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THE
ATTIC NIGHTS
O 9
A U L
U S G E L L I U S;
TRANSLATED INTO ElffCLISH,
By the Rev, W. B E L O E, f. s. a.
^ RANSLAro R OF HE RODOTUS, &G,
IN THREE VOLUMES,
VOL. L
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR
J.
JOHNSON, ST. PAUL's CHURCH-TARJ?,
M Dcc xcy.
v
<^
T O T H E
RIGHT HONOURABLE
The earl of O R F O R D,
&c. &c. &c.
THIS WORK
OF An ancient writer,
NEVER BEFORE TRANSLATED IxNTO ENGLISH,
IS,
WITH PERMISSION,
RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED,
BY HIS LORD SHIP'S
OBLIGED AND OBEDIENT SERVANT,
ir. BELOE.
(
JH
)
T H S
AUTHOR'S
PREFACE.
MORE
pleafing works' than the prefent
may certainly be found
j
but my obje6l in
writing this, was to provide my children* as well
as myfelfwith that kind of amufement, in which
they might properly relax and indulge themfelves,
at the intervals from more important bufinefs.
I have preferved the fame accidental arrangement
which I had before ufed in making the collc6tion.
Whatever book came into my handj whether it
was Greek or Latin, or whatever I heard that
was either worthy of being recorded or agreeable
to my fancy, I wrote down without diftin6lion,
and without order. Thefe things I treafured up
to aid my memory, as it were by a ftorehoufe
of"
learning : fo that when I wanted to refer to any
particular circumftance or word v/hich I had at
the moment forgotten, and the books from which
they were taken happened not to be at hand,
I
tould eafily find and apply it. Thus the fame:
irregularity will appear in thefe Commentaries^
as exifted in the original
annotations, which were
A 2 concifely
ir The Author's Preface,
toncifely written down without any method of
arrangement in the courfe of what I at different
times had heard or read. As thefe obfervations
at firfl conflituted my bufinefs, and my amufe-
ment, through many long winter nights, which
I fpcnt in Attica, I have given them the
name of Attic Nights, by no means imitating
the fine titles
^
with which various books of a
fimilar kind have been infcribed, by writers
in both languages. Thefe authors having got
together a various, mixedj and as it were im-
methodical kind of learning, have for this rea-
fon ftudied to give their books refined and
dainty titles. Some of them we find called
^'
The Mufes," others
*^
Silv^
:"
one rrran calls
his book
''
MinervaS Robe*,'* another,
"
The
Horn of Amakhea
^"
One is termed
"
Ho-
ney-combs," another "
Paflures^,'* another
"
My own Readings,'* another
"
Ancient Read-
ings," another
"
Flowrets," another
"
Inventi-
ons." This man names his work
"
i^ights," that
"
Tapeftrie3%" others are called
"
Panders
V
"
Helicon," " Problems,"
"
Manuals'," "Small
Arms
i"
fome alfo are ftiled
"
Memorials,"
"
Pradical Hints,"
"
Leifure Amufements," and
"
Leffons." We meet alfo with
"
Natural Hif-
tory,"
"
Various Hiftory,"
"
The Parterre,"
"
The Orchard," and
"
Common Places;"
many have ' called their books,
"
Mifcellanies
,'*
t
nay.
Thi
Author's Preface. r
nay, fome have been ftiled
'^
Moral Epiftles,*'
others
"
Epiflolary or Mixed Queftions," with
various other appellations, which to me ^p*
pear too quaint, and to fmeli of affe6ted re-
finement. For my own part, and fuitably to my
own capacity, without care or iludy, and as fome
may think rudely enough, I have called my book
^Uic Nights, from the place where it was written,
and from the circumftance of its being in the
winter ; thus yielding the palm to others in the
dignity of my title, as the work itfclf is obvioufly
inferior with refpedl to the labour and embcl-
lifliment of ftile. But in making thefe colletlions
and remarks, I had not even the fame purpofe in
view with the majority of thofe to whom I al-
lude
;
for all thefe, and the Greeks in particular,
reading perpetually a vaft multitude of things,
have heaped together, whatever they met with,
without any difcrimination
*',
as if the quantity
were their only objeftj in perufing which the
mind will be fatigued and exhaufted, before
it
meets here and there with any thing amufing to
read, ornamental to know, or ufeful to remember.
As to myfelf, being very partial
to the faying
of
Heraclitus" the Ephefian, a man of the higheft
eminence, namely, that various but conflifed
knowledge does not lead to wifdom
'%
I have mofl:
affiduoufly employed, and even wearied myfelf in
all thofe intervals I could ileal from bufinefs, in
turning over
and
curforily reading a great num-
A
2
ber
vi
The Author's
Preface,
ber of books. But I have feledted from them not
many things, and indeed fuch only as might lea4
lively and ingenious minds, by
a fliort and fimple
procefs, to the defire of liberal
fcience,
and the
fludy of ufeful arts, or which
might refcue
men
bufied with other occupations, from a mean and
difgraceful ignorance of things as well as words.
The few things, therefore, which may occur in this
volume, curious or perplexing, on the fubje6ls
of
grammar, rhetoric, or even of geometry, or the
flill fewer and more abftrufe on the rights of au-
gurs and the priefthood, let them not be paflcd
over as either unimportant to be known, or hard
to be underftood, I have not explored, nor dif-
cufifed elaborately the intricacies of thefe quef-
tions. I have rather given the firfl fruits
'S
and
a tafte as it were of thofe liberal arts, the total
ignorance of which indicates a fliameful negledt,
and would be unpardonable in a man of the mofl:
moderate and ordinary education
'^
Of thofe>
therefore, if any fuch there be, who at their leifure
may have fome amufement in perufing thefe lu-
cubrations, I would intreat, that if they fliall find
what they long fince knew, they would not de-
fpife it as being trite and very common; for
what is there in literature fo abllrufe, but that
imany men know it? It is recommendation
enough, that thefe have been neither prated over
again and again in fchools, nor thumbed in com-
mentaries. Should they meet, perchance, with any
'
,
I
thing
The Author's Preface. vli
thing that is new and original, I think it juft that
they fhould weigh without any fpirit of cavil,
whether thefe very few (light leffons are con-
temptible as to their power of exciting literary
application, or languid in affording ingenuous a-
mufenaent, or whether they are not rather ofthat
nature and defcription by which the natural ta-
lents may be improved and ftrengthened, the
memory become more prompt
'%
the faculty
of reafon more acute, the Ipeech more corre6t,
in hours of relaxation more delightful, and in
exercife more liberal. As for thofe parts which
may feem not fufficiently perfpicuous, or too in-
complete and fcanty, I beg to have them con-
fidered as written not fo much to inftrudl as
to fuggeft
;
and that my readers would be con-
tented with them as pointing out the paths in
which they are to go, which afterwards, if they
think proper, they may purfue farther by the aid
ofeither books or tutors
: as to whatever they may
think rcprehenfible, let
their refentment, if they
pleafe to indulge any, be dire6led againft thofe
by whom it was originally written. If they fhall
find the fame thing exprefled differently elle-
where, let them not be too haftily difpleafed -,
I
would have them firfl refer to the contents
of
thofe books, and the authorities of thofe writers,
which they from whom I differ, as well
as
myfelf, muft have examined
;
but it will
be
far bett,^r for fuch as have neither enjoyed
A
4
vili The Author's
Prepack.
pleafure nor bellowed pains in reading, writing,
and making remarks, who have not employed
their waking hours as I have,
who have never
polifhed their minds by examining and ex-
tra6ling the rival cfibrts of votaries of the fame
mufe, but who are immerfed in fcenes of riot,
or the cares of bufincfs, to go their way from
thefe NightSy and feek out for themfelves other
amufements. It is an old proverb, ".A jay**
has no- concern with mufic, nor a hog with per-
fumes
;"
but that the ill-humour and invidiouf-
nefs of certain ill taught people may be ftill more
exafperated, I fliall borrow a few verfes from a
chorus of Ariftophanes
j
and v/hat he, a man of
moft exquifite humour, propofed as a law to the
fpe6bators of his play, I alfo recommend to the
readers of this volume, that the vulgar and un-
hallowed herd, who are averfe to the fports of
the mufes, may not touch, nor even approach
if,The verfes are thefe
:
-

Silent be they
^\
and far from hence remove.
By fcenes like ours not likely to improve.
Who never paid the
honoured
mufe her rights^
Who
lenfelefs live in wild impure delights
;
I
bid them once, I bid them twice begone,
I bid them
thrice, in ftill
a
louder tone
:
Far hence depart, vyhilft ye with dance an4
fong
Cur folemn feaft, our tuneful
nights prolong,
M
The Author's Preface.
ix
At
prefent there are twenty books
of thefe re-
marks. Whatever portion of future life the gods
may give me to enjoy, that I can fpare from the
care of my domeftic concerns, and the education
of my children, it fhall be wholly employed in
making a fimilar colledion, at hours ftolen from
weightier bufinefs, and dedicated to fubje6ts of
fccondary concern.
The number of my books,
therefore, with the favour of heaven, Ihall corrc-
Ipond with the extent of my
life, whatever this
may be ; nor do I defire to
live any longer than I
may be able to retain
this
faculty of writing and
making obfervation.
To
each chapter I have
prefixed an account of its
particular contents,
that it may immediately appear
what may be
fought, and found in
every
book.
NOTES
(
^
)
If
OTES ON THE
PREFACE,
THE
whole of this Preface in the earlier editions vAiick
appeared ofour author, was fubjoined to the laft chap-
ter of the laft book. It feems wonderful how it fhould get
there, having no manner of connexion with the fubjedl of
that chapter. Later editions reftored it to the place for
which it was
obvioufly intended, for no preface can be ad-
duced, which more fenfibly or in more elegant terms informs
the reader of what the author had in view.

More pleajlng lAjorks, &-C.] I have in a former work

remarked, that it was an elegant diiUndlion of the earlier
writers to enter at once with a manly abruptnefs on their,
fubjedl, without mifemploying their reader's time or their
own, by elaborate and ufelefs apologies, yet in their dia-
logues fuch apologies were often interwoven.
*
My chiyren.'] Thus Cicero avowedly wrote his Book
of Offices for the ufeof his fon.

Fine titles.'] In the infancy, of letters in this coun-

try, a propenfity prevailed for giving the moll: whimfical and^
unaccountable titles to books : we accordingly meet with
"
Hunger's Prevention,"
"
Omnibus et Singulis, or Mat-
ter for all Men,"

The Will of Wit, Wit's Will, or Will's
Wit, chufe you whether,"
"
The
Dialogues of the Crea-
tures,"
"
A Springe to catch Woodcocks,"
"
Your fervant
Gentlemen," with innumerable others. On this fubjeft alfo.
^

'of
Notes ON the Preface.
xi
of the titles of books, the reader may confult the Prolego-
mena of Salmafius in Solinum. That learned man ridicules
Gellius for having fallen into the fame error for which he
cenfures others. The appellation of Noftes Atticae being,
in the eftimation of Salmafius, no lefs faftidious and affedled
than thofe which are enumerated in the Preface.
Minewa^s rohe.'\ The original is ttswXoi', which in its
appropriate fenfe means an embroI4 -red veil facred to Mi-
nerva
;
this was its primitive fenfe, but afterwards it was ufed
to fignify, generally, a matron's robe. In its firft meaning
it was fpecifically applied to a veil which was carried about at
'Athens with great folemnity at the feaft of the Panathen^a
;
it had embroidered on it the figure of the giant Enceladus,
who was flain by Minerva, and was worked, not by any fe-
male hands indifcriminately, but by virgins, who were called
Egyacrni/aj ; there were alfo woven in this robe the names of
exalted and illuftrious characters, fuch being termed
|((
wswAtf. See the Equitesof Ariftophanes, line
560:
In the former of which lines, a remarkable refemblance
appears to the firft verfe of the
4
4th chapter of Ecclefiaf-
ticus :
Let us now praife famous men, and our fathers that begot us.
If the peplus received any contamination from dirt, or any
thing elfe, it was the office of particular perfons to clcanie
it. There was alfo a peplus at lea, facred to Juno.
In the
Iliad, when the Trojan matrons gofn fo^errn proceffion to the
temple of Minerva, to implore that goudeTs to remove Dio-
med from the field of battle, the offering imagined to be moll
acceptable to her is a fuperb vefl
;
Go, a fpotlefs train.
And burn rich odours in Minerva's fane
;
The
kS Notes on the
Prefaci.
The largeft mantle your full wardrobes hold,
Mod prized for art, and labourM o'erwith gold.
Before the goddefs honoured
knees be fpread, &c.
Where the word ufed is wittXo, upon which lines of Pope
I would remark, that the flrong epithet of ay^^wtj;, applied
to Minerva, is unnoticed ; that
"
a fpotlefs train
'*
is exple^
tive, and not in the original ; and that Homer's defcription
of the peplus to be ufed for this purpofe is, literally, the moil
elegant, the largeft, and that which you yourfelf value the
moft. The carrying of this robe in folemn proceilion is alfo
^mentioned by Virgil
:
Interea ad templum non lequae Palladis ibant
Crinibus Iliadespaffis, peplumque ferebant,
Suppliciter triftes.
Cicero, in his Epiftles to Atticus, b. i6. c. 1 1, mentions a
book written by Varro, and called Pepliographia, the fubjedl
of which is the praife of illuftrious characters. Ariftotle alfo
wrote a book, to which he gave the name of Peplum, and
which contained the epitaphs of heroes : a fragment of this
book is preferved by Canter. In this alfo, as Canter affirms,
were the genealogies of Homcr*s heroes. Confult the Cice-
ronian Index of Erneftus.

The born
of
Jmalthea.'] The ftory of this horn is vari-
oufly related, jiipiter was faid to have been brought up by
fome nymphs, and fed with goat's mi'k, and that in gratitude
he tranflatcd the goat amongft the conftellatiens, and gave
one of the horns to his nurfe, which was endued with the
Angular virtue of producing to the nymph whatever flie
defued to extract from it. According to Erafmus, it was a
tide commonly given to books, the contents of which were
of a mifcellaneoas nature. From this the word cornucopia
is derived, which in every mcdern nation and language has
been applied as emblematic cf abundance.
^
/'iz/z-w/v.'.] Such colie^Puions were called Anthologies,
and
KOTES ON THE
PREFACE,
xlil
atid
fometimes
an^pecvcv.
See Carmen
Meleagri,
p. 55.
of tha
Notitia
Poetar.
Antholog.
fubjoined to
the Oxford
editioa
of Cephalus.
Anth. Gr.

Tapeflries.']
The Greek word is Sr^wjua-iK
;
this alfo
means books of
mifcellanies.
Thus
Clemens
Alexandrlnus
confefles that he gave the name of rr^w/^xaTei?
to his book*
from their various matter. Our author feems
particularly to
allude to the i:T^a;/>tT?
of Plutarch,
cited by Eufebius in hii
Preparatio
Evangelica,
book i.

Thyfius,
Origen
alfo wrote a book, which
from its mifcellaneous
matter he called Xt^:<;/atek ;
a metaphor,
fays Erafmus, taken
from
painted hangings and tapeftry,
of which formerly the
rich and great were extravagantly
fond.
The parafite, ia
the
Pfeudolus of Plautus, threatens his flaves, that he will fo
lace their jackets that Campanian
tapeftry Ihall not be
half fo variegated. See Erafmus,
where he explains the
term
Periftromata Campanica.
"
Pandeas.'] This literally means a compilation,
being
derived from teat all, and
hxQu^o(,i
to receive. It has fincc
alfo been not unfrequently ufcd as a title to books, but is
more particularly applied to the Digeil or Code of Julli-
nian
.

Manuals. I^^ln its firfl: fenfe E7;:^^iJj means dag-

gers, weapons convenient for the hand. This is the title
of a book which we have of Epi(5letus. Erafmus alfo
wrote a book vvhick was termed Enchiridium Militis Chrif-
tiani. Manual, till within thefe few years, was an appel-
lation frequently given to books in this country, but princi-
pally confined to thofe on the fubjeds of devotion. It is
now confidered as quaint, and is becoming obfolete.
^
Without any d'ifcriTnination.'\ The original contains a
proverbial exprefTion, which it would be difficult to convey
in a tranflation.
"
In quas res cunque inciderant, alba ut
dicitur linea, fine cura difcriminis folam copiam fedlati con-
verrebant.'*
"
Whatever they met with a white line, as
it is faid, and without taking the pains to difcriminate, they
heaped
iiv Notes on the
Prefac
heaped together, as if aiming at quantity only." The line
anciently u!ed by architefts was a white line, which, pre-
vious to its being applied, was rubbed over with red chalk
:
thus, fay the commentators, the expreflion of alba linea was
applied to a perfon who approved of every thing indifcrimi-
nately. The correfpondent term in Greek, of ^fun*)
aru^ixr,,
Was ufed with the fame fignification by Plato and by Plu-
tarch. It alfo occurs in a fragment of Sophocles, preferved
in Suidas
:
1 can no more guefs what you mean than if a white line
were applied to a white ftone.
Eraimus in his Adagia does not omit to make mention of
this proverb
; and the reader will find the Greek expreflion
of T^ivKfi crTa0/x) explained in 2enobius.
*
Heraclitus,'] The hiftory of this philofopher is given,
by Diogenes Laertius, arid may alfo be found in Moreri.
The more obvious circumftances of his life and manners, as
contrafted with thofe of Democritus the Cynic, are fufficiently
known.
^*
Lead to knofwIedge,'\
The fenfe of the Greek proverb^
fays Gronovius, is, that confufed and ill digelled knowledge
opprefTes the min^i and does not promote wifdom. A fimi-
lar
fentimeiit occurs in Seneca; non refert quam multi fed
quam boni legantur libri. And the Cynic, in the 13th book
of AthensBus, expreifes himfelf to the fame effefl
:
/
Nothing can be emptier than excefs of knowledge. Gronov*
Gronovius has omitted to inform the reader that the above
Greek verfe, quoted by the Cynic in Athenasus, is given to'
Hipponax. See alfo the firft chapter of Ecclefiaftes, the laft
verfe.
"
For in much wifdom is muchi grief, and he that
increafeth knowledge incrcafeth forrow/'
Firfi
Notes
on the Preface*
*
Ftrft
fruits,
a
/^^.]Terms taken from the ceremonies
of
facrifice.
Libamentum
alludes to the cuftom of fprink-
ling
wine on the ground after the offering up of the viftim,
which
was called the libation ; but the prieft firfl of all tafted
h.
M?//^r^/^/y.]This is certainly not expreffed with the
full force of the original,
which is ci'viliter, and which im-
plies fuch an education, as
every Roman citizen may be ex-
pelled to receive.
"
The memory.
"[
See this pafTage in a manner tranfcribed
by Macrobius, in the firft chapter of the iirfl book of the Sa-
turnalia. Invenies plurima quse fit aut voluptati legere,
aut
cultui legifTe, aut ufui meminiffe, nihil enim huic operi in-
fertum puto, aut cognitu inutile, aut difficile perceptu, (t^L
omnia quibus fit ingenium tuum vegetius, memoria admini-
culatior, oratio follertior, fermo incorruptior.
Concerning which pafTage it may be obferved, that the
firfl editions of Aulus Gellius retained the reading of oratm
yo//fr/wr, which, confidering the context, has no meaning
at
all.
**
Ajay.'l^'h
dunce has no concern with the mufes,
no
more have jays, the mofl garrulous of birds, with mufical
inflruments. Concerning the Amaracus, the following
words
of Servius feem pertinent in this place. Amaracus
was ths
name of a youth who was perfume bearer to feme prince
j
he happened to fall while carrying fome unguents, and the
mixture of them made the odour flill more cxquifite ; from
hence the moft delicious perfumes were called amaracina.
He was changed into the herb fweet marjoram, which,
henceforth bore this name. Virgil mentions the herb> ^n. i.
695.
Ubi mollis amaracus ilium
Floribus et dulei adfpirans
compledlitur
umbra.
See alfo Pliny. Nat. Hift. xxi, 11,
The
xvi Notes on the Preface.
The averfion of hogs to thr^maracus is thus mentioned
by Lucretius:
,
^
Denique amaracinum
fugitat fus, et timet omne
Unguentum, nam fetigeris fubus acre venenum eft. Thyjtus,
This proverb is mentioned by Erafmus, and well explained.
The jay, fays he, is the noifiieftof birds, and aiTociates only
with its kind, thus a more intolerable noife is excited*
whereas mulic requires flill and filent attention. With refpeft
to the latter part of the expreflion, the fcriptural phrafe of
cafting pearls before fwine is of ilmilar import, and con-
veyed in terms by no means leis energetic. The Greeks
had a proverb not very unlike this in its application:
Tc
^a ^o^uv (fus per rofas) a hog amongft rofes, applied to
ftupid people, upon whom good inflruftion was thrown
away.
"7
Silent be they, &c.]Thefe verfes occur in the Ranae of
Ariftophanes, aft i. fcene 7.After the three frft many
others are inferted in the original, defcribing particularly a
number of mean, ignorant, or profligate charaders, whom in
like manner the poet wiflies to abfent themfelves from the
reprefentation of his play ; the pafTage then concludes as it
^
here quoted by Gellius,
THB
(
*xva
)
THE
TRANSLATOR'S
P R
E F A C E*
UPO>I
the duties which a Tranflator ol
the writers of antiquity is bound to dif-^
charge, the inconveniencies which he is^, doomed
to encounter, and the advantages which^^dlfe bulk
of readers in any enlightened country ni
ay
derive?
from his labours, I have delivered my opinion iri
the Preface to my verfion of Herodotus.
Re-
petition, I am aware, may difguft the faftidious^
and vindication, even where it is not wholly
un-
necefTary, feldom conciliates the prejudiced.
I
fhall, therefore, content myfelf with ftating,
thaC
further experience has fince reimpreffed and con-
firmed the convidlion which, as I then feit it
Without afFedtation,
I expreffed without referve.
The reception with which the work above-
mentioned has been honoured by a difcerning and
candid public, though it gratified my pride, has
not relaxed
my a6livity.
He that writes profef-
VoL.
I,
*a
fedly
^xviu
The Translator's Preface,
fedly and
immediately for the amufement andf
infl:ru6tion of the unlearned, muft depend for
Encouragement
often, and for reputation always,
on the
fulFrages of the learned. If therefore the
decifion
of men eminently diftingulflied for the
correftnefs of their tafte, and the extent of their
erudition, had been lefs favourable towards my
former work, I fliould have yielded in filent and
refpedful fubmiflion to die authority of a fcn-
tence,
which it were alike indecorous to flight,
and
impoflible to controul. I might have turned
my
attention towards other taflcs more adapted
to the real fize of my abilities, and confoled my-
felf with the hope, that unwearied induftry and
honed intention would at leaft have qualified ma
to
become a candidate for public approbatioa
with more unequivocal propriety, and more
aulpicious effedl.
Ofthe indulgence which I have already expe-
rienced I fpeak with unfeigned gratitude; and
furely I may exped to be acquitted of unbecom*
ing prefumption, when I acknowledge that thi3
indulgence has animated me to new and more
arduous exertions, in quefl of new and more
doubtful fuccefs.
In the fcledlion of an author, who has not
hitherto beentranflated into our own tongue, I be-
lieve that the conveniencies are more than coun-
terbalanced by the inconveniencies.. Leaving to
Others the advantages of bng'and fondprepof-
feflloij
The
Translator's Preface, xix^
feflion in the public mind towards the ftile or th^
matter of the writers whom they have tranflated>
an adventurer like myfelf may give way to emo-
tions of momentary triumph, in the confcious
iingularity of his undertaking. But the effetts
of fingularity itfelf are top uncertain to be mea-
fured by conjedture; and over him who attempts
what no man has attempted, impends many a
heavy temped of indignation, unlefs he be found
to have performed well, what no man before him
has ventured to perform at all. On a tranfient
view of thofe fubjedls, which long refearch and
repeated effort have at once familiariicd and
endeared to himleif, he imagines that, on their
firft appearance in the world, the force of mere
novelty will ad in their favour. But, in the hour
of experiment, he finds it difficult to awaken
curiofity upon topics of which the general utility
is by general confent difputable, and to which
the ordinary
courfe even of a refined education
may, in fome inftances, fcarcely afford a clue.
He efcapes indeed the evils which may arife from
comparifons between himfelf and a predecefTor in
fidelity and elegance -, but ho lofes ail the benefits
which
a model, though imperfed, might furnifh>
in affifting him to elucidate
th^ obfcure, to fofcen
the rugged, and to accommodate the general flilc
of his tranflation more clofely to the peculiar
manner of an ancient writer, and the peculiar
genius of a modern language. He llarids ex-
*Si 2 pofed
xx The Translator's Preface.
pofed to a dire(5l and formidable comparlfon with
the original author alone. He appears at the bar of
criticifm without any proteftion from thofe pleas
which the repeated, and, it may be, the unavoid-
able
failures of other men might have fupplied
for the extenuation of his ow^n. He lies open to
cenfure for pofitive defedls, without the chance
of being praifed for comparative excellence. He
is to grapple with the objedlions of gloomy
perverfenefs, and to fatisfy the demands of vague:
and capricious expectation. He has much to
alk from that fagacity which penetrates into the
caufes of errors, and more to apprehend from
that flern and inexorable vigilance which recounts
their numbers, and broods over their aggrava-
tions.
In a preface which unites the profoundefl re-
mark with the moil energetic didion,
*
Hampton
enumerates
This wife and learned man tells us, page 2 2d of his
preface, that
**
he has compared different texts, confultcd

different verfions, and weighed all the explanations and

correftions that have occafionally been propofed." Of

his diligence and difcernment the proofs are abundant
;
but as he has not given a catalogue of the verfions, &c,
which he confulted, there is fome difficulty in determining
under what refl:rid;ions his general declaration is to be under-
ftood. From his mention of the river Helleporus, page
35.
vol. I. and from other inftances,
I
am inclined to think
that liC had not met with the Ledlones Polybian^, MSS.
Codiwis Auguftani, publilhed at Strafburg,
1670,
by John
Salary BocQkr. The valine of hi? tranlUtioji would have
bee
The Translator's Preface, xxi^
enumerates the difficulties with which he had
to
contend in tranflating Polybius. Thofe which I
have met in preparing this vcrlion of Aulus
Gellius are, perhaps, equally numerous and
equally (lubborn ; and though I afpire not ta
the fame which Hampton has juftiy acquired for
flrength and precifion, yet I will indulge the
hope of being permitted to receive fome fhare
of commendation for equal hardlnefs of enter-
prize, and equal intcnfenefs of exertion.
The cenfofious, perhaps, will be in fome de-
gree propitiated, and the candid, 1 am fure, will
not be offended, when T declare, that the embar-
rafTments which I have endeavoured to fur-
mount in my prefent work^ far exceed thpfe
which
accompanied my former underta:;lng. In
his fubjed and his flile, Herodotus abounded
with charms for readers of every age and every
rank, while it was the lot ofAulus Gellius to
be
perufed only
by men who aim at the highefl rank
in literature, and explore the moft complex quef-
tions of ancient jurlfprudence, of ethics, or phi-
been much increafed,
if it had been poffible for him to avail
himfelf of the admirable edition which Schweighhseufer
has lately
piibliHied at Leipfic, between the years
1789
and
'793'
The eighth volume of this edition, containing among
other
particulars, a Greek and Latin index, has not yet ap-
peared, and the Editor was fometime ago faid to have pe-
rifhed after the French had taken poiTeinon of Strafburg;
but this intelligence, I am told, is not exaft, ^nd- therefore
fcholars will not abandon the
hope of feeing the edition of
Polybius completed.
,*a
3
lology.
xxii The
Translator's Preface.
lology. Not to have read Herodotus would
be confidered as an unpardonable defedl in a
liberal
education, and the complaint would be
urged
by thofc very men who might Ihrink
from
the imputation of oftentatious pedantry,
or
frivolous curiofity, if they were tempted to
deviate from the beaten tra6t of erudition into
thofe dark and dreary bye-paths into which
they muft fometimcs be conduced by the author
of the No6les AtdciE, In tranflating Herodotus,
I had before me a writer, who has long been
efleemed as the fined model of the Ionic dia-
le6t, and who captivates every man of tafte by
the luminoufnefs of his defcriptions, the harmony
of his periods, the exquifite tendernefs of his {en-
timents, the variety, the perfpicuity, and the un-
affe6t-ed giandeur of his llile^ Gellius, on .the
other hand, though he may boaft of many and
even peculiar beauties. Is far removed from that
ftandard o{ excellence which diftinguiflied the
Auguftan age : and where is the critic who will
deny that writers, in proportion as they are pure,
for the moft part are intelligible ? or where is
the tranflator, who would not expe6l: more fre-
quent and more untoward obftrudions in the
works of Statius, Suetonius, or Tacitus, than in
the charter compofitions of a Virgil, a Livy, and
a
Casfar ? In Herodotus^ there is one hiftoric
form
of
fubjedt, and one appropriate chara6ter of
ftilc. Gellius prefents to his reader a
more di-
verfifted.
Thi Translator's Preface, xxiii*
verfified, and freqnendy a lefs agreeabie fcenery.
The ftriidure of his fentenccs is often in-
tricate
j
his choice of words is Qngular, and in
Ibme inO-inces even affedcd
-, and, in addition to
the difhculdes arifing 5;om his own didion,
other, and I think greater, are to be found in
the numerous palfages which he has happily pre-
ferved from obHvion. Painful indeed was the
toil which I
have experienced in my progrefs
throng) i the uncouth and antiquated phrafeology
of die Roman law
;
through the undifciplined,
though mafculine eloquence of Roman hifto-
rians and orators
i
through quotations from poets,
whofe entire works have long perifhed, and ia
whofe fragments the allufions are unknown, tlie
metre is incorred, the readings are doubtful, and
the exprcfTions are diftorted into quaintnefs, or
involved in obfcurity, fometimes through the re-
motenefs of the age, and fometimes through the
peculiarity of the writers.
Efchenbachius, in the preface to his edicioa
of Orpheus, informs us, that, with very little af-
fiftance from the verfion of Perdrierius, he
tranflated the Argonautics, and the book De La-
pidibus, afcribed to Orpheus, in the fpace of
four days. With the adivity of Efchenbachius
may be contrafted the flow and anxious care of
other tranflators.
One in particular Is mentioned in thefe terms
by Dlfraeli, in his Curiofities
of Literature.
**
4
"
Vaugeia^
*xxiv The Translator's Preface.
^^
Vaugelas, the mod polifhed writer of tho
French language, whofe life was pafTed in giving
it all its
perfedians ; and who, it is faid, devoted
thirty years to
his tranflation of Qiiintus Curtius,
a
circumftance that modern tranflators can have
no conception of, polTefled nothing valuable but
his precious manufcripts/'
In preparing Aulus Gellius for the prefs, I
was not defirous to imitate either the rapidity of
Efchenbachius, or the caution and folicitude of
Vaugelas. I have, however,
employed the utmoft
attention in difcovering clearly, and reprefenting
faithfully, the meaning of my author. For this
purpbfe, I
have had recourfe to the following
editions: Editio fecunda, Ven. 1472.The edi-
tion of Aldus, Venice, 1515. Of Henry Ste-
phens,
1
5 85.In Ufum Delphini,
1681.
El-
zevir, Amfteidam, 1651.Cum Notis Vario-i
rum, Leyden, 1666.-Of Gronovius, in 4to,
1706.The lafi, and perhaps beil edition, .by
Conradus, 2 vols. 8vo. Tipf. 1762.From the
critical refearches of H. Stephens I derived*
great afiiftance
5
and though I am difgufied with
the peevifh and faftidious temper of
J.
Grono-
vius, in depreciating the merits of Thyfius and
Oifclius, I met with much ufeful inflrudlion,
and many acute remarks, in his notes, and thofe
of his father. Of the Excurfus upon Queilions
of Law, which Conradus has fubjoined to the firft
^d fecond volumes, no fcholar will fpeak with
difrcfpccl.
The
Translator's Preface, xxy*^
difrefped. I
muft however accede to the opinion
of
*
Zeunlus, who fays that Otho, who fuperin-
tended the pubiication of Conradus's edition, has
given it the mofl: valuable additions, by notes,
which every reader will admire, becaufe they
are
excellent, while he at the fame time laments
that they are few. Scanty as may be the re-
fources, and erroneous as may be the opinions
of
any
Editor, it rarely happens that his labours
are wholly ufelefs. Plagiarifm itfelf is compelled
to veil its artifices
under a thin and fliowy web
of addition, and dullnefs fometimes flumbles
upon an interpretation which ingenuity has chafed
in vain. I am therefore bound to confefs, that
either in the adjuftment of dilputed readings, or
the developement of intricate pafTages, I have
found more or lefs afliftance from every one of
the editions which I have had occalion to employ.
To appreciate with exadnefs their comparative
merits is a taflc invidious in itfelf^ and foreign to
the defign of a Tranflator's Preface, He has ful-
filled his obligations to the public, in obtaining
from each what each would fupply, and in mak-
ing, as I do, a general acknowledgment of the
aid he has received from the erudition or the
judgment of the Editors whom he has named.
I mud have failed either in gratifying the curi-
ofity of the unlearned, or in obtaining the ap-
probation of the learned readers, if I had
not
*
See page 102, of Introduftio in Linguam Latinam, by
J.
C. Zeunius, publiflied at Jena,
1779.
traverfed
xxvi The Translator's Preface.
traverfed a wider range than that which was
opened to me by the labours
of editors only.
Indeed, I
prefcnt Aulus Gcllius to the public
with greater confidence, when ijrecolled that
fcholars of the higheil clafs have fometimes me-
ditated editions^ of this writer, which, however,
they have not completed, and fometimes inferted
elucidations of the words he has ufed, or the
fa6ts he has recorded, or the fubjeds he has dif-
cufled, in their mifcellaneous works- I therefore
have had recourfe, on topics of law, to BrifTonius,
Heineccius, to Heraldus% and Vicat's Vocabula-
rium Juris
utriufque. I have obtained frequent
and valuable afliftance, both on words and things,
from the Plinianse Exercitationes of Salmafius. I
have examined, where I could meet with them,
the beft editions of the v/riters, whofe works, or
whofe fragments, appear in Aulus Gellius. On
fubjeds of mifcellaneous knowledge 1 have, in
more inftances than one, confulted the Critical
Didionary of Bayle. In afcertaining the ^fenfe
of old words, I have examined Laurenbergii
Antiquarius,
'
Vid. Preface of James Gronovius to Aulus Gellius,
page 22. and Falfier's Letter to Havercamp,
p. 244.
pf
Falfter's Amosnitates Fhilologicas, tom. 2d,
Defiderii Heraldi Qureftionum quotidianarum tradatus
et obfervationes ad jus Attic um et Romanum, in quibus
Claudii Salmafii Mifcelloe defenfiones ejufque fpecimen ex-
jpenduntur, Paris,
1650.
'
In tranflating Herodotus, I had recourfe to the Lexicon
ionicuni, of^njilius Portus ; the Rccenfio $i Interpretatio
Vocijiu
The
Translator's
Preface, xxvil*
Antiquarius,
publifliiid at Leyden,
1522;
Scali-
ger*s edition of Varro De Lingua Latina; Mer-
cer's edition of Nonius Marcelius' and Fulgen-
tius5 Pompeius Feftus, and Verrius Flaccus
dc
Vocum Herodoti, by Henry Stephens ;
the Lexicon tw> Hpo-
^IsMv Ai^iuf,
from a Codex in the library of Saint Ger-.
mains ; and the copious Index fubjoined to Wefieling's edi-
tion. 1 by no means had equal aid in the verlion of -iulii*
Gellius. Borrichias has fubjoined to his Appendix De
Jjcxicis Latinis & Griccis, an index of words to be added
to the Forum Romanum, under the letter C, and there I
met with twenty-two words noted from Gellius, of which
Qalonficum
(
joined with Oleum) is the firll:, and Connjallatus
the laft. In book viii. chap. 16. of the Adverfaria of Bar-
thius, we have a GlofTary containing feventy words from
Aulus Gellius, under the letter A, and to each of them is
fubjoined an interpretation. Barthius does not tell us the
name of the peribn by whom they were collefted, and in
one or two inllances he has very properly difputed the in-
terpretation
;
and I would add, by the way, that in chap.
19.
book xxviii. he has publifhed an anonymous GlofTary of
various Latin words, under the letter I, to which explana-
tions are refpe^lfully fubjoined. Fabricius, in the third vo-
lume of his Bibliotheca Latina, gives a n\uch fuller cata-
logue of the Verba Gelliana ; it extends from page
69
to
page
74,
and was firft publifhed by
Jac.
Mofantus Briofius,
at Caen, 1670.
To this catalogue large additions might be made, and
fome dilHnftions Ihould be introduced between the word*
which Gellius ufes himfelf, and thofe which are found in
other writers, whom Gellius has quoted. Scholars know
by experience the advantages which are derived from
didionaries of words in different writers ; fuch as the Lexi-
con of Portus for Pindar, of Dam for Homer and Pindar,
the Lexicons fubjoined by Reifkius to the Greek Orators,
Saiwcay's Lexicon Ariilophafiicum, nd the Appendix to
Scapulie,
xxviii The Translator's Prifacb.
de Verborum Significatlone, by Dacier; GtC-
ner*s edition of Robert Stephens's Thefaurus,
and the admirable Lexicon of Facciolatus.
On
many curious points of criticifm,
the Adver-
laria of Turnebiis and of Barthius have been very
ufeful to me. In refpe(5l to the hiftory and names
of writers, whom Gcllius has quoted, I have col-
le6led information from Bayle, and more frequent-
ly from the works of Gerard VofTius de Hiftoricis
Grascis et Latinis. I am told by a learned friend,
that the ^fupplcment to Voifius, publilhcd by
P'abricius, at Hamburg,
1709,
would have been
of little ufe to me. Tkough in Conradus's^ edi-
tion
Scapulae, &c. which contains many rare words ufed in ^fchy-
lus, and was publiflied by the very learned Dr. Charles Bur-
ney.
1739.
On the Latin language we have the Lexicon
Plautinum by Parcus, Nizolius on Cicero, &o. &c. &c,
I could vvifh to fee a diftionary of Latin words, adapte4
to the common divifion of the Latin tongue into four ages.
Such a work, if undertaken by three or four fcholars, each
of whom felefted one age for himfelf, might be executed
with great fuccefs, and would be very acceptable to men
of learning..
*
This Supplement contains, i. Bernardi a Mallincroft Pa-
ralipomenon de Hiftoricis Gnecis Centuriae circiter quinque.
2. Lud. Nogaroiae de Viris illuftribus Genera Italis qui
Grsece
Scripferunt.
3.
Chriftophori Sandii Not<e et Ob-
fervationes in G.
Jo.
Voffil Libros tres de Jliftoricis Latinis.
4. Jo.
Hallervordi 4e Hiltoricis I^atinis Spicilegium. I
mention
the contents of this vplumc> bec^ufe I have often
'
'
found them unknown to excellent fcholars,
'
Milton, in one of his Prolufions, (fee page 606,
vol. If,
of the piofe works, by Dr. Birch) quotes the celebrated pun
of
Hortenfius, from a corrupt reading, which
deflroys its
beauty.
The
Translator's Preface, xxix*
tlon of Aulus Geilius very large extrads ar^
made from Petri Lambecii- Prodromus Lucubra-
tionum Criticarnm in Auli Gellii Nofbes Atticas.
I hare carefully perufed the whole of this
work, and from his Diflertatio dc Vita et
Nomine Auli Gellii I have received much aid
in fettling a point, about which the critics have
been much divided. When I had nearly finrfhed
the
{tcond volume of this tranflacion, I became
poffelTed of the Amoenitates Philological Chrifli-
ani Faliteri. I have, alfo, availed myfelf, fo far as
I
could, of his
^
Admonitiones ad Interpretes Auli
Gellii
beauty.
In chap.
5.
book I. of Aulus Geilius, the old read-
ing was a^acroq, ay/Jo^iatl*^, d'TTfoai^,
and this Milton follows
;
but Lambecius"(page
33
of his Lucubrationes Critica;) pro-
duces from the MSS. Regius the true reading, ^^aa-iti,
*
With the works of Falfter I am delighted, becaufe thef
contain fo many proofs of a candid and virtuous, as well a
a moll: enlightened mind. Falfter, in his Letter to KraLne,
prefixed to his Admonitiones, tells us, that they contain onljr
a part of his Lucubrationes Gellianae ; and from his Letter
^to Havercamp, prefixed to the work de Vita et Rebus Auli
GcUii, it appears, that fome bookfelier was deterred from
publilhing a work
"
tribus tomis in folio, ut vocant, com-
prehenfum.' ' The merits of thofe parts which have appeared
muil: excite deep regret in the mind of every fcholar for the
lofs of ihofe v/hich Falller was unable to fend into the world.
1
have to add, that, with Falfter's Admonitiones are intermin-
gled
"
Obiervationes et Emendationes Daniel Gulielmi
Trilleri in Nodes Atticas/' Triller fent them to Falfler, ia
the year
1722,
who praifes them highly, and, I think, de-
frvedly.
They were publilhed by Falller,
1732,
at Am-
fterdam
;
*xxx The Translator's Prefacs.
Gellii, and his Libellus Commentarius de VitJ
& Rebus AuH Gellii ad Sigebertum Haver-
camp. Falfter had collcded
large materials for
a new edition of Gelliiis ; and it is much to be
lamented, that the profound and extenfive ftu-
dies in which this excellent man was engaged did
not permit him to carry his defign into execution.
I have made, however, frequent ufe of the works
above mentioned ; and, by the friend of whom
I
have before fpoken, ' I have lately been favoured
with fome
^
notices from Falfteri Supplementum
Linguae Latin^e, five Obfcrvationes ad Lexicon
fterdam ; but are not to be found in the four books Obfer-
vationum Criticarum in varios Grzecos & Latinos Auftores,
which were printed by Triller himfeif, at Frankfort on the
Maine,
1762.
*
Falfter juftifies the reading of imparentia, liber I. cap.
13.
of Gellius, where fome propofe to read impatientia
i
and, upon the authority of Feftus, he Ihews that the old
writers ufed imparens for non parens or inohediens. Under
the word indo6ius, he Ihews, that Gellius, liber ninth, chap,
tenth, ufes a Grscifm in
"
Pleraque alia non indodus
;"
and
he gives two inftances oipleraque u(ed in the fame manner;
viz. lib. vii. c. i.
pleraque haud indiligentis :
and in book
xii. c. 5., we find "pleraque et fibi et nobis incongruens."
Under the word obleSIatorius, he contends that the lemmata,
or titles, in Gellius, were written by Gellius himfeif. It may
be worth while to obferve, that in the Admonitiones he
often points out the miftakes of the Lexicon Fabro Cella-
rianum E. G. caput 8. lib. XV. he reads delibariy and
blames the Lexicon for giving the authority of Gelliuy
in favour of delihraru Cap. 19.
lib. XVL he defends cchi-
bilis againft fome unknown perfon, who in the fame Lexicon
would read coibilh,
'
Fabro
The
Translator's
Prbfacs, x^l^'
JFabro
Cellarianum,
publilhed Flenfbergi,
17
17,
and with the loan
of the fame author's Memo-
riae Obfcurse.
This latter publication is replete
with rare and recondite erudition ;
and, if I had
met with it before my tranflatlon was printed off,
it would have enabled me to furniPn my readers
Vfith much exa6t
information about fuch writer^
of antiquity as
are known to us more by their
names,
which have been preferved in detached
paffages, than by their works, which have long
perifhed, and of which the titles only remain.
After perufmg this catalogue, let not the
reader haftily charge me with frivolous refearch
or pompous difpjay. He that would make a
tranflation agreeable, or even inteiiigible,
muft
fpend many a weary hour in preparing for com-
mon minds thofe palfages on which the llrength.
of uncommon intelle6^s has been again and again
employed. He muH; inveftigate what is deep to
recommend what is plain.
In elucidating
the.
opinions, or conveying the fenfe of an au-
thor, whofe works, like thofe of Gellius,
embrace,
the moft curious topics of ancient learning,
lie?
muft explore the writings of thofe moderns
who
are eminently learned. For my part,
I profefs,
on fome of thofe topics, to have read little
or no
more than I found neceiTary to aflift me in
the
verfion of Aulus Gellius ; and in the notes
1 hav^
endeavoured to detail no more than I thought
requifite
for the
information
of every intelligent
reader.
In
*xxxii The Translator's Preface,
In refpe6b to the notes, I have rather accom-
modated them to the convenience of mifcellane-
ous readers, than to the inftrudion of fcholars.
Sometimes,
indeed, I have given
my own judg-
ment
upon
controverted readings in the text;
and in one or two places 1 have ventured
upon
conjedtural
emendation. But the greater
part
of the notes are employed upon the peculiarities
of
ancient cuftoms, upon the age of ancient
writers, the explanation of terms inlaw, and the
controverfies
of writers upon ethics and phyfics.
GcUius very frequently enters into grammatical
difcuflions,
and upon thefe, becaufe they were
lefs
interefting to the generality of readers, I did
not
conceive it neceffary for a Tranflator to ex-
patiate.
They, however, who wilh for fuller
explanation of thefe fubtleties, may confult, a-
mong
other books, the Ariflarchus of Voflius,
the Port
RJyal Latin Grammar, the Notes of
Perizonius on San6lius*s Minerva, Defpauter's
Grammatical Commentaries, and the Prolego-
mena of Everard Scheidius to Lenncp's Etymo-
logicum
Linguse Gr^cx,
In the
foregoing paragraph,
I mean not to
fpeak of grammatical lludies with that airy and
petulant contempt which fclolifls often indulge,
and which men of fenfc defervedly condemn. I
know that writers of the moil vigorous intellect
have profecuted thofe (Indies with unwearied in-
duftry and beneficial effect. I confider gram-
^
mar^
The
Translator's Preface, xxxiii*
mar,
when conneded with philofophy, as poflef-
(ing fome claims to the dignity even of a fcience
;
and to grammar thus conneded, no contempti-
ble aid may be fupplied by the writings of Gel-
lius, where he has preferved to us the remarks
of ancient critics on the peculiar ufe of words,
and their difputes on the merits of particular paf-
fages, in the works of Roman poets, hiftorians,
and orators. I was not infenfible to the fafci-
nating influence of thefe chapters in the moment
of perufal. I was tempted fometimes to purfue
philological inveftigacions through the labyrinths
of controverfy, and fometimes to chace the con-
je(5lures of philologills even to the verge of re-
finement. But I defpaired of communicating to
others the ardour which
I felt myfelf, and, there-^
fore, with the inclination, and, perhaps, the pow-
er to fay more in the capacity of a critic, I was
fatisfied with faying enough in the chara6ler of a
tranflator.
On the life and name of Aulus Gellius, a Dif-
fertation (as I have before flated) is prefixed
to
the Criticse Lucubrationes of Lambecius.
Fal-
fler, with his ufual candour and judgment, com-
mends this diflfertation,
and has amply
fupplied
all its defe6ls in a regular comimentary,
^*
De
Vita & Rebus Auli Gellii/' From each of thefe
works, and from the Adverfaria of Barthius,
I
fhall feled fuch matter as it may be proper to in-
troduce in the Preface to this tranflation.
Vol. I,
*h Scholars
*xxxiv The Translator's Preface,
Scholars for fome time difpnted whether our
author was to be called Aulus Geilius, or Agel-
lius. Lipfius was among the firft of thofe who
engaged in the controverfy, and contended in
favour of Agellius. See Lipf. lib. vi.

Quaeft.
Epiftol. cap,
8.
Salmafius in the comment he
began upon Arnobius, ufes the word Agellius
j
and Barthius, chap.
7.
book xxxv. of his
'^
Ad-
verfaria/* prefents us with a numerous catalogue
of writers who do the fame. It is, however, the ,
fettled opinion of Barthius, that the real name
was Aulus Gellius; that tranfcribers of ancient
manufcripts, finding the initial of the prsenomen
(A) prefixed to Gellius, had united ihem ; that
Agellius had been printed in the firft edition of
Saint Auguftine twice, vid. chap. 4. lib. ix.
'*
Dc
Civitate Deis" and that a number of Chriftian
writers, to whom the works
of Auguftine were
familiar, followed the nliftake. Lambecius ftre-
nuoufly, and I think juftly, maintains the pro-
priety of Aulus Gellius. He formed his opinion
upon the authority of Aldus
'%
whom he repre-
fents as the firft editor, and of Theodore Gaza,
''
Lambecius is mlflaken in fuppofing Aldus th.e iirfl
editor. The edition of Aldus appeared in
1
5
1
5
;
but the
yfjD^
ecution was publiflied at Rome,
1469,
in domo Petri de
Maximis, a Conrado Sweinheim & Arnoldo Pannartz, And
the editor was
John
Andreas, the learned biOiop of Aleria,
who is mentioned by Dodor Johnfon in his Preface to
Shakfpeare. See Fabric. Bib. Lat. vol. iii. page
4.
; vol. i,
page
510;
and Zeunii Introduftio ad li. L.
page loi.
a
th
..
Translator's Preface, xxxv*
the auxiliary of Aldus. He appeals to the telli-
mony of Petrus Servius, who declares that he
had feen fix Vatican MSS. in which either Aulas
Gellius is written at full, or the prasnomen is
contracted into A, and a point is fubjoined to it.
He fhews that the pafTage, in which Prifcian de-
rives Agellius from Agelli, the genitive of Agel-
lus, relates to nouns apellatlve, not to proper
nouns ; and he infills that Gellius, being a ivcQ
Roman, neceffarily had a pr^nomen, becaufe,
among the Romans, flaves only had one name.
But the ftrongeft part of his reafoning refts on
the numerous inftances he has quoted of Romans
who bore the name of Gellius
s
e,
g,
liUcius
Gellius was conful, A. U, C.
582. He is men-
tioned alfo by Aulus Gellius himfelf, lib. v. cap.
6. In Gruter's Infcriptions, page
772,
we meet
with an Aulus Gellius; page
252,
with a Marcus
Gellius. There was alfo a Lucius Gellius, to
whom Arrian infcribed his book upon Epi61:etus.
In addition to thefe fadis, Falfter produces two
quotations from the Commentary of Servius, on
line
738
of the fifth ^neid, and line
740
of the
feventh, in which exprefs. mention is made of
Aulus Gellius. To the opinions of Lambecius,
Falfter, and Barthius, I accede
;
and if the reader
fhould think it worth
his while to confult
the
authors whom I have
juft now fpecified, he
pro-
bably will agree with me in refifting the at-
tempts of thofe who write
Agelliu3. It muft,
*b 2
however^
*xxxvi The Translator's
Preface.
however, be confefTed, that Agelius
"
occurs irtj
the ancient Greek hiftorians. Thus Barchius
fpeaks of Agelius, bifhop
of Conftantinople,
mentioned by Nicephorus Calliftus, Hb. ix. cap*
14;
and Fabricius, page
2, vol.
3. Bibllothecae
Latinse, fays in a note, that he found the name.
AgeHus, book V. chap. 10. in the Ecclefiaftical
Hiilory of Socrates. Thefe examples, how-
ever, do not weaken the arguments of Lambe-
cius, and, if the reader will turn to page
34
of
Gerard VofTius de Hiftoricis Latinis, he will find
pafiages from Greek and Roman authors fo nu-
merous and fo clear, as to remove all doubt that
Gellius was the nomen gentilitium, and Aulus
the pr^nomen. The queftion itfclf is of no
great importance
^*i
but a Translator could not,
without;
"
It is obfervable that the Greek name is fpelled with a
fmgle /. Fabricius tells us that Maittaire (page
65
of his
Annales Typograph.) aflerts, that in the firll: edition of A.
Gellius, publifhed at Rome, he found Gelius, not Gellius.
** **
Mitto fponte alia, quae ad reftam nominis Gelliani
<*
fcripturam vindicandam pertinent. Mitto, inquam
; mc-
*"
mor, quod Jonfius de Scrip. Hiftor. Philof. 1. ii. c.
9.
i.*
*<
p.
m.
190.
monet in ifta appellationis (Gellii an Agelli)
*'
diverfitate falutem Romani Imperii non verfari." Fal-
fter de Vita, A. G. page
248.
"
Me fi quis judicium pofcat, dicam principio ea in re
"
falutem Graeciae non verfari, deinde vero notum mihi eKe
"
alium fcriptorem magis antiquum fuifle Cn. Gellium
<
Hiftoricum, ad cujus difFerentiam arbitrer veteres cricicos
"
iftum fuo A. praenomine femper fcribendum
duxiffe
;
fe-
*
fequiores
The Translator's Preface, xxxvil*
without impropriety, have been wholly filent on
a fubjed", which has engaged the ferious atten-
tion of many ilhiftrious critics.
About the age of Gellius learned men are di-
vided. Thaddeus Donnola, in a DifTertation upon
the Country of Propertius, fuppofes him to have
written in the time of Adrian
;
but Falfter con-
futes this conjedlure, by fhewing, that in
3.
11.
14.
and 16. books of the No6tes Attic^i
Adrian is called Divus, an appellation not ufually
given to the emperors till they were dead. Ban-
'gius imagines that he flourifhed under the em-
peror Trajan
]
but this muft be underflood with
reftridiohs. Dodwell, Lambecius, and Borri-
chius are ofopinion that he was born in the reign
of Trajan
;
that he was a youth in that of Adrian
j
that he pafTed his manhood under Antoninus
Pius ; and that he died foon after Marcus An-
toninus had been raifed to the imperial throne.
"^
His inftrucfbor in grammar was Sulpitius Apolli-
haris. He ftudied rhetoric under Titus Caftri-
tins and Antonius JuHanus. After taking the
toga virilis, he went from Rome to Athens^
\
where he lived on terms of familiarity with Cal-
vifius Taurus, Peregrinus Proteus, and the cele-
.v/-
***
fequiores vero A grande &
g
minutum ofFeiidcntes ununi
**
nomen exinde ccncinnaffe.'* Barthius, cap.
7.
lib.
3^.
For Gellius the hiftorian, of whom Barthius fpeaks,
fee
page
193,
vol. i. of Harles'i Introdudlio in Notitiam Lite-
r^turae Romanae, publilhed at Noremberg,
1
78
1,
and
Voffim^^
leHifloricis Latinis,
p.
34.
**>
$
'
bratcd
*xxxvlii The T ran5lato!i*s Preface*
brated Herodcs Atdciis. While he was at
Athens, he began his
"
No6tes Atticse." Froin
his writings it appears, that he was well flcilled in
philology and moral philofophy, and that he em-
braced the tenets of his illuftrious contennporary
Phavorinus. After traverfing
^^
the greater part of
Greece, he returned to Rome, where he applied
himfelf to the law, and was appointed a judge.
He was deeply verfed in the works of ^lius
Tubero, Cascilius Gallus, Servitius Sulpitius, and
other ancient writers on the Roman kw; and we
find thajp, among his contemporaries who were of
the fame profeflion
''^j
Sextus Cecilius, Feftus Pof-
tumius,
3
1 he learned reader will readily diflinguifh the objedls
fGcUius's travels from thofe of many ancient philofophers,
who went from one country to another, and who, after de-
livering their opinions occafionally, and perhaps with little
premeditation, on fubjeds of criticifm or ethics, gave a new
arrangement to their matter, and a new polilh to their
iHle, for the purpofe of publication. See Markland's^ Pre-
face to Maximus Tyrius,
p. 2S- edit Rdiflce, Leipfic,
1724.
*
In chapter ix. book xi. 1 have delivered my opinion up-
on the charge of bribery alledged againfl Dcmofthenes, and
happy am I to Hate, upon the authority of a learned friend,
that the fame opinion was long ago entertained and defend*
ed by that accomplifhed fcholar and illuftrious lawyer, the
late Mr. Charles Yorke. He had written, I am told, upon
this fubjeil, a diflertation, in which all the evidence fupplied
by the writers of antiquity is carefully colleded, and judi-
cioufly examined, and in which the decifion of this moft
able examlner/is in favour of that man, whofe eloquence
^hatms us in our youth, and from wliofe patriotifm
we are
eager
TrtE
TRANSLAtOR*s Prfaci:. xxxix^
tumius, and Julius
Celfus were his friends. As
Cujatius, BriiToniuSj and Bud^us have introduced
into their works many quotations from the Noc-
tes Attic^ it fliould feem that his authority
upon
eager to wipe out eVery ftain which the malignity of hh
contemporaries, and the credulity of later writers, may have
endeavoured to fix upon it. The erudition difplayed in
this work of Mr. Ycrkc's lay perhaps within the reach of
other fcholars ; but the regularity of the arrangements, the
acutenefs of the reafoning, and the exquifiteperfpicuity, the
grace, and the energy of the ftile, are fplendid proofs of the
vigorous and cultivated mind which adorned the amiable*
and venerable author. Oxford has long boafted, and jullly
may {he boaft, of the correft tafte and the clafiical learning
which are to be found in the profeffional writings of
Judgd
Blackilone; but they who have read fuch parts of the Athe-
nian Letters, as bear the fignatureof C, will claim an equal
degree of honour for the Sifter Univeriity, when they re-
count the praifes of this her iiluftrious fon.
The fate of Mr. Yorke's Differtation was fo fingular,
that I cannot refrain from communicating to my reader
the intelligence I have received from the friend above
mentioned. When Mr. Yorke's chambers were burnt at
Lincoln's-Inn, this work was, among other papers, dellroy-
ed; he inftantly applied to his friend, the learned Dr. Taylor,
of St.
John's College, and the editor of Demofthenes, to
whom he had formerly lent his manufcript, and who, from
the juft fenfe he had of its intrinfic merit, as well as from
the partiality he bore -to the charadler of Demollhenes, had
tranfcribed it in fhort hand. Dr. Taylor wrote it out at
full, andfent it to Mr. Yorke, among whofe papers it now
remains. My friend has feen Taylor's Autograph,
and
he tells me, that Mr. Yorke had occafion only in four or
-five places either
to
corre<5l any miftakes, or to fupply any
*b
4
omiffions
*xl Thr Translator's Preface.
upon fubjeds of profefTional knowledge ftood
very high in the eftimation of the learned men
who have appealed to him. Whether, in his
JEtas Philologica, as it is called by Falfter,
he is to be ranked among the writers of the
Silver or the Brazen Age, is a point on which
the critics are not agreed. I have fubjoined
their different opinions
'^
in a note &om Fal-
fter; and I have affixed to it fome references
to Blount's Cenfura Vetcrum. From thefe
quotations
omiflions made by Dr. Taylor. The work, he further fays,
not only abounds wich folid arguments and curious refearch,
but contains fome verbal criticifm, which I have his autho-
rity to pronounce exaft and pertinent. Much were it to be
wiflied, that the prefent Lord Hardwicke could be prevailed
upon to favour the public with a compofition which would
at once gratify the ciiriofity df fcholars, terminate the con-
troverfies of biographers, and reflefl the very highefl ho-
nour upon the fenfibility, talle, and learning of his much
revered and much lamented father.
*^
"Alia eft cetas Gellii ut ita dicam philologica, quam illi
arge-nteam tribuunt
Jac.
Facciolatus in oratione dc lingua
Latina non ex grammaticorum libris comparanda, pag. in,
20.--*'Cellarius in Prolcgom. ad Curas Poller,
p.
23.Re-,,
chenbergius de Studiis Academicis,
p.
98.
Cyriacus Gun-
theriK, Lat. Rcflit.
p.
i .
p.
286,Walchius, Hiftor. Crit.
L. liat. cap. i. viii.
p.
66. ^\\,-^JEneam clariflimus noHer'
Borrichius in Confpeclu Script^ Lat.
37. p.
82. (qui tamea
in analcilis ad cogitationes fuas,
p.
5.-^Gellium ad xtatcm
argenteam aliquatenus revocari pofTe fatetur.) Item Fabri-
cius in Biblioth. Lat.
p. 508.
^Xn ferream
denique Scioppiui
Gelliomaftix cujus hsc ferrea vox eJft in Ivfamia
Famiani,
pag, 2 1 .-"^Cujus tandem judicii
eft
ferrets atatis fcriptorem
"
'
. Agdlium
*
The Translator's Preface, xli*
q\iotatIons it v/ill appear, that I lay before my
Englifh readers the works of an author, whofe
matter has made him an obje6l of curiofity to
the mofl diftinguifhed fcholars
j
and whofe fVile,
even
Agellium miian'^qua.m Scioppii improbitatem, V. C. Fran-
cifcus Vavaflbr, lib. de LudicraDidlione, cap. ii. p.m.
275*
in hunc modum retundit,Neque audiendum ullo modo puto
Gafparem Srioppium, pra^fidentem grammaticum, qui Gel-
lium inviliflima maximeque ignobili reponat ^tate et ultimis
fcriptoribus annumeret. Judicium quantum exiflimare polTum
omnisjudicii et prudential expers. Nunquam dubitaverim
quin Gellius multo ad fummos quam ad infimos fcriptores
propius accedat, ita diligens, et accuratus, et elegans, et
varius, et amoenus ubique et curiofus mihi quidem videtur."
Falfterus de Vita et Rebus A. Gellif.
Audiantur Phil. Beroaldus in Annotat. ad Servium,
p.
m.
263. Locupletiffimi fcriptores, inter quos haud dubie
numeratur Gellius :
Jac.
Dur Cafellius, lib. ii. Var. Cap.
p. 231.
A. Gellius fcHptor nitoris ac facundia" haud vul-
garis elegantiarumque veterum & memoriarum plenilTimus :
Jo.
H. Boeclerus, de fcriptor. Sec. P. C. II.
p. 62. Sin-
gularis Thefaurus, antique; eloquentiae & philorophias, fed
paucis perfpedus latet in Aulo Gellio, ne quern prejudicio
decipiat Lipfii iniquior cenfura in Prseloqu. Seneca^: iteni
in Bibliographia Critica, cap. xxix.
p. 458.
Auli Gellii
liber eft aureusneque quifquam negaverit, aureum effs
feriptum, cujus audloritate perpetuo nituntur reftauratores
antiquitatis, Onuphrius, Panvinius, Sigonius, &c. Stilus
ejus eft optimus neque ob antiquorum ufum vccabulorum
defmit efle Latiniffimus : Mart, Schoockius, in Epift. dc
Figm. Leg. Reg.
p 64.
Gellius nuUi fecundus gramma-
ticus, Ii non tribu grammatica longe emincntior :
Jo.
Bab-
t'ifta Pius in Annotat. L. Latinas Grsecseque, cap, i.
p. 387.
Gellius non minus eruditus quam nitidus & emunftus fcrip-
tor: item cap. xi.
p.
405.
Togaforum eruditiflimus Al'
Gellius
:
*xJii The Translator's Preface.
even in the judgment of the moft acute critic?,
is rather to be commended for its beauties, than
blamed for its fingularities.
tiellius : If. Caufabonus, in not. ad Sueton. CxC c.
56,
p.
m.
74,
A. Gellius elegantiffimus fcyiptor : item in not. ad
Theophaftri CharaiSl. cap, xix.
p.
m.
371.
eruditiffimus
:
jofias Mercerus ad Nonium,
p. 123. Gellii do<5lnna &
clegantia ut teflimonio perhibendo advocarentur a Nonie
Marcello (qui jnomen ipfius faspe diffimularit) meruerantT
Fred. Rappolt, in Obfervat. Philolog. ad lib. ii. N06I.
Attic, c. 28. Nodles Attic^e eruditum politioris litteratnf
facrafium : Er. Puteanus, in Epill. ad G.
J.
VoiTium, data
Lovanii III. Kal. Sept. cididcxlii.
Hie (Gellius) ille fcriptor eft, qui magnam antiquitatig
partem Ndlibus fuis illuflrat, varius, Latinus, accuratus,
01. Borrichius, in Cogitat,
p. 70. A. Gellius luculentuj
audor. Salmailus, lib. de Helleniftica,
p. 37.
Antoninorum
sevo Agellius politiiiime et elegantiifime fcripfitjitem
p. 8^.
Apud omnes hodie litteratos pro elegantiffimo Latina^ Lin-
guae audore habetur, & dim habitus eft, paffimque a gram-
maticis tanquam fcriptor idoneus citatus, a quibufdam etiam
jnukis in lecis^ad verbum pene tranfcripius.
Jo.
Alb. Fa-
bricius, vol. i. Biblioth. Lat.
p.
508. A. Gellius litterarum
& antiquitatis peritifiimus.
Confult alio Blount's Cenfura Veterum, at the paflages
from St. Auguftine, Gifanius, Lipfius, &c. quoted under
the art. de Aulus Gellius, pages 102 and,
103.
The reader will excufe the length of this note. I have'
brought forward to public view a writer whofe work has
never appeared in our own language, and I am anxious to
vindicate my choice, by the high and numerous authorities of
the learned men, whofe judgments on the merits of Aulus
Gellius have been here fet befort the reader. Henry
Stephens has written a profefted and moft able apology fof
Aulus Gellius, in oppofitlon tp the petulant and malignant
^cnfures of Lud. Vives,
Ic
The
Translator's Prefacs. xllil^
It were fuperfluous for me to detain the reader
by any elaborate difqiufitions upon th^ view with
which Auliis Geliius compofed his work, or the
reafons which induced him to give it the appella-
tion of Nodes Atticae. My author has, in
thefe refpeds, happily anticipated the labours of
his commentators, by a Preface, which at once
exhibits to every reader the candour of his fpirit,
the elegance of his tafle, the diligence of his re-
fearches, and the extent of his erudition. To
refcuc the title of his book from the imputation
pf quaintnefs, I
have inferted in a note the
names of many modern fcholars, who in thi^
relpe6t have imitated Aulus Geliius
'^.
In regard to the titles of the chapters
'^,
I havq
met
'^
"
Ad Noftlum Gelllanaryim imIta.tionem Nodles
Tuf-
*
culanas & Ra<vvennaten/cs fcripfit
Jo.
MatthcEus Caryophi-
"
lus, Geniales Joannes Nardiiis, Jacobus GufTetius, Gromn-r
**
gen/es : Augujlas five
Perufinas^ M. Antonius Bondarius^
**
Mormantinas Joannes Bacchotiu.s, Medicas
Jo.
Freitagius,
*'
profeffor Groningenfis." Vid. Fabric. Biblioth. Lar. vqI.
Hi.
p.
4.
Falller (pige
260.)
adds, the Nofles Acadcmica;
Jq.
Frederici ChrilHi, publiihed at Hall,
1727 ;
and he is him.-
felf the author of a work called Nodes Ripenfes.
I izQ
in
referred to in his Criticifms upon Aulus Geliius, but I havp
never been fortunate enough to meet with it. I would ob-
ferve, that our learned countryman, Richard
Johnfor?, pub-
lilhed, in
1718,
his Nodes Nottingamic^e,
The book is very
fcarce, but deferves to be reprinted,
*^
It is proper, I believe, to read with great caution, thff
titles prefixed to many ancient writings. an6liiis has vin.
xllV The Translator's Preface.
met with fome^ difficulty in determining upori
their authenticity. H. Stephens has endeavour-
ed to prove, that they were not written
by Gel-
lius, and has fuggefted a plan for corre6ling
*them. I have read the arguments of Stephens
with great attention, and with fome convi61:ion
i
but, after repeated and careful examination, I am
inclined to think that riearly all of them were,
written by Gellius himfelf, and that feveral of
them, fince the writer's time, have been more or
lefs corrupted by tranfcribers. Falfter, in the
Comnnentary which I have fo often had occafion
to quote, contends that they arc genuine, and
has drawn up his opinion in the form of a regular
fyllogifm. He refers alfo his readers to the
Primae Vigilias of the Nodes Ripenfes, where
the queflion, it feems, is more dire6lly and fully
difcuffed. Upon the force of arguments which
I
have riot had an opportunity of feeing, it is
impoflible for me to decide
;
but when I con-
fider the long
and diligent care which Falfter
has employed on this work of Gellius, together
with the profound erudition and folid fenfe whidi
dicated Cicero from the flippant attack of Antonius Majo-
ragius, upon the titles of the paradoxes, which doubtlefs
have little connexion with the fubje6ts refpeftively treated^
in them; He Ihews that they were written fince the time of
Cicero, by fome unfkilful and officious grammarians. He
declares alfo, that the titles fet before the Epigrams of Mar-
tial, the Odes of Horace, and the Chapters in Valerius
Maximus, are foreign to the meaning of thefe writers. Vid.
pig,
5 5
3,
Sanftu Minerva, edit.' Amft'erdatti,
1
704/
Tme Translator's Preface; xfv^
appear in his other publications, I feel niyfelf
difpofed to
bow down to the authority of an
enquirer fo impartial^ and a judge fo faga-
cious.
Having enumerated the editions of which I
have myfelf made ufe in this tranflation,
I ihall
content myfelf with referring fuch readers as may
wifh for more information to Morhoff's Poly-
hiftor. lib. iv. chap. 14.
Zeunii Introdu6lio
ad
Notitiam L. L. page loi. and the Bibliotheca
Latina of Fabricius, vol. iii. and vol. i.
Happy
were it for the interefls of literature,.
if they who have cultivated it with
'
the mod
brilliant fuccefs had always been exempt from;
the
affedlation of fmgularity, the perverfenefs.
of contradidlion,- and the virulence of calumny.
To thefe caufes, indeed, muft be afcribed the
greater part of the objections that have beea
urged againfl Aulus Geilius, as taftelefs in his
remarks, or frivolous in his difquifitions.
But,,
fortunately for my author, they who admire are
more numerous among men of letters, thaa
they who negledb him.. And in refpe6t to
tlie faults that have been charged upon him,,
his advocates have fliewn not lefs zeal, and
far more ability, than his accufers. The tran-
flator, doubtlefs, will not be flieltered by the
excellence of his author from the blame that
may be due to his own miftakes. He may be
cenfured by fchol^rs for want of fidelity, and
Vol. L
*
b
7
by
*xlvi 1* HE Translator's Prefaci.
by intelligent perfons of every clafs for want
of perfpicuity. He feels,
however, fome con-
folation, when he refledls,
that the generality
of his readers will fit down
to the perufal of
his tranflation with minds neither
encumbered
by pedantry nor inflamed by prejudice.
He
indulges fome hope that meeting, as they afTu-
redly will, with elegant amufement or with
ufeful inflru6tion in the matter of his author,
they will be difpofed to fee, in the intention*
and the exertions of his tranflator, fome apo^
logy for defedls, which, from the new
and
difficult circumftances of his undertaking, it was
not always pofTible for him to avoid.
It remains for me to ftate the aids which
I have received from a few learned
contem-
poraries, and which, as they could not be omit-
ted by me without the confcioufnefs of ingra-
titude, may be here introduced, without the im-
putation of arrogance. Mr. Porfon, the Cory-
phseus of Greek literature in this country,
moil
obligingly favoured me with his opinion on twa
or three pafTages of great intricacy.
When
the work was printed off, I fent it down for pe-
rufal to Dr. Parr, in whom I formerly
had
found an able inftrudlor, and whom I now have
the honour to call my friend. He was pleafed
to exprefs his warm approbation of the tafk in
which
I had engaged, to corred feveral mif-
takes in die tranflation and in the notes, and to
'
fupply
X ii iranslator's Preface, xlvii*
fuppl)^ fome additional matter upon obfcure and
dubious topics, about which I confulted him.
On the taflc and the judgment of Mr, Nares
it were unnecefTary for me to enlarge in this
.place. I muft, however, gratify the befl feelings
of my heart, by a public mention of the alTiftance
he gave me in my endeavours to obtain a dif-
tin6t and j Lift perception of my authoi-*s meaning,
^nd to illuftrate it by pertinent annotations.
The honeft triumphs of friendfhip cannot be
concluded more properly, than by a thankful and
refpedful acknowledgment of the permiHion
J
have received, to dedicate the tranllation ofAulus
Gellius to the Earl of Orford.
TfiJB
\
THE
C
O
NTEN
T
S
T O
VOLUME
THE
FIRST.
BOOK I.
Chap. I'
K^
what proportion and comparifony
Plu*^
tarch has
affirmed
that the philofofher
Pythagoras reafoned upon the
fiat
ure, by which Hercu-
lts was difiinguifioed
when he lived among men^ Page i
Chap. II. A pajfage from
Epi5fetus the Stoic
y
quoted appofitely
by Herodes Atticusy
againft
a certain
boaftful
young man, a
ftudent
(in appearance only)
of
philojophy ; by which he has elegantly difiinguifhed
between the true Stoic, and the mob
of
prating cox-
combs who call themjelves Stoics
-
- - 4
Chap. III. Chiloy the Lacedemonian, had a doubt-
ful
opinion
of
what was allowaile to be done in behalf
of
a friend ;
that we ought very anxiou
y
to conjider
whether it be excufable,
in the
Jervice
of
friends,
to
tranfgrefs
the law. Remarks and quotations
from
'The-
cphraftus
and Marcus Cicero upon thole
Jubje5fs
10
Chap. IV. The nice and curious explanation, by
Antonius Julianus,
proving the elegance
of
a word bor-
rowed by Cicero
y
in one
of
his orations
-
-
^9
Vol. I.
b
Chap.
xviii The Contents
Chap. V.
^hat the orator Demojlhenes was dijiin-
guijhed by a difgraceful
attention to the ornaments
of
his per/on ;
and that Hortenfius the pleader^
from
the
fame
faulty
and
from
his
ufmg
the afion
of
a player
when he Jpoke^
was called a Bacchanalian dancing-
girl
- - -
-
Page
23
Chap. VI. Pajfage from
a
Jpeech delivered by
Metellus Numidicus^ in his cenforjhipy to the people^ in
which he encouraged them to matrimony
-y
why that
fpeech is cenjuredy and how it may be defended
- 26
Chap. VII. In thefe words
of
Cicero, taken
from
bis
ffth
oration againji Ferres,
"
Hancjibi rem
fpe-
rant prafidio futurum,^ there is nothing to complain
of
0r to cenfure
-, and they are in an error who pollute the
accurate copies
of
CicerOy by writing it
"
futuram."
Alfo
mention is made
of
another word in CicerOy which
is changed by commentators
from
its proper
ufage
to an
improper one, /i
few
obfervations are
fcattered upon
the modulation and rhythm
ofjiylcy
which Cicero
fiudied
with great attention
-
- -
-
3<>
Chap. VIII. Story
found
in the books
of
Sotion the
philofop>hery
concerning the courtezan LaiSy and
Demof-
thenes the orator
- - -
35
Chap. IX. T^e
cufiom and
difcipUne
of
the Pytha-
goreanjchooly with the time
fixedfor
their /peaking and
beingJilent
-
- -
'
Z7
Chap. X. ne words
of
FavorinuSy addrejfed to a
youth who
affe5fed
an old and objokte mode
of
fpeak^
ing
- -
-
41
Chap. XL "Thucydidesy
the celebrated hijioriany
affrms
thcU the Spartans ufed
mt a trumpsty hit pipes
in
to Volume ! xlx
tn their army. His words upon the Juhje^t.
Herodo-
tus relates^ that king Halyattes had muficians
always in
readinejs. Likewije
Jome
remarks upon the
pitchpipe
of
Cains Gracchus
- -
- Page
43
Chap. XII. At what age
^
from
what rank, with
ivhat ceremonies^ oaths^ and titky a
Veftal virgin is ad--
mitted by the Pontifex
Maximus, and how
Jhe paffes
her noviciate, That, as Laheo
affirms
^ neither doth
fie
inherit by law the
poffeffions of
any one who dies
intef-
tatey nor doth any one inherit
from
her, dying without a
will
- - -
50
Chap. XIII. // is a quejlion in philofophy^ whether
^
when a command is impofed^ it be more proper,
fcrupu-
loufly
to
obferve
it, orfometimes to deviate
fro^n
it^in
hopes that the deviation may be advantageous to tht
perfon
who impofes
the command.
Different
opinions
npon that quejlion
- -
^
S^
Chap. XIV. The words and anions
of
Caitis Fa-
briciusy a man
of
great
fame
and high defertSy though
of
a low origin and
fmall eftatey
when the Samnites
offered
to bribe him as a poor man
-
- 60
Chap. XV. How troublefome a vice is afutile and
idle loquacityy and how
often
it has b^n jujily cenfured
by great and learned men
-
-
-
62
Chap.
XVI. 'That ^adrigariusy in the third
hook
of
his Annalsy
ufes
the
phrafe
"
Mille hominum
occiditury" not by any licence or poetical
figure
y but by
juft
rule and proper attention to grammatical pro-
priety
-^ -
- -
6)5
Chap. XVII. The great patience with which So-
crates
fupported the uniontroulable dijpofition
of
his wife,
b 2 What
XX
TheContents
What
Marcus Varro
Jays
in one
of
his Jatires on tht
duties
of
an
hujhand
-
- - Page
7
1
Chap.
XVIII. M, Varro^ in his
fourteenth
hook
upon the meaning
of
words^ cenjures his
mafler, Lucius
yElius^for
having made
feme obfervations upon the ety^
mology
of
words which are net true, ^hejame Varro
y
in the
fame
hook^ that the etymology
of
the word
^^
fur*^
is
falfely
given
- ~
-
-
73
Chap. XIX. Story
of
the Sibylline booksy and king
'Tarquinius Superbus -
- -
7 J
Chap. XX. Greek geometrical terms contrafied
with the Latin ones
- -
'11
Chap. XXI. Julius
Higinus very pofitively affirms
^
that he has ready in Virgil's own copy
of
his work,
"
Et ora
'Trifiia
tentanturafenju torquebit amaror
;"
not as we commonly readity
^^
fenfu
torquebit amaro
**
79
Chap. XXII. Whether a pleadery
defending a
caujcy can
Jay
y with proper regard to Latinityy
^^Juper-
ejfe Je
eiy' with reJpeSl
to the perjon he defends, 'The
proper meaning
of
''^
Jupereffe'^
- -
81
Chap. XXIII. Who was Papirius Pretextatus
;
the reafon
of
his bearing that
furname
;
with the plea-
Jant Jiory
of
the
fame
Papirius
- -
S6
Chap. XXIV". Three epitaphs
of
three old poets,
N^viuSy Plautusy and Pacuvius, written
for
their own
mojiuments
- -
-
-
89
Chap. XXV. Marcus Varro*s definition
of
^^
in-
duci^e,*^ Afurther enquiry into the meaning
of
that
word
^ m ^ -
92
^
Chap.
TO Volume I. xxi
Chap. XXVI.
Reply
of
the fhilojopher 'Taurus
y
when I ajked him whether a
wife
man
fhould
he liahU
to anger
- ^ -
- Page
95
'<?
BOOK II.
Chap. I. The manner in which the
fhilofopher
So^
crates was accujiomed to exercije his hody^ and
of
his
patience
-
.
-
-
-
-
98
Chap. II. The degree
of
refpe5f
to he ohferved
among
ft
fathers and children^ in reclining and fittings
and
fuch
thingsy at home and abroad^ where the
fons
are
magiftratesy and the fathers private perfons.
The
philofopher Taurus*s
difcuffion
of
that
fubje^
-y with an
example
from
the Roman
hiftory
-
-
100
Chap. III. PVhy the ancients prefixed the afpirate
to certain words
-
-
- - 103
Chap. IV. JVhy Gahius
Baffus
has written that
a certain mode
of
giving judgment was called
*^
divi-
natio
j"
with reajons given by others
for
the ufage
of
this word
- - - -
105
Chap. V. The pointed elegance with which Favo-
rinus the
philofopher diftinguiJJjed
betwixt the
ftyles of
Plato and
Lyftas
- - -
1
07
Chap. VI. JVhat
phrafes
Virgil is
faid
to have
ufed carelefsly and meanly
5
with the anfwers to
fuch
cbjelions
- - -
-
107
Chap. VII, The duty
of
children to their parents^
Bifcuffions from
hooks
of
philofophy on that
fubje^y
wherein it is enquiredy
whether all the commands
of
a
father are to he obeyed
- - *. -
113
b
3
Chap*
xxu
The Contents
Chap. VIII.
'That Plutarch's cenjure
of
Epicurus^
for ufing
theJyllogijlic form
of
reafoningy is unjuji
Page 1 16
Chap. IX. That the
fame
Plutarch has calum^
nioufly cenfured
the ujage
of
a word by
Epicurus 1 1
8
Chap. X. The meaning
of
^^
favijpe
capitolina\^
and the ayifwer
of
Marcus Varro to Servius Sulpicius,
enquiring on this fuhje5f
- -
r-
119
Chap. XI.
Many memorahk things
of
Siccius
Dentatusy an illujlrious warrior
-
- 121
Chap. XII. A certain law
of
Solon examined^
"which
atfirfl
appearing
unjufiy
is found ufeful
and ex-
pedient
- - - -
-
123
Chap. XIII. The ancie?its called a
Jon
or daughter
"
children,' ujing a plural noun
-
r 125
Chap. XIV. Marcus CatOy in a hook written
ugainfl
Tiberiusy an exile
y
faySy
"
Jlitijfes
vadimoniumy'
not
^^
fietijfes''
The reajon
of
this affigned
-
127
Chap. XV. Anciently great honours were paid to
0ld age ;
why the
fame
were afterwards paid to huj-
hands and parents, Obfervations on thejeventh chapter
fif
the Julian law - -
-
-
12S
Chap. XVI. Cfefellius Vindex cenfured by Sulpicius
Apollinarisyfor his explanation
of
apajfage in Virgil
130
Chap. .XVII. What Cicero thought concerning
certain propojitions , with an examination
of
Cicero's
opinion
- - _ - - -
ijj
Chap. XVIII. Thadony the Socraticy was
aflave.^
as were many other Socratics
alfo,
-
-
135
Chap. XIX. The verb
"
reJcirCy
its true and
proper
Jignifcation
-
.
r 13^
^ Chap.
TO
Volume I.
xxiii
Chap. XX.
JVhat are commonly called
"
'viva-
ria,'* T!he ancients did not
ufe
this word. What
Puhlius Scipio ufed inftead
of
ity in his fpeech to the
people ; and what afterwards Marcus Farro, in his
treatife
^^
Be re Rujiica"
-
- Page
139
Chap. XXI.
Of
the conjlellation called hy the
Greeks cI^oc^olv^ hy usfeptemtriones, 'The meayiing a:nd
origin
of
each word
-
-
-
- 142
Chap. XXII.
Of
the wind lapyx. Names and-
regions
of
other winds
^
from
the dijcourjes
of
Favor
i-
nus
- ^ ^
-
-
i^^
Chap. XXIII. A comparljon and criticifm
ofpaf-
f
ages
from
the play
of
Menander and decilius-y called
Plocius
-- - -
-151
Chap. XXIV. ^he frugality
of
the ancients^ and
their
fumptuary laws
- -
-
157
Chap. XXV. What the Greeks call analogy^ and
what anomaly
-
- - -
16
1
Chap. XXVI.
Bifcourfes
of
M, Fronto and Fa-
vorinus the philofophery en the varieties
of
colours^ with
the Greek and Latin terms
for
them.
Of
the colour
fpadix
-
- ^ . ^
i5j
Chap. XXVII. What
Caf
rictus thought
of
the
p^Jfages
in Sallufi and in
BemoftheneSy in which one
deferibes Philips and the other Sertorius
-
1
67
Chap. XXVIII. It does not appear to what deity
facrifice fhould he
offered
when an earthquake hap-
pens
- -
- - - -
169
Chap. XXIX.
Apologue
of ^fop
the Phrygian^
ujeful
to he remembered
-
-
.
172
b
4
Chap,
XXIV The Contents
Chap. XXX. On the motion
of
the wavesy
and
their different
undulations^ according to the blowing
of
the wind
from thefouth or north -
Page
176
BOOK III.
Chap. I. Enquiry into the reafon
why Sallufi
af-
firmed that avarice emafculated not only the mind but the
body
- - - -
178
Chap. II. Whichy according to Varroy is the births
day
of
thofe
who are born
before
or
after
twelve o'clock
at night :
of
thefpaces and duration
of
what are termed
"
civil days,'* obferved varioufly by all nations. What
^intus Mutiiis has written concerning a woman^
whom her hufhand did not legally take by
ufe^ becaufe
the period
of
a civil year was not accomplijhed 182
Chap. III.
Of
diftinguifhing
and examining theplays
of
Plautus
',
fince promifcuoujly fome
are with truths
others are
falfely
afcrihed to him, Plautus wrote plays
in the bakehoufe, Navius in prifon
-
- ib6
Chap. IV. Puhlius Africanus, and other men
of
ranky .efore
they arrived at old age^ ufually fhaved their
ieard and cheeks
-
- -
-
192
Chap. V. "The vice
of
luxury and effeminacy
of
car-
riage cenfured
with
fever
ity and wit, in a certain man^
by
Arcejilaus the philofopher
-
-
-
1
94
Chap. VI.
Of
the force
and nature
of
the palm-
tree : that its zvood refifls
the weight laid upon it
195
Chap. VII. Story taken
from
the Annals,
of
^in-
tus Cadicius, a military tribune :
paffage from
the Ori-
gines
of
CatOy in which he compares the valour
of
dedi-
0HS with that
of
the Spartan Leonidas - 196
a ,
thap,
TO Volume I. XXV
Chap. VIII. Celebrated letters
of
the conjuls Cams
Fabricius and Mmiliusy to king Pyrrhus^ taken
from
^intus Claudius the hijlorian
- - Page 200
Chap. IX. Whaty and
of
what
forty
was the horje
which in the -proverb is called
'^
Equus Sejanus,'^ Co^
lour
of
the horjes called
^^
Jfadices -^
meaning
of
that
word
- -
-
- -
20a
Chap. X. 'J!hat in many
affairs
of
nature^
confi-
dence is placed in the
efficacy
of
the number
Jeven^
of
which Varro treats at large in his
^^
Hebdomades
'*
205
Chap. XL The
trifling
arguments by which Accius
attempts to prove^ in his Didafcalics^
that Hejiod was
prior to Horner
- - -
209
Chap. XII. That a drunkard was called
"
bibofus
"
hy Publius Nigidius, a man
of
eminent learnings a term
equally new and abjurd
- -
-
1
1
1
Chap, XIII. That
DemoftheneSy
while quite a
youth
y
when he was the dijciple
of
the philofopher Plato
y
hearing by chance CalliftratuSy the oratory
fpeak
in a
public
affemblyy ceafed to follow
PlatOy and attached
himfelf
to Calliflratus -
-
-
212
Chap, XIV. He
f
peaks improperly who
Jay
Sy
"
Z)/-
midium librum legi" ory
"
dimidiam fabulam audiviy'
with other
expreffions
of
the
fame
kind. That Marcus
Varro has
affigned
the cauje
forJuch
impropriety
y
and
that none
of
the ancients were guilty
of
it
- - 2
13
Chap. XV. That it is upon recordy and in the
memory
of
many that great and unexpefled joy hasfud-
denly brought death upon manyy
life
being expelledy
and
unable tojujtain the violence
of
the
fhock
- -
216
Chap,
xxvi The Contents
Chap. XVI. ^he
different periods at which wo^nen
produce children^ treated by
phyftcians and philofophers :
opinions
of
ancient poets upon that
Juhje5l, Many other
things worthy
of
records Words
of
Hippocratesy the
phyfician^
from
his tr-eatije Trspt Tpo(png

