the succession was by election, and generally made by their own college yet the choice was twice put into the power of the people by their tribunes; but was soon after the first time restored to the college by Sulla, and the second time by Cæsar, who having gained the absolute power, took it from the people; and making himself Pontifex Maximus, all his successors in the empire constantly bore the title, even after they became Christians, till Gratian, about the year of Christ three hundred and eighty, rejected it. Page 266. 55 Agamemnon, king of Mycena in Peloponnesus, and brother of Menelaus, was general of all the forces of the Greeks, that went against Troy. He makes this wish, in Homer's Iliad, B. or book 2. v. 372, in the Greek; in English thus, by A. Pope, v. 440. To him the king.....How much thy years excel 56 Both Plutarch, in the life of Cato, and C. Nepos say, he went into the service at the age of 17; and we saw before, in note 13, that he was in it at the retaking of Capua in his 20th year. He went quæstor in his 30th year, with Scipio Africanus, into Sicily and Africa, where (his office engaging him in the business of the public accounts, and Scipio being of a free temper and a generous disposition) they widely disagreed; insomuch that Cato, repairing to Rome, and there applying himself to Q. Fabius Maximus, whom he principally chose (as we saw before in note 11) for his patron, this affair, together with a complaint of the Locrians, a people situate near Sicily, was laid before the senate; and being highly exaggerated by Fabius; a prætor and two tribunes were appointed, and very close orders given them to inquire into Scipio's conduct: who returning, confirmed the complaint of the Locrians; but in relation to Scipio, as Plutarch gives it, in the life of Cato, they reported, that when not otherwise engaged, he took his diversion and enjoyed himself with his friends: but at the same time he neglected no business. Livy, on the other hand, who is much larger in his account of the whole [b. 29. c. 22] without mentioning Cato at all, but making Fabius the chief complainant, represents those ambassadors charmed with the excellent order they found both the fleet and army in, of which they made report to the advantage of Scipio in the highest degree.-Scipio embarked for Africa in the 550th year of Rome, when Cato must have been about 30 years old. He was consul in the 559th, and had Spain for his province, where he obtained signal victories over the Spanish inhabitants, (for the Carthaginians, in the late peace made six years before, had intirely surrendered to Rome, and quitted all their pretensions to Spain) and the next year, on his return to Rome, viz. 560, he had a triumph for these victories. Three years after this he went tribunus militum, or tribune of the soldiers [generally of the infantry, a kind of major-general of the foot] under Manius Acilius Glabrio, one of the consuls, in the 563d of Rome, into Macedon and Thessaly, to oppose Antiochus Magnus, king of Syria; who, under pretence of asserting the liberties of Greece (for which there was no occasion, since T. Q. Flaminius, as in note 3, had put the Greeks in possession of these five years before) made war against the Romans; and posting himself in the famous straits of Thermopyla (where Leonidas, and 300 Lacedemonians, opposing Xerxes so gallantly died) was by Cato's conduct, in surmounting the cliffs, intirely defeated. He was chosen censor 11 years after his consulship, in his 50th year: on which Livy, b. 39, as quoted before in note 7, is large. As to his age, as he was born [as in note 12] in the 520th year of Rome; and Cicero in his Brutus gives the consuls of the year he died in, who by the fasti were so in the 605th year; he should have died according to that account, in his 85th year; but this directly contradicts the historian Livy, whose business it was more exactly to consult and consider the annals, and who [in note 7] positively says, he impleaded S. Galba in his ninetieth year; and C. Nepos, another good historian, says, he was engaged in public affairs 80 years; by which he should have lived to near 100 years. These historians therefore, are most to be depended on for Cicero has been observed in some other cases to miss in his computations. Page 266. 57 This was some officer then noted for his great strength, not elsewhere mentioned, that I know of. Page 267. 