MOST people are apt to take the histories of former times for mere
forgeries and fables, because of many passages in those relations that
seem to be very extravagant. But yet, according to my observation, we
have had as strange occurrences of a later date in the Roman times as
any we have received from antiquity; for proof whereof, I have here
matched several stories of the ancients with modern instances, and
cited my authorities.
1. Datis, an eminent Persian commander, drew out three hundred thousand
men to Marathon, a plain of Attica, where he encamped and declared war
against the inhabitants. The Athenians made no reckoning at all of so
barbarous a rabble, but sent out nine thousand men against him, under
the command of Cynaegirus, Polyzelus, Callimachus, and Miltiades.
Upon the joining of battle, Polyzelus was struck blind at the sight
of a wonderful apparition; Callimachus’s body was struck through with
a great many lances, continuing in an upright posture even when he
was dead; Cynaegirus had both his hands cut off upon laying hold of a
Persian ship that was endeavoring to get away.
King Asdrubal, having possessed himself of Sicily, proclaimed war
against the Romans. Metellus, who was appointed by the Senate to
command in chief, overcame him. L. Glauco, a patrician, laid hold
of the vessel that Asdrubal was in, and lost both his hands upon
it.—_Aristides Milesius gives this account in his First Book of the
Affairs of Sicily, and Dionysius Siculus had it from him._
2. Xerxes came with an army of five millions of men to Artemisium,
and declared war against the country. The Athenians, in a very great
surprise, sent Agesilaus, the brother of Themistocles, to discover the
motions of the enemy, notwithstanding a dream of his father Neocles,
that his son had lost both his hands. This Agesilaus put himself into
a Persian habit, and entered the barbarians’ camp; where, taking
Mardonius (an officer of the king’s guards) for Xerxes himself, he
killed him. Whereupon he was immediately seized, bound, and carried to
Xerxes, who was just then about to sacrifice an ox to the Sun. The fire
was kindled upon the altar, and Agesilaus put his right hand into it,
without so much as shrinking at the pain. He was ordered upon this to
be untied; and told the king that the Athenians were all of the same
resolution, and that, if he pleased, he should see him burn his left
hand too. This gave Xerxes an apprehension of him, so that he caused
him to be still kept in custody.—_This I find in Agatharchides the
Samian, in the Second Book of his Persian History._
Porsena, a king of Tuscany, encamped himself beyond the Tiber, and made
war upon the Romans, cutting off the supplies, till they were brought
to great want of provisions. The Senate were at their wits’ end what
to do, till Mucius, a nobleman, got leave of the consuls to take four
hundred of his own quality to advise with upon the matter. Mucius, upon
this, put himself into the habit of a private man, and crossed the
river; where finding one of the king’s officers giving orders for the
distribution of necessaries to the soldiers, and taking him for the
king himself, he slew him. He was taken immediately and carried to the
king, where he put his right hand into a fire that was in the room, and
with a smile in the middle of his torments,—Barbarian, says he, I can
set myself at liberty without asking you leave; and be it known to you,
that I have left four hundred men in the camp as daring as myself, that
have sworn your death. This struck Porsena with such a terror, that he
made peace with the Romans upon it.—_Aristides Milesius is my author
for this, in the Third Book of his History._
3. There happened a dispute betwixt the Argives and Lacedaemonians
about a claim to the possession of Thyreatis. The Amphictyons gave
their opinion for a trial of it by battle, so many and so many of
a side, and the possession to go to the victor. The Lacedaemonians
made choice of Othryades for their captain, and the Argives of
Thersander. The battle was fought, and the only two survivors that
appeared were Agenor and Chromius, both Argives, who carried their
city the news of the victory. In this interim, Othryades, who was
not as yet quite dead, made a shift to raise himself by the help of
broken lances, gathered the shields of the dead together, and erected
a trophy with this inscription upon it in his own blood. “To Jupiter
the Guardian of Trophies.” The controversy still depended, till the
Amphictyons, upon an ocular examination of the matter, gave it for the
Lacedaemonians.—_This is according to Chrysermus, in his Third Book of
the Peloponnesian History._
In a war that the Romans had with the Samnites, they made Posthumius
Albinus their general. He was surprised in the difficult pass called
the Caudine Forks, where he was hemmed in and lost three legions, he
himself likewise falling upon the place grievously wounded. In the
dead of the night, finding himself near his end, he gathered together
the targets of his dead enemies, and raised a trophy with them, which
he inscribed with his hand dipped in blood, “Erected by the Romans to
Jupiter, Guardian of the Trophies, for a victory over the Samnites.”