Page 218
Chap. XVII. // has been recorded by
menofgreiat
authority^ that Plato purchafed three books
of
Philo-
laus^ the Pythagorean^ and Arifiotk a
few
of
Speufip-
pus, the philofopher^ at an incredible price
'
-
2^5
Chap. XVIII. Who were the
"
pedarii Jenato--
reSy' and why
Jo
called. 'The origin
of
thoje words
from
the
confular edi5iy by which they are allowed to
give their opinion in thejenate ^ -
227
Chap. XIX. The reajon^ according to Gabius
Bajfusy
why a man 'was called
**
parous
^^
and what he thought
the meaning
of
that word-, on the other handy the man-
m^r in which Favorinus has ridiculed his tradition
229
BOOK IV,
Chap. I.
Difcourfe
of
Favorinus the philofopher in
the Socratic method, to 'a boafiing grammarian, De^
fnition
of
the word
"
penusy'
from
S^intus Scavola
231
Chap. II. Difference
betwixt
*^
morbus'* and
*^
vitium
:''
the power
of
thefe
words in the ediSf
of
the eediles. Whether an eunuchy or barren wamany can
be returned
\ differentJentiments
upon this
Jubje^i 238
Chap. III. No a5lions on matrimonial dijputes be-
fore the Carvilian divorce. The proper
fignification
of
th$ word
^^
pelkiCy' and its derivation
-
- 242
TO
Volume I. xxvii
Chap.
IV. What
Servius SulpitiuSy in his hook
^^
Be
Dotibus,'' has written
of
the law and
cuftom
of
ancient
marriages
"- ^
Page
244
Chap. V. Story
of
the
perfidy of
the Etrujcan
Joothjayers
; on which account this verfe
was
Jung
hy the
boys about the city
of
Rome
:

^^
Malum confilium confultori pejfmum
^."
246
Chap, VI. The words
of
an ancient decree
of
the
fenatey
in which an expiation by the mojl
Jolemn Jacri-
fees
was ordered^ becaufe
the
Jpears
of
Mars had
moved in the chapel, "The terms
"
hofiiaJuccidane^e^^
and
"
porea pracidanea'^ are explained. Lapito Ateius
called certain holidays
^^
feri^
pr^(:idane^''
-
248
Chap. VII.
Of
an
Epiftle from
Valerius Prohus
the grammarian, addrejjed to Marcellus^ upon the accent
of
certain Carthaginian words
-
-
251
Chap. VIII. What Caius Fabricius
Jaid
of
Cor-
nelius
RufinuSy
a covetous man, whom, though he hated
him and was his enemyy he took care to have eleSied
conjul
-
- -
-
-
252
Chap. IX. The proper meaning
of
**
religiofus"
the various ftgnifications to which it is applied : the
words
of
Nigidius Figulus on this
Jubje^y
taken
from
his Commentaries
-
-
-

-
255
Chap. X. The order
of
ajking opinionsy as
obferved
in the fenate, Dijpute in the
fenate between Caius
Cafar
the
conful, and Marcus' Cat
Oy
who conjumed the
whole day in
Jpeaking
-
-
-
258
Chap. XI. Certain more
refined objervations
of
Arifioxenus upon PythagoraSy with
Jome fimilar re-
marks
of
Plutarch on the
Jamejubje^
- -261
Chap,
xxviii
The Contents
Chap. XII.
Cenjortal remarks and animadverfions
found
in ancient mmumentSy worthy
of
remembrance
Page id^
Chap. XIII. ^he
founds
of
flutes^
made in
afar-
ticular manner^ can cure
thofe afflicted
with the fciatica
266
Chap. XIV. Anecdote
of
Hofiilius Mancinus the
^edile, and Mamilia the courtezan : the

words
of
the
decree
of
the tribunes to whom Mamilia appealed
267
Chap. XV.
Defence
of
an opinion in Salluji's
hif-
tory^ which his enemies cenfure with violence and malig-
nity
- - - -
-
269
Chap. XVI.
Of
certain words declined by Varro
ind JNigidius, contrary to the
ifual cuftom
:
fome
ex-
amples
of
the
fame
kind
from
the ancients
-
271
Chap. XVII.
Of
the nature
of
certain particles
which
^
prefixed
to verbs^ appear to become long without
elegance or propriety^ difcuffed
by various
inftancss and
arguments
- - -
-
^73
Chap. XVIII. Some things
of
Jfricanus the Elder
taken
from hiftory^
worthy
of
notice
- -
276
Chap. XIX. What M. VarrOy in his
Logiflori-
cumy wrote on refraining children in their
food
279
Chap. XX.
Unfeafonable jefters
were cognizable
hy the cenfors : they even deliberated on punijhiyig one
v^ho yawned in their
-^efence
-
-
289
BOOK
TO
Volume L xxix
B O O K V.
Chap. I. ne philofopher
Mujonius cenfures
tht
commendations paid to a philofcpher
whenJpeakingy
by
loud acclamations and noijy compliments
-
Page 283
Chap. II.
Of
Alexander's horfcy
called Bucepha-
lus
- - - -
. 286
Chap. III. What was the original occajion which
led Protagoras to the
Jiudy
of
philofophy
- - 288
Chap. IV.
Of
the
phrafe
"
duoetvicefimo^' which,
though varioufly ujed by learned men in books, is not ge-
nerally known
- - -
- 291
Chap. V.
Sarcafm aimed by the Carthaginian Han-
nibal againfi king Antiochus
-
- -
293
Chap. VI.
Of
military crowns:

the corona tri^

umphalis, objidionalisy civica, jnuralis, caflrenftSy
nava-
lisy ovalis, and oleaginea
- ^ -
295
Chap. VII. Ingenious interpretation
of
the word
*'
perfonay* and what was/aid to be its derivation by
Gabius
Bajfus
- - -
^99
Chap. VIII.
Defence
of
Virgil
from
the cenfures
cf
Julius Higinus the grammarian
i of
the word
" //'-
tuusy* and its etymology
-
- -
301
Chap. IX. Story
of
thefon
of
CrofuSyfrom Hera-
dotus
-
-
-
-
303
Chap. X.
Of
the arguments,
called by the Greeks
siVTia-rpi^ovTccy by us reciproca - -
30C
Chap.
XL ^he
Jyllogifm
of
Bias on marriage^ is
vot an example
of
the ccvri<rrfi<pou -^
-
308
Chap.
Chap. XII.
Of
the names
of
fertain deities
of
ths
TiomanSy Dijovis and Vejovis
-
- Page
311
Chap. XIII. Rank and order
of offices
ohjerved in
the ciiftoms
of
the Roman people - -
J 1
4
Chap. XIV. Appiony a learned man called Plifio^
niceSy has related that he
Jaw
at Rome a mutual recoU
le5tion takepkice
from
old acquaintance between a man
and a lion
- -
-
"3^1
Chap. XV. ^he opinions
of
philofophers are
dif-
fer
enty whether the 'voice be a
bodilyJubfiance or not 2'^l
Chap. XVI.
Of
the power
of
the eyesy and the
caufes
of
fight
- -
324
Chap. XVII. ^he
reafon why the
firfi
days after
the calendsy nonesy and ideSy are called unfortunate ;
and
why
moft
people avoid
alfo
the
fourth
day
before
the
calendsy nonesy and idesy as ominous
-
- 326
Chap. XVIIL Whaty and how great the
difference
hetwixt a hijlory or annals: a
pciffage
on
this
JubjeU
from
the
firft
book
of
the
"
Res Gejia'*
of
Sempronius
AJellio
- - - -
328
Chap. XIX. Meaning
of^^
adoptatio'' and
"
ar-
rogatioy* how they
differ.
Form
of
words
ufed by any
one who appeals to the people on the
fubje^
"
in liberis
arrogandis'*
- -
-
'33^
Chap. XX. Capito
Afinius
made a Latin word
of
^^
Jolcecijmus i*^ what the old Latins called {his\ in
what manner the
fame
Capito Afinius defined
"
Jolce-
cifm"
- - -
,-
23i
Chap. XXI. 'That it is not barbarous, but good
Latiny to
Jayy
^^
pluriay"
"
compluria,' and
"
com^
pluries**
- - -
'
J33^
THE
THE
CONTENTS
TO
VOLUME
THE
SECOND;
BOOK VI.
Chap. I. n^HE
reply
of
Chryftppus to
thofe
who de-
nied a 'Providence - - Page i
Chap. II.
How the
fame
per
Jon
proved the power
md neceffity
of
Fate^ and yet that we
pojfeffed
a
free
will andfree
agency
-- -
"5
Chap. III. Story from
Tuhero
of
a
ferpent
of
tin-
ufual fize
-
- - -
-
-
9
Chap, IV. '^he
fame
'Tuhro's relation
of
the cap-
tivity ofRegulus

Account given hy 'Tuditanus

of
the
fame
Regulus
-
^ - - .
1
1
Chap. V. Mijlake
of
Alfenus the lawyer^ in the
interpretation ofjome old words
-
-
13
Chap. VI. Virgil cenfured rajhly
andfoolijhly hy
Julius
HyginuSy hecaufe he called the wings
of
D^dalus
praepetes.

'The meaning
of
avcs prsepetes, explained,

What thofe birds were which Nigidius calls in-

ferse
- - -
-
-
15
Chap. VII.
Of
Acca Larentia and Caia Tarra-
tia
The
origin
^of
the priefihood
of
the Fratres Ar-
nales f -
- -
-
iS
Chap.
xxxii The Contents
Chap. VIII. Memorable anecdotes
of
Alexander
and Puhlius Scipio
-
Page
it
Chap. IX. Apajfagefrom the Annals
of
L, Pifo,
inter
eft
ing in
itf
elf
and agreeably related
-
24
Chap. X, Story
of
Euclid the Socratic, by 'whofe
example the philofopher 'Taurus
ufed
to encourage his
fupils
to the
earneft
ftudy of
philofophy
- -26
Chap. XL Words
of
^intus Metellus Numidicusy
which it is apleafure to remembery applicable to dignified
flations and propriety
of
conduct
-
-
1%
Chap. XII. That neither
"
teftamentuniy* as Ser-
vius Sulpitius thought^ nor
^^
facellum^^ as Trehatius^
are compounded. The
former is derived
from
*'
tefta^
tioy^ the latter is a diminutive
from
^^
facrum'^
29
Chap. XIII.
Of
certain
queftions difcuffedby
Tau^
rus the philofopher at his table^ and called
Jympofiacs
3
1
Chap. XIV. Three reafons affignedby philofopher
s
for
the punijhment
of
crimes, IV
by
Plato has recorded
only two
of
them
-
-
-
-
34
Chap. XV.
Of
the word quiefco ; whether the
Utter e ought to he made long or
Jhort
-
-
37
Chap. XVI. The common word deprecor applied
hy the poet Catullus in an unufual hut not improper
7nanner, The meaning
of
this wordy with examples
from
ancient writers -
-
- -
38
Chap. XVII . Who
firft
inftituted public libraries.
The number
of
books depoftted in public libraries at
Athens before
the Perftan invafion
- - 42
BOOK
TO
Volume II. xxxiii
BOOK VII.
Chap. I. Memorable
faHs
of
P. Scipo AfricanuSy
taken
from
the Annals
_ - - Page
44
Chap. II. Shameful
error ofCafellius
Vindex^
found
in the book which he called
"
Ancient Readings''
48
Chap. III.
Cenfure ofl^ullius 'Tiro^ Cicero's freed-
many on afpeech
of
Marcus Cato-, delivered in thefenate
for
the Rhodians, The anfwer
which 1 have made to
that cenfure
-
- -
-
-
5
^
Chap. IV.
What
fort
of
fervants thofe
were that
Callus SabinuSy the Civilian^
fays
were expofed
to
fale
with caps on. The re
of
on
of
this. What flaves were
anciently
fold^
"
Tub corona," and the meaning
of
this
phrafe
- -
- ' -
66
Chap. v.. Remarkable flory
of
Polus the player 68
Chap. VI. Wh.'it Arifiotle wrote on the natural
defeat
of
fome
of
thefenfes
-
-
-
69
Chap. VII. Whether the word afFatim
fiould
be
pronounced like
admoduiri) with the acute accent on the
frft fy
liable ; with certain
cbfervations on other words
^
not without their ingenuity
-
- -
^o
Chap. VIII. Incred'ble
fiery
of
a dolphin who
loved a youth
- -
-
-
7
J
dhap. IX. Ma?iy ancient writers
ufed
pepofci,
memordi, fpepondi, and cecurri, not as afterwards
with o or u in the
firft
fyllahle, but with e^ according
to the Greek
ufage.
Moreover^ many men^ neither un^
learned nor vulgar,
from
the verb dc{ccndo,faid not
defcendi, but defcendidi -
-
-
76
Vol. I^ c Chap.
XXXIV Thi
Contents
Chap. X. Ufufcapio
is an entire word, and
ufed in
the nominative cafe.
So
alfo
is pgnorijcapio Page
79
Chap. XI. "The fignification
of
"
levitas
"
and
f
nequitia
"
is not that which we ujualjy give them 80
Chap. XII.
Of
the garments called chiridota

Tublius Africanus
reproved Sulpicius Gallus
for
wear-
i7ig them
- -
- -
84
Chap. XIII. Wh^m M. Cato calls claflicus, whom
infra clafTem -
- -
-
87
Chap. XIV.
Of
the three
kinds
of
eloquence, and
of
the three philofophers fent
on an
embajfy by the Athe-
nians to the Roman Senate
-
- - 88
Chap. XV. ^he Jeverity with which thieves were
punijhed by the ancients,

JVhat Mutius Sc<evola has

written on what is given or entrufied to the care
of
any
one
-
- -
-
- 92
Chap. XVI.
Pajfagefro^
Marcus Varro^
s
fatircy
called TTs^i cJ^KT/xaTwy. Some
verfes
of
Euripides^ in
which he ridicules the extravagant appetite
of
luxurious
men
- - -
-

94
Chap. XVU. Converjation with an ignorant and
injolent grammarian^ on the meaning
of
the word ob-
noxius

Origin
of
this word
-
-
100
Chap. XVIII. Religious obfervance
of
an oath
among the Romans

Of
the ten captives whom Hanni^
bal
fent
to Rome, taking
from
them an oath to re'-
turn
- - -
-
-
105
Chap. XIX. Hifiory
taken
from
the Annals con--
cerning 'Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus,
father
of
the
Gracchi, tribune
of
the people ; with the
form
of
words
iifed
by the tribunes in their decrees
- - 108
5
Chap.
TO Volume II. kxxr
Chap. XX. ^hat Virgily hecaufe
he was
refiifed
water by the inhabitants
of
Nola, erafed
the word
"
NoW* from
his
verfe^
and
infer
ted
^^
Ora,* with
other
pleafant ohfervations on the harmonious found
of
letters
-
^
-
- Page 112
Chap. XXI. H^jy quoad vivet and quoad mo^
rietur exprefs the fame
point
of
time^ though the ex*
preffion
is taken
from
two contrary
fa^s
-
i rj
Chap. XXIL 'That the cenfors
were accuflomed to
take away their horfesfrom fuch
knights as were too
fat
and corpulent,

Enquiry made whether this is done with

difgrace
of
the knights^ or without any diminution
of
their dignity
- - . - -
n6
BOOK VIII.
Chap. I. TVhether the
phrafe hefterna nol:u is
proper or not,What is the grammatical tradition con-
cerning thefe-
words,

The decemviriy in the Twelve

tablesy
tifed
nox
for
no6ku
-
- - 118
Chap. II. Ten words pointed out to me by Favo-
rinusy whichy though
ufedby
the Greeksy
arefpurious and
barbarous

Ten likewife which Ipointed out to him

of
common and popular
ufe
among the Latinsy but which
are not properly Latin
y
nor to be
found in old books 1 20
Chap. III. The manner in which Peregrinus the
philo/ophery in my hearingy
fever
ely rebuked a Roman
youth
of
equeftrian
ranky
for
fianding in his prefence
in a
carelefs mannery andyawning repeatedly
-
121
c % Chap.
xxxvi The Contents
Chap. IV. Herodotus, the
moft
celebrated hijio^
riayiy
falfely aJfertSy
that the
fine-tree alone^
of
all trees
j
when cut down, never puts forth Jhoots from
the
fame
root.'^'The fame perfon,
concerning rain water and
fnow,
has
affumedfor
granted, what has not
beenfuffi-
ciently explored
- ^
-
Page 122
Qiap. V. "The meaning
of
cerium flare pulverc
in Virgil, and how Lucilius has
ufed
pedtus ientibus
flare
- - - -
123
Chap. VI. When
after trifling difputes, a reconci-
liation takes place, mutual expojlulations can do no good,

Difcourje
of
l^aurus on this
fubje5l,
with a
paffage
taken from
the writings
of
'Thecphraflus.

Cicero's opi*
nion, de amore amicitias, in his own words -
124
Chap. VII. Obfervaiions on the nature andpower
of
memory, from
the book
of
Arifiotle entitled Tre^i
^y^^n;,

Certain examples therein read or heard

of,
con-
cerning it's extraordinary flrength or deficiency
-
125
Chap. VIII.
Ihat I have been accuftomed to in-
terpret,
and have endeavoured to render
faithfully
in
Latin, certain
pajffages from
Plato
- -^127
Chap. IX. "Theophrajlus, the
moft
elegant philo-^
fopher of
his age, when about to addrefs a
few
words to
the people
of
Athens,
from
an emotion
of
bafofulnefsy
becamefilent,

defame
thing happened to Demojihenes,
whenfpeaking
to king Philip
-
-
128
Chap. X. A difpute
I had at Eleuji.s with a cer-
tain
conceited
grammarian, who was ignorant
of
the
tenfes of
verbs, and the common emercifes
of
a JchooU
hoy ;
but who oftentatioufly
propofed intricate
queftions^
und bugbears to catch the minds
of
the vulgar -
1 30
Chap,
TO
Volume II. xxxvii
Chap. XL ne facetious reply
of
Socrates to his
wife
Xantiffe^
requefling
hhn to he fomewhat mote li^
veral in giving an entertainment at thefeafi
of
Bacchus
Pap-e
130
Chap. XII. "the meaning
of
the
fhrafe
pleriquc
omnes in the old hooksy and that thefe
words
feem
bor-
rowed
from
the Greeks
- - -
13^
Chap. XIII.
"The word
quopfone^^ which the
Africans ufcy
is a Greek and not a Carthaginian word
132
Chap. XIV. Avery pleafant difpute
of
thephilo-
Jopher
FavorinuSy with a certain inteynperate opponent^
arguing on the ambiguity
of
words,

Certain words
applied in an unujual manner
^
from
the poet NceviuSy
andfrom
Cn^us Gellius,

Origin
of
words invefligated
by Publius Nigidius
-
-'
-
132
Chap. XV. ^he manner in which the poet Lahe^
rius was ignominioufly
treated by Caius Cajar*

Verfes
by the
fame
Laberius on this
fubje^i
-
-
133
BOOK IX.
Chap. I. I'he
reafon why
^intus Claudius ^a-
drigariusy in the nineteenth Book
of
his Annalsy has ob-
fervedy
that a mark was
firuck with greater
ejfe^
and
certaintyy
when the proje^ion was to take place up^
wardsy than
if
it were downwards
- -
1
3 j
Chap. II. 'The words in which
Herodes Atiicus
reproved one whoy with the
drefs and habit
y
falfely of-
fumed
the title and manner
of
a philojopher
-
139
c
3
Chap,
xxxviii The Contents
Chap. III. ne letter
of
King Philip to
Ariftotle
thephilojcphery on the birth
of
Alexander Page
143
Chap. IV.
Of
the prodigies andmiracles
of
barbarous
nations
;
of
their horrid and dejlru5iive
fafcinations

and
of
women who werefuddenly turned into men
145
Chap. V.
Different
opinions
of
erainent philofophers
concerning the nature
of
pleafurc-^^Words
of
Hierocles
the philofophery in which he cppofes the decrees
of
Epi-
curus
- - -
153
Chap. VI. How thefrequentative verb
from
ago
is to be pronounced in the
firfi
vowel
-
-
156
Chap. VII.
Of
the change
of
leaves on the olive^
tree on the
fir
fi day
of
winter
andfummer.
Of
mufi"
colfirings founding at that time without being
ftruck
158
Chap. VIII. He who has much,
mufi neceffarily
want much.

^he opinion
of
Favorinus the phiiojopher
en this
fubje5i expreffed
with elegant brevity
-
160
Chap. IX. Manner
of
transferring Greek
fenti-
fnents into Latin compofttions,

Of
thofe verfes
of
Homer which Virgil has been thought to have imitated
well and elegantly, or the contrary - - 162
Chap. X. That Annaus Cornutus has injured, by
an
unjuft
and odious calumny,
thofe
lines
of
Virgil
wherein he, with
modeft referve, fpeaks
of
the matri-
monial intercourje betwixt Venus and Vulcan -
169
Chap. XL
Of
Valerius Corvinus, and why called
Corvinus
- - -
-
171
Chap. XII,
Of
words which are ujed with two
oppcfiteftgnifications
- -
-
174
Chap.
TO^VOLUME
II. , XXXIX
Chap. XIII.
ApaJJage from
the
Uifiory
of
Clau--
dius ^adrigarius, where he
deferibes the engagement
cf
Manlius Torquatus, a nchle youth^ and an enemy
of
Gauly who gave a general challenge
-
Page
178
Chap. XIV. T!he
fame
^adrigarius
aJfertSy
that
hujus facies, in the genitive
cafe^
is proper and good
Latin
5
with other ohfervaticns on the declenfions
of
fimilar words
-
-
- -
183
Chap. XV.
Of
the fpecies
of
controverfy which
the Greeks call ociro^oq
-
-
-
187
Chap, XVI. ^hat Pliny the Elder, a man by no
means unlearnedy was not aware
of
that fallacy
of
ar-
gument
^
called by the Greeks avTifpsipov - -
190
BOOK X.
Chap. T. Whether we ought to
fay
tertlum, or
tertio
conful?
and how Cn^us Pompey, when he was
about to enrol his honours in the theatre which he confe^
cratedy avoided, by the advice
of
Cicero, the doubtful
ufage of
that word
-
-
-
- 192
Chap. II. What Ariflotle has recorded
of
the num^
her
of
children produced at one birth
-
-
196
Chap. III. An examination
cf
certain celebrated
paffageSy
and a comparifon made between the orations
cf
C. Gracchusy M, Cicero, and M, Cato
- -
199
Chap. IV. *l^hat Publius NigidiuSy with great
fo^
phiftryy taught that words were not arbitrary but na-
tural
-
- -
207
c
4
Chap.
xl The Contents
Chap. V.
JVhether avams he afimpkwordy cf,
as it appears to P. Nigidiusy
a compound one Page
209
Chap. VI. A
Jine was
impvfed by the adiles
of
the
people upon the daughter
of
Appius CacuSy a woman
of
ranky
for
fpeaking impertinently
-
-
210
Chap. VII. Marcus Varro^ as Irememler^ writes
^
that
of
thofe
rivers which
flow
leyend the limits
of
the
Roman er/ipire^ that
of
the
firfi
magnitude is the Nile,
cj thejeccnd the Danube^ and r^ext the Rhone 1M
Chap- VIII. I'hat
arnongft
the
difgraceful punijh-
ments by ^which fcldiers were reflralnedy was the let-
ting
of
blood
y
and what was the apparent
reafon
of
this -
-
-
-
2J4
Chap. IX. By what means and in what
form
the
Roman army is ufually drawn up
i
and what are the
fiam.es
of
their divifions
-
- -
- 215
Chap. X'. JVhy the ancient Greeks and the Ro^
wans wore a ring upon the
lafi finger
hut me
of
the
left
hand
- - -
-
-
2i6
Chap. XI. I'he meaning andformation
of
the word
mature ; the common ujage
of
it improper.

Likewije
that the word precox makes^ in the genitive caje^ not
praecoquis, hut praecocis -
217
Chap. XII.
Of
certain marvellous tales which
Pliny the Elder mofi unjuflly afcrihes to
Democritus the
fhilofopher
; likewije
of
the
flying
model
cf
a pigeon 220
Chap. XIII. I'he
reafon why the ancients /aid,
partim hominum
-
-
-
224
Chap. XIV. By what arrangement
of
words Cato
Jhid
*'
Injuria mihi fadum itur" - - 226
Chap,
T O V O L U M E II. Xl5
Chap.
XV. On the ceremonies
of
the
priefi and
prieftejs of
Jupiter.^ and
fome
words citedfroin
thepr^e*
tor's edify in which he^ declares he will not compel either"
the vejial virgins
or the
priefts of
Jupiter
to take an
oath
-
.- - -
Page
227
Chap. XVI.
Certain hifiorical errors which Julius
Higinus points out in thefixth
book
of
Virgil
-
o.^^,;^
Chap. XVII. For what reajon^ and in what man-
ner^ the philofopher
Democritus deprived him/elf
of
his
eye-fight j
and the pure and elegant verjes
of
haherius
upon that Juhje5i
- - -
23
S
Chap. XVIII. Story
of
Artemifia^ and
of
the games
injiituted by her in memory
of
Maufolus^ wherein cele*
hrated writers contended
-
r
240
Chap. XIX. ^hat a crime is noi done away or
lejfened
by the defence which
Jome offenders
Jet
up^
namely a fimihrity
of
crimes in others ; and a
pajfage
upon that
fubje^i from
an oration
of
DemoJlhenes
243
Chap. XX. nemeaning
of
the zvords rogatio, lex,
pkbifcitum, privilegium
i
and wherein
thefe words
'iffer
- - - -
^
246
Chap. XXI. ^he reajon why Marcus
CiceroJcru
puloufly avoided the
ufe of
the words
noviilimus and
noviffime
_ - -

249
Chap. XXII. A
paffage
cited
from the book
of
Plato called Gorgias, on the
ahufes
offalfe
philojophy -y
in which he lajhes
rafljly thofe philojophers
who are
ignorant
of
the
benefits
of
true philojophy
-
-
251
Chap. XXIII. A
paffage
from
an oration
of
Mar-
(US Cato^jju the ancient mode
of
life^ and manners
of
women*
%\\i The Contents
ivomen. ^hat the hufband had power to put his
wifg
to deathy
if
taken in adultery
-
- Page
257
Chap. XXIV. ^hey who/poke with elegance^ ujed
the wordsy die priftini, die craftini, die quarti, die
quintiy not as they/peak them now

- 260
Chap. XXV. The names
of
certain weapons, darts,
and /words ; and the different forts
of
foips
mentioned
in the old books
-
- -
$64
Chap. XXVI. Sallufl was unwifely cenfured by
Afinius
Pcllioy
for faying
tranfgrefrum
for
transfreta-
tionem, ^c,
- -
-
-
166
Chap. XXVII. Account
of
the Roman and Car--
thaginian people,

They were rivals

of
nearly equal
firength
- - - -
269
Chap. XXVIII. On the difiin5iions
of
age-^child"
bood, youthy and old age

taken
from
Tubero's hifiory
27
1
Chap. XXIX. That the particle atque is not only
conjunlive, but has likewife a diverftty
of
Jignifica^
iions
- - -
*
- 272
BOOK XL
Chap. I. On the origin
of
the word Italy.
Of
that
fine
which is called fuprema ; its meaning

the
Aterian law

and in what terms the

fmallefi fine ufed
to be impofed
- -
-
-
274
Chap,
TO Volume II. xliii
Chap. II. ^hat the word elegance, among the
mclentSy
was not applied to
thofe diftinguifljed
by their
underftandingy
hut to thofe who are attentive to
drefs
and luxuryy and was conjidered as
dif
graceful P.
277
Chajn III. Various ujages
of
the par. icle pro, with
examples
-
- - -
280
Chap.
IV. In what manner Ennius imitated Eu^
ripides
- - - - - - 282
Chap. V. Certain things lightly touched upon con-
cerning the Pyrrhonian philofophersy and the Acade-
mics, with the difference
between them - -
283
Chap. VI. T^he Roman women did not /wear by
Herculesi nor the men by Cafior
-
-
286
Chap. VII. Old and ohjdete words not to he
ufed
- - -
-
- 288
Chap. VIII. What Marcus Cato thought and/aid
if
Albinusy who though a Romany
compofed a hifiory
of
his own country in Greek, at the
fame
time apologizing
for
his ignorance
-
- -
291
Chap. IX. Story
of
the
ambaffadors
of
Miletus,
cndDemoflhenes the orator, taken
from
Critolaus
292
Chap. X. Caius Gracchus
fixes
the above
fiory
upon Bemades and not
Demofthenes, C Gracchus's
words quoted
- -
-
-
296
Chap. XI. ^he words
of
Publius Nigidius, in
which he
fays
there is a
difference between lying and
tellifig a lye
- - -
-299
Chap.
XII. Chryftppus the philofopher
fays,
that
.vcry word is ambiguous and doubtful, Diodorus
thinksy on the other handy that no word is
Jo
-
300
Chap.
iliv The Contents
Chap. XIII. What Titus Cajlricius thought
of
the
wcrJs ami thefentiments
of
Caius Gracchus^ ?iot allow-
ing any dignity to what hejaid
-
Page
302
Chap. XIV, The
wife
and elegant anfwer
of
King
Rcmulus, upon the
ufe
of
wine
-
-
306
Chap. XV. Upon the words ludibundus, erra-
bundus, and the lengthening
of
words
of
that
fort.
'^
Laherius
ufed
amorabunda in the
fame
manner,

Si-
Jeima^
by a word
of
this kindy
formed
a newfigure
307
Chap. XVI. The tranflaticn
of
certain Greek
words into Latin is very
difficulty
as that which is
failed in Greek TTo^vTrpcuyy^oiTvun
^
-j
310
Chap. XVII. The meaning
of
the
phrafe
^*^
flumi-
na
retanda,*;
found
in the old pr^tcrian edi^s
312
Chap, XVIII. The punijhment which Draco the
Athenian, in his Laws, infixed upon thieves.
Thofe
cf
Solon afterwards
-, thoje
likewife
of
our Decemviriy
*who wrote the Twelve TahleSy in which it appeared
that among the Egyptians^ thefts were allowed
;
among
the Lacedemonians encouraged, and commended as an
itfeful
exereife.
-
The memorable
faying
of
Marcus Cato
li^on thepuniJJomejit
of
thefts
-
-
31^^.
MM
BOOK XII.
C
hap. L
Differ
tation
cf
the philofopher FavorinuSy
in which he perfuaded a lady
of
rank toJackie her child
herjelfy
and not to employ
nurfes
-
"''\
-
320
Chap,
TO Volume II.
xlv
Chap. II.
"
Annans > Seneca, in his judgment upon
Ennius and Cicero, cxprejfed himjelf in a trifdng
a?id
futile
manner
- - -
Page
328
Chap. III. Meaning and origin
of
the word Lie-
tor
; different opinions
of
Valgius Rufus,
and the
f
reed-
man
of
Tullius Cicero -
-
- ~
3
J3
Chap. IV. Lines
from
the feventh hook
of
Etv*
nius's Annals, in which the difpofition and conciliating
conduSl
of
an
inferior toward a fuperior friend is de-
ferred
and defned
- -
-
334
Chap. V.
Difcourfe
of
the philofopher 'Taurus, up^
en the manner
offuf
porting pain, according to the de*
crees
of
the Stoics
- -
-
337
Chap. VI. JVhat the Greeks call 2EnIgma, the an-
cient Latins call icnipos
- - ^
o^^
Chap. VII. Upon what occafion Cn^eus Dclahella,
the proconful, referred the trial
of
a woman accufed
of
havi}jg given poifon, and coyif
effing
the
fa5f,
to the court
of
the Areopagites
^ _
-
34-7
Chap. VIII. Reconciliations between great men^
worthy
of
reccrd
- - -
34^
Chap. IX. Some words are
of
double meanings and
even the word honos
wasfo confideredformerly
352
Chap. X. Meaning
of
the Latin word asditimus
354
Chap. XI. They are
miftaken who commit
fins
with
the hepe
of
remaining concealed,
fince
there is no per-
petual hiding-place
for fin,

The words
of
the phi-
lofopher Feregrinus upon that
fuhje5f, from afentiment
of
the poet Sophocles
- -
-
356
Chap,
xlvi The Contents,
&c.
Chap. XII. The witty reply
of
Cicero, excujt^g
himjelffrom
the charge
of
a
mamfefifalfhood
Page
359
Chap. XIII. T^he meaning
of
the
phrafe
"
intra
calendas,"
whether it
ftgnifies before the calends, or
upon the calendsy
or both,

ne meaning
of
the
phrafe
"
intra oceanum/' and
'^
intra naontem Taurum/'
in the Jpeech
of
Marcus Tullius, and the ujage
of
*^
intra, modum" in a certain
epiflle
-
-
361
Chap. XIV. Force and origin
of
the particle fal-
tern
- - -
369
Chap. XV. That Sifenna in his Hiflorical Re--
cords, has frequently ujedjuch adverbs as celatim, ve-
iitatim, faltuatim
-
-
-
371
THE
THE
CONTENTS
T O
VOLUME
THE
THIRD.
BOOK XIIL
Chap. ^'
y4
N accurate enquiry into the meaning
cf
thoje words which are
found in the
fir
fi
of
Cicero's
Orations againft
Anthony

" But many

things feem
to happen contrary to the order
of
nature
andoffate^

Examination whether
thoJe two words
^
"
fatum and natura/* have the
fame
or a
different
fig-^
nification
- - -
Page i
Chap. II. On the familiar conrverfation
of
Pacu-
vius and Accius in the town of'Tarentum
- -
4
Chap. III. Whether the words
necelTitudo and
ncceflitas have difiin5i meanings
-
-
y
Chap. IV. T!he pleafant and
wife reply
ofOlympiaSy
the mother
of
Alexander, to her
f
on - -
9
Chap. V.
Of
the philofophers Arijloth:,
Thecphraf^
tusy and MenedemuSy and the graceful
m^odefty
of Arif-
totle in his appointment
of afucceffor
to
hisfchool 1
2
Chap,
:rivui The Contents
Chap. VI. The term which the old Latins applied
to what the Greeks call accents,

That neither the an-

cient Romans nor the people
of
Attica hadjuch a word
as harharijms
, -
.
P^ige
1
5
Chap. VII. Homer in his poem^ and Herodotus in
his hijiory, have
fpoken very
differently concerning
the
lion
- - - ^
- -
ly
Chap. VIII. The poet
Jfranius has ingenioiijly and
pleajantly
reprefented Wijdom to be the daughter
ofUfe
and Memory
-
- -
-
20
Chap. IX. What Tullim Tiro wrote in his Com-
mentaries on the Sucula and Hyad^e^ names
offtars 23,
Chap. X. The etymology
of
foror, according to
Laheo AntijliiiSy and
of
frater, according to Nigidius 26
Chap. XI. The
jufi
andproper number
of
guejisy
according to
M*
Varro,

Of
the
Jecond courje
i of
deli-
cacies
- - - -
28
Chap. XII. The tribunes might arrejiy but could
notJummon any one
- -
-
31
Chap. XIII. In M, Varro^s booh
of
human things
it is
affirmed^
that the adiles and quajlors
of
the Ro-
man people might be cited before
the prator by a private
ferjon
- - - -
35
Chap. XIV. Meaning
of
the term -pomodnum
37
Chap. XV.
Paffage from Meffala
the augury
af-
certaining who are the inferior magiflrates,

That the
conf
III and prator are colleagues,

Objervaticns
on the
aufpices,

Opinion
of
the
fame Mejfala on the terms ad
populum ioqui, and cum populo agere.

/^c? the
magifirates are that may dijmifs the comitia - -
40
Chap
TO Volume III. xlix
Chap. XVI. Humanitas has not the ftgnification
njually given it,

They who have

fpoken moft
"purely
have ujed it in a more appropriate
fenje
Page
43
Chap. XVIL Meaning
of
the words inter os et
ofFam, in M, Cato
- -
-
45
Chap. XVIII. Plato ajfigns a
verfe
of
Sophocles
to Euripides
; and verfes
may be found exprejfed in the
fame
words^ or with the variation
of
a
few
fy
liable
Sy
in
poets born at different
periods -
-
-
47
Chap. XIX.
Of
the origin and ?tames
of
the Por^
cian family
- - - -
49
Chap. XX. 'That among the
mofl elegant writers
greater attention has been paid to the modulation
of
words^ called by the Greeks Kuphoiiia, than to the rules
and
difcipline
of
grammarians
-
^
S3
Chap. XXI. Words
of
Titus Caflricius, the rhe*
torician, to his young
pupilsy on the impropriety
of
their
clothes and
Jhoes
- -
-
-
59
Chap. XXII. Prayers which by the
cuftom
of
the
Romans are
offered
to their deities^ as explained in the
hooks
of
their priejis
;
among which they pve to Mars
the title
of
Nerienes,

The meaning
of
the word Neri^
enesy or Nerio
- -
^
6 a
Chap.
XXIII. The very elegant
reproof
of
Marcus
CatOy
of
confular and cenforian dignityy againft thofe
who
are philofophers in namey and not in conduct
-
67
Chap.
XXIV. Meaning
of
the word Maniibi^.
^^Obfervations on the propriety
ofufing
different
words
meaning the
fame
thing
- -
-
69
Chap. XXV.
Pajfage from
Publius NigidiuSy in
which he
faysy that in Valeri, the
vocative cafey thefirft
Vol.
I, d
Jy
liable
1 The Contents
Jyllahle is to he made jhort,

Other ohfervations on the

right method
of
accenting
Juch words
-
Page
78
Chap. XXVI.
Of
verfes
in which
Virgil
feems to
have imitated Homer and Parthenius
-
- 80
Chap. XXVII. Sentiments
of
the
philofopher Pa^
natius,
from
his
fecond
book Be
OfficiiSy
in which he
recommends^ that men fhould
on all occaftons he
careful
to avoid injuries
- - -
81
Chap. XXVIII. S!uadrigarius has
nfed
the
fhrafey
"
cum mukis mortalibus." Whether and
how it would have
differ
edy
if
he had
faidy
"
cum
multis hominibus
"
- -
-
83
Chap. XXIX. ^he word facies is not corre^ly
iijed hy the vulgar
-
-
- -
85
Chap. XXX. Meaning iT^caninum prandium in
Marcus Varro's Satire
- - -
8S
BOOK XIV.
Chap. I. "Differ
tation
of
Favorinus
againft thofc
called Chald^eanSy whoy
from the combinations and mo-
. tions
of
the conjlellations andflars^ pretend toforetelthe
fortunes
of
men
- - -
-
91
Chap. II. Difcourfe ofFavorinus when I conjulted
him. upon the
office of
a judge
- -
105
Chap. III. Whither Xenophon and Plato were
rivalsy and at enmity with each other
- -
113
Chap. IV. Chryfippus hasy with great propriety
andjkilly reprefented the
form
of
Jujiice
in glowing co^
lours and harmonious words . -

n8
9
Chap.
TO
Volume IIL
H
Chap.
V. Strife
and contention
of
eminent gram^
marians at Rome on the ^vocative cafe of
"
Egregius
'*
Paoo 1 20
Chap. VI.
Of
thofe
things
which,
having the ap*
parance
of
learning, are neither pleaftng
nor
ufeful
122
Chap. VII.
Marcus
Varro gave to Pompey,
whef$
firfi
ele^ed conjid, a
commentary,
which he called^
"
Ifasoo-icum cie officio
fenatus habendi
"
- 129
'O^tD'
Chap. VIII.
Enquiry
whether the praife^
of
the
Latin holidays had the right
of
convenmg and confulting
ihejenate
-
-
-
^
^
^ZZ
BOOK XV.
Chap. I. In the Annals
of
^intus Claudius it is
faid,
that wood rubbed with alum does net take
fire
134
Chap. II. Plato, in his traSi
"
de leglbus," was
ef
opinion that encouragements to drink more copioujly
at
feaflsy
were not without their
ufe
-
-
137
Chap. III. Cicero*s opinion
of
the particle z\}., pre-
fixed
to aufugio and 2iufcro, and zvhether it is the
fame
prepofition
which occurs in 2LUtumo - -
145
Chap. IV. Story
of
Ventidius
Bajfus,
a man
of
mean birth, who
firfl,
as it is related, triumphed over
the Parthians
- -
-
-
143
Chap.
V. Profiigo often ^iifed iraproperly and igno^
rantly
-
- -

-
14S
d 2
Chap
Hi The Contents
Chap. VI. In Cicero's
Jecond hook
"
de Gloria,"
there is a
manifeft
error in what is written
of
He5for
and Jjax
- .
.
Page
149
Chap. VII. // is ohjerved
of
old men, that their
fixty*third year is either marked hy trouble, or deaths
or
Jome fignal calamity. An example taken
from
a
letter
from Auguftus
to his adopted
Jon
Cains
-
151
Chap. VIII. Pajfagefrom
a
fpeech
of
Favorinus,
an old orator, containing an inveilive on luxurious en-
tertainments, delivered hy him when he recommended the
Licinian law in refraining expences - -
153
Chap. IX. C^cilius the poet iijed
"
frons'* in the
mafculine gender, not hy poetic licence, hut with pro-
priety and hy analogy
-
-
-
155
Chap. X. Thefirange and voluntary death
of
cer-
tain Milefian virgins
- -
-
158
Chap. XI. Form
of
the Jenatorial decree
for ha-t
nifhing philojophers
from
Rome-,
alfo
the decree
of
the
cenjor, hy which they were cenjured and reflrained who
injtituted andtaught rhetoric at Rome
-
- 160
Chap. XII. Celebrated
pajfage from
a
Jpeech
of
Gracchus, concerning hisfrugality and continence 1
63
C
hap. XIII.
Of
unujual verbs, called hy the gram-
marians common, and
ufed
in either voice - -
165
Chap. XIV.
Metellus Numidicus has borrowed
a new
figure of
fpeech from
the Greek orators -
168
Chap, XV. "l^he ancients ujed
"
paffis veils," and
"
paffis manibus," not
from
their own word ^^pa-
i\ox^' but
from
"pando" - , - i6^
Chap.
TO Volume III. liii
Chap. XVI. Extraordinary death ofMilo ofCro-
tona
- - -
-
Page
171
Chap. XVII. TVhy the nobler Athenian youth
left
off
playing on the
flute^
which had been long the
cuftor/i
cf
their country
- - -
173
Chap. XVIII. ^he battle in the civil war, and
the victory obtained by C^/ar at Pharjalia^ was men-
tioned andforetold by one Cornelius^ a
friefl^
who was
on that day at Fatavium in Italy -
-
174
Chap. XIX.
Paffage
worthy
of
record,
from
the
Jatire
of
Marcus Varro, entitled, rrspi t^^a-^ocrodv
176
Chap, XX. Circumflances
of
the birth,
life,
man-
ners, and death
of
the
foet
Euripdes -
-
177
Chap. XXI. By the -poets, the
Jons
of
Jove
are
reprejented as very wije and polifhed, thofe
of
Neptune
moft
rude and ferocious
- - - -181
Chap. XXII. Story ofSertorius ;
his cunning, and
the artifice he employed to keep his barbarian Joldiers
together, and conciliate their good will
-
- 182
Chap. XXIII.
OJ
the ages
of
the celebrated hij^
torians, Hellanicus, Herodotus, and 'Thucydides
184
Chap. XXIV. Judgment
of
Volcatius Sedigitus
on the Roman comic writers, in his book
"
de Poctis
'*
185
Chap. XXV.
Of
certain words which occur in
the Mimiambi
of
Oiceus Mattius
- -
187
Chap. XXVI. AriflotWs defijtition
of
a Jyllogijm
tranfiated into Latin -
-
-
188
Chap.
XXVII. Meaning
of
the Comitia Calata>
d
3
the
\W
The Content*
the
Curiata,
Centiiriata, Tributa, and the Conci--
lium,
with certain ohfervations onfimilarJuhje5ls
Page
189
Chap*
XXVlII.
Cornelius Nepos was mijlaken
^hen he
affirmed
that Cicero pleaded
for
Sextus
Rofcius
in the twenty-thirdyear
of
his age
-
-
i^i
Chap. XXIX.
A new figure
of
fpeech ujed by
Pifo
the annalift
- - -
194
Chap. XXX. Whether the carriage called pe-
torritum be a Grecian or Gallic name - -
195
Chap. XXXI. Mejfage fent
by the Rhodians to
Demetriusi the enemy*s general^ when they were be^
Jieged by himy about the famous flatue
of falyfus
197
BOOK XVI.
Chap. 1. Words
of
the philojopher Mujonius in
Creek^ worthy to be heard, and
ujeful
to be remembered.
Afentiment
of
equal utility
fpoken by M, Cato to th$
knights
of
Numantia many years
before
- -
199
Chap.
II.
Order objerved by logicians in difputing
Und declaiming.

ObjeElions to this rule - -

201
Chap. III. By what means, according to
Era/if-
iratus the phyficicin,
if
food
be wanting, hunger may be
in
fome
degree, and
for Jome
time,
J'upported.

His
words en this
fubjeSl
*- -
-
204
Chap. IV. l!he
form
of
words in which the he^
raids proclaimed war
agaitift
their enemies,

The
form
of
oath
to Volume IIL Iv
tath
concerning military thefts,

'Thatfoldiers enrolled
were,
within a
fixed
time, to ajfemhle
in a particular
place,

On what account they might Jometimes be

freed
from
their oath
- - -
Page 20
S
Chap. V. Meaning and
form
of
the word vefti-
bulum
- - - -
212
Chap. VI. The vi5fims called bidentes; why
fo
named,

Opifiifns
of
Publius Nigidius and
Julius Hi-
ginus on thisfuhjei
- -
-216
Chap. VII. Laherius has licentioujly introduced
many words
;
he has
alfo ufed
many, the latinity
of
which
isfufpicious
- -
-
219
Chap. VIII. Meaning
of
what logicians call ax-
iom : other obfervations on the elements
of
logic 222
Chap. IX. Signification
of
the tenny which
fre-
quently occurs in the old books, fufque, deque -
227
Chap. X. TVho
ihofe are, called proletarii and
capite cenfi. Meaning
of
the word aiTiduus in the
Twelve Tables^ with its formation
-
-
229
Chap. XI. Storyy
from
Herodotus^
of
the
deflruc-
tion
of
the Pfylli, who lived in the
deferts
of
Africa
234
Chap. XII.
Q/"
thofe words which Cloatius Ver-
riusy properly or otherwife^ has derived
from
the Greek
236
Chap. XIII. Meaning
of
mimiclpes.
Of
mu-
nicipium, and wherein it
differs from
colonia. Power
andformation
of
this word. What the e?npcror Adri-
an
Jaid
in thefenate concerning the municipes
-
23 S
Chap. XIV. Marcus Cato thought that prope-
rare
differed from
feflinare. How
abfurdly Verrius
d
4
Flaccus
Ivi T H E C O NT K N t S
Flaccus has explained the origin and meaning
of
fef-
tinat
- - -
-
Page
242
Chap. XV. Wonderful account
of
partridges hy
^heophrqftusy
and
of
hares by Tbeopompus -
244
Chap. XVI. They whofe
birth was
difficult
and
unnatural were called agrippas.
Of
the two gcddejfes
Proja and Poflverta
-
- - . -
245
Chap. XVII. Meaning
of
the word Vaticanus
247
Chap. XVIII. Some agreeable things to be known
and reynembered in that branch
of
geometry called ott-
T*x>i.

