For the use of these designations, see an example page 32, lines 16 and 20; also one commencing in page 34, line 5, and ending page 35, line 8; only the commencement and termination being marked, though a quotation extends to several paragraphs. The letters x, y, or z, not being required for signs of quotation, are used as references to notes. SKETCH OF ANCIENT AUTHORS, Referred to in this Work. HERODOTUS. HERODOTUS, an ancient Greek historian of Halicarnassus, was born about 484 years before the Christian era. He travelled over Egypt, Greece, Italy, &c. and acquired the knowledge of the history and origin of many nations; from which he composed the history which bears his name. Cicero styles him the Father of History. CICERO. Cicero, Marcus Tullius, was one of the greatest men of antiquity, whether we consider him as a Statesman, an Orator, or a Philosopher. The place of his birth was Aspina, in the kingdom of Naples. He was put to death 43 years before Christ. DIODORUS. Diodorus Siculus, an ancient historian, was born at Agyria, in Sicily, and lived in the reigns of Julius Cæsar, and Augustus. He says, in the beginning of his history, that he was no less than 30 years in writing it, in the capital of the world, the city of Rome. It comprised, in 40 books, the most remarkable events of the world, during 1138 years. But, to the great disappointment of the curious, only 15 are extant. Justin Martyr calls him the most renowned and esteemed of all the Greek historians. STRABO. Strabo, an author of great celebrity, died at the beginning of the reign of the Emperor Tiberius. His books of Geography are accounted curious remains of antiquity. He explains the customs, manners, policy, and religion of various nations. He also gives some account of their famous men. SENECA. Seneca, Livius Annæus, a Stoic philosopher, was born at Corduba in Spain, about the beginning of the Christian era. He, together with his father and the rest of his family, removed to Rome, when he was so young that he was carried thither in the arms of his aunt. There he was educated under the best masters. He was preceptor to Nero; the first five years of whose reign, have been considered a perfect pattern of good government. But when Nero was hurried by Poppea and Tigellinus into the most extravagant and abominable vices, he grew weary of his master, whose life must have been a constant rebuke to him; for he had said to Nero: "I had rather offend you by speaking the truth, than please you by lying and flattery." Nero attempted through the medium of Cleonicus, a freed man of Seneca, to take him off by poi 1 son; but this not succeeding, he was put to death by opening his veins, his friends standing over him, whose tears he endeavoured to stop, sometimes by gently admonishing, and sometimes by sharply rebuking them. The works of Seneca are so well known, by the several editions which have been published, that we need not recite them. JOSEPHUS. Josephus was the son of Mattathias, of the race of the priests. By his mother he was descended from the Asmonean family, which, for a considerable time, had the supreme government of the Jewish nation. He was born at Jerusalem, in the first year of the reign of the Emperor Caligula, A. D. 37. In the beginning of the Jewish war, he commanded in Galilee; and Vespasian, the general under Nero, having conquered that country, he became his prisoner. When Vespasian, upon being declared Emperor, went to Rome, Josephus staid with Titus, was present at the siege of Jerusalem, and saw the ruin of his city and country. He afterwards settled in Rome; and there he wrote his History of the Jewish Wars, in seven books; and of the Jewish Antiquities, in twenty books. works were written in the Greek language. PLUTARCH. His Plutarch, a great philosopher and historian of antiquity, who lived from the reign of the Roman emperor Claudius, to that of Adrian, was born at Cheronca in |