neither was it the manner of kings to forbid their subjects to get commodity how they best could by sea. But, said the younger of the two embassadors, we Romans have a manner, and a very valuable one, to take revenge in public of those private wrongs that are borne out by public authority; therefore we shall teach you, God willing, to reform your kingly manners, and learn better of us. These words the queen took so impatiently, that no revenge could satisfy her, but the death of him that had spoken them. Wherefore, without all regard of the common law of nations, she caused him to be slain, as if that had been the way to set her heart at rest, which was, indeed, the means to disquiet and afflict it ever after.

The Romans, provoked by this outrage, prepare two great armies; the one by sea, consisting of two hundred sail, commanded by C. Fulvius; the other by land, led by A. Posthumus. They trouble not themselves any more with requiring satisfaction; for this injury is of such a nature, as must be requited with mortal war. It is indeed contrary to all human law, to use violence towards embassadors; the reason and ground whereof seems to be this: that since, without mediation, there would never be an end of war and destruction, therefore it was equally received by all nations, as a lesson taught by nature, that embassadors should pass freely, and in safety, between enemies. Nevertheless, as I take it, this general law is not without limitation. For if any king or state lay hold upon embassadors sent by their enemies, not unto themselves, but unto some third, whom they should draw unto the quarrel; then it is as lawful to use violence to those embassadors, (thus employed, to make the war more terrible,) as it is to kill the men of war, and subjects of an enemy. And so might the Athenians have answered it, when they slew the Lacedæmonian embas

sadors that were sent to Xerxes, to draw him into a war upon the Athenians. Neither are those embassadors, which practise against the person of that prince in whose countries they reside, warranted by any law whatsoever. For whereas the true office of an embassador residing, is the maintenance of amity; if it be not lawful for one prince to practise against the life of another, much less may an embassador do it, without incurring justly the same danger of punishment with other traitors; in which case, his place gives him no privilege at all. But we will leave this dispute to the civilians, and go on with the revenge taken by the Romans for the slaughter of their embassador at Coruncanus.

The Illyrian queen was secure of the Romans, as if they would not dare to stir against her. She was indeed in an error that hath undone many of all sorts, greater and less than she, both before and since; Having more regard unto fame, than unto the substance of things. The Greeks were at that time more famous than the Romans; the Ætolians and Epirots had the name of the most warlike people in Greece; these had she easily vanquished, and therefore thought that with the Romans she should be little troubled. Had she considered, that her whole army, which wrought such wonders in Greece, was not much greater than of ten thousand men, and that, nevertheless, it prevailed as much by odds of number, as by valour or skill in arms; she would have continued to use her advantage against those that were of more fame than strength, with such good caution, that she should not have needed to oppose her late gotten reputation against those that were more mighty than herself. But she was a woman, and did what she listed. She sent forth a greater fleet than before, under Demetrius of Pharos, with the like ample commission to take all that could be gotten. This fleet divided itself, and one part of

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it fell in with Dyrrachium, the other with Corcyra. ' Dyrrachium was almost surprised by the Illyrians; yet was it rescued by the stout citizens. In Corcyra the Illyrians landed, wasted the isle, and besieged the town. Hereupon the Etolians and Achaans were called in to help; who came, and were beaten in a fight at sea, losing, besides others of less note, Marcus Carynensis, the first prætor of Achaia, whom Aratus succeeded. The town of Corcyra, dismayed with this overthrow, opened the gates unto Demetrius Pharius, who took possession of it with an Illyrian garrison; sending the rest of his forces to besiege Dyrrachium. In the mean season, Teuta was angry with her captain Demetrius, I know not why; but so, as he resolved to try any other course, rather than to trust her.

The Romans were even ready to put to sea, though uncertain which way to take, when advertisement was brought to C. Fulvius the consul, of Demetrius's fear and discontent. Likely it was, that such an occasion might greatly help to advance the business in hand; wherefore the consul sailed thither, where he found the town of Corcyra so well prepared to his hand by Demetrius, that it not only received him willingly, but delivered into his power the Illyrian garrison, and submitted itself unto the Roman pro

tection.

After this good beginning, the consul sailed along the coast to Apollonia, 3 accompanied with Demetrius, whom he used thenceforth as his counsellor and guide. To Apollonia came also Posthumus, the other consul, with the land-army, numbered at twenty thousand foot and two thousand horse.

1 Dyrrachium, sometime called Epidamus, and now Durazzo, seated upon the Adriatic sea, between the islands of Pharos and Corcyra. 2 Corcyra, an island of the Adriatic Sea, not far from Durazzo, called now Corfu, and in the possession of the Venetians. 3 Apollonia, a city near Dyrrachium, or Durazzo, upon the sea-coast. Pynetus calls it Sissapolis.

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Thence they hasten towards Dyrrachium, which the Illyrians had besieged; but, upon news of the Roman army, they disperse themselves. From thence the Romans enter Illyria, and take Parthedia; beat the Illyrians by sea, take twenty of their ships, and enforce the queen Teuta to forsake the coast, and to cover herself in Rison, far within the land. the end, part of the Romans haste them homeward, and leave the best places of Illyria in the hands of Demetrius; another part stays behind, and prosecutes the war in such sort, that Teuta was forced to beg peace, which she obtained upon miserable conditions; to wit, that she should quit the better part of Illyria, and pay tribute for the rest; and from thenceforth never send any of her ships of war towards the coasts of Greece, beyond the island of Lissa, except it were some one or two vessels unarmed, and by way of trade.

After this Illyrian war, the Romans sent embassadors into divers parts of Greece, signifying their love to the country, and how, for good-will thereunto, they had made war with good success upon Teuta and her people. They hoped, belike, that some distressed cities would take this occasion to desire their patronage; which, if it happened, they were wise enough to play their own games; but no such matter fell out. The embassadors were only rewarded with thanks, and a decree made at Corinth, that the Romans thenceforth might be partakers of the Isthmian pastimes. This was an idle courtesy, but well meant by the vain Greeks, and therefore well taken by the Romans; who by this Illyrian expedition got nothing in Greece, save a little acquaintance, that shall be more hereafter.

SECT. VIII.

Of the war between the Romans and Gauls, somewhat before the coming of Hannibal into Italy.

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THE Gauls that dwelt in Lombardy were the next against whom the Romans took arms. These were a populous nation, and often molested Rome; some. times with their own forces, and sometimes with the assistance of those that inhabited France. Once their fortune was good, when they took Rome and burnt it; though the issue of that war proved not answerable to the beginning, if we may give credit unto Roman historians. In following times their success was variable, and commonly bad. Many overthrows they received; and if they got any tory it yielded them no profit, but was soon extorted out of their hands. They were indeed more fierce than well advised; lightly stirred up to war, and lightly giving over. At the first brunt they were said to be more than men, but when that was past less than women. The Romans were acquainted with their temper by long experience, and knew how to handle them; yet gave always careful heed to their approach, were it only bruited; for the dan ger of them was sudden and uncertain, by reason of their neighbourhood and want of intelligence among them. Few of their attempts upon Rome were called wars, but tumultus Gallici, tumults of the Gauls; and rightly, for they gave many alarms to Italy, and used to rise with great armies; but after a few days march, and sometimes before their setting forth, any small occasion served to disperse them. Having received an overthrow, they would rest ten or twelve years, sometimes twenty or thirty, till they were stir