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.

Now it behoves us to fetch Examples from un∣known persons; yet there is something of shame in repro••ching the Vices of great men. But since the faith of our designe admonishes us to comprehend every thing, the Will must give way to the Work; that the Conscience of declaring necessary things may not be wanting, while we justifie the proof of g••eat things.

1. Alexa••der was kept from Heav'n by his own An∣ger. For what hinder'd but th••t he might have risen thither, had not Lysim••••hus thrown to a Lion, Clytus run through with a Speat, Call••••henes put to death, lost him the fame of three of his greatest Vi∣ctories, by the unjust slaughter of so many friends.

2. How excessive the Hatred of Amiloar toward the Roman People! For beholding four Sons of tender

Age, and the same number of Lions whelps; He bred them, he said, to the ruine of our Empire. Fairly brought up, as it hapned, to the ruine of their own Country.

3. Of which Sons Hannibal so followed his Father•• steps, that when he was about to cross the Army over into Spain, and sacrificing for good success, the Son then but nine years of age, holding his hand upon the Altar, swore, that assoon as his Age would permit him, he would be a most bitter Enemy to the Ro∣mans; that he might express to his father how wil∣lingly he accompanied him in the War, then ••foot. The same person, that he might shew the Hatred be∣tween Rome and Carthage, happening to stumble, and raise the dust with his foot; Then, said he, there will be an end of the War between these two Cities, when one of them is reduced into dust as this is.

4. In the breast of a Boy the Force of Hatred was not so prevalent, but that it equally prevailed in a Womans breast. For Semiramis Queen of the Assy∣rians, when it was related to her, as she was combing her hair, that Babylon was revolted, with one part of her hair loose and distievell'd, she hasted to its re∣covery; nor would she bring her hair, till she had reduced the City, into order. And therefore her Statue is placed in Babylon, in the same posture as she hasten'd to her Revenge.