefits together, that the same person should at once be the most strong and the most wise.