Of
thoje
alfo
called xocvouixri and {xiTPiyin
249
Chap.
XIX. Story
of
Arion^
from
the Hijlory
of
Herodotus
-
-
-
-
-
251
mmgm
BOOK XVII.
Chap. I. Gallus Afinius
and Largius Licinius
have cenfured an opinion in Cicero's oration
for
CaliuSy
and what may truly and forcibly be urged in vindica-
tion
of
this opinion cgainji
foolifh
people - -
255
Chap. II.
Curjory remarks on the
fir
fi book
of
the
Annals
of
^intus Claudius,
-
- -
259
Chap, III. Obfervation from
Varro's twenty
-fifth
hook on Human Affairs^
where he interprets a verje
from
Homer contrary to the received opinion
-
266
Chap,
TO
Volume III.
Ivii
Chap.
IV.
What
Menanderjaid
to the poet Phile-
moriy
by
whom he was often
undejervedly
overcome, in
poetical contefts,
Euripides aljo was often
vanquijhed
in tragedy by very
mean writers
-
Page 26
S
Chap. V. // is by no
means true what
fomefuper-
ficial ftudents
of
rhetoric have fuppojed,
that Cicero, in
his book on Friendfhipy
ujed a vicious argument, the
ambiguous
for
the
acknowledged.
"The whole
of
this
inveftigated
and
explained
-
- - 270
Chap. VJ. // is yiot true what Verrius Flaccus, in
his Jecond
book on the Objcurities
of
M,
Cato, has
faid
concerning the fervus
receptitius -
"
'^IS
Chap. VII. "Thefe
words in the Atinian law,
*'
QUOD . SUBREPTUM . ERIT . EJUS
. REI . STER-
NA
. AUCTORiTAS . ESTO,"
fccm
to P. Nigidius and
^
Sc^vola to have regard both to the
paft
and the
fu-
ture
- - -
-
- 278
Chap. VIII. At the table
of
Taurus
the
philofo-
pher it was ujual to difcujs
quejlions
of
this kind
;
why
oil will often and eafily congeal, wine Jeldom, acid
hardly ever, and that the waters
of
rivers and
foun-
tains freeze, thejea does not
-
-
280
Chap. IX.
Of
certain marks
of
letters found
in
J,
defar's epijlles
;
of
other Jecret fymbols taken
from
ancient hiflory.
Of
the Lacedaemonian feytale 284
Chap. X. What Favorinus thought
ofthofe verfes
ef
Virgil, in which he imitates Pindar in his defcription
of
the conflagrations
of
jEtna. 'The verfes
of
both
poets on the
fame
fubje5l
weired and examined
-
288
Chap,
XI. That Plutarch, in his Sympofiacs, de^
fended the opinion
of
Plato^ relative to thefiru^ure and
uje
Ivlii The Contents
%tje
of
the /cfophagus or gullet, and
of
the canal
which
fJ called the trachea arteria^ or windpipe^
againft Era^
Jijlratus
the phyfician, uftng
the authority
of
the ancient
fhyfician
Hippocrates
- -
Page
193
Chap. XII.
Of
thofefuhjeEls called
hy the Greeks
(^oga?, dijputed hy Favorinus
for
the
fake
of
exercife
Chap. XIII.
^he particle quin, how many and
what are its
fignif
cations.
Often tfed
with
ohfcurity
hy the ancients
- - -
-
298
Chap. XIV. Sele5i and elegantfentences
from
the
Mimes
of
Puhlius
- -
-
301
Chap. XV. Carneades the academic
purified him-
Jelfhy
hellebore, when about to write againft the dogmas
cf
Zeno,
Of
the nature and healing powers
of
white
and black hellebore
-
- -
'3^3
Chap. XVI. ^he ducks
of
Tontus had the power
if
expelling poifon.
King Mithridates's knowledge in
^
antidotes
of
this kind
- -
-
306
Chap. XVII. Mithridatesy king
of
Pontusy
fpoke
the language
cf
twenty-tzvo nations, ^intus Ennius
Jaid
of
himfelf
that he had three hearts^ becaufe he un^
derjlood Greeky
Of
cany and Latin
-
-
308
Chap. XVIII. Marcus Varro relates that Salluji
the hijiorian was taken in adultery by Annaus Milo,
beaten with rods, and
difmijfed
on paying a
fine
309
Chap. XIX.
JVhat Epi^etus was accufiomed to
fay
to thofe
who with debauched and vicious habits at-
tached themf
elves to philofophy. Two
falutary wordsy
the
ufe of
which he recommended
-
-
31Q
Chap.
TO Volume III. /
llx
Chap. XX. Words taken
from
the Sympoftum
of
Plato
^ which in their numbers and conneclions are
JkiU
fully
i harmonioufly^ and
f.tly ccmpofed^
for
the
fake
of
exercife
imitated in Latin
-
-
Page
3
1
2
Chap. XXI. At what times^ between the building
of
Rome and thefecond Funic war, the celebrated Greeks
md Romansflour
ijhed
- -
"3^5
BOOK XVIIL
Chap. I. Difputations between afloic andaferi"
patetic philofophery
Favorinus being arbiter^ in which
they enquire how
far
virtue avails to make
life
happy^
and how
far
happinefs confifls in thofe objects which
are called extraneous
- -
-
^i"^
Chap. II.
U hat
fort
of
quefiions we
ufed
to
difcufs
in the Saturnalia at Athens^ with
Jome
intricate
Jophif-
triesy and amufing enigmas
-
- -
327
Chap. III. What rejpe5l
MfchineSy in the oration
in which he
accufed Timarchus
of
incontinency
^
faid
the
Lacedaemonians judged to be due to the
wifeJuggeflion
cf
a very profligate citizen
-
- -
332
Chap. IV. How Sulpitius ApoUinaris laughed at
me who
afferted
that roe alone underflood the hiflory
of
Sallufty
by enquiring the meaning
of
incertum fiolidior
an vanior
- - ^ ^ -
^^^
Chap. V. ^intus Ennius, in his feventh
book
of
Annals
y
has written
quadrupes eques, and not as many
read^ quadrupes equus -
-
*
33
8
Chap.
H T H E C O N T E N T S
Chap. VI. jElius
MeliJuSy in the hook entitled
*'
De Loqiiendi Proprietate/'
which he at
firft
calls
tf cornucopia, has ajferted what is not worth memory or
mention, prejuming that there is a great
difference
^<?-
/w/>/ matrona ^Wmaterfamilias -
Page
341
Chap. VII. In what manner Favorinus reproved
tne who was unfeajonahly enquiring concerning the am-
liguities
of
words, 'The different fignifications
of
the
word coNcio
- -
-
-
344
Chap. VIII. The o^tAotoTAiura, and OjUotoTrrwra,
and other things
of
this
fort,
which are ccnfdered as
crnaments
of
compofition, are trifling and puerile
-,
this
Jhewnfrom
the verfes
of
Lucilius - -
347
Chap. IX. Signification
of
the word infecendo, in
M, Cato; and that infecendo is preferable to infe-
quendo, though many think other
wife
-
-
349
Chap. X. Thofe perfons are
miftaken
who imagine,
when inquiring into the
ft
ate
of
fever,
that it is the
fulfe of
the vein, and not
of
the artery, that they
feel
352
Chap. XI. Verfes
of
Furius Antiates ignorantly
ienfured
by Cafellius
Vindex -, which verfes arefubjcined
355
Chap. XII. The ancients had the
cuftom of
chang-
ing verbs a5five into verbs
paffive
-
-
357
Chap. XIII. Reply made by Diogenes the philo-
fopher
to one who attacked him with an impudent
fo-
phifm
. -
- - -
-
359
Chap. XIV. TVhat number hemiolios is, and
what EPiTRiTOS, which words our countrymen have
not ventured to tranflate
into Latin
-
-
362
Chap*
TO
Volume III.
Ixi
Chap.
XV. M.
Varro has made a remark en
hexameter
verjes
of
too minute and
trifling
a nature
Page
z^z
BOOK XIX.
Chap. I. ^he anfwer
of
a certain philofopher^ who
vjas ajked why he heca^ne 'pale in a
fiorm atfea
364
Chap. II.
OfthefiveJenJes\
that two
of
them are
more
particularly common to the
heafts
-
-
3^9
Chap. Ill
^hat it is worje to he commended coldly
^
than to he violently cenfured
-
-
372
Chap. IV. 'l^he reafon
why the helly is relaxed hy
any fuddenfright 'y
and why
fire
provokes urine
374
Chap. V. An extraof
from Ariftotle^ importing
that fnow-water is very pernicious to drink, and that
cryfial
is formedfrom
f
now
-
-
375
Chap. VI. '^hat floame
impels the hlood outward,
hut fear
checks its circulation
-
-
378
Chap. VII. I^he meaning
of
the word obesum,
and Jome
other old words
-
-
37^
Chap. VIII. An enquiry whether the words are^
NA, c^LUM, triticum, are ever
ufed
in the plural
numher-, and whether qu2idng\s inim'icitns, and other
ivords hefide, are ever
found
in thefingular numher
382
Chap. IX. The elegant retort
of
Antonius Julianus
tojome Greeks at an entertainment
- ^
387
Chap,
Ixii The Contints
Chap. X. 'That the vulgar
ufage
of
prxter propter
Vfas adopted by Emiius
- -
Page
J93
Chap. XI. Some love-verfes
of
Plato^ written
when he was quite a youth
y
and contended
for
the prize
in tragedy
- -
-
-
-
^^6
Chap. XII. Dijfertation
of
Herodes Atticus^ on the
power and nature
of
grief\
his opinion illuflrated
by the
example
of
an ignorant rufiic^ who cut down
fruit-trees
together with thcms
- -
-
398
Chap. XIII. ^hat the Greeks call
thofe
vxva^}
ivhom we call pumi l i on
e
s, dwarfs
-
-
40
1
Chap. XIV. Marcus Varro and Publius Nigi-
dius, the mo
ft
learned Romans
of
their age^ were colan^
poraries with
C^far
and Cicero, The treatifes
of
Ni-
gidius did not become populary on account
of
their
obfcu-
rity andfubtlety
, .
^qj
BOOK XX.
Chap. I. Argument between Sextus Cacilius the
lawyery and Favorinus the philojophery upon the laws
of
the Twelve Tables
- - -
405
Chap. 11. The meaning ^(fiticinem) a trumpeter^
in
Cato's oration
- - -
418
Chap. III. ^hy L, Accius the poet,
'^
in Prag-
maticis," calls ficinniilas an obfcure
word
-
420
Chap. IV. Attachment to players "Jms difhonour^
able and
reproachful. A
pajf
age
from
Ariftotle upon
th(itfHbje5t
- - - -
421
Chap.
TO Volume III.
Ixl111
Chap. V. Specimens
of
letters which are /aid to
have
faffed
between king Alexander and the philojopher
Ariftotle
-
-
- - Page
423
Chap. VI. Enquiry whether habeo curam ves-
TRi, or HABEO CURAM VESTRUM, he
moft
prcpeT
426
Chap. VII.
"Different opinions
of
the Greeks on
the number
of
Niohe s children
-
-
429
Chap. VIII.
Of
things which appear to have a
Jympathy
with the rifing
and waning moon
- -1
430
Chap. IX. A
pajfage
which pleafed Antonius
Ju~
lianusyfrom the Mimiambi ofCnaus
Mattius -
433
Chap. X. Meaning
of
the phrafe ex juri ma-
NUM CONSERTUM
- - - -
4j^
Chap.
XL Meaning
of
the word sculna in
Varro
- - - -
43
3
THE
THE
ATTIC
NIGHTS
d
F
AULUS
GELLIUS*
BOOK
!
C H A p. I.
By what proportion
and comparifon
Plutarch has
of--
firmed
that the
philojopher
Pythagoras reajoned upon
theftature hy which
Hercules was dijlinguijhed when
he lived among men,
PL
U T A R C H % m the tradt which he wrote
on the difference exifting among nrien in
the accompliihments of nnind and body, tells us
with what fkill and acutenefs Pythagoras the philo-
fopher
*
Plutarch.l'-^lTi tranflating this iirft paffage, I have ventured
to differ from the reading of all the later editions of my author.
To me it feems more probable that flutarch fhould write a
treatife on the general fubjeft of the comparative excellence of
men in their accompliihments of mind and perfon, and cafually
introduce this anecdote of Pythagoras with refpeft to Her-
cules, than that he Ihould do fo on this latter fad only. The
firft afforded ample matter for curious and philofophical difqui-
fition, whilft the other muft have been confined to a few partial
circumftances. The firft editions of Gellius give the title of
this loft traft of Plutarch in Greek, of which mine is a literal
verfion ; nor can I eafily believe that it was an interpolation.
Vol. I. B
it
ft THE
ATTIC NIGHTS
fopher reafoned, in difcovering and afcertaining the
fuperior
heighth and fize of Hercules. For as it
was well known that Hercules had meafured with
his
feet the fpace of the ftadium
*
at Pifa, near the
temple of Jupiter
Olympius, and that the length of
it was fix hundred of his fteps ; and that the other
ftadia in Greece, afterwards introduced, confifted
alfo of fix hundred paces, though fomewhat fliorter

It mull be confefTed that the firft and fecond editions read in the
firft paragraph ejus prajlant'tay without any mention of Hercules,
which is certainly attended with great perplexity. I have,
however, before me an edition of fo early a date as
15 17,
pro-
bably the fourth, which retaining the title of Plutarch's tra^l in
the Greek, reads alfo not ejus praftantia, but Herculis pracftan.-
tia. This, in my opinion, removes every difficulty.
A catalogue of the works of Plutarch, which have not come
down to us, is to be found not in Suidas, as Carolus Philippus,
in his Animadverfions on Aulus Gellius, afTerts, but in the Bi-
bliotheca Graeca of Fabricius. Gellius quotes other works of
Plutarch, which alfo are loft, in Book II. chap viii, and elfe-
where.
*
Stadium.'l
The diiference of opinion which has exifted-
amongft learned men, in their eftimate of dillances, feems t
have arifen from their not applying the fame ftadium, or from
their not properly defining the word itfelf. Perhaps it will be
enough generally to inform the Englifti reader, that the ftadia:
to which reference is ufually made by claflic writers were the
Olympic, the Pythian, and the Italic The Olympic ftadium
Was fix hundred feet, the Pythian a thoufand, and the Italian ftx
hundred and twenty-five.
I ftiould add, that the Olympic ftadium was ufed in an ap-
propriate fenfe, to ftgnify the fpace in which the chariot races
were performed. In this fenfe it is ufed by Mr. Gibbon
:
*
The Olympic ftadium was open to wealth, merit, and ambi-
tion."See farther on this fubjeft Weft's Diflertation on the-
Olympic Games, and the Vpyage du
Jeune Anacharfiis.
he
OF AULUS GELLIUS. 3
he drew this obvious conclufion
:
That according
to the rules of proportion, the exad: meafure of
the foot of Hercules
^
as much exceeded thofe of
other men, as the Olympic ftadium was longer than
the reft. Taking, therefore, the fize of the foot of
Hercules, and adding to it fuch a height of body
as the regular fymmetry of all the other limbs de-

The
foot of
Hercules. '[-^Vrom hence comes the proverb of
Ex pede Herculem, You may know Hercules by his foot, of
which the chapter before us is a fufficient explanation. A fimi-
lar ftory is related of Phidias, who, from feeing the claw of a
lion, was able to afcertain the exaft fize of the animal. This
alfo gave rife to a proverb, Leonem ex unguibus eftimare. You
may guefs the fize of the lion by his claws. This is explained
in the Adagia of Erafmus, who refers the reader
fof
an accurate
defcription of the rules of proportion to the third book of Vi-
truvius. James Gronovius, in a note to this chapter, tells a
ridiculous ftory of an enormous human tooth which was brought
to Rome in the reign of Tiberius. The emperor gave it to
Pulcher the geometrician, commanding him to defcribe the ex-
adl proportions of the perfon to whom the tooth belonged,
which he is faid to have done. The anecdote is related by
Phlegon.Paufanias fays, that the height of Hercules was four
cubits and a foot. But perhaps we are not able to reafon more
accurately about the cubit than about the ftadium. If we take
the mean proportion between the fcripture and the Roman cu-
bit, we may fuppofe Hercules to have been fix feet feven inches
high. There are many who conceive our firft parent to have
been of Hill more extraordinary fize.
-
There is a mountain in the ifland of Ceylon, called the Peak
of Adam, becaufe, according to the tradition of the country, it
was the place of his refidence. The prints of his feet are yet
to be found there, above two palms in length. Pythagoras
would not infer fuch a gigantic ftature from thence as tjbat
which others attribute to Adam

BayIt.
B a
manded,
4
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
nnanded, he inferred from it, as a juft confequencc,
that
Hercules as much furpafied other men in fta-
ture, as the Olympic ftadium
exceeded all thofe dc-
fcribed
with the fame number of paces.
Chap. II.
A
pajfage from
Epi5fetus the Stoic
y
quoted
apfojitely by
Herodes Atticus^
againfl
a certain
hoaftful
young
many a
ftudent
(in appearance only)
of
philofophy ; by
which he has elegantly diftinguijhed between the true
Stoicy and the mob
of
prating coxcombs who call
themjelves Stoics*
.
HERODES
ATTICUSS a man of con-
fular rank
%
and eminent for his knowledge
of Greek, frequently invited us, when purfuing our
fludies at Athens, to his villas near the city ; that is
to fay, myfelf
^
the inoft excellent Servilianus, with
many
'
Herodes Atticus was defcended from the great Miltiades
;
but though
born to fplendour and the moft profufe wealth, he
chofe
rather to be diftinguifhed as the friend and cultivator of
learning.
He wrote many works, none of which have come
down to us. He had a fon as ftupid and contemptible as the
father was
ingenious and eftimable. See him again mentioned.
Book IX. c. ii. Book XVHI. c. xii. Book XIX. c. xii.
*
Confular
rank.^ The title of Vir Confularis, or Confular
Man, was given to whoever had ferved the office of cdnfiil.
*
That is to
fayi
myfelf^^-^liMis,
paflage cdntradifts the refined
fage of modern times, which requires that the perfon fpeakjng
Should
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
5
many others of our countrymen who had come
from Rome to Greece for the improvement of their
minds. There, when we were with him at his
villa named Cephifia, and the fummer was the hot-
ted, and the dog-ftar reigned, we were protedled
from the heat by the fhades of fpreading groves, by
extended but agreeable walks under refrelhing por-
ticoes, by neat, frequent, and pellucid baths, and by
the agreeablenefs of the whole villa together, every
where refounding with the fall of waters and melody
of birds. At the fame place was with us a young
man affedling to be a ftudent of philofophy, and,
as himfelf pretended, of the Stoic fedt, but into-
lerably pert and loquacious. In thofe converfations,
which fucceeded our entertainments, it was his cuf-
tom to difpute diffufely, and with rude and unfea-
fonable abruptnefs, on fubje6ls of philofophy
;
con-
fidently allerting that, compared with himfelf, every
one elfc, the very firft in Attic eloquence, every
Roman, nay every one of Italy without diflindlion,
ihould name himfelf lafl:. It does not appear that the ancients
had any fixed and determinate rule on this fubjedt, for we indif-
ferently find the perfon fpeaking the firft and the laft member in
the fentence. See Cicero, in his Oration pro Domo :
*'
Qupd
enim par amicitiae confularis fuit unquam in hoc civitate cpn-
junftius quam fuimus inter nos ego et Cn. Pompeius." Sec
alfo Livy, who makes Tuilus thus exprefs himfelf:
"
Quod
bonum fauftum felixque fit populo Romano et mihi.
"
Thy
father and I," fays the Virgin to our Saviour,
"
have fought
thee forrowing."Again, Chrift fays,
",
I and my Father are
one." The anecdote of Wolfey, and his phrafe of
"
Ego et Rqx
jneus," which was made part of the accufation againft him, is
fufficiently known. See
Animadver. Philip. Carol,
p.
12.
B
3
was
6 THE
ATTIC NIGHTS
. was ignorant and unaccomplifhed. He would alfo
din us with hard and unufual words, with enfnar-
ing
fyllogifms and quirks of logic, affirming that
fuch no one could explain fatisfadorily
but him-
felf. As to ethics, the nature of the human under-
ftanding, the caufes of virtues, their offices, proxi-
mates, and oppofites, the fallacies and difeafes of
vices, the impurities and contagions of the mind,
thefe were what no man had explored, compared,
and refle6led upon, more than himfelf He aflerted
alfo, that the habit and condition of happinefs,
which he conceived himfelf to have obtained, could
not be injured or diminifhed by pain or difeafe of
body, or by any of thofe dangers which menace
death ; and that no malady could cloud the fixed
and ferene countenance of the Stoic. He repeated
thefe empty boaftings till we all wifhed them at an
end, being heartily wearied with his prating, when
Herodes fpeaking in the Greek tongue, as was hi^
more frequent cuftom, thus addrelTed him :
"
Suf-
fer me, thou greateft of all philofophers, fince be-
ing, as you fay, fools and blockheads, we cannot of
ourfelves anfwcr you, to recite fi*om a book, what
Epi6tetus, indifputably the firft ofthe Stoics, thought
and faid on fuch lofty boafting as your's. He then
ordered the fecpnd book of the Diflertations of
Epidetus, arranged by Arrian, to be brought, in
which that venerable old man reprimanded with
juft feverity thofe youths who, calling themfelves
Stoics, without being of upright and ufeful lives,
amufed themfelves with trifling theorems,
and in
difcuffing
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
7
difcufTing puerile elements. The book was pro-
duced, and the pafTage read from it, in which Epic-
tetus, with equal feverity and humour, feparates
and diilinguilhes from the true and genuine Stoic,
who certainly was unimpeded, free, rich, and happy,
the vulgar and profligate herd, who, calling them-
felves Stoics, and involving the eyes of their hear-
ers in a dark cloud of verbal fubtleties
\
profaned
the character of a mod venerable fed.
'^
Talk to me concerning
good and evil ^
"
Hear
"
The wind from Ilium to the Cicon's fhore
^*
Hath driven me :

*^
Of things, fome are good, fome evil, and fome in-
different. Now the good are the virtues, and
whatever partakes of them ; and the evil, vices,
and what partakes of vice ; the indifferent lie be-
*
Verbalfubtleties.'] See thefe technical quibbles and falla
cies of the Stoics humoroufly illuftrated by the anecdote of
Protagoras, in Book X. c. x. A perfpicuous and fatisfaftory
account of the philofophy and difcipline of Zeno and his fol
-
lowers is to be found in Enfield's Hiilory of Philofophy, an
ufeful and important work. After relating the ftory of Prota-
goras, Dr. Enfield adds,
"
Such vagaries of human ingenuity,
however trifling and ridiculous in themfelves, afford an inftruc-
tive example of the folly of attempting to excel in trifles, and
of the mifchief arifing from philofophical vanity. Whnt can
we fay to the whole bufinefs of dialedlics, as it appears to have
been conducted by the Stoics, but exclaim with Seneca, Oh
pueriles ineptias, &c.'*
5
Talk to me.] This paflage of Epiifletus I have given in
the verfion of Mrs. Carter, both becaufe I could not have ren-
dered it fo well myfelf, and becaufe I am happy in this oppor-
tunity of paying a cornpliment to a
refpedable charadler.
B
4
tween
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
tween thefe, as riches, health, life, death, pleafurc,
pain.
*'
Whence do you know this ?
"
Hellanicus fays it in his Egyptian hiftoryFor
what doth it fignify whether one names the Hiftory
of Hellanicus, or the Ethics of Diogenes, or Chry-
fippus, or Cleanthes
?
Have you then examined any
of thefe things, and formed a principle of your own ?
But fh^w me how you are ufed to exercife yourfelf
on fliipboard. Remember this divifion : when the
maft ratdes, and fome idle fellow ftands by you,
while you are fcreaming, and fays. For Heaven's
fake talk as you did a little while ago i Is it vice
to fuffer fliipwreck, or doth it partake of vice
?

Would you not take up a log, and throw it at his

head ? What have we to do with you, Sir ? We
are perifhing, and you come and jeft.-Again, if
Csefar lliould fummon you to anfwer an accufation
;
remember the divifion : if when you are going in,
pale and trembling, any one fhould meet you, and
fay. Why do you tremble. Sir ? What is this affair
you are engaged in ? Doth
Casfar within give vir-
tue or vice to thofe
who approach him
?
What
do you too infult me, and add to my evils FNay,
but tell me, philofopher,
why you tremble? Is
there any other danger but death, or a prifon, or
bodily pain, or exile, or defamation
?-
Why what
fhould there be elfe? Are any of thefe vice, or do
they partake of vice ? What, then, did you yourfelf
life to fay of thefe things
?
What have you to cjo
with me. Sir ? my own evils are enough for me.

You fay right

5
your own evils are, indeed, enough
for
OF
AULUS GELLIUS. 9
for
you : your bafenefs, your cowardice, and that ar-
rogance, by which you were ele6led as you fit in the
fchools. Why did you plume yourfelf with what is
not your own ? Why did you call yourfelf a Stoic ?

Obferve yourfelves thus in your a6lions, and

you will find of what fe61: you are. You will find
that mod of you are Epicureans, a few Peripatetic?,
and thefe but loofe ones."
On hearing the above, this mod arrogant young
man
became mute, as if all this had been fpoken
net by Epidletus againil certain other chara6lers,
but
by
Herodcs againil him.
C U A P.
to
-
THE AT TIC
NIGHTS
Chap. III.
Chilo^ the L,acedammian^ had a
doubtful opinion
of
what was allowable to be done in
behalf
of
a
friend-^
that we ought very anxioufly to confider whether it
he excujeabky in the
Jer
vice
of
friendsy to
tranfgrefs
the law. Remarks and quotations
from Theofhrajius
and Marcus Cicero upon thojejubjeufs,
IN
their writings
'
who have
recorded the lives
and actions of famous men, it is faid of Chilo
''
the Lacedaemonian, that on the laft day of his life,
when death was approaching, he thus Ipake to his
furrounding friends :

"
That there is very little of
all that I have faid and done in the courfe of a long
life, which has given me caufe of repentance,
you
may, perhaps, well know. At this period I cer-
tainly do not delude myfelf, when I fay, that I have
never done any thing the remembrance of which
*
In their ijoritings.l^-ln the earlier editions of Gellius, the
former
part 6f this chapter is wanting. It began with the
fentence,
Chilo homo prseftabilis fapientiae. It was reftored by
Canter
from an ancient manufcript. See his Nov. Le6l. c. v.
*
C/J-Z/o.]Chilo was one of the feven wife men, and faid to
have lived
550
years before Chrift : little more is recorded of
l^im than that he was wife' and virtuous.
A fketch of his life
is given by
Diogenes Laertius, in whofe work alfo the anecdote
here
related of him may be found. An example of his fagacity
may
be feen in the firft book, of Herodotus ; and fuch of his fay-
ings as are preferved prove him to have been a man of profound
thinking,
and accurate kijiowledge of the human heart.
give$
OF
AULUS GELLIUS. it
gives
me uneafinefs, one incident alone excepted,
in
which,
whether I a6bed right or wrong, I am by
no
meaas fatisfied : I was once a judge, with two
others, on the life of a friend. The law was fuch
as to require his condemnation. Either, therefore,
a friend was to be loft by a capital punifhment, or
the law was to be
fraudulently evaded. Of the va-
rious means of
alleviating fo perplexing a matter
which
prefented
themfelves to my mind, that v/hich
I
adopted
feemed
comparatively the moft juftitia-
ble : I filently gave my own vote for his con-
demnation, but
I
perfuaded my fellow-judges to ac-
quit him. Thus, in fo important a bufinefs:,
I
neither violated the duty of the friend, nor of the
judge. But the fa6l gives me this uneafinefs : I fear
that it was in fome degree both perfidious and cri-
minal, on the fame occafion, at the fame time, and
in a common bufinefs, to perfuade others to do that
which in my own judgment was not right."Here
we find that Chilo, a m^n of fuperior wifdom, was
doubcful how far, in
behalf of a friend, he might
offend againft law and equity; which thing alfo
diftreffed him at the clofe of life. Many others
alfo of thofe who cultivated philofophy, as appears
from their writings, have enquired with particular
fenfibility and acutenefs,
"
Whether a friend may
be affifted (I ufe their own words) in oppofition to
juftice, to what degree, and in what inftances.*'
The meaning of which is, that they enquired whe-
ther fometimes, againft law and eftabliihed cuftom,
a friend might be alTifted, on what particular oc-
cafions, and to what extent. Many, as I before
remarkedy
12 THE
ATTIC
NIGHTS
remarked, have difputed
upon
this
queftion
; but it
has been invcftigated
with
the
greateft diligence
by Theophraftus, one
of
the
moil
modeft but
moft learned of the
Peripatetic
fed.
His opi-
nions on this fubjea
are to be found, if
I remem-
ber right, in his firft
book
on
Friendfhip,
which
Cicero appears to have
confulted
^
when he
wrote
his own. What other
things
he thought
pro-
per to borrow from
Theophraflus,
he
tranfpofed,
as was the nature of his
genius and taflc,
mofl hap-
pily and moft pertinently.
But this particular
paf-
fage, though, as I before obferved, fully difcuffed,
and of all things the moft difficult, he flightly
and
haftily paffed over. He has omitted to borrow
what Theophraftus wrote with equal labour and
refledbion ; and leaving the more perplexed and
fubtle
part of the difpute, has given but a few words
on
the
nature of the thing itfelf. If any one fhall

Appears to have fc/?J/^^.]Philippus Carolus, a learned

'commentator on Gellius, points out to the reader various paf-
fages in the writings of Cicero, which are obvioufly borrowed
from
popular Greek authors without acknowledgment
;
particu-
Alarly from
Dinarcbus, Demofthenes, Plato, and Ifocrates, which
the Roman orator has more than imitated in his accufation of
Verres, in his fpeech for Milo, in his oration againft Midias,
in his books de Fato, de Legibu.s, and in many other places.

A
memorable inftance of this plagiarifm, if it may fo be called,
is
exhibited in the work of Macrobius^ who has in various
places taken whole paffages, and almoft entire chapters, from
Gellius ; which is the more fingular, as they lived in point of
time not very remote from each other. A coUeftion of thefe
frauds or thefts has been made by Thomafius, to which, fays
the learned author of the preface to Bellendenus, in the opinion
of Morhofius, more might be added,
choofq
OF
AULUS GELLIUS. 13
choofe to examine the pafTage in Cicero, it is here
added
:

"
I am of opinion that this diftin6i:ion fhould be
obferved : If the minds of friends be of approved
worth, there fhould then, without any referve, pre-
vail betwixt them a participation of all things, of
defires and of pleafures
j
but if any emergence,
arife in which the lefs ingenuous defires of our
friends are to be gratified, and which involve their
fafety or reputation, it may then be allowed to de-
viate from what is right, if this may be done with-
out extreme infamy ; for thus far indulgence may be
given to friendfhip."We may deviate, fays he,
from what is right when a friend's life or reputation
is at (lake
j
but of what kind this deviation may be,
how far we may go to affift a friend, or in what
vicioufnefs of his mind, he does not fpecify. Yet
in thefe perils of our friend^, what avails it me ,to
know that I may deviate from what is right if 1 can
.
do fo without extreme bafenefs, unlefs he had alfo
informed me what his idea of extreme bafenefs is;
and having once departed from equity, how far
I
may proceed ?
'*
Thus far indulgence may be
granted to friendfhip."Now this is the very thing
of mod importance to be known, but which thefe
teachers have not defined, how far^^ and to what
degrees, allowance may be made for friendfhip. The
wife Chiio, mentioned above, to preferve a friend
violated equity, but it is obvious how -far he weiit
;
to fave his friend's life, he gave advice which was
unjuft
;
but at the end of his life he doubted whe-
ther this adion could be cenfured as criminal. We
muft
14
THE ATTIC NPGHTS
mufl: not," fays Cicero,
'*
take up arms againft our
country to ferve our friend." Who did not know
this,
as
Lucilius obferves, before Theognis
^
was
born ? But this is what I enquire, and am anxious
to
know,
that granting a friend may be ferved
againft
law and againft equity when it may be
done
without injury to the public liberty and peace,
and when, as he fays, we have deviated from what
is right, how much may this be done, on what oc-
cafioris, and to what extent ? Pericles of Athens, a
man of exalted genius, and adorned with every va-
luable
accompliftiment, gave us in one inftance his
tindifguifed
fentiments. A friend having aflced him
to
forfwear
himfelf in his intereft and behalf, he
made
him
this reply :
"
It becomes me to affift
my
friends,
but I muft alfo reverence the gods
^"
*
Before
Theognis.
"]
The original is. Hoc profedlo nemo
ignoravit etiam priufquam Theognis, ut Lucilius ait, nafceretur.
J
believe the verfion I have given will be found fufficiently
literal and corredl; but a French tranllation of Gellius, not
long fmce publifhed, renders the paflage thus :
"
Eh ! qui ell-ce
qui rignoroit ? c'eft un axiome plus ancien que Theognis et
X-ucilius.'*
The fame expreflion, ufed
proverbially, occurs in Plutarch :
tT ftsF
fi^iiv ir^w
ioyviv ytyomxi.
It feems furprifing that this
expreflion has not been
noticed by any of the profeiTed collec-
tors of proverbs,
particularly
as it appears in a proverbial form
amongft the fragments of Lucilius :
"
Priufquam Theognis
nafceretur."
5
Re'vertnce the gods,'\-^lx. is here read
[uxn^
Oewv. I think,
with
Gronovius,
that the reading which occurs in Plutarch, de
inepta
verecundia,is
better :
we there find it /^s^?' ''
^^V-^
ufque
ad aram. I prefer this from its particular allufion, for it was
cullomary for the perfoji^who
took an oath to touch the altar.
X
Theophraftus
OF
AULUS GELLIUS. 15
Theophrafliis alfo, in his book before mentioned,
introduces this fubjeft more at large, and handles it
more corredlly and with greater minutenefs than
Cicero. But even he in his dilTcrtation does not give
his opinion of fmgle fadts, nor does he adduce the
unerring teftimony of examples
;
but he treats the
fubjedl fummarily, and in a general way, as thus
:
"
A
fmall and trifling degree of bafenefs," fays he,
"
or even ofinfamy, is to be incurred, if great advan-
tage may thus be obtained to a friend -, for the fmall
ftain of contaminated virtue is done away
and
atoned for, by the greater and more ferious excel-
lence of afliiling a friend. This trifling blot, this
little aperture
^
as it were in our fame^ is mended by
the folidity of the good derived to our friend.
Neither, he adds, fhould we be moved by words,
that the purity of my reputation and the intereft of
my friend are things not equal between them-
felves. Thefe muft be determined by the weight
and importance of
immediate circumflances,
and
not by verbal terms on the comparative
qualities of
things. In things indeed which are either
equal,
or not much otherwife, when our friend's
intereft
is t6 be weighed againft our integrity,
this latter
muft preponderate. But when our friend's
intereft
exceeds to a great degree, and in a matter of no
great magnitude, the diminution of our honour is
inconfiderable, then the advantage of our friend
^
Jpe}-ture.']
Lacuna; perhaps eyelet-hole, though lefs
elegant, would better have conveyed the meaning of the au-
Uior.
ftiould
i6. THE ATTIC NIGHTS
fhould be fiiperior to any regard for our own vir--
tue
;
juft as a vaft weight of brafs is of more value
than fmall filings ofgold."I have added the words
of
Theophraftus on this fubjedl
:
^*
In a thing of
this kind I do not know which is
more
eftimable, or which part, compared with the
correfpondent
part of fomething elfe, is preferable.
As for example ; as gold is more eftimable than
brafs, and a portion of gold, compared with its cor-
refpondent portion of brafs, feems of more value,
but an
accumulation of number and of magnitude
will make an alteration."
Favorinus
^
alfo, the philofopher, fomewhat re-
laxing and inclining the exa6l balance of jufticc,
thus defines this indulgence and feafonable kind-
nefs.
"
That which is called favour by men is a
remiflign of thefeverity of juftice according to the
occafion."
In another place this fame Theophraftus has thus
cxprcfled his fentiments
:

" The fmallnefs and the

^
jFa'or/j.]The life of this philofopher is given by Phi-
Ibflratiis. He wrote various things on hiftory and philofophy,
as appears alfo from Stobicus. He lived in the time of Adrian.
It is reported that he exprefTed himfelf aftoniihed at three
things :That, being born in Gaul, he Ihould fpeak Greek fo
well ; that, being an eunuch, he Ihould be accufed of adultery
;
and that, haVing confidently thwarted the emperor, he fhould pre-
ferve his life. His name in Greek is Oa/Sw^jvo?; his Latin
name is Favorinus, from Favor, as Cenforinus from Genfor.
He was remarkable alfo for his great fluency of oratory. Be-
fides Philoftratus* the reader may confult concerning him Sui-
das, who fays, amongft other
things, that he was an hermaphro-
dite
;
and Lucian, in his Eunuch,
and DemonaX*
magnitude
OF AULUS GELLIUS. 17
magnitude of thefe things, and all thefe eftimatcs
of duty are moderated, direded, and governed by
certain periods of tinne externally afFeding them,
by the dependant circumftances of perfons, caufes,
and feafons, by the necefllties of the things them-
felveSj concerning which it would be difficult to
give decided precepts, all which confiderations to-
gether mayjuftify aflent or the contrary, Thefe
and fimilar opinions are profefled by Theophraflus
difcreetly, earneflly, and pioufly, yet rather with
an
intention to difcriminate and argue, than to decide
with opiniative confidence. For they indeed who
are ignorant of the caufes of knowledge, the diver-
fitres of bodies, and the modes of difputation,
can-
not produce a precept plain, diftin6t, and unchange-
able, that will apply to every fad, which was what
in
the firft part of this efTay I faid was the thing we
wanted. Among other wife and falutary maxims of
this Chilo, who was the occafion ofthe arguments here
introduced, this which follows is of experienced ufe-
fulnefs, as reftraining within due limits the ungo-
vernable pafllons of love and hatred*

" So love
^,
*
So lo've-l^f-This fmgular fentiment, here afcribcd to Chilo,
is, by Ariftotle and Cicero, given to Bias. In Cicero's tra6l
on Friendftiip, JLelius affirms it to have been the opinion of
Scipio Af'-icanus, that no fentiment could be adduced more
hoftile to true friendfhip ; which, indeed, if the fentence be
un-
derflood literally, is natural and juft. To rellrain tlie impulfe
of the focial aifedlions, from the idea that we may one day hate
thofe whom now we love, tends to poifon the fources of the
nobleft virtues, to excite univerfally the unamiable fpirit of dif-
truft, and, like Rochef^ucault's Maxims, to prefent us only with
the mofl
unfavourable pidlure of human nature. But perhaps
no more was intended than generally to teach us moderation
in
the indulgence
of all our p^ffions.
Vol. I.
C
(fays
i8 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
(fays he) as if you would one dav hate, and fo
hate as if hereafter you may love." Concern-
ing this Chilo, Plutarch the philofopher thus writes,
in his treatife on the Soul
:

*^
The fage Child
hearing one fay that he had no enemy, alked him
if he had then no friend ; thinking that friendlhips
and enmities neceflarily followed, and were depen-
dent on each other."
Chap.
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
19
Chap. IV,
'The nice and curious explanation, by Antonius
JulianuSy
f
roving the elegance
of
a word borrowed by Cicero^
in one
of
his orations,
A
NTONIUS JULIANUS% the 'rheto-
\^
rician, was of a very ingenuous and pleafing
temper
\
his learning was both ufeful and agreeable,
and his diligence and memory, with refpedt to an-
cient elegancies, was exceedingly copious. He was
almoft always employed in examining the works of
For the few chapters like the prefent which occur in this
work, the author himfelf has made an adequate apology in his
preface. Concerning this, it mull be acknowledged that, turn-
ing on a verbal nicety and dillindUon in the Latin language, it
cannot be transfufed with due effed into any other ; nor if it
could, would it materially gratify the curiofity of an Englifh
reader. It was omitted for this reafon I prefume in the French
tranllation of Gellius, which I before mentioned, though that
work certainly contains other chapters on the fubjedl of gram-
mar and verbal criticifm equally dry and uninterefting. For
iny own part, having undertaken to tranilate the work of an
ancient writer, I Ihould tliink that I imperfcflly performed my
duty by fuppreffing any part of my original becaufe attended
with difficulties, or becaufe it was in my own judgment com-
paratively lefs entertaining.
'
Antonius y//i.]
Commentators exprefs a doubt whether
this is the fame perfon mentioned by ancient writers, and by Mi-
nutius Felix in particular,
by
the name ofSalvius Julianus, This
latter lived in the time of
Adrian, wrote on the
Jews,
and is
glfo
mentioned by Spartianus,
Eufebius, and others,
C % the
20 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
the older writers with fo great acutenefs, weighing
their excellence or detedling their errors, that his
judgment was corre6t almoft to perfedlion. This
Julianiis had the following opinion on the Enthy-
meme
%
which is in Cicero's oration for Cn. Plan-
cius. I will firft cite the words which gave rife
to that opinion :

*'
Yet the owing of money and of kindnefs arc
different things : he who pays money inftantly ceafes
to have that which he has paid, for he who is in
debt keeps back another man's money. But he
who pays kindnefs, lliil has it ; and he who has it
%
*
Enthymeme.'\ This, in logic and rhetoric, is an argument
confifling of two propofitions-?an antecedent, and a confe-
quence immediately deducible from it : or rather, a contracted
fyllogifm.
3
It is impoflible to tranflate this paflage, and retain the point
of the oiiginal. Habere gratiam is a phrafe the meaning
of
which is not only to return thanks for favours received, but
alfo to be grateful in mind ; upon which complex meaning of
the term the point of Cicero's expreffion depends. It is fome-
what exemplified by the following paflage in the Eunuch of
i^erence ;. x
"
Et habetur et refertur Thais a me ita uti merita es gratk."
But the Englifh reader will more eafily comprehend its purport
from the following lines of Milton, which feem almoft literally-
borrowed from what is before us :

"
Lifted up fo high,
I
'sdeign'd fubjeftion, and thought one ftep higher
Would fet me high'ft, and in a moment quit
The debt immenfe of endlefs gratitude.
So burdeniome, ftill paying ftill to owe;
*
Forgetful what from him I ftill received.
And underftood not that a grateful mind
By owing, owes not, but ftill pays, at onQ?
Jndebted and difchaiged.'*
by
OF AULUS GELLiUS. at
by the circumilance of having it, pays it. Nor
fhall I ceafe to be in debt to Plancius, by paying
him this kindneis
;
neither fhoiild I have paid him
Icfs in my inclination towards him, if he had never
been involved in this trouble."
The body of the fentence, he obferved, was
fmooth
and unembarrafTed ;
andj as far as modu-
lation was concerned,
fufficiently
elegant; but it
was necefTary to make allowance for a word's being
a litde changed from its original meaning, that the
whole fentence, taken together, might be confident
with itfelf. Comparing the owing of kindnefs and
of money together, the word owing will certainly
apply to both. The owing of kindnefs, and of mo-
ney, may properly be oppofed to each other, if the
exprelTion of owing kindnefs and owing money be
allowable. But let us fee what happens in the cafe
of owing and paying money, and in that of owing
and returning kindnefs, Hill applying the word owing
to both. Cicero, he continued, when he affirmed
that the owing of kindnefs and the owing of money
were different, and gave his reafon why he thought
fo, applied the word del?et to money ; fpeaking of
kindnefs, inftead of del?ety he fays bal^eL Thefe arc
his Words
:

" Gratidm auteni^ ^t

<iui
refert hahet^ et
qui hahet in eo
ipfo
quodbahet, refert^ But this word
does not fuit the compaiifon which is made; for
the owing of kindnefs, not the having it, is com-
pared with money. He confequently ought to
have faid, and he who owes^ by the a6t of owing pays
;
which would be abfdrd and forced, if kindnefs not
yet returned might be faid to be returned, becaufe
C3 it
22 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
it is owed. He changed, therefore, and fubftituted
a word fimilar to that which he omitted, that he
might (till feem to prefervc the purport of the
word owing, the fubjedt of connparifon,
and not in-
jure the neatnefs of the fentence. In this manner
did Julianus
explain and criticife thefe paflages of
ancient writers, which young men read
^
under his
infpedlion,
*
Toung men r^^zd^.]This alludes to what formed a part of
Roman education. It was ufual, after. paffing through the forms
of domellic difcipline, for young men of family to be placed
under the care and patronage of fome character diftinguifhed
by abilities and learning. With him they conftantly fpent their
time, attending him in the fenate, at the bar, and conftituting as
it were part of his family in private life. Amongll other things
propofed to young men by thefe inftrudlors, were controverted
queftions of ancient hiHory or fcience, about which they were
to exercife their talents in difpute and argument. Thus were
Cicero, his great rival Hortenfius,
Julius Csefar, and other il-
luftrious charaders of ancient Rome, initiated into the paths
which condudled them to the higheft honours of the Hate.
It may be added, that in an earlier period of the Roman
hiftory the ftudy of rhetoric was thought injurious to the youth,
and prejudicial to the ftate. Accordingly, we find that different
decrees of the fenate were pafled, expelling rhetoricians from
Rome. See Suetonius de claris Rhetoribus. The ufefulnefs of
the art gradually appearing, it became, in fucceeding times,
highly honourable.
Chap.
OF
AULUS CELL I US. 23
Chap. V.
*Xhat the orator Bemoflhenes
was diftinguijhed hy a
difgraceful
attention to the
ornaments
of
his per/on
5
and that Hortenfius the pleader
y
from
the
famefaulty
and
from
his ufing
the action
of
a player when he
/pokey was called a Bacchanalian dancing-girL
IT
is fald of
Demodhenes
',
that in neatnefs of
drefs
%
and attention to his perfon, he was de-
licate arid exa6t even to a fault. Fronn hence his
ipruce veil and effeminate
robes were ufed by his
rivals
*
Demofthe7tes.'\ The name of Demofthenes is fo familiar,
that a modern writer is fearful of introducing it, well knowing
that whatever he can fay is in danger of being rejedled as trite
and common. Yet, with the impreffion that many Englifh
writers may have conceived prejudices againft this illuftrious
character, haftily taken up, and, perhaps, unjuftly founded, I
cannot refift the prefent opportunity of doing away fome of
their eifeCls. It is by many imagined that in the great theatre
on which his abilities were more confpicuoufly difplayed, he
difhoiioured his talents, and injured his country, by accepting
^
bribe from Philip of Macedon. It is not confident with the
limits which I have prefcribed mylelf to enter into particulars}
^ut the reader may be afiiired that the falfity of this imputation
has been proved even to denionftration by a name as illuftrious
as that of Paufanias. On the fubjeft of the accufation here in-
troduced, I am inclined to think that much may be allowed for
the niifieprefentations of ignorance, much for the exaggerations
of envy.
Demofthenes died in exile, and probably by poifon.
His melancholy fate, and that of Cicero> is alluded to in fome
C
4
very
54
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
rivals and opponents as a reproach againft him.
This alfo gave rife to fundry bafe and unbecoming
appellations, reflefting not only on his manhood,
but his moral chara6ter ^ In like manner Hor-
tenfius, almoft the greateft orator of his time, ex-
cept Cicero, becaufe his drefs was chofen and put
on with the moft ftudied care and extraordinary
neatnefs, and becaufe, when pleading, his hands
were conftantly in aftion^ had many harfh and
very energetic lines by Juvenal, in the Satire, where he em-
phatically defcribes the ill confequences of indulging the ex-
treme of every ruling paffion
:

**
Eloquium aut famam Demofthenis aut Ciceronis
Incipit optare, et totis quinquacribus optat,
Quifquis adhuc uno partam colit afle Minervam,
Quern fequitur cullos anguftae vernula capfa?
;
Eloquio, fed uterque pent orator."
*
"Neatnefs
of
drefs.
'\
This peculiarity, which of itfelf will
juflify no conclufion with refpeft to internal chara6ler, has dif-
tinguifhed many eminent men of our own country. It is par-
ticularly related of the pious Nelfon, and the accompliftied
Gray.
'
Moral charaSIer."] The expreflion in the original is of a
kind which admits of no tranflation, and refers to the loweft
and moft deteftable profligacy, concerning which, as Ogden, in
one of his fermons, emphatically fays,
"
the greateft ignorance
is the greateft wifdom."

*
His hands ivere conjiantly in a5lion.'\~-^Q\ztxQy in his fpeecU
againft Q^Cascilius, ufually called Divinatio, mentions this ha*
bit of Hortenfius :
"
Quid cum accufatlonis tuae membra dividere
cceperit, et in digitis
fuis fingulas partes caufa; conftituere."
Again :
"
Mihi enim videtur periculum fore ne ille non modo
verbis te obruat,
fed geflu ipfo
ac motu corporis praeftringat
aciem ingenii tui." See alfo Valerius Maximus, Book VIII.
c. X. who thus fays of Hortenfius, and his aftion when fpeak-
ing:

Nefcires utrum cupidius ad audiendum eum an id
fpedandum concurreretur.
opprobrious
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS. 25
opprobrious terms heaped upon him
;
and in the
very caufes and trials abufed for refembling an
ador. But L. Torquatus, a man of unpolifhed
mind and unamiable manners, when the affair of
Sylla was before the judges, with ftill greater
bitternefs called him not an ador, but the pollure-
Ihewing Dionyfia, a
well-known little dancing-girl
;
"
Dionyfia
!"
replied
Hortenfius, in a foft and gen.
tie tone ;
^'
I had rather be Dionyfia, than, as you
are, Torquatus, unacquainted with the Mufes ^,
with
Venus, and with Bacchus.
'
Unacquainted nvith the Mufes^ &c.] The firft and fecond of
thefe expreffions require no explanation
;
the third,
"
unac-
quainted with Bacchus," does. The Greek is aTr^oa-^iowao^,
which was applied to a perfon who faid nothing to the purpofe.
The firft origin of tragedy was the linging of verfesOr hymns
in honour of Bacchus. -When, as an improvement upon this, the
early poets attempted to interweave circumllances of ancient
mythology, or to introduce fomething of a moral tendency, the
common people exclaimed, a^sv
wgos Aiowa-o*, This is nothing
about Bacchus.
Chap.
1^6
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
C H A P. VI.
P
of
age
from afpeecb delivered by Metellus
Numidicus^
in his cenjorjhipy to the people, in which he encouraged
them to matrimony
j
why that
Jpeech is
cenfuredy and
bow it may be defended,
THE
fpeech of Metellus Numidicus
',
a grave
and eloquent man, was read to a nunnerous
and learned connpany. It was his addrefs to the
people in his cenforfhip, on the rubje6t of niar-
riage, when he advifed them to take that (late upon
them. It contained this palfage :

"
Ifi Romans, we could do without a wife, we
(hould all be without that fource of vexation
^
j
but
fince
*
Numidicus,'] He was (o called, becaufe he triumphed over
^ugurtha, king of Numidia. He is mentioned in high terms
of refpecl by Cicero
;
and his great firmnefs of character is ex-
tolled by Valerius Maximus.
*
/^^^vfl//o.]~Philippus Carolus, a commentator on Gellius,
is fo facetious at this pafiage, that I cannot help giving his words
in Englilh :
"
The praifes of virgins are in every one's mouth,
and they who are honoured with their fmiles feem to them-
felves to be above tribunes, praetors, and confuls; nay, to
rife to heaven itfelf. Hence come thefe foft exprelTions,
my delight, my charmer, my foul, my honey, my rofe, light of
my eye, &c. &c. But as foon as they become married women,
this flower periflies, which feems born for one fleeting moment.
Then they are changed indeed: the terms then applied tp
them are plagues, tempefts, torments, curfe, continual fevers,
and, to fum up all in a word, intolerable evil.'*
. - But
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS. 27
Tince
nature has fo
ordered it, that we can neither
live with them
happily enough,
nor without them
by any means, we muft
confult for our lading fe-
curity, rather than a
tranfient
gratification/'
Some were of opinion that Mctellus, being
cenfor, and whofe
bufinefs it was
'
to induce the
people to marry,
ought not to have acknow-
ledged the
vexations
^nd perpetual inconveniences
of the
marriage
flate, which, inflead of alluring
them to it, was more likely to deter them from
it ; that, on the contrary, he fhould rather have
given his fpeech a different turn, and have urged
that, for the moft part, there were no inconveni-
encies in marriage ; but if fometimes there feemed
any to arife, they were of no great moment, and
very eafy to be fupported -, and that they were foon
But for thefe, and other witticifms of a fimilar Import, ample
compenfation is made by Milton, in his beautiful apollrophe to
connubial love.
The not living happily with or without them, has been made
the fad burden of many a merry fong, from the time of Arif-
tophanes to the prefent. See his Lyfiftrata, line
1037.
'*
Eks.vo TtfTTog o^^coi;^ xa KocKuq n^r)[XBvov,
The literal interpretation of which is. True, and not falfe, is
that faying, there is no living with thefe deftru6live creatures,
nor without them.
2
ff^o/e
bufinefs
it w^j.]It was one part of the cenfor*s of-
fice to reward or rather encourage marriage, and to punifh
celibacy. If any man lived to old age without marrying, the
cenfor exadled a fine from him, which was called ass uxorium
;
which law, we are told by Plutarch, in his Life of Camillus,
that great man very rigorouily enforced.
4
forgotten
25 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
forgotten in the greater number of advantages ana
delights
'*.
That thefe defedls neither happened to
all, nor from any vice of nature, but from the
mifconducl and injuftice of certain hufbands.
But Titus Caftricius was of opinion, that the
ipeech of Metellus was right, and perfeftly fuita-
ble.
"
It became a cenfor/' he obferved,
"
to
fpeak in one flyle, an orator in another. The latter
might be allowed to profefs fentiments which were
fallacious, bold, fubtle, and fedudlive, if they were
but confident with themfelves, and could by any
artifice imprefs the minds oftheir hearers. Nay, it
was dilgraccful to an orator, when his caufe was
bad, to omit any thing, or leave any thing unaf-^
failed. But with refpe6l to Metellus, he conti-
nued, a venerable character, of fo much dignity and
integrity, and fuch exalted rank, fuch a man ad-
drefling the Roman people, ought not to utter a
word the truth of which was not alike known to
himfelfj and obvious to his hearers
;
particularly
when he was ipeaking^ on a fubjedl which every
day's obfervation> and the general experience of
common life, rendered familiar. ConfefTing, then,
a caufe of difquietude notorious to all mankind,
and thus deferving the praife of undifguifed fince-
rity, he concluded, as an eafy and necelTary confe-*
quence, what was alike moft important and unde-
Delights.]
"
Felices ter et ampHus,
Quos irrupta tenet copula, nee malis
Divulfus querimoniis
Suprema citius folvat amor die." Hor*
niable.
OF
AULUS GELLIUS. !2i>
nlable, that frequent marriages were eflential to the
good of the Hate."
Another pafTage from this fame oration of Mc-
tellus, I have always confidered as meriting repeated
attention, no lefs fo, indeed, than the writings of
the
greatefl philofophers. It is this :

" The im-

mortal gods can certainly do very much
;
but we
cannot expeft them to wifh better to us than pa-
rents.
Yet parents, when children are refra6lory,
difinherit
them. What then can we exped from
Heaven, and the immortal gods, unlefs we put
a
Hop to our evil pradlices ? It is right that the gods
fhould be favourable to thofe who do not oppofe
their will. The immortal gods may fhew their
ap-
probation of virtue
3
but are not obliged to take
i^
for
a companion/'
Chap.
30
THE
ATTIC
NIGHTS
Chap.
VIL
Jn
theje 'words
of
Cicero^
taken
from
his
fifth
oration
againfi
Verves
^
"
Hancfibi remfperant frafidiofutu^
rum^' there is nothing to complain
of
or to
cenfure
\
and
they are in an error who pollute the accurate copies
cf
Ciceroy hy writing it
"
futuram."
Alfo mention
is made
of
another word in Cicero^ which is changed
hy
commentators
from its proper
ufage
to an impro^
per me, A
few obfervations are fcattered upon the
modulation and rhythm
of ftyle^
which Cicero
Jludied
^with great attention.
IN
Cicero's fifth oration againft Verres, in that
copy the authenticity of which cannot be doubt-
ed, being made by the care and diligence of Tiro
*,
it is thus written
:

*'
Homines tenues obfcuro loco nati navigant,
adeunt
ad ea loca quae nunquam ante adierant;
neque noti t^t iis, quo venerunt, neque femper cum
cognitoribus efTe poffunt. Hasc una tamen fiducia
civitatis non modo apud noftros magiftratus, qui
et
*
Tiro."] This perfonage was firfl the flave, then the freed-
man of Cicero, and always honoured with his confidence and
friendlhip, on account of his merit and accompliihments. There
is extant in Cicero's works a book of letters entirely addreffed
to this Tiro, and full of expreflions of eileem and kindnefs. It
appears that Cicero always confulted him on what he wrote,
and left every thing to his care, to be publilhed or not, as he
thought proper.
legum
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS. 31
lec^um
et
exiftimationis
periculo continentur, neque
apud
cives folum
Romanos, qui et fermonis et juris
et
multarum rerum focietate jun6li funt, fore fe
tutos
arbitrantur, fed quocunque venerint hanc fibi
rem
prsefidio
Iperant futurum''
A
great many
were of
opinion that there was an
error in the laft
word, and that it ought to be
written not futuruMy
but futur
am
-,
nor did they he-
fitate to fay
that it ought to be correfted
;
left, as
the
gallant in the comedy of Plautus (for it was
thus they indulged
their raillery on the fubjed) fo a
folecifm^
in the oration of Cicero, fhould be openly
detedled.
There happened to be prefent a friend
of mine, a man of moft extenfive
reading, of whofe
ftudy,
reflexions, and lucubrations, almoft all the
writings of the ancients had been the conftant ob-
jedt. He, on examining the book, affirmed, that
there was no fault or inaccuracy in the word;
and that Cicero had fpoken properly, and with ele-
gance. Futurum, he obferved, does not refer to rem,
as hafty and incurious readers think, nor is it ufed par-
ticipially. It is an indefinite word, luch as the
Greeks call cc7rccpsy.(pocTov, not ferving number or gen-
der, but altogether unconne6led and promifcuous. C.
Gracchus
^
has ufed the fame kind of word in his ora-
*
Soleci/m.l-^So called, fays Gronovius, from Soli, a city in
Cilicia, whole inhabitants were faid by the Athenians, Soloikexein,
See Diogenes Laertius, at the Life of Solon.
3
C. Gracchus.'] Cicero, in his trail de Claris Oratoribus,
fays,
"
That he was a man of extraordinary talents ; that in
eloquence he was inferior to none
;
that his language was lofty,
his fentiments wife, and that he was in all things a great and
dignified charader."G/-cwi;/2^j.
tion.
32
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
tion, the title of which is,
"
De Quinto Popilio
circiim conciliabula," in which is this pafTage
:
*^
Credo ego inimicos meos hoc diSlurwh
;"
where
he
fays diElurum^ and not di6iuros.
Does not
Gracchus apply precifely in the fame
meaning the
word di5lurum as Cicero does
futurum P
Thus in
Greek, without any fufpicion of error, the verbs
voina-sivy KTfo-Gaj, Acjfii', and the like, are given to
both numbers and all genders without diftindlion.
He
added, that in the third book of the Annals of
the
excellent Quadrigarius
*
there was found,
<*
Dum ii conciderentur, hoftium copias ibi oc-
cupatas futurum^ In the beginning alfo of the
eighteenth book of the Annals of the fame Qua-
drigarius, there was this fentence:
"
Si pro tua
bonitate et noftra voluntate tibi valetudo fuppetit,
eft quod fperemus deos bonis htntfaciurum.^^ In like
manner in the twenty-fourth book of Valerius An-
tias
^,
we read,
"
Si has res divinas fa6t^ riteque per-
litatae effent, harufpices dixerunt omnia ex fententia
frocejfurum
efle.'' Plautus alfo, in his
"
Cafina,"
ipeaking of a young woman, fays occijurumy and not
occifuram-y as,
"
Etiamne habet Cafina gladium ? habet fed duos
Quibus altero te occijurum ait, altero villicum/*
^adrigariusJ\'-'Oi this Quadrigarius but very little is
known. Much ufe was made of him by Livy, more by Gel-
lius, and many things were
taken from him by Macrobius,
Servius, Nonius, and Prifcian. A fragment of his works is
found in Seneca. He was a writer of Roman annals.
5
Valerius AnUas.'\ This was another ancient writer of fu-
perior diftindion, of whofe works a few fcattered fragments
only remain. He is often quoted by Livy, and was of much
life to
Pliny.
Thus
OF
AULUS GELLIUS. jj
Thus,
too,
Laberius
*,
in his Gemellis
:
"
Non putavi, hoc earn futurum.
Were not, therefore, all thefe people ignorant of
what a
folecifm was? Gracchus ufed the word
di5iurum
;
Quadrigarius//rw, and henefa5iurum
%
Plautus occijurum
i
Antias
frocejfurum ;
Laberius /^r-
turunt) all indefinitely. Which ufage is neither dif-
tinguiihed by number, perfon, gender, or tenfe, but
comprehends them all by one unvaried termina-
tion.
Thus Cicero ufed futurum
neither in the
mafculine nor neuter gender, for that would have
been a folecifm
j
but as a word which had nothing
to do with any gender. This fame friend of mine,
in Cicero's oration concerning the connunand of
Cn. Pompey, affirmed, that it was thus written by
Cicero, and fo he always read :
"
^um veftros
partus atque eos portus equibus vitam ac Jpiritum
ducitis in pradonum
fuijfe
pot
eft
atem Jciatisy That
it was no folecifm to fay in poteftatem
fuijfcy
as the
vulgar and half-learned fuppofe ; but he contended
the expreflion was proper and corred:, and was
*
Zfi^-//.]The Fragments of Laberius were collefted by
Henry Stephens, and publifhed with others of the ancient La-
tin poets; and they are alfo found in the Corpus Poetarum
publifhed by Mattaire. He wrote fatirical pieces, and was
urged by Julius
Caefar to appear publicly on the ftage. This,
being a Roman knight, he for a time refufed to do, as an aft
highly degrading ; but he was finally compelled to gratify the
tyrant. He introduced himfelf with that beautiful prologue
which is found in Macrobius, and which an ingenious friend has
done me the favour to tranflate.It is hereafter fubjoined.
Vol. I. D coouncn
^4
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
common alfoin Greek ; and that Plautus7 too, who
Svas particularly exadt in his choice of words, fays in
his Amphitryon,
"
Numerp rpihi in mentem fuit
:
not, as was ufual, ^i
mente. But befide$
PJautus,
an example from whom he here adduced,
Iinyfelf
alfo have met with abundance of fuch Readings
in
ancient writers, which will be found interfperfedin
this colledtion. But fetting afide both the reafon of
the thing, and thefe authorities, the found and.difr
pofition of the words of themfelves declare, that it
was more fuitable to the care pf the words, and
the modulation of Cicero*s Ipeech, when he might
with proprie^ have ufed either, to prefer
poteftatem
to pot
eft-ate.
The former is more agceeable to the
car, and fuller* in the fentence, thd latter more harfli
and lefs perfed^
i
that is, fuppofing the ear to be
corredt, and neither deaf nor flupid. For the fame
reafon, indeed, he preferred the word explicavit to
explicuity which began to be more in ufe. Thefe
are the words, as they appear in his oration on the
command of Cn. Pompey :
^^
Tcilis eft Sicilia,
quam, multis undique cinftam periculis,
non terrore
belli, ^td confilii celeritate explicavit/* If he had faid
explicuit, the fentence would have limped with weak
and imperfed modulation.
''
Piauius.]

" In comoedia maxime claudicamus, licet Varro

dicat mufas ^Elii Stolonis fentantia PJautino fermone locutupa*
fuille, fi LaUnc
joqai vellent."

^intilian.
Chap.
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
35
Chap. VIII.
Stcry
found in the hooks
of
Sotion the philofopher,
concerning the courtezan Laisy and Demofthenes
the
orator.
SOTION*
was a man of no mean difl:in6tion,
of the Peripatetic fed. He wrote a large
book full of difFufe and various hiftory, which he
called the Horn of Amalthea
%
which word is of
the fame import as if one fhould fay Cornucopias.
In this book the following flory is related of De-
mofthenes the orator, and Lais the courtezan
:

"
Lais/' fays he,
"
of Corinth, by the elegance
and beauty of her perfon, obtained a prodigious
deal of money ; and it was notorious that Ihe was
vifited by men of wealth from all parts of Greece
i
but no one was admitted who did not give her the
fum {he demanded
^
which, indeed, was extrava-
*
a9o//o.]This philofopher lived in the time of Tiberius,
and was preceptor to Seneca, by whom he is refpedfully men-
tioned.
*
Horn
0/
Jmakbea.]^-See the Author's preface.
^
She demanded.'\ At the doors of the apartments inhabited
by courtezans, were infcribed their names, and the fum that was
expeded. This we learn from Juvenal,
Petronius, &c. The
fum here demanded by Lais of
Demofthenes is afked, for the
iame purpofe, of a young man in Plautus :
"
Alias me pofcit pro ilia triginta minas
Alias talcntum magnum, neque quicquam queo
M^\ bonique ab eo impetrare."
D 2
gant
26
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
gant enough. Hence, he remarked, arofe that pro-
verb fo common in
Greece, It is not for every
man to fail to Corinth *
; that is, it was abfurd for
any man to vifit Lais at Corinth, who was unable to
give what ihc required. This woman
was pri-
vately vifited by Demofthenes, who dcfired her
favours. But Lais afked a thoufand drachmas, or
a talent ; this is, in our money, equal to a hun-
dred thoufand feflerces. Demofthenes, ftruck with
the petulance of the woman, and alarmed at the
greatnefs of
the fum, turned back
;
and as he was
leaving her, laid,
"
I buy not repentance fo dear."
But the Greek words he is reported to have ufed
are more pointed :
"
I buy not repentance at a
thoufand drachmas."
To Coriz?/;^.]This proverb is alfo explained another way ;
The feas in the vicinity of Corinth were of very difficult navi-
gation
;
therefore it was neither eafy, nor always fafe, to make
the harbour of Corinth. The explanation, neverthelefs, which
IS here given by Geliius, is more plaufible, and more generally
accepted. Corinth was always famous for its luxury and licen-
tioufnefs ; and a thoufand nymphs of pleafure, confecrated to the
fervice of the Corinthian Venus, could hardly fail of aitradling
a concourfe of idle and voluptuous ftrangers. Horace feemi to
adopt the latter explanation
here given
:
"
Non cuivis homini contingit adire Corinthum;
Sedit qui timuit nc non fuccederet."
Erafmus, alfo, in his account of thii proverbial expreffion, quotes
fome lines reflecting on Corinthian voluptuoufnefs ; which, fays
he, I would tranflatc, if they were but as modcfl as they are
elegant.
Chap.
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
37
Chap. IX.
'The
cuftom
and difcipUne
of
the Pythagorean
fchool^ with
the time
fixed
fr
their /peaking and being
ft!
ent.
TH
E order and method which Pythagoras
*
obferved, and afterwards thofe who fucceeded
him, in the admiflion and inftrudlion of difciples, is
faid to have been this
:
Firft of all, the youths
who offered themfelves for his inftrudlion he phy-
fiognomized
*,
which word means to judge of the
manners and difpofitions of men, by forming a con-
jefture from the caft of their face and countenance,
and from the general form and manner of the out-
ward perfon. Then he, whom he had thus ex-
amined and approved, was immediately
admitted
to
his difcipline, and, for a certain time, was en-

Py/^^/zg-orfl/.]-Every thing of importance concerning Py-

thagoras, his life, his difcipline, and his fyllem, the reader will
find coUefted and arranged with great perfpicuity in Enfield*3
Hiftory of Philofophy, to which, once for all,
I
refer for fuch
farther explanation on the fubje^ matter of this chapter as may
be entertaining or neceflary.

P
fyjiognomizeJ.]-^Thzt a ftudy like that of phyfiognomy,
which refts on no bafis, which every man*s obferVation knows .
to be delufive, and which in no refpetfl
conduces to the advan-
tage or happinefs of mankind, fhould have employed the learned
and the wife of ancient and modern times, is a ftriking proof of
human infirmity. The moft ancidnt writer on this fubjedl is
Ariftotle ; of more modern times, Baptifla Porta was the man
who moft excited attention
;
and, at the prefent period, Lavater
has exercifed great ingenuity on the fubjedl: all have had their-
i^dmirers.
D
3
joined
3S THE ATTIC NIGHTS
joined filence
'
;
the period was not the fame to all,
but it
varied according to his opinion of their ta-
lents. He who obferved filence, heard what was
faid by others
j
but was not fuffered to enquire, if
he happened
not to underftand, nor to make re-
marks on what he heard. No one was filent for a
lefs fpace than two years
*, in which procefs of being
filent, and of hearing, the difciples were called
hearers. But when they had learned what is of all
things the moft difficult, to be filent and to hear,
and were inftrufted in the art called the holding the
tongue) they were then permitted to fpeak, to afk
quellions, to write down what they heard, and to
communicate their own opinions. In this flage
they were, called mathematicians, from the fciences
which they were then beginning to learn and refle6l
upon; for the ancient Greeks called geometry,
gnomonics
^, , mufic, and the other profounder fci-
ences, mathematics. But the common people call
thofe mathematicians, who, to ufe a national word,
fhould be named Chaldeans
**.
After
*
5i/?f5.]Various motives have been afligned for the
filence which Pythago;as enjoined his difciples at their initia-
tion. It might poflibly, fays Enfifcld, from Brucker, be of great
ufe to them; and it was certainly a judicious expedient with
refpeft to himfelf, as it reftrained impertinent curiofity, and pre-
vented every inconvenience of contradidion.
Tnjup years.'] Tlie period of this probation varied from
two to five years.
'
Gnomonics.']-The Jirt of dialling, the invention of wliich
is by fome given to Anaximander, by others to Anaximenes the
Milefian.

Chala'eaiis.'] The
Chaldssans were particularly remark-
able for their iludy of the abltrule fciences. The term Clial-
daeaAs
OF AULUS GELLiUS,
39
After being initiated in thefe Iciences, they pro-
ceeded to ftudy the formation of the world, and
the primary principles of nature : they were then
called
theorifls.
When my friend Taurus^ had related thefe
things concerning Pythagoras :
"
But at this day," he
continued, *^they who precipitately, and with un-
wafhed feet
%
follow the philofophers, are not fatif-
fied with being averfe to meditation, and ignorant
of mufic and geometry, but muft themfelves im-
pofe the laws by which they are to be taught. One
fays,
"
Teach me this firil/' Another exclaims,
"
I would learn this thing, but not that." A thL-d
is eager to begin with the fympofium of Plato, on
account of the licentioufnefs of Alcibiades an-
elseans was applied contemptuouily, in an appropriate fenfe,
to the tribe of aftroloeers and fortune-tellers which infefted
Rome in its fplendour. See Juvenal, Sat. vi.
"
Chaldsis fed major erit fiducia : quicquid
Dixerit aftrologus, credant a fonte relatum
Ammonis.'*
'
7"^r/.]Taurus was a Phcenician philofopher, wjio lived
in the time of Antoninus Pius, and wrote, according to Suidas,
on the different dogmas of Plato and Ariftotle. He is again
mentioned by Gellius, Bock VI. c. xiv. ai the author of Com-
mentaries on the Georgics of Plato.-r--G;-o/z!?a'i-aj.

Un-wa^ed
feet.']-rJTh.\^ is a proverbial expreffion, borrowed
from the Greek, aj-tTrroK Troc-iv avcc^xiveiv, which has its origin in
relit*ious ceremony, in which no one could bear a part without
^.rll: wafhing. Hence it was applied generally to the under-
taking any thing of importance without becoming care and cau-
tion. In the place before it means that they ralhly become the
followers of philorophers, without being prepared by pn?vious
difcipline. With unwafhed hands was a proverb aifp of fre-
quent occurifence, and of fimilar import.
D
4
other
40
THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
other with the Phsedrus,
on account of the oration
of Lyfias. Nay, by
Jupiter, there are fome who
defire to read Plato,
not to improve in morals, but
to obtain a gracefulnefs of ftyle and language
; not
to become more modeft, but more witty." This is
what Taurus ufed to remark, comparing thefe
modern followers of the philofophers with the old
Pythagoreans. But neither muft this be omitted,
that all, without exception, who were admitted by
Pythagoras into his fociety and difcipline, produced
whatever efFedls or money they pofTefTed for the
common ufe ; and an infeparable fociety was form-
ed, as if it had been that fort of co-heirfhip which if
rightly expreflcd by the terms her<5bo non cito \

Her^c non >o.]-For this cxpreflion wc have no correfpon-

dent term
in
Englifh. It was an old law phrafe ; and we find,
in the twelve tables, erium citum ufed to fignify an equable
diviiion of property amongft heirs . See Heineccius and Salma-
iius in Solinum, as well as Cicero de Orat. c Ivi. Confequently,
her^um non citum muft mean a co-heirfhip, the property ofwhich
was not divifible, which was precifely the cafe with the old Pytha-
goreans. On their entrance into the fociety, the individuals added
their property, without referve, to the public fund, becoming co-
heirs or co-partners with the reft in the common ftock. But in
cafe of difpute or difguft, no individual could infift on having his
property reftored, or claim any portion of the whole. We do
indeed find, that if any member found himfelf, on experience,
unable or unwilling to go through the whole procefs of the
Py-
thagorean difcipline, it was ufual to reftore him a double por-
tion; but this was an aft of voluntary liberality, the motive of
which was probably to convince the world of the difmterefted
natvjre of the feft. Upon this fubjed of the community of
goods which prevailed amongft the Pythagoreans, every necef-
fary information may be found in the Life of Pythagoras by
Laej tius, and in Jamblichus de Myfteriis.
Chap.
OF AULUS GELLIUS. 41
Chap. X.
The words
of
Favorinus, addrejfed to a youth who
affected
an old and ohJoUte mode
of
/peaking,
FAVORINUS*the
philofopher thus addrefled
a young man, who was exceflively fond of
old words, and of introducing antiquated and out
of the way phrafes in his common and daily con-
verfation.
"
Curius, Fabricius, and Coruncanius
*,
our coun-
trymen, of very remote times, and the three Ho-
ratian brothers, ftill older than thefe, talked with
their friends plainly and perfpicuoufly, nor did
they ufe the words of the Arunci, the Sicani, or
Pelafgi, who were faid to have been the firft inha-
bitants of Italy, but the language of their own
times : but you, as if you were now converling
with the mother of Evander, ufe a language which,
Fa'vorinus.'\-^lcov an account of this philofopher, fee notes
to Chap. III.
*
Curiusy Fabricius, and Coruncanius,
'\
The t\^'0 former of
thefe were very celebrated characters in Roman hiftory. Cu-
rius expelled Pyrrhus from Italy, and rendered his name im^
mortal by the dignified fimplicity with which he refufed that
monarch's prefents. Fabricius alfo was general againft Pyrr^*
hus
;
and when the king's phyfician made an offer to poifon hij
mailer, the Roman fent him back in chains to the tyrant. Ci-
cero draws a parallel betwixt this Fabricius and Ariftides the
Athenian. Coruncanius was a celebrated orator, and raifed
from a mean fituation to the dignity of Pontifex Maximus.
9
fot
^
THE
ATTIC
NIGHTS
for many
years, has
been
out
of date, unwilling
that any one fhould
know
or
comprehend
what
you mean. Why not then be
filent,
that
you may
fiilly obtain your purpofe ?
But-
you are
fond of
antiquity ', you fay, becaufe
it is
ingenuous,
good,
temperate, and modeft.
Imitate then the
ancients
in your life, but fpeak the language of the mo-
derns, and have always
impreffed on your memory
and heart, what C. Casfar% a man of extraordinary
genius and prudence, has written in his firft book
on Analogy
Avoid every unufual word as
you
would a rock."
^
Jvtifuiiy^] This chiklifll fondncfs for antiquity, without
tafte and without rcafon, is finely ridiculed by Horace, in hit
cpiftle to Auguflus.
**
Caetera nequaquam firriiii jatione modoque
^ilimat, et nifi quae terris fecreta tuifquc,
.
Temporibus defunda vi'dct, faftidit et odit."
Moft happily itnltated by Pope.
*'
Authors, like coins, grow dear as they grew old
j
It is the ruft we value, not the gold.
Chaucer's worll ribaldry is
learned
by rote.
And beaflly Skelton heads of houfes quote
:
One likes no language but the Fairy Queen,
A Scot will fight for Chrift's Kirk o' th' Green,
And each true Briton is to Ben fo civil.
He fwears the Mufes met him at the Devil."
C, dr/ar.] This was Julias
Cacfar, whofe work on the fub-
jeft here mentioned is praifsd by Cicero in his Brutus. Wo
have the names alfo of various other works which have not
come down to us.A Treatife on Divination, fome orations,
two books on Analogy, and fomething againfl Cato. He wrote
alfo fome poems.
Chap,
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
43
Chap. XL
^hucydideSi the celebrated hijiorian,
affirms
that the
Spartans ujed not a trumpet but pipes in their
army. His words upon thefubjeSf. Herodotus re-
laiesy that king Halyattes had muficians always
in
readinejs, Likewife
Jome
remarks upon the pitch-
pipe
of
Caius Gracchus,
THUCYDIDES,
the moll illuflrious of the
Greek hiflorians, relates of the Lacedaemo-
nians^ who were great warriors, that they did not
ufe, as fignals in battle, horns or trumpets', but
flutes
*.
This was. not done in conformity to any
religious
'
Horns or trumpet
s.'\
Cornuum tubarumve. The origin of
thefe words is explained by the words themfelves. The horns,
though in fucceeding times made of brafs, were originally the
fimple horns of cattle. What I have tranflated trumpet was,
in diftindion from the horn, a llraight tubs. The performers on
each were diftinguiihed by the names of cornicines and tubicines.
Both thefe inftruments, with very little variation, perhaps, with
refpedl to their form, continue in ufe at this day.
*
FIutes,'\->-l was in doubt what word to ufe in this place,
flute or life. In modern language, the fife is the martial inilra--
ment. We have good authority for either exprefiion. See
Milton, Book I. Paradife Loll.
"
Anon they move
In perfel phalanx to the Dorian mood
Of flutes and fpft recprder."
it
44
THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
religious rite or prejudice, or that the fpirits might
be roufed or elevated, which is efFedted by horns
and trumpets '
5
but on the contrary,
that they
might be calmer and more deliberate,
which is ac-
complifhed by the fkili of the flute-player.
They
thought, that in attacking the enemy, and when
engagements firft began, nothing more promoted
fecurity or valour than their being reflrained from
too daring exceflcs by founds of fofter harmony.
When therefore the ranks were drawn up
^
placed
in
It feems to me probable, that in this paiTage Milton had in
xnind this Lacedaemonian cullom.
See alfo Collins's Ode to Liberty.
*'
Who fhall awake the Spartan fife.
And call in folemn founds to life
Thofe youths, &c.*'

Trumpets.
'\
The expreflion in the original is not tube^
but litui. What the precife difference was is not eafy to fay :
much concerning thefe inftruments may be found in Montfaucon;
and that they were diftinft both from cornua and tubae, is prov-
ed by the paifage before us, and various others in ancient wri*
tm. Sec Horace.
"
Multos caftra juvant, et lituo tuba
Pcrmiftus fonitus."
Dra*van /.]Procindtae, literally girt up. See the word
thus ufed in Horace
:
"
Hoc iter ignavi divifimus, altius ac nos
Pracindist ttnum."
The drcfs of the Romans and of the Orientals in all times wai
exceediftgly inconvenient for labour, or exertions of any kind :
therefore they who travelled girded up, if we may fo fay,
their
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
45
in
array,
and ready to engage, the flute-players, dif-
ferently
difpofed along the lines, began. By this
foothing,
delightful, and folemn melody, and a
fort of difcipline, as it were, of military mufic, the
impetuofity of the foldiers was checked, and they
were prevented from rufhing irregularly from their
ranks. But let us cite this eminent writer's own words,
important both from their dignity and truth.
"
After
this the attack began. The Argives
and
their allies rulhed forwards with eagernefs and
rage.
The Lacedaemonians advanced flowly to the
found of flutes, the numerous players on which were
difpofed at regular intervals. This was not from
any fuperfl:ition, but that marching embodied and
in unifon, their ranks might not be broken, which
is ufually done when great armies attack each
other."
The Cretans alfo, as is reported, advanced to
battle tempering and regulating their pace to the
found of the lyre ^ But Halyattes, king of Lydia,
agreeably
their loofc tunics ;
and it is not improbable but that foldiers,
when about to engage, or on a march, did the fame. From this
cullom Harmer, in his Obfervations on Paflages of Scripture,
takes occafion ingenioufly to explain the phrafe of
"
girding
the loins."
**
They that travel on foot," fays he,
"
are obliged
to fallen their garments at a greater height from their feet
than they are wont to do at other times." This is what fome
have underilood to be meant by girding their loins, not fimply
their liaving girdles about them, but the wearing their gar-
ments at a greater height than ufual..

