The mirror of fortune, or, The true characters of fate and destiny wherein is treated of the growth and fall of empires, the destruction of famous cities, the misfortunes of kings and other great men and the ill fate of virtuous and handsome ladies : whereunto is added Moral, politick, and natural reflection upon several subjects / written in French by Monsieur Chevreau : and newly translated into English by D. Decoisnon.

CHAP. V. Of the Empire of the Romans.

SIr Francis Bacon, who compares a State to a Man, saith that Learning is his Infancy, that he employs his young age in arms, and that in a more solid age both are maintain'd together, that in its old age it affects nothing but mechanick things. But since I am left at liberty not to be of every mans opinion, I will not constrain my self to believe him, and I will shew in few words, That Learning was not the infancy of this Empire; and that it ended rather by Idleness, than by Traffick and Trades, as great Rivers are often in their head, but small Rivolets which run from some Foun∣tain. These Men, to whom all others were either subjects or slaves, were in their original but a company of shepherds, who notwith∣standing

had not the simplicity, though they had the habit; and who made known since by their ambition and dexterity, that there was nothing so difficult, but the courage of man can overcome when it is led by prudence. Romulus, who was the first founder of Rome, found means to draw the Phrygians to his side, who before had engaged themselves in the good fortune of Aeneas, and the Arcadians who before had followed that of Evander: but because they wanted women, and that they could not continue long without them, they lookt upon their Neighbors daughters as their Mistresses; and being not able to acquire them by their addresses, they enjoyed them by force and policy. Numa Pompilius, who affected Religion and gentleness, better than violence and slaughter, was Romulus's Successor, and he that followed him, whose greatest care was to make his generosity and courage seen, rather than his zeal, shew'd the Romans by example and precept, that a man fought without danger that fought with policy; they were after∣wards happy in the choice of their Wars and Soveraigns; they executed under them great projects and exploits; they had both together boldness and good success; and their arms brought them much benefit and glory. This people in their first age were under Kings, which lasted near 250 years, and did do much,

but promised much more; they undertook to crush down those who were of opinion, that they had enough to do to sustain themselves; but as their weakness did not permit them to go so far, they proportioned their ambition to their power, and measured their enterprizes to their Forces. Since the Consulate of Brutus and of Colatin, till that of Apius Claudius, and of Quintus Fulvius, which lasted the space of 200 years, and that one might count the ado∣lescence of the Empire, they limited their Territories, and brought into their subjection those who they only thought to weaken, and converted all Italy into a Country of Conquest. Since this Age to that of Augustus Caesar, there was 250 years, and because the State was then in its vigor, one may term it its youth, since its felicities did leave it nothing to wish for, that all the earth was the prize and the subject of its victories, and there remained no more to conquer but the imaginary places of the world. Since Augustus Caesar to Severus, one may count 200 years, and this was the begin∣ning of its old Age, since it began to weaken and languish; and the space of these two Ages did not turn so much to its advantage, as to its ruine: but besides, its last overthrow, which some may behold without astonishment, is it possible that any man can look upon its first wounds without compassion? That it should

find allurement in its own disgraces, and that it should turn its rest into a Scaffold for its own execution? The glory which it acquired in the rich Provinces of the Gauls, in Thracia, in Ci∣licia, in Capadocia, in Armenia, and in England, was not so great as the shame it suffered to fight with Allies, Slaves, Gladiators, and against it self: in effect, what was not seen in the Greeks times? what did it not suffer in this general Conspiracy, in which the Tuscans required of it the right of Citizens, which had been promis'd them by Drusus? what affront did it not re∣ceive in the War they had against slaves, and men of nothing? And what quantity of blood did it not lose by the ambition of Marius and Cylla? it was a small matter that this last had slain at the chief gate of Sacryport 60000 men during the War; that in peace he had put to death in the field of Mars 4000 Citizens, who yielded themselves to his mercy; and that amongst so many men whom he commanded, there was 2000 which he had taken out as the flower of the Nobility and Senate, if his cruel∣ty had not been so ingenious, and if he had not invented new wayes to make men languish and lie in their pain. There's no inhumanity which was not at that time practised, nor no sacrilegi∣ous persons who were not recompensed; as they had severally divided the inclinations of every one, so that friends fought against