But Fabius Gurges, that was despatched away with troops under his
command, so soon as he came to the place and saw the trophy, took up
an auspicious omen upon it, fought the enemy, and overcame them, took
their king prisoner, and sent him to Rome.—_This is in the Third Book
of Aristides Milesius’s Italian History._
4. Upon the Persians falling into Greece with a body of five millions
of men, the Spartans sent out Leonidas with a party of three hundred
soldiers to secure the Pass of Thermopylae. As they were at dinner, the
barbarians fell in upon them; upon which, Leonidas bade them eat as if
they were to sup in another world. Leonidas charged at the head of his
men into the body of the barbarians; and after many wounds received,
got up to Xerxes himself, and took his crown from his head. He lost his
life in the attempt, and Xerxes causing him to be cut up when he was
dead, found his heart all hairy.—_Aristides, in the First Book of his
Persian History._
In the Punic war the Romans sent out three hundred men under the
command of Fabius Maximus, where they were all lost; and he himself,
after he had received a mortal wound, assaulting Hannibal, took his
diadem from his head, and died in the action. _According to Aristides
Milesius._
5. There was a terrible earthquake, with a wonderful eruption of water,
at Celaenae, a city of Phrygia, that swallowed up a great many houses,
people and all. Midas upon this consults the oracle, which gave him
for answer, that if he would cast into that gulf the most precious
thing that he had in the world, the earth should close again. Whereupon
he threw in a mass of gold and silver; but never the better. This
put it in the head of Anchurus, the son of Midas, to consider, that
the most precious thing in Nature is the life and soul of a man; so
that he went presently and embraced his father and his wife Timothea,
mounted his horse, and leaped into the abyss. The earth closed upon
it, and Midas raised a golden altar in the place, laid his hand upon
it, and dedicated it TO JUPITER IDAEUS. This altar becomes stone at
that time of the year when it was usual to have these eruptions; and
after that season was over, it is turned to gold again.—_My author is
Callisthenes, in his Second Book of Transformations._
The River Tiber, in its course over the Forum, opened a huge cavity in
the ground, so that a great many houses were buried in it. This was
looked upon as a judgment upon the place, from Jupiter Tarsius; who,
as the oracle told them, was not to be appeased without throwing into
it what they held most valuable. So they threw a quantity of gold and
silver into it. But Curtius, one of the bravest young men they had,
gave a better guess at the mind of the oracle; and reflecting upon
it, that the life of a man was much more excellent than treasure,
took his horse and plunged himself into the gulf, and so redeemed his
country.—_Aristides, in the Fortieth Book of his Italian History._
6. As several great captains were making merry with Polynices, an
eagle passing by made a stoop, and carried up into the air the lance
of Amphiaraus, who was one of the company; and then falling down, it
stuck in the ground, and was turned into a laurel. The next day, when
the armies were in action, the earth opened and swallowed up Amphiaraus
with his chariot, in that very place where at present the city Harma
stands, so called from that chariot.—_This is in Trisimachus’s Third
Book of the Foundations of Cities._
When the Romans made war upon Pyrrhus, the king of the Epirots, the
oracle promised Aemilius Paulus the victory in case he should erect
an altar in that place where he should see an eminent man with his
chariot swallowed up into the ground. Some three days after, Valerius
Conatus, a man skilled in divining, was commanded in a dream to take
the pontifical habit upon him. He did so, and led his men into the
battle, where, after a prodigious slaughter of the enemy, the earth
opened and swallowed him up. Aemilius built an altar here, obtained a
great victory, and sent a hundred and sixty castle-bearing elephants
to Rome. This altar delivers oracles about that season of the year in
which Pyrrhus was overcome.—_Critolaus has this in his Third Book of
the History of the Epirots._
7. Pyraechmes, king of the Euboeans, made war upon the Boeotians.
Hercules, when he was yet a youth, overcame this king, had him drawn
to pieces with horses, and threw away the carcass unburied. The place
where this was done is called Pyraechmes’s horses. It lies upon the
River Heraclius, and there is heard a neighing whensoever any horse
drinks of that river.—_This is in the Third Book of Rivers._
Tullus Hostilius, a king of the Romans, waged war against the Albans,
whose king’s name was Metius Fufetius; and he many times kept off from
fighting. He had the ill luck to be once worsted, upon which the Albans
gave themselves up to drinking and making good cheer, till Tullus
fell in upon them when they were in their cups, and tore their king
to pieces betwixt two horses.—_Alexarchus, in the Fourth Book of his
Italian History._
8. Philip had a design to sack Olynthus and Methone, and in trying
to pass the River Sandanus, was shot in the eye with an arrow by one
Aster, an Olynthian, with these words: It is Aster that sends Philip
this mortal shaft. Philip upon this swam back again to his own people,
and with the loss of an eye saved his life.—_Callisthenes, in his Third
Book of the Macedonics._
Porsena made war upon the Romans, and pitched his camp on the further
side of the Tiber, where he intercepted all relief, till they were
pinched with famine. Horatius Cocles, being chosen general, took
possession of the wooden bridge, where he opposed himself to the enemy
that were pressing to come over; but finding himself overpowered with
numbers, he commanded his people to cut down the bridge behind him, by
which means he hindered them from coming over. But in the mean time
receiving a wound in his eye, he threw himself into the river, and swam
over to his own party.—_So Theotimus in the Second Book of his Italian
History._
9. Eratosthenes in Erigone tells a story of Icarius, that entertained
Bacchus under his roof; and it runs thus. Saturn, having taken up his
lodging with an husbandman who had a very beautiful daughter named
Entoria, took her to his bed, and had several sons by her, Janus,
Hymnus, Faustus, and Felix. He taught his host Icarius the use of
wine and the way of dressing his vines, with a charge that he should
likewise instruct his neighbors in the mystery. His acquaintance,
hereupon finding that this strange drink had cast them into a deeper
sleep than ordinary, took a fancy that they were poisoned, and stoned
Icarius in revenge; whereupon his grandchildren hanged themselves for
grief.