58 Massinissa, son of Gala, king of the Massylians, a nation of the Numidians in Africa. His story is extremely remarkable. The two Scipio's in Spain, mentioned before in note 50, but largely spoken of in note 97, sent legates to Syphax, king of the Numidians, to engage his friendship to the Romans; in which they succeeded. The Carthaginians provoked at this, prevailed with Gala to make war upon Syphax; which he accordingly did, by sending his son Massinissa, a youth of great spirit, though but 17 years of age, with an army against him. This young general intirely defeated Syphax; and being in the interest of the Carthaginians, he went over as their ally into Spain, where he very much contribúted to the overthrow of the Scipios. His father Gala dying, his brother Oesalce, Massinissa's uncle, succeeded him; and on his death soon after, Gala's son Capusa, who, being young and weak, one Mezetulus of the royal blood, rebelled against him, raised an army, and fought the young king, who with most of his army was cut off. Yet Mezetulus on his removal claimed not the crown to himself, but set up Lacumaces, another younger son of Gala, to whom he pretended to be guardian. Massinissa (who objected not to his uncle Oesalce's succession to his father, for so the law of their country appointed) hearing in Spain of his uncle's and cousin's death, hastened over to Africa, landed in Mauritania, and obtained of its king Bocchar, 4000 men, with whom he marched into Massylia; and meeting there only 500 of his countrymen, who went to receive him, he, according to promise, dismissed his escert, the Moors. His numbers increasing, and gaining one battle, Lacumaces fled to Syphax. Massinissa, doubting his own strength, proposed an accommodation; of which Syphax approved at first, till Asdrubal of Carthage, shewed him the danger of such a neighbor, and prevailed with him to carry on the war. This he accordingly did, and overthrew Massinissa, who with a few about him, fled to the mountains, and there lived on plunder. Syphax sent a commander (whose name also was Bocchar) with forces against him, who intirely defeated and pursued him to a large rapid river; Massinissa, with four more, plunged in; two of them were carried away by the violence of the stream, and perished; but Massinissa, though sorely wounded, with the other two, escaped. Bocchar and his men, believing them all lost, reported the matter so to Syphax, to his and his people's no small joy, as well as to that of Asdrubal. But Massinissa, as soon as he had recovered of his wound, to their great mortification, and to the equal joy of his friends, appeared again, as if he had dropt out of the clouds, and in a little time collecting an army of 6000 foot and 4000 horse, was ready to oppose Syphax; who then began to consider Massinissa as an enemy that would require his utmost thought and care. He therefore raised a large army, marched himself against him, and sending his son Vermina with another body round to attack him on the rear, while he himself engaged in the front, Massinissa was intirely routed again; and it was only by his singular dexterity, that he narrowly escaped the great diligence Vermina used in the pursuit: but from that time he was obliged to keep private and at a distance, tili the Romans landed. At this time Asdrubal, apprehending the Romans might as formerly make a descent on Africa, judged it necessary to bring Syphax into a strict alliance with Carthage: for which end he gave him his daughter Sophonisba, a fine woman, in marriage. Scipio landing, sent Lælius into the country before him. Massinissa then presently appeared; and joining him, drew great numbers of Numidians to their assistance. Their first battle was with Syphax, whom they defeated, and took VOL. IV. U u himself, with his beautiful queen Sophonisba, prisoners. She fell at Massinissa's feet, imploring his mercy, as of the same country with her, and that she might rather die, than be delivered up to the pride of the Romans. This he not only promised, but, charmed with her looks and behavior, married her himself the same day. Scipio highly offended at this, reproved him for it; and he knowing his dependence must be wholly on the Romans, to be as just to his bride as lay in his power, and to keep his word to her, sent her a bowl of poison with an appropriate message, which she bravely took, and, as she desired, died free. This is all related Livy, lib. 29. Massinissa, by the favor of the Romans, greatly enlarged his dominions. He reigned 60 years; was always faithful to the Romans, and left this younger Scipio his executor. Liv. lib. 50. Epit. Page 269. 59 Cato's Origines was a work much esteemed by the Romans, but it is lost to us. C. Nepos informs us, that its first book contained the actions of the people of Rome, (probably to the time of the first Punic or Carthaginian war) the second and third gave the origin or first rise of all the cities of Italy; the fourth was the history of the first Punic war; the fifth gave the second, which was in his own time: in the following he related their other wars, till the conquest of Lusitania, now Portugal: which I judge to have been the conquest mentioned by Livy, lib. 41. c. 11. for which L. Posthumius triumphed about 20 years before this discourse; for I find Sergius Galba, whom Nepos names, no where mentioned in relation to these wars. Page 270. 60 Archytas, of Tarentum, was of Pythagoras's school, contemporary with Plato, whose life he saved when Dionysius the tyrant of Syracuse, intended, for some free discourse, to put him to death. He governed the Tarentines, and seven times commanded them and their confederate armies. He was a great mathematician and mechanic, and made a wooden pigeon that would by springs fly about in the air. |