friends, brothers with their swords would dis∣pute for courage and authority with their bro∣thers, and a son had not been look'd upon by his Companions or his Commander, if he had not signalized himself by a Parricide; the end of this confusion, was not the end of its trou∣bles, Catalina raised new ones soon after, and without the arms of Anthony, and industry of Cicero, who both hindred the execrable attempt which he had devised against his Countrey; it is most certain that his saying would have pro∣ved true, That he would quench the flames of Rome in its ruines. But what perturbations hath not this poor people suffered? And how many dangers was it not in, by the Leaguers of Caesar and Pompey? What Families have not been dispersed by those Factions? And what decrees were maintain'd in their discords? Did they not make a lawful quarrel of their suspi∣tions, their violence past for Justice, and their will for a Law, though it was neither to defend their Walls nor their Altars; but only because Caesar was too rich, and Pompey too potent, that this could not suffer to have a Master, nor the other a Companion: it was notwithstanding by this division, that the Romans bought the liberty of all other Nations; all the world be∣came their Countrey; and their power who had no equal but their pride, was so great, that they have made those wear Chains, who had

worn Crowns and Scepters. This happiness for all that was not durable; but as the Vices of Princes are often the disasters of their Sub∣jects, so it hapned that the effeminacy and cru∣elty of Augustus's Successors, made them be counted Women or Monsters; and that they have got the hatred, or the scorn of all those where they made themselves known. From this indifferency and hate, began to arise re∣volts in the utmost Provinces; the Parthians and the Persians were the first who cast off the yoke in the East, in the West the Gaules imita∣ted them, and in the North the Goths and the Vandals were not content with their liberty, they marched to Rome to make themselves Sove∣reigns; and evidenced enough, that those who slept upon Thrones, did not merit the com∣mand of them. The last division which hap∣ned in this great Empire, was between Charle∣main King of France, and Hyrenna Imperatrix of Constantinople: and though Rome had been taken divers times by Athalarick King of the Goths, and by Genserick King of the Vandals, and by the Almains, under the conduct of Odo∣acer, yet this City was never so near its ruine, as when Totilla beheld the ashes of it with the same pleasure which Nero beheld the flames of it through an Emerald. But what wonder is it to see a State tumble, in which Learning and Arms are held in derision, where Sloth and Vo∣luptuousness

are in credit, and in which Vices receive the same commendation and reward as Virtue? Since Augustus, Trajan was the first who bestirred himself for the Republick; he reconquered the Province from the Parthians which they had ravish'd from the Romans; he took away both the Crown and the Kingdom from him who had usurp'd Armenia from them; he brought the men of Russia, of Bosphorr and Colchos to their duty again; he invaded the Sarazins and the Arabs Countries, brought in subjection the Marcomedes and the Cordvenians, and made himself Master of Artemusia, the best and most important Province of Persia, besides the Towns of Selucia, of Ctesiphont, and of Babylon, which he took; he marched his For∣ces upon the frontiers of the Indies; he fitted a Fleet out upon the red Sea; and, by the means of several Channels, he made that land which lieth between Euphrates and Tybre, as good a soil as Egypt: Those who succeeded him, had neither his ambition nor his courage; though they had the same dignity, they had not all the same glory; their government were as different as their humors; and most of them were remarkable but for their Cowardize, for their Tyranny, and for their ill Fortune. Thus time had no sooner separated their Forces, but it dissolved them; some of them lost whole Kingdoms, as others had gained them; and

every Prince took possession of those States of which they had been spoiled: but by reason that this misfortune was followed by that of Rome it self, we will speak of it anon in parti∣cular, and shew you that Fortune tyrannizes as well over Empires as Emperors, and over Cities as over men.