The /jrr^.]In the original cithara

; but the words lyra and
cithara feem to have been ufed promifcuouHy. See Athenaeus,
lib xiv, 1 have remarked, in my notes to Herodotus, that the
citharsedus
46
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
agreeably to the ciiftom of Barbarian luxury, when
he made . war on the Milefians, as Herodotus in
his hiflory relates, had in his army,, as well for
military
fervice as for the entertainment
of his vo-
luptuous
companions, performers on the
different
pafloral inftruments, and female players on the
flute
^.
Whilft Homer reprefents the Greeks as
engaging the enemy, not to the found of pipes or
flutes, but in filence
%
with a firm exertion of mind
and valour.
"
But
citharaedus and citharifles, both.players on, the cithara or lyre,
were to. be thus diftinguilhedthe former accompanied hi*
inftrurtient witli his voice, the latter" did not. I fliould have
remarked, at the preceeding paflagjc, concerning the Cretans,
that their military discipline was borrowed from the Lacedac,
inonians, and that they were the inventors of the military or
Pyrrhic dariCe.
- >
-,
.
*
Female players on the JIute.j'See Herddotiis, Book
I*
Chap. xvii.
r'
'
^
Infilence.'] Homer, in the pafTage which precedes the one
here quoted, reprefents the Trojans as rufhing in a tumultuous
ardour and clamour to battle.
"
With fhouts the Trojans, ruftiing from afar.
Proclaim their motions, and provok'd the war.*'
Pope.
Homer's words literally tranflated are,
**
But the Trojans, when they were marlhalled by their lead-
ers, advanced with tumult and fhout like birds.**
Mr. Cowper*s verfion is lefs faulty, but ftill not literal
enough.
"
Now marfhall'd all beneath their feveral chiefs.
With deafening fhouts, and with the clang
of
arms.
The holl of Troy advanced.'*
1%
i
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
47
*'
But fileijit,
breathing rage, refolv'd and fkiird'
By mutual aids to fix a doubtful field.
Swift march the
Gye^fcs.';'
What then means that mbft violent clamour of the
Roman troops, with which, according to our writersf
of annals, they were accuftomed to fhoiit when they
engaged? Was this to oppofe fo wife a fonii of
ancient difclpline, or is a flow and filent pace eli-
gible, when advancing to attack an enemy feen
at a confiderable
diftance ? or when they come
to blows, is the enemy
then at hand at the . faihe
time to be repelled by
force,
and terrified by
clamour ?
But this Lacedaemonian flute-playing brings to
mind that oratorical flute which is faid to have
been played before Caius Gracchus, and to have
modulated his tones when fpeaking to the people.
But the vulgar opinion is undoubtedly falfe, that
when he was fpeaking a perfon fl:ood behind him
playing on the flute, and by his various tones fome-
times reprelTing, fometimes animating his voice
and a6lion.' For, what could be more abfurd than
that a piper fhould play to Gracchus when fpeak-
It was the cuftom of the Romans to clang their arms together
when advancing to the attack ; but Homer fays no fuch thing,
of the Trojans. Mikon, in imitation of the Greek poet's de-
fcription of his countrymen's order of battle, thus defcribes the
fallen angels.
"
Thus they.
Breathing united force, with fixed thought,
Mov'd on in filence to fofc pipes."
^
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
ing, as if he had been a dancing mimic
%
differ-
ent meafures, tunes, and times ? They whofe re-
lation is of the bell authority affirm, that a man
ftood
concealed amongft his auditors, who, from
a fmall flute, breathed at intervals a deeper tone to
check and foften the harfhnefs of his voice. It is
not, as I think, to be imagined, that the ardour
and impetuofity which was inflindive and natural
to Gracchus, required any external impulfe. Ci-
cero, however, is of opinion, that Gracchus ufed
this flute-player for both purpofes, that by tunes
occafionally fweet or elevated, his ftyle, when low
or
dry, might be animated, when harfh or impetu-
tuous
might be reprefTed. Thefe are Cicero's
words :
**
Therefore this fame Gracchus, as you may
know,
Catalus, from Licinius your client
^
who
id

Mimic]Planipes. In the comedies, wh^n the chorut

went off the ftage, they were fuccccded by a fort of aftors,
who diverted the audience for fome time with apifh pofture*
and antic dances. They were not malked, but had their
/aces fmeared over with foot, and dreffed themfelvcs in lamb-
fltins. They wore garlands of ivy, and carried balkets full of
herbs and flowers to the honour of Bacchus. They aded al-
ways barefoot, and were thence called Planipedcs.iTiPffwr/.

C//V/.]No word has varied more from its original ac-

ceptation than this. It is derived from mXutt, celebro. It con-
ftituted no fmall part of the magnificence of the great men of
ancient Rome to be courted as patrons, that is, to have in
their trains : (for they were attended by them whenever they
appeared in public) a number of ftrangers, or young men of
rank, to whom, in return for this mark of refpeft and homage,
they commoiucated inilru^ion/ or extended
their countenance
and
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
49
is a man of learning, had always, when he was
fpeaking, a fkilfui (lave Handing fecretly behind
hinn with an ivory flute
*%
who, as cccafion re-
quired, breathed a note, to roufe him if languid,
or call him back if too harfli."
With refpe(5t to this cuftom of advancing to
battle to the found of flutes, we learn from Arif-
totle
",
in his Book of Problems, that it was in-
troduced by the Lacedaemonians, in order to make
the confidence and ardour of their troops more con-
fpicuous, and more efl^e6lually tried. Cowardice
and fear, he obferves, is perfe6lly incompatible with
fiich a mode ofattack, whilil the mean and dallardly,
neceflarily fhrink from what is fo noble and intre-
^
pid. I have fubjoined a few words from Ariflotle
on this fubjed.
"
Why, when about to engage, did they march
to the found of the flute
?
That they miglit diftin-
guifh thofe, who behaved like cowards/*
and proteftion. The particular claim thefe clients were fup-
pofed to have on their patrons, is accurately defined by our
author, in the thirteenth Chapter of the fifth Book, to which the
reader is' referred. Virgil is called by Horace Juvenum No-
bilium Cliens, in allufion to the particular patronage which was
extended to the poet by the nephews of Auguftus. It is need-
lefs to add how diiFerent a meaning: the word now bears.
*
I'vory
Jlute.']

Much is proved from this incidental men-

tion of a flute of ivory. Amongll other tkicgs it appears
that in the time of this Gracchus, both the fcience of muiic
and the mechanic arts muil have made no inconfiderable
progrcfs.
"
From
Ariftotle.'\ Gronovius informs us, that he was ne-
ver able to find the paflage here quoted in Ariflotle.
Vol. I. E Chap,
50
THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
Chap.
Xll.
At
what agey
from
what rank^ with what ceremoniesy
oathsy
and title, a
Veftal virgin
is admitted hy the
Pontifex
Maximus, and how
Jhe pajfes
her novi-
ciate. 'Thaty as Laheo
affirms
y neither doth
Jhe
inherit by- law the
pojfeffions
of
any one who dieS/
int^atey nor doth any one
inherit
from
her, dying
'
without a wilL
T.H
E writers ort the fubje6l o{ taking
'
a Veftal
virgin, of whom Labeo Antiftius is the moft
elaborate, have aflerted, that no one could be
taken who was lefs than fix, or more than ten
years
'
Taking.
'\
This word may, to an Englifli reader, at firft
appear inelegant and improper
;
but it feems eafily juftified by
the explanation which follows in the latter part of the chap-
ter.
"
The high priell," fays our author,
"
took away the
virgin from her parents, as a captive is takea in war;" that
is, with feeming violence ; not unlike the fenfe in which Ho-
race ufes the word capio.
,
*<
Grajcia capta ferum viftorem cepit."
The word take^ in Engliih, is ufed in a variety of figniiica-
cations, apparently very remote from each other. Do you
take me? is ufed for Do you underftand me? It is ufed
by Shakefpeare in a ftill more fingular fenfe. Lear's exe*
cration againft his daughter* has this llrong expreflion.
"
Strike her young bones.
Ye taking airs, with lamenefs."
I have
OF AULUS GELLIUS. 51
years old. Neither could flie be taken unleis both
her father and mother were alive> if fhe had any
defe6t of voice or hearing, or indeed any perfonal
blemifli
%
or if fhe herfelf or father had been made
free; or if under the protedtion of her grandfather,
her father being alive ; if one or both of her pa-
rents were in aftual fervitude, or employed in mean
occupations K She whofe fifler was in this charac-
ter might plead exemption, as might fhe whofe
father was flamen
%
augur, one of the fifteen who
had
I have with fome diligence examined Middleton's Letter from
Rome, with the expedation of finding the ftriking fimilitude
pointed out betwixt the initiation of a Veftal virgin and the
ceremony of taking the veil, as obferved in Roman Catholic
countries. They undoubtedly, in many refpefts, bear a ftrong
refemblance. It may not be improper to add, that the word
njirgines was ufed by the beft Latin writers, to iignify the
Veftal virgins, without the addition of Feftales, It would far
exceed the limits of a note, to point out the various particu-
lars of the mode of life, the duties, and the privileges of a
Vellal virgin, together with the horrible punifhment to which,
in cafe of any failure of chaftity, fhe was condemned. The
curious reader may find, in a trad of Lipfius, an elaborate
difcuffion of all that this fubjed: involves. Part of their employ-
ment was to keep up a perpetual fire in the temple of Vella
;
and it is well known that this has been, and perhaps ftill is, ob-
ferved in various Catholic countries, in honour of the Virgin.
*
Perfonal blemijh.'\ The fame rellridlion, according to Plu-
tarch, was obferved in the eleftion of augurs.
3
Mean occupations. '^'^This expreflion extended, without li-
mitation,
to all artizans and mechanics ; to ail, indeed, without
exception,
who were not amongll the higher orders of

fena-
tors and knights.
*
Flainati
&c.] There were three flamens
j
one of
Ju-
E a
piter.
52
THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
had care of the facred
books, or one of the kvtn^
teen who regulated the
facred feafts,
or a prieft of
Mars. Exemption
was alfo granted to her
who
was betrothed to a pontiff
^
and to the daughter of
the facred trunnpeter^
Capito
Ateius has alfo ob-
ferved, that the daughter
of a man was ineligible
who had no eftablifhment
in Italy, and that his
daughter might be
excufed who had three children.
But as foon as a Veftal virgin
is taken, condu6led to
the veflibule of Vefta,
and delivered to the pon-
tiffs, fhe is from that moment removed from her fa-
ther's authority, without any form ofemancipation^,
or
pIter, one of Mars, and one of Qalrinus, Here aTfo it may
be proper to inform the Englifh reader, that there were fix
Veftal virgins, fifteen augurs, fifteen keepers of the facred or
Sybilline books, feven epulos,
"
who," to ufe the words of
Gibbon,
**
prepared the table of the gods, conduced the
folemn procelfion, and regulated the ceremonies of the an-
nual feftival."
-*
Font
If.]
There was a college of pontiffs or high priefts,
which confifted of fifteen.
*
Sacred trumpeter.] A long chapter in Cenforinus de die
Natali, informs us of the great efteem in which thefe perfon-
ages were held. Their prefence vras indifpenfable at 9very
fupplication and triumph : their importance is enforced and
their privileges explained, by Livy ; Valerius Maximui, 1. ii.
c.
5
;
Pliny, &c.
7
Emancipation.'] This was an old law term. The par-
ticular fenfe of it, in this and every other inftance, may be
found in Heineccius
Antiquitates Romanse. The old Roman
laws gave the father unlimited power over his children: he
might put them to death, or he might fell them as Haves.
The ceremony, therefore,
by which the parent refigned the
authority
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
53
or lofs of rank
^,
and has alfo the right of mak-
ing
her will. No more ancient records remain,
concerning the form and ceremony of taking a vir-
gin, except that the firft virgin was taken by king
Numa. But we find a Papian law, which provides,
that at the will of the fupreme pontiff twenty virgins
fhould be chofen from the people, that thefe fhoiild
draw lots in the
public afTembly, and that the
fupreme pontiff might take her whofe lot it was,
to become the fervant of Vefla. But this drawing
of lots by the Papian law does not now feem ne-
ceffary
5
for if any perfon of ingenuous birth goes
to the pontiff and offers his daughter
^
for this mi-
niflery, if fhe may be accepted without any viola-
tion of what the ceremonies of religion enjoin, the
fenate difpenfes with the Papian law.
Moreover,
a virgin
is faid to be taken, becaufe fhe is taken
authority which the laws gave him over his child, was called
emancipation,, of which there were three forms.
*
Lofs
of
rank.'\ This alfo was a law term, and is not ex-
plained by Heineccius. The expreflion
"
caput non habere"
was applied to flaves, foreigners, and others, of whom it was
not the duty of the cenfor to take notice. This office, firll:
inflituted by Servius TuUus, divided the people into different
ranks, according to their fortunes, and did not omit to notice
their moral charadler and condud. Thus every one was liable
to be degraded from his rank, or entirely to forfeit his claim to
every diftindlion, on commiffion of certain crimes. In the paf-
fage before us we are exprefsly informed, that the Veftal vir-
gin fufFered no change with refped
to rank from this change
in her relative iituation.
' Cy^r/ his daughter
S\
According to Suetonius,
both thefe
culloms were in ufe in the time of Auguftus.
E3
by
54
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
by the hand of the high pried, from that parent
under whofe authority Ihe is, and led away as a
captive in war. in the firft book of Fabius Pidtor,
we have the form of words which the fupreme pon-
tiff is to repeat when he takes a virgin. It is
this
:
**
I take thee, beloved, as a prieflefs of Veda,
to perform religious fervice, to difcharge thofe
duties with refpe6b to the whole body of the Ro-
man people, which the law moft wifely requires of
a prieftefs of Vefta." Many are of opinion, that the
term taken was applied only to a virgin ; but the
fiamines diales, the high priefts and the augurs
',
^ere alfo faid to be iaken. Lucius Sylla, in his fe-
cond book of Commentaries, writes thus

" Pub-
iius Cornelius, who firft had the cognomen
"
of
Sylla, was taken as flamen dialis."
Marcus Cato, when he accufed Servius Galba,
faid of the Lufitani
*"
:
*
Augurs.'] The augurate was efteemed of fuch high dig-
nity, that, to uie the words of Mr. Gibbon, the Romans, af-
ter their confulfhips and triumphs, eagerly afpired to it.
Cicero confeffed, that the augurate was the fupreme objeft
of his wifhes. Pliny was proud to tread in the footfteps of
Cicero.

Gibbon,
^
"
Cognomen,']'^The Romans had the nomen, the prs-
ijomen, the agnomen, and the cognomen. The nomen was the
family name, as Julius; the praenomen anfwered to our Chrif-
tian name, as Caius
J
ulius ; the cognomen was the third name,
added from fome incidental circumftance,
Caius Julius Czefar,
Marcus TuUius Cicero ; the agnomen was an honourable ad-
dition, as Africanus, Magnus, Juflus, &c.
"
Z./^/^/.]Lufitania was a province of Spain.
''Yet
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
55
*^
Yet they fay that they wlfhed to revolt. I at
this time
wifli perfedlly to underftand the laws
of the high priefthood ; but (hall I for this reafon be
takm as high prieft ? If I wifh perfe6tly to under-
ftand the laws of the college of augurs, will any one
for
that reafon take me as augur
?"
It is
alfo faid in
thofe commentaries of Labeo,
which he wrote on the twelve tables :
*^
No Veftal virgin can be heirefs to any inteftate
perfon of either fex. Such effedls are faid to be-
long to
the public. - It is enquired by what right
tJiis is done V* When taken Ihe is called amata,
or beloved, by the high prieft ; becaufe Amata is
(aid to have been the name of her who was
firft
!;aken.
E
4
Chap,
S6
THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
Chap.
XIII.
//
is a
queftion in philojophyy
whether^ when a com-
mand is
impofedy it he more proper fcrupuloujly to
objerve it, or
Jometimes to deviate
from
it, in hopes
that the deviation may he advantageous to the per-
Jen
who
impofes
the command.
Different
opinions
upon that quejiion,
IT
has h'zn a fubje<5t of enquiry in the eflima-
tion fornaed and judgment pafTed on offices
'
which arc undertaken, called by philofophers in
Greek xaG^jxcvra*, whether, an office being given
you, and what you are to do clearly defined, you
\
may be allowed
to depart from this, if by fo doing
the affair fhall promife a more fortunate iflue, with
relpedl to the advantage of the perfon employing
you ? The queftion is doubtful ; and difcreet peo-
ple have determined each way. There are not a fev
who, having decidedly fixed their opinion, that a
nnatter being once refiedted upon, and determined
by him whofe bufinefs and concern it might be,
this could by no means be departed from, although
fome unexpe6led event might promife a more for-
tunate ifTue, left, if their hopes fhould be difap-
pointed, the fault of difobedience be incurred,
'
OJices."] It maybe necefTary to inform the EngUlh reader,
that the Latins, fmcethe time of Cicero, ufed the word
offices
for all moral duties.
*Ka6KoyTa.] Thofe things which are proper.
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
57
and a penalty, not to be deprecated. If accident-
ally the thing ihould have turned out better, the
gods indeed are to be thanked
;
but an example
Ihould feem to be introduced, by which councils
carefully refolved upon, fhould be corrupted, the
obligation of a truft being broken. Others have
thought, that the inconvenience to be apprehend-
ed from the
affair's being done contrary to what
had been
commanded, fhould firft be weighed
with the advantages expe6i:edj and if the former
appeared comparatively light and trifling, and the
advantage greater and m^ore important from a
well-grounded
expedlation, then the command
might be departed from, left a providential op-
portunity of fuccefsful enterprize ihould be paffed
by : Nor did they think the example of difobe-
dience at all to be feared, if fimilar reafons could
not be urged; but they thought that a particular
regard fhould be paid to the genius and difpofition
of the perfon v;hofe office was undertaken, left
he fhould prove ferocious, without fenfibility,
unimprefTive and implacable, as were Poftumus
'
and Manlius. If fuch mafters were to be reckon-
ed
'
Pcjiumus.]The Roman hiftory, with refped to the men
here alluded to, is involved in Tome contradiftion.
Valerius
Maximus informs us, that in the war againft the Federati,
Poftumus Tubertus ordered his fon to be put to death, becaufe,
though viftorious, he had advanced to attack the enemy with-
out his father's command. Livy relates the fame facfl of Man-
lius Torquatus
;
whillt Gellius, in the chapter before us, refers
apparently the fame fad to both perfonages.
"
It was an in-
flexible maxim of Roman difcipline," fays Mr. Gibbon,
"
that
a good
St
THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
ed with, they were of opinion
that the command
fliould be rigorouQy fulfilled.
I think that the
propofition concerning obedience
to fuch kind
of orders will be nnore full and illuftrative, by
adding the example of Publius CrafTus Mutia-
nus, a great and eminent charadber.
This Crauus*
is faid by Sempronius Afellio
%
and by many other
Roman hiftorians, to have pofifefTrd the three great-
eft and moft obvious diftinftions of profperity
;
that he was very rich, very eloquent, of the nobleft
family, the moft eminent lawyer, and chief pon-
tiff. This perfonage having when conful obtain-
ed the province of Afia, prepared to befiege and
a good foldier fiiould dread his officers far more than the ene-
my."

But the ftern and rigid difcipUne which it may be indif-
penfably neccflary to preferye amongft foldiers in time of a6lual
fervice, hardly applies to the matter before us, if confidered as
a queftion of philofophy or of morals. ^That may be prudent
and commendable in the execution of a civil office, or perform-
ance of a confidential truft, in
a ft^te of fc^urity and lejfure,
which would be unpardonable in the tumult of military fervice,
where fuccefs muft depend upon promptitude of execution
;
which promptitude can only refult from minute and undeviat-
ing obedience to the orders of thofe intruded with com-
mand.
^
This
Crqffus,']
There were very many of this name
; this
Craffus flew himfelf to avoid failing into his enemies hands, in
the civil fadlions of Marius and Sylla, and muft not be con-
founded with Marcus CrafTus, of whofe enormous wealth fuch,
wonderful (lories are related.
'
Semprcnius Jfellio.'] This perfon is again mentioned by
Gellius, B. II. c. xiii. He was an eminent hiHorian, and wrote
an account of the Numantian war, at which he was prefent. He
is refpedfully named by Dionyfius Hal. and by. Macrobius,
^&
well as by Gellius.
blockade
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
59
blockade the town of Leucas^ and wanted a ftrong
and
large beam for a battering ram^ to make a
breach in the walls. He wrote to the chief archi
te6k of the Elateans, friends and allies of the Ro-
man people, to fend him the largeft of two mails
which he had feen amongft them. The chief
archite6l, difcovering for what purpofe the mail
was wanted, did not fend the larger, as he
was
ordered, but the fmaller, which he thought
the
mod proper and convenient for a battering
ram,
as well as more portable, Craflus fent for him to
his prefence, afked him why he did not do as he
was ordered; and, difregarding what he urged in
excufe, commanded him to be ftripped and fevere-
ly flagellated. He conceived that the authority
of
a commander was altogether rendered void and in-
fignificant, if any one fliould condii6b himfelf
with
refpedl to orders received, not with obfequious fide-
lity, but from his own unfolicited opinion.
^
Leucas.'] Of this place frequent mention is made in the
claffic writers. It was a promontory in the JEgean, once
an
illand, but fo contiguous to the main land, that violent currents,
accumulating fand and earth, gradually united them, ^t is
fjp\y
named St. Maure, and belongs to the Turks,
Chap.
6o THE ATTIC NIGHTS
Chap. XIV.
The words and anions
of
Caius Fahricius^ a man
of
great
fame
and high
deferts^
though
of
a low
origin
and
fmall ejlatey when the Samnites
offered
to bribe him as a poor man,
JULIUS
HyGINUS^ In his fixth book of
the Lives and Adions of Illuflrious Men,
lays, that ambafTadors came from the Samnites to
Caius Fabricius
%
the general of the Romans, and
having recapitulated the many noble things v^hich
after peace was reflored, he had done with much
generofity
*
Julius i^^/j.]This man wrote various works ; but cri-
tics difpute about his proper name. He is called Heginus,
Higenus, and Heginius. He is faid to have written commen-
taries on the aftions of famous men, a tradl on a fubjeft fome-
what fimilar, quoted by Gellius, B. X. c. xviii. as alfo an-
other book on the cities of Italy, quoted by Servius. We haver
BOW extant of his a book of aflronomy, as underftood by the
ancients, and a fecond on mythological fables.
*
Caius FaBricius.] Honourable mention is made of this
perfonage and this fal, by ancient and modern writers.
Vir-
gil, in his fixth book, commemorates him by the energetic ex-
preflion of
"
Parvoque potentem
Fabricium.'*
Horace alludes to him when he fays,

Vivitur parvo bene, cui patcrnum

Splendet in menfa tenui falinum,
Nee leves fomnos timor aut cupido,
Sordidus aufert."
Claudian
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS. Ci
generofity and
kindnefs for the Samnites, they of-
fered him a large fum of money,
which they
entreated him to accept for his own ufe. The
Samnites, they faid, were induced to do this from
obferving, that many things were wanting, both
with refped to the fplendour of his houfe and his
own maintenance,
which were by no means fuit-
able to his greatnefs
'
and proper dignity. Upon
this,
Fabricius moved his hands from his ears to his
eyes ^
thence to his noftrils, his mouth and his
throat,
afterwards to his middle, and thus anfwer-
ed the
ambafladors, that whllft: he could reftrain
and command all thofe members he had touched,
he could want nothing ; befides that, he could not
accept money for which he had no ufe, from thofe
who he well knew wanted it.
Claudian alfo fays,
**
Pauper erat Curius cum reges vinceret armis.
Pauper Fabricius Pyrrhi cum fperneret aurum."
The poets alfo of our own courts have paid him the tribute he
deferves. Thomfon calls him
"
Fabricius, fcorner of all-conquering gold,"
To multiply examples were unneceflary.
'
Suitable to his
greatnefs.'\^^'Vh.Q charafter and conduft of
our own Andrew Marvel feems, in circumllances not very un-
like, to have been influenced by a fpirit equally magnanimous.
The lord treafurer was fent by Charles the Second, who loved
Marvel's perfon, and refpe<5led his manly qualities, to offer
him any office he might like, or any gratuity he might want.
Marvel's firm refufal of all favours difconcerted the cooitier
;
but as foon as he was departed. Marvel's neceffities obliged
him to borrow a guinea of an intimate friend*
From his eyes to his ears.'\^--T\\e reader will hardly require
to be informed, that this adion of Fabricius alluded to his hav-
ing an entire command of his five fenfes*
C H A P*
I
6 THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
Chap. XV.
flow
troublejome a vice is a
futile and idle
loquacity^
and how
often it has been
jufily cenfured by great
and learned men*
THOSE
light, trifling, and impertinent talk-
ers, who, without having any folid matter,
pour out volubly a torrent of words, have been well
reprefented, as having, what they fay, produced in
the mouth ' not in the breaft : the tongue, they af-
firm, ought not to be unreftrained and wanton, but
moved and as it were governed by fprings fitted to
it from the inmoft bofom. But of fome it mull be
obferved, that they fcatter about their words without
any kind of judgment
%
and with fuch undaunted
confidence, that when in the a6i: of fpeaking, they
appear to know not that they fpeak. Homer, on
the contrary, defcribes UlyfTes^ a man of wifdom
and eloquence, as Ipeaking, not from his mouth
In the mouth,
'\
This is in fa6l a Greek proverb, the li-
teral purport of which is, words from the mouth, and was ap-
plied to fuch who fpoke fine words without meaning.
*
Any kind
of
judgment.
^
Philippus Carolus, in his Animad-
.verfions on Gellius, remarks, that the people here defcribed
refemble thofe faid to be born in certain iflands, where the
inhabitants have given them by nature two tongues and only
one ear. Plutarch compares them to a portico at Olympia,
famous for its echo, where any noife was feven times repeated.
"
Loquacity," fays he,
"
if once touched, will repeat every thing
an infinite number of times."
#
but
OF
AULUS
CELL I US.
63
but
his
bread;
confidcring the ad of fpeaking to in-
volve
not only the found and modulation of the
voice,
but alfo the foundnefs of fentiments in-
wardly
conceived. He ingenioufly remarked, that
the teeth
prefented themfclves as a wall to keep in
the
petulance of the tongue ; that the temerity of
fpeech
fhould not only
be reftrained by the guard
and
vigilance
of the mind, but hedged in as it were
by
certain
centinels placed in the mouth.
The
words of
Homer, alluded to above, are thefe
:
"
But when he poured forth his loud voice
from
his breall."
Again,
"
What word, my fon, has cfcaped
through the
wall of your teeth
?"
I
have alfo added the words of Cicero, in which
he
exprefies his real and fevere diflike of foolifli
and
empty talking K
"
Whilft this is evident," fays he,
"
that neither his filence is to be commended, who,
knowing a thing, is unable to explain it by words,
nor his ignorance, who though wanting
matter,
abounds in words
;
yet if one of thefe
muft be pre-
ferred, I would rather choofe knowledge
without
eloquence, than foolilh loquacity."
We find alfo
^
thefe words in his firft book of an orator

"
For
what is fo extravagant as the vain found of words,
3
Empty talking.]Shakefpeare well defcribes a man who
fays mijch, but little to the purpofe, as one who fays an infi-
Bite deal of nothing.See Merchant of Venice.
however
64
THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
however excellent or elegant,
without any guid-
ance of fentinnent or knowledge
?"
But of all others Marcus Cato is one of the fc-
vcreft
cenfurers of this fault ; for in his oration which
is
entituled. Si fc Caelius Trib. Pleb.
appellafiet

"
Whoever," fays he,
"
is feized with the difeafe of
talking is never filent, as one in a lethargy is never
tired of drinking and fleeping. If you do not
come together when he orders you to be affem-
bled, fo fond is he of fpeaking, that he will hire
people to liften to him. You hear him, indeed,
but do not attend to him
;
as in the cafe of a quack,
his words are heard, but no one when fick en-
trufts himfelf to his care."
The fame Cato, in this fame oration, reproach-
ing this Cmelius, a tribune, not only with his gar-
rulity, but his infignificance, though filent

" You
may bribe him," fays he,
"
with a cruft of bread
%
either to be filent or to fpeak."
Homer alfo, with great point, didinguillies
Therfites as one who, of all others, was an
"
im-
moderate fpeaker without any judgment." In an-
other place he fays,
"
that his torrent of vulgar
*
CfLj?
of
hread.'\ Similar to this is the exprefilon in the
book of Proverbs, viii. 21.
"
To have refpcd of perfons is not good : for, for a piece of
bread, that man will tranfgrefs."
See alfo Ezekiel, xiii.
19.
"
And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of
barley, and for pieces of bread
?'*
Eralmus obferves,
"
that the phrafe probably originates from
the circumftance of holding out a
piece of bread to a dog, when
we want to foothe him to our purpofe.'*
words
6f AULUS GELLIUS.
6s
words
*
refembled the unceafing noife of jackdaws.
What elfe can he mean by u^sr^oiTTTig sxoXuoc?
There is alfo a verfe of Eupolis
^>
remarkably
pointed againft this fort of men

"
the greateft
talker, but the feebleft fpeaker
;'*
which our Sal-
luft defiring to imitate, renders,
"
talkative rather
than eloquent."
For which reafon Hefiod, the moft fage of
poetSj
fays,
"
the tongue is not to be proftituted,
but
hoarded up as a treafure ; and that it had moft cfFe61:
when produced, if temperate> modeft^ and cau-
tious."
Thisexpreflion ofEpicharmus
^, is alfo pertinent
:

Not
'
Torrent
of
^vulgar u;<?r<f/.]-i-Pope, from Homer, thus dc-
icribes
Therfites
:
"
Therfites only
clamour'd in the thrOng,
LoquaciouSj loud, and turbulent of tongue
;
Aw*d by no fliame, by no refped controul'd.
In fcandal bufy, in reproaches bold.
With witty malice ftudious to defame.
Scorn all his joy, and laughter all his aim.'*

Eupolis^ was a celebrated writer of the ancient Greek co-

medy, and lived in the 28th Olympiad. He is honourably men-
tioned by Quintilian and by Horace, who both rank him with
Arillophanes and Cratinus. He was a native of Athens. Som*
fay that Alcibiades put him to death for writing a fatire againft
him ; and others, that he died in a fea-fight with the Lacede-
monians, His fragments are to be found fcattered up and
down in various ancient authors, and have been soUedled by
Grotius.
^
Epicharmus.
"^
Reprefented by fome as a native of Syracufe,
by others of Cos. It is generally believed, that under tha
aufpices of Hiero, he
firil inuoduced ooiricdy at Syracufe.
He
66 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
**
Not qualified to fpeak, but unable to be filent,**
From which, indeed, this has been borrowed :
*^
Who
being urtablc to fpeak, could not hold hiS
tongue/'
1 have alfo heard Favorinus affirm, that thefe
verfes
of
Euripides^ :
"
The end of unbridled
words and ungoverned
folly,
muft be calamity,"
were not only to be ap-
plied to thofe who faid what was impious or unlaw-
ful, but
might more
particularly be faid of men
prating
foolilhly and
immoderately
^
whofe tongue
was fo
lavifh and
unbridled, as conftantly to be
boiling
over with an execrable filth of words.
Which
kind of men the Greeks ftigmatize by the
moft
happy
expreffion of xarayXwo-o-o; ^ I have
been
informed by a learned man of his acquain-
tance,
that
the illuflrious grammarian, Valerius
Probus'^
a Ihort time before his death, altered the
wrote poetrj^,
phllofophy, and medicine ; and to his works Plato
and Ariftotle
amongft the Greeks, and Plautus amongft the
Latins,
were
confiderably indebted. His Comic Fragments are
coUefted by
Grotius.

The/e 'verjes
of
Euripides'] are thus rendered, by Mr.
WodhiiU
:
'
To certain mifery the unbridled tongue.
And frenzy's lawlefs-rage, at length muil lead.'*
^
KTay?v<rcro.]
Linguaces, praters.
^
Valerius Pro^/.]This eminent grammarian was a na-
tive of Phoenicia, and flourilhed at P.ome in the time of Nero.
He is praifed by Suetonius, and again mentioned honourably
by
Gellius, in B. XVII. C. xvili. Such fragments as we have
f his. works arc to be
found in th colledion of Pulchrius.
phrafe
OF
AULUS GELLIUS*
67
phrafe of Salluft,
"
enough of eloquence, but little
wifdom," to
'^
enough of talking, but little wif-
dom
j"
affirming, that Salluft fo left it, for the word
loquentia was moll luitable to Salluft, who was
fond of new words, whilft eloquentia did not pro-
perly exprefs folly. But this fort of loquacity and
immenfe crowd of wordsj with a vaft but empty
pomp, the moft facetious poet Ariftophanes has
expreffed, with great ftrength of expreffion, in thefe
verfes
*'
:
"
A
man impudent himfelf^ and making others
foj
having a mouth unbridled,
above all rule, and
conftantly open, an immoderate babbler, and fwel-
ling up with words noify as jackdaws."
Nor have our anccftors with lefs force marked
this fort of men by the terms projedtos, locutu-
leios, blaterones, and lingulacas*
**
In thefe 'verfcs.'] This is part of a fcene in the Frogs of
~ Ariftophanes, where Euripides and ^fehylus contend for fu-
periority in the prefence of Bacchus. Thefe expreffions are
ufcd by Euripides as defcriptive of the genius and character of
his antagonift's performances.

Pi C H A I*.
6% THE ATTIC NIGHTS
Chap. XVI.
'That
^adrigariusy in the third hook
of
his Amahy.
ujes the phrafe
*'
Mitte hominum occiditm^*
not by
atjy licence of poetical
figure^
hut by
juft
rule and
proper attention to grammaticalpropriety,
OUADRIGARIUS,
in his third book of
Annals, wrote thus
:

^'Ibi occiditur milk ho-

mmum/'He fays occiditur, and not occiduntur.
LiTciltiis, in like manner, in his third book of
Satires,
**
Ad portam mille, a porta eft fex inde Salernum."^^
He writes mille eft,, and not mille funt.
Varro
\
in his eighteenth book of HumanAffairs,
has,
"
Ad Romuli initium plus mille et centum an-
norum eft."
With refpedl to the fubjcdt matter of this chapter, it is the
remark of one of the commentators on Gellius, that we are
here fent to fchool ; the form of expreffion which is here dif-
cufTed being neither unufual nor ofintricate explanation. Simi-
Tar paflages might eafily be colleded. The fifth chapter oP
Macrobius, Satur. B.I. is on the fame fubj'^ft, and feems bor-
rowed altogether from Gellius.
*
Varro.^ Of whom it was remarked, that he read fo much
i^ was furprlfmg he had ever leifurc to write ; and wrote fo
much, that it was wonderful he could ever read. The Eng-
lifh of the quotation here introduced is

" to the beginning of

the reign of Romulus, it is more than one thoufand one hun-
dred years;" which expreffion, as rendered
in the tranflation,
entirely correlponds with the Latin phrafe.
%
Cato,,
OF AULUS GELLIUS. 69
Cato, in his firft book of Origins:
'
"
Inde eft ferme naille pafllium."
M. Cicero
,
in his fixth oration againft Antony t
**
Itane
Janus Medius in L. Antonii Glientela
ft ? Quis unquam in illo
Jano
inventus eft, qui L#
Antonio mille nummunn ferret expenfum."
In theie, and a number of other pafTages, millc
is ufed as the fi^igular number -,
nor is this, as fome
fuppofe, the effect of ancient ufage^ or from regard
to any particular neatnefs of expreflion : but the
feafon of the thing feems to require it ; for mille is
not ufed for what the Greeks call %tX*oi, but for
their ^^Xiotg
;
and as we find one
x^Xix?
and two
;)(;; Ata^g?, fo unum mille and duo millia is a confiftent
and regular exprefTion; for which reafon the follow-
ing phrafe is ufed properly and with elegance
:
"
Mille denarium in area eft et mille equitum in
exercitu eft,"
But Lucilius, befides what I have above cited,
makes this more decifive in another place. In his
fifteenth book, we find
^'
Hunc milli pafllim qui vicerit atque duobus
Campanus fonipes fubcufTus nullus lequetur
Majore fpatio ac diverfus videbitur ire,"
*
Cicero."]" What then, is
Janus
Medius under the protec-
tionf Antony ? was ever a perfon found in that place who con-
fefTed that he owed Antony a thoufand fefterces:"
Janus was the name of a place at Rome. According to Vidlor,
there were in the Roman forum two ftatues of Janus. The fpacc
betwixt the two was denominated Janus
Medius, and was fre-
quented by ufurers. Commentators are, however, divided
about the precife meaning of the term Janus
Medius ; for mention
h
made in Livy of three Jani,
and Ovid fpeaks of more.
Fa
So
^o THE ATTIC NIGHTS
So again, in the ninth book,
*'
Tu milU nummum potes uno quaerere centum/*
He
ufed nnilli pafiTum for mille pafTibus, and uno
milli nummum for unis mille nummis. He fhews
clearly that mille is a noun, and may be ufed in
the fingular number ; that its plural is millia, and
that it has an ablative cafe.
Nor does it require
the other cafes, fince there are very many nouns
ivhich have only one cafe, and fome which are declin-
ed
in none ; for which reafon there is no doubt but
that M. Cicero, in his oration for Milo, wrote
thus:

" Ante fundum Clodii quo in fun:'o propter

infanes illas fubllru6i:iones facile mille hominum ver-
fabatur valentium
;"
not verfabantur, though this
word is found in lefs accurate copies, the expref-
fions of mille hominum and mille homines having
nothing to do with each other.
Chap.
OF AULUS GELLIUS. ^n
Chap. XVII.
'^he great patience with which Socrates fupported the
'uncontroulaUe dijpofition
of
his
wife.
What Mar-
cus Varro
Jays
in one
of
his Jatires on th^ duties
of
m
hujband,
XA
NTHIPPER
the wife of Socrates the
philofopher, is faid to have been very morofe
and quarrelfonae ; and that fhe would, night and
day, give unreftrained vent to her pafTions and
female impertinences. Alcibiades
*,
aftoniflied at
her intemperance towards her hufband, afked So-
crates what was the reafon he did not turn fo mo-
rofe a woman out of doors.
"
Becaufe,'' replies
Socrates,
"
by enduring fuch a perfon at home, I
am accuftomxd and exercifed to bear with greater
eafe the petulance and rudenefs of others abroad."
Agreeably to this fentiment, Varro alfo, in
"
Xanthippe.']
This lady has always been confidered, if not
the foundrefs, at leaft the head of her fed
;
and parallels have
been drawn in all fucceeding times betwixt her and all females
U'ho diflinguillied themfclves by the difplay of fimilar quali-
ties. J have little inclination to recite the numberlefs anec-
dotes which are told of her, partly from my veneration to the
fex, and partly becaiife they have been fo often retailed as to
become trite and uninterefting.
*
Alcibiades] was the pupil of Socrates. His life is in
Diogenes Laertius, of which the more particular incidents are
generally known.
F
4
his.
7^
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
his 'Satira
Mcnippea ', which he wrote coa^.
cerning the duty of a hufband,
obfcrves,
**
that
the errors of a wife are cither to be removed or
fsndur^d. He who extirpates rfiem makes his wife
better
j
he who endures them improves himfelf.-*
Thefe words of Varro,
*^
toilere et
ferre^^
are of
facetious import; but toilere feems to be ufed with
the meaning of corrigere
;
for it is evident that
Yarro
thought that the errors pf a wife, if they
really could not be corre6led, ought to be endured,
which a man may do without difgrace, for there is
an important difference betwixt errors and vices.
3
SaiiraMenippea.']The curious reader will find cTery thing
relating to Roman fatire in Cafaubon's admirable book. To
enter into an elaborate difcuflion of this fubjeft here would
be inconfiftent with the objeft of an Englifti tranflation.
The praife of Varro is recited by Quintilian and others>
but his rank as a fatirifl? is not aicertaincd even by Cafaubon
;
nor is it more evident who Menippus was, or when or what
he wrote. There were two of this name
j
one a comic poet,
one a cynic philofopher.
It is this latter whom Varro pro-
fefled to imitate, and whpfe name was given tO'him and his
fatires. Sec again Gellius, lib. II. c.xviii. About this Menippus
authors are by no means decifive. He is mentioned with re-
fpeft by Strabo, and with contempt by Laertius. Some of his
peculiarities are recorded by Suidas; but it does not appear*
that Varro gave this appellation to his fatires from any pro-
dudion of the fame kind by Menippus ; but rather from th^
c[ualities of his mind, and fmgularity of his condudl.
C H A
F.
OF
AULU3
GELLIUS.
73
Chap.
XVIII.
fi4,
Varro, in his fourteenth
hook upon the meaning
of
wordsy cenfures his
majfer, Lucius ^lius,
for
having
made
Jome
ohfervations
upon the etymclogy
of
words
which are not true. 'The
fame
Varro^ in the
Jams
i^ooky
that the etymolgy
of
the word
^^
fur'*
is
falfely
given,
MV
ARRO5 in his fourteenth book ofDivine
^
Things, makes it appear, that L. .^lius,
at that time the moft learned man in Rome, was
in an error, becaufe he refolved a Greek word,
which had anciently been tranflated into Latin, as if
it was then, for the firft time, made Latin, into
two Latin words, by a kind of falfe etymology.
The following are Varro's exprefTions on the
fubje(51:.
"
In which refpedt L. -^lius, our countryman,
and the moft learned man in our recollection, fome-
times erred. He improperly rendered fome an-
cient Greek works as if they were originally Latin
;
for we do not, according to him, fay lepusy be-
caufe it is levipes, but becaufe it is an old Greek
word : for many of thefe old words are unknown,
as we now ufe other words inftead of them, and
that few know that what is now termed Exxyivoc
was once Grascus ; what is now called (p^soi^ was
puteus, and lepus Xocyccog, In which refped I not
.only do not cenfure JElius, but I
commend his
induftry.
74
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
induflry. Fortune attends fuccefs,
praife on cx-
pcrience/*
This is what Varro, in his firft book, wrote as to
the caufe of words with great erudition, as to the ufe
of both languages with great acutenefs, as to
iEIius
himfelf with particular mildnefs. But in the latter
part of the fame book, he obferves, that a thief was
na.tx^td
fur
y becaufe the Romans called
bhckfurvusy
and thieves more eafily fteal in the night, which is
black. Does not Varro feem to be jufl as much
mif-
taken about
fur,
as iElius about lepus F for what is
now called by the Greeks xActttti?, was more anciently
by
the fame people named (pu^. Thus by a fimi
-
larity of letters, what is in Greek (poj^, is in Latin
fur.
But whether this thing at that time efcaped
the recollection of Varro, or whether he
thought
that
fur
was more properly and confidently
to be
derived from
furvusy
which is black, is what,
re-
fpedling a man of fuch exquifite learning,
I would
not decide.
On this chapter
I have only to remark, that there can be
na
doubt but that the old Latin was generally borrowed from
the
j^lic dialed of the Greek.
C H A J,
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS.
75
Chap.
XIX.
Story
of
the Sibylline books, and king 'Tarquinius
Superbus.
IN
the ancient annals this ftor.y is related of the
Sibylline books
'.
An old wonrian, who was
an utter flranger^ went to
Tarquin the Proud,
when king, carrying with her nine books, which
fhe faid were divine oracles. She
offered to fell
them. Tarquin enquired the price. The old wo^
man afked an immenfe and extravagant fum. The
king, fuppofing her to doat from age, laughed
at her. She kindled a fire and burned three
of the nine books, and then afked the king if he
'
The Sihylline books.
"l
The Sibyls, and the oracles called
Sibylline,
prefent an almofi: inexhaullibie fubjeil for critical and
learned
inveftigation. My objed is the general information of
the
lefs-informed Englifh reader. The Sibyls were women
prefumed to have the power of predicting future events. Of
thefe there were many, but the precife number is difputed. Their
origin is derived from Perfia, but their talent of prophefying
was fuppofed to be derived from the influence of the conilei-
lation called Virgo, in the natural world. The verfes colledled
and publilhcd under the name of the Sibylline Oracles, are
univerfally allowed to be fpurious; but it is evident that the
Romans in particular revered their predidions as facred, and on
all important occafions confulted them. Ten, or as Gellius and
fome others affirm, fifteen eminent Romans were appointed to
fuperintend and examine them. The mofl celebrated of the
Sibyls were the Erythraean, the Delphic, and Cuma^an, and
the books above mentioned were preferved till the times of the
civil wars betwixt Sylla and Marius.
was
76
THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
was willing to buy the remaining fix at the fame
price ? On this Tarquin derided her ftill more ; and
told her, that doubtlefs flie was mad. The wo-
man
immediately burned three more books, and
at the fame time mildly afked him if he would
purchafe the three that were left at the fame price?
Tarquin then affumed a more ferious afped,
and
began to deliberate. He perceived that this con-
filtency and firmnefs was not to be difregarded : he
purchafed the laft three books at the fame price
that was demanded for the whole ; but this woman
Laving left Tarquin's prefence was never afterwards
to be found. They were called the SibylUne books,
anddepofited in a facrcd place. When the immor-
tal gods are publicly to be confuked, the fifteen go
to thefe as to an oracle.
Chap.
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
77
Chap. XX.
Greek geometrical terms contrafied with the
Latin ones.
OF
the figures which geometricians call fche-
mcta, there are two kinds, plane and
folid.
Thefe they themfelves call plane and folid
'.
The
plane is confined by lines in two directions, marking
the length and breadth, as triangles and fquares,
having an area without height. A folid is that when
a number of lines, not only form lengths and
breadths but alfo height. Such are thofe triangular
pillars, which are called pyramids
*,
or thofe per-
fedb fquares which they call cubes, and we quadran-
talia, A cube is a figure which prefents a fquare
on every fide
;
fuch, fays M. Varro, are the dice
which are ufed in play, and which, from their figure^
are alfo called cubes. In numbers alfo, it is call-
ed a cube, when every part of the fame number
may be equally divided into itfelf; as for ex-
ample, when three multiplied into itfelfbecomes nine,
and that is again multiplied by three. Pythagoras
*
Plane and/olid.^ The two Greek words thus interpreted
are, STriTrt^oy and an^iov.
*
Pyramids.'] This figure derives its name from its refem-
blance to a volume of fire, which terminates in a cone. Other*
affirm it is an Egyptian word. It is certainly the moft durable-
of all figures ; and it is probable that all fuch figures were
named from the celebrated pyramids of iEgypt.
teraarkeci
78
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
remarked of the cube of this number, that it rc-
prcfents the
lunar orbit, becaufe the moon per-
forms its
revolution in twenty-feven
days ', which
number
is in efFed a perfed cube.
What we call
line,
is the fame with the y^a/^^jj of the
Greeks,
whichM.
Varro thus defines: "A line is that which
has length
without breadth or height." Euclid, Hill
more
concifely, leaving out height :
"
Aline is length
without
breadth,'' which cannot be exprefled in one
Latin word, except we might ufe illatabile.
^
Tijuenty-feueji days.] This is the periodic month, defcrib-
ed by the moon proceeding from one point in the 2iQdiac, and
returning to it again.
Chap.
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
75
Chap. XXL
Julius Higinus very pofitively
affirms
y that he has ready
in VirgiVs own copy
of
his worky
"
Et ora
^rifiia
tentantum
fenfu
torquehit amaror
;"
not as we commonly
read it
^
^^f^^fr
torquehit
amaro,^*
MO
S T
people read thefe verfes, in the
Geor-
gics of Virgil, thus,
"
At fapor
'
indicium faciet manifeflus, et ora
Triflia tentantum
fenfu torquebit amaro."
But Higinus %
who was no mean grammarian,
in
the
commentaries
which he made on Virgil, fire-
nuoufly
aflerts, that it was not fo written by Virgi],
but that in a copy,
which came from Virgil's
owji
family, he found
"
Et ora
Triftia
tentantum fenfu torquebit amaror."
Which
reading
is approved, not by Higinus only,
but by other
learned men. Since it feems abfurd

Atfapory
&c.] Thefe lines are thus rendered by Martyn :
**
Then the tafte will plainly difcover itfelf, and tlie bitternefs
will
diilort the
countenances of thofe who tafte it.'*
Martyn alfo obferves, that it is read amaro, and not amaror,
in the
Kings, the
Bodleian, and in one of the Arundelian
manufcripts.
*
Higinus.] This name is ufually fpelt Hyginus. He was
the
freedman of
Apguftus, the friend of Ovid and of Aiinius.
He wrote on
various
fubjefts
;
but none of his works are
come down to us, but a
book of fables. He is refpedfijlly
mentioned by many ancient
writers.
to
o THE^ATTIC
NIGHTS
to fay,
"
fapor fenfu amaro torquet;**
fince, as they
affirm,
Jafor
is the fame as
Jenjus
-,
which
would
therefore be the fame as to
{2:^ Jenjus
"
fenfu amaro
torquet.'* But when Favorinus had
feen
the ob*
fervation of Higinus, and was dilgufted
with
the
harfhnefs and the novelty of the terms
*^
fenfu
tor-
quebit amaro''

" By the flone of

Jupiter
V'
he ex-
claimed, which
is efteemed the moft folemn
kind
of adjuration,
"
I am willing to take my oath
that
Virgil never wrote thus ; and I believe
that Higinus
is in the right ; for Virgil did not introduce this word
of himfelf without authority, he found it in Lucre-
tius, and did not difdain the example of a poet,
eminent for his genius and wit."
Thus, in the fourth book of Lucretius :
*^
Dilutaque contra
Quum tuimur mifceri abfinthia, tangit amaror."
It may be obferved, that Virgil borrowed from
Lucretius, not words only, but even whole verfes,
and various paflages.
3
The
ftone of
Jupiter.'] They who fvvore by Jupiter, ac-
cording to Fellus, held a flint ftone in their hand, with fome
fuch form of adjuration as this : If I fwear fahely, may Jupiter
caft me away from my city, as I do this ftone.
I have obferved, in my notes to Herodotus, that the fymbols
ufed by the ancients, of their refpedlive deities, were ftones of
different fhapes : a round ftone reprefented the fun, &c.
See Apuleius de deo Socratis :
"Quid igitur ? jurabo per Jovem lapidcm Romano vetuftiffi-
IBO ritu."
See alfo Cicero's Familiar Epiftles, B. VIT. 1. xii.
**
Quomodo autem tibi placebit
Jovem lapidem jurare cum
fcias Jovem nemini iratum eife."
Chap*
OF
AULUS GELLIUS. 81
G H A p. XXII.
Whether a pleadery defending
a
caufe^
can
fay^
with
^proper regard to Latinity,
^^
fuperejfe
fe ei^^ with re*
fpe5f,
to the perjon he defeyids,
^he proper meaning
of
^^
fuperejfe,''
THERE
lias not only prevailed but grown
inveterate a falfe and foreign ufage of a
Word thus applied,
"
hie illi fupereft," when the
meaning is that he is an advocate for any one, or
a defender of his caufe. Nor is this the language of
the flreets, or confined to vulgar people
;
but we
hear it in the forum, in the courts, and from the
magiftrates* But they who have fpoken more
corredly, have for the moft part u{cd
fuperejfe^
with
the meaning of to overflow or fuperabound, or
exceed above what is neceflary. Therefore M*
Varro, in his Satire, which is infcribed
"
Nefcis quid
vefper ferus vehat
',"
u{gs
fuperfuij/e
to fignify being
immoderate or excefTive. His words are thcfe :
"
In convivio legi
^
nee omnia debent, et ea po-
tifTimum
This is one of the chapters omitted in the French tranflation
of Gellius
; and as it turns altogether on the fubtlety and ele-
gant propriety of a Latin exprelTion, it can contain nothing of
moment to Englifh readers. I have, however, thought it my
iuty to omit nothing.
'
Nefcis, &c.]" You know not what the late evening may
bring with it.'*
*
In con<vi--vto legi.'\

" Nor ought every thing to be read at

an entertainment,
but thofe particularly
which combine what
Vol,
I.
G
is
<rft TftE ATTIC NIGHTS
tiflimum quae fimul funt |3jw(pfXrj, et deledlent potius
;
ut id quoque videatur non defuifle magis quam fu-
pcrfuifle.**
I
remember once being prefent in court when a
praetor pfefided, who was a man of learning.
An
advocate
*
of fome reputation pleaded in fuch a
ftile, that he wandered from his fubje6b, and by no
means illuftrated the caufe in queftion. The.pr^-
tor on this told the perfon whofe caufe it was, that
he had no advocate. Yes, fays he who was fpeak-
ing,
"
Ego illi fuperfum."
True, replied the prae-
tor, facetioufly, "Tu plane
fuperes, non ades
^"
But
IS ufeful with what is agreeable, that the reading may feem not
lo want any thing, rather than to be exceflive.'*
Reading conftituted part of the amufement at a feaft amongft
the ancients ; and the meaning ofVarro evidently is, that what
is read fhould be fo feleded as to entertain without being te-
dious or troublefome.

Jd'vocate.'] According to the

Jus
Patronatus eflablifhed
by Romulus, it was part of the duty of patricians to afTert and
vindicate the claims of their plebeian clients. From whence,
in fucceeding times, came the name and cuftom of patrons, who
defended their clients in the courts of juftice. The young men
of rank and fortune eagerly embraced this opportunity of dif-
tlnguilhing their aftivity and abilities. There v/as a kind of
folemn introdudion to this office, and it Ihould feem that this
introduftion was from fome perfon o( confular rank. In the
fentencc which ioWo'^s
,
fuperfum
fecms to be ufed in the fenfe
of,
*
I prefidc
over or fuperintend.'*
*
Tu planefuperes, non adesj\

You evidently are above, not

prefent." This is a play upon words, vulgarly called a pun.
Ad/um is to be prefent,
fuperfum to be over or above. To
make it moil familiar to Engliftv readers, it may be rendered
thns;
'f
Hti, Sir/'
^iiys the advocate,

I am over his caufe.'*
"
Over
OF
AULUS GELLIUS. 83
But M. Cicero, in the book where he treats of
reducing civil law to an art, has thefe words :
"
Nee vero fcientia juris majoribus fuisQ^iSlius
Tubero defuit : do6lrina etiam fuperfuit."
In which ^?i^-3igQ
fuperfidt
feems to have the fenfe
of
Jtipra fuit
^.nd pra'Jiitit ; and he excelled his
anceilors in abundant learning, which was even
too great ; for Tubero was remarkably flcilled
in the Stoic difcipline and in logic. In his fecond
book de Republica this particular word, as ufed
by Cicero, deferves notice. The paffage is tliis:
^^
Non gravarer
%
Lasli, nili et hos velle putarem,
et ipfe cuperem te quoque aliquam partem liujus
noftri fermonis atdngere
;
prsefertim quum heri
ipfe dixeris, te nobis etiam
Juperfuturum,
Verum
fi id quidem fieri non poteft^ ne defis omnes te
rogamus."
Julius Paulus
^
one of the mod learned men
in my remembrance, was accuftomed to fay, with
equal acutenefs and truth, that
Juper^Jfe
is ufed
with more than one meaning in Latin as well as
in Greek : that the Greeks ufed ^s^mvoa in two

Over it," returns the praetor,

"
but not in it
;"
meaijing,
that by wandering from the fubjed, you negleft your client's
intereft.
5
Non granjarer, &c.]

I fliould not be concerned;, L^e-

lius, if I did not think that theie were
defirous, as I myielf
alfo am, to have you take (ome part in this converfation
;
par-
ticularly as you yefterday faid, that you would give us even more
than enough of your company.
U this may not be, I entreat
you not altogether to defeit us."
*
Julius Paulus.]Who is here intended, is by no means
certain; he is in other paiTages
of GelUus called a poet.
G Q,
fenfcs.
4
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
fenfes, as that which was fuperfluous and unne-
ceflary, or as that which was fuperabundant, over-
flowing, and excefTive. Thus alfo our anceftors
fometimes ufed
Juperejfey
for what was fuperfluous,
more than was wanting, or neceflary, as in Varro
above quoted
;
and fometimes, as in Cicero, for him
who exceeded the refl: in copioufnefs and ability, but
yet was prolix and copious more than was requi-
fite. He therefore, who fays, that he
Jupreft
to
him whom he defends, fpeaks with neither of thefc
meanings, but offends againfl; all authority and cor-
rednefs. He cannot even avail himfelf of Virgil's
name, who in the Georgics wrote thus
:
"
Primus ego in Patriam mecum modo vita
fuperfit
'/'
ForVirgil here feems to have ufed this word not quite
corredly, with the fignification ofcontinuing longen
This, on the contrary, from the fame author, is
more to the purpofe.
^^
Florentifque ' fecant herbas, fluviofque mi-
nift:rant,
Farraque, ne blando nequeant fupereflfe la-
bori
r
where
Jupereffe
fignifies not to be injured by la-
bour.
But it was a queft:ion with me, whether the
^
Primus, &:c.]

"
I iirfl: of all returning to my country, \,
life
does but remain."
*
Florentifque,
&c.]-a- And cut tender grafs, and give him
water and corn, left he Ihould be deficient in his pleafmg labour^*'
The
above paffage* will be fufHcient, it is prefumed, without
entering
further into this
fubjeft,
X
ancients
OF
AULUS GELLIUS. 8^
ancients u^t^
fuperejfe
in the fenfe of to remain or be
wanting to the accompliIhment of a thing. For Sal-
luft, with that meaning, ufes not
fuperejfey
hut
fupe-
rare. His expreflion, in his Jugurtha,
is this :
*^
Is pleriimque feorfum a rege exercitum dudare,
ct omnis res exfequi folitus erat, qu^e Jugurthae
felTo aut majoribus aftrido fuperaverant.'*
But in the third book of the Annals of Ennius,
we find
this verfe :
*^
Inde fibi memorat unum
/upereffe
laborem;"
that is, remained and was left
;
which requires a di-
vided pronunciation, as if not one but two diftinft
parts of fpeech
5
but Cicero, in his fecond oration
againft Antony, does not fay, of a thing left,
fu-
pereffey
but
reftare.
Moreover, we
^ndfuperejfe
ufed
ioxJuperftitem
ejfe.
It is fo ufed in the book of epiftles
of Cicero to L. Plancus, and in a letter from Afi-
nius Pollio to Cicero, in thefe terms
:

" Nam
neque deefle reipublicse volo, neque fuperefle."
By which he means, that if the republic Ihould
expire and perilh, he would not wiHh to live. But
in the Afinaria of Plautus, this is ftill more mani-
feft in the following verfes, which are the firft of
that comedy:
^^
Sicut tuum vis unicum gratum tuas
SuperefTe vitse folpitem et fuperftitem.*'
Therefore,
^here 13 not only the impropriety of the
word to be guarded againft, but alfo its inauipi-
cioufnefs if any fenior advocate fhall fay to a young
man
Jejuperejfe,
G
Z
Chap,
8i6
THE
ATTIC
NIGHTS
e H A p. XXIIL
tf^o was Papirius Tratextatus
;
the
reafon
of
his hear^
ing that
Jurname
^
. with the
pleafant
ftory of
the
fame
Papirius.
TH
E flory of Papirius
'
Prsetextatus has been
told and written by M. Cato, in the oration
which he made to the foldiers againfl Galba
%
with
equal beauty, perfpicuity, and neatnefs of expreflion.
I would have inferred the whole of Cato's
Ipeech
in my commentary, if, when I dictated what fol-
lows, I could have referred to the book. If you
will be fatisficd with the fa6l itfelf, without
the
ornaments and graces of his expreflion, I believe it
was nearly as follows
:
It was formerly ufual for the fenators of Rome
to enter the fenate-houfe accompanied by their
fons who had taken the prastexta ^ When fome-
thing
*
Papirius.']

^This was the family name, which, according to

Cicero, was ancient and honourable.
*
Galba.] This was Sergias Galba. He had given his
word to the Lufitanians that their lives fhould be fpared, but
he afterwards put them to the fword. Libo, when tribune, pro-
pofed a law to punifli him, in which meafure he was flrenuoufly
fupported by Cato.
^
Thepratexta.]Properly fpeaking, the toga pra^texta. This
gown had a border of purple. It is not quite certain when it
was afTumed ; but it was worn till the age of feventeen, when it
was exchanged for the toga virilis, or manly gown. This prae-
texU
OF AULUS GELLIU&
87
thing of fuperior importance was difcufled in the fe-
nate, and the farther confideration adjourned to the
day following, it was refolved that no one fhould di-
vulge the fubjed of their debates till it fhould be
formally
decreed. The mother of the young Pa-
pirius, who had accompanied his father to the fe-
nate-houfe, enquired of her fon v/hat
the fenators
had been doing. The youth replied, that he
had
been enjoined (ilence, and was not at liberty to fay.
The woman became more anxious to know
^ the
fecretnefs of the thing, and the fiience of the youth,
did but inflame her curiolity. She therefore urged
him with more vehement earneftnefs. The young
.man, on the importunity of his mother, determin-
texta denoted the age, and alfo the quality of the wearer. See
Horace, Epod. v.
"
Par hoc inane purpuric decus precor."
There was a kind of pr^etexta ufed alfo by the young
women
of Rome. An old commentator, writing on this anecdote ob-
{trvesy that he cannot decide which is more fupriiing, the difr
cretion of the youth, or the loquacity of the woman. The fol-
lowing ftory is related, I believe, by Valerius Maximus :
"
Auguilus entruiled his friend Fulvius with a fecret of fome
moment. He told it his wife ; Ihe related it ta Livia, and
from her it came again to her hufband the emperor. The next
morning Fulvius attended as ufual to falute Auguftus, ufing the
cuilomary term of,

Hail Czefar
!"

" Farewell, Fulvius," re-

turned the emperor, which is what was faid to the dying. Ful-
vius went home, and calling
his wife

" Caefar," faid lie,

"
knows I revealed his fecret to you, and has fentenced me to
die."

" And you deferve it," fhe replied

;
you ought
to
have known my inability to
keep a Tecret
: but however I
will go before you." Having faid this, ihe ftabbed herfelf in
his prefence.
G
4
cd
S8 THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
ed on an humorous and pleafant fallacy : he faid,
it was difcuffed in the fenate, which would be moft
beneficial to the ftate, for one man to have twa
wives, or for one woman to have two hufbands.
As foon as fhe heard this, fhe was much agitated,
and leaving her houfe in great trepidation, went
to tell the other matrons what ihe had learned.
The next day a troop of matrons went to the fe-
nate-houfe
;
and with tears and entreaties implored
that one woman might be fufFcred to have two
huibands, rather than one man to have two wives.
The fenators, on entering the houfe, were aflonifhed,
and wondered what this intemperate proceeding of
the women, and their petition, could mean. The
young Papirius, advancing to the midft of the
fenate, explained the preffing impprtunity of his
mother, his anfwer, and the matter as it was. The
fenate, delighted with the honour and ingenuity of
the youth, made a decree, that from that time no
youth ihould be fufFered to enter the fenate with
his father, this Papirius alone excepted. He was
afterwards honourably diftinguifhed by the cogno-
men of Prsetextatus, on account of his difcretion^
both with refpedb to fpeaking and holding Tii
tongue, at fuch an age.
G H A F.
OF
AULUS GELLIUS. S9
HAP. XXIV.
f^ee
epitaphs
of
three old poetSy Navius, Plautus^
and PacuviuSy written
for
their own monuments,
1HAV E thought proper to infert in thefe com-
mentaries, on account of their fuperior ele-
gance and beauty, three epitaphs
'
of the three
eipinent poets, Nasvius
%
Plautus, and Pacuvius,
written by themfelves, and left to be infcribed on
their tombs. That of Naevius is full of Campanian
*
arrogance; and its import we might allow to be
juft^ if he had not faid it himfelf.
^
Epitaph.'l'^Th.e word, in the original, is gpigrammata,
which, in its firll fenfe, fignifies
"
infcriptions," luch as were
written upon tombs, flatues, obelifks, &c. It was after-
wards ufed to fignify any fhort poem. The modern interpre-
tation of it is yet more different ; but need not be here ex-
plained.
*
N/e'v:us.]'-r-Th.{s poet lived in the time of the firft Punic
war, in which he ferved, and upon which he wrote a poem.
He was alfo of a fatirical genius, and offended Scipio and Me-
tellus, through whofe influence he was banifhed Rome, and died
at Utica. The fragments of his works have been coUedled
and publifhed by H. Stevens, and are alfo to be found in the
Corpus Poetarum of Mattaire. By the grammarians, and many
of the older writers, this Nasvius is confounded with Novius
;
and many fragments, which Gellius afcribes to Novius, Nonius
Marcellus gives to Novius. According to H. Stephens, this
confuiion has fometimes been rendered greater by the introduc-
tion of a third name, Navius.

Campanian.]The luxury and infolence of the Campanians

kas often, fays Gronovius, been a fubjeft of animadverfion
amongll
90
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
"
If immortals might weep over mortals, the
heavenly mufes would weep for the poet Nasvius
;
therefore, as fo'on as he was placed in his tomb,
they forgot at Rome to fpeak the Latin tongue/*
With refpe(5t to that of Plautus, we might doubt
its being genuine, if it had not been inferted by
Varro, in his firft book concerning poets.
"
When Plautus died, Comedy mourned, and the
theatre was deferted. Then laugh, and fport, and
wit, and mufical numbers ^, all v/ept together."
The epitaph of Pacuvius
^
is the moft modeft,
and the moft pure, and worthy
of
his dignified
elegance.
amongft ancient writers ; and Gellius feems here to intimate
tiiat N^vius was a native of Campania.
Mufical
numlers.'^-^The expreflion in the Latin is nu?nerf^
innumeri. Turnebus is of opinion, that numeric in this place,
means poetry, and innumeri profe. Gronovius on this remarks,
that it is a forced conceit, and that it either means verfes with-
out number, or that particular kind of verfe in which the comic
authors wrote.
Fhilippus Carolus quotes thefe lines.
*^
Quas tibi grates
Nympha reponam,
^
Ego te numeris,
Et non numeris
Collaudabd."
Aufonius has alfo the fame expreffion
:
"
Innumeros numeros dodis accentibus efFert.'*
^
Pacu'vius.'] He was the nephew of the old poet Ennius,
and wrote fatires and tragedies. Quintilian and Cicero both
fpeak ofhim in terms of high commendation. His poetry was
rude, but his matter good, and his manner dignified,

"
Young
OF
AULUS GELLIUS. 91.
"
Young man, although you may be in hafte,
this ftone entreats
^
you to look at it, afterwards
read what is here written
:
Here are depofited the
bones of Marcus Pacuvius the poet. I wifhed you
you not to be ignorant of this. Farewell,"
'

This
ft
one entreats.'\'-^\\\^ circumftance of making the mo-
nument fpeak, was by no means uncommon amongll the an-
cients, both of Greece and Rome. I infert a very limple and
elegant Greek infcription, which begins with a fentiment not
altogether unlike this of Pacuvius.
Moa osofjiMtf ysXoca-Yi^ n y.vi/oq tern T<tipo?.
Which lines a friend thus tranflates
:
*'
Pafs not, whoe'er thou art, this marble by.
Nor fmile with fcorn, though here a fpaniel lie
:
My mailer mourn'd my lofs, and
placed
me here.
To prove his forrow and his love fmcere."
Chap.
THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
Chap. XXV.
M^fcus Varro^s definition
of
"
inducia" A
further
enquiry into the meaning
of
that word.
MVARRO,
in that part of his book on

Human Things, which treats of war and

peace, defines the word inducia
'
two ways. In*
duciay fays he,
funt
-pax
cafirepfts paucorum dierum ^
In another place he fays, Inducice
Junt
helli feria"^.
But both definitions fecm rather remarkable for their
facetious and pleafant concifenefs than for being
cither full or adequate. For inducia are not peace
j
becaufje, though conflidl ceafes, war continues : neither
do they fubfift in the camp only, or for a
few
days
;
for what fhall we fay if a truce is made for fome
months, and camps break
up,
and the troops retire
into towns, are not thefe inducia ^ And again, what
fhall we fay when, as appears frorn the firft book
of Quadrigarius, Caius Pontius, the Samnite, de-
manded of the Roman di6lator inducias iot fix hours,
if the precife meaning of the term muft
be
a few
days ? But when he calls inducias^ belli feriasy
he
Ipeaks
humoroufly rather than perfpicuoufly, or
*
Induciee.'l'^'Vo this the correfpondent word in Englifh is
truce, which is univerfally underftood to mean a ceffation of
hoUUities for an appointed time.
,
"
A truce is a peace of a few days in camp.'*
3
Feria.']'^* Truces are the holidays of war."
with
OF
AULUS GEL LI US.
^
Vith decifion.
But the Greeks,
more fignificantly,
and more pointedly, have denominated this agree-
ment to abftain from battle
)t;j^t^iav
'^,
changing
a letter of a harllier for one of a fmoother found.
They call it i^nx^i^iM,
becaufe in this interval they
abflain from fighting, and their hands are, as it were,
held. But indeed it was not the bufinefs of Varro
to define inducias with fuperftitious accuracy,
or to
obferve all the laws and reafons of definitions.
It
feemed
fujfHcient to him to make that fort of de-
monflration which the Greeks call tutth? and ^tto^
y^a^a?, rather than o^i(T{x8; K But the conftrudlion
of the word inducts is what we have to examine
;
and from all that I have heard or read, what fol-
lows feems to me mofl reafonable. I think we
fay inducias, as if one would fay inde uti jam
^.
The
compadt: of the inducia is of this kind, that there
Ihall be no confli6t till a certain day, and no aggref-
fion off*ered. But afterwards, from that day, all
the hoftilities fhall take place as before.
Becaufe
a certain definitive day is mentioned, and an agree-
ment made, that before that day there Ihall be no
conflict ; but, when that day comes, they may fight
inde uti
jam^ as before. Therefore, the term in*
duciie feems regularly formed of the natural com-,
bination of the words above mentioned. But Au-
ExE%E^<.] The holding of hands. The incident related
in the paragraph above of Pontius does not appear in Livy,
5
Hafty defcriptions or outlines rather than definitions.

