the publick) that of their distressed Mother, the Common∣wealth. The first of the Scipio's whom History takes notice of as a publick Minister, was P. Cornelius Scipio, who was made Master of the horse to Furius Camillus, that year that the Ci∣ty of Veii was taken, which happened an. urb. 357. He was the next year chosen military Tribune, and two years after In∣terrex. To be short, there were eleven of the Scipio's, who were men of eminent note and merit, before the great Scipio, sirnamed Africanus, hy his heroick atchievments adorned and illustrated the Cornelian name. There was one of this branch, viz. Cn. Cornelius Scipio (the seventh in descent from that first) who was Consul with C. Duillius, the fifth year of the first Pu∣nick Warre, which fell out an. Ʋ. C. 493 on whom (though a person of indubitable worth) this idiculous nick-name of A∣sina, or the she-Asse, was (upon this occasion) imposed, and from him transmitted to his posterity. Macrob. tells the Story, Saturn. l. 1. c. 6. This Scipio (sayes he) the head of the Corne∣lian Family, having contracted for some land, was (according to the custome of those times) commanded by the Judge to give re∣sponsible security for the future payment of his money; whereupon be bad his servant lead in the she-Asse, which stood tied, and laden at the door; and this being brought into the open Court he offe∣red to the Judge for security: which done, he paused a while, to the great admiration of the Judge and the Assistants, who all looked upon this action as an high affront to the Court, and a bold contempt of authority; having stood silent a while, he comman∣ded his Servant to unlade the Asse, and tell out the money, which, as it appeared, was put up in a sack and so brought upon the Asse; hereat the people smiled; but none queionless had more reason so to doe, then he who received the money: from this time he was distinguished from the rest of his name by the agnomination of Asina. Pub. Asina, his Sonne, was Con∣sul with Minutius Rufus, an. Ʋ. C. 532. he conquered and tri∣umphed over the Istrians. But to come to the persons more particularly design'd by the Poet, as to whom we must limit our disourse; you must know that these two Scipio's (which Virgil celebrates here under the titles of duo fulmina belli, and 0