others are not altogether deftitute of merit. Florus is an emphatical Writer. One may eafily perceive that he was a Spaniard, and probably of the blood of the Senecas. Being more a Declaimer and a Poet, than an Hiftorian, he continually runs after a falfe eloquence, and never writes in cold blood. Our Author fufpects that thofe Abridgers have occafioned the lofs of feveral large Hiftories.

He has followed the Fafti Confulares of the Capitol for the Chronology, and inferted feveral geographical Maps, according as the Romans enlarged their Empire. The fubftance of the direct Speeches of Confuls, Tribunes and Senators, will be found in this Hiftory. Nothing was tranfacted at Rome without public discourfes.

It is not ufual to publish a History with a great many Notes in the margin; but fuch Notes are abfolutely neceffary in a Roman History, to explain the manners, customs, arms, dress, magiftracies, warlike engines, and other things fo different from our prefent ufages. So many inftructions could not be inferted in the Text without breaking the thread of the difcourfe by continual digreffions; and therefore our Author has placed them in the margins. I muft obferve that he takes notice, in those marginal Notes, of the different accounts which different Hiftorians have given of the fame facts: a thing, which appears to me to be of great importance.

Father Catrou has adorned his Work with Medals of great ufe to clear many paffages in the Roman Hiftory. He has alfo inferted many engraved Figures, taken from the collections of Antiquaries, not merely to please the fight, but to confirm hiftorical Points, or to clear obfcure

Facts

Facts by antient monuments. The Readers will alfo find in this Work feveral Plans of Rome, according as that Capital of the world grew larger, and several draughts of battels.

This Roman Hiftory, from the foundation of Rome to the end of the Republic, will confift of twelve Volumes in quarto, four of which are come out. I think they should be published in English, as foon as poffible. By reading this Work, one may learn in a great measure the Roman Antiquities, as well as the Roman History.

A fhort paffage, relating to Coriolanus, will not be an improper Specimen of this great Performance.

"EARLY in the morning, Veturia, and her "attendants, fet out in chariots, and took the "road to Tufculum, where the Volfci were then cc encamped. As foon as they came out of "Rome, the Scouts of the army informed Co

riolanus, that a great many Roman Ladies "were marching towards the camp, doubtlefs "to make him new fupplications. The Gene"ral, who did not think it was his mother and "his wife, hardened his mind against the depu"tation. In the mean time, the chariots went "forward. Then an Officer of the Volfci, who "difcovered Veturia and Volumnia, gave notice "of it to Coriolanus. The General, already "half overcome, went out of his tent to meet "his mother. He ordered the Lictors of his "guard to lay down their Axes, and to leave "their Fafces in her prefence. It was a cere"monial, obferved by the leffer Magiftrates be"fore the more confiderable, when they hap66 pened to meet; and Coriolanus intimated by

cc

"it that his power was inferior to that of his "mother. Though never fo inflexible, he could 66 not fee, without being moved, the fad condi"tion Veturia appeared in, the tears she shed, " and the mournful garment fhe was cloathed with. He comes to embrace her; but instead "of a fuppliant, she became an imperious mo"ther, and broke out into these words. Before "I receive your embraces, let me know, Coriola"nus, whether I shall embrace a thankful, or an "ungrateful fon. Am I bere your mother, or a "captive? Ab! my fon, have I lived fo long only "to see you banished, and then my enemy? How "could you, cruel man, ravage that country which gave you birth? How could you keep your anger "at the fight of your native country? Could you "caft your eyes upon Rome, without faying, there cc are my domeftic Gods, there lives a mother who "loves me, a dear wife, and children whofe fa"ther I am? Unhappy Veturia! have I then "brought a Son into the world only to fee him deແ ftroy my country! O deplorable Rome! I have "been teeming only for thy misfortune! Thou "wouldft be free, if I was not a mother! But "thou shalt quickly be revenged of my teemingness! "No, I will not outlive the dishonour of my son, " and thy mifery! Yes, Coriolanus, either thou <c fhalt deliver Rome, or trample upon the body of "thy mother, to go and befiege it. Thus fpoke "Veturia. The haughty Roman was filent. "Veturia put a favourable interpretation upon "his filence, and went on thus. You fancy, Co"riolanus, that it is a glorious thing to have in"dulged your refentment. Confider, that it is ftill

ແ

more fhameful to grant nothing to one's country "and to one's mother. 'Tis a double rebellion; " 'tis a monstrous ingratitude. You have revenged your

હડ

EC

66

your felf of Rome; but what have you done for "me? The deliverance of our City is the only fa<c vour I ask of you. Will you deny me? She faid; "and then fhe proftrated herself at the feet of "her fon, and at the fame moment Volumnia, "and her children, threw themfelves upon the cc ground. At that fight, Coriolanus could no longer hold out, and ftruggling with feveral "paffions, Mother, faid he, you have pacified my anger. May the Gods prevent my complaifance "from being prejudicial to me. You have obtain"ed over your fon a victory advantageous to our પ country, but very fatal to him. When he had "spoke those words, he went into his tent with "his mother, his wife and his children; and "without other witneffes, he confulted with the CC two perfons, that were deareft to him, about cc his future conduct towards Rome and the "VolfciAfter a conference fo beneficial to "their country, Veturia and her attendants re"turned to Rome in the evening, and were re"ceived with the acclamations of the whole ،، town. The Senate fent to them to know "what reward they defired for fuch an impor"tant fervice. Nothing, anfwered Veturia, “but that a Temple be erected to the Fortune of Women. We fhall be at all the charges of "the building. The Republic fhall only furnish "the victims to be for ever facrificed to the "Goddefs. The Senate admired the difinte"reftedness of Veturia: however, they would ،، not fuffer that Lady to build the Temple, "and to raise a Statue in it at her own charges. "Thofe Works were made with the publick cc money. 'Tis true that in procefs of time, "the Ladies rated themselves to erect in the "fame place a fecond Statue to the fame God

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defs.

2

«defs. There went a report in Rome, that
"fhe had spoke twice, and faid: 'Tis you, Ro-
CC man Ladies, who have confecrated me. The
CE profane Writers themfelves call that miracu-
"lous adventure a fable. That Temple of For-
"tune was affigned to the Ladies. They went
"to it feparately to offer up their vows. Vale-
"ria was the first Priestefs; and the Conful
"Proculus dedicated it two years after. That
"Sanctuary was very much frequented by the
"Women of Rome; but it was
was decreed
"that no Crown fhould be laid upon the head
"of the Goddess, and that those women, who
"had been married twice, fhould not be allow-
"ed to ferve that Deity. That care was only
"committed to young married women”.

There are three Notes of Father Catrou upon
that paffage. 1. He obferves that the Temple
of the Fortune of Women was built, four miles
from Rome, in that very place where Veturia
pacified the anger of Coriolanus, as we learn
from Valerius Maximus. Fortunæ muliebris Si-
mulacrum, quod eft in via Latina, ad quartum
milliarium, eo tempore confecratum, quo Coriola-
num ab excidio urbis materne preces depulerunt.
L. I. cap. 8. Befides, to preferve the memory
of that Deputation, the Senate ordered that it
should be tranfmitted to pofterity by a publick
Infcription upon Brass. 2. Our Historian makes
the following remarks on the words afcribed to
the Fortune of Women. Dionyfius Halicarnaffeus
afferts the truth of that fable, which he fays, he
had read in the Books of the Pontiffs. And in-
deed, the latter were entrufted with the care
of writing by way of Annals the History
of the moft confiderable tranfactions.
ufage began in the very firft times of the foun-

That

dation