Inds uti jam.'\-^" Afterwards, as now.'*

relius
I-
94
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
relius Opilius^, in the firft book of the work called
The Mufes, fays,
"
Induciae^ dicuntur quum hoftes inter fefe utrim-
que utroque, alter ad alterum, impune et fine pugna
ineunt. Inde ab eo nomen effe fa6lum
videtur
quafi initiae, hoc eft, initus atque introitus."
I have inferted this pafTage from AureHus, left
any one,
envious of our Attic Nights, fhould, for
that reafon alone, confider it as more elegant, and
fuppofe, that in our enquiries concerning the origin
of the word, this has efcaped our obfervation.
*0//7/x.]We know little of this writer, except that he ij
quoted by Feftus, and is in the catalogue of eminent gramma-
rians given by Suetonius. Nothing of what he wrote has come
down to us : in imitation of Herodotus, he named one of his
works The Mufes^

Im/udte.]--" That is a truce when the enemies on both fides

go backwards and forwards to one another, without injury or
conflid, from whence comes the name, as if it were inui^e,
irfiat is, ifiitus and introiius, the entering in to one another."
Etymology is a delicate and perplexing fubjeft
;
and when we
fee how men of the greatefl eminence for acutenefs and learn-
ing have differed from one another, we ought to be cautious
in aflerting, and temperate in vindicating our opinions. To fay
the truth, both the derivations mentioned in the chapter be-
fore us are miferably bad ; that of Gellius, in particular, is ri-
diculous. The word muft be brought from induco, as Aldus
Manutius has it ; or indu ocioy for in otic, as Voflius ; which
perhaps is bed, as befl fuiting the genius of the old Latin.
C H A F.
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS.
95
Chap. XXVI.
Reply
of
the pbilo/opher Taurus, when I ajked him
whether a
wife
manJhould
he liable to anger.
ONCE, at his fchool
',
allied Tanms% whether
a wife
man ought to be angry ? For often, af-
ter his morning lediires, he permitted every one
to aik what queflions he thought proper.. He,
after he had expatiated feriouOy and at fome
length on the difeafe^ and nature of anger, ad-
ducing what appears in the writings of the an-
cients as well as his own, turned to me, who had
propofed the queftionThis, fays he, is what I
think concerning anger. But it is alfo to the pur-
pofe, that you hear what our Plutarch thought,
whofe learning and prudence were alike remark-
School'^ What I have rendered fchool,
is in the Latin dia-
triba, w\\izh. is of Greek origin, and has various iignifications.
It means an aflembly of philofophers met together to difpute
;
it means alfo the place where they met, in which fenfe it is
here ufed by Gellius. See alfo Book XVII. c. xx.
*
Taurus'] was a
philofopher of Berytus, and lived in the
time of Antoninus Pius. He wrote commentaries on Plato and
Ariftotle.
*
Difeafe.l
This is a term of the Stoics, who fo denominated
all thofe paflions of the mind which debafed the dignity of
man. The curious reader will fee the fyllcm which the Stoics
vindicated on the fubjed of anger, in Seneca's Treatife de Ira,,
and in Arrian's Epidetus, c. xviii. and xxviii. This queilion.
concerning tjie human paffions was a conftant matter
of argii-
laeat and diipate betwixt the Stoics and Peripatetic;.
^^
THfe ATTIC NIGHT^
able. Plutarch
once ordered a flave, who was art
impudent
and wordilefs fellow, but who had paid
fome
attention to books and philofophical
difputa-
tions, to be ftripped (I know not for what fault)
and
whipped. As foon as his punifliment
begaft,
he averred that he did not deferve to be beaten
;
that he had been guilty of no offence or crime.
As
they went on whipping him, he called out louder,
not with any cry of fuffering or complaint,
but
gravely reproaching his mafter. Such behaviouf,
he faid, was unworthy of Plutarch -,
that anger dif-
graced a philofopher; that he had often difputed
on the mifchiefs of anger ; tliat he had written
a
very
excellent book about not giving place to an-
ger; but that whatever he had faid in that book
was now contradi6led by the furious and ungovern-
able anger with which he had now ordered him to
be feverely beaten. Plutarch then replied, with
deliberate calmnefs,
"
But why, rafcal, do I now
feem to you to be in anger ? Is it from my
countenance, my voice,
my colour, or my words,
that you conceive me to be angry ? I cannot
think that my eyes betray
any ferocity, nor is my
countenance difturbed,
or my voice boifterous
5
neither do I foam at the
mouth, nor are my cheeks
red ; nor do I fay any thing
indecent or to be re^
pented of; nor do I tremble
or feem greatly agi-
tated. Thefe, though you may not know it, are
the ufual figns
*
of anger."
Then, turning to the
perfon
*
Signs
9f
^g-^r.]The effeft of anger on tlie eyes is very
remarkable. It is thus defcribed by Virgil
:
"
Totoque
OF
AULUS
GEL LI US.
97
perfon
who
was whipping him :
'^
Whilfl this man
and I/'
faid he, are difpucing,
"
do you go on whip-
ping." This is briefly the fubftance of what Taurus
thought: He made a di(lin(ftion
betwixt freedom
from anger and infenfibihty
^
5
and maintained, that
a mind not liable to anger, was a very different
thing from a mind
unconfcious of pain or feeling.
For as with refpedl to the other
fenfations, .which
the Latin philofophers
call affe5fus
or affe6lioneSy
and the Greeks Trafin
^
fo of this alfo, which is an
ardent defrre of revenge, and is called anger, Tau-
rus did not think the privation defirable, which
the Greeks call o-Ts^^trK, but rather that it fhould
be felt in moderation ^
for which their term is
"
Totoque ardentis ab ore
Sclntlllae abfiftunt, oculis micat acribus ignis.
See alfo the beaaiiful Ode on the Paflions, by Collins
:
**
Next Anger rulh'd, his eyes on fire.
In lightnings own'd his fecret flings
;
In one rude clafli he ftruck the lyre.
And fwept with hurried hand the firings."
Seneca, in his firfl chapter of his firfl book de Ira, gives a
flriking defcription of an angry man. Plutarch, in the book
to which the flave alludes, aflerts, that a delinquent fhould not
be punilhed till anger has fubfided.
'
//^/z^///V)'.]Thefe are Stoic terms.
^
na0j.]-^See Cenforinus de die Natali, c. xiv.
"
Quia morbos animi quos appellent <7ra6>} mufica lenire &
fanare confueverit
;"
becaufe he was accullomed to footh and
heal the diforders of the mind, which they call 7ra6u, by mufic.
''
Moderation.^-Thu moderation was the dodrine of Zeno
;
and it is alfo avowed by Seneca, in his feventh chapter of the
firfl book de Ira.
Vol. I. H BOOK
W
$i THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
BOOK
n.
Chap. I.
The manner in which the
philofopher Socrates was ae->
cujlomed to exercije his hody^ and
of
his patience,
AMONGST
the voluntary labours and ex-
ercifes of the body, which are pra6lifed for
the purpofes of flrength and fortitude, we learn
that the following was the cuftom of Socrates. Of
him it is faid, that he would ftand in a fixed atti-
tude
%
night and day, from the rifing of one fun to
another,
*
^/.v^^^////^^.]-This would appear altogether incredible,
did we not know what penances and mortifications a falfe re-
ligion has enjoined, and a vain pliilofophy fandioned, fnice the
time of Socrates. The flory of Simeon Stylites, who pafled
thirty yefars on the fummit of a pillar, and the various aufteri-
ties praftifed by the monks in the earlier ages of the church,
were fimilar to what is here related of the fage of Greece.
The cruelties which the fakirs and dervifes of the eaft, at
the prefent day, perpetrate on themfelves, make us lament the
waywardnefs of human nature, and regret that firmnefs, forti-
tude, and elevation of mind fliould, by being mifdirefled as to
its objedl, excite only a contemptuous companion. The felf-
denial of fome of thcfe fakirs is of the fame kind as this of
Socrates ; they continue night and day in painful attitudes jthey
never recline to fleep, but hang fufpended by the arms, &c.
If felf-denial be exercifed to overcome any propenfity dif-
^graceful
to
the dignity of manhood, or that mental energy may
^- - O J
rife
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
99
another,
v/ithoiit winking, or any kind of motion*
His
foot never ftirred from its place -, and, in
deep meditation, his eyes and countenance were
diredted to one individual fpot, as if his mind and
foul had been totally abftra6ted from his body.
Favorinus, fpeaking on this fubje6l, with many re-
marks on this man's fortitude, fays,
'^
He often
flood from fun to fun more ere6l than the trunks
of trees." His abftemioufnefs alfo is faid to have
been fo great, that he pafTed almoft the whole of
his life in uninterrupted health. Amidft the havoc
of that peftilence
*
which, at the commencement
rife fuperior to fenfual appetite, then and then only it is a
viiiue ; nor can we applaud the impofition of any perfonal Te-
verities, or any forced exertions of the body, contrary to the
order of common life, except it be, as in the cafe ofDemofj
thenes, to conquer a defedl tending to make us lefs ufeful, or
to obftruft the views of our honell ambition.
*
Pejiilence.^ This peftilence, which is defcribed with phi-
lofophic pathos by Thucydides, forms alfo one of the molt
beautiful epifcdes in the poem of Lucretius. It is tranflated
by Creech, fome of whofe lines follow.
"
A plague thus rais'd laid learned Athens wafte
;
Thro' every ftreet, thro' all the town it paft,
Blafting both man and bead with pois'nous wind;
Death fled before, and ruin ftalk'd behind.
From Egypt's burning fands the fever came.
More hot than thofe which rais'd the deadly flame
;
The wind that bore the fate went flowly on.
And as it went was heard to figh and moan;
At laft, the raging plague did Athens feize.
The plague, and death attending the difeafe
;
Then men did die by heaps, by heaps did fall.
And the whole city made one funeral." &c. &c.
Thefe lines of Creech are a very
inadequate
reprefentatlon
of
the original.
Ha
of
lOo THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
of the Pcloponncfian war,
depopulated Athens with
a moft"de(lru(5live fpecies of difeafe, by fimDar
rules of forbearance and moderation he is faid fo to
have abllained from all indulgences,
and enjoyed
his bodily vigour, as not at all to have been
injured
by the univerfal contagion.
Chap. IL
'The degree
of
rejpeci to he ohjerved
amongft
fathers
and children^ in reclining and
fittings
and
fuch
things, at home and abroad, where the
fons
are
magifirates, and the fathers
private
-perfons,
1'he
fhilojcpher 'Taurus's dijcujficn
of
that
fubje5l ;
with
an example
from
the Roman
hiflory,
A N illullrious governor ' of the province of
x"jL
Crete came to Athens, to fee and be ac-
quainted with the philofopher Taurus : the gover-
nor's father came with him. Taums, properly dif-
miffing his pupils, fate at the entrance of his apart-
ment, and talked with us, who were (landing round
him. The governor of the province entered, and
his father with him. Taurus politely role, and af-
ter exchanging falutations, fate down again. A
fingle chair, which was at hand, was brought, and
whilil others were fent for, put down. Taurus
GcTy^r(?r.]The word in Latin is pnefes, which feems to
have been a j^nd of general term ; for in Tacitus the governor
of Crete is Ililed proconful, and on coins proprstor.
defired
i
OF AULUS GELLIUS. loi
defired the governor's father to fit down. '^Rather/'
faid he,
"
let this man fit, who is a Roman magif-
trate.**
'^
I nnean him no wrong,'' replied Taurus;
"
but in the mean time do you fit down, whilil we
enquire and examine which is mofc proper, whe-
ther you, who are the father
%
fhould fit, or the
fon, who is a magiftrate." When the father fate,
and another chair was alfo placed for his fon, Tau-
rus entered upon the fubjedl: with a moil excellent
and accurate examination of the nature of honour's
and duties. The fubilance of what he fiid w^as
this:

"In public places, offices, and tranfadions,

the rights offadiers oppofed to the authority of fons
who are magillrates, fhould fomewhat give way and
lie dormant ;
but when remiote from frate matters
in domefliic and private life, tliQ queilion is about
fitting, walking, or reclining
\
at a fociai entertain-
ment,
*
^/&^/^//^m]TPaternal authority, as fanaioned by the ear-
lier laws of the Greeks, was lefs arbitrary a:id lefs cxtenfivc
than amongft tlie Romans.
According to the inftitutions of Ro-
mulus, the power of a father over his fon was unlimited
;
it
continued during the life of the father, and extended to the
liberty and lives of the children, and to their offspring alfo.
Examples may be found in Valerius
Maximus, ot fathers who
exerted thi.s power, and abfolutely
put their fons to death. The
rigour of thefe laws
gradually fubfided, as the empire advanced
m wealth and luxury, and they were by certain gradations for-
mally abrogated.
^ Reclining.]
This alludes to the couches or fofas in ufc amongll
the Romans. Each was large enough to contain three perfons, and
the place of honour was the middle.
It is neverthelefs certain,
that the more ancient Romans fate at table as we do.-This
ftory of Fabius and his fon Is related at greater length by Va-
lerius
Maximus, who reprcfents the father as being angry, be-
H
3
caufe
102 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
ment, then all public
diftin<5lions betwixt a fon who
i? a magiftrate, and a father who is a private perfon,
are at an end, thofe of reafon and of nature be-
gin.
"
This aft," fays he,
"
of your coming to me,
our cqnverfation and arguments concerning duties,
is of a private kind. It is therefore requifite that,
with refpedl to honours, the fame Ihould be done
with me as in your own family." Thefe and many
other things on the fame fubjedt Taurus urged
with equal dignity and politenefs. But it can-
not be foreign from the fubjedl, to introduce alfo
what I have read in Claudius on this relative duty
of father and fon. I add the paflage, therefore, as
it appears in the fixth book of the Annals of Qua-
drigarius :
**
The confuls then appointed were Sempronius
Gracchus*the fecond time, and Q^Fabius Maximus^
thefonofhim whohad been conful the preceding year.
This latter was met by his father the proconful on
horfcback, and becaufe he was his father would not
difmount, nor did the lidlors prefume to make him
difmount, knowing that the greatefl: harmony pre-
vailed betwixt them. When he came nearer, the
conful fays,
'
Bid him difmount
,'
which, when the
liftor in waiting heard, he ordered Maxim.us the
proconful to difmount. Fabius obeyed, and com-
mended his fon for afferting the authority with
which the people entruiled him."
caufe none of the liftors attending his Ton had exerted their au-
thority in fupport of their mailer's proper dignity.
Chap.
OF
AULUS GELLIUS. 103
Chap. III.
IVhy the ancients prefixed
the ajpirate to certain
words,
THE
letter
>??',
if it ought not to be called
a fpirit rather than a letter, was added by
our
anceftors to many
words, as if to give them
additional ftrength, that their found might be fuller
and
more energetic ; and this they feem to have
done
from a partial imitation of the Attic tongue.
It is well known, that the Attics pronounced
i'x}^i<;y
l^og, and many other words, in a manner different
from the other Greeks, with an infpiration of the
firft letter. Thus our anceftors faid lachryms, fe-
pulchrum, ahenum, vehemens, inchoare, helluari,
hallucinari, honera, and honuftum
; for in all thefe
words there appears no particular neceflity for
this fpirit or letter, unlefs that its energy and
ftrength fnould be encreafed by a new and addi-
tional force. But as I have ufed the word ahenum
?.s an example, I remember that Fidus Opta-
*
The letter h,]Is in modern times confidered as
^
note
of afpiration rather than a letter ; and there ftill appears to be
no precife rule for its ufe or omifTion, except what are in-
troduced by falhion, or fanftioned by habit.
H
4
tus^
104
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
tus
%
a
Roman grammarian of great reputation,
fhewed me a copy of the fecand
book, of Virgil of
furprifing
antiquity, bought at the
Sigillariae^ for
twenty
pieces of gold, which he believed
to have
been Virgil's own -, and there thefc two verfes being
thus written,
"
yeftibulum
^
ante ipfum primoque in limine
Pyrrhus,
Exfultat telis, et luce corufcus aena/*
the letter b was added above
if,
to make it abem.
*
Fidus 0//<?//^i.]-7Of this perfonage but little is known. It
appears from Pliny, that he was a freed-man of Claudius
Caelar, and had a command at fea. His name does not occur
in
the lift which Suetonius gives of eminent grammarians.
*
Sigillari^e.l This was a feaft in the Roman Calendar
following \ht Saturnalia, and celebrated on the thirteenth
of
the calends of January ;
but I do not know that this ex-
planation may not be liable to forne objeftions : there was cer-
tainly a plac in Rome called Sigillaria, where books and other
things were fold.-See our Author, Book V, c. iv.
*
Fejiibulum.'] Thefe lines occur in the fecond ^neid of
Virgil, and are thus tranflated by Dryden
:
**
Before the gate flood Pyrrhus, threatening
loud.
With glitt'ring arms, confpicuous in the crowd.'*
This Is a very inadequate verfion of Virgil's lines. The vef-
tibule is defcribed by Gellius, B. XVI. c. v.

" Stood
threat'ning loud," is not the meaping of
"
exfultat telis
;"
the
latter part is. he was confpicuous from his dazzling brazen
arms.
It was this particular book of the
^neld which-was held
in greateft eftimation, and is what
Virgil himfelf recited to
Augullus. See Taubmannus,
p. 422,
Thus
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
105
Thys
alfo we find that verfe of Virgil written in
the bell
copies :
"
Aut foliis
^
undam tepidi difpumat aheni.'*
^
Jutfoliis.
]^r-^Th.is line occurs in the firft Georgic, 1.
296.
Martyn thus renders it
:

And fcum with leaves thp wave of the trembling kettle.**

Dryden fay$,
"
And fkims
With leaves the dregs that overflow the brims."
Martyn, with many refpeftable commentators, reads trepidi
which he juftiiies from its being more poetical. There are many
#.lfo who prefer tf^idi.
Chap. IV.
Why Gahius
Bajfus
has written that a certain mode
of
giving judgment was called
^^
divinaiio
;"
with rea-
Jons
given by others
for
the
ufage
of
this word,
WHEN
there is a
queflion concerning the
appointment of an accufer, and a determi-
nation on this matter is made, to whom, of two
or more, preference fliould be given with refpedl to
the accufation or fubfcription of an accufed perfon,
this, with the determination of the judges, is called
divination \ Why this word has been fo applied,
has
*
Di'vinatton.] Confult on this fubjeft Heineccius,
p.
666,
It was called di-vination, becaufe it determined about what was
^0 be done, not what was already done. The principal per-
fon
io6 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
has been a fubjecl of enquiry. Gabiiis Bafliis% in
his third book on the Derivation of Words, fays,
*^
Divinatio
judicium appellatur
quonianri divinat
quodammodo
judex oportet, quam fententiam kfc
ferre par fit." The reafon afTigned by Gabius is
very defe6tive, not to fay trifling and abfurd.
His
meaning feems to have been, that the word divi^
ratio was ufed, becaufe, in other trials, the judge
ufually follows what he has learned, and which has
been proved by arguments and witnefTes
;
but in
thofe where an accufer is to be appointed, the
things by which a judge can be influenced are fmall
and trifling ; and therefore it muft be in a manner
divined who will be the moft proper accufer.
Thus far BalTus. There are others who have con-
ceived the term divinatio to be ufed, becaufe the
accufer and accufed feem to be neceffarily conned-
cd and allied, fo that one cannot exifl: without
the
other; but. in this particular kind of caufe, there is
an accufed, but not yet an accufer. For this reafon,
as for the prefent he exifts not, and is not apparent,
it muft be fupplied by a kind of divination who fhall
be the accufer.
fon concerned in conducing a public accufation was called
accufator, the others who affifted him, were named
Jubfcriptores.
The oration of Cicero, intituled Di'vinatioj well illuftrates this
fubje<!:1.
*
Gabius
Baffus.l
It is difputed whether this fliould not be
written Gavius BafTus. He flourifhed in the time of Trajan,
and wrote a book, de Origine Vocabulorum. He is again men-
tioned. Book III. c. xix.
G
H A P.
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
107
Chap, V.
^he pointed elegance with zvhich Favorinus the philo^
fopher
dijiinguijhed betwixt the
ftyles of
Plato and
Lyftas.
CONCERNING
Lyfias and Plato
\
It was
the opinion of Favorinus, that if from an ora-
tion of Plato you took or changed a word, if this
were done with fkill, it would take from the ele-
gance only
;
but if this were done to Lylias^ the kn."
timent would be fpoiled,
*
All that is meant to be communicated in this chapter is,
that Lyfias was comprefTed in his flyle, Plato luxuriant.
Chap. VI.
fVhat
phrafes
Virgil is
Jaj.d
to have ujed carelejsly
and
77ieanly -, with the anjwers tojuch ohjeSlions,
SOME
grammarians of the former age of
no
mean learning or reputation, amongft whom
was Cornutus Annasus
',
who wrote commentaries
on Virgil, find fault with a word in thefe verfes
as being inelegant and vulgar
5
f Cornutus Jn^us. "j-^^Of whom mention is again made by
Gellius, BooklX. c. X.
2
*^
Candida
io8
THE
ATTIC NIGHTS
"
Candida
*
fuccindtam latrantibus inguina mon-
ftris
Dulichias
vexafTe rates, et gurgite in alto
Ah
timidos nautas, canibus lacerafTe marinis/'
They
think vexajfe a trifling word, not exprefilvc
enough of ill, nor adequate to an incident of fuch
atrocioufnefs as that of nnen bang fuddenly feized,
and torn in pieces by a moft horrid monfter.
Thus alfo they cenfure, another of the fame
kind;
"
Qiiis aut
^
Euryfthea durum,
Aut illaudati jiefcit Bufiridis aras
?"
They fay that illaudati is by no means a fuitable word,
nor does it excite a becoming
abhorrence of fuch
a
wretch :
he whofe cuftom it was to facrifice
Grangers of all nations, fo far from deferving praife,
called for the deteflation
and curfe of all the tiu-
man race. Thus alfo they blame another word :
*
Candida, &c.] As this turns on a verbal criticifm, I prefer
giving Martyn's tranflation,

" Who is reputed to have her

white body furrounded with barking monfters, to have troubled
the fhips of Ulyffes, and to have torn the fearful mariners
along with fea dogs in the deep gulph
?"
Martyn adds, at this
^
paflage, what Gellius remarks in the chapter before us, but
gives no obfervation of his own at the word njexajje,
*
^is aut.] Thus rendcjed by Ma.tyn :
"Who is unacquainted with ciutl Euryflheus, or does
not
know the altars of the execrable Bufiris
?'*
Dryden leaves the word out entirely which is the fubjeft of
the criticifm before us.
**
Bufiris' altars, and the dire decrees
Of hard EuryfUieus, every reader fees."
^'Per
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS.
109

Per
tunicam fquailentem
^
auro latus haurit
^apcrtum
-,
as If the expreffion auro fquailentem
were impro-
per, the uncleannefs of filth
being
oppofite to the
Iplendid luftre of gold.
As to the word Texajfe,
I think this anfwcr iTJay
be given. Vexafe
is an important term, and feems
to have the fame
derivation -as vehere, in which
there feems Implied an external force.
He who
is hurried along is not mailer of himfelf. Vexare
therefore mufl doubtlefs intimate a ftill greater
force and impulfe ; for he who is carried violently
along, and pulled this way and the other, may
be properly faid vexari
;
fo the word taxareis fti ong-
er and clofer than tangere^ from which it certainly
is formed. JaUare has a fuller and more exten-
five fignification than its original jacef^e ; and
quajfare
is alfo more expreffive of violence than quatere. If
therefore the term vexari be fometimes vulgarly ap-
plied to the annoyance of fmokc, or wind, or duft,
there is no reafon that the true and genuine meaning
of the word fhould be loft, which, by the ancients,
who fpoke with propriety and force, has been pre-
ferved as it ought. M. Cato, in his Oration deAchsis,
fays,
"
Quumque
Hannibal terram Italiam lacera-
ret atque vexaret.'' Cato fays, that Italy was vexa-
tarn by Hannibal -,
though it is not poffible to
Pertunicamt &c.] Dryden fays this in three lines :
"
But armour, fcal'd
with gold, was no defence
Againil the fated fword v/hich openM wide
His plated Ihield, and pi^rc'd his naked fide."
imagine
no THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
imagine any kind of
calamity
or cruelty
whicfi
Italy did not then
experience.
Cicero, in his
fourth
oration againft Verres, fays,
"
Qua^
ab iflo
^
fic fpoliata atque direpta eft, ut non ab
hofte
aliquo,
qui tamen in bello religionem
et
confuetudinis
jura
retineret, fed ut a Barbaris
prasdonibus
vexata
effe
videatur/*
Concerning illaudati I have two
obfervations
to
make : one is thisNo one is of fuch
abandoned
morals as not fometimes to do or fay
what
may
merit commendation
j
whence this old verfe
has al-
ways been confidered as proverbial:

"
Sometimes
even a gardener
^
has faid a very
pertinent thing."
But he who always, upon all occafions, is
undeferv-
ing of praife, he is illaudatusy the worft and bafeft
of
mankind, juft as an abfence of every fault
makes a
man inculpatus, Inculpatus is a term for perfedl vir-
tue,
fo is illaudafusy therefore, the perfection
of all
5
^te ab ijlo, &c.]

"Which
were fo fpoiled and plundered
by him, as not by any enemy, who would have regarded fome
kind of reftraint as eilablilhed by the laws of nations, but as to
feem rzxXitr furioifjly hurried
sc^wTVf by Barbarian robbers."
*
Sometimes a gardener.^
I do not find this proverb in any
of the Greek colledions
;
but it is in that of Erafmus,
p. 274.
There is a doubt whether it (hould be read x^Trw^o?, which is
a
gardener, or
f^w^o?,
which is a fool. I have tranllated it
a
gardener, becaufe the bell editions of Gellius preferv^ that
reading-; but why the editors perfift in it cannot eafily be
faid ; fmce by reading rioXAaxi rot xai jlcw^oj, the fenfe is
improved, fince Erafmus found that reading in an old Greek
coUedlion, and much approved it. Why fhould a gardener be
feledled as moit unlikely to fay a pertinent thing ? It is ab-
furd. The contrary proverb is M&^^oj ^^u^o(, T^syu ;
"
a fool fays
fooliih things,"
wickednefs.
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS.
tii
wickednefs.
Thus Homer, when he praifes moit
highly,
does it not by fpecifying
virtues, but by the
negative of vices : as,
'^
The
priefl, free from harm, fpake/*
*^
They, not unwiUing, flew."
And
again,
"
Nor had you {ccn the king of men appear,
Confus'd, inadive, or furpris'd with fear,"
Epicurus alfo, in a fimilar manner, defines the
greatefl pleafure to be the abfence and privation of
all pain, in thefe words
:

" The greateft height of

pleafure is the privation of all pain." It is by the
fame rule that Virgil calls the Stygian lake inama-
hilis
;
for as illaudatus is the entire abfence
of all
praife, fo is inamahilis the total abfence of love.
Illaudatus may be vindicated in another way. Lau--
dare^ in old language, fignifies to name or call by
name; thus in civil pleadings a perfon is faid not
to be named but laudari, Illaudatus^ therefore, is the
fame with illaudabilis, one who is neither worthy
of mention nor remembrance, nor indeed ever to
be named. Thus anciently it was decreed by the
public council of Afia, that his name who had
burned the temple of Diana of Ephefus fhould
never be mentioned by any one. It remains that
we Ihould fpeak of the third objection on the
words
"
tunicam fquallentem
^
auro." This figni-
'
Squalle?ttem.'\'~-YityViQ reads fqualentem, and denies its de-
rivation from fquamse; but rather, he fays, 3 fqualido co-
lore qualis in pifcium at ferpentum cute eft.
fies
112 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
fies a quantity and fubflance of gold woven in the
form of fcales ; for the word/quallere comes from the
thicknefs and roughnefs of the fcales which are
vifible on the Ikins of ferpents and fiflies ; which
others, as well as our poet, have noticed. The
latter has thefe paflages :
"
Quern pellis ahenis
In plumam fquamis auro conferta tegebat/'
Again,
"
Jamque adeo rutilum thoraca indutus ahenis,
Horrebat fquamis."
Accius, in his Peiops, fays,
"
Ejus ferpentis fquamae fquailido auro et pur-
pura pretextae."
Whatever, therefore, was fo imprefTed and crowd-
ed with any thing, as by its uncommon appearance
to flrike the gazer with horror, was faid Jqualkre.
Thus in rude and fcaly bodies, the large accumu-
lation of filthinefs is called
Jquallor, By the com-
mon and conftant ufe of this fignification in parti-
cular, the whole of the word is now fo debafed,
that the ttxm
Jquallor is exclufively applied to filthi-
nefs of various kinds.
Chap*
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
irj
Chap. VII.
The duty
of
childrm t9 their parents,
DiJcuJJions from
hooks
of
philcjophy en that
fuhjef, wherein it is
enquiredy whether all the commands
of
a
father are
to he obeyed^
IT
has been a frequent fubjefl: of dilpute annong
philofophers, whether a father is to be obeyed
without referve, in whatever he commands. Upon
this queftion, the Greeks and our countrymen,
who have written on duties, have afferted, that
there are three opinions, which are to be weighed
and examined : thefe they have difcufled with great
I have before fpoken on the fubjedl of paternal authority, as
it exirted in the earlier ages of Rome.
**
Without fear,
though not without danger of abufe," fays Mr. Gibbon,
"
the
Roman legiflators had repofed an unbounded confidence in.
the fentiments of paternal love, and the oppreffion was tem-
pered by the aiTurance, that each .generation mud fucceed in
its turn to the awful dignity of parent and mailer.'* Thequef-
tion difcufled in chapter ii. was rather of a legal, as this is of
a moral nature. It is difcufTed at fome length by Seneca,
Book III. de Beneficii?, chap, xxxvii. who cites many ex-
amples of children, as ^neas and Scipio, who conferred on
their parents greater obligations than they received. On this
Quintus Carolus remarks, that it is impolTible, for the very
power of conferring an obligation on a parent mull: firft be con-
ferred by the parent on the child by the gift of exiilence.
On
Mr. Paley's pofuion, that the rights of. parents refult from their
duties,
parents can have, as he obferves, no natural right over*
the lives of their children, can exercife no unprofitable feve-
rities, nor can command tlie commiflion of crimes.
Vol. I. I acutenefs.
114
THE Attic nights
acutenefs.
One is, that whatever a father com-
mands is to be done : the fecond, that he is to be
obeyed in fonae, in others not : the third is, that it
is not at all necefTary to obey a father. We ihall
lirll fay what has been remarked on this lad, be-
becaufe its firfl afped feems exceedingly infamous.
A father's commands, they fay, are either right or
wrong. If right,
he
is to be obeyed, not becaufe
he commands, but becaufe what he commands is
right. If wrong, that muft on no account be done'
which ought not to be done. They then draw
this conclufionthat a father's commands are never
to .be obeyed
;
but this opinion I can by no means
approve, it involves a fubtlety, as I fhall fheW'
hereafter, both frivolous and impertinent. Nor
does the other opinion, which I mentioned firft,
feem perfectly true and juft, that all the commands
of a father are to be
obeyed
j
for what if he fhould
command treachery
to our country, the murder
of
a mother, or any other things which are.bafe and
infamous? The
middle opinion therefore feems
fafeft and beft, that he is to ' be obeyed in fome
things, not in others. But that thefe things in which
obedience is impoffible are to be declined with
gentlenefs and modefty,
without any perfonal aver-
fion or
bitternefs of reproach, fo as rather to be
omitted than refufed. But the conclufion drawn as
above mentioned^ that a father is never to be obey-
ed, is abfurd, and may thus be refuted and done
away :Every thing in human affairs, as wife men
have determined,
is either honeft or bafe; thofe
which intuitively are right and honeft, as to prac-
3
tife
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
115
rife integrity, defend our country, or love
our
friends, muft by all means be done, whether a fa-
ther commands them or not. The contrary to
thefe, things which are intrinfically bafe and bad,
are not to be done though a father Hiould command
them. Thofe which are between, and which the
Greeks call indifferent or middle, as to ferve in war,
to pra6life agriculture, to court honours, to defend
caufes, to marry, to go where ordered, to come
when called ; as thefe, and things fimilar to thefe,
are in themfelves neither honeft nor the contrary,
but as they are done by us, and to be approved or
cenfured according to the adiions they produce : in
all thefe things, they think, a father is to be obeyed
;
as, for example, if he fhould command to marry, or
to plead for a perfon accufed
;
thus,
whatever in its
own nature is neither honeft nor diflioneft, if a father
commands it, is to be done on that account. But
if his command be to marry a woman
who is
infamous, who has loft all fenfe of fhame and is
criminal, or to defend fome
Catiline
*
who is ac-
cufed, or Tubulus, or Clodius, then he is not to
be obeyed -, for by the acceffion of any degree of
bafenefs, theie middle and indifferent things
ceafe to
be.fo. The propofition, therefore,
cannot be called
perfe(ft which afferts, that a father's
commands are
"
Catiline.] The names of Catiline and Clodius are fuffi-.
dently notorious ; but there is a doubt amonglt the commen-
tators with refpedl to the other name, whether it Ihould be
written Bibulus or Tubulus. This laft reading 'is_ preftrable;
for it is well known that there v/as a Tubulus, vviio was
pra-'tor in the time of Cicero, and infamous to a proverb.
i.
I
2-
either
ii6 THE
ATTIC NIGHTS
either
honeft or bafe ; nor does the divifion feem
found
and
regular
*
;
for a third part of the diftri-*^
bution
is wanting, or they are neither honeft nor
bafe.
If this be added, this conclufion follows

that a father is fometimes to be obeyed.

*
Nor does the dinjijion
feemfound and regular.
'\
The conjunc-
tion between the two adjedives was rightly fupplied by H.
Stephens. The palTage is partly in Greek, and has fome ob-
fcurity ; but is explained by one in Book XVI. chap. vUi.
wliere he fays, that an axiom that is
^isfsuyi^ttvoy,
the very word
ufed hc'e, is of this form :
**
Either pleafure is an e'vil, or a goodt
or neither good nor enjil,"" and this kind of diftribution is vtry
frequently ufed by Ariftotle ; and was common with writers of
ftrLl logical precifion.
^
Chap. VIIL
That Plutarch's cenfure
of
Epicurus,
for ufing thefyU
logiftic form
of
reafcning,
is unjufl,
LUTARCH, in his fecond book concern-
ing Homer, accufes Epicurus of ufing a fyl-
logifnn imperfedlly, abfurdly, and ignorantly. He
gives the words of Kpicurus
:

" Death is nothing

to us. That which is diflblved is not fenfible, and
that
Every thing relating to Epicurus, his life, charafter, and
^odriues, will be found at length in Enfield's Hiftory of Phi-
lofophy, Vol. I. Thefe were the opinions of Epicurus on the
fubjetSi: of death
:

" Death is the privation of fenfation, in con-

fequence of the feparation of the foul from the body. When
a man dies, the foul is difperfed into corpufcles or atoms of
which it v/as compofed, and therefore can no longer be ca-
pable
OF
AULUS GEL
LIU S.
117
that which is infenfible Is nothing to us.*' He has'
onnitted that, fays Plutarch,
which he ought to
have alTunned firft, that death is the difiblutiori of
foul and body; but he afterwards ufes this very
thing which he had omitted, to ftrengthen his pofi-
tion, as a matter pofitively conceded. But this
fyllogifm cannot go on but with this as a datum.
What Plutarch obferves, on the form and conflitu-
tion of a fyllogifm, is true enough ; for to follow
the mode of reafoning as adopted and eflablifhed
in the fchools, we fhould fay thus
:

^^
Death is the
diffolution of foul and body ; but that which is dlf-
folved is not fenfible, and that which is infenfible is
nothing to us." But Epicurus, whatever he might
be, by no means appears to have omitted this part
of the fyllogifm through ignorance. It was not his
bufinefs to give a fyllogifm with its particular forms
and limits, as in the fchools of the philofophers.
Indeed, as the feparation of foul and body by death
pable of thought or perception. It is with the foul as with
the eye, which when it is feparated from the organized ma-
chine to which it belonged, is no longer capable of feeing."
-^See Enfield's Hill. Philof. Vol. I.
p.
473.
It will be impoffible for an intelligent reader to contemplate
the Epicurean fyftem, without perceiving that it is a feeble
and unfuccefsful effort to explain the phaenomena of nature
pon mechanical principles.
The commentators are fevere upon Gellius at this chapter
;
and one facetioufly remarks, that it is fo very cold, that it would
have extinguirtied the fire which confumed the temple of Ephe-
fus
:

" Tarn frigida ut incendium templi Ephefini poffint extin-

guere.'* It is very certain, that Epicurus was not Ikiiled in logic,
and
frequently deduced conclufions which his prcmifes did not
allow.
1
3
^*
n8 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
is felf- evident, he did not think an intimation ne-
ceiTaiy which mufl 'be univerfally obvious. For the
lame reafon, he placed the conclufion of his fyllo-
giim not lafl but firft. And who does not perceive
that this could not be from ignorance ? In many
paflages of Plato,
wie find fyllogifms introduced in
a form totally oppofite tb the method which is ufed
in teaching, but with a peculiar elegance and con-
tempt of fuch objedlions.
Chap. IX,
'that the
fame
Plutarch has calumnioujly cenfured
the,
ufage
of
w word hy Epicurus.
IN
the fame book, Plutarch again cenfvires Epi-
curus for ufmg a word not proper in itfelf, and
with a meaning which it docs not bear. Epicurus^
fays
',
"
the limit of the greatnefs of pleafures, is
the exemption Trai'Tof rn aXyayro?,'' H? ought riot,
according
'
Epicurus /ays.]
This philofopher's idea of happinefs was,
that it confifted in bodily eafe and mental tranquillity. A
happy life, he obferves, neither refembles a rapid torrent nor a
ftanding pool ; but is like a gentle itream, that glides fmoothly
md filently along.
See. Cicerp de Fin. 1. i.e.
19.-''
Sic enim ab Epicuro
fapiens femper beatus inducitur. Finitas habet cupiditates
negligit mortem : de diis immortalibus fine ullo metu vera
fentit, non dubitat ii ita melius fit, migrare de vita. His rebu^
inftrudus femper eft in voluntate."
The following from Pope feems very appofite in this place.
Speaking of the means of attaining happinefs, he fays,

Afk
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
119
according to Plutarch, to have faid iravroq m aXyi/-
Tof, but TTocvro; ra ocXysivx, The exemption applies
not to the perfon but the thing. In this cenfure
of Epicurus, Plutarch feems to be a cold and ridi-
culoufly
minute carper at words
i
for this regard to
verbal accuracy and elegance Epicurus,
fo far from
attending to, defpifed
*.
"
Afk of the learn'd the waythe learn'd are bliad.
This bids to ferve, and that to ihun mankind :
Some place the blifs in action, fome in eafe,
Thefe call it pleafure, and contentment thefe
;
., $oiTie, funk to beafls, find pleafure end in painj .
Some, fvyell'd to gods, confeii e'en virtue vain
j
Or indolent, to fuch extreme they fall.
To trull in every thing, or doubt of all.
*
'
Who thus define it, fay they more or lefs
Than this, that happinefs is happinefs
?"
*
Defpifed.'] See Cicero,de pin. Bon. et Mai. 1. i. c. 19." Ii^
dialeftica autern veftra nuUam vim Epicurus exiftimavit efle nee
ad melius vivehdum, nee ad commodius diflerendum. In phyficis
jplurimum pofuit^
Chap. X.
^Bc meaning
of
^^
favijfce
capholm^
;**
and the ajrjwer
of
Marcus Varro to Servius Sulpciusy enquiring ok
this
Jubje^.
SERVIUS
Sulpicius
S
a writer on civil law,
and a man of confiderable learning, enquired
of M. A^arro, with a defire of being informed con-
'
Seruius Sulpidusi^-r^_\^ high chara^,er g.i-.ven in thii
place of Sulpicius, is corroborated by Cicero and Qjiiintilian.
I
4
cerning
ifio THE ATTIC NIGHTS
cerning the meaning of a word which he found iji
the cenfor-s books : this was
favijf^
*
capitolina.
Varro wrote back, that he well remembered what;
Quintus Catulus, who was appointed to repair
the capitol ^, had faid,that he wanted to deprefs the
area of the capitol, that the flight of fteps to the
temple mjght be encreafed, and that the afcent
might be proportioned to the magnitude of the
building
;
but that he was unable to accomplifh this,
as the
fa^cijjc^
prevented him. Thefe were certain
cells and caverns which were underground beneath
the area, v;here the images were anciently depo-
fited which had fallen from thci temple, v/ith va-
rious other things from amongft the facred offer-
ings. In the fame letter he affirms, that he was
unable to difcover why they
were called
favijpe
j
but
Q^
Valerius Soranus was accuftomed to fay,
,that what we in Greek call treafureSy
the old Latins
called
Jlaviff^y
becaufe they did not here depofit
brafs and filver in the mafs, but money cafl
(fiata)
andftamped. It maybe conjedbured, therefore, that
^Faviffa.']

^The reader will find a critical dilTertation on this

word in Salmaiius on Solinus,
p.
1 2. The derivation of the word
ixomfian-njIJcs,
feems far-fetched and abfurd; it feems more na-
tural to derive it from favio,
an old Latin word ior
fodio. It does
not appear that the B-omans had any cellars for domeftic ule be-
neath their houfes. Their wine-cellars were holes made in the
earth, in which they depofited their wine in veflels.
'
Repair the capitoL'\ This was originally founded by Tar-
quinius Prifcus, and
progreffively adorned and enlarged. It
was burned in the Marian war, and rebuilt by Sylla, who
left to
Q^
Catulus the iwnour of dedicating it. Tacitus re-
marks, that its want of height detraded from the magnificence
of its appearance.
the;
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS. iit
the
fecond
letter was taken from this word, and that
certain
cells or caves, which the wardens of the ca-
pitol ufed as depofitories for ancient things belong-
ing
to
religion,
were thence called y^i'i^.
Chap, XI.
M(^ny
memorable things
of
Siccius DerJatus, an
illujlrious
warrior.
IT
is written in our books of annals, that L.
Siccius Dentatus, who was tribune of the people
in the confullliip of Spurius Tarpeius and Aulas
Aterius, was fancious as a warrior beyond what can be
The perfonage celebrated in this chapter is indifferently, b/
the more ancient writers, flyled Siccius and Sicinius. We may
reafonably fufpeft that the account given of this gentleman i$
fomewhat exaggerated. Snakeipcar gives a noble defcription
of the valour of Coriolanus, which feems applicable here :
"
At lixteen years.
When Tarquin made a head for Rome, he fought
Beyond the mark of others : our then didator.
Whom with all praife I point at, faw him fight.
When with his Amazonian chin he drove
The briflled lips before him
;
he beftrid
An o'erprefs'd Roman, and i' th* conful's view
Slew three oppofers. His pupil age
Man-enter'd thus, he waxed like a fea.
And in the brunt of feventeen battles fmcc
He lurch'd all fwords o' th' garlahd.

His fword death's llamp

Where it did mark it took, from face to foot
He was a thing of blood,'* &c.
believed
;
Ill THE ATTIC NIGHTS
believed
-, that a name was given him on account of
his extraordinary valour, and he was called the Ro-
man
Achilles. He is faid to have fought in one
hundred
^nd tv(rnty battles
;
that he had not a
fingle
woiind behind, but forty-five before
; that
he had received eight golden crowns ',
one obfidio-
nalj
three mural, and fourteen civic
;
that he had
eighty-three collars, more than one hundred and
fixty bracelets, eighteen fpears, and had twenty-five
times been prefented with horfe-trappings. He
had a mukitude of
fpoils, which were military gifts,
amongft which were many obtained from private
challenges
;
and he had triumphed nine times with
his generals.
^ Gold cronjons.^^ Thefc were given indilfFfirently by the ge-
neral, as rewards for any extraordinary effort of valour. The
obfidional crown was given by the foldiers to their general,
when he had delivered them from a fiege. The mural crown
was given to him who firfl fculed the walls in an affault.

The
civic crown was bellowed on him who faved the life of
a citizen in battle; this was, of all others, moil honourable,
and formed of oak. The collars were not received for any par-
ticular exertion, but for general military fervices. The fpears,
which were conferred as military rewards, were termed pure
fpears, becaufe they had no iron. The armillae were rewards con-
fined to thofe who were born Romans. What the phaler^e pre-
cifely were, may be difputed ; fome think them a fuit of horfe-
trappings
;
but as
they were given to infantry as well as to horfe,
they were probably a kind of chain to be worn round the
neck. Quintus Carolus compares Albertus Brandebur^icus,
who is defcribed by iEneas Sylvius, to this Dent^us^
C
K
A P.
OF
AULUSGELLIUS, 113
Chap. XII.
^
certain law
of
Solon examined^ which^
at
firft af-^
gearing unjuji^ is found ufeful
and expedient,
IN
thofe very ancient laws of Solon, which
were
infcribed at iVthens
on wooden tables,
and
>vhich, from veneratiori to him, the Athenians, to
fender eternal
',
had fandtioned with punifliments
and religious oaths, Ariftotle relates there was
one to this effed : If in any tumultuous diflention
a fedition fhould enfue, and the people divide them-
felves into two parties, and from this irritation
of tlieir pninds both fides fhould take arms and
fight, then he who in this unfortunate period of
'
To render fternaL]^See my tranilation of Herodotus,
Vol. I.
p.
29.

" Solon, at the requeft of tlie Athenians, had formed

a code of laws for their ufe. He then engaged in a courfc
of travels, which was to be of
ten years continuance : his
avowed purpofe was of a philofophical nature, but his real
6bje6l was 'to avoid the neceffity of abrogating the laws he
had. enabled. The Athenians were of themfelves unable to
do this, having bound themfelves by the moll: folemn oaths
to prelerve inviolate for ten years the inftitutions of Solon."
Gronovius, on the contrary, affirms, that Solon obliged the
Atljcnians tofwear to obey his laws for one hundre4 years. The
life of Solon is given at length by Plutarch ; and a moll: admirable
epitome of his code of laws may be found in the Voyage du
Jeune Anacharfis. With refpeft to the wooden frames in
which they were fufper.ded, we are told, in the Etymclogicum
Magnum, that they moved eafily
on axes, fq as to
prffeat their
^ontenti on all fides to the ey^s of the paffenger.
Civil
124
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
civil difcord fhould join himfelf to neither party,
but fhould individually withdraw himfelf from the
common
calamity of the city, fhould be deprived
of his houfe, his family and fortunes, and be driven
into exile
*
from his country. When I had read this
law of Solon, who was eminent for his wifdom,
I
was at firft impreffed with great aflonifhment, won-
dering for v/hat reafon he fhould think thofe men
deferving of punifhment who withdrew themfelye?
from fedition and a civil war. Then a perfon, who
had profoundly and carefully examined the ufe and-
purport of this law, affirmed, that it was calculated
not to encreafe but terminate fedition ; and indeed
it
really is fo ; for if all the more refpeftable, who
were at firfl unable to check fedition, and could not
over-awe the divided and infatuated people, join
themfelves to one part or other, it will happen,
that when they are divided on both fides^^ and each
party begins to be ruled and moderated by them, as
men of fuperior influence, harmony will, by their
means, be fooner reflored and confirmed
;
for whilfl
they regulate and temper their own parties re-
fpeftively, they would rather fee their opponents
conciliated than deftroyedL Favorinus the philofo-
pher was of opinion, that the fame thing ought to be
done in the difputes of brothers and of friends -,
that
they who are benevolently inclined to both fides,
^Irtto fAr/7iP.]Plutarch, in his traftde Sera Numinis Vindifla,
calls this a moll fevere law ; but Cicero, in one of his letters
to Atticus, fays, that the punifhment was death for not taking
an adive part in public tumults and faftions*
but
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
125
but have
little influence in reRoring harmony, from
being
confidered as doubtful friends, fhould decid-
edly
take one part or other, by which zd: they
will obtain more effedual power in refloring har-
mony to both. At prefcnt, fays he, the friends of
both think they do well by leaving and deferting
both, thus giving them up to malignant or fordid
lawyers, who inflame their refentments and difputes,
from animofity or
from avarice.
Chap. XIII.
The ancients called a
Jon
or daughter
^^
children^^
uftng
a plural noun.
TH
E ancient orators, and writers of hiflory or
poetry, called either one fon or daughter by
the plural name
*
of children. I have before feen
this in the books of many ancient writers, and I
have
Plural ^;^.]This mode of expreflion is fanflioned by
the
authority of the oldell and bell writers. See fecond book of
Chronicles, xxiv. 25.

" His own fervants confpired againfl

him for the blood of the fons of Jehoiada the prieft, and flew
him on his bed, and he died." But it appears from verfe
22
of the fame chapter, that Jehoiada had but one fon.
"
Thus
Joalh the king remembered not the kindnefs which Jehoiada
his father had done him, but flew his fon
:"
Again, Chronicles,
xxviii.
3.
"
He burnt his children in the fire." This
is fpoken of Jofiah, who, as appears from the fecond book of
Kings, had but one fon. A ftmilar mode of expreflion occurt
12 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
have lately fo found it in the fifth book of the Annals>
of
Sempronius
Afellio*. This Afeliio was a milita-
ry tribune at the fiege of Numantia,
under Scipia
Africanus, and wrote an account of riiofe anions
at which he himfelf was prefent. His exprefTions
concerning Tiberius Gracchus, the tribune
of the
people, when he was Qain in the capitol, are thefe
:
*'
For Gracchus, whenever he left his houfe, was ne-
ver accompanied by lefs than three or four thoufand
men." And again, concerning the fame Gracchus,
he fays,
"
He began to entreat that they would
protedt him, and liberos
fuos
^
;
he then ordered the
one male child he then had to appear, and almoft
in tears recommended him to the people.
in the beft Latin writers, particularly in Cicero. Barthius; in
his Adverfaria, alledges a fuperllitious motive for this, a num-
ber of children being efleemed a great happinefs ; none, or
. even only one, the contrary.
*
Sempronius J/eWo.] This perfon is mentioned with refpeft,
as an eminent hiftorian, by Cicero, and Dionyfius Halicarnaf-
fenfis, as well as by Gellius.
*
Lihros/uos,] His children.
Chap.
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
127
Chap. XIV.
Marcus
CatOj in a hook written
againft Tiberiusy an
exile
i
fays,
"
ftitijfes
vadimoniumy' not
^^
fietijfes.'*
'The
reajon
of
this ajfigned,
IN
an old book of Cato's
%
which is intitled.
Contra
Tiberium e.xuleniy there was this expreflion,
"
Quid fi. vadimonium. capite obvoluto ftitifles."
He.indeed wrote 7?/Vi/7?j, and.properly
j
but Ibme
abfurd and impudent correctors, altering the word,
have made it
ftetijfesy
z.^
\^
fiitijjes had been a fooliih
and infignificant wond. But they .themfelves are
foolifh and contemptible, not knowing that y?/Vi^j
was written by Cato becaufe the vadimoniiwi
fiftere-
tury and not
ftaretm\
*
C^/o*i.] This was Porcius Cato the cenfor, whofe orations
are
praifed by Cicero in' his Brutus.
The word 'vadimonium was a legal term, correfponding with
our
recognizance ; and the queftion is, which is moft proper,
to (2iy
fiare
'vadimonium, or
Jijiere
<vadimonuim, ?
The legal procefs and appropriate meaning of each expreflioa
may be feen fully difcufled in Heineccius,
p.
593.
It would
be of little intereft to an Englifti reader to fay more on the fub-
je6l,
than when the perfon for whom bail was given appeared
to Hand the event of his trial, he called for the perfon who was
his furety, and exclaimed,
"
Ecce ego me tibi fifto."Lo,
here I am, forth-coming to
you.
Chap.
I2S THE AT Tic NIGHTS
Chap. XV.
Anciently great honours were paid to old age
;
why thi
fame
were afterwards paid to hujbands and parents,
Ohfervations on the
feventh chapter
of
the
Julian
lazv,
AMONGST
the more ancient Romans, no
greater refpeft was paid to rank or fortune
than to age, and elders
*
were venerated by their
juniors like gods, and in the place of parents
j
and
in all places, and with regard to all kinds of dif-
tindlions, had precedence and fuperiority allowed
them. Antiquity informs us, that from entertain-
ments the young attended their elders home;
which cuflom the Romans, it is faid, borrowed
fi-om the Lacedaemonians, amongfl whom, by the
laws of Lycurgus, the fuperior honour in all things
*
Elders.1 Of the refpedl paid to age by the -Egyptians and
Lacedsemonians, I have fpoken at length in my notes to He-
rodotus, Vol. I.
p.
3II. Juvenal reprobates the carelefs inat-
tention paid, in his time, to the old; and Savary, in his Ac-
count of ^gypt, informs us, that in this natural and indifpen-
fable veneration to thofe advanced in years, the modern Egyp-
tians have by no means degenerated from their anceftors.
The refpeft paid in this country, two hundred years ago, to
parents, feems to have been equal in degree to what is reprcfent-
ed by Gellius in this chapter : childreVj, even of more advanced
years, did not prefume to fit in the prefence of their parents,,
unlefs^fo commanded ; and it was not unfrequent to fee them
kneeling on a culhion, whilft their father and mother were at
table,
I
was
J
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
129
Was affigned to age. But when population feemed
elTentially neceflary to the ftate, and rewards and
encouragements were propofed to promote this^
then in certain matters they who had wives and
children, were preferred to elder people who had
neither of thefe; Thus, in the feventh book of
the Julian law, the precedence, with refpedl to the
fafces, was affigned nbt to that conful who was
eldeft, but to him who had mod children, either
living under his authority or flain in war. If both
had an equal number of children, the married
man, or he who was allowed the rights of a mar-
ried man
%
had the preference : if both, being mar-
ried men and fadiers, had an equal number of
children, the diflindlion of former times took place,
and he who was the eldeft had precedence. But
if both had an equal number of children, or were
married men and had no children, or were both
unmarried, no mention is made in this law concern-
ing their age ; but I find that they to whom the
law gave precedence, gave the fafces for the firft
month to their colleagues, who were much older
or of higher rank, or who had entered upon their
fecond confulfliip.
*
Rights
of
a married /;!r/7.]No more accurate or ftiore fa-
tisfadlory review of the Roman laws can be feen, than in the
eighth oftavo volume of Mr. Gibbon's extraordinary work. It
exprefsly appeared that woman was conlidered by the old Romans
not as aperfotiy but a thing The huiband had in certain cafes
power of life and death :
*
but the x:ondition of women," lays
Mr. Gibbon,
"
is ufually foftened by the refinements of fe-
cial life."
Vol. L
K Chap.
ijo THE ATTIC NIGHTS
Chap. XVI.
C/eJelUus
Vindex cenjured by Sulpicius ApollinariSi
for
his explanation
of
a
pajfage
in t^irgiL
I
cc
N the fixth book
of Virgil
'
are thefe
lines :
Ilk, vides, pura juvenis qui nititur hafta
Proxima forte tenet lucis loca
;
primus ad auras
-Stherias Italo commiftus fanguine furget,
Silvius Albanum nonrien, tua poftuma proles :
Quern tibi longJEvo ferum Lavinia conjunx
Educet filvis regenn, regumque parente ;
Unde genus Longa noftrum dominabitur Alba.''
*
Ofthis pafTage of Virgil I give Dryden's tranflation, which
the criticifm in this chapter of Gellius proves to be very
inadequate :
"
Obferve the yooth who firft appears in iight.
And holds the neareft flation to the light.
Already feems to fnufF the vital air.
And leans jufl forward on a fhining fpear ;
^
Silvius is hethy laft forgotten race.
But firft in order fent to fill thy place :
An Alban name, but mix'd with Dardan blood.
Born in the covert of a fhady wood
;
Him fair Lavinia, thy furviving wife.
Shall breed in groves to lead a folitary life :
In Alba he fliall fix his royal feat.
And, born a king, a race of kings beget."
This verfion is
unpardonably
diffufo. Dryden takes no notice
of the appropriate
meaning of pura
hafla,
which is a fpear
without a
point, given as a reward for military fervice.
J
In
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
131
In thefe lines
^^
Tua poftuma proles
feems but ill to as-ree with
cc
Quenn tibi longasvo ferum Lavinia conjunx
Educet filvis regem."
For if this Silvius, as appears from the teftimony
of almoft all the ancient annals, was born after the
death of his father, for which reafon the name of
Poflumus was given him, with what propriety
does this follow
:
"
Quem tibi longasvo ferum Lavinia conjunx
Educet fiivis
?"
For thefe words may feem to fignify, that whilft
/Eneas was alive and in age, Silvius Ihould be born
to and educated by him. Caefellius
%
therefore,
in his Commentary of Ancient Readings, thought
this to be the fignification of thefe words. He
fays,
"
Pofluma proles' non eum fignificat qui patre
mortuo,
*
C^////^j;]of whom we know no more than that he was
often quoted by Prifcian.
^
Pojiuma proks.'\-^" The exprefiion of
*
poftuma proles' does
not fignify one born after the death of his father, but he who
was laft born, as in the cafe of Silvius, who, when ^neas was
old, was born in his mother's advanced years."
Virgil feems to have intended no more than to intimate
that Silvius was to be the laft fon of vEneas ; whether born in
his life-time, or after his deceafe, is of fmall importance. Sil-
vius is called the laft fon of -^neas by
Aufonius, Epift. i6.
"
Ut quondam in Alba^ mcenibus
Supremos yEnea fatus,
Silvius lulls mifcuit."
K
%
Heyne,
132
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
mortuo, fed qui poftremo loco natus eft. Sicuti
Silvius, qui -^nea jam fene tardo feroque partu eft
editus." But for this hiftorical hd: he names^ n6
fuitable authority. Many, as I have before re-
marked, have afferted, that Silvius was born after
the death ofi^neas. For this reafon Apollinaris Sul-
picius, among other things for which he cenfures
CsfeUius> mentions the above alfo as a fault ;
which
probably arofe thus
:

" Quern tibi longaevo," fays

he, not/eni, which bears a meaning not warranted by
hiftory ;
"
but in a remoter period, when received to
heaven, and become immortal." For Anchifes, who
faid this to this fon, knew, that having left this
mortal life, he would be made a god, become im-
mortal, and enjoy an eternal exiftcnce. Apollinaris
argues acutely enough :
"
Bus a long life
^
is one
thing, immortality another; ncr are gods called
long-lived, but immortal."
Heyne, in his obfervation on this paflage, confiders the ex-
preflion of pura
hafta
as emblematic of foverelgnty.
Long
life,
'\--^\\z terms longus and aternus appear to have
been ufed with equivocal meaning. See Barthius,
915.
Chap.
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
133
Chap. XVII.
What Cicero thought concerning certain propofttions^
with an examination
of
Cicero*s opinion,
/
IT
is the curious and learned obfervation of
Cicero, that the prepofitions in and con, pre-
fixed to words, are made long, when followed by
the letters which begin
Japiens and
felixy in all
others they are pronounced (hort, Thefe are
Cicero's words :
"
Quid vero
*
hoc eiegantius quod
non fit natura, fed quodam inftituto ? Indodus di-
cimus, brevi prima litera, infanus produdla. Inhu-
manus brevi, infelix longa, et, ne multis, quibus in
verbis eas primae literae funt,
quae in fapiente et
'
^id'vero.^'^** For what can be more elegant than this,
which does not happen naturally, but from a certain cuftom I
We fay iudo^us, with the lirft letter ihort, which in in/anus i$
long. It is fliort in inhumanus, long in infelix ;
and, not to be
tedious, thefe words, the firft letters of which are the fame a
5
in fapiens and
felix,
are pronounced long, in all others Ihprt.
So alfo in compofuit, concrepuitt confecit, if we confult reafon, we
cannot approve : refer it to the ear, and we aflent. And
why is it fo ? The ear will confefs it is pleafed, and a fentencp
ought to confult the gratification of the ear.'*
The long i was anciently diftinguifhed by being pxt^nded
above the other letters thus, plso, or it was precede^ by
an
e, as in qua/ei. With rcfped to words beginning with the par-
ticle pro, they feem to have been ufed indifferently long and
fliort by the poets. The curious reader will find the fubjedt
matter of this chapter amply difcuffcd by Lipfius de Redla
Pronunciationc.
K
3
felicc
134
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
fclice produdle dicuntur : in cjEtcris vcro omnibus
brevitcr. Itemque compofuit, concrepuit, confecit:
confule veritatemi.reprehendet. Refer ad auris: pro-
babiint. Qiiasre cur' ita ? fe dicent juvari. Vo-
luprati -taoien auri\uqi.morigerari debet oratio."
The reafoning of Cicero, as to the harmony in
thefe cxprelTions, is very manifefl : but what fliall we
fay of the prepofition pro ? which, with refped
tovits being long or lliort, contradids Cicero's ob-
fetation -, for this
is
not always made long when
foiJowed by the letter which is the firit
mfelixy which
loiter, acQording to Cicero, has the appropriate
power of making the prepofitions in and con long,
Profid/ci,. profundere, profugere, profanum, and
profeftum, have pro lliort; but in profiigare and
proficere, it is long. Why then does not this letter,
which Cicero remarks has the power of making the
fyllable long, preferve in all fimilar cafes the fame
property, either from reafon or for the fake of har-
TnotvfJJ''^]^^:^^
the fyllable long in
fome inftances, and fhort in others ? Nor is the
particle ^on exclufively long,
when followed by the
letter which Cicero
mentions. Cato and Salluil
fay/coo^ertus f^horibusj and farther, coligatiis and
conexus^.haye
t'lj^
iirll
fyllable long. But yet, in
thefe examples
of
mine, this particle may perhaps be
made long froni the elifion of die letter ;/,
for the
lofs of the letter is compenfated by the fyllable's be-
in
o-
made lone'i wjiich alfo is the cafe \h the word
cogO'^
no^iis;
tii^i^ ,at a|l cpntradi^ed^^jj
^0;,in/r^^^i
being fhorr, which cannot, by fair analogy,
be de-
rived from cogo,
ji
Chap.
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS.
135
Chap. XVIII.
Fhadon^ the Socratic^ was a Jlave^ as wert many
other Socratics
alfo*
Hi^ D O N of Elis
\
was of the Socradc
fchool, and very intimate both with Socrates
and Plato. Plato prefixed this man's name to his
divine book' on the Immortality of the Soul.
This
Phsedon was a flave, but of an elegant form and
liberal underflandingj and, as fome have written,
was, when a boy, fold to violation by his profligate
mailer. Cebes, a follower ofSocrates, is faid to have
bought him on the recommendation of Socrates,
and to have initiated him in the difcipline of phi-
lofophy. He became afterwards an eminent philo-
fcpher
y
and there remain of his fome very elegant
difcouries concerning Socrates. There have been
many others who, from a ftate of fervitude, have
afterwards become diftinguifhed philofophers.
Amongft thefe was that Menippus, whole writings
M. Varro imitated in his fatires, by others called
*
"Phadon
of
Elis.] Of this perfonage Diogenes Laertius
relates, that he was born of a noble family ; but being taken
captive, was compelled to the infamy which is here mentioned.
The fame author adds, that Alcibiades or Crito, at the fuggeftipn
of Socrates, reftored him to liberty.
*
Di'vine book.] In this book Phasdon relates to Echechra-
tes the converfation which he had with Socrates on the day
when he took the poifon.
K
4
Cynic,
136 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
Cynic, by himfelf Menlppean. Pompylus
\
the
flave of Theophraftus the Peripatetic
;
and he who
was nanned the Perfian, the (lave of Zeno the
Stoic ; and Mys, the flave of Epicurus, were alfo
philofophers of no mean reputation.
Diogenes
the Cynic lived alfo in fervitude -, but he, from a
ftate of liberty, was fold as a flave, Xeniades of
Corinth, dcfiring to purchafe him, aflced him what
art
he knew ?
"
The art," he replied,
"
of
governing
free men." Xeniades, in admiration at his anfwer,
bought and gave him his freedom
;
then, intro-
ducing his fons
to
him,
"
Take," fays he,
"
thefe
my
children, who are free, and govern them." But
the memory of Epi6letus, the illuftrious philofo-
pher, that he alfo was a flave, is too recent to
be mentioned as a thing obfolete. Two verfes are
iaid to have been written by this Epicletus
*
upori
himfelf^
'
Pompylus.lThis name is generally written Pompilius,
mentioned by Laertius in his life of Theophraftus,
*
This Epicietus.'\ That Epidetus was for fome time a
flave, and always poor, and Ukewife lame, are things attefted
by many ancient writers, and need not be difputed. They
are mentioned by Aulus Gellius, who was cotemporary with oar
philofopher, but furvived him : who mentions a fhort Greek
epigram, which he alfo afcribe^ to Epidetus himfelf, to this
purpofe :
**
A flave, in body maim'd, as Irus poor.
Yet to the gods was Epiftetus dear."
Simplicius, whofe authority is very good, fays,
that Epic-
tetus was a flave, of an infirm conftitution, and lame from
early
age, and fo well fatisfied with extreme poverty,
that his fmaH
houfe
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS.
137
himfelf, in which it is tacitly implied, that they
who, in this life, have to flruggle with various ca-
lamities, are not indifcrimihately obnoxious to the
gods
J
but that there are
certain myfterious caufes,
which the inveftigation of few can comprehend:

^^
I Epidetus, born a flave, ^nd lame, and
poor
as Irus, ana dear to the gods."
houfe at Rome needed no fecurities, having npttiing in it but
his couch and mattrefs upon which he hi^'.-^Lardner,
I cannot let this chapter pafs without remarking, that the
profefTors of philofophy and literature, abflra6ledly fo under-
ftood and called, have, with few exceptions, in all ages, been
remarkable for their poverty. We ought to make this diftinc-
tion with refpeft to the learned men of ancient and modern
times:the poverty of the ancient philofophers was voluntary,
and often prelTed upon public notice with a ridiculous degree
cf affedlation
;
they were, however, amply compenfated for this
poverty, by the perfonal honours and reverence they received,
being afliduoufly courted by the opulent, the powerful, and the
great. This is not quite the cafe, I apprehend, in modern times.
Thefe honours and this reverence are ref^rved by juft pofterity,
till the objedls of it are no more ; and many there have been,
like Otway and Savage, fuffercd to languifli out a miferable
life in want, whofe talents have been univerfally allowed to im-
prove
and adorn their country.
Vol,
I,
K
5
Chap,
138
THE
ATTIC NIGHTS
'
Chap. XIX.
^he verh
^^
rejcire^^ its true andproper
ftgnification^
WE
have obferved, that the word rejcire has a
certain appropriate force different from the
common meaning of other words, to which the
fame praepofition re is affixed
j
nor do we fay rejcire
as we do reJcriberCy relegerey refiituere.
He who fees
a fad which is more intricate, unimagined, or unex-
pe6ted, is properly faid rejcire , but why in this word
only the particle re has this force and meaning, is
what I fliil have to learn. That rejcivi or rejcire
is ufed with any other allufion, amongft thofe who
are corred in fpeaking, than- to
things obfcure by.
clefign, or happening beyond expedation or opi-
nion, I have never feen. But the word
Jcire
is faid
indifcrjminately of all things adverfe, profperous, or
pxpeded. Nsevius fays, in the Triphallus
':
"
Si unquam quicquam filium refcivero,
Argentum amoris caufa fumpfe mutuum,
Extemplo illo
te ducam ubi non delpuas."
?
Triphallus.'l Some are for writing this word Ithyphallus;
There were Ithyphallica carmina, and Ithyphallici ludi. Tri-
phallus is one of the names of Priapus. In Columella, 1. x.
32^
we meet with

Sed truncum forte dolatum

Arbori$ antiquse numen venerare Ithyphalli."
There is a fragment ofVarrOj fee H. Stephens, called Triphalo^
with oae /.
2 Claudius
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
139
Claudius
Quadrigarius, in his firft annal, fays,

^^'
Ea
Lucani ubi refciverunt fibi per fallacias verba
data efTe." The fame Quadrigarius, in the fame
book, ufes this word on a melancholy and unex-
pected occafion
:

^^
Id ubi refciverunt propinqui
obfidum quos Pontio traditos fupra demonftravi-
mus : eorum
parentes cum propinquis capillo paiTo
in viam
provolarunt."
M. Cato, in his fourth book of Origins
:

^'
De-
inde
didtator jubet poilridie magiftrum equitum
arcefli. Mittam te fi vis cum equitibus. Sero eft,
inquit magifter equitum, jam refcivere/'
Chap. XX.
W^ba^ are commonly called
"
vivaria,*' 'The a)2cients did
not uje this word. What Publius Scipio ujed in-
Jlead
of
it^ in his
Jpeech to the people -, and what
afterwards Marcus VarrOy in his
treatife
"
T)e
re Rufiica.''
THE
enclofed places in which wild beafts
are kept alive, which are now called vivaria
\
M. Varro, in his third book on Agriculture, af-
ferts ought to be called leporalia, Thefe are his
words
:
? r/>i/^n.]The place in modern times appropriated to this
ufe is called menagery, from the French menagey which means a
colledlion of animals. The iirll Roman who introduced this fpecies
of
HO
THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
words :
"
Villaticae paftionis
genera funt tria, orni-
thones, leporaria, pifcin^c.
Nunc
ornithones dico
omnium alitum qujE intra parietes vill^
folent pafci.
Leporaria te accipere volo non ea quas
tritavi nof-
tri dicebanr, ubi foli lepores funt, fed omnia fepta
asdificia villas quae funt et habent inclufa animalia
quae pafcuntur/'
He again, in the fame book, in a
fucceeding paffage, fays,
"
Quum
*
emifti fundum
Tufculanum a M. Pifone, in leporaria apri fuere
multi." What the common people now call vivariuy
are the fame with what the Greeks call paradift ^
What Varro calls leporariay
I do not remember to
have feen fo named amongft the ancients ; but
what I find Scipio, who was by far the pureft
fpeaker of his age, called rohoraria^ I havp hearci
fome learned men at Rome affirm to have
the
ofmagnificence was, according to Pliny, Fulvius Lippinus, which
was afterwards improved and extended to a confiderable de^-
gree, by Lucullus and Hortenfius. Varro's words may be
thus interpreted
:

" There are three objefts of ruftic care as

to feeding ; namely, the places
where fowls, hares, and fifties
are kept. The firrt of thefe I imderftand to comprehend (or-
nithones) every enclofed place where birds of any kind arc
preferved. By leporariay the fecond, I mean not the places
fo named by our forefathers, where hares only are kept, but
every ruftic building in which animals are enclpfed and fed."
*
^um.^

"When you bought the Tufculan farm of M.Pifo,

there were many boars in the kporarium.^'*
^
Paradiji.'\ This, according to Xenophon, is a Perfic
word. Perhaps its original meaning is an orchard. How it
has been applied to the feat of our firft parents when in a
ftate of innocence, need not be explained. Ecclefiaftical writers
called by this name the quadrangle before a cathe4ral or grea^
church.
fame
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
141
fame
meaning with our vivaria, and that it was
lb called from the tabula rohori< with which they
were enclofed, a kind of enclofure which I have
feen in Italy and many other places. The paflage
in his fifth oration againft Cl^iudius Afellius is this
:

*^
Ubi
^
agnos optime cultos, atque villas expoli-
tiflimas vidifTet, in his regionibus excelfifTimo loco-
rum murum ftatuere aiebat : inde corrigere viam,
aliis per vineas medias, aliis per roborarium, atque
pifcinam, aliis per villam." But the lakes or pools
in which fifhes were preferved alive they called
by their own appropriate term of
"
pjcina*'' The
common people alfo call thofe places apiarian in
which hives of bees are kept; but I do not remem-
ber that this appellation has ever been ufed by
thofe who
wrote or fpoke with greater purity and
corre6lnefs. But M. Varro, in his third book of
Agriculture,
fays,
"
MikwamoL^ ita facere oportet,
quse quidam
mellaria appellant/' This word
ufed by
Varro is Greek
3
for jtxfAto-o-wvf? is ufed, as
arc Qi.^h'niKmK; and ioe,(pvuvig,
Uh', &c.]

" Wherever he faw the ball cultivated lands,

and the moll elegant villas, here, in the moft elevated fpot, he
exprefled his intention of eredling a wall. Thence he regulated
his road, fometimes through vineyards, fometimes through
menageries (roboraria) and fiih-ponds, at others through the
viUa."
Chap.
142
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
Chap. XXL
Of
the conflellation
called hy the Greeks a/Aagav,
hy
us feptemtriones*
'The meaning and origin
of
each
word.
AN
UMB E R ofus who were engaged in fimi-
lar literary purfuits, Greeks as well as Ro-
mans, pafTed over from iEgina to Pirseus
*
in the
fame veflel. It was evening, the fea calm, the
time fummer, and the iky clear and ferene. We
all of us, therefore, fate upon the prow, and con-
templated the brilliant ftars. Then all they who had
been fimilarly in{lru61:ed in Greek, entered into a
learned and ingenious argument, which was the amaxa,
which the bear, which Bootes
%
which the greater,
and wliich the lefier bear, and why fo called
j
and
through
'
j^gina to P/V^w^.J-^-iEgina was'^a fmall ifland in the vlcl-
mty of the Peloponnefe, and Piraeus was the famous port of
Athens. The prefent fituation and circumftances of both
places are well defcribed by Chandler.
*
Bootes'\^-ox the charioteer. Eriilhonius, the fon of Vulcan
and Terra. His birtli is fancifully related by Euripides. This
conflellation is called by various other names, whence a great
confufion and perplexity muft necefiarily arife in any attempt
to elucidate at length the fyftem of ancient aftronomy. CaN
lifto was generally underilood to be the greater bear, and Areas
her fon the lefTer. The former called in Greek Helice, the
latter Cynofura. See Ovid. Fall. iii.
107.
"ElTc
I
OF
AULUS
CELL I US.
143
through
what fpace they had paffed fince the pre-
ceding
night ; and why Homer fays
^
of this alone,
that it does not fet,
when there are fome others al-
fo which do not. I then turned to fome of our
young men

" And what will you fimpletons fay,

why do we call feptemtriones
what the Greeks call
amaxa ? It is not enough that we fee feveti ftars
;
but I defire to know, at fome length, what the

EfTe duas Arftos quarum

Cynofara petatur
Sidoniis, Helicen Graia carina notet.'*
Milton ufes this Cynofure as fynonymous with the bear or po-
lar flar.
**
Towers and battlements it kesy
Bofom'd in high tufted trees.
Where, perhaps, fome beauty lies.
The Cynofure of neighbouring eyes."
Newton, at this paflage, quotes, from the Anatomie of Melan-
choly, the following :
"
'Tis the general humour of all lovers
;
fhe is his ftern, his pole-liar, hi guide, his Cynofure, his Hef-
perus, his Vefperus, &:c."
3
Homer /ays.] The lines of Homer ^re thefe. II. xviii.
560.
"
The pleiads, hyads, with the northern team.
And great Orion's more refulgent beam.
To which, around the axle of the fky.
The bear revolving, points his golden eye.
Still Ihines exalted on th' asthereal plain.
Nor bathes his blazing forehead in the main.'*
POPE.^
A fufpicion here arifes of fome defefl in the text, as the amaxa
and ardlus or bear, were in faft fynonymous. The ftory of the
bear, the greater and the lefs, is related by Hefiod and by
Ovid. It is to be found at length alfo in Ladlantius
;
who fays,
that on account of the indignation of
Juno,
Tethys, and Ocea-
nus, refufcd to bathe this conflellation with their waters.
whole
144
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
whole conflellation which we call Jeptemtriofits
means
?"
Then
one of thofe who had applied him-
felf to learning and the ftudy of the ancients, ob-
ferved, that the common people prefumed,
that the
Jeptemtriones of the grammarians was named merely
from the number of the liars. The word triones^
they fay, has no feparate meaning ; as in that which
we call quinquatrusy becaufe it is the fifth d^y
from the Ides, the word atrus has no fignification.
But I am of the fame opinion with L. ^lius and
M. Varro *, who affirm, that triones is a certain
ruftic term for oxen, as if it were terriones^ that is,
proper to plough and cultivate the earth. There-
fore the old Greeks called this conflellation amaxan^
becaufe in its figure and pofition it refcnibled a
waggon
^
', fo the more ancient of our coufitrymeri
called
\t
Jeptemtrionesy from oxen yoked, that is, from
*
L. ulius and M. yarro,"]^! find thefe grammarians ridi-
culed for their pompolity, in a copy of verfes afcribed to Vir-
gil, in the Latin Anthology,
"
Ite hinc inanes rhetorum manipli
Inflata rore non Achaico turba,
Et vos Sile, Albuti, Arquitique, Varroque."
A mofl abfurd and unmeaning reading : doubtlefs it ought to
be,
'
Et vos Clique, Tarquitique, Varroque."
This iElius is mentioned in the catalogue of old grammarians,
by Suetdnius.
*
// refembled a iMaggon.'\~-'\\ is familiarly called Charleses
wain. See Shakefpeare.