Upon a time, when the plague was very hot in Rome, the Pythian oracle
being consulted gave this answer, that upon the appeasing the wrath
of Saturn, and the Manes of those that were unjustly killed, the
pestilence would cease. Lutatius Catulus, a man of the first quality,
caused a temple upon this occasion to be erected near the Tarpeian
Mount, which he dedicated to Saturn, placing an altar in it with four
faces; possibly with a respect to Saturn’s four children, or to the
four seasons of the year. He also instituted the month of January. But
Saturn translated them all to heaven among the stars, some of which are
called Protrygeteres, as forerunners of the vintage; only Janus rises
first, and has his place at the feet of the Virgin.—_Critolaus, in his
Fourth Book of Celestial Appearances._
10. In the time of the devastation of Greece by the Persians,
Pausanias, the Lacedaemonian commander, took a bribe of 500 talents
of Xerxes, to betray Sparta. The treason being discovered, his father
Agesilaus pressed him so hard, that he was fain to take sanctuary
in the temple of Minerva, called Chalcioecos, where he caused the
doors to be bricked up, and his son to be immured till he died of
hunger; and his mother after this would not suffer the body to be
buried.—_Chrysermus, in his Second Book of Histories._
The Romans, being in war with the Latins, made choice of P. Decius
for their general. Now there was a certain patrician, a young man and
poor (Cassius Brutus by name), who proposed for a certain reward to
open the gates to the enemy; but being detected, he fled to the temple
of Minerva Auxiliaria. But his father Cassius, an ensign-bearer, shut
him up there till he died of famine, and his dead body was not allowed
burial.—_Clitonymus, in his Italian History._
11. Darius, the Persian, had a battle with Alexander near the River
Granicus, where he lost seven satraps, and five hundred and two
chariots armed with scythes. And yet he would have tried the fortune of
another battle the day following; but his son Ariobarzanes, in favor of
Alexander, undertook to betray his father into his hands. The father
was so transported with passion at the indignity of the thing, that he
cut off his son’s head for it.—_Aretades Cnidius, in the Third of his
Macedonian History._
Brutus, that was created consul by the unanimous vote of the citizens,
forced away Tarquinius Superbus into banishment for his abominable
tyranny. He fled to the Tuscans, and by their assistance made war upon
the Romans. The sons were treating to betray the father; the business
was discovered, and they lost their heads for it.—_Aristides Milesius,
in his Italian History._
12. Epaminondas, a Theban general, managed a war against the Spartans.
He went from the army to Thebes, to be present there at a public
election of magistrates; but first enjoined his son Stesimbrotus
that he should not fight the enemy in his absence upon any terms.
The Spartans being informed that Epaminondas was not with the army,
reproached the young man with want of courage, and so far provoked him,
that without any regard to his father’s command he gave the Spartans
battle, and overcame them. His father was so incensed against him for
this action, that though he crowned him for the victory, he cut off
his head for his disobedience.—_Ctesiphon, in his Third Book of the
Boeotian History._
In a war that the Romans had against the Samnites, they gave the
command to Manlius, surnamed Imperiosus. He had occasion to go to
Rome, to be present there at the choice of consuls, and gave his son
in charge not to engage the enemy in the mean time. The Samnites,
understanding this, irritated the young man with opprobrious words,
as if he declined fighting out of cowardice, and in the end provoked
him to a battle; upon which action he carried the day; but his father
caused his head to be struck off for breaking his order.—_This is in
Aristides Milesius._
13. Hercules made love to Iole, but she gave him the repulse, and so he
went and assaulted Oechalia. Iole threw herself headlong down from the
wall, but the whiffling of the wind under her garments broke the fall,
and she had no hurt.—_This story is in Nicias Maleotes._
Valerius Torquatus was the Romans’ general in the war they had with
the Tuscans; who, upon the sight of Clusia, the daughter of the Tuscan
king, fell in love with her, and when he found he could do no good
on’t, laid siege to the city. Clusia, upon this, threw herself headlong
from a tower; but Venus was so careful of her, that by the playing
of the wind in the folds of her garments, she was wafted safe to the
ground. Torquatus, however, offered her violence, and for so doing he
was banished by a public decree into the isle of Corsica.—_Theophilus,
in the Third Book of his Italian History._
14. While the Carthaginians were treating an alliance with the
Sicilians against the Romans, the Roman general Metellus was observed
to omit sacrificing only to Vesta, who revenged herself upon him by
sending a cross wind to the navy. But Caius Julius, a soothsayer,
being consulted in the matter, gave answer, that this obstacle would
be removed upon the general’s sacrificing his daughter; so that he was
forced to produce his daughter Metella for a sacrifice. But Vesta had
compassion for her, and so sent her away to Lamusium, substituting a
heifer in her stead, and made a priestess of her to the dragon that
is worshipped in that place.—_So Pythocles, in the Third Book of his
Italian History._
Something like this happened to Iphigenia in Aulis, a city of
Boeotia.—_See Meryllus, in the First Book of his Boeotic History._
