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. IX. Of Errour.

• 1. Of the Roman People.
• 2. C. Cassius Longinus, Proconsul.
• 3. The Guard of Lartis Tolumnius King of the Veientes.

ERrour is next to Rashness: as equally prejudicial, so to them also it least knows: because it com∣mits mistakes not willingly, but out of false imagi∣nations: which being far spread in the breast of men, if I should omit it, I should be guilty of the Errour which I blame. Therefore let us recite a few Mi∣stakes.

1. C. Helvius Cinna, Tribune of the People, re∣turning home from Caesar's Funeral, was torn by the hands of the People, mistaken for Cornelius Cinna, upon whom they thought to have sent their rage; provoked against him, because that being Caesar's Kinsman, he had made an abusive Oration against him that was impiously slain. And so far irritated they were by the same Errour, that they carried the Head of Helvius, as if it had been the Head of Corne∣lius, fix'd upon a Pole, about the Funeral-pile of Caesar. A cruel expiation of Duty and Mistake.

2. For Errour caused C. Cassius to punish himself. For in the midst of that various and unknown event to the Captains themselves, of the fight of four Ar∣mies at Philippi; Titinius the Centurion being sent by him in the Night to see in what condition Brutus was, while he fetch'd several compasses about, because the darkness of the Night did not suffer him to know

whether he met Foes of Friends, it was long before he return'd. Cassius therefore believing him to have been taken by the Enemy, and that they were abso∣lute Masters of the field, hasten'd to end his life, when Brutus's forces were in part safe, and Masters of the Enemies Camp. But the Courage of Titinius is not to be forgot, who stood a while astonish'd at the un∣expected sight of his Captain wallowing in his own blood, then bursting into tears; Though impruden••ly General, said he, I was the cause of thy death▪ this im∣prudence shall not go unpunish'd; receive me a companion to thy fate; and do saying, threw himself upon the liveless trunk, with his Sword up to the Hilts in his own Body: And intermixing blood with blood, they lay a double sacrifice, the one of Piety, the other of Errour.

3. But certainly Mistake did a great injury to the family of Lartis Talumnius King of the Veie••t••s: who after he had through a lucky cast at Dice, cried to his Play-mate, Kill; the Guard, mistaking the word, fell upon the Roman Embassadours, and slew them, as they were just entring the Room; interpreting Play as a Command.