" Car. Heigho ! an't be not four by

the day, I'll be hang'd ; Charles's wain is over the new chimney,
and yet our horfes not pack'd." A corruption of chorle's or
churl's wain, from the Saxon.
he
OF
AULUS GELLIUS*
145
the feven
liars, which'reprefcnt, as it were, yoked
triones,
Varro further obferved, continued he, that
he was in doubt whether thefe feven ftars were not
rather called trioneSy becaufe they are fo fituated that
every three ftars neareft to each other form a tri-
angle, fo that the name means the
three-fided
figures. Of thefe two reafons which he alledged,
the laft appeared the moft acute and the moft ele-
gant; for, on infpedion, they really had the appear-
ance of fo many triangles.
Chap* XXir.
Of
the wind lapyx. Names and regions
of
bthef
winds,
from the
difcourfes
of
Favorinus,
AT
the
focial table of Favorinus it was cuf-*
tomary to read either the verfes of fome old
lyric poet, or a portion of hiftory in Greek or La-
tin. In fome Latin poem the word lapyxy (the
name of a wind, was read
i
and it was afked what
this
*
Notes on this chapter might be extended to an almoft infinite
length. I cannot, perhaps, do better than firfl refer the reader
to a table of the winds, which I have given in my tranf-
lation of Herodotus, Vol. III.
p. 293,
where it is obferved, that
the ancients ufed only the four cardinal winds ; they after-
wards added four more : the Romans increafed them to
twenty-four
; and the moderns have added to the four cardinal
twenty-eight collateral winds. This fubjefl of the winds is
alfo commented upon at fome length by Solinus ad Salmafium,
Vol. I, L
page
146
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
this wind was, and from what parts it blew, and
what was the etymology of this unufiial word ? At
the
fame time we defired him to inform us about
the
names and places of the reftj becaufe, generally,
there
was no agreement, either concerning their
names, places, or number. Then Favorinus fpake
as follows
:

" It is fufficiently notorious, that there

are four regions of the air, eafl, weft, fouth, and
north. The eaft and
weft are variable, the fouth
and north are fixed and uhakerable: for the fun
does not always rife in the fame place ; but his rif-
ing is either called sequinodlial, when moving in the
circle which is termed squidial*; or it is folftitial or
brumal, which are the fummer or winter tropics.
In like manner, the fun does not always fet in the
fame place
-, but its fetting is either requinodlial,
folftitial,
or brumal. The wind, therefore, which
blows from his vernal rifing, that is the aequinoftial,
is called Eurus, a word, according to etymolo-
gifts, which means
"
flowing from the eaft." This
is alfo called otherwife by the Greeks y^peliotesy
and by Roman failors Subfolanus.
That which
comes from the fummer and folftitial place of
rifmg is called by the Latins Aquilo, in Greek Bo-
reas
J
which fome fay is therefore named by Homer
aiO^fygy/Jjjf.
Boreas is thought to be fo called aTrt
pages
1239, 1244, 5,
7, and
57.
See alfo Pliny, 1. II. c. xxvii.
A perplexity will often arife with thofe who read the claffics but
occafionally, from confounding the Greek and Roman appella-
tions of the winds, which in this chapter of Gellius are perfpi-
cucully difcriminated. The reader will alfo find in the Latin
Anthology, vol. ii.
p. 386,
a poem on the fubjedl of the winds,
which Pithoeus does not fcruple to pronounce beyond meafure
corrupt ; but which, neverthelefs, is worth confulting.
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
147
TUf jQorry
from its violent and loud noife. The third
wind, which blows from the winter place of rifing,
the Romans call Vulturnus
-, the Greeks in general
call this by a mixed name,
Euronotus, becaufe
it is betwixt Notus and Eurus. Thefe are, there-
fore, the three oriental winds, Aquilo, Vulturnus,
and Eurus, ofwhich Eurus is that of the middle fitu-
ation. The oppofite and contrary to thefe arc the
three from the weft: Caurus, which the Greeks
call
Argeftes, is oppofite to Aquilo
3
Favonius, by the
Greeks named Zephyrus, is oppofite to Eurus;
and Africus, or the Greek Lips^ blows oppofite to
Vulturnus. Thefe two regions of the air, the eaft
and the weft, have thus fix oppofite and contrary
winds. The fouth, the place ofwhich is certain and
fixed, has therefore only one fouthern wind -, this is
in Latin Aujier^ in Greek Notus, becaufe it is
cloudy and moift, notis in Greek iignifying mcjif-
ture. For the fame caufe the north has but one,
this is immediately oppofed to Aufter, and is in
Latin SeptemtrionariuSy in Greek AparBias. From
thefe eight winds fometake four, and this they affirm
they do on the authority of Homer, who mentions
four winds only

eaft, fouth, north, and weft.
Thefe are Homer's words :
*^
Eaft, weft, and ftormy fouth,
together roar.
And the clear north rolls mountains to the
Ihore."
He names thefe from the four quarters of the hea-
vens which we firft mentioned, namely, the eaft and
weft,
taken fimply and generally,
not divided into
L 2
three
i+S
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
three parts. There are fome who, inftead of eight,
make twelve winds, inferting four in the middle
places betwixt the fouth and north, as the fecond
four were placed betwixt the eaft and weft. There
are alfo certain other names afligned to particular
winds, introduced by natives in their own regions,
either from the names of places, or from any other
caufe accidentally contributing to make a word.
Our Gauls call their country wind, the feverity of
which is hardly tolerable, Circius, I fancy, from its
circular and vertiginous motion. The Apulians call
the wind which blows from the point of lapygia, by
their own name, lapyx : this I think almoft the fame
with Caurus ; for it is a weftern wind, and feems to
blow oppofite to Eurus. Virgil, therefore, repre-
fents Cleopatra flying to -^gypt from a fea-en-
gagement as carried by the wind lapyx
;
he alfo
cadis an Apulian horfe, by the fame name as the
wind, lapygian. There is alfo a wind called Cse-
eias, which, according to Ariftotle, does not feem
to dilpel the clouds, but rather to collefl them
;
whence came this proverbial verfe
:

" Colledling
evils to himfelf, as the wind Csecias
*
does the
clouds." Befides thefe w^hich
I have mentioned,
there are many other fuppofed winds appropriate
to each region
5
as that of Horace, by him named
*
As the ^ind Cadas.'jThere is an allufion to the effedls
of this wind in the Knights of Ariftophanes.
"As this fellow breathes the Cselias and falfhood."
This particular wind is frequent in the Mediterranean, and thert
called Greco Lev
ante.
Atabulus,
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
149
Atabulus,
concerning which I fhould have enquired
5
adding thefe called Etefias and Prodromi, which, at
a certain period of the year, when the dog-ftar rifes,
blow from different parts of the heavens : and ex-
plaining the origin of all thofe words, which I have
confidered a good deal, if I had not already im-
pofed too long a filence upon you, as if by a vain
oftentation of erudition. But for one to occupy
all the converfation in a numerous company, is nei-
ther polite nor agreeable."
This is the fubftance of what Favorinus told us
at his own table, with extraordinary
elegance of ex-
prefTion, and with the greateft fuavity
and grace of
manner. But the wind, blowing from the country
of Gaul, which he calls Circius, is, by M. Cato,
in his third book of Origins, named Cercius
;
for,
writing on the people of Spain, who live beyond
the river Hiberus, he fays,

" Sunt in his regio-

nibus ferrarias
\
argenti fodinas puicherrimJE, mons
ex
*
Sunt, &c.]" There are in thefe countries iron mines, very
beautiful mines of filver, a huge mountain of entire fait, which
cncreafes as fall as you take from it : the wind Cercius, in a mo-
ment rifes to its height ; overturns a man in arms, or a loaded
waggon/* Strabo defcribes a wind frequent in Gaul, which he
calls ^gXajtxCo^io* (black north) fo violent as to tear up the flones
from the ground, throw men from
carriages, and frrip thenj
of their arms and clothes. Book iv.
Horace calls Eurus a black wind
;
*^
Niger rudentes Eurus inverfo mari,
Fradlofque remos difFerat.'*
Milton brings thefe winds together with wonderful force, whert
alfo the epithet i;lad is moll happily applied.
L
3
''Now
150 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
ex falc mero magnus : quantum demas, tantum adr
crcfcit. Ventus Cercius quuna
loquarc buccam
implct: armatum hominem,
plauftrum
oneratum
pcrcellit.*'
As to what I have remarked above, that the
Etefise blow fometuTies from one quarter, and fome-
times from another, I know not how far, in fol-
lowing the common opinion, I have fpoken cor-
rectly. In the fecond book, written by Nigidius,
on the Wind, there
is this paflage
:^^
Etefi^ et
Auftri anniverfarii fecundo fole flant." Here the
meaning of
"
fecundo Ible
^
"
remains to be con-
fidered.
"
Now from the north
Of Norumbega and the Samoed ftiore.
Burning tlieir brazen dungeon, and with ice.
And fnow, a-nd hail, and ftormy guft, and flaw*
Boreas and Csfias, or Argeftes loud.
And Thrafcias, rend the woods, and feas upturn.
With adverfe blafl upturns them from the fouth
Notus and Afer, black with thund'rous clouds.
From Serraliona,"- &;c.
Newton fays, at this paflage, that guA and flaw are nearly
of
the fame import, only flaw is the fl:ronger. I
conceive that
flaw has a diflinft fignification, and may mean what we call a
blight.
Secundofok,']^Th.e commentators feem to agree, that by
this expreflion is meant, blowing from the part where the fun
is, and moving with him as he changes place.
Chap.
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
151
Chap. XXIII.
Acomparifon
and crittcifm
of
pajfages from
the play
of
Menander and deciliusy called Plodus,
WE
are often reading the comedies of our
poets, taken and tranflated from the Greek
of Menander, Pofidippus, ApoUodorus, Alexis, and
other comic writers ; nor, whilft reading them, do
they at all difpleafe us, for they
are obvioufly
written with a fpirit of humour and elegance which
feems to be incapable of improvement.
But if
you examine and compare the Greek from which they
are taken, carefully and properly reviewing both, by
reading firft one and then the other, the Latin in-
ftantly begins to be flat and difgufting, and the
peripicuity and wit of the original, which they were
unable to imitate, totally to vanifh. The expe-
rience of this lately occurred to us from reading
the Plocius of Cascilius
',
which was at firft by no
means difagreeabie
to me, or to thofe who v/ere
Plocius
of
C^cilius.'] Plocius means the necklace.
OfC^e-
cilius fome
account may be expefled; very little, however,
is known.
He flouriHicd at the fame time with Ennius, with
whom he lived in the intimacy of friendlhip. They died a'fo
within a year of each other. Of Cscilius, Quintilian fays but
little
; the ancients, he alfirms, highly extolled him. His
fragments have been colle<5ted and commente! upon by H.
Stephens ; and from thefe we may draw a favourable concia-
fipn of his fpiiit, wit, and humour.
L
4
prefent.
152
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
prefent. But we chofe alfo to read the Plocius
of Menander, from which
CasciUiis had taken his
comedy. But the moment
we began Menander,
ye gods 1 how did Csecilius
appear to be dull,
cold, and totally changed from Menander 1 the arms
of Diomed and Glaucus
*
could not more differ in
value. We came at length in reading to that
pafTage where the old hufband complains of his
wife, who was rich and ugly, becaufe he was ob-
liged to fell his fervant, a young woman who was
ingenious and of an agreeable perfbn, from his
wife's fufpicion that the girl was his miftrefs.
I
^all make no remarks on the difference betwixt
thefe : I ordered both to be written down, and left
for others
to determine upon. Thefe are Me-
nander's '
:
*
Arms
of
Diomed and Glaucus.
'\
This flory Is too trite
to be repeated. It became in Rome a proverbial expreffion
for exchanging a thing of fmall value for one of a greater, or
indeed any unequal change. The epifode of Diomed and
Glaucus occurs in the fixth book of the Iliad. The expreffion
is continually found in the beft writers, both in Greek
and Latin. Plutarch, however, contends, that the exchange
of Diomed's fteel or iron arms for thofe of Glaucus, which
were of gold, was by no means unequal, as the former were
much more fuitable and valuable to a warrior.
'
Menander*s.'\This fragment is fo exceedingly corrupt and
'
imperfect, that it was with the greateft difficulty that I found
myfelf able to make any tolerable fenfe of it. I fear, after all,
that I have fucceeded very indifferently, particularly towards
the conclufion ; but I cannot, in my interpretation, have dif-
fered more from the commentators
on this paiTage than they fe-
yerally differ from each other.
^^Now
OF
AULUS GELLItJS.
153
**
Now may this our dowered miftrefs fleep
in
tranquillity ; ihe has atchieved a mighty and me-
morable feat : fhe has driven out, as fhe wiihed,
this wench that offended her. Let all people con-
template this vifage of Crobule'*', governing by
her countenance as an afs amongft apes ^ But this
I will not conceal, the fatal night which was the
beginning of my forrows. Alas ! that I fhould
marry Crobule, a ten-talented v/oman
^
of a cubit's
flature : Then her pride too is really
intolerable
!
by Jupiter
and Minerva, there's no enduring it.
She has fent off the girl that waited upon us quick-
er than one could fpeak."
Which Caecilius renders thus :
^'
Old Man*He indeed is miferable who can-
not conceal his calamity. Hujhand. Thus in-
deed my wife does by her perfon and a6lions. If
I
am filent, there is proof enough ; for, except her
portion, Ihe has every thing you would diflike.
He who is wife will learn from me, who, as a
captive to the enemy, am really a flave, though the
*
Crohule.']An has unaccountably ftolen into the Greek
text, which I have omitted.
5
Js an
afs among
fi
apes.] This probably means,
''
My wife,
who is ugly, having turned away a fervant of a good perfon,
is determined to be the head of domeftics at leaft as ugly as
herfelf." This is a proverbial faying, and applied by the La-
tins to any ftupid perfon meeting with greater dunces than
himfelf. Similar to this is the phrafe of
"
Noftua inter cor-
nices," An owl amongft crows.

Ten-talented 'woman.]As we Ihould fay in Englifh, in

familiar language, a twenty thoufand-pounder half a foot
high.
city
154
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
city and citadel are fafe. Whatever I like, of that
fhe takes care to deprive me. Whilft I am gaping
for her death, I
myi'elf am as one dead amongft
the living. She fays, that in her abfence
I connect
myfelf with the maid. With this fhe reproaches
me
J
and fo by weeping, irtreating, importuning,
and reproaching, fhe has forced me to fell her.
Now I
believe fhe prates it about ' amongil her
acquaintance and relations :
^
Which of you,' fhe
fays,
*
in the vigour of age, could have obtained as
much of your hufband, which I, an old woman,
have done, to deprive her hufband of his miflrefs
?'
This will be debated to-day ; and I, wretched, am
torn in pieces by their tongues.'*
To fay nothing of the unequal
excellence
of the
two, both in incident and exprefTion, this was the
imprefTion made upon myfelf, that what k written
by
Menander with pointed energy and wit,
Casci-
lius was unable, nor indeed has he
attempted
to
recite. Some parts he has onrltted, as if not ap-
proving, others again he has injured
by abfurd
repetition ; and I know not why, but he has totally
miffed the fimple, true, and agreeable ftile of
Menander, taken from common life.
This fame
old hufband:, talking with another old man, his
'
Prates it ahout,'\ literally Is, fows the difcourfe, a com-
alon mode of
expreffion in the beft writers.See Virgil
:
"
Multa inter (ck varlo fermone ferebant.'*
And the beginning of Apuleius
:
<
Varias fabulas cenferam."
neighbour.
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS.
155
neighbour, j^nd execrating the pride of his rich
wife,
fays

*^
A The heirefs Lamia
^
is my wife
;
have I not told you this ?

B, No.

yf. Yes,
I polTefs this miftrefs of family, of lands, of pa-
trimony,

B. By Jove,
the hardeft of all hard
things.

^. She is offenfive not to me only, but

to all, to her fon, and ftill more to her daughter.

B. You tell indeed of a moft intolerable evil."

In this
paifage,
Csecilius chofe rather to
appear
ridiculous,
than
judicious and confiilent
with
the
chara61:er he
defcribes. Thus has he
corrupted
it:

^^0/iM??^. But is your wife peevilh,

I aik?

Hujband, Whom do you mean ?

Old
Man.
Whom
fhould I mean
?

Hujband. I blulh
to fay^,
as foon as I come home and am feated,
fhc
gives me a falling kifs.

Old Man. Not fo much

out as to the kifs. She wifhes to make you
return
what you drink from home.'-
What alfo mull be thought of that other place
in the comedies of both is very obvious.
It is
this : the daughter of a poor man was
deflowered
^
The heirefs Lamia.'\ This fragment alfo, as it appears in
the text of Gellijs, is exceedingly corrupt.
After examining
tiie various notes and triticifms on the palTage, I believe it will
be found, that the following is the true and neceiTary
reading,
both with refpeft to the meaning and the metre
:

Tot-T
y
B.
yx^.
A. roivrr^v Kv^tav triq ^iKixg
"
Kow rav oty^Zv, nut rut vrctr^uuv acvriKpvi
'^^otxev, B. 'ATroAXof, ruv ^ocXbttud
^a-XsTTurccrov.
A. ctwucri ^^a^yothia. Uv ovk i^oi iioico
%\^,
wo^y fMi7\Xov Goyar^t. B, tl^aiyi/,*
afxap(^ov P^tynq,
whilft
156
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
whilft performing a religious vigil. This was un-
^
known to her father, and (he was ftill thought a
virgin.
Proving with child, after the regular time
Jhe was brought to bed. An honeft flave
ftand*-
ing at the door, ignorant that his mafter's
daughter
was in labour, or that fhe had ever been violated,
heard the young woman complaining and lamenting*
He is varioufly agitated by fear, anger, fufpicion,
pity, and forrow. All thefe emotions and paffions
of his mind are in the Greek painted with extreme
and perfpicuous acutenefs. But in Cascilius thefe
are very dull, and deftitute of all dignity and grace.
When the fame flave, after a time, difcovers what
has
happened, Menander thus exprefles himfelf:
"
O thrice unhappy ! who being poor marries
and gets children ! How void of prudence too,
who can neither keep his neceflary poflefTions, nor,
being unfortunate in the common incidents of life,
can cloak them by his riches, but buffeted by
ftorms, lives in the
open and crazy boat of life
^
;
having a fufEcient fhare of all miferies, of happinefs
none. I, lamenting for one, give a lefTon to all
mankind."
Let us examine how far Caecilius has attempted
to transfufe the truth and flrength of the above.

Open and crazy boat

of
life,'] There is a fentiment in
t
ipeech made by Timon, in Shakefpeare, not altogether unlijke
this.

Tell them that, to eafe them of their griefs,.

Their fears of hoflile ftrokes, their aches, lolTes,
Their pangs of love, with other incident throes.
That nature's fragile veflel doth fuftain
Jn
life's uncertain voyage'*
The
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
157
The
following verfes of C^cilius arc a maimed
reprefentation ofMenander's lines, fluffed with tragi-
cal
bombafl :

" He indeed is a miferable man, who

being
poor has children in his poverty, whofe for-
tune and affairs flare him in the face as they are
;
whilfl a rich man can, by his wealth, difguife
his real fituation."
Therefore, as I faid before, when I read Cae-
cilius by himfelf, he appears neither dull nor unin-
terefling; but when I examine and compare him
with the Greek, I feel that he fbould not have
attempted what he was unable to perform.
mmmmmmm
Chap. XXIV.
'fhe frugality
of
the ancients^ and their
fufnp^
tuary laws.
AMONGST
the ancient Romans, frugality
and temperance, with refped to food and en-
tertainments, was not only fecured by domefljc ha-
bit and difcipline, but was guarded by the fandbion
of the public attention, and the authority of many
laws. Thus I lately read, in the Conjedures of
Capito Ateius *,
an old decree of the fenate, made
in the confulfhip of Caius Fannius and M. Vale-
*
Capita Ateius.'\
This man was a famous lawyer
in the
time of AuguHus, when he ferved the office of conful.
rius
I5S THE ATTIC NIGHTS
rius Meffala,
in which the chief men of the city^
who, by
ancient cuftom,
entertained in rotation at
the
Megalenfian games
%
are obliged to take a cer-
tain
form of oath before the confuls, that they
will not expend at any one entertainment
more
than one hundred and twenty fefterces, except
for
oil, corn, and wine ; to ufe no foreign, but their
own country wine ; nor to produce at an enter-
tainment more than one hundred pounds weight
of filver. But after this decree, the Fannian law
'
palled, which at the Roman and Plebeian games
^^
and at the Saturnalia, and certain other days, per-*-
mitted a hundred fefterces to be expended each
day ', on ten other days in every month, thirty
i
but on all other days, no more than ten.
Xo
this
law Lucilius alludes, when he faya,
*
*
Megalenflan games.'] Thefe were inftituted In honour of
Cybele ;
and were firft called Megalenfian, afterwards Megale-
fian. The import of the word is Greoty as Cybele was ftyled
the Great Goddefs. At this period friends invited and feafted
each other; plays were performed, and women danced before
the image of the goddefs : no fervants were, on any account,
fnfFered to bear a part in the games.
*
Fannian laav.] There feems to have been no fumptuary
jUw
enaded at Rome till the 566th year after the building of
the city i and that this was the fecond that paiTed, which was
in the year
588
A.C. Licinius, vvhofe law is hereafter men*
tioned, was, on account of his cpuience, named the Rich. H
enjoined, that on ordinary d^ys fhould be fpent only three
pounds of frelh and one of fait meat.
*
Roman games.] Thefe were the moft ancient of the Ro-
man games, inftituted by Tarquinius Prifcius, in honour of
Jupiter, Juno
and Minerva. The Plebeian games were cele-
brated to commemorate the expulfion of the kings. The Sa*
turnalia are fufficiendy known.
3
"
Fanni
OF
AULUS
CELL I US.
t^f
"
Fanni centufTis
mifellos."
In
which fome of the commentators on Lucillus
have
erred, fuppofing, that by the Fannian law a
hundred
fefterces was the expenditure allowed for
all days without dillinflion. Fannius, as I obferved
above,
appointed the furrt of one hundred fefterces
for certain feftivals, which he particularly named
;
but with refped to all other days, he allowed for
each day from ten to thirty fefterces. Then came the
Licinian law,
which, allowing for certain days, like
that of Fannius, one hundred fefterces, fuffered
two
hundred to be fpent on wedding-days ; for other
days he enjoined thirty, appointing alfo for each
day a ftipulated proportion of dried and fait
meat.
As to the produce of the earth, wine
or fruit,
this law enjoined no limitation. It is alluded
to
in the Eratopasgnia of the poet L^evius^.
Thefe
are the poet's words, in which he defcribes a kid,
which was brought for a feaft, fent away again,
and
the entertainment fet out with fruit and
olives,
agreeably to the terms of the Licinian law
:

"
Lex Licinia introducitur
Lux liquida hasdo
redditur."
jLucilius alfo mentions this law, faying

"
Legem
yitemus Licini." Afterwards,
L. Sylla the di6la-
tor, when the ruft of antiquity
had eaten away
thefe
laws, and moft people rioted in larger
patrimonies,
'
Poet La'vius.'\ The name of this poet
is generally
written
Livius. His fragments are found in the collcdion
of H.
Stephens. The meaning of the word eratopagnia is, the
i!ports
of lovers.
injuring
t6o THE ATTIC NIGHTS
injuring their
families, and wafting their fortunes
by the
enormous expences of dinners, made a law^
which
provided, that on the Calends, IdeSj and
Nones, at the games, and on certain folemn holy-
days, thirty fefterces might be fpent at an entertain-
ment
;
but on all other days no more than three.
Befides thefe, there is alfo the -^mihan law
^
which
not only limited the expence of entertainments,
but the kind and quantity of the food. Then
theAntlan law, befides the fum of money, ordained,
that he who was a magiftrate, or jWas a candidate
to be one, fliould vifit none but particular perfons.
Laftly, the Julian law was promulgated by the
command of Auguftus, by which the furh allowed
for
holydays was two hundred fefterces
;
for the
Calends, Ides, and Nones, and certain other fefti-
vals, three hundred
3
for wedding-days, and the

jEmilian lanv."] Marcus ^Emillus Lepidus lived in the

675th year A. C. The author of the Antian law was Antius
Rellio. Of this perfonage Macrobius relates, that finding his
law inefFedual to check the luxury which prevailed, he deter-
mined never to accept of an invitation to an entertainment, that
he might not behold the extravagance which he was unable to
punilh. On the fubjed: of fumptuary laws, the following paf-
fage from Adam Smith, feems as appofite as it is fenfible
:
**
It is the higheft impertinence in kings and minifters to pre-
tend to watch over the ceconomy of private people, and to re-
ftrain their expence, either by fumptuary laws, or by prohi-
biting the importation of foreign luxuries. They are them-
felves always, and without exception, the greateft fpendthrifts in
the fociety. Let them look well after their own expences, and
they may fafely truft private people with theirs. If their own
extravagance does not ruin the ftate, that of their fubjefts never
will."
5
repotia
(3f
AtJLUS GELLIUSi
i6i
fepotia which followed, a thoufand. There was
alfo, according to Capito Ateius, an edi^l:, whe-
ther of the iacred Augiiftus or of Tiberius, I do
not renncmBer, by which the fum for various fo-
lemn feftivals was extended from three hundred to
two thoufand feflerces, that the encreafing tide
of
luxury might be reftrained at lead by thefe limits.
Chap. XX\^
What the Greeks call analogy^ and what anomaly,
IN
Latin as in Greek, fome have thought
ana-
logy Ihoiild be followed, others anomaly.
Ana-
logy is the fimilar declenfioh of fimilar words,
which fome call in Latin
proportion.
Anomaly
is an irregularity of declenfions, following cuftom
only. But the two illuftrious Greek grammarians,
Ariilarchus and Crates, have ftrenuoufly defended,
the former analogy, the latter anomaly. The
eighth book of ?vl. Varro to Cicero, on the La-
tin tono;ue, obferves, that there is no obfervance
of fimilars
-, but that almoft in all words cuflom
rules.
"
As when we fay lupus lupi, probus probi,
and lepus leporis : fo likewife paro paravi, lavo
lavi, pungo
pupugi, tundo tutudi, and pingo pinxi.
And when from
casno, and prandeo, and poto, we
Vol. I.
M ,
form
i62 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
form csenatus fum, and pranfiis fum, and potus fum:
and yet from adftringor, and extergeor, and lavor, ad-
ftrinxi, and extenfi, and lavi are made. So alfo when
we make from Ofcus, Tufcus, Grsecus, Ofce, Tufce,
Graece : but from Gallus and Maurus, Gallice and
Maurice. Thus alfo from probus probe, a do6lus
dodle
',
but from rarus we do not fay rare, but fome
raro, others rarenter." The fame Varro, in the
fame book, fays

" Sentior is a word that no one

ufes, and by itfelf is nothing : but affentior is faid
almoft univerfally.
Sifenna alone accuflomed him-
felf in the fenate to fay aflentio, and many after-
wards followed him, but without being able to
overcome the eftabliihed cuftom." But Varro, ne-
verthelefs, in fome of his books, has faid much in
vindication of analogy. Thefe are, therefore, only a
kind of common-places
for fpeaking againft analogy,
and fometimes
again in its defence.
The fubjefts of analogy and anomaly afforded frequent oc-
cafion of controverfy to the old grammarians. See Sextus Em-
piricus, 1. X. contra Grammaticos.According to Suetonius, Julius
Casfar and Terentius Varro exercifed themfelves on thefe fub-
jcls, as in more modern times Voflius has done, in four books.
Sec alfo the Adverfaria oi GMaker,
p.
54.
Chap.
OF AULUS GELLIUS*
163
Chap. XXVL
T)ifcourfes
of
M. Fronto and Favorinus the philofopher^
'
en the varieties
of
colours, with the Greek and ha*
tin terms
for
them.
Of
the colour
fpadix.
FAVORINUS
the philofopher, going to vifit
M. Fronto, a man of confular dignity, con-
fined by the gout, wifhed me to accompany him.
At his houie, in the prefence of many learned
men, much was laid concerning colours and their
names
\
that there was a great variety of colours,
but that the names for them were inadequate and
uncertain. There are more difcriminations in the
perceptions of the eyes than in the names and terms
for colours ; for, to fay nothing of their other pe-
culiarities, the fimple colours of red and green
have each but a fingle name, though many diffe-
rent varieties
j
and I perceive a greater want of
This fubjecl of colours, and their appropriate terms in La-
tin, is difcufled at conliderable length by Salmaiius ad So-
linum,
p.
1
155,
to whom I refer the more curious reader. U
have fomevvhere read, in a Latin author, a remark to this ef-
feft
:"
If there be any thing difficult in phyfics, it is this,
how nature mixes colours
;
it is not lefs difficult to com-
prehend the different terms applied by authors to colours.'* I
am much pleafed with an obfervation of Mr. Harris, dilHn-
guilhing colour from figure. In the fketches of a painter we
know things by their figures alone, without their colours ; but
not by their colours alone, when diverted of their figures.
M a fuch
i64 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
fuch words in Latin than in Greek. The colour
we call rufus^
is fo named from rubory rednefs ; but
the rednefs of fire, of blood, of the purple fifli, and
of faffron, are different
j
yet thefe varieties
of red
the Latin tongue does not diftinguifn by appropriate
terms, naming all thefe by the fimple appellation
of rednefs : however, when the names of the co-
lours are borrowed from the things themfelves,
the words fiery, flame-like, blood-like, faffron,
purplifli, golden, give fome corre6t idea.
Rujfus
and
ruber differ in nothing from the word
rufus^
nor
mark its various fhades ; but ^a^6o? and f^u&^o^, ttu^-
f
c? and foivi^, feem to mark feparate gradations of
the red colour, encreafing, diminifhing, or blending
them. Then Fronto
*
faid to Favorinus :
"
We will
not deny that the Greek language, which you feem
to have ftudied, is more various and copious than
our own
;
but in fixing thefe colours you have
lately mentioned, our poverty is not fo great as
you fuppofe ; for the words
rufus
and rubery which
you now mentioned, are not our only words to de-
note a red colour. We have others, and even more
than thofe you have recounted, from the Greek

FuhuS)
fl{TvuSy
rubiduSy phxniceusy rutiluSy luteusy and
Jpadixy
all exprefs varieties
of red, increafing its
fplendor as with flame, blending it with green,
darkening it with black, or making it more lumi-
nous with white. For phceniceusy which you called

i*'ro;//o.]There were many illuftrious Romans of this,

name : the perfon here introduced is Cornelius Fronto, an emi-
nent rhetorician, one of the inftru^rs of the philofophic An-
tqninus.
I
OF
AULUS GELLIUS, 165
fey
a Greek name (poivi^, and rutilus and fpadixy
fynonymous with phcsniceus, which, though nrtade
from Greek, is really a word of our own, fignify the
exuberance and fplendour of red ; as it appears in
the fruit of the paim-tree not very much burnt by
the fun, whence the terms
fpaUix
and phcenkeus are
both derived. For the Dorians call a branch with
its fruit, pulled from the palm-tree, Jpadix.
What
we call fulvus,
feems a mixture of red and green,
in which fometimes the latter fometimes the former
predominates ; as a poet
*,
who was very accurate
in his choice of words, applies the t^iihtt
fulvus to
an eagle, to jafper, to caps of wolPs fur, to gold^
land, and a lion. Thus
Q^
Ennius, in his Annals,
has it, applied to brafs. Flavus^ on the contrary,
feems to be a combination of green, red, and white
i
thus trefles are termed flaventes\
and, what fome
feem to be furprifed at, Virgil calls the leaves ofthe
olive
^
flav^.
So, long before, Pacuvius applied
jiavus to water, and to duft
3
I willingly call his lines,
which are very pleafing, to my remembrance
:

*
Cedo tamen pedem lymphis flavis, flavum ut
pulyerem,
Manibus ifdem, quibus UlyfTi faspe permulii
abluam,
LafTitudinemque minuam manuum mollitu-
dine/
Ruhidus is a darker red,
with a large proportion
*
ji poet.'] VirgU.
^
Leaves
of
the o//i'^.]-Virgil alfo applies the term pallens
to the olive" pallenti cedit olivae."
M
3
of
i66
THE
ATTIC NIGHTS
of black.
Liltens, on the contrary, is a red more di-
luted,
fronn which its name indeed feems to come.
Therefore,
my dear Favorinus, the fhades of red have
not more names in Greek than amongft us. Neither
have you more appellations for the green colour; Vir-
gil, wifliing to exprefs the colour of a horfe as green,
might as
well have faid c^eruleus as glaucus
^
but
he preferred a Greek word which was familiar, to a
Latin one which was uncommon. Our anceftors
ufed the word ccefta for what the Greeks call
yAaujcwTTK*.
asNigidius fays,
De colore coeli, quafi
ccelia.'*

When Fronto had thus fpoken, Favo-

rinus,
extolling his various knowledge of things,
and elegance of expreffion, replied:
"
Were it
not
for you only, the Greek language would
,
pro-
bably have had the advantage
;
but you, my Fronto,
do that which is expreffed by Homer,
'
Thou
wouldft
either have won
or made it doubtful.' I
have liftened to all you have learnedly urged with
great fatisfadlion ; but particularly with refpefl to
the varieties of the co\o\xv
flavus
, by which you have
enabled me to underftand
thofe moft agreeable lines
in the fourteenth Annal
of Ennius, which I did not
comprehend before.
*
Verrunt extemplo placide mare marmore flavo,
Caeruleum fpumat
mare conferta rate puifum.'
Cdpruhum mare did not
by any means feem to cor-
refpond with marmore
fiavo ;
but as you
{2>:^ fiavus
is
a mixture of green
and
white, the foam of the
green
fea feems moft happily
to be denominated
jflavum marmor.
4 Chap,
I
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
1^7
Chap. XXVII.
PVhat
Caftrtclus thought
of
thepajfages
in
Sallufi
and
in Demofthenes^ in 'which one dejcrihes Philipy and th^
other Sertorius,

THE
following ftrong and
remarkable
expref-
fions are applied by Demofthenes to king
Philip:
"
I beheld Philip himfelfj with whom we were
at conteft for power and
dominion, with one eye
fcooped out
'5
his collar-bone broken^his hand and leg
maimed, ready to give up whatever part of his body
'
fortune might choofe to take, fo that he might live
in future with refpefb and honour.*'
Salluflj defiring to rival this, thus wrote, in hig
hiftory, concerning the general Sertorius
:
"
When tribune of the people, he got great glo-
ry in Spain, under the command of Titus Didius.
In the Marfic war he performed great fervicc by
his provifion of men and arms -, and many things
were then done under his direftion, which firft were
fuppreffed by the meannefs, afterwards by the in-
vidioufnefs of writers. Thefe were confpicuou*
*
One eye /cooped out.
"]
This alludes to a particular facl ia
the life of Philip ofMacedon, who loft an eye from the wound
of an arrow at the fiege of a town in Thrace.
M
4
from
i68
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
from his countenance, his many wounds in front, anc^
lofs of an eye ;
with which disfigurement of his
body he was exceedingly delighted, not at all anx-
ious for thefe parts, fince he prefervpd the remainder
of his limbs with the greater honour."
Titus Caftricius, reflecting on the words of both
writers, fays :

"
Is it not beyond the reach of hu-
man nature to be delighted with die disfigurement of
the body ? Since a certain exultation of mind, with
a fervent pleafure frqm what has happened, is
what
we call delight
*.
How much more confiflent and
natural are the words of Demofthenes,
"
Ready
to
give up whatever part of his body fortune might
choofe to take." In which words, continues he,
Philip is reprefented, not as Sertorius, delighted
with the disfigurement of his body, which is unufual
*
What tv^ call delight.'] --^Tlxi^ is certainly an iadefinite
cxpreffibti; but it may eafily be imagined, that they whofs
charaleriflic is an ardent love of glory, can receive fatlsfac-
tion, and even delight, from the incidental circumft'ances pro-
moting that glory, thotigh occalloned' by wounds, lofs of limb^
and fuch like accidents.
What is related by Stobieus of the
Perfians, appears at; iirft fight a moft rei^iarkable and not to be
accounted' for fpecies of this properifity in the human mind. It
is related that the Perfiahsj when ordered to be beaten feverely
by the commarlds of their fovereign, 'exprelled the greatef^
joy, that they fliould at all have a place in the remembrance Qf
their rnafters. Our Saviour alfo tells his more intimate dil-
ciples, to rejoice and be exceeding glad, when for his fake
they
fufFer pei-fecutions from the wolld. AH of which, when re-
duced from figurative to common language, feems to mean no
more, than that in all poifible cafts of injury or fuffering, the
iilent but emphatic teftimony of a good confcience, and adling
from a fenfe of duty, mull communicate
a fatisfadlion not to be
IlimiTiifhed by any external impreifion.
^
and
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
i^^j
and extravagant, but from his thirft of praife
and
glory, a defpifer of bodily lofTes and injuries ; who
for the gain and affluence of honour, voluntarily of-
fered all his linnbs to the attacks of fortune.
Chap. XXVIII.
// does not appear to what deity
facrifice Jhould he
of^
fered
when an earthquake happens,
WHAT
it
is that may be deemed the
caufe of
earthquakes
',
is not only not obvious to the
common fenfe and opinions of men, but is not even
determined among the fyftems ofnatural
philofophy
;
whether they happen from the force of the winds en-
tering
}Earthquakes.
]
There was nothing for which the ancient philo-
fophers were more perplexed to account, than the phasnomena of
earthquakes and eclipfes. Every uncommon eventwas, in the times
of ignorance or fuperftition, imputed to the interference of fome
deity. From the circumftance of the eaithquake which happened
in the reign of Valentinian, Mr. Gibbon, with his accuftomed
vivacity, takes occafion to fneer at the credulity of the earlier
Chriilians
;
but with his ufual mifreprefentation, and inclina-
tion to exaggerate, when the interefcs of Chriftianity are at
flake, he over-reaches his mark, and falls on the other /idc.
No better account, however, of the caufes and operation ofearth-
quakes can poflibly be given than in the words of Mr. Gibbon,
vol. vii. 8vo edit.
p. 415.

I
tranfcribe the whole of the pafTage,
which is certainly very beautiful.
"
The near approach of a comet may injure or deftroy the
globe which we inhabit ', but the changes on its furface have
been
J70 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
tcring tlic bofom and cavities of the'earth, or by the
undulatory
pulfations of fubterraneous
waters, which
the more ancient Greeks feemed to think, by calling
Neptune^
"
Earth- fhaker:" or whether they proceed
from any other caiife, from the interpofition and
power of any deity -, all, as I obferved, is as yet alto-
gether uncertain. Therefore the ancient Romans',
who were remarkably difcreet and pious in all the
offices of life, but particularly in the duties ofreligion,
and their reverence of the gods, whenever they felt,
or it was declared that an earthquake had happened,
ordered an holy-day by public edi(5t
-,
but they fbr-
been hitherto produced by the adions of volcanoes and earth-
quakes. The nature of the foil may indicate the countries moft
cxpofed to thefe formidable concuffions, fmce they are caufed
by
fubterraneous fires, and fuch ^cs are kindled by the union
and fermentation of iron and fulphur. But their times and ef-
fels appear to lie beyond the reach of human curiofity ; and
the philofopher will difcreetly abftain from the prediilion of
earthquakes, ti 1 he has counted the drops of water that filently
filtrate on the inflammable mineral, and meafured the caverns
which encreafe, by refiftance, the explofion of the imprifoned
air."
*
By calling Neptu/je.]
~-
Sec Herodotus, Vol. III.
p. 236,
**
Whoever fuppofes that Neptune caufes earthquakes, and that
the confequent chafms in the earth are the work of that deity,
may, on viewing this fpot, eafily afcribe it to his power : to
me the feparation of thefe mountains appears to have been
the eiFect of an earthquake."
3
T^e ancient Romans. 'j^-^For {cvevsX ages togetheil it is the
remark of Machiavel, never was the fear of God more emi-
nently confpicuous than in the Roman republic
j
and St. Auflin
bferves, that God would not give heaven to the Romans, be-
caufe they were heathens; but he gave them the empire of the
world, becaufe they were virtuous,
bore
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
171
bore
to
declare and fpecify the name of the deity,
as
was ufual, in whofe honour the holy-day was, left
by a miftake ofnames the people might be involved
in
falfe adoration. If any one had polluted this fef-
tival, and an expiation was necefTary, the vidlim
was facrificed, with this form,
"
Si deo, fi de^e
"^
,"
which M. VarrO' fays was ordained by a decree of
the pontifices, becaufe it was uncertain by what
impulfe, or from which of the gods or goddefTes,
the
earthquake had happened. But they were not very
ftrenuous in their endeavours to explore the caufes
of eclipfes of the fun or moon. For M. Cato, who
was indefatigable in his refearches after learning,
has fpoken upon this fubjecl indecifively and with-
out curiofity. Flis words, in his fourth book of
Origins, are thefe :
"
I have no inclination to
tranfcribe what appears on the tablet of the Ponti-
fex Maximus, how often corn is dear, how often
the light of the fun or moon is, from fome caufe
or other, obfcured." Of fo little importance did
he think it, to know or tell the caufes of eclipfes
of the fun and moon,
Si
deotfi
de^^]

**
Whether lo a god or to a goddefs." The
deii tutelares, or tutelary gods, v/ere alfo thus ambiguoufly ad-
drefied, lefi, in the great crcvvd of deities, there fhould ariie a
confufion of fex, or miflakc of names.
Chap.
172
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
'
Chap. XXIX.
j^pologue
of
jEfop
the Phrygian^
ufeful
to he
rememhered,
TTTV
SOP the fabulift of Phrygia, has juftly
jnCj
been reckoned a wife man. He commu^
nlcated his falutary admonitions
',
not, as is the
cuftom of philofophers, with a feverity of manners
and the
imperioufnefs of command ; but by his
agreeable and facetious apologues
having a wife
and
?
Salutary admom'fions.']'Vincent of Beauvais, a learned Do-
minican of France, who flouriflied in the thirteenth century,
obferves, in his Mirror of Hiflory, that it was a practice of the
preachers of his age, to roufe the indifference and relieve the
languor oftheir hearers, by quoting the fables of ^Efop. War-
ton on the GeQ.Q Romanprum.See alfothe Author of Let-
ters on Mythology ; who, fpeaking of ^fop, fays,
"
The fe-
cond fort of fables, and more properly deferring the name of
mythology, are the admirable -^fopic tales, retaining the an-
cient fimplicity, but fo exquifitely adapted to the peculiar
inllinfts of the birds and beails he employs, and fo juftly ap-r
plied to life and manners, that the natural La Fontaine's, the
polite La Motte's, and even our ingenious Gay's imitations,
though highly entertaining, only ferve to fhew the Phrygian
to be inimitable. All their wit, and various refinings, canno^
compenfate his elegant fimplicity."Again, the fame writer
obferves, in another place,
"
Fable was the lirft garb in which
wifdom appeared, and was fo far from being peculiar to the
finging tribe, that tlie fathers of fcience, both civil and fa-
cred,
I
OF
ALlLUS GELLIUS.
173
and falutaiy tendency, he imprefled the minds and
underllandings of his hearers, by captivating their
attention. His fable, which follows, of the bird*s
neft, teaches with the moft agreeable humour
that hope and confidence, with refpe^l to thofe
things which a man can accomplifh, fhould be
placed not in another but in himfelf.
"
There is a little bird," fays he,
"
called a lark
;
it lives and builds its neft amongft the corn, and its
young are generally fledged about the time of the
approach of harvefl. A lark happened to build
among fome early corn, which therefore was grow-
ing ripe when the young ones were yet unable to
fly. When the mother went abroad to feek food
for her young, fhe charged them to take notice if
any unufual thing Ihould happen or be faid, and
to inform her when Ihe returned. The mafler of
the corn calls his fon, a youth, and fays,
'
You
fee that this corn has grown ripe, and requires our
labour
5
to-morrow therefore, as foon as it Ihall be
light, go to our friends, defire them to come and
cred, adopted it as the beft means both to teach and perfuade."
According to Quintilian, JEio^ was not the hrR. author of
fables; but Hefiod, Inftit. Orat. L. V. c. xuMacrobius, in
his Som. Sclp. makes a diftin6tion betwixt the fables of JEfop
and thofe of Hefiod, calling the former fables, and the latter
"
fabulofa narratio." We are by no means to underlland, that
the fables which go by the name of JE(op are genuine, and
written by JECop himfelf; it would hp difficult to prove that
he wrote any. See this fubjet difcuffed in the Opera Critica
of Gataker,
p. 123-4..
affift
174
THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
afllft us in getting in our harveft.'
When he had
faid this, he departed. When the lark returned,
the
trennbJing young ones began to make a noife
round their mother, and to entreat her
to haften
away, and remove them to fome oth^r place -,
^
for
the .mailer,' fay they,
'
has fent to afk his friends
to
come to-morrow morning and reap.'
The mother
defires them to be at eafe^
'
for if the mafter,' fays
Ihe, '
refers the reaping to his friends, it will not take
place to-morrow, nor is it necelTaiy for me to re-
move you to-day.' The next day, the mother flies
away for food : the mafter waits for his friends ; the
fun rages, and nothing is done
;
no friends came.
Then he fays a fecond time to his fon :
'
Thefe
friends,' fays he,
*
are very tardy indeed. Tet us
rather go and invite our relations and neiglibours,
and defire them to come early to-morrow and
reap.' The affrighted young tell this to their mo-
ther : Ihe again defires them not to be at all
anxious or alarmed.
'
There are no relations fo
obfequious as to comply inftantly with fuch re-
quefts, and undertake labour without hefitation.
But do you obferve if any thing fliall be faid again.'
The next morning comes, and the bird goes to
feck food. The relations and neighbours omit to
give the afliftance required of them. At length
the mafter fays to his fon,
'
Farewel to our
friends and relations
5
bring two fickles at the
dawn of day
-,
I will take one, and you the other,
and to-morrow we will reap the corn with our own
hands.'
When the mother heard from her
young
ones.
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
175
ones,
that the mafter had faid this :
*
The time
is
now come/ fays fhe,
'
for us to go away
^
;
now
what he fays will undoubtedly be done; for he
reils upon himfelf, whofe bufinefs it is, and net on
another, who is requefled to do it.' The lark
then removed her nell ; the corn was cut down by
the mafter."This is the fable of ^fop concerning
confidence in friends and relations, generally vain
and deceitfijl. But what elfe do the more fenten-
tlous books of philofophers recommend, than that
we ihould make exertions for ourfelves, nor confi-
der as ours, nor at all belonging to us, what is ex-
ternal with refpedl to ourfelves and our minds ?
Q^
Ennius has given this apologue of JEfop in his
Satires, with great Ikill and beauty, in tetrameters.
The two laft, I think, it is well worth while to have
imprefled on the heart and memory.
"
Always have in mind this fentiment. Expect
not from your friends what you can do your-
felf."
*
To ;o a=way.'] This concluding fentence is a fragment
of
Babrias. See Suidas, at the word ayiav. Of this Babrias, a
writer of ^fopic fables, no better account is to be found than
in Suidas, who fays, that he wrote ten books of fables, which
he turned into verfe from ^fop. Socrates alfo is faid to have
tranflated fome of ^fop's fables into verfe. I have given a
note at fome length on the fubjed: of ^lop, in my tranflation
of Herodotus, to which I beg leave to transfer the reader. To
the fragment of Babrias here mentioned, fee the notes of the
Ifearned
Tyrwhitt, in his DiiTertatio de Babrio.

Chap.
iyS rut ATTIC
NIGHTS
Chap.
XXX.
On the motion
of
the wavesy and their
different undu^
lationsy according
to the blowing
of
the wind
from
the
fouth or north.
A
DIFFERENCE has dways been re-
markable in the fwelling of the waves as
affeded by the north wind, and thofe blowing
from that quarter of the heavens, and thofe from
the fouth and fouth-weft. The waVes raifed by
the north wind are large and rapid as poflible;'
but as foon as the wind fiibfides they difperfe
and become calm, and the furface is almoft in-
llantly without any fwell ; but it is not fo when the
fouth and fouth-weft blow, which, if not very
high, make the fwell continue longer, and when
the wind ceafes to be felt the fea continues for
a long time tempeftuous. The caufe of this is
fuppofed to be, that the winds from the north com-
ing to the fea from the more elevated parts of
the heavens, fall downwards perpendicularly, as it
were, into the depths of the waters, and do not agi-
tate the waves fo much from its outward impulfe
as its internal commotion, which continues no?
longer than its outward force afFe6ts the furface.
BBt the fouth and fouth-weft, a6ling in an horizon-
tal direction, rather impel the waves upon each
other than raife them aloft.
The waves, therefore,
not aded upon perpendicularly^ but
rather compel-
led
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
177
led
againft each other, retain, after the wind fhall
have fubfided, for a (hort time, its original motion.
What I intimate receives farther confirmation from
the verfes of Homer, if they are perufed with fuit-
able attention. Ofthe fouth winds he fpeaks thus:
"
When the fouth impels the wave of the fea
againft a rock."
On the contrary, he fays of Boreas, which we call
Aquilo

*^
And the calming Boreas rolling a great wave.'*
He reprefents the north winds as adiing in a more
elevated and perpendicular dire6tion, to raife the
waves, as it were, from their inmoft depths, whilft
thofe from the fouth, which are lower, impell them
with greater violence backwards and forwards.
It has alfo been remarked by the moft accom-
plilhed philofophers, that when the fouth winds blow,
the fea is of a blueilli colour; when the north blows,
it is dark and black
*, the caufe of which, as I
have extradted it from the Problems of Ariftotle,
I here infert :

'*
Why, when the fouth wind
blows, is the fea blue
;
when the north, darker and
more gloomy ? Is it becaufe the north agitates the
fea lefs ? for every thing which is not moved feems
black."
This explanation of the effefts of the winds appears to be very
pertinent and fenfible ; nor do I fee any objection to which it is
liable.
*
Dark and ^/^fi.]Virgil, fpeaking of the waves as agi-
tated by the north wind, calls them black :
"
Interea medium ^neas jam et efle tenebat,
Certus iter, fludlufque atros Aquilone fecabat.'*
Vol. L
N BOOK
178
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
BOOK
III.
HAP. L
Enquiry into the reajon why
Salluft affirmed
that avarice
emajculated not only the mind hut the body.
A
BOUT the end of winter we were walking
with FavoriniTs the philofopher in the court
of the Sitian baths
%
when the fun was warm,
Whilft
'
Sitian baths."] So called from Sitins, who built them. It Is,
however, difputed whether this jfhould not be written TitiuSr The
baths of Rome, public as well as private, were almoft without
number. The fplendour and magnificence of Tome of them can
hardly be imagined. The baths of Diocletian accommodated
more than three thoufand perfons. The following defcription
from Gibbon may entertain the reader
:
*'
The flupendous aquedafts, fo juflly celebrated by the
praifes of Auguftus himfelf, repleniflied the therms, or baths,
which had been conllruded in every part of the city with im-
perial magnificence. The baths ofAntoninus Caracalla, which
were open at ftated hours for the indiscriminate fervice of the
fenators and the people, contained above fixteen hundred feats oi
marble, and more than three thoufand were reckoned in the baths
of Diocletian. The walls of the lofty apartments were covered
with curious Mofaics, that imitated the art of the pencil in the
elegance of defign, and variety of colours. The /Egyptian gra-
nite was beautifully incruHed with the precious green marble of
, Numidia:
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
179
Whilft we walked,
the Catiline of Salluft was read,
which he defired to be done, feeing it in the hand
ofa friend. The following paiTage occurred: "Ava-
rice involves the defire of money, which no wife
man ever coveted. This, as if impregnated with
poifonous qualities, debilitates the body and manly
ipirit. It is ever boundlefs and infatiable, neither
diminilhed by plenty nor by want."
On this, Favorinus, looking at me,
"
How is it,"
fays he,
"
that avarice dibilitates the body of a man ?
As to his remark, that it weakens the manly ipirit,
I
in fome meafure allow it -, but I can by no means
fee how it alfo debilitates a man's body."
"
I alfo,*'
I replied,
'^
have for a long time meditated
on this,
and if you had not prevented me, I fhould
have been
defirous to put the fame queftion to you."
I had
Numidia : the perpetual ftream of hot water was poured into the
capacious
bafons through (o many wide mouths of bright and
mafiy filver; and the meaneft Roman could purchafe, with a
fmall copper coin, the daily enjoyment of a fcene of pomp and
luxury,
which might excite the envy of the kings of Afia. From
thefe llately palaces ifTued a fwarm of dirty and ragged plebeians,
without Ihoes, and without a mantle, who loitered away whole days
in the ftreet or forum to hear news, and to hold diiputes
j who
diffipated in extravagant gaming the miferable pittance of their
wives and children, and fpent the hours of the night in obfcure
taverns and brothels, in the indulgence of grofs and vulgar fen-
fuality."
The money paid for admiflion was the quarter of ai> as, which
was equivalent to about half a farthing.
There were in Rome at one period eight hundred and fifty-fix
public baths ; thefe, as the empire increafed in wealth and liccn-
tioufnefs, were perverted to the mod abominable purpofes, and
made the fcene of the mod extravagant debauchery.
N a fcarcc
io THE ATTIC NIGHTS
fcarce faid this with fome
hefitation, when inllantly
one of the followers of
Favorinus,
who feemed to
be experienced in letters^ fpoke as follows:
"
I
have heard Valerius Probus remark, that Salluft here
ufed a certain poetical circumlocution ; and mean-
ing to fay that man was corrupted by avarice, he
mentioned the body and the mind, which two things
charadberife man, who is compofed of body and
mind."

" I well know,** replied Favorinus,

"
that
our Probus could not be fo impertinent and daring,
as to fay that Salluft, who was fo very refined a
friend of concifenefs, fliould introduce a poetical
periphrafis.**There then happened to be walking
with us a certain man of found learning, who being
alfo alked by Favorinus, if he had any thing to ob-
ferve on this fubjed:, replied to this effedt :
"
Thofe
whom avarice weakens and corrupts, and who
totally give themfelves up to acquire money by any
means, we for the moft part find employed in this
kind of life. As every thing elfe is given up in
comparifon with money, fo alfo is mxanly labour,
and the defire of bodily exercife. They are wholly
intent upon bufinefs of a retired kind, and feden-
tary gains, in which all their vigour, both of mind
and body, languifhes, and, as Salluft fays, is debili-
tated.** On this Favorinus defired that the paf-
fage of Salluft might be read a fecond time
;
which
being done,
"
But how,*' fays he,
"
fhail we re-
concile the feeing many covetous of money, who are,
at the fame time, of hale, and ftrong bodily vigour:'*
Then the other made this, by no means impertinent,
reply.
"
Whoever,** fays he,
"
is covetous of mo-
OF
AULUS GELLIUS. i8i
ney, and has at the fame time a good and flrong ha-
bit of body, muft necelTarily be employed in the de-
fire and purfuit of other things alfo, and cannot be
equally fparing in his care of himfelf For if ex-
treme avarice alone . occupies every part and paf-
fion of a man ; and if it proceeds to fuch negleft
of his perfon, that this care alone excludes every
other, either of virtue or of vigour, of body or of
mind, then may he truly be faid to be debilitated
both in mind and body
%
who has regard neither
for himfelf, nor for any thing elfe, except money."

" Then," faid Favorinus,

"
either what you have
obferved is the probable interpretation, or Salluft,
from his hatred of avarice, has criminated it more
than it deferves."
*
Debilitated both in mind and body, ^r^lt may, perhaps, be
faid, that the excefs of every paflion naturally tends to impair
the vigour of the body ; and it is certainly true of the paflion of
avarice in particular, that when indulged to the intemperate de-
gree which is here defcribed, it is accompanied with a corroding
anxiety and folicitude, which cannot fail gradually to injure and
debilitate the fine nerves and fibres difperfed through the body.
The fophift Bion, as recorded by Theognes, faid, that avarice
was the greateft of all vices ; our Qowley calls it a fpecies of
madnefs ; but we have the authority of Pope for afier^ing thi^t
it feldom infe6ls poets and authors ;,Pope, however, borrowed
the idea from Horace, which he thus turns :
Horace fays-^
"
Vatis avarus
Non temere eft animus."
^>nd Pope,
?'
And rarely avarice taints the tuneful mind,'*
N
3
Chap.
i82
THE ATTIC^
NIGHTS
Chap. II.
*
IVhichy according to Varro^ is the hirth-day
of
thoje.
who are horn
before or
after twelve o^clock at night
:
of
the/paces and duration
of
what are termed
"
civil
daysy^
ohjerved varioujly by all nations. , JVhat
^uintus Mutius has written concerning a womany
"juhom her hiifhand did not legally take by uje^
becaufe
the period
of
a civil year was not accomplifhed,
IT
has been enquired concerning thofe born at
the third, fourth, or any other hour of the night,
v/hich ought to be called and accounted their birth-
day, that which precedes, or that which follows.
M. Varro, in that book of his on Human Things,
which treats of days, has faid,
"
All thofe who are
'
It is proper to be remarked to the Englifti reader, that
of
the day, the month, and the year, the Romans obferved this
diftin6lion ; the firft they called natural, the other civil ; the na-
tural day was from fun-rife to fun-fet. The civil day was one
entire revolution of day and night. The Romans, as we do,
called the fpace from midnight to midnight a day. How other
nations varied in this refpeft we are here informed. See farther
on this fubjeft Cenforinus de Die Natali,
p. 123.
Befides the
natural and the civil day, there was alfo the artificial and the af-
tronomical day. The ancient Gauls reckoned by nights, and
named the fpace of twenty-four hours, which we call a day, a
right. This appears from Cajfar, who tells us that this cuftom
prevailed becaufe the Gauls imagined themfelves defcended from
Pluto. The curious reader will find this quefliqn difcuffed at a
confiderable length, and with great ingnuity> by Bayle, in his
Didionary.
born
%
OF AULUS GELLIUS. 183
born from the middle of one night to the middle
ofthe night which follows in the fpace ofthe twenty-
four hours, are faid to be born in the fame day."
By which exprelTion he feems fo to have divided
the obfervance of days, that a man born after fun-
fet before midnight, has that day his birth-day
from which that night commenced. But on the
contrary, he who is born within the fix fucceeding
hours of the night, feems born on the day fol-
lowing that night. Varro remarks alfo, in the
fame book, that the Athenians a6led differently,
calling the intermediate fpace from fun-fet to fun-
fet, one and the fame day. The Babylonians, Hill
otherwife, confidered as an entire day the fpace be-
twixt fun-rife and fun-rife
5
whilft many ofthe coun-
try of Umbria reckoned the interval betwixt mid-
day and mid-day, as one and the fame day :
"
Which,
indeed," fays Varro,
"
is abfurd enough; for he
who amongft the Umbri is born on the calends at
the fixth hour, muft appear to have as his birth-day
the Ipace of half of the calends, and that which pre-
cedes the fixth hour of the following day."
It appears from various proofs, as Varro has ob-
ferved, that the Roman people reckoned each day
from midnight
to midnight.
The facred ceremo-
nies of the Romans are partly by day and partly by
night, but thofe which are obferved by night, are at-
tributed to the days, and not to the nights. Thofe,
therefore, performed in the fix laft hours of the night
are afcribed to the day which
immediately follows
that night. Moreover, the ceremony and cuftom of
taking the aufpices teaches the fame obfervance.
N
4
For
184 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
For the magiftrates, when their aufpices, and the bu-^
finefs confequent upon them, are to be performed oi^
the fame day, take their aufpices after midnight;,
and execute in confequence of them after the mid-
day following; and they are faid to have taken the
aufpices, and accomplilhed what was to be done, on
the fame day, Befides this, the tribunes of the
people, who muft not be abfent a whole day from
Rome, when they depart after midnight, and return
after the firfl torch
%
before the midnight following,
are not faid to be ablcnt a complete day, if before
the fixth hour of the night they make their appear-
ance in any part of Rome. Quintus Mucius alfo, the
lawyer, ufed to fay that a woman was not legally
xifurpata *, who, with a view to matrimony, began
to
^
After the
jirfi
torch.]
-^
It was the duty of the tribunes to
keep a perpetual watch over the rights and liberties of the people,
for which reafon they not only were never abfent from Rome an
tntire day, but the doors of their houfes were continually open for
the admiffion of all petitioners and complainants, and as a place
of afylum. According to Macrobius, Saturn, i.
3,
the Romans
thus divided their night : the laft period of the day they called
fuprema tempeilas, which I hardly know hpw to tranflate better
than literally
the laH; period of day ; then came the vefpera,
which may perliaps be rendered the twilight ; then the fax, or
candle-light ; then the cpncubia, which is when people are in
their firft fleep ; afterwards the nox intempella, or the time of
night when no bufmefs can be done ; after midnight, the incli-
natio rpedise no^lis, or the turning of midnight ; then the cockr
crow ; next the conticinium, or the time when the cocks ceafe to
crow; then the diluentum, or break of day; then the morning.
^
Vfurpdta.]-'^ The three modes of contrafling matrimony
amongil the Romans were confarreatione, coemptione, and ufu.
The hrll was when the rites were performed with the
folemnity
of
OF
AULUS GELLIUS. iSj
to
cohabit with a man on the calends
"^
of January,
and did not leave him before the fourth of the
calends of January next enfuing : for the {pace of
three nights could not be fulfilled, which, accord-
ing to the twelve tables, fhe ought to be abfent
from her hufband, ufurpandi caufa; for the laft
fix hours of the third night belonged to
the
fol-
lowing year, which began on the calends. But
as we have found all diefe things concerning the
periods and hmits of days as conformable to the ob-
fervance and difcipline of ancient law in the books
of the older writers, I had never any doubt but
that Virgil pointed out this particular, not plainly
and openly, but as became a man treating poetical
fubjedls by a refined, and as it were, filent intima-
tion of the ancient cuftom. He fays

*^
Torquet medios nox humida curfus,
Et me fasvus equis oriens afBavit anhehs.**
In
which verfes
^
he obliquely, as I faid, wifhed to
intimate,
of facnfices, and the offerings of burnt cakes. The coemptio
was when the parties contrafted to each other by the ceremony
of giving and receiving a piece of money. The marriage by ufe
was when a woman, with the permiflion of her friends, cohabited
a whole year with a man without being abfent for the fpace of
three nights : this was held lefs folemn than the foregoing.
*
Calends.] The Romans reckoned the days of their months
by the calends, nones and ides. The calends were fixed to the
f
rft day of the month ; the nones were fo called becaufe they
reckoned nine days from them to the ides ; the ides were about
the middle of the month.
5
In ^hich vcrfcsJ]

A fmillar allufion is implied in another

f
adage of tlic iEneid :
**
Hac
i86
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
intimate, that what the Romans termed a civil day>
commenced at the fixth
hour of the night.
Chap. III.
Of
diftinguijhing
and examining the
flays
of
Plautus^,
fince fromifcuoujly fome
are with truths others are
falfely
ajcrihed to him, Plautus wrote plays in the
bakehoufe^ Navius in
frifon,
I
FIND to be true, what I have
heard fome ac-
compliihed men obferve, who have examined
moil ofthe comedies ofPJautus with minute and care-
ful attention, that we fhould not depend upon the ex-
planation of-SliuSjSedigitus, Claudius, Aurelius^Ac-^
cius, nor Manilius, concerning thofe plays which are
termed ambiguous, but look to
Plautus himfelf, to
the turn of his mind, and ftyle. It was this rule of
judging which we find Varro ufed. For, befides the
twenty-one which are termed Varronian, and which
he feparated from the reft as not being doubtful, but
univerfally allowed to be by
Plautus, he aflented to
certain others, induced by the ftyle and the humour
anfwering to thofe of Plautus, and to him he afcribed
them, though they went by the names of others.
That, for example, which I have recently perufed,
**
Hac vice ferrEonum rofeis aurora quadrigis
Jam
m:Qium a^therio curfu trajeccrat^axem."
That is, it was now miunight. See IVIacrobius, Saturn. 1. i.
3.
*
'
'
and
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
187
and
which is called
"
Boeotia
;*'
for, though it
was
not amongft the twenty-one, and was given
to
Aquilius, Varro had no doubt but that
it
was writ-
ten by Plautusj neither will any reader to whom
Plautus is familiar, entertain doubt, if he reads thefe
verfes only of that playj which as they are, if I may
fo fay, moft Plautinian, I have remembered and
tranfcribed. There a hungry parafite fays,
"
The gods confound the man who firft found
out
How to diftinguifh hours ! confound
him too
Who in this place fet up a fun-dial
To cut and hack my days fo wretchedly
Into fmall portions 1 When
I
was a boy.
My belly was my fun-dial : one more fure.
Truer, and more exadt than any of them.
This dial told me when 'twas proper time
To go to dinner, when I had aught to eat;
But now a-days, why even when I have,
I can't fall-to unlefs the fun give leave
'.
The town's fo full of thefe confounded dials.
The greateft part of its inhabitants.
Shrunk up with hunger, creep along the flreets."
My
'
/ can''t fall-to unlefs
the
fin
give leave.] I have given
the tranflation of this fragment as I found it in the tranflation
by Thornton and Warner. There is a pafiage and fentiment
exaflly correfponding in the letters of Alciphron, which I give
from the tranflation, publiflied by Mr. Monro and myfelf
:
.
One parafite writing to another, fays,
"
The hand does not yet
point at fix, whilll I, pinched with hunger, am almoft ready to
perifh.Well, let us call a council, or rather let us lind a beam
and rope, and go and hang ourfelves. If we throv/ down alto-
gether the column which fupports that curfed dial, or place the
index
i88 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
My friend alfo, Favorinus, when I was reading the
Nervolaria
*
of Plautus, which is one of thofe that
are difputed, and had heard this verfe,
"
Old wheezing, ptificky, mere founder'd hags.
With dry, parch'd, painted hides^ Jhrivcird and
flirunk,'*
delighted with the facetious quaintnefs of the words,
cxpreflive of the vices and uglinefs of harlots,

*'
This fingle verfe," fays he,
**
is enough to juftify
our belief jhat this was by Plautus." Myfelfalfo,
when I was very lately reading the Fretum
',
which
fonic
icdex fo that it may gain a few hours, we (hall contrive a fcheme
worthy the invention of Palamedes himfelf."
According to Salmafius, the firft fun-dial ever feen in Rome
was placed there in the 499th year from the building of the
city. Some commentators, notvvithftanding the encomiums
which Gellius paffes on this play, believe that it was not written
by Plautus, but by one Aquilius.
*
Ner'volana.] M. Marolles is of opinion, that the name of
this play may be taken from Nervus, which has many fignifica-
tions. It may polTibly be fo, as Ciftellaria from Cilia, Aulularia
from Ollula, and fome others. See Thornton's Plauts, where
the fragments of this play are colleded and tranflated, which
tranflation I have ufed.
3
Fretum.] The Romans gave this name to the Straights of
Gibraltar, by way of diftindion. In his verfion of this fragment,
which follows, Mr. Warner, who continued and completed the
tranflation began by Mr. Thornton, feems to have made an unac-
countable miftake. He renders it thus, firft reading, I cannot tell
why,
**
Ani^inum refponfum : Why, this is like what's faid, that
AniSlinus once ga've
for
anfwer
at the games, &c."^rThe proper
reading can furely be nothing elfe but Ant^inum
refponfujuy
and the
meaning has an obvious allufion to the oracle of Jupiter
Ammon
in the defarts of Lybia" Do which you will, you will he the
fufFerer.'^
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
189
fome
will not allow to have been by Plautus, enter-
tained no doubt of its being his, and the mofl ge-
nuine of all. From this I tranfcribed thefe two
verfes, enquiring after the oracle of the Ram:

^^
^^
Why, this is like the oracular anfwer given
at the great games :
Ifl
Do not do this, Vm ruin'd : ifl do it,
I Ihall be punilh'd for it/'
Marcus Varro, in his firft book on the Comedies
of Plautus, gives thefe words of Accius:

" For
neither were the Twins, the Lions, Condalium, nor
the Old Woman, the Twice Violated, Boeotia, nor
the Countryman, nor the Men dying together, by
Plautus, but by M. Aquilius.'*We alfo find, in
the fame book of Varro, that there was a certain
writer of comedies, whofe name was Plautius, whofe
plays having the infcription Plaiai\ were confidered
as by Plautus, when they were, in fad, named not
fufFerer." Linceis obferves (fee Thornton's Plautus) that this is
very like a pallage in the hiftory of Sufanna, ver. 22.

" Ifl do
this thing, it is death to me
;
and if I do it not, I,cannot efcape
your hands."
"*
Plauti.']-^ Sc the famous epigram in Virgil.
"
Die quibus in terris et eris rnihi magnus Apollo
Tres pateat Cteli fpatium non amplius ulnas."
Where the poet plays on the ambiguity ofCaeU, which may mean
heaven, but which he intended to mean one Carltus of Mantua,
whofe grave was of no greater extent than is defcribed in thefe
verfes.-^Confult Solinus ad Salmaf.
p.
1222. By others this
has been underftood as a. riddle on a well. See alfo Heyne,
who ipeaki of another interpretatiwi, vol, i.
p. 63.
Plautinae
I90 THE ATTIC NIGBTS
Plautinae from Plautus, but Plautianse from Plan-
tius. There were about one hundred and thirty
plays which go by the name of Plautus
^
but Lucius
-^lius> a moft learned man, was of opinion, that no
more tlian twenty-five were his. Still there is no
doubt blit that thofe which feem not to have
been
written by plautus, but are afcribed to him, were by
certain ancienit poets, and retouched and polifhed by
Hm,and moreover, have much ofhis appropriate ftyle.
But both Varro, and many others, have related that
the Saturio
% the
Addiftus
^
and another, the name
of which I do not remember, were written by him
in a bakehoufe, when, having loft in trade all the
money he had obtained in the employment of the
adlors, he returned in want to Rome, and to obtain
a livelihood hired himfelf to a baker, to turn the
*
Saturio.
]

Of this play there remain three fmali fragments.