15. Brennus, a king of the Gauls, after the wasting of Asia, came to
Ephesus, and there fell in love with a country girl, who promised him
that for such a certain reward in bracelets and other curiosities of
value he should have the use of her body, and that she would further
undertake to deliver up Ephesus into his hands. Brennus ordered his
soldiers to throw all the gold they had into the lap of this avaricious
wretch, which they did, till she perished under the weight of
it.—_Clitophon in the First Book of his Gallican History._
Tarpeia, a virgin that was well born, and had the keeping of the
Capitol in the war betwixt the Sabines and the Romans, passed a
promise unto Tatius, that she would open him a passage into the
Tarpeian Mount, provided that he would give her all the jewels that the
Sabines wore, for a reward. The Sabines hearing this crushed her to
death.—_Aristides’s Milesius, in his Italic History._
16. After a long war betwixt two cities, Tegea and Phenea, they came to
an agreement to refer the decision of the controversy, by combat, to
three twin-brothers on each side, the sons of Reximachus for Tegea,
and the sons of Damostratus for Phenea. Upon the encounter, two of the
sons of Reximachus were slain; but Critolaus, the third, had a fetch
beyond his two brothers; for, under a pretence of running away, he
divided his enemies that pursued him, and so taking them one by one,
he killed them all. The Tegeans upon his return went all overjoyed to
gratulate the victor. Only his sister Demodice was not so well pleased;
for she was betrothed, it seems, to Demodicus, one of the brothers,
that was now slain. Which Critolaus took so ill that he killed his
sister, and being afterwards indicted for murder at the instigation of
his mother, he was acquitted.—_Demaratus, in his Second Book of the
Arcadian History._
In the heat of the war betwixt the Romans and Albans, they came to
this agreement, that the cause should be determined by a trial at
arms betwixt three and three twins on each side, the Curiatii for
the Albans, and the Horatii for the Romans. Upon the encounter, the
Curiatii killed two of the others; the third survivor, under the color
of flying, destroyed his enemies one by one, as they followed him.
All his friends came to joy him of his victory, save only his sister
Horatia; for one of the Curiatii, that her brother killed, was her
sweetheart. Horatius for this killed his sister.—_Aristides Milesius,
in his Italian Commentaries._
17. The temple of Minerva in Ilium happened to be on fire. Ilus ran
presently to save the Palladium (an image dropped from heaven); but
upon the taking of it up, he was struck blind, it being a thing
unlawful for any man to look upon. But upon appeasing the Deity, he
was afterwards restored to his sight.—_Dercyllus, in his First Book of
Foundations._
Metellus, an eminent man, as he was walking out of the city, was
interrupted by ravens, that laid hold of him and kept a flapping of
him with their wings. This omen surprised him, and back he went into
the city again, where he found the temple of Vesta all in a flame.
He went and took away the Palladium, and fell blind upon’t. But some
time after, the Goddess being pacified gave him the use of his eyes
again.—_Aristides Milesius, in his Italian History._
18. Upon a time when the Thracians were engaged in a war against the
Athenians, the oracle promised them victory if they would but save the
life of Codrus. Codrus upon this puts himself in a coarse disguise, and
away he goes into the enemies’ camp with a scythe in his hand, where
he killed one, and another killed him, so that the Athenians got the
better on’t.—_Socrates, in his Second Book of his Thracian History._
Publius Decius, a Roman, at a time when they were in war with the
Albans, had a dream that his death would bring a great advantage to
the Romans; upon which consideration he charged into the middle of his
enemies, where he killed many, and was slain himself: his son Decius
did the like in the Gallic war, for the conservation of the Roman
State.—_Aristides Milesius is my author._
19. There was one Cyanippus a Syracusan, that sacrificed to all the
Gods but Bacchus; who took the contempt so heinously that he made him
drunk, in which fit he got his daughter Cyane into a corner and lay
with her. She in the mean time slipped his ring off his finger, and
gave it to her nurse to keep, as a circumstance that some time or other
might come to be brought in evidence. There brake out a pestilence, and
the Pythian oracle advised the sacrificing of an incestuous person to
the Gods that are the averters of such calamities, as the only remedy.
Cyane, that understood the meaning of the oracle better than other
people, took her father by the hair of the head and dragged him forth,
first stabbing him and then herself.—_Dositheus, in the Third Book of
his Sicilian History._
In the time of celebrating the Bacchanalia at Rome, Aruntius, that had
never drunk any wine since he was born, did not show such reverence
for the power of the God as he ought to have done, so that Bacchus
intoxicated him; and in that freak, Aruntius ravished his daughter
Medullina. She came to know the ravisher by his ring, and an exploit
came into her head, above what from her age could have been expected.
She made her father drunk and set a garland upon his head, carrying him
to the altar of Thunder, where with tears she killed him for robbing
her so treacherously of her virginity.—_Aristides, in the Third Book of
his Italian History._
20. Erechtheus was told in a war he had with Eumolpus, that he should
have the better of his enemy if he would but sacrifice his daughter.
