_C. Fabritius and Æmillius Consuls of Rome, beyng promised that king
Pyrrhus for a somme of money should be slaine (which was a notable
enemie to the Romaine state) aduertised Pyrrhus thereof by letters,
and of other notable thinges doen by the same Fabritius._
When Pyrrhus king of Epirus inferred warres vpon the Romaynes and was
come into Italie, and there had prosperously fought, and atchieued the
victory of two or three battailes, wherby the Romanes were brought to
great distresse and most part of Italie had reuolted: one Timochares
Ambraciensis, a frend of king Pyrrhus, secretely repaired to
C. Fabritius then Consul, and told him, if he would giue him a reward,
he would poyson the kinge, which hee said, he mighte easely bringe to
passe because his sonnes, at table waited vpon king Pyrrhus cuppe.
Hereof Fabritius wrote to the Senate requiring their aduise. The Senate
depeached Ambassadours to the king commaunding them to saye nothing of
Timochares, but to giue the kinge warning circumspectly to loke wel
about him, to preuent such treason, as by those that were nerest him
might be attempted. Thus much is written in the historie of Valerius
Antiates. But Quadrigarius in the third booke, writeth that it was one
Nicias and not Timochares, that went to Fabritius, and that those
Ambassadours were not sente by the Senate, but by the Consuls, and that
the kinge rendred praise and thanckes to the Romaines, restoring to
them, all the prisoners, which he had taken. The Consuls that time were
C. Fabritius and Æmilius. The tenour of which letters then sent to king
Pyrrhus, the said Cl. Quadrigarius affirmeth to be this. “The Romaine
Consuls send salutations to king Pyrrhus. We for thine iniuries,
displeasures and wronges iustlie offended, for the valiaunte stomackes
remayninge in vs, do studie and indeuour like enemies, to continue
warres vpon thee: but it seemeth good vnto vs for the loue we beare to
our faith, and for common example, to wishe thee well to do, whom by
armes we be not able to vanquishe. There came vnto vs one Nicias, thy
familiar frende, to demaunde rewarde of vs, if secretely he did kill
thee: whiche we vtterlye denied, and required him for that fact, to loke
for no reward at our hands. Whereupon wee thought good to giue thee
aduertisement hereof, lest if any such thing did chaunce, the cities
should not thincke that we were priuie to the fact: for wee delite not
to fight with giftes, rewards and treason.--Thou in the meane time,
except thou take heede, art like to die: Farewel.” This was the
aunciente order amonges the Romaines, that neuer were pleased by the
cowardly ouerthrow of other, to winne fame and glorye. And because I
rede an other excellente historie of the same Fabritius, I haue thought
good to adde the same to this Nouell. When peace was concluded, betwene
the Romaines and the Samnites, the Ambassadours of the Samnites repaired
vppon a time to this Fabritius, who after they had remembred vnto him
diuers and sundrie thinges, frendlye done in their behalfe, they offered
vnto him for reward, a great summe of money, intreating him to receiue
the same: which the Samnites did (as the report was) because they sawe,
that he wanted many thinges, for the furniture of his house and
maintenaunce, thinking the same also not to be sufficiently decente for
his estate and calling: which Fabritius perceyuing, with his bare
handes, hee touched his eares and eyes, and then strooked his face
downeward, his noase, his mouth and throate, and the rest of his bodie,
to the bottome of his bealie, answearing the Ambassadours in this wise.
“That whiles hee was able to rule and gouerne all those members which he
touched, he was sure to lacke nothing: wherefore (quoth he) these
members, which be profitable and necessarye for my vse, will not suffer
mee to receiue this moneye, whereof they knowe I haue no neede.” Hereby
reprehending the foolish indeuour of these Samnites, in offring to him a
bribe, which hee was neur accustomed to take for any cause, what soeuer
he accomplished. Who stil shewed himselfe a man sincere and incorrupt.