Saturio means a glutton. In his Perfa he calls a parafite by
this name.
"
Tox. O Saturio opportune adveniili mihi.
Sat. Mendacium edepol dicis, atque haud te decet
Nam Efurio venio, non advenio Saturio.**
Here he puns upon the word Saturio. It is thus rendered ia
Thornton's Plautus
:
"
Tox, YouVe nlck'd the time, Saturio.
Sat. Now, by Pollux, that's a fib.
And mifbecomes you mightily; for trotk
I come Hungurio, not Saturio, hither."
Feftus fays, that in this play of the Saturio
"
Plautus mentions
the Romans having^been ufed to eat the fielh of young puppies."
^
Addiaus,']

"The Man adjudged."Ofthis play one frag-

ment only remains.See the life of Plautus prefixed to Thorn-
ton's tranllation from Petrus Crinitus.
mill
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
191
mill
called a hand-mill
7,
Thus alfo we are told of
Naevius,
that he wrote two plays in prifon, the
Hariolus, and Leontes, when, on account of his
conftant abufe and reproaches uttered againfl the
chief men of the city, according to the cuftom of the
Greek poets
^,
he was thrown into prifon at Rome,
by the triumvirate; from whence he was after-
wards delivered by the tribunes, when he had ex-
punged from thofe plays, which I have above men-
tioned, his faults, and acrimony of di6lion, by which
he had before offended many.
7
Hand-fnilL']

The mills of the ancients were worked by

afies, or by men ; the firft were called afmarise, the fecond trufa-
tiles, or manualcs,
'
Of
the Greek pcets."] This alludes to the old comedy of the
Greeks, which, as in the example of Ariftophanes, abufed the
nobleft, and perhaps the moft deferving, of the citizens with in-
temperate acrimony. The Clouds of Ariftophanes is by many
afTerted to have occafioned the death of Socrates. I will not
prefume to fay that this was adually the fa6l, but it cannot be
denied, that this ridiculous reprefentation of Socrates could not
fail to diminilh the reverence which the Athenians before paid
to his perfon and charadler. The allegation againil Socrates,
which in this play was fatirically introduced, was in fuc-
ceeding times, and in a folemu court of judicature, brought
forward with every ferious aggravation. Thus dangerous it is
to inftil into the minds of the uninformed and ill-judging, vulgar
prejudices, concerning the intrinfic re<Slitude and truth of which
they are unable to decide. N^vius, the poet here mentioned,
was driven into exile, and died at Utica, a place made me-
morable by being the laft retreat of Cato.
Chap.
i^i THE ATTIC NIGHTS
Chap. IV.
Fuhlius Africanus, and other men
of
rank, hefore they
arrived at old age^ ufually Jhaved their beard and
cheeks*
I^HAVE
found it written, in the books which
treat of the life of P. Scipio Africanus, that
Publius Scipio, the fon of Paulus, when he had
triumphed over the Carthaginians, and had been
cenfor, was accufed before the people by Claudius
Afellus, a tribune, from whom he had taken his
horfe
'
in his cenforfhip. And that, whilfi accufed,
he neither omitted to fhave his beard
%
to wear a
white
*
Taken hh horfe.
1
When the knights were muftered (if
this term be proper) before the cenfor, they to whom no objec-
tion was made, advanced to the cenfor's chair, leading theif
horfe, and were fufFered to pafs, by a fixed form of words.
From thofe againft whom there was fome formal allegation, their
horfe was taken away, and ordered to be fold.
*
Shave his beard.
"]

From the earliell ages of the world tiTT

the prefent, the beard has been confidered as a mark of re-
verence and honour, and has been cultivated with the extremeft
care and afliduity. To take a man by the beard v/as the higheft
degree of infamy that could pofiibly be olft'red to any one. To
take the beard of one and kifs, was a proof of reverence and
afFeftion.See Samuel, Book II. c. xx. ver.
9.
"
And
Joab took
Amafa by the beard to kifs him.'* The kifhng of the beard in
oriental countries was very frequent, and, I believe, is now ; and
many would rather fujffer death than the lofs of their beard.
Many implore charity by their beard, and as cur beggars would
fay.
OF
AULUS G ELL PUS.
193
v^Kite drefs, nor did he wear any of the habits of
perfons accufed. But as it appears that Scipio was
at this time under forty, I was furprifed
to read
this of his fnaving his beard. I find, however, that
at the fame period other eminent men were ac-
cuftomed to fliave their beards at the fame age
;
and
therefore we fee many flatues
^
of the ancients, not
very old, but of middle age, fo reprefented.
fay,
"
For the love of God." Beggars In the eafl: fay,
"
Give us
charity by your beard," and,
"
So may God pour his bleffings on
your beard." Prom this ancient reverence for the beard, it'ob-
viouHy follows, that the catting oit the beard was the gre4teft
pofTible mark of humiliation and forrow.
, In ancient Rome, the
moment any individual laboured under the weight of public ac-
cufation, he changed his garment, and Ihaved his beard. Indeed
the fubjeft of beards is almoft inexhauftible ; in many countries
it is thought a mark of forrow to fufFer the beard to grow ; in
many, the attention to the beard is an article of religion ; and
in Rome it was the general cuftom to wear the beard, till the
year
454
from the building of the city.See Pliny, who fays,
that the perfon v/ho firft introduced the cuftom of regularly
jfhaving the beard every day, was Scipio Africanus. With refpedl
to the habit, that worn by perfons publicly accufed was white.
See Livy, B. VI. c. xx.Cicero pro Ligario.
^
Many JiatuesJ^ The Greeks v/ore their beards till the
time of Alexander, they who then iirll fliaved, were diftinguifhed
by tlie appellation of Shaven. Plutarch fays, that Alexander
ordered the Macedonians to be fhaved, that the enemies might
not feize them by their beards.
Vol, L O Chap.
194
THE
ATTIC NIGHTS
Chap. V,
^he vice
of
luxury and
effeminacy
of
carriage cenfured
withjeverity and wity in a certain man^ by Arcefi-
laus the j>hilojopher.
PLUTARCH
relates, that Arcefilaus the phi-
lofbpher ufed a ftrong exprefTion concerning a
certain too effeminate rich man, who yet was faid
to be uncorrupt, ehafle, and fauklefs. When he faw
that he lifpcd, that his hair was artfully difpofed,
and that his eyes were wanton
%
and expreffive of
voluptuoufnefs

"
It is of no confequence," faid
he,
"
whether a man be a Pathic before or be-
hind."
*
His eyes nvere nvantoft.]
See Apuleius, B. X." Longt
fuavior Venus placide commoveri, contantique lente vefligio, et
leviter flufluante fpinula et fenfim annutante capite, caspit ince-
dere, mollique tibiarum fono delicatis refpondere geftibus ; et
nunc mite conniventibus nunc acre comminantibus geflire
pt^
pillis et nonnunquam faltare folis oculis"

where the cxpref-

fion of
<*
faltare folis oculi*" feems much to correipond with
**
oculos ludibundos."
C HAP
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
195
Chap. VI.
Of
the
force
and nature
of
the palm-tree : that its wood
refifis
the weight laid upon it,
ARISTOTLE,
in his feventh book of Pro-
blems, and Plutarch, in the eighth ofhis Sym-
pofia, relates a thing really wonderful
:

" If you
place a great weight upon the wood of a palm-tree
\
'
Weight upon the luood
of
a palm-tree, ^^^o this fuppofed pro-
perty of the palm-tree, Cowley alludes in his Davideis, as well
as to its being a reward of vidory
:

"
Well did he know how palms by oppreiTion {peed
Viftorious, and the viftor's facred meed.
With refpefl to the eftimation in which the palm was anciently
held, on account of its noble properties and nature, claffic writers
abound in the ftrongcft proofs. According to Pliny, the Orien-
tals firft of all wrote upon palm-leaves ; and Varro fays, the Sibyl
in Virgil wrote her predidions upon the leaves of palm. In
the Revelations of St.
John,
the fervauts of the Almighty are
defcribed as ftanding before the Lamb in white garments, with
palms in their hands. The Perllans at this day impute to the
palm-tree the virtue of preferving them from peftilence, for
which reafon they are found in abundance on their public ways,
and about their villages and cities. In remoter times, the palm
of Engaddi feems to have been the moft admired for its fize and
beauty.See Ecclefiafticus, xxiv. 14." I was exalted like
a
palm-tree in Engaddi (or Cades.)"
To the above-mentioned quality of the palm, there feems
to
be an oblique allufion in the Timon of Shakefpeare
:

**
Yoa fhall fee him a palm in Athens again ; and flourifh
with the higheft."
O
2
continually
196
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
continually increafing this, till the
weight is too
great to be fupported, the palnn does not
give way
downwards, nor bend inwards, but rifes againft the
weight, and bends and fprings upwards : for which
reafon," fays Plutarch,
"
the palm in contefts was
confidered as an emblem of vidtory, it being the
nature of
this tree not to give way to
preflure
and
oppofitlon."
Chap. VII.
Story taken
from
the j^tmalsy
of
^intus C^dicius, a mi-
litary tribune :
pajfage from
the Origines
of
CatOy in
which he compares the valour
of
C^dicius with that
cf
the Spartan Lemidas,
MCATO,
in his book of Origins, has re-

corded an a6l of Quintus Caedicius

',
a mi-
litary tribune, really illuflrious, and worthy of being
celebrated with the folemnity of Grecian eloquence.
'
^dntus dedicius.']

Authors are very much divided con-

erning the name of this illuflrious perfonage. Florus calls him
Calphurnius Flamma. There is a fimilar fadl recorded in the
Britilh annals, of an officer, whofe name 1 am unable to recoiled,
who, for fome important purpofe, was called upon by his general
to go with a detachment on a fervice where their deftruftion
was inevitable. He willingly accepted the dangerous diftinc-
tion; but .fortunately, by the intervention of a truce, he and his
'brave companions were preferved. Examples of Roman bravery
toight be adduced without'number.
It
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
197
It Is nearly to this tScO: : The Carthaginian ge-
neral in Sicily, in the firft Punic war, advancing to
meet the Roman army, firft occupied fome hills and
convenient fituations. The Romans, as it happen-
ed, got into a poft open to furprife, and very dan-
gerous. The tribune came to the confuj, pointing
out the danger from the inconvenience of the poft,
and the furrounding enemy

" 1 think," fays he,

"
if you would fave us, you muft immediately order
certain four hundred to advance to yonder hillock
*
(a rugged and elevated place) and command them
to take pofTefTion of it
j
when the enemy (hall fee
this, every one among them that is brave and ardent,
will be intent on attacking and fighting them, and
will be occupied by this bufinefs alone, and thefe
four hundred men will doubtlefs all be flain;

you,
whilft the enemy fhall be engaged in flaughter, will
have an opportunity of withdrawing the army frorp
this place : there is no other poflible method of
efcape." The conful replied, that the advice ap-
peared wife and good;
"
But whom," fays he,
"
ihall
I find^ that will lead
thefe four hundred men to
that
*
HiUock.l Verrucam, a wart, or excrefcence on the body,
literally.
3
Whomjhall
Ifind,'\^%tQ Milton, Book IL
40.2,
"
But whom fhall we fend
In fearch of this new world ; whom fliall we find
Sufficient? Who (hall tempt with wand'ring feet
The dark, unbottom'd, infinite abyfs? &c. &c.
This faid, he fat ; and expeflation held
His look fufpenfe, awaiting who
appeared
O3 T*
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
that fpot, againft the battalions of the enemy
?'*

"
If/' anfwered the tribune,
"
you find no one
clfe, employ me in this dangerous cnterprizej I offer
my life to you and my country." The conful
thanked and piaifed him. The tribune, with his
four hundred men, advanced to death. The enemy,
allonifhed at their boldnefs, waited to fee where they
were going; but when it appeared ^that they were
marching to take pofleflion of the hill, the Cartha-
ginian general fent againft them the abieft men of his
army, both horfe and foot. The Roman foldiers
were furrounded, and being furrounded, fought : the
conteft was long doubtful, but numbers at length
.
prevailed
j
the four hundred to a man were either
flain with the fword, or buried under mifTile wea-*
pons. The conful, in the interval of the engage-
ment, withdrew his troops to a poft, high and fecure,
but the event which happened to this tribune who
commanded the four hundred,
I fhail fubjoin, not
in my own, but Cato*s words :

*^
The
immortal
Gods gave the military tribune a fortune fuitable tp
his valour: for thus it happened^ when he was
wounde(J in every other part, his head alone was
Vnhurt, and when they diftinguifhed
him amongflj
To fecond or oppofe, or undertake
The perilous attempt : but all fat mute.
Pondering the danger with deep thoughts."
See alfo in Homer the epifode of Dolon :r-
*^
Is there, fays he, a chief fo greatly brave.
His life to hazard, and his country fave ?
Fear held them mute, alone untaught to fear
Tydides fpoke-r-The man you fe^k is here."
tic
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
199
the dead, exhaufted with wounds, and breathing
with difficulty from a lofs of blood, they bore
hioi
off. He recovered, and often afterwards perform-
ed bold and eminent fervices to his country ; and this
exploit of his detaching thefe troops, preferved the
remainder of the army. But the place, where the
fame deed is done, is of great importance. Leonidas
*
ofLacedasmon, whofe condud was the fame at Ther-
nrwpylse, is extolled ; on account
of his virtues all
Greece celebrated his glory, and raifed his name to
the higheft degree of eminence, teftifying their grati-
tude for his exploit by monuments, trophies, fta-
tues, panegyrics, hiftories, and other fimilar means.
But to this tribune of the people, who did the fame
thing, and faved his country, fmall praife has been
afljgned."M. Cato has, by this his teftimony,
adorned the valour of
(^
Ciedicius. But Claudius
Quadrigarius, in his third book of Annals, af-
firms that his name was not Casdicius, but Va-
lerius.
^
Leonidas.']
The ftory of Leonidas and Thermopylae mull
be too familiar to require recital here.It may be found at
length in the Polymnia,
or feventh book of Herodotus,
O
4
Chap*
200 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
Chap. VIII.
Celebrated letters
of
the conjuls Cains Fabricius and
jEmilius^ to king Pyrrhusy taken
from
^intus Clau-
dius
'
the hiflorian,
WHEN
king Pyrrhus* was in Italy, and had
been conqueror in one or more engagements,
and, notv/ithftanding all the efforts of the Romans,
the greater part of Italy had revoked to the king,
a certain
Timochares, of
Ambracia, a friend of
Pyrrhus
%
came fecretly to Fabricius the conful, afk-
ing a reward, for which, if it were given him, he pro-
mifed to deftroy the king by poifon. This he af-
firmed would be eafily accomplifhed, as his fons
gave the king his wine at entertainments.
Fabri-
cius fent information of this to the fenate. The
fenate km ambaffadors to the king,
commanding
them not to difcover Timochares, but to caution
the king to live with greater circumfpedion, and to
guard himfelf againft the treachery of thofe about
him. This ftory is related, as I have told it, in the
hiftory of Valerius Antias. But
Quadrigarius, in
his third book, affirms that not Timochares, but
"
Probably
Q^
Claudius Quadrigarius*
*
Pyrrhus.']

The ftory of Pyrrhus, and how he was invited

into Italy by the people of Tarentum, to aflift them againft the
Romans, is recorded by Plutarch, and Juftin.
5
Friend
of
Pyrrhus.]

This perfon is by fome writers re-

ported to have been phyficiaxi to PyrrJ^s.
Nicias,
OF
AULUS GELLIUS. 201
Nlclas, went to the conful
,
and that ambafTadors
were not fent by the fenate, but by the confnls; and
that the king returned thanks, and highly extolled the
Roman people by letter, and alfo cloathed and dif-
rnifled all the prifoners he had in his power. C^Fa-
bricius and Q^^milius were the confuls ; according
to Quadrigarius, the letters which they fent to king
Pyrrhus on this occafion were to this efred
:

*^
The Roman confuls
*"
fend health to king Pyr-
rhus. On account of the injuries received from
you, we are ever anxious to oppofe you, with ardor
and with enmity. But, for the fake of general ex-
ample and fidelity, v/e wifh you to be preferved,
that we may finally conquer you in arms* Nicias>
your familiar friend, came to us, aflcing of us a
reward, if he fliould deftroy you privately ? To this
we denied our affent, nor might he for this expedt
any advantage from us
; at the fame time we
thought proper to inform you of this, left if any
fuch thing had happened, the world might have
thought it done by our fuggeftion; and becaufe it is
not agreeable to us to contend by means of bribery,
perjury, or fraud.Unlefs you take heed, you will
perifli."
*
Th Roman confuls.'["Ax. is unnecefTary to comment upon
this letter, or the fadl which it commemorates, both are charac-
terillic of the nobleft virtues which can adorn humanity.
Vol.
L
O
5
Ch a p.
io2
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
Chap. IX*
tFhaty and
of
what
forty
was the horfe which
in the
proverb is called
'^
Equus Sejanus'' Colour
of
the
borfes
called
^^
fpadices
-y*
meamjjg
of
that word,
GABiUS
BafTus, in his Commentaries, and
Julius
Modeflus, in his fecond book of Mif-
cellaneous Queftions, relate a ftory ofaSeian horfe,
worthy of remembrance and admiration. They
write, that there was a certain Cneius Seius, who
had a horfe bred at Argos
%
in Greece, of which
there was a conflant report that he w^s of that
race of.horfes which belonged to the Thracian Dio-
med, which Hercules, having flain Diomed, car-
ried from Thrace to Argos. They aflirm that this
horfe was of an extraordinary fize, his neck long,
of a forrel colour, his mane full and Ihining, and
Very fi^perior in ajl the other excellent proper-
ties of a horfe. But they add, that this horfe
was attended with this fingular fate
*
or fortune,
that
*
Jt ^rj-or.]That Argos was eminent for its breed of
liorfes is fufiiciently notorious.
"
Aptum dicit equis Argos." Hor.
Perhaps the itioll excellent horfes ofantiquity were produced at
Cyrene in Africa, and Sicily in Europe, which horfes always
won the prize at the Olynrpic games.See Pindar.
*
JVitb this
Jtngular
fate.'\ It is the opinion ofErafmus (fee
his Adagia) ''That this fuperftitious prejudice with refpeft to the
Seian horfe, took its rife from the wooden horfe, by means of
which
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
^203
that whoever poirefled him would inevitably,
him-
fclf, his family, and fomines, coiPie to utter ruin.
Firll of all, therefore, his mailer, Cneius Seius, was
condemned and put to a cruel death by M. An-
tony, who was afterwards one of the triumvirate for
fettling the commonwealth. About the fame time
Cornelius Dolabella, the conful, on his way to Syria,
was induced by the fame of this horfe to turn afide
to Argos, and having the extremeft defire to poflefs
him, he purchafed him for a hundred thoufand ief-
terces : but this fame Dolabella was in Syria op-
prefled and flain in a civil commotion. Soon after-
wards this fame horfe,
which had belonged to Do-^
lebella, was taken away by C. Cafilus,
who had
oppofed Dolabella. It is well knov/n that this
Caffius, his forces being routed, and his army de-
ftroyed, periihed by a miferable death. Then An-
tony, after the death of Caflius, having gotten the
vidlory, defired to polTefs this famous horfe of Caf-
fius, and having obtained it, he alfo, vanquifhed
and forfaken, came to a melancholy end. From
hence came a proverb, applied to unfortunate men,
and it was faid
"
'That man has the Seian
horfe,'^ The
fame meaning is annexed to another ancient pro-
which the dcHrudion of Troy was fuppofed to be accompUlhed."
-r-This is by no means improbable. He farther tells us,
"
That
the ancients encouraged a fimilar fuperftition with refpeft to cer-
tain things being invariably fortunate ; they, for inilance, who
carried about with them in filver or gold the image of Alexander
the Great, were fecure of fuccefs in their undertakings." A like
abfurd opinion has long been prevalent amongft the vulgar and
ignorant of this country, who imagine great virtue to exift in an
infant's cawl, and that they who have this are certain of not be*,
ing drowned,
verb.
204
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
verb, when we fpeak of the nokjan gcldK For
when
Q^
Caspio, the confulj had plundered the
town of Thoiofa, in Gaul, and had found vaft
quantities of gold in the temples of the place, who-
ever in this plundering, had touched the gold, pe-
rifhed by a miferable and agonizing death. Gabius
Baflfus fays that he had feen this horfe at Argos, and
that his beauty, llrength, and colour, almoft exceeded
belief
J
which colour'^, as I faid before, we call
fhceniceusj the Greeks fometimes ^oiWHa, fometimes
orTradtKocy fince a branch of the palm, torn with its
fruit from the tree, is denominated^^^/;f.
2
Tholofa7t gold.'] This is mentioned by Cicero and Strabo,
and is fuppofed to have been plundered from the temple at
Delphi. The reader may find an account in Herodotus of a cala-
mity which perfecuted certain Scythians, who were engaged in a
fimilar oiTence againft Venus, by plundering one of her temples.
There is a proverb in Northumberland of an import not altoge-
ther unlike this :
"
To take Hedlcr's cloak."In
1569,
Percy
ofNorthumberland rebelled againfl Elizabeth, but being routed,
he took refuge in the houfe of one Heiilor Armftrong, who be-
trayed him. It was faid, that this He6lor,-who was before rich,
and in confiderable efteem,
became fuddenly poor, and univer-
fally hated : whence the proverb of

To take Heftor's cloak,'*
iignified either to deceive a friend, or to come to mifery in qon-
fequence of having been treacherous.
Which colour.']

The curious reader will find a long difler-

tation on the colour here mentioned, in the Plinianze Exercita-
tipnes of Salmafius on Solinus.See alfo Gellius, L. II. c. xxvi.
C H A ?
'i
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
205
Chap. X.
^hat in many
affairs
of
nature^ confidence is placed in
the
efficacy
of
the number feven^
of
which Varra
treats at large in his
"
Hebdomades,**
MVARRO,
in the firft of his books named
Hebdomades or de Imaginibus, relates
many virtues and various properties of the number
itvtn , called by the Greeks Hebdomada.

" This
number," he obferves,
^^
forms in the heavens the
greater and lelTer Bear, alfo the feven ftars, called
*
Numbei' feven.'\ The fuperftitious prejudice of the an-
cients with refpcd to particular numbers is fufficiently notorious
;
ofthefe the numbers three, four, feven, and nine, appear to have
been the mod remarkable. With refpel to the number three
in particular, there are innumerable paiTages in ancient authors.
There were three Graces, three Fates, three Furies, the Mufes
were three times three, the bolt of
Jove
was trifid, the fceptre
of Neptune was a trident, and the dog of Pluto had three heads.
Ariflotle de Co'lo fays
to ituv, y.al rcc >7rccvr<x roii; rpicriv &;pcrT.

The tetrad, or quaternion number, was the myfterious number

of Pythagoras, comprehending, according to him, all perfedion,
referred by fome to the four elements, by others to the four Car-
dinal Virtues. Some have fuppofed that Pythagoras by this
number intended to exprefs tlie name of the Deity, in allufion to
the Hebrew appellation of God. Of the number feven much is
faid in the chapter before us ; more may be found in Cenforinus
de Die Natali ; and Hill more fanciful things in Philippus Ca-
rolus, an annotator on Gellius. Upon the number nine it can-
not be neceffary to expatiate. Plato and others made a fubtle
diftindion betwixt the numbers feven and nine, fuppofing the
former to influence the body, t^e latter the mind,
the
266 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
the Pleiads. It forms thofe, moreover, which fbmc
call Erraticas, but P* Nigidius, Errones/^ He
affirms alfo, that there are feven circles in hea-
ven round its axis, the two Icafl of which, at either
extremity, are called Poles ; but thefe, on account
of
their fmallnefs, do not appear in the fphere called
Cricote. But neither does the Zodiac want this
number feven, for in the feventh fign are the fum-
mer and winter foiftices, in the feventh fign are the
cequincxes. Thofe days alfo on which the halcyons
*
in winter time build their nefls on the water, he affirms
to be feven. The moon too, according to him, com-
pletes her orbit precifely in four times feven days
;
*^
For, on the twenty-eighth day,'* fays he,
"
the
moon returns to the point from which fhe fet out
;
the author of which opifiion was Ariftides of Samos
;
in which thing,*' he continues,
"
it is not only to be
obferved that the moon performs her orbit in four
times feven, that is to fay, in twenty-eight days, but
that this number feven, if you begin from one
'
till
you come to feven, comprehends the fum of the
numbers through which it pafTes, and, adding itfelfi
makes twenty-eight days, which is the term of the
*
Halcyon days."] This became a proverbial exprcilioa for
times of tranquillity. The Latins borrowed it from the Greeks,
who called a fea-bird by the name of Halcyon. Of this bird
Pliny
and others relate that it is never feen but in ferene wea-
ther
;
that it builds its neft on the open fca ; that the number
of days emj^oyed by them in incubation is fourteen. The poets,
Greek and Roman, abound in beautiful allufions to the^m : Virgil
calls them the /kvourites of Thetis :
"
Dileftas Thetidi Haley-
ones;" the llory ofCeyx and Alcyone is beautifully told by Ovid,
3
From^ie.] That is, in algebraic terms,
1
+
2
+ 3
+
4 +S+<5
+ 7
=
28-
& lunar
OF
AULUS CELL I US,
207
Iwnar
orbit." He adds,
"
that the force of
this
number
belongs and extends to the birth of men.
For
when the femen is depofited in the womb, it is
in the flrft feven days rounded and coagulated fo as
to be prepared to receive its ihape : afterwards, on the
fourth ieven (or twenty-eighth) day, of that which is
to be a male, the head and fpine of the back is formed.
But on the feventh feven day, that is, on the forty-*
ninth day, the entire man is perfeded in the womb."
He affirms alfo,
*'
that this power of the fame num-
ber has been obferved, that before the feventh month
neither male nor female can be born fafely, and
agreeable to nature ; and that thofe who are the re-
gular time in the womb, are born two hundred
and eighty days from the time of their conception,
that is, on the fortieth feven day. The danger-
ous periods alfo of the lives and fortunes of men,
which the Chaldasans call clima6lerics
**,
are mod
momentous, as he aflerts, every feventh year. Be-
(ides this, he declares that the extreme height of
the human body is feven feet ; which feems more
confident with truth than what Herodotus, who
was a ftory-teller, relates in his firft book
\
that
the body of Oreftes was found under the earth,
ClimaSierics.'\
It feems remarkable that the conftant pro-
greffion of knowledge, particularly in what relates to the humaa
body, (hould not have been efFeftual enough to overcome a pre-
judice fo abfurd and ill-founded as this relating to climafterics.
The climafteric years are
7, 14,
21,
49,
56, 6^,
and
84, whicii
laft are denominated the grand climaderics, and reafonably
enough are fuppofed to be the mod dangerous.
*
In his
firji
booL'\

See m^ note at this pafTage, Hero-
dotus, Vol. I.
p. 69,
70.
of
2oS THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
of the length
offeven cubits,
which is equal to fix-
tcen
feet.
Unlefs, indeed, as
Homer feemed to
think,
the bodies of the more ancient
among men
were larger and taller
3
and that now, as if the
world was decaying, men and things are equally
di-
minifhed. The teeth alfo, feven above and below,
are
produced in the firfl feven
months, are fhed at the
end
offeven years, and new ones are produced in twice
feven years. The veins alfo, or rather the arteries in
men, dodors who cure by the aid ofmufic afHrm to be
affe6led by the feventh note, which they term thefyoi-
phony by fours, which is done in the combination of
the four notes. They think alfo, that the dangerous
periods in difeafes occur with greateft violence ori
thofe days which are formed of the feventh number;'
and that, to ufe the medical terms, the critical
time, or the crifis, feems to happen to every one
on the firft, fecond, and third feventh day; and,
.what muft ftill farther increafe the force and in-
fluence of this number feven, is, that; they who de-
termine to perilh by hunger, ufually die on the
fe-
venth day. This is what Varro,,' with extrerrie
^cutenefs, has written concerning the number feveri,
but on the fame fubje6l he heaps other things toge-
ther, flupidly enough
; fuch as, that there are in the
world feven wonders of art, that among the an-
cients there were feven wife men, that there were fe-
ven chariots in the Circenfian games, and {tven
chiefs fele(5led to make war on Thebes. He adds
alfo, that he himfelf had then entered his twelfth fe-
ven years, on which day he had written feventy-
times feven books, of which many, as he
was pro-
fcribed.
OF
AULUS GELLlUS.
209
fcrlbed, had been loft amidft the plunder of his
libraries.
Chap. XI^
l^he trifling
arguments hy which Accius attempts to
prove^ in his Didafcalics^
that Hefiod was prior to
Homer.
WRITERS
are not agreed concerning the
ages of Honncr and
Hefiod. Some aiiirm^
that Homer was more ancient than Hefiod, among
whon? are Philochonis'
and Xenophanesj others
think him younger, as L.
Accius, the poet, and
Philochorus.']To this perfonage frequent allufion is found
in the ancient writers, particularly in Strabo, Plutarch, &c. He
wrote a hiftory of Athens, and other books. Xenophanes is
mentioned by Diogenes Laertius ; he was a poet, who wrota
iambics and elegies againft both Homer and Hefiod. Accius
the poet has been fpoken of before. Ephorus was an hiftorian,
a difciple of Ifocrates, who wrote a Grecian hiftory. The quef-
tion here introduced has eniployed the pens of maay learned men,
at diiferent times, but there has been no decifive cohdufion on
the fubje6t. The curious reader will find much on this matter
in Salmaiius; it is alfo difcuffed at confiderable length by Li-
lius Gyraid us de Poet. Hift. Cicero was decifively of opinion
that Homer was the oldeft of the two ; and to this the more
learned feem generally to have inclined. See alfo a Curious En-
quiry into the Life and Writings of Homer. The country, alfo,
of Homer has been a like fertile fubjedl of difputation ; this
alfo will be found to be
amply ir^vefligatcd in die bock above-
mentioned.
Vol. I. P Ephorus,
ftio THE
ATTIC NIGHTS
EphoruS) the
hiflorian. But Marcus Varro, in his
firft book
de Imaginibus, fays,
"
It is by no means
evident
which was the more ancient; but there can
be no doubt but that they lived partly in the lame
period,
which appears from an epigram infcribed
on a tripod, which is faid to have been depofited by
Hefiod on mount Helicon/'Accius, in the firft of
his Didafcalics, ufes fome trite arguments to prove
that Hefiod was the oldeft.

" Homer/' fays he,

**
whilft in the beginning of his poem he aflerts that
Achilles was the fon of Peleus, has not added who
Peleus was, which he doubtlefs would have done, if
it had not appeared to have been already mentioned
by
Hefiodof the Cyclops, alfo," he adds,
"
and
particularly that he had but one eye, he would not
have pafTed over fo remarkable a thing, if it had
not been already declared in the verfes of Hefiod/*
There is equal difagreement concerning the coun-
try of Homer. Some fay he was of Colophon,
others of Smyrna, fome of Athens, and fome that
he was of vEgypt.
Ariftotie affirms that he was
born in the ifland Jos. M. Varro, in his firft book
oflmages, infcribed this on that of Homer
:

**
This white goat marks the tomb of Homer,
With which the letJE"" facrificed to his manes/'
Seven cities contend for the birth of Homer

Smyrna, Rhodes, Colophon, Salamis, los, Argos,

and Athens,
*
Jef^r,]
or the people of los, an ifland of the Myrtean fea,
one of thofe called the Sporades.
Chap*
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
aix
Chap. XII.
*That a drunkard was called
*^
hihojus
"
hy Puhlius
NigidiuSy a man
of
eminent learnings a term equally
new and abjurd.
PNIGIDIUSs
in his Grammatical Com-

mentaries, calls a perfon greedy of drink hi--

haxy and hihojus, I confider hihax as anfwering to
edaxy iifed by many writers. The word hihojus I
have not yet found, except in Laberius, nor is there
another word fimilarly derived. For it is not
like vinojusy vitiojus, or other words fo ufed
j
for they are formed not from verbs, but nouns.
Laberius, in the play called Salinator, has this
word
:
"
Non mammofa, non annofa, non hihoja^ non
procax."
*
Nigidlus'\ is often quoted by Gellius and others; and of
Laberius mention has been made in the firft book. We have,
in our own language, a word of rare occurrence, derived not
from hihofus, but from hibaxy and applied to a man given to
drink, bibacious. We have many limilar words derived front
Latin verbals in ax, as audacious from audax, daring.
Pa
Chap.
CI2 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
Chap. XIII.
^hat Demofthenesy
while quite a youth, when he was
the dijciple
of
the
fhikfopher
FlatOy hearing by chance
CalliJiratuSy the orator^ /peak in a public ajfembly^
ceajed to follow
Plato, and attached himjelf to CaU
lijiratus,
HERMI
FPUS' has recorded, that Demof-
thenes, when very young, often went to the
academy, and was accuflomed to hear Plato.

*'
This Demoflhenes," fays he,
"
leaving his houfe>
as was ufual with him when he went to Plato,
faw a number of people funning together, lie en-
quired the reafon, and found that they were
hailening
to hear Calliilratus \ This Calliftratus was an ora-
tor at Adiens in the time of the republic :
they
call fuch demao-o^ues. He thought proper to turn
'
Hermippus']

was a biographer, which appears from Dio-

genes Laertius, and from Plutarch. There
wejfe
two writers of
this name, the one here mentioned, and a fecond, who lived in
the time of Adrian.
*
Calli^ratus,]'It is necefiary to diftinguifh this perfon from
a number of others having the fame name. The fa6t men-
tioned in this chapter is, I believe, alfo to be found in Xeno-
phon. Oropus was a town on the confines of Attica, and was
frequently the
occafion of dillurbances and difputes to the
people of AthensSee Book VII. c. xiv. Quintus Carolus ap-
plies this to a perfon, and imagines Oropus to have been a
man's name, which, perhaps, is not fo abfurd as his brother
commentators are inclined to fuppofe
j
though, probably, he i*
oiiilaken.
a little
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
215
a little afide, that he might difcover whether this fol-
licitude was diredted to any thing worth hearing.
He came, and heard
Caliiflratus fpeaking that fa-^
mous oration concerning Oropns. He was fo mov-
ed, ibfLened, and captivated, that fronn this moment
he began to follow Calliilratus,
andforfook the aca-
demy, and Plato/*
Chap. XIV.'
He/peaks improperly who
faysy
"
Dimidium lihrum legiy^
or^
"
dimidiam
fahilam audhi^^ with other
expref-
Jions
of
the
fame
kind, ^hat Marcus Varro has
af-
figned the
caufe
for fuch
impropriety \
and that none
of
the ancients were guilty
of
it.
TH
E phrafe of dimidium lihrum legi, or dimidiam
fahidamy or any fimilar expreffion, is, in the
opinion of Varro, wrong and
vicious : he obfcrves,
'^
that we ought
to fay dimidiatum lihrum^ not dimi^
dium-, and
dimidiatam
fahulam^ not dimidiam. On the
contrary,
if half a
fextary
*
is to be poured out, we
fliould
not ufe the expreffion oi dimidiatus fextarius
,
and he who for a thoufand pieces due to him re-
'
It muft be ccnfcffed that the Englifh reader will find but
little in this chapter to interell and amufe him
;
it is, nevei the-
lefs, a very curious grammatical
dilTertation, and worthy the at-
tention
of many.
*
SextaryP^
A fextary contained two cotylse, and a cotyla
was
equal to twelve ounces of any liquor.
P
3
ccives
114
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
ceives five hundred, we fhould not fay tliat he has
received
dimidiatum but dimidium : But if,** he adds,
"
a filver bowl be divided betwixt me and any other
into two parts, I ought to call the bowl dimidiaiunty
not dimidium ;
but of the filver contained in the cup,
that which is mine is dimidiumy not dimidiatum"

He
difcriminates, and argues very acutely concern-
ing the difference betwixt dimidium and dimidiatum
\
and he adds, that Q^Ennius has this judicious ex-
prefiion
:

*'
Sicuti fi quis ferat vas vini dimidiatum^
As
if the part wanting to fuch a vefTel is not to be
called dimidiata^ but dimidia. The whole of this his
argument, which, though acute, is fopnewhat obfcure^
is this :

Dimidiatum is as it were difmediatum, and

divided into two equal parts
;
dimidiatum^ therefore,
cannot be faid but of that which is adtyally di-
vided
;
but dimidium is not that which is dimidiatum^
but what is a part of the dimidiatus. When, there-
fore, we would fay that we have read the half of a
book, or heard the half of a fable, if we fay dimidiayn
fabulamy or dimidium Hbrum^ we are wrong,
for you
call the whole dimidium of that which has been di-
vided, or fimidiatus, Lucilius, therefore, following
the
fame idea, fays,
^^
Uno oculo pedibufque duobus dimidiatus
Ut porcus/*
Thys
in
another place
^^
Quid: ni ? et fcruta quidem ut vendat fcrutariu^
laudet
Pr^efradtam
ftrigilem, foleam improbus dimi-
djatmn^'
u
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
215
In his twentieth, he evidently takes
care to avoid
faying dimidiam horam: inftead of dimidia he ufes
dimidium in thefe lines

*^
Tempeftate fua atque eodem uno tempore et
horag
Dimidio et tribus confedlis dumtaxat eandem
Et quartam."
For when it feemed obvious and
natural to fay
<*
Et hora
Dimidia tribus/*
he carefully and ftudioufiy changed a word which
was improper. From which it is evident that di-
midiam horam could not properly be faid, but either
dimidiatam horam^ or dimidiam partem hora,Plau-
tus, moreover, in his Bacchides, fays, dimidium auriy
not dimidiatum aurum
j
alfo in the Aulularia, he fays
dimidium obfcuriiy not dimidiatum ohjcurium in this
verfe
'^
Ei adeo obfonii hinc jufTit dimidium dari."
In the Menaschmi alfo, he fays dimidiatum diem, not
dimidiumy in this rerfe
"
Dies quidem jam ad umbilicum dimidiatus mor-
tuu
s."
And M. Cato, alfo, in the book he wrote on agricul-
ture, fays

" The feed ofcyprefs

muft
be fown thick,
as flax is accuftomed to be fown.
Place this beneath
the earth, at the depth dimidiatum digitum. Smooth
the whole well with the feet or hands."He fays
dimidiatum digitum^ not dimidium
;
of the finger we
ihould fay dimidium, but the
finger itfelf dimidiatum,
P
4
M. Cato
1216 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
M. Cato alfo wrote thus
of the Carthaginians :

"
Homines defoderunt in terram dimidiatosy ignem-
que circumpofueruntIta interfecerunt."
Nor have
any who exprefled themfelves properly
ever ufed
thefe words in a manner different from v/hat I have
faid.
Chap. XV,
That it is upon record^ and in the memory
of
many that
great and unexpected joy has
Juddenly brought death
upon manyy
life
being expelledy and unable to
fuflain
the violence
of
the
Jhock.
ARISTOTLE
the philofopher relates, that
Polycrita, a
noble female of the ifland of
Naxos, expired from hearing abruptly an unexpected
matter of joy \ Philippides
*
alfo, a comic poet of
fome
'
XJnexpe^ed matter
of
joy,
'\
The effefts of fudden grief or fud-
drn joy are reprefented to be fimilar, probably arifing from a fi-
mijar operation or adlion on the organs of the body. Examples
of both kinds inhiflory are very numerous. It is told of a Ro-
man lady, whofe fon, contrary to all expeftation, returned fafe
from the battle of Cannas. The moment fhe beheld him, fhe
fell, as if dead, on the ground
:
"
Calor ofla relinquit,
Labltur et longo vix tandem tempore fatus.**
Montaigne has a curious chapter on the effects of fudden joy or
forrow.

Philippides
]

was a Greek comic poet, fragments of
vvhofs
OF
AULUS GELLIUS,
217
Tome
merit, when, being old, he had
conquered,
contrary to his expedlation, in a poetical conteft,
was fo overpowered with joy, that he fuddenly
died. The ftory alfo, of Diagoras of Rhodes,
has been celebrated.

This Diagoras had three

youths, his fens, one a pugilift, one a pancratiaft
%
the third a wreftler. He faw them all vi6lorious,
and crowned at Olympia on the fame day.
When
thefe three young men, embracing their father,
placed
their crowns upon his head, and kifTed him^
and
when the people, congratulating him, heaped
on
all fides flowers upon him, in the fladiumj in the
fight of all, he expired in the embraces and
arms
of his fons. We find alfo, written in our An-
nals, that when at Cannae the army of the Roman
people was cut to pieces, an old woman receiving
intelligence of the death of her fon
^
was afleded
with
whofe works are to be found in Suldas, Plutarch, Athenaeus, and
others. What I have rendered
"
overpowered with joy," is in the
original latijjtme gauderety which, tranflated literally, is
"
rejoiced
moll joyfully." A fimilar mode of expreffion occurs in the ele-
venth book of Apuleius

" IjEtum cepifle gaudium." Our tranf-

lators of the gofpel have the phrafe of
"
Rejoiced with exceed-
ing great joy.'* In Romeo and Juliet Shaklpeare ufes this iin-
gular fentence
:

*'
A joy paft joy calls out on me."
^
Paticratiaji.']That is, who was not only a puglli/l, but a
wreftler alfQ. In the games of Greece, fome only boxed, others
at the fame time boxed and wreftled, and were called Pan-^
cratiaftes.
"^
Death
ofherfon.'\
The ftory is related in Valerius Maxi'
mus, with this additionHe fays of one mother, that, finding
her fon return fafe, after fome prodigious flaughter, flie died ia
his
^i
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
with extreme grief. But this intelligence happened
not to be true, and the young nnan not long after-
wards
returned from that battle to Rome ; the old
woman, on fuddenly feeing her fon, opprefled with
the violence, and as it were a torrent of unexpedled
joy rulhing upon her, expired.
his arms for excefs of joy. Another mother, having heard her
fon was flain, and afterwards, contrary to her expedation, fee-
ing him return in health, died from the fame caufe.

See alfo
Pliny, viii,
54.
Chap. XVI.
fhe different
periods at which women produce children^
treated by phyficians and philojophers : opinions
of
an-*
dent poets upon that
Jubje5l,
Many other things
worthy-of
record. Words
of
Hippocrates^ the
phyfi^
dan, from
his treatife
7rf/>* r^oipy\^,
BOTH
phyficians and eminent
philofophers
have examined concerning the period of gef-
tation',
"
What is the time of human
geftation in
the womb
?*'

The general opinion, and what is

ufually received as true, is, that after a woman has
*
Period
of
gejiathn.'\ This fubjeft, with the various opi-
nions of the more celebrated of the ancients concerning it, may
be found treated at fome length in Cenforinus de Die Natali,
c. vii.A whimiical llory is related in Herodotus, Book VI. of
the wife of Arillon, king of Sparta, to which, with my note on
this particular fubjecl, I beg leave to refer the reader.
+ conceived
i
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
219
conceived in her womb, the infant is produced,
feldom in the feventh month, never in the eighth,
often in the ninth, but more frequently in the tenth,
and that this is the extreme period of the formation
of a child, ten months not begun, but completed.
Plautus, an old poet, fays
this
in his comedy
called
Ciftellaria:
"
Then fhe, whom he had known.
After ten months were completed, here brought
forth a daughter."
Menander alfo, a ftill older poet, and who was ad-
mirably Ikilled in the opinions of mankind, fays the
fame. I add the pafTage from his Plocius

"
A woman brings
forth at ten months,"
But our Csecilius, when he wrote a piece with the
fame name, with the fame ftory, where alfo he has
borrowed much from Menander, when he mentions
the month when a woman brings forth, has not
omitted the eighth, which Menander did. Thefe
are his lines

*'
Is a woman accuftomed to bring forth at ten
months ?
"
Aye, in nine, or even feven or eight.'*
That
CiEcilius has not faid this
inconfiderately,
nor
differed from Menander, and the opinions
of many, raihly, we are induced by M.
Varro
p
believe. In
his fourteenth
book of Divine
Things, he has affirmed, that an infant is fometimes
born in the
eighth month ; in which book
alfo he
fays, that fometimes this
happens in the
eleventh
month.
220 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
month, and he cites
Ariftotle
as rthe author o^
fuch opinions.
But the
caufe
of this difagreennent
about the eighth month
may be found in the book
of
Hippocrates on Foody in which are thefe
words

**
There is, and there is not, a geftation of eighc
months."This exprefiion, at once obfcure, abrupt,
and contradiflory, is explained by Sabinus the phy-
fician, who has made a very fenfible commentary on
Hippocrates, thus

" 'They are, as appearing to have

life after abortion ; and yet they are not, as dying im-*
mediately, fo tliat they have an exiftence in appear-
ance, but not in reality/'
But Varro fays, the ancient Romans made no ac-
count of thefe, as unnatural births; they thought the
ninth and tenth months the proper and natural pe-
riods ofa woman's geftation, all others not: for which
realbn they gave names to the three Fates, from
bringing forth, and from the ninth and tenth months:

'^
Parca," fays he,
"
changing one letter only, is
derived from Parta. Nona and Decima alfo came
from the natural periods of geftation."

C^fellius
Vindex alfo, in his Ancient Readings, fays,

**' There are three names of the FatesNona, Decu-

ma, and Morta
*
/*
and he adds this vtdt from the
Odyflty of Livy, our moft ancient poet
:

"
When will the day come which Morta has fore-
told?"
;
But Casfellius, vj^q was a refpedable perfon, has
confidered mortam as' the name, when he ought to
^
*
Mo1ta.^^ See Solinus' ad
Salmafium, where it is prefumed
that Livius ined
Moru ior Moira^
have
OF
AULUS GELLIUS,
121
have
fuppofed it put for m^ram, Myfelfalfo, befides
what I have read in books on the human geftation,
find that this happened at Rome. A woman, of fair
and ingenuous conduft, and of undifputed chaftity,
brought forth in the eleventh month after the death
of her hufband, and a ftir was made on account of
the time, as if flie had conceived after her hufband*s
death
;
for the Decemvirate had affirmed,
that an
infant was born in ten months, not in eleven.
But
the facred Hadrian, after inveftigating the matter, de-
creed, that it was poffible that the delivery might be
even in the eleventh mionth ; which decree of his on
this fubjed I have read. In this decree Hadrian
fays, that he has fo determined, after duly invefti-
gating the opinions of the old philofophers and phy-
ficians. This very day alfo
I have accidentally-
read, in the Satire of M. Varro, called the Tefla-
ment, thefe words

" If I fliall have one or more

fons born in ten months, if they be ideots
^
let
them be difinherited ;
if but one be born in the ele-
venth month, like Ariftotle, let Accius have the
fame as Titius
^."
By
which old proverb, Varro
intimates what was vulgarly applied to diings be-
3
Ideots.l In the original ovo% Auga?,
"
afinl lyrae," a very old
proverbial expreffion for ideots. The ancients had a prejudice,
that infants born at ten months were neceflarily flupld, and
blockheads. Literally rendered, it is as afles
"
fubaudi aufcul-
tatores lyrse," hearing the lyre ; correfpondent to which is the
Englifh one, of" throwing a pearl to fwine.'*
Titius.']^** Let Accius have the fame as Titius."Thefe
feem to have been law terms of the fame fignification and im-
port with our
"
John
Doe and Richard Roc," names ufed for
any perfons indilcrimiDatclv,
5
t\vixc
ca2 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
twixt which there exifted no difference.

" Let Ac-

ciiis be as Titius/* that is, let thofe born in ten, and
thofe born in eleven months, have
one and the
fame right. But if it were fo, and the delivery of
women could not be protrafted beyond the
tenth
month ^, it may be afked, why Homer makes Nep-
tune fay to a young woman, whom he had recently
enjoyed

^^
Hail, happy nymph ! no vulgar births are ow'd
To the prolific raptures of a god.
Lo, when the year has roll'd around the fkies.
Two brother heroes ftiall from thee arife."
When I had referred this to many grammarians,
Ibmc of them contended, that in the time of Homer,
as well as of Romulus, the year confifted not of
twelve, but ten months
j
others, that it was more
fuitable to the dignity of Neptune, that a child by
him fhould be a longer period in forming; and others
had other frivolous opinions. But Favorinus ob-
ferved, that TTfpjTrXoaEvx {i/iavth did not mean the year
'
Beyond the tenth month,'\The ancient year of the Romans,
it is well known, confifted but often months, thus named
:
Martius having

31
days.
Aprilis

30
Maius

3'
Junius
-.
>
30
Qaintilis

31
Sextilis
.i.
.
30
September

30
Odober
.. .~.
3>
November

3<5
December

30
See on this fubjeft Ccnforinus de Die Natali, c. xviii.
entirely.
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
aiji
entirely,
but almoft, finifhed

(non confe<^o anno

fed
affec^o) where he ufed the word not in its
common fenfe, for
affect
a, as M. Cicero, and the
moft elegant of the ancients, have faid, was applied
to thofe things which were not advanced or drawn
out to the very end, but nearly approached the end.
This word occurs with this meaning, in Cicero's
oration on the Confular Provinces. But Hippocrates,
in the book of which 1 have before made mendon,
having defined both the number of days in which
the conceived fcetus is formed in the womb, and
that the time of its geftatipn was from nine to ten
months, which, indeed, was not always certain, but
happened fooner in fome cafes, later in others ; fi-
nally ufes thefe words :

"
But thefe things admit
of more and lefs, in general and in particular, but
neither to any great extent
^"

By which
he
means, that though it fometimes happens fooner,
yet not much fooner; and though fometimes
later, not much later. I remember that this was
inveftigated at Rome with great diligence and
anxiety, in a bufinefs then of no fmall importance,
Whether an infant, born alive at eight months, but
dying inflantaneoufly, gave the privilege of three
children ^, fmce the unnatural period of eight months
feemed
*
The pafihge, as it now Hands in Hippocrates, has feme ob-
fcurity ; in the editions of Gellius it is evidently* corrupt, hii
own interpretation fubjoined, proves that he did not read ii as
his editors give it. I have endeavoured to make fomething in-
telligible of it.
^
Of
three children.']
"Jus
trium libcrorum."In ancient
Rome every kind of honourable dilUnclion was paid to thofe
who
ftH
THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
feemed to fome an abortion,
and not a birth ? But
as I have
mentioned what Homer
fays
of the birth
at a year, and of the eleventh month,
all
indeed that
I
knew
',
I cannot properly omit what I have
read in
Plinius Secundus's feventh book of
Natural
Hif-
tory. As it feems to exceed belief, I have fubjoined
the words of Pliny
:

*^
MafTurius relates, that L. Papirius, the praetor,
the fecond heir claiming the law, decided the pof-
feflion of the effeds againft him, when the mother
affirmed that llie had been delivered at thirteen
months, flnce to him there appeared to be no fixed
period of geftation/*In the fame book, of the
fame Pliny, are thefe words
:

" Yawning
*
is fatal in
the time of delivery, as fneezing immediately after
coition occafions abortion."
'
who had a numerous ofFspring. According- to the number of
their children magiftrates claimed precedency, and candidates
for public offices were preferred. The particular privilege'
claimed by thofe who had three children was, exemption from
the difcharge of fuch public duties as it was inconvenient or
difagreeable to them to ferve. In the times of the emperors
this was greatly abufed, and the privilege of three children was
granted as a court favour, or a bribe to individuals, who were
cither not married at all, or, if married, had no legitimate chil-
dren.

l^ww/wf.]Yawning being an indication of exhaufled

ftrength, of wearinefs, and laffitude. Sneezing is a fpecies of
convulfion, and therefore might diflodge what was conceived.
I
Chap.
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
225
Chap. XVll.
// has been recorded by men
of
great authorityy
that
Plato purchqfed three books
of
PhilolauSy the Pytha-
gorearly and
Arlftotle
a
fe'w
of
Speufifpusy
the philo^
Jophery
at an incredible price.
IT
is related that Plato the philofopher had a
very fmall paternal inheritance, notwithfland-^
ing which, he bought three books
*
of Philolaus
%
the Pythagorean, at the price of ten thoufand
denarii
3
"
Bought three booh.'^ Athen^eus gives a catalogue t)f illuf-
trious ancients, who were eminent for their collections of books.
Plato Is not amongil them. Their rarity and value, before the in-
vention of printing, and in the infancy of letters, may be eafily
imagined. In Cicero's Letters to Atticus, we find him conti-
nually entreating his noble friend by ito nieans to part with the
books which he had collected iri Greece, till he himfelf fhculd bd
able to purchafe them; and a very
curious note, in Che fif-H: vo-
lume of Robertfon's Charles the Fifth, informs xiSy that about thd
year
855,
the countefs of Anjoii paid for a cOpy of the Ko-
iniUes of Haimon, bifhop of HalberOtadt, t^Vo hundred ilieep^
five quarters of wheat, and the fame quantity of rye and millet;
He adds, that even in the year
1471,
when Louis the Eleventh
borrowed the works of Rafis, the Arabian phyiician, he not
only dcJpofited in pledge a conffderable quantity of plate, hut
was obliged to procure a nobleman tb join with him as fiirety iri
a deed, binding himfelf undef* a great forfeiture to reftore it.
The libraries of the ancients were acceffible to the public infpec-
tion ; and we are informed, that ofthis kind there were no lefs tbart
twenty-nine in Rome.-^See the fubje(5t treated in the iixth
book.
*
Philolaus
j]

^ a native of Grotona, aind v6ry meiiiorat:)le, as
Vot. I.
Q
being
226 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
denarii
'
; which fum fome affirm to have been
given him by his friend Dio"^, of Syracufe. It
is ahb faid, that Ariftotle bought a few books be-
longing to Speufippus
^
the philofopher,
after his
deceafe^ for three Attic talents
^.
This, in our mo-
ney,- was equal to feventy-two thoufand lefterces.
The fevere Timon
^
wrote a moft calumnious book,
which
being the iirft of the ancient philofophers who maintained that
the earth revolved on its axis.See Diog. Laertius.
^
Denarii.'] The word denarius is formed of denas ttris, or
ten afles-. The as varied in its weight, and the denarius was
exchanged fometimes for ten> and fometimes for fixteen ailes.

See Lempriere's accurate tables at tlie end of his Claflical Dic-

tionary.
jD/c]Laertms fays, that Dionyfius gave Plato the im-
menfe fum of eighty talents ; but of Dio he only fays that he
was P!ato*5 friend, and once fwed his life, when, on account ofhis
f eedom of fpeech, the tyrant had rcfolved to put him to death.
5
Speujippusy'\'^\\'?is the nephew of Plato> and fucceeded
hint
in his fchool; he was of a debauched and unamiable tennper,.
and died of a difgracefiil difeafe. He received of his pupils a
regular gratuity, which Plato did not* He ere<5feed the llatucs
of the Graces m Plata's fchool : other particulars concerning
him may be found, either in Diogenes Laertius, or in Enfield's
Hiltory of Philofophy.
*
ylttic tale?its.']The Engliih reader may he directed, for
fiifiicient information concerning the value of Greek or Roman
money, either to Arbuthnot's Tables of ancient Coins, or Lem-
priere's Claflical Di6lionary. The Attic talent was about
jf.
193.
i$s. confequently the fum here given for thefe three
books was
jf

5
8 1 .
5,
^.
^
Timon.'] Suidas gives this account of Timon
:

*
He was
of Phlius, of the Pyrrhonic fchool, wrote books which he called
Si Hi, or Reproaches of the Plwlofopher."
This perfonage, of whom Diogenes Laertius makes mention,
muH not be confounded with Timon the nulanthrope,whom our
Shakefpeaie-
OF AULUS GELLltrS.
227
ivhich he called Silli. In this he reproachfully
lafhes the phildfopher PlatOi who, we have bc^fore
remarked, had a fmall patrimony^ becaiife he had
purchafed, at an immenfe priccy a book on the Py-
thagorean difciplinej from which he had compiled
that noble dialogue, rlamed Tim^us. Thefe are
Timon's verfes

^^
And thou, Plato, whorh the defire of teaching
poflelTedi
Boiighteft a little Book for a great deal of filverj
Inftrufted by which, thou didft learn to write
it
fuch things;
Shakefpeare lias immortalized. His verfes called Silli are men-
tioned by Plutarch, Athenaius, and others, and have been called,
by Henry Stephens in his Poefis, Philofophica. I have preferred
the reading which H. Stephens has adopted in his edition of thefe
fragments, to what occurs in the editions of Gellius.
Chap. XVIIL
I'Fbo were the
^^
pedarii fenatoresy* and why
fo
called,
1'he origin
of
thofe words
from
the confular edi5ly by
which they are allowed to give their opinion in the
fenate*
MANY
have thought that they were called
pedarii
fenatores
*
who did not in the fenate
make a verbal declaration of their fentiments, but
walked
*
Pfdarii
Jfmicm.J-^On
the fubje^ of the RoXnan fenate^
Q^a
every
228 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
walked over the houfe to fupport the opinion of
another. What then ? when there was a divifion
about any decree, did not all the fenators walk from
one fide to the other ? The following is the meaning
given to this expreflion, according to Gabius BafTus,
in his Commentaries. He fays, that anciently thofc
fenators who had pafTed the curule chair were, by
way ofhonour, carried to the fenate houfe in a chariot.
In which chariot was a chair, in which they fate,
which for this reafon was termed the curule chair.
But thofe fenators who had not yet arrived at the
curule magiftracy went on foot to the fenate houfe.
Thofe fenators, therefore, who had not yet attained
the higher honours, were called pedarii,

But M.
Varro, in his Menippean Satire, termed Hippocyon,
fays, that fome knights were called pedarii; and he
feems to mean thofe who being* not yet elected by
the cenfors into the fenate, were not fenators, but
having borne the popular honours, came to the fe-
nate, and had a right to give their votes. For they
who had been curule magiftrates, but were not yet
eleded by the cenfors to the fenate, were not fe-
nators, and, becaufe they were infcribed laft, were
not aflced their opinions, but acceded to what the
every thing relating to their conftitution, forms, and privileges^
may be found in the learned treatife of Middleton. With re-
fped to the pedarii fenatores, the dilHndlion feems to have been
thisthey were not in faft what might be called proper fe-
nators, but had the privilege, after difcharging certain offices
of magiftracy, of going to the fenate houfe. They had not
the power to vote, nor authority to declare
their fentiments,
otherwife than by filently going over to the
party whofe opinions
they efpoufed.
principal
OF AUI.US GELLIUS.
229
principal men afltrted. The edi6t intimated this,
which the confuls when they fummons the fenators
to the houfe ftill ufe, in conformity to ancient cuf-
tom. Thefe are the words of the edi6l
:

*^
Senatores quibiifque in fenatu fententiam dicere
licet."
*'
Senators, and they who have a right to vote in
the fenate."
I have ordered alfo a verfe of Laberins, in which
this expreflion occurs, to be tranfcribed. I read it
in the comedy called
"
Scriptural'
"
Caput* fine lingua pedaria fententia efl.'*
I
obferve that by mod people this word is ufed bar-
baroufly, for inftead of pedarii^ they fay fedaneu
*
Caput, &c.]

" The opinion of a fenator pedarius is a head

without a tongue."
Chap. XIX.
The
reafon, according to Gabius Bajfus, why a man
was called
"
farcus^^ and what he thought the
meaning
of
that word^ on the other hand^ the man-
ner in which Favorinus has ridiculed his tradition,
WHENEVER
we were at an entertainment
given by Favorinus the philofopher, and the
diflies
began to be ferved, a (lave placed at the
0^3
table
a
JO
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
table read fomething
' of Greek literature or our
own. One day, when I was
prefent, the book
pf the learned Gabius BalTus was read, which treated
of verbs and nouns. In this
was the following
pafTage
:

" Parens is a compound word, and as in

were par area;
\
for as goods are fecreted in a cheft,
and there kept and preferved, fo a careful man, and
one content with a little, has all his goods kept and
hidden as it w^re in a cheft. For this reafon he
is named pareus, as it were par arc^, as good as a
cheft/* When Fayorinus heard this,
^^
This Ga-
bius BaJfTus," fays he,
*^
has fuperftitioufly, and with
a forced and difagreeable interpretation, perplexed
the origin of this word, rather than explained it.
For if fi6litious explanations might be allowed, why
is it not more confiftent to fuppofe that a man is
called parens becaufe he
anxioufly prevents his mo-
ney being expended and wafted, as
it were, peeuni-
areus? Let us rather adopt that which is more
fimple and more true : Parcus is not given to
a
man fronn either area or areendo^ but he is fo called
from parum or parvum, becaufe he is literally little
and mean/'
*
A
Jla've read
fomething.'\'Oi \S\\z
cuftpm, alike elegant and
inilrudive, I have before made mention. The more opulent of
-
the ancients had always in tlieir retinue fervants regularly edu-
cated, for the purpofe of reading to them at entertainments.-
Of the word, parcus Gronovius gives a ftili better interpretation.
Parcere is ufed for fernjare, or to keepj therefore parcus may
tome a parcendo,\\i2iXiSi afertando*
BOOK
OF
AULUS GELLIUS,
231
BOOK IV.
Chap. I.
Dijcourfe
of
Favorinus the fhilofopher
in the Socratic
methody to a
hoafting
grammarian.
Definition
of
the
word
*^
penusy'
from
^intus Sc^vola,
A
GREAT multitude, of all ranks, were in
the veftibule of the palatine palace, expe6ling
the falute
*
of Csefar
*.
There, in a circle of learned
*
Salute. ']-'^lt was cuftomary for the clients and dependants
of the great, when Rome was in its fplendour, to wait upon
them at an early hour in the morning to bid them good-morrow.
They had the appropriate name of falutatores, or faiuters, given
them, which, as may be naturrJIy fuppofed, was fometimes ap-
plied as a term of the extremeft contempt. To this cuilom we
have frequent allufion in all the earlier writers, but in
Juvenal
efpecially
:
"
Solicitus, ne
Tota falutatrix jam turba peregerit orbem." Sat. v. 21.
It was not unufual with thefe faiuters to attend their patrons from
their houfes to the fenate houfe or forum; of which Shakefpeare
feems not to have been ignorant, when he makes Cafca, Bruius,

and the other confpirators, go to C^far's houfe to condudl him
to the fenate.
*
C<j?/??r.]This, in all probability, was Hadrian.
0^4
men.
232 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
men, and in the prefence of Favorinus the philo-
fopher, a certain perfon, who knew a fmattering
of
gramnnar, was making a difplay of fome fchool
trifles about the genders and cafes of nouns. His;
|3row was contracled, and, with an afFeded gravity
of voice and countenance, he feemed like an inter-
preter and regulator of the Sibylline oracles: then,
looking at Favorinus, whom he fcarcely knew,
*^
The word fenus
^
alfo," fays he,
"
has different
genders, and is varioufly declined. The ancients
i]fed hoc penusy and b^ec penus^ and in th^ genitive
cafe both peneris, peniterisy pen.erisy and penoris, Lu-
cilius, moreover, in his fixteenth fatyr, ufed mun-
dus
^
(female ornaments) not as others do, in the
mafculine, but neuter gender, as thus
;
Legavit quidam uxori mundum opane penumque
Quid mundum ? quid non ? nam quis disjudicct
ifthuc?"
Concerning all which he teized us with a number
of quotations and examples. As he feemed moft
difguftingly full of himfelf, Favorinus mildly inter-
rupted him

^'
My good mafter," fays he,
"
what-
ever your name may
be,
you
have
told us a num-
ber of things of which we were ignorant, and which;,
indeed, we did not defire to know. For what does
it fignify to me, or hirp with whom I am fpeaking,
3
/*^/;//j.]-r-The precife meaning of
the word penus is ac-
curately defined by Cicero, in his firfl book de Natura Deorum,
where he fays,
**
Penum t^Q omne id quo vefcuntur homines
;'*
whatever conflitutes the food of men may be called /^/z^^j.
^
Mundus.']Nonius Marcellus fays of this word, that it
was ufed indifcriminately of the mafculine and neuter gender.
of
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS.
^23
of
what gender penus is, or how it is declined, if
no
one in the ufage of this has been guilty of a bar-
barifm ? But this, indeed, I really want to know,
what perns is, and what fenfe it bears, left I fliould
call a thing in daily ufe, like the foreign tradefmen
^
attempting to fpeak Latin, by an improper name."

" What you afk," he replied,

"
is eafily an-
fwered
:
Who does not know that penus means
wine, corn, oil, pulfe, beans, and other things of this
kind
?"

" And pray," returned Favorinus,

"
does
pef7us alfo mean millet, panick, acorns, and barley ?
for thefe are things nearly fimilar.'*When the
other hefitated and was filent,
"
I do not wifli," he
continued,
'*
that you Ihould be under any difficulty
in confidering whether the things I mentioned are
exprefled by penus ; but can you not, without giving
any particular fpecies offenus, define wha,t penus is,
by fixing its kind, and explaining its differences
?'*

" I do not perfedlly underftand," anfwered the

other,
"
what kind, and what differences you mean.'*
? Trf^e//nef^.]^rThy whp carried on the different trades at
Rome were, almoft without exception, foreigners, and came
from Syria, ^gypt, and other remote countries, and are always
mentioned contemptuoufly by the Latin writers. Perhaps I
iliould have remarked on the exprefTion of
"
good mafler," that
it was a familiar mode of exprelTion amongft the Romans
;
"
vir
bone, mi bone, oh bone," being terms which perpetually occur.
The term
"
Good Mailer," applied to our Saviour in the gofpel,
wa^ rejeded by him as impertinent. The fame mode of expref-
f\on prevails amongft ourfelves in common converfation, and is
ufed by our beft writers without any appropriate fignification
good fir, good man, good fellow, good friend, are very com-
mon terms of addrefs.
-^'^
You
f34
THE ATTIC NIGHTS

" You aflc

a thing/* faid Favorinus,
"
explained
clearly, to be explained more clearly, which can
hardly
be done : this is generally known, that every
definition
confifts of the genus and difference.
But
as you wifh me to explain this ftill more fully
^,
out
of refpe6b to you I will do fo."He then
began
as follows :
*^
If I were to afk you to tell me, and define
^y
words, what is a man, I think you would not
reply,
that you and I were men; this would be
to
ihew who is man, but not to fay what man is.
But if I
were to alk you to define particularly what
a man is, then certainly you would tell me that man
is a mortal animal, fufceptible of reafon and know-
ledge, or you would ufe fome other terms, difcri-
minating him from all other animals. In like man-
ner I now afk you what
penus
is^ not to name any
fpecies oipenus''Then this coxcomb replied, in a
foft and humble tone

" I have neither learned,

nor defired to learn, philofophy
; and if I do not
know whether barley is of perns,
or by what words
penus is defined,
I
am not
on
that account ignorant
of other parts of learning,"Then Favorinus fmil-
ingly replied,
"
To know what perns is, does not
belong more to our philofophy than to your gram-
mar. You
remember, I believcj, that
it has often

Still more
fully.l
Literally,
"
If you wifh me to chew it for
you firft;" a phrafe taken from nurfes chewing the food before
they give it to infants : its application in this paflage is fuffi-
ciently obvious
:
" If you wifh me to make that more eafy
which is eafy enough already ."-See Erafmus's Proverbs.
been
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
235
been
enquired whether Virgil faid
^ ^
penum inftruere
longam/ or
^
longo ordine/ for you cannot buE
jcnow that ic has been read both ways. But, tq
put you in better humour, not even our ancient mas-
ters, who have been denominated wife men of the
law, thought properly to have defined what penus
is. I have been told that (^Scsevola, in explain-
ing the word penus, thus exprefled himfelf
:
*
Penus \s that which may be either eaten or
drunken
j
and that, as Mutius fays, which is made
ready for the mafter of the family, or the children
of the mafter of the family, or for the family
about
the mafter, and his children doing their bufinefsy
feems properly
p
be
penus, Thofe things which
are prepared every day to be eaten or drunken
at
dinner or at fupper, are not pe7ius^ but thofe things
rather of this kind, which are collecled and preferved
for
future ufe, which are called penus becaufe
they v;^
^
Firgilfaiii.']-TYie. lines are in the firft ^neid, line
707,
U Quinquaginta intus famulas quibus ordine longo
Cura penum llruere et flammis adolere penates."
Ppon
which paffage confult Heyne, vol. ii.
p.
1
1
7.
Dryden renders the paffage thus
:
<*
Next fifty handmaids in long order bore
The cenfers, and with fames the gods adore."
In which paffage the word in queftion is paffed over without nop-
tice ; it is evidently borrowed from the feventh book of the
pdyffey, 1.
103,
thus rendered by Pope:
"
Full fifty handmaids form the houihold train.
Some turn the mill, or fift the golden grain
;
Some ply the loom, their bufy fingers move
Like poplar leaves when Zephyr fans the grove"
not
136
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
not produced, but kept within,
and in clofe cuftody
(penitus)
'
When I gave nnyfelf/' he
continued,
"
to
the fludy of philofophy, I had not thefe things addi-
tionally to learn, lince it would be no lefs
difgraceful
for Roman citizens fpeaking Latin not to demonftratc
a thing by its proper ternn, than not to call a man by
his name
^"
Thus did Favorinus lead
common-
place converfation from trifling and uninterelling
fubje6ts to thofe which it was more ufeful to hear
and to learn, with no abruptnefs or oftentation, but
pertinently and agreeably.On this word penus
I
have thought proper to add, that Servius
Sulpicius,
in his Critical Remarks on Scaevola,
obferved,
that
according to Cato^lius^ not thofe things only which
might
*
Call a man by his ;zff.]This is, in modern times, confi-
dered and felt, amongft the politer part of the world, as an ^61
of
rudenefs. The Romans, at leaft the more diftinguiihed among
them, to avoid this, were attended in public by nomenclatores,
tt
tell them the names of thofe they met.-See Horace
;
"
Mercemur fervum, qui diftat nomina Igevum
Qui fodiat latus & cogat trans pondera dextram
Porrigere."
This affeftation of forgetting the names of thofe you know,
is very happily ridiculed by Shakfpeare, in his charafter of Fal*.
conbridge :
- " Well, now can I make any
Joan a ladyi
>: Good den. Sir RichardGod-a-mercy, fellow

And if his name be George, I'll call him Peter

;
For new-made honour doth forget men's names,
Tls too refpeftive, and too fociable
For your converfing.'*
'
Cato -^//aj.]This man's name was Cato ^lius Sextus
:
,^ was a conful in the year of Rome
555,
and remarkable as
well
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
237
might be eaten or drunkea, but frankincenle alfo,
and
wax lights, were penusy and generally whatever was
prepared on this account. But MafTurius Sabinus, in
his fecond book on the Civil Law, fays, that even
whatever was prepared for the cattle which the maf-
ter ufed was alfo penus
;
that wood, twigs, and coals,
by which penus was to be made ready, were by fome
alfo confidered as penus. But of thofe things which
were to be fold, as not wanted at home
',
or ufed in
the fame place, fuch only were penus as were for an-
nual confumption.
well for his accompHihments of genius and learning, as for his
integrity and temperance. He is honourably mentioned by En-
nius, who calls him Cordatus Homo ; by Cicero, by Pliny, and by
Plutarch.
*
Not nvanted at home.'\ The word is promercalia

thofe
things wliich the mafter of a family puts apart for fale, after re-
ferving what is required for his ufe at home.
CHAf.
iii
TliE AtTld
NlCJEtTS
c H A I*, iii
t)ifference
betwixt
^^
morbus** and ^^vitium:'* the
power
of
theje words in the ediSl
of
the adilesi
Whether an eunuchy or barren woman^ can be re-
turned
-y differentfeniiments upon this/ubjefi
I
N that part of the edidl ofthe curule aediles
*
which
treats of the fale of flaves, it is thus written
:
-
*'
TITULUS
*
. SCRIPTORUM . SINGULORUM . UTEI,
SCRIPTUS . SIT . COERATO . ITA i UTEI i INTELLEGI .
RECTE . POSSIT . C^TID . MORBI . VITII . VE . C^UOI ;
C^. SIT . QUIS . FUGITIVUS . ERRO i VE . SIT . NOXA i.
VE . SOLUTUS . NON . SIT**'
For
*
Curule adiles.'\ It wats the bufinefs and duty of thefe ma*
giftrates to attend to the repairs of all the public buildings ; and
they were referred to as judges and arbitrators in the transfer of
cllates by fale or exchange. They were called curules from their
privilege of fitting in public on ivory chairs, which was allowed
alfo to the diftator, the confuls, the cenfors, and the praetors.
*
Titulus, ^V.]*The explanation of this form is attended with
fome difficulty ; but it feems to be this : -^It was ufual amongft
thofe who fold flaves at Rome to fpeak of their different accom-
pli (hments and good qualities ; as, that they were frugal, honeft,
ingenious, &c. To prevent, therefore, impofition and frauds
the jediles paffcd an edift, obliging the flave merchants to give
with the flave to be fold, a true account of his defefts, as well as
of his good qualities. To make it, therefore, at all perfplcuous,
it feems indifpenfably necefl'ary to read, inftead aifcriptorum^
fefjorum ; the meaning of the edil will then be this j
"
Take care that the charaler (titulusj of each flave be in-
scribed, that it may be clearly underftood what difeafe or defed
**
each
I
OF AULUS
GELLIUS.
239
For which reafon the old lawyers have
enquired
which is properly called morbojum mancipiumy
and
which vitiojumy and what is the difference betwixt
7norhus and vitium ^ Caslius Sabinus, in the book
%vhich he wrote on the edi6t of the curule sediles,
fays, that Labeo defines the nneaning o{ morbus thus
:
*^
morbus
eft
^
habitus
cujufque corporis contra naturam
qui
ufum
ejus facit
deterioremJ'

But the morbusy he

fays, fometinnes takes place in the whole, and
fometimes only in part of the body. The morbus of
the whole body is, as it were, a confumption or fe-
ver; a partial morbus is as a blindnefs or lanfienefs.
"
Balbus
^
auteniy'* he fays,
"
et atypUs vitioft magis
quam
each may have ; whether he be a fugitive, or a worthlefs, and
whether he be free from all judicial puniftiments.'*
This titulus, which I have tranflated
**
chara(5ler," was fufpend-
cd about their necks. It was farther cuttomary, when flaves were
fold, to make them run and leap about, and to Ihew themfelves
naked, that the purchafers might have an opportunity of exa-
mining their ftate of body. If the perfon who fold the flave
could be proved in any refped guilty of falfehood concerning
him, he was fined to the amount of twice the fum in queflion.
See Heineccius,
p. 513.
^
Difference betnuixt morbus and 'vitiumJ\

This difference is
defined accurately by Cicero, in his fourth book of Tufculan
Quellions, in a fentence which may be thus rendered :

They
call a corruption of the whole body morbus, imbecility in con-
junftion with morbus, they call agrotatio,
*
Morbus
eft.'\

" Morbus is the date of any body contrary

to nature, making its ufefulncfs lefs."
5
Balbus.']

