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. XV. Of those who by lying have thrust themselves in∣to Families which they never belong'd ••o.

• 1. L. Equitius Firmanus.
• 2. Erophilus the Farrier.
• 3. The false son of Octavia Augustus's Sister.
• 4. The false son of Sertorius.
• 5. Trebellius Calca.
• 6. C. Asinius Dio, false.

FORREIGNERS.

• 1. Rubria of Millain false.
• 2. Ariarathes the false King of Cappadocia.

THe former was a tolerable piece of Impudence, and ••nly dangerous to himself. Tha•• which follows is no way to be endur'd, and not only pri∣vately, but publickly dangerous.

1. For that I my not omit Equiti••; a Monster out of Firmum in Piceni, whose manifest lye in counter∣feiting himself the Son of T. Gracchus, by the turbu∣lent mistake of the Vulgar, was defended by the power of the Tribune.

2. Herophilus the Farrier, by claiming Marius seven times Consul for his Grandfather, so set himself-forth, that most of the Colonies of the Veterane Souldiers, and noble free Towns, ••dopted him for their Pat••on. Nay when Caesar, having overcome young Pompey in Spain, had admitted the people into his Garden, he was saluted in the next space between the Pillars by the Multitude. And had not Caesar prudently pre∣vented the storm, the Commonwealth had suffer'd as much by him as by Equitius. But being banished out of Italy by him, after he was taken into Heav••••, the other return'd into the City, and durst a••••••••pt to plot the killing of ••he Senate. For which re••son be∣ing by the command of the Fathers put to Death i•• Prison, he had the late reward of a quick intention to do mischief.

3. Neither was the Deity of the World, Augustus himself, ruling the world, exempt from this kinde of Imposture: There being a certain person that durst to affirm himself born of the womb of his most dear Sister Octavi••; saying, that for the infirmity of his body, he was put out to the person that bred him, and his Son taken in it his stead. Thus at the same time endeavouring to d••prive a most sacred Family of the Memory of their ••rue Blood, and to contaminate it with the contagion of a Lye. But while he soar'd to the utmost degree of boldness, he was by Caesar con∣demn'd to the Gallies.

4. There was also one who affirm'd himself to be the Son of Q. Sertorius, whose Wife would by no means be compell'd to acknowledge him.

5. Tubellius Cal••s, how steds••stly did he justifie himself to be Clodius▪ And while he contended for his Estate, was so favourably receiv'd by the Court of Judicature, that the tumult o•• the people would hardly give way for a just and legal Sentence. However, the Constancy of the judges would not give way, either to the Calumnies of the Claimer, nor the fury of the People.

6. Much more stoutly was that done by him, who when L. Sylla rul'd in chief, br••ke into the house of Asiuius Dio, and expell'd his Son out of doors, cla∣mouring that it was he that was Dio's Son. But when Caesar's Equity had freed the Commonwealth from Sylla's Tyranny, a juster Prince steering the helm of Government, the Impostor died in Jail.

FORREIGNERS.

1. While the same Prince governed, the Rashness of a Woman was punish'd at Milan, upon account of the same Imposture. For attesting herself to be one Rubria, and claiming by that means an Estate that belong'd not to her; though she wanted neither favour nor Witnesses, yet the invincible Constancy of Caesar disappointed he•• of her hopes.

2. The same person compell'd to just punishment a Barb••rian, affecting the Kingdom of Cappadocia, and affirming himself to be Ariarathes, who was cer∣tainly known to have been slain by Mark Antony; th••ugh at the same time he had deluded most of the Cities and People of the East.