For what cou'd Nero's felf have acted worse, His Voice and Honour, for the poor Renown The Habit and the Mask in which you play'd (While your wild Nature little wanted Art) 36 Catiline's Confpiraey is a Story too well known to be infifted on: He was of a Noble Family, but by his Extravagancies had reduced himself to great Want, which engaged him in bad Practices. The Roman Armies were then pursuing Conquefts in remoreProvinces, which Catiline judg'd the moft seasonableOpportunity for un dertaking fome defperate Defign: He therefore entred into aConfpiracy with Cethegus, Lentulus, and other Senators, and Persons confiderable by their Births and Employments, to make themselves abfolure Mafters of theirCountry,byfeizing the Senate, plundering the Treasury, and burning theCity. Το whofe Barbarous Intent : To recompence 37 Incendiaries by theRoman Law were wrapt in a Pitch'd Coat (which they call'd Tunica Molefta) and Burnt alive: As we fee by Tacitus, Ann. Sect. 44. Where Nero after having fet Rome on Fire, lays the Blame and Punishment upon the Chriftians, by ordering them, with a Cruel Jeft, to be Light up, and ferve as Torches, when it was dark. 38 One Fulvia (whom Livy calls a Common Whore, tho' Plutarch makes her pass for a Lady of Quality) came to have fome knowledge of this Enterprize, and discover'd it to Cicero, (a Perfon whom Paterculus elegantly calls Virum Novitatis Nobiliffima; fince he was a Man of mean Paren tage born at Arpinum, an inconfiderable Town among the Volfcians, but by his Eloquence rais'd himself to the chief Dignities of State, and happened to be Conful at that time) who affembled the Senate, and by a fevere Oration accused and convicted Catiline : However he, with a few of his Party, found means to make his Efcape towards Tuscany, and put himself at the Head of fome Troops which Manlius had got together in those Parts, threatning publickly that he wou'd put out the Fire of the City by the Ruins of it. In the mean time Cethegus, Lentulus, and feveral other Complices, were feized and ftrangled in Prifon by order of the Senate, at Cato's Perfuafion: And Caius Antonius Nepos, who was joint Conful with Tully, march'd with what Forces he could raise against Catiline, who in a fharp Battel was kill'd upon the Spot, with moft of his Followers, and (as Paterculus obferves) Quem Spiritum fupplicio debuerat, pralio reddidit. And by the peaceful Robe got more Renown His Collegue Catulus, tho' Nobly Born; 39 A Promontory of Epirus, near the Inland Leucas, where Antony and Cleopatra were ruin'd by a Famous Sea Fight. 40 The Fields near Philippi in Theffaly, where Brutus and Caffius were defeated. 41 Caius Marius, was likewife born at Arpinum, and of fuch poor Parents, that he was firft a Plowman, then a Common Soldier, yet at laft by his Merit arrived to the higheft Employments. Once while he was Conful (for that Honour was feven times conferr'd on him) the Cimbrians attempred to make an Excurfion into Italy: But he kill'd 140000 of them, and made 60000 Prifoners: For which Victory a Triumph was ordain'd him by the Senate; but to decline the Envy which might be rais'd by his good Fortune. he folicited that 2. Lutatius Catulus, his Collegue, who was of a Noble. Family, might be permitted to Triumph with him, tho' he had no share in the Action, From From 42 a mean Stock the Pious Decii came; Nicely killed, and the Roman Army gain'd the Battel. His Son Died in the fame manner in the Wars against the Gauls, and the Romans likewise obtain'd the Victory. 43 Servius Tullius was Son to Oriculana, whom Juvenal calls a Serving-Maid, but Livy fuppofes her to have been Wife to a Prince of Cornicu 42 Among the Romans there | was a Superftition, that if their General would confent to be Devoted, 01 Sacrificed to Jupiter, Mars, the Earth, and the Infernal Gods, all the Misfortunes which otherwife might have happened to his Party, would by his Death be tranfferred on their Enemies. This Opinion was confirmed by feveral successful Inftances, par-lum, who was kill'd at the ticularly two, in the Perfons of the Decii, the Father and Son here mentioned. The firft being Conful with Manlius in the Wars against the Latins | and perceiving the Left Wing, which he commanded, give back, he called out to Valerius the High Prieft to perform on him the Ceremony of Confecration, (which we find defcrib'd by Livy in his 8thBook) and immediately fpurr'd his Horfe into the thickest of his Enemies Forces, where he was taking of the Town, and his Wife was carried away Captive by Tarquinius Prifcus, and prefented as a Slave to his Wife Tanaquil, in whofe Service he was delivered of this Tullius. The Family had a great Refpect for the Child, because of a Lambent Fire they obferved to play about his Head while he slept, which was interpreted as an Omen of his future Greatness; therefore Care was taken of his Education, and at last he was G 4 Con 1 Nicely he gain'd, and well poffeft the Throne, When 44 Tarquin, his proud Succeffor, was quell'd, And with him Luft and Tyranny expell'd; The Conful's Sons (who for their Country's Good, Actions which + Cocles might have wish'd his own; } Boaft then your Blood, and your long Lineage stretch Your Ancestors the 52 Scum of broken Jayles: Contracted to the King's fearing his Marriage might hinder their Succeffion, hired two Shepherds to affaffinate Tarquinius, which they under took, |