He advised upon the matter with his wife Praxithea, and delivered up
his daughter after the manner of a common sacrifice.—_Euripides, in his
Erechtheus._
Marius, finding himself hard put to it in the Cimbrian war, had it
revealed to him in a dream, that he should overcome his enemies if
he would but sacrifice his daughter Calpurnia. He did it, preferring
the common safety before any private bond of Nature, and he got the
victory. There are two altars in Germany, where about that time of the
year may be heard the sound of trumpets.—_Dorotheus, in the Fourth Book
of his Italian History._
21. There was one Cyanippus, a Thessalian, who was a great lover of
the chase and was often abroad a hunting. This same Cyanippus was
newly married, and his staying out so long and so often in the woods
gave his wife a jealousy of an intrigue there with some other woman;
insomuch that she followed him one time, and got into a thicket to
watch him. The rustling of the boughs in the place where she lay
brought the dogs thither in expectation of some game, where they tore
this tender-hearted woman to pieces, as if she had been a brute beast.
Cyanippus was so surprised with so dismal and unthought-of a spectacle,
that he killed himself.—_Parthenias the Poet._
Sybaris is a city of Italy, where there was one Aemilius, a very
handsome young man, and a lover of hunting. His wife (whom he had
lately married) took up a suspicion that, under color of the chase,
he carried on an assignation with some other woman. She traced him to
the wood, and upon the noise of the boughs in her passage, the dogs
ran presently to her and tore her to pieces; and her husband stabbed
himself immediately upon this miserable accident.—_Clitonymus, in the
Second Book of his Sybaritics._
22. One Smyrna (to whom Venus owed a shame, it seems) fell passionately
in love with her father Cinyras, and made the nurse her confidant. She
goes craftily to work with her master, and tells him of a maid there
in the neighborhood that loved him above all things in the world, but
she could not in modesty appear publicly to him. So the father lay
ignorantly with his own daughter. But some time after, having a great
mind to see his mistress, he called for a light, and when he saw who it
was, he pursued the incestuous wretch with his drawn sword; but by the
providence of Venus, she was rescued from that danger, and turned into
a myrrh-tree.—_Theodorus, in his Transformations._
One Valeria Tusculanaria (for whom Venus had no kindness) fell
downright in love with her father Valerius. She told the nurse the
secret, who ordered it so that she brought the father and the daughter
together, telling him, that a maid there hard by was fallen desperately
in love with him, but that she durst not lie with him for fear of being
known. The father was got into his cups, and as he was in bed with his
daughter, called for a candle. The nurse waked Valeria, and away she
goes wandering up and down the country with her great belly. She had
at last a fall from a precipice, but escaped without so much as any
miscarriage; for she was delivered at her time, and the child’s name
was Sylvanus (or goat-footed Pan). Valerius, in the anxiety of his
mind, threw himself from the same precipice.—_Aristides Milesius, in
the Third Book of his Italian History._
23. Diomedes, after the destruction of Troy, was cast by stress of
weather upon the coast of Libya, where Lycus the son of Mars was king,
whose custom it was to sacrifice all strangers to his father; but
his daughter Callirrhoe falling in love with Diomede, betrayed her
father and set Diomede at liberty; who presently went his way without
any regard to his benefactress, and Callirrhoe hanged herself upon
it.—_Juba, Book the Third of his Libyan History._
Calpurnius Crassus, a famous man bearing arms with Regulus, was sent to
the Massyllians to attack the castle of Garaetius, being a very strong
place. He was taken in the enterprise, and designed for a sacrifice to
Saturn; but Bisaltia, the king’s daughter, out of a passionate kindness
to Calpurnius, betrayed her father. Calpurnius left her, and after
his departure Bisaltia cut her own throat.—_Hesianax’s Third Book of
African History._
24. When Priam found that Troy was given for lost, he sent his young
son Polydore into Thrace with a vast sum of gold, and put all into the
hands of Polymestor his kinsman. So soon as Troy was taken, Polymestor
killed the child, and took the gold to himself. Hecuba, being driven
upon that quarter, overreached Polymestor by craft, under pretence of
giving him a great treasure, at which time she, with the assistance of
her fellow-prisoners, tore out his eyes with her nails.—_Euripides the
Tragedian._
When Hannibal was ravaging the country of Campania, Lucius Thymbris
deposited his son Rustius, with a vast sum of money, in the hands of
Valerius Gestius his kinsman; who upon intelligence that the enemy
carried all before him, out of pure avarice and without any regard to
humanity or justice, killed the child. It so fell out that Thymbris,
as he was walking about the fields, found the dead body of his son;
whereupon he called his kinsman under pretence of a treasure that
he would show him. He took his opportunity, put out his eyes, and
crucified him.—_Aristides’s Third Book of his Italic History._
25. Aeacus had two sons by Psamathe, Phocus and Telamon, the former
better beloved than the other. Telamon one day took out his brother a
hunting; and a boar presenting himself, he threw his lance in pretence
at the boar, but in truth at his brother, whom he hated, and so killed
him; for which his father banished him.—_Dorotheus’s First Book of
Transformations._
Caius Maximus had two sons, Rhesus the one, by Ameria, ... and the
other Similius. The brothers were a hunting together, and Rhesus having
killed the other, put it off—when he came home—that it was by chance,
and far from any design of doing it. But his father, when he came in
time to know the truth of it, banished the son.—_Aristocles, in the
Third Book of his Italian History._
26. Mars is said to have begotten Meleager upon Althaea.—_Euripides, in
his Meleager._
Septimius Marcellus took to wife one Sylvia, and a great lover of
hunting he was. Mars put himself in the habit of a shepherd, whored the
new wife and got her with child; which being done, he told her who he
was, and gave her a spear, telling her that the fate of the child she
went withal was wrapped up in the fate of that spear....
Septimius slew Tuscinus; but Mamercus, in his sacrificing to the Gods
for a fruitful season, omitted only Ceres, who in revenge sent a wild
boar into his grounds. Whereupon getting a knot of huntsmen together,
he killed him, and delivered the head and skin to his sweetheart; but
Scymbrates and Muthias, the maid’s uncles, took them away from her.
Mamercus in a rage killed them upon it, and the mother burned the
spear.—_Menyllus, in the Third Book of his Italian History._
27. When Telamon, the son of Aeacus and Endeis, came to Euboea, he
debauched Periboea the daughter of Alcathous, and fled away by night.
The father understanding this, and suspecting the villany to be done by
some of the citizens, he delivered his daughter to one of the guards
to be thrown into the sea. But the soldier, in compassion to the
woman, rather sold her, and she was carried away by sea to the island
of Salamis, where Telamon bought her, and had by her Ajax.—_Aretades
Cnidius, in his Second Book of Islands._
Lucius Troscius had by Patris a daughter called Florentia, who, being
corrupted by Calpurnius a Roman, was delivered by her father to a
soldier, with a charge to throw her in the sea and drown her. The man
had compassion of her, and rather sold her. And when good fortune
brought the ship to Italy, Calpurnius bought her, and had Contruscus by
her....
28. Aeolus, a great king of Etruria, had by Amphithea six daughters,
and as many sons. Macareus, the youngest of them, had the carnal
knowledge of one of his sisters, who was delivered of a boy. Her father
sent her a sword to kill the child with; but that was so impious, that
she chose rather to kill herself. And Macareus laid violent hands upon
himself too.—_Sostratus, in his Second Book of Tuscan History._
Papirius Tolucer married Julia Pulchra, by whom he had six sons and six
daughters. Papirius Romanus, the eldest of the six, got Canulia his
sister with child. When the father came to the knowledge of it, he sent
his daughter a sword, with which she killed herself; and Romanus did
the same.—_Chrysippus, in his First Book of Italian History._
29. Aristonymus, an Ephesian and the son of Demostratus, was a
woman-hater; but he had to do with an ass, which brought him forth in
the ordinary course of time a most beautiful daughter, which he called
Onoscelis.—_Aristotle’s Second Book of Paradoxes._
Fulvius Stellus had an aversion to women too; but entertained himself
to his satisfaction with a mare, by which he had a very handsome
daughter, that he called Hippona; and this is the goddess that has the
care of the breed of horses.—_According to Agesilaus, in the Third Book
of his Italian History._
30. The Sardians, being engaged in war with the Smyrnaeans, besieged
Smyrna, and sent them word by their ambassadors, that they would never
raise the siege till the Smyrnaeans should deliver up their wives to
their embraces. The men of Smyrna would have been hard put to it upon
this pinching necessity, if it had not been for the advice of a pretty
wench that was a maid-servant to Phylarchus. Her counsel to her master
was this; that instead of sending free women, they should rather dress
up the servants and send them. The Smyrnaeans followed their advice;
and when the Sardians had wearied themselves with their mistresses, the
Smyrnaeans easily overcame them. From whence there is a festival day
observed under the name of Eleutheria, which is celebrated among the
Smyrnaeans with great solemnity; the servants being dressed up with all
the ornaments of the free women.—_Dositheus, in the Third Book of his
Lydian History._
Atepomarus, a king of the Gauls, being in war with the Romans, made
a public declaration, that he would never agree to a peace till the
Romans should prostitute their wives to them. The Romans advised with
the maid-servants, and sent them in the place of the free women; the
barbarians plied the work so hard, that they were soon tired and
fell asleep. Retana (who was the authoress of the counsel) climbed a
fig-tree, and so got on the wall; and finding how it was, gave notice
of it to the consuls. The Romans upon this made a sally and routed the
enemy; in memory whereof was instituted the Servants’ Holiday, and
this was the rise of it.—_Aristides Milesius, in the First Book of his
Italian History._
31. In the war betwixt the Athenians and Eumolpus, provisions falling
short, the commissary Pyrandrus, upon a point of prudence and good
husbandry, made some small abatement in the soldiers’ proportions.
The citizens suspected treachery in the case, and stoned him to
death.—_Callisthenes, Third Book of his History of Thrace._
The Romans being in war with the Gauls, and provisions for the belly
being very scarce, Cinna contracted the soldiers’ allowance to a less
proportion than they had formerly. The citizens interpreted this
abatement to an ambitious design he had upon the government, and so
stoned him for it.—_Aristides, Book Third of his Italian History._
32. In the time of the Peloponnesian war, Pisistratus an Orchomenian
had a spite at the nobility, and to make himself popular, favored the
common people. The Senate conspired against him, and treacherously
killed him, cutting him into small gobbets which they carried away with
them in their bosoms, and paring off the surface of the ground that
no signs of the murder might appear. The common people, however, upon
a jealousy of the matter, went tumultuously to the senate house; but
the king’s younger son Telesimachus that was dipped in the conspiracy,
diverted them with a sham story, telling them that he himself had
seen his father in a form more than human, walking as lively as
was possible up the Pisaean mountain. And so he imposed upon the
people.—_Theophilus’s Second Book of Peloponnesian Histories._
The Senate of Rome, being hard put to it for the maintaining of a war
with so many of their neighbors, thought it good husbandry to shorten
the people’s allowance of corn, which Romulus the king took very ill;
and not only did he restore it to the people, but several great men
were punished for it. Upon this he was murdered in the Senate by a
conspiracy of the nobles, who cut him all to pieces, and carried them
severally away in the lappets of their garments. The Romans came to
the senate house in a hurry, and brought fire with them to set all in
a flame; but Julius Proculus, one that was in the plot, told them that
he saw Romulus upon a mountain, of a size larger than any man, and that
he was translated into the number of the Gods. The Romans believed him,
and quietly withdrew.—_Aristobulus, in the Third Book of his History of
Italy._
33. Pelops the son of Tantalus and Euryanassa, had two children, Atreus
and Thyestes, by his wife Hippodamia; and by the Nymph Danais he had
Chrysippus, whom he loved better than his lawful children. But Laius
the Theban in the heat of his lust forcibly abused his body; and being
taken by Atreus and Thyestes, obtained his pardon from Pelops, in
regard that love had provoked him to it. Hippodamia’s advice to Atreus
and Thyestes was, that they should kill Chrysippus, as one that would
interpose between them and the crown. Upon their refusal to do so base
a thing, she herself put her own hands to the work, and in the dead of
the night took Laius’s sword when he was asleep, wounded Chrysippus
with it, and left the weapon in his body. This circumstance of Laius’s
sword brought him into suspicion of the murder, till he was cleared
by Chrysippus himself, who, being as yet but half dead, gave his
testimony to the truth. Pelops buried his son, and then banished his
wife.—_Dositheus, in his Pelopidae._
Ebius Toliex had two sons by his wife Nuceria, and a third called
Firmus by an enfranchised woman, who was very handsome and better
beloved by the father than those that were legitimate. Nuceria that
hated this by-blow, advised her sons to despatch Firmus; but upon their
refusal, she did it herself; and in the dead of the night got the sword
of him that guarded the body of Firmus, gave him a mortal wound, and
left the weapon sticking in his body. The boy cleared his keeper by a
particular account of the matter of fact; the father buried his son,
and sent away his wife into banishment.—_Dositheus, Book Third of his
Italian History._
34. Theseus, the true son of Neptune, had Hippolytus by the Amazon
Hippolyta, and afterward married Phaedra the daughter of Minos, who
fell deep in love with Hippolytus, and made use of the nurse’s
mediation to help forward the incest. But Hippolytus upon this left
Athens and went away to Troezen, where he diverted himself with
hunting. Now this lascivious woman, finding her design disappointed,
forged several scandalous letters to the prejudice of the chaste young
man, and ended her days with a halter. Theseus gave credit to the
slander, and Neptune having promised him a grant of any three things
he would ask, he made it his request that he would destroy Hippolytus.
So Neptune sent a bull to the coast where Hippolytus was driving his
chariot, which put his horses into such a fright, that they ran away
with them, and overturning the chariot killed the master.
Comminius Super, a Laurentine, had a son by the nymph Egeria, whom
he called Comminius; after which he married one Gidica, who fell
passionately in love with her son-in-law. And receiving a repulse, she
framed slanderous letters against him, which she left behind her, and
so hanged herself. Comminius, reflecting upon the crime and believing
the calumny, applied himself to Neptune, who with a terrible bull
frighted the horses so, while the youth was in the chariot, that they
overturned all, and killed him with the fall.—_Dositheus, Book Third of
Italian Histories._
35. In the time of a great plague in Lacedaemon, they were told by
the oracle, that the pestilence would cease upon the sacrificing of
a noble virgin every year. It fell one time by lot to Helena, who
was brought out and dressed up ready for the sacrifice. An eagle
at that time flying by took away the sword, and carrying it into a
herd of cattle laid it down upon a heifer; whereupon they spared the
virgin.—_Aristodemus, in his Third Collection of Fables._
There was a dreadful plague in Falerii, which the oracle said would be
removed upon the sacrificing of a virgin to Juno every year. While this
superstition was in course, it fell to Valeria Luperca’s lot to be the
sacrifice. An eagle flew away with the drawn sword, but laid a stick
upon the fuel prepared for the fire, with a little mallet fixed to it.
The sword he threw upon a heifer feeding near the temple. The virgin
perceiving this sacrificed the heifer; and taking up the mallet, went
about from house to house, and with a gentle knock called to those that
were sick, bidding them be of good health. And this was the rise of the
ceremony which continues to this day.—_Aristides, in his Nineteenth
Book of Italian Histories._
36. Philonome, the daughter of Nyctimus and Arcadia, went many times
to the chase with Diana. Mars lay with her in the shape of a shepherd,
and fetched up her belly. She was delivered in time of twins, which for
fear of her father she threw into the river Erymanthus. By a strange
fatality of providence they were driven safe into a hollow oak, which
happening to be the kennel of a wolf, this wolf threw her whelps into
the river, and suckled the children. Tyliphus a shepherd, that had
seen this with his own, eyes, took these children and brought them up
as his own, calling one of them Lycastus, and the other Parrasius,
which reigned successively in Arcadia.—_This is reported by Zopyrus
Byzantius, in the Third Book of his Histories._
Amulius dealing very tyrannically with his brother Numitor, killed his
son Aenitus as they were a hunting, and made his daughter Sylvia ...
a priestess of Juno. Mars got her with child, and when she had laid
her belly of twins, she confessed the truth to the tyrant; which put
him in such an apprehension, that he exposed them both on the side
of the river Tiber, where they were carried by the stream to a place
where a she-wolf had her whelps. The wolf cast away her own, and gave
suck to these children. Faustus a shepherd, observing this, took the
children to himself, and called them by the names of Romus and Romulus,
which came afterwards to be the founders of Rome.—_Aristides’s Italian
Histories._
37. After the destruction of Troy, Agamemnon and Cassandra were killed;
but Orestes, that was brought up with Strophius, revenged the death of
his father.—_Pyrander’s Fourth Book of Peloponnesian Histories._
Fabius Fabricianus, a kinsman of Fabius Maximus, having taken Tuxium,
the chief city of the Samnites, sent to Rome the image of Venus
Victrix, which among them was held in great veneration. His wife
Fabia was debauched by Petronius Valentinus, a handsome young man,
and afterwards she treacherously murdered her husband; but for her
son Fabricianus who was yet in his infancy, she shifted him away to
be privately brought up, and so provided for his security. When he
was grown up, he destroyed both his mother and the adulterer, and was
formally acquitted for it by a decree of the Senate.—_Dositheus’s Third
Book of Italian History._
38. Busiris, the son of Neptune and Anippe the daughter of Nilus, was
used to invite strangers in to him under a pretence of hospitality, and
then to murder them; but divine vengeance met with him at last, for
Hercules found out the villany, and killed him with his club.—_Agatho
the Samian._
Hercules, as he was driving Geryon’s oxen through Italy, took up his
lodging with King Faunus there, the son of Mercury, whose custom it was
to sacrifice strangers to his father. He set upon Hercules, and had his
brains beaten out for his pains.—_Dercyllus’s Third Book of Italian
History._
39. Phalaris of Agrigentum, a cruel tyrant, was wont to put
strangers and travellers to the most exquisite torment, Perillus, a
brass-founder, made a cow of brass, and presented it to the king for
a new invention, that he might burn strangers alive in it. Phalaris
for this once was just, in making the first proof of it upon Perillus
himself; and the invention was so artificial, that upon putting it
in execution, the engine itself seemed to bellow.—_Second Book of
Questions or Causes._
In Egesta, a city of Sicily, there was a certain tyrant called
Aemilius Censorinus, who was so inhuman that he proposed rewards to
the inventors of new tortures. There was one Aruntius Paterculus that
had framed a brazen horse, and made a present of it to the tyrant
to practise with it upon whom he pleased. It was the first piece of
justice that ever the tyrant did, to make trial of the torment upon
the author of it, that he might first feel himself the torments he had
provided for others. He was afterwards thrown down from the Tarpeian
Rock. It may be thought that unmerciful rulers are from this tyrant
called Aemilii.—_Aristides’s Fourth Book of Italian History._
40. Evenus, the son of Mars and Sterope, had a daughter Marpessa by
his wife Alcippe, the daughter of Oenomaus; and this girl he had
a mind to keep a virgin. But Idas, the son of Aphareus, ran away
with her from a choir. Evenus pursued him, and finding he could not
overtake him, he threw himself into the river Lycormas, and became
immortal.—_Dositheus’s First Book of Italian History._
Anius, a king of the Tuscans, had a delicate, handsome daughter,
whose name was Salia, and he took great care to keep her a virgin.
But Cathetus, a man of quality, seeing her sporting herself, fell
passionately in love with her, and carried her away to Rome. The father
made after her, and when he saw there was no catching of her, he threw
himself into a river that from him took the name of Anio. Cathetus
begot Latinus and Salius upon the body of Salia, the root of a noble
race.—_Aristides Milesius, and Alexander Polyhistor’s Third Book of
Italian History._
41. Hegesistratus an Ephesian committed a murder in his family, and
fled to Delphi; on consulting the oracle what place to settle in, the
answer was, that when he should come to a place where he should see
the country people dancing with garlands of olive-leaves, he should
settle there. He travelled into a certain country of Asia, where he
found as the oracle told him, and there built a city which he called
Elaeus.—_Pythocles the Samian, in the Third Book of his Georgics._
Telegonus, the son of Ulysses by Circe, was sent to find out his
father, and commanded by an oracle to erect a city where he should
see the country people dancing with garlands. He came into a certain
place of Italy, where he found the countrymen dancing with wreaths of
ilex about their heads; so that there he built a city, and called it
Prinistum, for an ilex in Greek is πρῖνος. The Romans corruptly call
this city Praeneste.—_Aristocles, in the Third Book of his Italian
History._
OF THE NAMES OF RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS, AND OF SUCH THINGS AS ARE TO BE
FOUND THEREIN.[175]