TYioy who ftammer, or have any impediment in

their fpeech, are rather
'vitiofi
than morbofi\
as a horfe who bites
or kicks is 'viliofusy not morbofus. But he to whom the term
morbus may be appUed is alfo ijitiofus. Nor is there in this any
contradidtioa.
C40 THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
quam morbofi Jimty
ut equiis mordax^
aut calcitrOy vU
tiofus
non morbojiis ejly
Jed
cui morbus
eft^
idem etiam
vitiojus
eft.
Neque id tamen contra
fit.
Pot
eft
enim
qui
vitiojus
(ft,
non morbojus
ejfe, ^amobrem,
quum
de homine morbojo ageretur,
nequaquam inquit^ ita di-
ceretur, quanti ob id vitium minoris erit."
Concerning an eunuch, it was afked. Whether he
was fold contrary to the asdiles edi6t, if the purchafer
was ignorant that he was an eunuch
?
They fay,
that Labeo replied, that he might be returned as
being morbojus :
for Labeo alfo averred, that fows
^
when fold, if barren, might. Concerning a barren
woman, if her fteriiity was from nature, they fay
that Trebatius contradided Labeo. For when
Labeo faid that Ihe might be returned as being im-
perfed, Trebatius thought that, confiftently with this
edict, it was otherwife; and that the woman could
not be returned, ij her
fteriiity
was originally d
deJeSl
cf
nature. But if her health had fuffered, arid the
defedt
arofe from thence that fhe was incapable of
conception, then (lie might be confidered as im-
perfed, and might properly be returned. It was
contradlftion. It is pofTible for a man to be 'vhiofus arid not
morbojus ;
for which reafon, when they fpoke of a perfon who
was niorhofus, they by no means faid this

" He will be of fo"

much lefs value on account of this 'vitium,''*
*
5'oTw.];The Aquilian law made quadrupeds liable" t6 the
fame rules, with refpedl to buying and felling, as flaves. But herc^
was a nice diftinlion betwixt the quadrupes and pecus. The
quadrupes was the animal only which was broke to carry bur-
dens. The pecus was id quod perpafcat.There was a doubt
amongfl: the Roman lawyers, whether fows came under the de-
nomination of quadrupeds.See Heineccius and Julliniin.
alfcj
I
OF
AllLttS GELLIUS. 241
slKo difputed of one dim of fight, called in Latin
lufcitiofus, and of one who was toothlefs, fome
contending that fuch might be returned, others not,
unlefs this defedl proceeded from difeafe. With re-
fpe6l: to one toothlefs, Servius affirmed, that he might
be returned
J
Lab'eo thought otherwiie

" For ma-^

ny" faid he,
"
want
fome
one toothy and
few
men are
more dijeajed on that account. And it is
mofi
ahjurd to
Jay
that men are born imperfect, for
infants are not
born with teethJ'It muft not be omitted, that in
the books- of the old lawyers morbus is diftinguiflied
from vitium : vitium is perpetual, whilft morbus is
fubje6t to variations. But if this be fo, contrary to
the opinion of Labeo above-mentioned, neither a
blind man nor eunuch is morbofus I add the words
of MafTurius Sabinus, from his fecond book of
Civil Law
;

"
An infane or dumb perfon, or one
who has a limb torn or wounded, or has any de*
fe6l making him lefs ufeful, is morbofus. He who
is fhort-fighted may be confidered perfed, as one
who runs llo\Vly.**
Vol. I, R C h a
t>.
241
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
Chap. IIL
No a^fidns on matrimcnial d'lfputes before the Carvilian
divorce, ^he proper
ftgnification
of
the word
^^
peU
lexy^ and its derivation,
WE
are informed from tradition, that for five
hundred years after the building of Ronne,
there were no anions or fuits on matrimonial dif-
putes, either in Rome itfelf, or in Latium ; indeed
there was no occafion for any, no divorces having
taken place. Servius Sulpicius alfo, in the book he
wrote, de Dotibus, fays, that fureties on matrimo-
nial difputes became firft neceifary when Spuriiis
Carvilius, who was alfo called Ruga, a noble per-
fon, caufed himfelf to be divorced
*
from his wife,
becaule,
*
Divjirced.']This faft Is recorded by Dionyfius Halicarnaf-
fenfis, by Pliny, by TertulUaiv and by Gellius. Mr. Gibbon,
relating this, lays, he was quelHoned by the cenfors, and hated
by the people, but his divorce Hood unimpeached in law.
"
The
warmeft appkufe," he adds,
"
has been lavilHed on the virtues
of the Romans who abflained from the exercife of this tempting
privilege above five hundred years ; but tlie fame fa<Sl evinces the
unequal terms of a connexion, in which the flave was unable to
renounce the tyrant, and the tyrant was unwilling to relinquiih
his Have."See what the hillorian fays on the fubjeft of di-
Torce, Vol, viii. page
63.

"
The firft caufes of divorce, as
allowed by Romulus, were drunkenhefs, adultery, and falfe keys;
thofe afterwards allowed were the moft trifling and contemptible
that can be imagined. Some examples are enumerated by Hei-
neccius, and are fuch as ihefe : perverfenefs of temper
j
Sulpi-
cius
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
24;?
becaufe, from a natural defefb, fhe produced him
Ho children. This happened in the five hundred
and twenty-third year afrer the building of the city^
in the confulfhip of Marcus Adlius and Publius Va-
lerius. This CarVilius is faid to have loved the
wife whom he put away> with great affe6lion -, her
manners and conduct were moft dear to him
;
but
the fandlity of his oath got the better of his incli-
nation and his love, being compelled to fwear before
the cenfors that he married for the fake of having
children* A woman v/as denominated peikx
%
and
accounted infamous, who was connedled and lived
with a man, who had a wife legally married to him*
This appears from a very old law, faid to be king
Numa*si"Pelex' .asam . junonis* netagito.
si
cius Gallus repudiated his wife becatlfe fKe was feen out df doors
without her head-drefs
; Antiftius Vetus divorced his wife be-
caufe Ihe whifpered privately with
her flave ; Sempronius So-
phus fent away his wife becaufe (he went to the games without
his permiffion. Some fent away their wives becaufe theiy were
too o]d> others becaufe they had formed more agreeable en-
gagements
;
fome wives retired without conteft, on leeing they
were not agreeable to their hulhands, on which occafions they
re-
ceived prefents from him. Sec.
*
PeIIcx.]^-Ot\\er-i were of opinion, that without any parti-
cular circumflances of infamy or difgrace, fhe was fimply
called
pellex who lived with a man as his concubine, fine nuptiis,
with-
out the ceremonies of marriage.
*
PeIex.]>-f' Let no harlot touch the altar of
Juno, if fhe does,
let her with difhevelled hair facrifice a female lamb to
Juno."
Juno
was reipeded as the
goddefs of marriage, and to be
ex-
cluded from her altars muft neceflari'y have been
confidered
as
highly difgracefut. This negle^, alfo, of the hair was no fmall
R 2
punifhment.
244
THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
SI
. TAGET . JUNONI . CRINIBUS . DEMISSIS . ARNAM .
FEMINAM . CAIDITO." Pellex is aS TTCcXXu^y or TTOX-
AxK, being, like many other words, derived from
the Greek.
puniOiment, as in all circumftanccs of religious ceremony the
Roman matrons were minutely attentive to the difpofition of
their hair.
Chat. IV.
PFbat Servius Sulpiciusy in his book
^^
De DotihuSy^
'
has written
of
the law and cuftom
of
ancient ynar^
riages,
SERVIUS
Sulpicius, in his book de Dotibus
v
informs us, that in the part of Italy which is
called Latium, the law and cuftom of marriages
was of this kind :

'
"
Qui uxorem dudturus erat ab co unde ducenda
crat, ftipulabatur earn in matrimonium du6tum iri
:
cui daturus erat, itidem fpondebat daturum. Is
contra6lus ftipulationum fponfionumque dicebatur
iponfalia. Turn quse promifTa erat, fponfa appella-
batur, qui fpoponderat dudurum Iponfus. Sed i

De Dotibus.']

" Of Portions."The curious reader will find

every thing relating to this fubjedl treated at length by BrifTo-
nius, in his trad concerning marriages, and by Heineccius, in
his Syntagma. By the fame authors alfo, the marriage terms,
folemnities, and cuftoms have been accurately inveftigated.See
alfo Gibbon, vol. viii.
5^.
poft
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS.
245
poft eas
ftlpulationes uxor non dabatur aut non du-
cebatur, qui ftipulabatur ex fponfu age bat. Judices
cognofcebant. Judex
quamobrem data acceptave non
efTet uxor, quasrebat. Si nihil juftas caufe videbatur,
litem pecunia 2eflimabat,
quantique incerfuerat earn
uxorem accipi aut dari, eum qui fpoponderat aut
qui ftipulatus erat, condemnabat."
This law of marriage, Servilius fays, was ob-
ferved till the time, when by the Julian law the
rights of the city were extended to all Latium
*.
Neratius fays the fame thing in the book he wrote
"
Of Marriages.''
*
All Latium.]This is ftill an indefinite expreflion, for it
varied in the different periods of the Roman greatnefs. At firfl
it comprehended no more than a very fmall dillridt. It after-
wards comprehended the different territories of the furrounding
nations, whom Romulus and the kings his fuccelfors fubdued
:
it feems finally to have been ufed as fynonymous with the whol^
of Italy. Virgil, defcribing ^neas as diredling his courfe to
Italy, ufes the expreffion of'* Tendimus in Latium," evi-
dently in this latter fenfe.
R
3
Chap.
t46 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
Chap. V.
Story
of
the
perfidy
of
the
Etrufcan Joothfayers ;
on
which account this verje was
Jung
hy the hoys about
the city
-of
Rome :

^^
Malum
confilium confultori pjfimum
eft,'*
THE
ftatue in the Comitinm' at Rome of
Horatius Codes
%
a mod valiant man, was
ftruck by lightning ' -,
on account of which light-
ning expiation was to be made, and foothfayers
were fent for from Etruria, who, with an unfriendly
and hoftile difpofition to the Roman people, endea-
voured to counteraft
this expiation by oppofite re-
ligious rites. They malignantly advifed this ftatue
to be removed to a
lower place, that the fun, from
"
Comitium.'] -^This was a place near the forum, where the
JRoman people on public occaiions aflembled, whence the ^flem-
blies themfelves were afterwards caUed Comitia.
*
Hsralius Codes.] This man alone fuilained the attack of
the Etrurian army^ at the entrance of a bridge, and when it was
broken down, fwam over to his countrymen.
2
Struck by lightnin^.l-^The
fuperftition of the ancient
Ro-
mans inclined them to believe that thunder and lightning
were
indications of the wrath of heaven, and to be expiated by the
folemnities of religion. It was not, however, deemed indifcri-
minately an ill omen.?See an example to the contrary in Livy>
Book I. c. xlii.The ufual expiation was the facrifice of a
J(heep.sSee Herodotus, Vol. II.
p. 254.
All places as well
as perfons, ftruck with lightning, were viewed with a kind of
pious horror. The places were always furrounded with a wall,
^|ie things
ox perfons were buried with much folemnity.
the
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
247
the oppofing fhade of the buildings every where
furrounding it, might never fliine upon it
-, which,
when they had perfuaded to have To done, they were
accufed and brought before the people, and having
confefled their perfidy, were put to death. It ap-
peared that this ftatue, which indeed certain reafons
fuggefled afterwards proved to be juft, fliould be
removed to a more elevated fituation, and it was
accordingly placed in a lofty pofition, in the area
of the temple of Vulcan ; which thing turned out
well and profperoufly for the commonwealth. Af-
terwards, becaufe the Etrufcan foothfayers who had
given perfidious advice were proceeded againft and
puniihed, this verfe, pertinently made, was faid to
have been fung by the boys throughout the city :
"
Malum confilium confultori pelTimum elL**
"
Evil counfel
*
is rnofl pernicious to the giver
of it."
This flory of the foothfayers, and of this Iambic
verfe of fix feet, is found in the eleventh book of ihe
*
E'vil counfeh &C.] This kind of proverbial expreffion has
been common in all times and languages. We have in fcrip-
ture,
"
They digged a pit for me, and have fallen into the
midft of it themfelves."Similar to this is the phrafe,
"
Sibi
parat malum qui alteri parat;" and Virgil had this idea in mind,
when fpeaking of Tolumnius, in his twelfth ^neid :
"
Cadit ipfe Tolumnius augur.
Primus in adverfos telum qui torferat hofles."
**
The fatal augur falls, by whofe command
The truce was broken, and whofe lance embrued
With Trojan blood, th* unhappy fight renewed."
R
4
Greater
248
THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
Greater Annals, and in Verrius
Flacciis, his
firft
book of Things worthy of
Remembrance.
This
verfe feems to be tranflated
from
a
fimilar one of
Jiefiod :

^^
Evil counfel is moll pernicious to the giver
of it."
Chap, VI,
ne words
of
an ancient decree
of
the fenale, in which
an expation by the
moft
folemnfacrifices was ordered^
hecaufe
the
fpears
of
Mars had moved in the chapeL
^he terms
"
hojii^Juccidane^e
"
and
^*
porca pr^ci-
danea'^ are explained. Capita Ateius called certain
holidays
^^
feriiC
pr^cidanea,''*
WHEN
an earthquake happened
S
it was for-
mally announced, and an expiation made
j
thus I find it written in Ancient Memorials, that it
was
'
Earthquake haf>pened,'\-^V/\\en any phasnomenon, contrary
to the ufual courfe of nature, occurred, it was formally announced
tp the fenate, by the conful. The Sybilline books were then
ordered to be confulted, and expiations and fupplications di^
refted to be folemnly performed. The fpears, or arms of Mars,
mentioned in the fubfeqiient paragraph, were termed ancilia;
they were preferved in the capitol by a feleft body of priefts,
called Salii. Upon their prefervation the fafety of the Roman
empire was prefumed to depend ; it was impious to move them
from their place, except on certain occafions, and with peculiar
folemnities. There was, in fatfl, but one ancile, but it is re-
porte4
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS.
249
was
announced to the fenate that the fpears of Mars
had
Ihaken in the chapel of the palace. On this ac-
count, a decree
of the fenate palfed, in the conful-
fhip of Marcus
Antonius and Aulus Poflumius,
of
which this is a tranfcript
^
;
"
QUOD . C . JULIUS . L. F. PONTIFEX . NUN-
CIAVIT . IN . SACRARIO . IN . REGIA . HASTAS . MAR-
TIAS . MOVISSE . DE . EA . RE . ITA . CENSUERUNT
.
UTI . M . ANTONIUS . CONSUL . HOSTIIS .
MAJORI-
BUS . JOVI
. ET . MARTI . PROCURARET , ET
. CE-
TERIS . DIS . OyiBUS . VIDERETUR . PLACANDIS
. UTI
PROCURASSET . SATIS . HABENDUM , CENSUERUNT . SI .
QUID. SUCCIDANEIS. OPUS. ESSET.ROBIGUS.ACCEDE-
RET.'*As the fenate ufed the
^^ovdishofiiajuccidane^y
\t was enqpired what this exprelTion meant. In the
comedy of Plautus alfo, which is called Epidicus, I
ported of Numn, that, in order to fecure the preferyation of this
Qne, he ordered a number of others to be made, fo exac^ly^ re-
fembling it, that the difterence betwixt them could not be dif-
tinguiflied,
*
Tranfcript."] This edifl: may, perhaps, be thus rendered r
"
Since Caius Julius, high prieft, has formally announced,
that in the fanduary of the palace the fpears of Mars have
moved, on this fubjedl they have thus decreedThat M. An-
tonius, the conful, ftiould take care and offer the greater hollias
to Jupiter,
Mars, and fuch other of the deities as he thinks it is
neceflary to appeafe : and if it ihall be necelTary to add any fe-
condary viftims, let the god Rubigobe honoured."
Gronovius doubts whether the god Rubigo is here meant, of
whether it Ihould not be read Robius, which is found in fome
manufcripts. If this be admitted, the meaning will be,
"
If
there be any fecondary victims, let a red ox be facrificed."
There was a god honoured at Rome by the name of Rubigo,
peculiarly worihipped by hulbandmen, as having influence over
corn.
have
150
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
have heard the fame term inveftigatcd in thefe
verfes :
.
<*
Mefj.Piacularem
*
oportet fieri ob ftultitiam
tuam
Ut
meiinn tergum ftukitias tuse fubdas /ucci-
daneum.*'
But the
bqfil^
are called fuccfdanese, the letter Cy ac-
cording to the nature of the compound vowel, being
. changed into
/; for they are, as it were, fucc^dane^,
for if the firft bojli^ were not deemed fatisfadtory
and adequate, others were brought afterwards, and
flain
', which, after the firft were already flain, were,
for the fake of expiation, fubftituted and (lain after-
wards (Juccidehantur) and
were therefore named
Jucctdane<y
the letter i being pronounced long.
I
underftand there are fome who make this letter in
this word, barbaroufly, fhort. But, by the fame ver-
bal reafoning,
thefe facrifices were named
fr^ci^
dane^y which were flain the day preceding the fo-
lemn facrifices. The hog alfo was named
fraci-
daneuy which as an expiation it
was cuftomary to of-
fer to Ceres before the taking of the firft fruits, if a
family in which a death had happened had not been
purified, or had
negle6ted any of the eflential rites
of expiation. That the liog and certain facrifices
were named, as I
have faid
above, fr^cidane^y is fuf-
3
Men.

Piacularemy &c.]

Thefe lines are thus rendered ia

Thornton's Plautus
:
"
And muft I
Atone then for your folly ? Shall my back
Be offered up a facred
vidlim for it
?'*
I
ficiently
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
251
ficiently
notorious ; but what were the
feria pr^ci-
danea is, I believe, lefs obvious. But I have fub-
joined the words of Ateius Capico, from his fifth
book de Pontificio jure.

**
Tiberio Coruncanio
*
pontifici maximo fer'ue
pr^cidanece in atrum diem
inaugurates funt.
Collegium decrevit non haben-
dum religioni
quin eo die
feriiC
priccidane^ ef-
fent."
*
Tiherius.']

"
When Tiberius Coruncarius was pontifex
maximus, the feria
pracidanea were ordered on an unfortu-
nate day ; but the college determined that it would not be im*
pious to celebrate
^t
feria
pracidanea QVi this day."
Chap. VII.
Of
an Epiftle from
Valerius Prohus the grammarian,
addrejfed to Marcellus, upon the accent
of
certain
Carthaginian words.
VALERIUS
Probus the grammarian was in
his time very eminent for learning. He pro-
nounced Hannibal
',
Hafdrubal, and Hamilcar as
'
//i2/^/.]Gronovius obferves, that the laft fyllable in
Hannibal is long, being in the oriental tongue the fame as Baal,
from whence the Greek word /3Ao?. In the Carthaginian
tongue Hannibal fignified
"
lord of favour
:*'
Hamilcar in like
manner is compofed of words which import
"
a flrong prince."
Notwithflanding what is here faid,
Juvenal
ufes the lall fyl-
lable of Hannibal fhort.

Hannibal et flantes collina in turre mariti."

with
252
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
with a circumflex upon the penultima, as appears
from a letter ofhis written to Marcelkis, in which he
aflerts, that this pronunciation was that of Plautus,
Ennius, and many others of the ancients. He, how-
ever, introduces only a fingle verfe from a compofi-
tion of Ennius, which is
called
"
Scipio
\"
I add
this verfe, which is a tetrameter, where, unlefs the
third fyllabk of Hannibal's name be circumflexed,
the metre will be defective
j
the verfe of Ennius is
this
:
*'
Qui
propter Hannibalis copias confiderant."
*
Scipio,
1
The fubjeft of this poem is prefumed to be thQ
exploits of Cornelius Scipio Africanus.
Chap. VIIL
fVhat Caius Fahrictus /aid
of
Cornelius
Rufinusy a co-^
vetous mariy whom, though he hated him and was his
enemyy he took care to have elected conjul,
FABRICIUS
Lufcinus was a man who had
obtained great glory, and performed many il-
luflrious adions. Publius Cornelius Rufinus was
alfo a valiant man, and a good foldier, admirably
fkilled in military difcipline, but he was an extor-
tioner, and miferably covetous.
Fabricius neither
liked this man, nor ufed his friendihip
^
indeed he
hated him for his manners. But when, in very
pe*
rilous times of the commonwealth, confuls were to
be
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
253
be
eleded, this Rufinus follicited the confulfhip, and
as his opponents were contennptible and unwarlike
charadlers, Fabricius exerted all his influence to
have Rufinus made conful. Many being greatly
aftonifhed that he ihould flrive to make that man
conful who was a mifer, and whom he perfonally
hated ; Fabricius replied,
"
It is not furprifing that
I would rather be plundered than fold'." This
Rufinus,
Than
fold."]
That is,
"
I would rather be plundered as an
individual, than ibid as a flave to the enemy."This face-
tious reply is recorded alfo by Quintilian, with a little periphra^*
fis ;

I would rather be robbed by a citizen than fold by an
enemy.'*It feems a little abfurd, that the fame perfon Ihould
be ftigmatized as a fordid mifer by his neighbours, and pu-
nifhed as a luxurious citizen by the magiltrate. This quota-
tion from Cicero does not appear in any manufcript, and was
probably not inferted by Gellius, but by fome other hand.
We learn from this chapter the extent of the cenfor's office.
That feverity, which in a riling ftate was a juft and neceffary
yneafure, as advancement was made in wealth and its concomi-
tant luxuries, became either ridiculous or unavailing. The mode
of expelling a fenator was to omit his name, when the members
of the houfe were called over. This duty originally belonged
to the confuls, but the cenfors were exprefsly created
to relieve
them of this part of their trouble.
See Middleton's Tradl on
the Roman Senate. Many examples are recorded of fenators
being expelled by the cenfors, but it was often done, as appears,
from the dillionourable motives of private diilike or revenge.
The term exprefling the duty of the cenfors with refped to the
fenate was to this eifefl.'See Cicero de Leg.

Cenfores pro-
brum in fenatu ne relinquiento. Is ordo vitio caretoceteris
fpecimen eilo."

" Let the cenfors leave nothing infamous in

the fenate. Let this order be. free from ftain; let them be an
example to the reft."
We
i54 THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
Riifinus, when he had
been twice conful, and had
difcharged the office of didator,
was by Fabriciusj
when cenfor> expelled the fenate for his luxury,
be-
caufe he had in his
houfe ten pounds
weight
of
filver. But what I have mentioned as the
reply
made by Fabricius concerning
Cornelius Rufinus
is
recorded in other places. M. Cicero, in his fe-
cond book de Oratore, fays, this anfwer was given,
not by Fabricius to others, but by Fabricius to Ru-
finus himfelf, on his thanking him for being ap-
pointed conful through his means. Thefe are Ci-
cero's words
:

"
It is a mark of acutenefs when by a trifling cir*
cumftance or exprelTion, what is fubtle and obfcure
becomes illuftrated ; as when P. Cornelius, a man
who had the character of a mifer and extortioner,
but who was very valiant, and a good general, re-
turned thanks to C. Fabricius, becaufe, though his
enemy, he had made him conful during a great and
formidable war.

* You have no occafion to thank

me,' was the reply,
^
if I had rather be plundered
than fold.'
"
We learn alfo from Cicero, that it often happened that men
expelled the fenate by the cenfcrs for imputed crimes, were
again reftored to their dignity, and were afterwards cenfors thcm-
felves.
Chap.
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS.
255
Chap. IX.
ne proper meaning
of
"
religioJusC'
the various
figni--
fcations
to
which it is applied :
the words
of
Ni-
gidius Figulus on this fubje^y
taken
from
his Com-
mentaries.
N
I GIDIUS
Figulus, who next tx) M. Varro
was, I think, the nioft learned of men, in his
eleventh book of Grammatical Commentaries, re-
cites a verfe, from an old poem, which deferves to
be remembered
:

"
Religentem
'
efle oportet, religiofum nefas."
Whofe this verfe is he does not fay, but in the
fame place he obferves
^^
This is th invariable
purport offuch kindsofwords as vinofus, mulierofus,
religiofus, nummofus, fignifying alv/ays the excefs* of
what is in queftion. For which reafon he was
called religiofus
who had bound himfelf by an in-
temperate and fuperflitious regard to religion, which
*
Rdigentem.'] The meaning of this verfe feems to be,
"
We
ought to be attentive to the duties of religion, without being fu-
perflitious
;"
or, perhaps otherwife, thus

" We ought to enter-

tain a rational fear of the deity, and not a fuperftiiious fear."
*
^^g*"fy^^S
exce/s.] This muft be conceded with fome ex-
ception.-See on this fubjcdl the Advcrfarii of Barthin,
p.
1647,
With refpedl to the examples here fpeciiied, it is, I believe,
true, unlefs of religiofus. This word is confidered as fynonymou?
with//; by Gataker, in hii Opera Critica,
p. 316.
thing
tsG
tHE ATTIC NiGiHTS
thing was Imputed to him as a fault."But beficlegf
what Nigidius has laid, religiofus, by another change?
of meaning,
began to be ufed for a chafte perfon^
and one
who confined himfelf by certain laws and
limits. In like manner thefe words, which have the
lame origin, feem to have a different fignification,
religiqfi
dies and religioja deluhra : religioji dies are
thofe which are infamous, or clogged with fome ill
omen, on which it was not deemed expedient to
engage in divine things,
or commence any new bu-
finefs, which days, a multitude of ignorant people
ablurdly and falfely call
nefafti.
Therefore Cicero^
in the ninth book of his Epiflles to Atticus, fays

*^
Our anceftors confidered the day of the battle of
Allia
^
as more unfortunate than that when the city
was takenj becaufe this latter calamity was the con-
fequence of the former. The one day, therefore, is
rellgiojusy the other not commonly known.'*

But
the fame Cicero, in his Oration about the appoint-
ment of an accufer, ufes the expreflion of religiofa
deluhra, not as ominous and calamitous, but as full
of dignity and veneration. But Maflurius Sabinus,
in his Commentaries de Indigenis, fays

^^
Reli^
giojiim Is that which, on account of a certain fandlity,
is remote and feparated from us, the word coming
a reliquendo, as casrimonias a carendo."According
^
-^:////.]This river flowed into tlie Tiber, at the diftancc
of about ninety miles from Rome. In this place the Roman
legions were defeated by the Gauls, under the command of Bren*
BUS. Virgil, in his feventh iEneid, calls the Allia an inaufpi^
cious name
:
"
Quofcjue
fecans infauflum interluit Allia nomen.'*
t0
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
257
to this interpretation of Sabinus, thofe temples and
flirines are religioja^ which are to be approached, not
vulgarly nor raihly, but challely and reverently, as
infpiring awe and veneration, and by no means to
be profaned. Thofe days are termed religioft^ which,
from a contrary reafon, we pafs by on account of
their being unfortunately ominous. For which rea*
fon Terence
S
in his Self-tormentor, fays

" Then
by way of gift I have onlywell, well
: for to tell
her 1 have nothing, I
religioufly avoid."
But ifj as Nigidius obferves, all words of this ter-*
mination fignify excefs, and have therefore a bad
i^x\{t^ as vinofus, mulierofus, verbofuSj morofus, fa-
mofus, why not then, ingeniofus, formofus, and ofH-
ciofus, with fpeciofus, which come from ingenium,
forma, ofEcium, why not alfo difciplinofus, confili-
ofus, vi6loriofus, which M. Cato has fo written ? and
why not too, facundiofa, which Sempronius Afel-
lio, in his thirteenth book of Annals, has thus ufed:
"
Fa6la fua ipedlari oportere, non difta, fi minus fa-
cundiofa eflent
3"
why, I fay, are all thefe applied,
not in a bad but contrary fenfe, although they re-
fpedlively fignify excefs of that
which they exprefs ?
Is it becaufe a certain neceffary limit muft be pro-
pofed to the words I firfl adduced ? For it may be
faid of gallantry, if excelTive and immoderate ; of
manners, if too various; of words, if perpetual, infi-
nite, and obtrufive; of fame, if too great, refllefs, and
*
Terence.
]
Terence, in a fubfeqUent paflage, ufes the term re-
Ugiofus in a bad fenfe :
"
Ut llultae et mifera; omnes fumus
Religiofse."
Vol, L
S
invidious
j
-
258
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
invidious;
that they are neither praifeworthy nor
ufeful. But
neither genius, duty, beauty, difcipline,
counfel,
victory, nor eloquence, can be circum-
fcribed by any limits, for the greater and more ex-
tenfive they are, by fo much the more arc the/
entitled to praife.
n
C H A P. X*
fjj
ofder
of
ajking opnions^ as
ohferved in the
fenate,
JDifpute
in thejenate between Cuius Cdsjar the conjuly
and Marcus CatOy who conjumed the whole day in^
/peaking.
EFORE the law which is now obferved in
B
holding the lenate^ the order of taking the votes^
varied*. Sometimes his opinion was firft alked
*
Taking the 'Votes 'varied.]Every thing relating to the Ro-
man fenate is accurately and elegantly mentioned by Middle-
ton in the trad: abovementioned. Originally it was the cuflom
for the conful firft to fpeak himfelf on the fubjett iittroduced,
and then to afk the opinions of the fenators by name, beginning
with thofe of the higheft rank. In the later ages of Rome, the
conful paid the compliment
to vvhorafoever he thought proper.
Gellius treats more at length on this head. Book XiV.chap. vii.
It
appears that this compliment extended only to a few of the
conful's more intimate friends, or near relations, and that after*
wards the opinions ofthe fenators were regularly afked, accord-
ing to their rahk and feniority*
who
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS. a^j
"who was firft
chofen by the Cenfors to the fenate
;
fometimes
theirs, who were the confuls ele6i: -, fome
of the
confuls, influenced by private attachment
6r
connedlion,
paid a compliment to fuch as they
thought proper, by afking their fentiments firfl,
contrary to the ufual Cuftom. It was neverthelels
obferved, that when the ufual cuftom was not fol-
lowed, the fentiment of no perfon was afked firll,
but of confular dignity. C. Cjcfar, in the conful-
Ihip which he held jointly with M. Bibulus, is faid
to have afked the fentiments of four only, contrary
to the ufual cuftom. Of thefe four, the firft he
afked was M. Craflus, but after he had betrothed
his daughter to Cneius Pompey, he began to put
the queftion firft to Pompey. Tiro, the freedman
of Cicero, relates that he affigried the reafon of this
to the fenate, which he affirms that he had heard
from his patron. This thing alio Capito Ateius
has recorded, in the book which he compofed on
the Senatorial OfHce. In the fame book of Capito
this alfo appears:

" Caius Csefar the conful," he

relates,
"
afked the opinion of M. Cato. Cato
was unwilling that the matter in queftion Hiould be
accomplifhed, becaufe it did not feem falutary to
the ftate. In order to protrad the matter, he made
a long oration, and was taking up the whole day in
fpeaking. It was the privilege of every fenator,
when alked his opinion, to fay on every fubje6t
whatever he pleafed% and as long as he liked.
Casfar
*
PFhate<ver he plea/edJ] Unlike the cuflom wifely eftabliihed
in our houfes of parliament, a fenator of ancient ^ome, when
Nou
I. S 2
called
i6o THE ATTtCJ NIGHTS
Caefar the conful called the meflenger', and ordered
Cato, as he did not make an end, to be feized whilft
Ipeaking, and carried to prifon. The fenate rofe,
and accompanied Cato to the prifon. This excit-
ing an odium, Ca^far defifted, and ordered Cato to
be difcharged.**
called upon to deliver his opinion, might leave the fubje6l in
queftion, and expatiate as he pleafed upon any other. This is
afierted, as well by our author as by Tacitus :
"
Licere patri-
bus quotiesjus fententiae dicendas accepiflent, quae vellent expri-
mere, relationemque in eapoftulare.'*Ann.
13,
14.The fe-
nators were allowed, whenever they had the power of declaring-
their opinions, to introduce whatever they thought proper, and
to require a difcuflion of it.
3
Meffenger.l^^TYiQ word in Latin is viator, which feems irt
every refpeft to correfpond with what we underftand t)y mef-
fenger. Perhaps I might with equal propriety have tranflated
viator by apparitor, or fummoner, for which latter word we
have the authority of Shakfpeare. The great men of Rome, re-
fiding at their villas, kept thefe viatores ormeflengers to come for
them when any queftion ofparticular importance was debated^
Many examples are recorded in the Roman hiftorians, befides
the prefent, of the time which ought to have been employed in
ferious deliberation about the welfare of the ftate, being con-
fumed in ufelefs and impertinent fquabbles among the fenators*
Happy would it be, perhaps, if the fenators of modern time*
were always free from iimilaf imputations*
Chap.
OF AULUS GELLIUS. 261
Chap. XI.
Certain more refined ohfervations
of
Ariftoxenus
upon
Pythagorasy with
feme fimilar remarks
of
Plutarch
en the
fameJuhje5l.
AN
opinion equally ancient and falfe progref-
lively prevailed, that Pythagoras the philofo-
pher did not eat
animal food
*
; that he alfo ab-
ftained from beans, in Greek
}ivo(,i^o^.
The poet
Callimachus was of this opinion

" Not to touch

^/;?;iz/yo(7</.]*Every particular which has been recorded
of the life of Pythagoras, either interefting in itfelf, or of any
importance to morals or to men, will be found in Dr. Enfield's
ufeful Hiftory of Philofophy. Among other extraordinary thingi
told of this wonderful man, it is faid, that he once prevented
an ox from eating beans by whifpering in its ear. It is very
probable, that the founder of a feft, anxious to diftinguifh him-
felf, and to fet apart his difciples from the reft of mankind,
Ihould enjoin them many peculiarities, which, if reafon does not
difapprove, it cannot pofllbly admire ; and, indeed, fome ads of
extravagance, which the vulgar and uninformed might revere as
eifefts of extraordinary wifdom. But it will not be afferted,
that a fuperior mind, like that of Pythagoras, intended any
thing more by forbidding certain articles of food, than to incul-
cate the neceflity and the advantage of fyftematic temperance.
Bayle is of opinion, that the authority and aiTertion of Arif-
toxenus, as here recorded, is of no great weight. It is certain
(fee Herodotus, Book II.) that the Egyptians fcrupuloufly ab-
ftained from beans, and it is equally notorious that Pythagoras
borrowed many of his ideas and dogmas from the ^Egyptians,
S3 beans.
itt THE ATTIC NIGHTS
beans, nor to eat of any thing having blood
*,
as
Pythagoras has connmanded,
fo do I."
Agreeably to the fanae opinion, Cicero in his firft
book of Divination has thefe words :

"
Plato direfts to go to fleep with the body fo
circumftanced that the naind may be free from per-
turbation or delufion. For which reafon it was fup-
pofed that the Pythagoreans were forbidden to eat
beans, becaufe this food has a certain windy quality
injurious to thofe who feek mental compofure."

Thus far Cicero ; but Ariftoxenus

\
the mufician, wht)
was very curious with fefpeft to ancient literature, and
a difciple of Ariftotle, in the book which he has left
<:oncerning Pythagoras, affirms that this philofo-
pher
ufed no vegetable more frequently than beans,
becaufe this food gradually relieved the bov/els. I
have added the words of Ariftoxenus:" Pytha-
goras gready preferred beans to other kinds of
*
Nanjing ^/c(7</.]The reading of this pafTage has been dif-
puted. Bentley recommends the reading of tcQiunv, without
life, or not having life, and other commentators vindicate va-
rious readings. Gronovius ridicules the reading of Bentley,
and recommends awivt^rov. Erneflus, with greater plauiibility,
would read xQujrx, non aniiualia.
3
Jrijloxenus.'] This writer was 'not only excellent with re-
aped to mufical accompliftiments, but he wrote various books on
mircellaneous-fubjeds.See Athenasus, Book XIV.
J
before
obferved, that Bayle treats the opinion of Ariftoxenus on the
fubjedl with fome contempt; and whoever wifhes to fee the
opinions of various learned men on the fubjefl difcufled-4n this
chapter, will do well to confult Bayle, at the article Pythagoras.
;AcQording to Suidas, Ariftoxenus was the author of
453
vo-
lumes
;
he lived in the time of Alexander the Great.
His trea-
tife on mufic was republifhed by Meurftus,
pulfe.
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
263
p^lfe, as being of an aftive and purgative qualitjrj
he therefore particularly ufed it."
The lame Ariftoxeaus relates, that he lived much
upon very young pigs and kids. This he appears
to have learned from Xenophilus, the intimate
/riend of Pythagoras, and from certain others who
were advanced in y^ars, and lived not long after the
age of Pythagoras. What he fays of animals is
confirmed by Alexis*, in the comedy which is
called the Life of Pythagoras. As to his not eat-
ing beans, the caufe of the miftake feems to
be
a verfe of Empedocles, of the Pythagorean fe6b, to
ihis efFe6t:

**
Oh miferable, moft miferable men, keep your
hands from beans,"
Many have thought that nua/xo? there meant only
pulfe
; but they who have examined the verfes of
*
j^Iexts.'j

This poet has been mentioned already in the fe-

cond book : of the comedy here alluded to, two fragments only
remain. They are found in the Excerpta of Grotius.
I
fubjoin
them, as they feem pertinent as to the fubjedt of tTiis chapter,
iind feemingly apply to the peculiarities
of the Pythagorean
"
(Take) a cup of pure water, if yoy
drinks crudf
It will be harfh and unpalatable."
*'
East
6*
virofJitivci,i /Aixpei', acrirtaj/,
pwofj
It was neceflary to endure for a time want of fo*d, filtj^
Cold, fxlence, forrow, and not wailiing.'*
A^vcr>a feems
to have no dill:in<Sl
figniiication from ^wof.
S
4
Empedocle
a64 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
Empedocles with more diligence and fagacity fay,
that in this pafTage the word fignifies
tefticuliy
and
that they, according to the Pythagorean cuftom,
were by an occult and fynnbolic meaning called
kiiamiy becaufe of a prolific and generative nature.
, From which latter property, Empedocles in this
verfe does not wifh to deter men from eating
beans, but from indulgence of exceflive venery.
.Plutarch alfo, a man of great authority as a teacher,
. in the firft book which he wrote on Homer, af-
firms, that Ariftotle wrote the fame thing of the Py-
thao;oreans, that they did not abftain from eating
animals, but only from a fmall part of them.The
words of Plutarch, as the matter is curious, are
here fubjoined
:

'
*^
Ariftotle fays that the Pythagoreans abflained
from the private parts, the heart, the fea urchin,
and certain fimilar things, ufing all others indifcri-
minately.'*
But Plutarch in his Sympofiacs alTerts, that the
.Pythagoreans abftained from certain fifhcs. It is
notorious that Pythagoras himfelf was accuflomed to
fay, that he was originally Euphorbus \ Thefe
things, therefore, are more remote than what Clear-
chus and Dicsarchus have handed down to me-
5
Euphorbus.']
This is ridiculed by TertuUian, but is af-
firmed with much folemnity by Diogenes Laertius, and the Scho-
liaft to ApoUonius Rhodius. The affertion is adduced by va-
rious writers on the fubjed, to prove that Pythagoras owed
,inuch of his reputation to impollure, for why, it is alked, did he
pretend to thefe, and fimilar wonders, but that he might more
eafily impofe upon the credulity of an ignorant and
fuperllitious
people ?
mory.
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
i6s
mory, that he was afterwards Pyrander, then Calli-
clea, then a courtezan of very beautiful afpe6t,
whofe nanne was Alee.
Chap. XIL
Cenforial marks and animadverfionsfound in ancient
mar
numents^ worthy
of
remembrance,
IF
any one permitted his land to run
to wafte,
and did not plough or keep it in order, or if
any one had negleded his trees or vineyard, it was
not with impunity
J
it fell within the cenfor's au-
thority, and the cenfors degraded him. Alio, if any
Roman knight had a horfe out of condition,
or un-
feemly to look on, he was fined for impolitia,
which is the fame as if you were to fay incuria,
or
want of care. There are good authorities
for both
thcfe circumftances, and M. Cato has frequently at-
tefted them.
The proper and original jurxfdiflion of
the cenfors feems
to
have been intended to extend to the immoralities, extravagance,
and vices of the citizens. This they were authorized to do,
without refpeft of rank or fortune, and they folemnly fvvore to
difcharge their duty without partiality. But, after all, it feems,
that the punifhmsiit of the cenfors did not extend very far, nor
was it confidered as of very ferious importance ; it was often re-
fifted, and often revenged. It might always be removed by an
appeal to the people, if unjuflly inflifted; and it does not appear
to have endured beyond the limits of the cenfbr's year of office.
A cenfor, who undertook to expel Metellus from the fenate, was
,by him, when tribune, ordered to be thrown from the Tarpeian
rock.
66 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
rock, which pori-fhment would certainly have been infliAed, if
ihe other tribunes had not refcued the vidim from the wrath of
their colleague. This, however, it mull be
acknowledged, was a
faft which happened a long time after the ftrft creation
of the of-
fice.
Chap. XIII.
fbe founds
of
flutes
^ made in a particular manner^ can
cure
thofe affli5ied
with thefciatica*
IT
has been credited by many, and has been
handed down to memory, that when the pains of
the fciatica are moft fevere, they will be afluaged
by
the foft notes pf a flute player. I have very lately
read, in a book ofTheophraftus, that the melody of
the flute, flcilfully and delicately managed, has
power
^to heal the bites of vipers. The fame is related in
a book of Democritus, which is entitled
'^
Of
Plagues and Peftilential Diforders." In this he fays,
that the melody of flutes is a remedy for many hu-
man complaints.
So great is the fympathy betwixt
the bodies and the minds of men, and betwixt tljt
maladies and
remedies of mind and body.
Chap.
On peruiing this chapter, the Italian remedy of mufical founds
for
the bite of the tarantula will occur to every reader. How
great, or how particular the fympathy may be betwixt the bo*
dily organs of men and the afFedions communicated to th
brain, by the means of the auditory nerves, is a queftion much
\Qo fubtle for my capacity to inveftigate. One fmiple operation
#f hajmony feiBs capable of obvious ^nd fatisfadpry explana-
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
267
Chap. XIV.
jhecdote
of
Hoftilius
Mancimis the ^diky and
MamiUei,
the courlezan :
the words
of
the decree
of
the tribunes
to whom Mamilia appealed,
AS
I was reading the ninth book of the
Conjec-
tures of Ateius
Capito on Public Decifions,
I
met with a decree of the tribunes full of
ancient
gravity. I therefore remembered it; it was
upon
this occafion, and to this purport.A. Hoftilius
Mancinus was curule aedile. He fummoned
Ma-
milia the courtezan before the people, becaufe
he
tion. Agitation of mind will often occafion, ^.nd always in^
creafe, the difeafe called fever, and indeed many other com-
plaints to which the body is liable. As far as mental agita-
tion is concerned, moll men muft have felt that it is in the power
of foft and tender mufic to foothe and compofe it. The cure of
the bite of the tarantula by mufic is not enough authenticated
:
what feems mcft difficult to be comprehended is, that the fame
kind of mufic is not always fuccefsful ; one perfon requires on^
inftrument, and one another.See Mead on poifons..*
To all
perfons thus afFedled quick mufic is^ however, indifpenfable. The
dodlor obferves, that no one was ever known to bfe cured by
flow or penfive harmony. The curious reader will find two ex-
traordinary anecdotes of fevers cured by mufic, which had no
connexion (apparently) with the wounds f poifonous animals,
in the 23d volume of the Gentleman's Magazine; and the
lover of poetry has a beautiful defcription of the effefls of mu-
fic in exciting the paflions of rage and love in Dryden's ode.

-f
See alfo Bayle, article Gondimel, where many entertaining
anecdotes of the various effefts of mufical founds are recorded.
was
:t^8 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
was wounded from her apartment' by a flonc in
the night, and he Ihewed the wound which the flonc
had made. Mamilia appealed to the tribunes of the
people. To them fhe related, that
Mancinus
came
to her houfe at an unfeafonable hour ; Ihe was not at
liberty to receive him into her apartments ; and,
on
his endeavouring violently to break in, he was re-
pelled with ftones. The tribunes decreed that the
aedile was properly driven from the place, where he
ought not to have appeared with a garland
*.
They
alfo prevented the aedile from appealing to the
people.
Chap.
*
Apartment.'] The word, in the edition of Gronovius, is ta-
bulato ; it is read in other places ambulacro, which Solinus ad
Salmafium correds to ambulatu, which would fignify,
as he
walked along.
^
With a garland.
\
That is, with marks of intemperance.
For in a drinking party it was always cuftomary to wear gar-*
lands, as appears perpetually in the claflic writers. The asdile
was alfo guilty of another impropriety. It was particularly the
province and duty of his office to regulate taverns and houfes of
ill fame. Seneca, in his traft De Vita Beata, calls brothels, by
an, elegant periphrafis, loca aedilem metuentia, places fearing
the aedile. And yet in the Afinaria of Plautus, Argyfippus
threatens Cle^reta the bawd, that he will prefer a complaint
againft her ad tres viros. The tres viri appear tc have been a
kind of fuperior watch, who took care of the ftreets by night.
Ovid tells us, that at an early period of life he was
elefted to
this office
:
"
Deque viris quondam pars tribus una fui."
The particular condition and circumftances of courtezans (me-
retrices) at Rome, is explained at length by Briffonius, in his
Jearned book De vcteri Kitu
Nuptiarum et Jure
Connubj-
orun^*^
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
269
Chap. XV.
Defence
of
an opinion in
Salluft^s hifiory^ which his
enemies cenfure with violence and malignity.
THE
elegance of Salluft's ftyle, and his care in
conftrudbing and giving a new turn to his ex-
preflions, has excited much invidioufnefs ; and many,,
even offuperior minds, have bufied themfelves to dif-
cover and point out blemifhes, carping at him with
an equal degree of ignorance and malignity. There
are certainly fome things deferving reprehenfion, as
that pafTage in the hiflory of Catiline, which carries
the appearance of negledt and hafte.It is this
:
"
To me, indeed,
although an equal reputation
by no means attends the
writer and performer of ac-
tions, it feems in the firft degree difficult to record
exploits. Firft, becaufe the ftyle Ihould
be equal
to the fubjedl ; fecondly, becaufe, when you point
out faults, many will think you influenced by male-
volence and envy.
When you expatiate on the
great valour and glory of the good, whatever any
one thinks he himfelf could do, he hears with com-
orum. It appears that conrtezans were obliged formally to
leave their names, and intimate their profeffion, at the jedile*$
houfe or office.See a curious paflhge in Tacitus :
"
Vellilia,
praetoria familia genita, licentiam ftupri apud adiles vulgave*
rat, more inter veteres recepto."

**
Vellilia, born of a patrician
family, had made known her profeffion at the sediles, according
to a cuftom ofour anceftors.'*
placency
;
ft70 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
pkcencyj all beyond this, he deems feigned and
falfe."
He
propofed, they obje6t, to relate the caufes
why it appeared difficult to record exploits;
but
firft, without relating any caufe, he makes
complaints.
For it does not feem to be a caufe why hiftory
fhould be a difficult work, that they who read, either
fallely interpret what is written, or do not believe
it to be true. The expreffion, they fay, of
difficulty
is liable and obvious to mifinterpretation ; becaufe
that which is difficult, is fo from the difficulty of
the work itfelf, not from the miilaken opinions
of others. This is what thefe
malevolent objedors
urge. But Salluft ufes the word arduuniy not for
what is difficult only, but what the Greeks call
SM(r'xi^iq
and ^aAtTrov, which is not difficult alone,
but troublefome, inconvenient, and intraftable, with
the meaning of which words the expreffion of Sal-
luft abovementioned is perfedtly confiftent.
C H A Fi
The ftyle of SalluH exercifed the critical fagacity of many
writers, both in ancient and modern times. The elegant Afinius
Pollio reprehended him as too fond of old and obfoletc words.
See Suetonius.From which imputation he is again ably vin--.
dicated by Bayle.See the article Raynaud,Again,
Dr..
Blair, in his leftures, affirms of Salluft, that he attended more to
the elegance of his narrative, than to the unfolding of fecret
caufes and fprings. It is, perhaps, a more feriou^ accufation
againft him, that he, who in his writings declaimed againft
im-
morality and vice, was himfelf a very profligate charader.
H#
was folemnly accufed ofadultery before the praitor, and feverely
reprehended by the cenfor in a full fenate for his profligacy.
The expreffion x)f Mr* Gibbcinon this fubjed is fomewhat iingu-
lar.
OP
AULUS GELLIUS.
271
Chap. XVI.
Of
certain iBords declined by Varro and NigidiuSy con^
trary to the ujual
cuftom
:
Jome
examples
of
thefainc
kind
from
the ancients.
WE
find that M. Varro, and P. Nigidius,
the moft learned of the Romans, invariably
faid and wrote fenatuis, domuis, and flu(5luis, which
is the genitive cafe, regularly from fenatus, domus,
and flu(5hiS5 wiience in like manner they faid, fe-
natui, domui, fludliii, &c. This verfe aifo of Te-
rence, the comic poet, is in the older books thus
written
:

*^
Ejus anuis opinor caufa quas eft mortua.*'
Some of the old grammarians have wiflied
5a
ftrengthen this their authority by thus reafoning
;

that every dative cafe fingular, ending in

/',
if not like
the genitive fingular, this latter is formed by adding
j,
lar.

" The hiftorian Salluft, who

ufefully praftifed the vices
which he has fo eloquently cenfured, employed the plunder of
Numidia to adorn his palace and his gardens on the Quirinal
Hill/'
Whatever his vices may have been, to which I make allu-
Jion with regret, the charafter of Salluft as a writer Hands far
above my praife, and his writings will continue to be read witl\
|idmiration and inftruftion, as long as a combination of ftrength
with elegance ihall be confidered as the excellence of hillorical
compoiition.!" From this rank," to borrow an expreffion of
Philippus Carolus,
"
which he has always enjoyed, there exift
up cenfors who have power to remove him."
as
17^
THE
ATTIC NIGHTS
as patri, patris
;
duel, ducis
;
caedi, caedis. When,
therefore, they urge in the dative cafe, we fay, huic
fenatui, the genitive fingular from this, is not fenatus
but fenatuis. But all do not allow that in the dative
cafe it ought to be fenatui rather than fenatu
; as
Lucilius in this cafe ufes vidu and anu, not vidtui
and anui
:

"
Quod fumptum atque epulas vidlu prasponiit
honeflo.''
.j
In another place he fays, anu noceo. Virgil alfb,
in the dative cafe ufes afpedu, not afpedlui
**
Teque alpedlu ne fubtrahe noftro.'*
And in the Georgics
*^
Quod nee concubitu indulgent/'
Caius Caefar alfo, whofe authority refpeding the
Latin language is very great, fays in his Anti-Cato
~*^
Unius arroganiise, fuperbiaeque, dominatuque."
Alfo in his third Oration againft Dolabella

" Ibi
ifli quorum in sedibus fanifque pofita et honori erant
et ornatu.** Likewife in his books on analogy, he
thinks all words of this kind are to be written
without the u
Perpetual examples of this ufage of the ablative of the fourth
declenilon, inftead of the dative, occur in Virgil, Cicero, Caefar,
and the beft Latin writers. Rutgurfius has colleted the tabula
of this Nigidius, and illuftrated them wjth notes. Caefar cer-
tainly wrote two bpoks againft Cato; his books of analogy are
mentioned by Suetonius, but no fragments of tlie works here al-
luded'to remain.
Chap,
OF
AULUS GELLIUS. ayj
Chap. XVIL
Of
the nature
of
certain 'particles which
y
prefixed to
verbs, appear to become long without elegance or pro^
prietyy
difcuffed
by various inflames and arguments,
T N the eleventh of Lucilius
are thefe verfes
:

"
Scipiadas magno improbus objiciebat Afel-
lus
Luftrum illo cenfore malum infellxque fuifle/'
1 have heard many read objiciebat with the o long,
which they fay they do to preferve the metre. The
Jfame has alfo in another place

"
Et jam
Conjicere in verdis di6l:um prasconis volebam
GranI/'
Here alfo the firft prepofition of the verb is long,
for the fame reafon. Again, in his fifteenth

"
Subjicit hinc humilem et* fufFerdlus polleri-
orem."
They read
fubjicit with the u long, becaufe in an
heroic verfe the firft
fyllable cannot properly be
fhort.
Thus, in the Epidicus of Plautus they pro-
nounce
con as a long fyllable
:

"
Age nunc jam, orna
te, Epidice, et pallium in
coUum conjice."
Vol,
I.
T
I have
274
THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
I have alfo heard fubjicit in Virgil pronounced long
by many.

"
Et jam Parnafia laurus
Parva fub ingenti matris fe fubjicit umbra."
But neither oby nor the prepofition
Jub^
have the
nature of a long fyllable, nor indeed con^ unlefs
when fuch letters follow it as are found in the words
conftituit ^nd
confecit -,
or when the letter is cut
offi as Salluft faySj
"
ccopertus facinoribus"But in
thefe inflances which I have adduced, the metre
may be perfedl, and thefe prepofitions not made
barbaroufly long, for in thefe words the fecond
letter Ihould be written, not with one but two //,
For the word to which the above-mentioned par-
ticles are prefixed, is net icio but jacioy and does
not make the perfedt icit but jecit. This, being
compounded of the letter
^,
changes a into
/, as
in the words infdio
and incipio, and thus has the
force of a confonant. For which reafon this fyl-
lable, pronounced a litde broader and longer, does
not fuffer the firft fyllable to be fhorr, but makes it
long by pofition,' and therefore the meafure of the
verfe, and the regularity of the pronunciation, re-
mains. What I have faid, tends to fhew that in
this paflage of the fixth book of Virgil

"
Eripe me his invide malis, aut tu mihi tcrram
Injice

"
injice is to be pronounced and written as above-
mentioned, unlefs any one ihould be fo pcrverfe
as in this word alfo to make the prepofition in long,
for the fake of the metre. Inobicibusy
therefore,
we
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
275
we afk by what reafon the is made long, fincc
this word is deduced from this verb obicio, and
is by no means fimilar to motus, derived from
moveo, where the is pronounced long. I re-
member that Sulpicius Apollinaris, a man of pro-
found erudition, pronounced obicis and obicibuf
with the Ihort, and fo ufed to read this paflage in
Virgil
:

"
Qua vi maria aJta tumefcant
Obicibus ruptis."
But the letter i^ which as I remarked ought to be
double in the word, he pronounced a little fuller
and longer. It is confident, therefore, that fuhices,
which is compounded as ohkes^ fhould be pro-
nounced with the u fhort. Ennius, in his tragedy
called
Achilles, u(tzfubices
for the high parts of the
air beneath the firmament, in thefe verfes
:

"
Per ego deum fublimes fubices, humidus
Unde oritur imber fonitu faevo et fpiritus."
Yet you will hear many read this with the u long.
This very word is ufed by M. Cato with another
prepofition, in the oration he made concerning his
confulfhip
;

*^
Ita hos fert ventus ad priorem Py-
renseum quos projicit in altum/' and Pacuvius like-
wife, in his Chryfes-^" Promontorium cujus linguam
in altum projicit."
The lines which are in the beginning of this chapter convey
tio defpicable punliterally tran11 a ted they hjave this meaning:-
T
2
" Th
176 THE ATTIC
NIGHT$
"
The ftupid Afellus objeded to the great Scipio, that when
he was cenfor
The luftrum was bad, and inaufpicious.'*
Afellus was the cognomen ofthe Sempronian family, and Sepi-
pronius Afellio was tribune of the people, and wrote an account
of the Numantinc war, which was conduced by Publius Scipio
|Africanus. But Afellus alfo means an afs : Lucilius may there-
tore be underflood to mean, " A great afs objected to Scipio, &:c.'*
The jeil is faid to have been Scipio's own. Afellus was
boafting of fomething he had done; when Scipio obferved,

Agas Ajfellum*" that is,

"
You a<5led like Afellus," or like an
\afs.
The cenfors took a furvey of the people every five years, on
which occafion they performed a folemn luftration, or facrifice of
expiation for the people; whence the word luflrum was ufed to
fignify a term of five years.
The fubjeft matter of this long chapter, Carolus obfervcs,
may be conveyed in very few words.
The prepositions ob,
con, fub, in, are naturally fhort, but are by many of the old
writers ufed long.
Chap. XVIII.
Some things
of
Africanus the Elder taken
from hiflorjy
worthy
of
notice,
HOW
much Scipio Africanus the Elder* ex-
celled in the fplendor of his virtues ; of how
lofty and dignified a mind, and of how great confi-
dence
'
The anecdotes here recorded of this illuflrious charafter
convey a folemn and important leflbn. We firil learn, that the
infirnuties of mankind have been much the fame in all ages, aad
xit
OF
AULUS GELLItrS:
277
dence in himfelf he was, is evident from a multitude
of his fayings and exploits.
Among which are
thefe two examples of his boldnefs and vaft fupe-
riority
:

When M. Nsevius, a tribune of the people,

publicly accufed him, and affirmed that he had. re-
ceived money from king Antiochus, that peace
might be made with him in the name of the Roman
in all forms of government. The fplendour of Scipio's vic>
tories, and the advantages which he obtained for his country,
could not protecSl him from the murmurs of the envious, and
calumnies of the mean. We learn alfo, that there is no fecurity
a^ainll injury x)r reproach, but the confcioufnefs of integrity and
virtue ir-^
*f
Juftum
et tenacem propofiti virum
Non civium ardor prava jubentium,
Non vultus inftantis tyranni
jMenti quatit folida, neque aufter
Dux inquietae turbid us Adriie
Nee fulminantis magna Jovis
manus
:
Si fraftus illabatur orbis
Jmpavidum ferient ruina)."
See alfo the fame poet in another place :
r
*'
Hie murus aheneu5 efto
Nil confcire fibi, nulla pallefcere culpa.*'
The fads here recorded are found alfo, with little variation,
in Livy, and in Valerius Maximus.
The ufual mode of dividing plunder taken in war, as it pre-
vailed amongft the primitive and more virtuous Romans, was
this :As it was colle<led by the foldiers it was given into th&
cuflody of the quzeftor ; it was his duty aftervyards to diftribute it
again amongft the troops. It was neverthelefs in the power of
the generals to reward particular individuals and exploits, of
which,
howeveh he might be bjiged to render a fubfcquet ac-
count. .
* ;
T3
people.
lyZ THE ATTIC NIGHTS
people, on milder and more acceptable conditions,
with other criininal imputations, unworthy offo great
a man; Scipio, after a Ihort preface, which the
glory and dignity of his life demanded" Ro-
mans," faid he,
"
I remember this to be the day,
when the Carthaginian Hannibal, the greateft op-
pofer of our power, was overcome in a mighty
battle by my arms, in Africa ; when I obtained for
you a peace, and a vidory beyond your hopes. Let
us not, then, be ungrateful to the gods, but let us
leave this fellow here, and inftantly go and return
thanks to almighty
Jupiter."
Having faid this, he
turned aboyt, and proceeded towards the capitol.
On which, the whole afTembly, who had m.et to de-
cide on Scipio's condu6t, leaving the tribune, fol-
lowed Scipio to the capitol, and from thence ac7
companied him to his houfe with joy and folemn
acclamations.
There is faid alfo to be an oration fpoken by Scipio
on this
occafion
;
but they who doubt
its authen-
ticity do not deny that, thefe were the words of
Scipio, which I have
mentioned.
There is another
memorable adion related of him : Two popular
tribunes, whofe names were
Psetilius, induced, as it
is faid, by M. Cato, the enemy of Scipio, to harafs
and accufe him, infifted
witj\ great vehemence
in
the fenate, that he Ihould
give an
account of the
Hioney of Antiochus, and of the
plunder which he
had taken in that war. He had been lieutenant to
his brother S. Scipio Afiaticus,
imperator in that
province. Then
Scipio^ rifing,
produced a
book
from
OF AULUS CELL I US.
279
from his bofom
%
and affirmed, that every particu-
lar, both of the money and ail the plunder, was
contained in that book. They infifled that it
Ihould be read aloud, and depofited in the treafury.
"
That I will not do,'* faid he,
^^
nor v/ili I fo infuh
myfelf
'*
He then, in the prefence of them all, tore
fhe book in pieces
-, being heinoufly offended that he,
to whom the republic owed its glory and preferva-
tion, ihould be called upon to account for money
and plunder taken in war.
*
From his l>o/om.]'^The toga, when held up by the left hand,
made a kind of pocket at the breaft, in which any thing might
be kept. Turnebus has a chapter in his Adverfaria on this par-
ticular wol-d, ftnus, but it fecms more {ubtle than fatisfa^lory.

Chap. XIX,
PFhat M, Farro, in his
Logiftoricum^ wrote on reftrain-
ing
children in their
food,
T appears from experience, that children, if in-
dulged with excels of food, or of fleep, become
dull, fo as to have the flupifying effedh of a le-
thargy^ and that their bodies do not attain a proper
degree of fize or flrength. Many phyficians and
philofophers have f^id this, as well as M. Varro in
his Logiftoricum, which is entitled
"
Capys, or the
Education of Children."
Tliis obfervrition, with refpe^fl to the food of children, feems
too p]^n to be controverted. The book of Varro here men-
T
4
lioncd
t2o
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
tioned is loft. It is called Catus by fome, and Cato by other?.
In the firft ftage of children the mother's milk feems both the
moft natural and proper food; fome excellent remarks on the
general management of children, particularly as to what refjpeds
their diet, will be found in
"
Letters tp Married Wopien," v^rit-
ten, I believe, by
a Dr. Smith.
Chap. XX.
Unfeafonahle
jejfers were cogmzahle by the
cenfons
:
they even deliberated on punijhing one who yawned
ip their prefence,
AMONG
the feverities of the cenfors, thefe
three examples are recorded of their ex-
treme rigour of difcipline : One is this
;
the cenfor
exafted a folemn oath concerning wives
j
it was thus
exprefled" You, from your mind, have you
^
wife V*A certain jeering, vulgar and ridiculous
fellow waa about to take this oath, thinking this a
fair opportunity for a jeft
; when, as ufual, the cen-
for faid,
"
You, according
to your
r^iifid
\
have
yoq
*
To your mind.']
^

" Ex anlmi tui fententiji.'*-This was a

particular form of expreffion. The cenfor afked the queftion in
this manner
"
Anfwer me truly, have you a wife
?"
The
jefler perverts this, which, literally interpreted, is
**
According
to your mind, have you a wife
?"
' I have
.x
wife," fays h^
**
but not according to my mind."
It was the duty of the cenfors to encourage marriage
; upon
the
young unmarried men a
fort of fine was Impofed, which waf;
ca11e4
OF AULUS GELJ-IUS, igi
you a wife
?"

" I have,'* fays he,

*'
a wife truly,
but by no means to my mind."Then the cenibr,
becaufe he had been unfeafonably facetious, degraded
him, and alTigned as the reafon this fcurvy jeft
fpoken in his prefence. Another inftapce of the
fevere difciphne of this office is this
;
There wa$
a deliberation about fining a man, who being calle4
by his friend before the cenfors, whilft expedling
their decifion yawned, clearly and aloud ; and he wa
about to be fined, this being confidered as a proof of
an indolent and carelefs temper, and of a rude and
irapertinent confidence : but when he fwore that
his yawning was relu6lant and involuntary, and
that he was afni(fled with the difeafe termed the
gapes
%
he jvas acquitted of
his
deftined fine,
P. Scipio Africanus, the brother of Paulus, re^
lates both thefe ftories in the oration which he
made to the people w^hen cenfor^ exhorting them to
imitate the manners of their aiiceliors. A third
example of feverity is recorded by Sabinus Maf-
furius, in his feventh book of Memorials
:-^"
When
Publius Scipio Nafica and M. Popilius were cen-
fors, and were taking the cenfus of the knights,
they perceived a horfe lean and ill-conditioned,
whilft its raafter appeared to be both well fed and
>veU drefled.
5 How happens it/ they afked,
*
that
called
"
^s uxorium
:"
the firft queftlon, therefore, propofed to
each man as he appeared before the cenfor was,
"
Are you
married?'*
f Ofcedo.'Y This word, which I have rendered
*
the gapes,' is
by fome thought to mean an ulcerated mputh.-See the Advcr*
farja of Turnebus.
you
a82
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
you are in fo much better plight than your horfe
?'

* Becaufe/ he replied,
*
I take care of myfelf,
whilft my horfe is under the care of my vile flave
Statius.'The anfwer was not deemed
fufficiently
rcfpe6tful, and they degraded him according to cuf-
tom."Statius is a fervile name, and many
flaves
among the ancients were fo called. Csecilius, the
writer of comedies, was a celebrated flave, and was
firft called Statius
^
5
afterwards this was made a cog-
nomen, and he was named Cascjlius Statius.
'
5//i/.]It is alfo imagined by fome thait Papinius Sta*
tius the poet was originally of a fervile condition.
The office of cenfor, with all the rigour of its ancient difci'
pline, was endeavoured to be revived by the ernperor Decius,
in the perfon of Valerian, but in vain. The reader, perhaps,
will be pleafed to fee wl>at Mr. Qibbon remarks on this ve-
nerable office l-rr-
^
"
A cenfor may maintain, he never can reftore, the morals
of a flate. It is impoflible for fuch a magiflrate to exert his
authority with benefit, or even with e^eft, unlefs he is fupported
by a quick fenfe of honour and virtue in the mjnds
of
the people,
by a decent reverence for the public opinion, and by a train of
ufeful prejudices, combating on the fide of natipnal manners.
In a period when thofe principles are annihilated, the cenforial
juril'didion mull either fmk into empty pageantry, or be con-
verted into a partial inllrument of vexatious oppreffion,"
The obfervations of Montefquieu on the otlice of cenfor are
very valuable.
BOOK
OF
AULUS GELLIUS,
5183
BOOK V.
I
Chap. I.
^he
philojopher Mujonius cenfures
the commendation^
paid to a philojopher whenJpeakingy
by loud acclama-
tions andnoijy compliments.
I
HAVE heard, that Mufonius
'
the philofopher
ufed to make this remark,
"
When a philo-
fopher encourages, advifes, perfuades or reprehends,
or difcufTes any thing of philofophic difcipline, if
they who hear him pour out trite and vulgar
praifes without any reftraint or delicacy, if they cry
out *^ and are extravagantly afFe<^ed by his face-
tious
.*
Mr/Jbnfus.]-There were two eminent men of tins name.
One is mentioned by Philoibatus, in his life of Apollonius, the
pther lived in the time of
Julian. It is the former to whon?i
Gellius alludes. Philoftratus fays, tha^ his love of philofophy
involved him in difgrace and puniihment.
*
If
they xry out.] The different modes which the moH po-
liflied among m^n adopt to teflify their approbation of an elo-
iquent fpeaker, feem in a manner to defy the powers of reaforv
and argument to explain. Our Englilh word applaud comeg
from the Latin word plaudo, which iignifies to clap the hands.
This was the manner in which the R.omans teftified their appro-
batioi|
V
%$4
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
tious cxprcfllons, his method of difcourfe,
and parti-
eular repetitions, then you may know that the one
has
fpoken, and the other liftened,
without effedl
;
the fpeaker being rather a trumpeter
than a philo-
fopher. The mind/* fays he,
"
of one who hears a
philofopher,
fjation of what pafled in the theatre, which is forcibly intimated
by Cicero, in one of his letters to Atticus.

" Populum Ro-

manum manus fuas non in defendenda republica fed in p/au-
dendq confumere."-
"
The Roman people wear out their hands
not in defending their country, but in clapping.^*
Milton defcribes the approbation with which the fpeech pf
Mammon, in the fecond book, was heard, thus
;
*
He fcarce had finilhM, when fuch murmur fill'd
Th* affembly, as when hollow rocks retain
The foun4 of bluflering winds, which all night long
Had rous'd the fea, now with hoarfe pacjence lull
3ea-faring men o'er-watch'd," &c. &c,
In another place, he reprefents the fallen angels as riling al^
at once, in approbation of the fpeech of Satan
:

"At once with him they rofe

;
Their riling all at once was as the found
Of thunder heard remote."
Which mode of expreflion intimates that they all rofe by one
fudden inftantaneous impulfe.
In our houfes of parliament, the mofl illuftrious and moft acr
compliflied of our countrymen do not fcruple to exprefs their
approbation of a fpeaker's eloqi;ence
by yociferziting
"
Hear!
hearr
Homer, and after him Virgil, give us to underftand that the
profoundeft admiration of
a
fpeaker is indicated by filence ; fi-
milar to which is the idea of Shakefpeare, who calls filence,
<*
the perfefteft herald of joy."
., A
happy
difcrimination was made by fome anonymous writer
betwixt
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS.
285
philofopher,
if what is faid be ufeful and falutary,
and
prefGribes remedies for infirmities and vice, has
neither
ieifure nor inclination for profufe and extra-
vagant praife. Whoever the hearer' may be, unlefs
extraordinarily profligate, he muft feel a kind ofawe
betwixt the difterent degrees of admiration, felt by an audience,
on feeing the exhibition of the chhrader of Lear, by the iWQ
rivals for theatric fame, Garrick and Barry
:
"
Two different modes the town adopts
To praife their different Lears
;
Xo
Barry loud huzzas they give.
To Garrick only tears.'*
Ovid alfo well diftinguifhes betwixt the applaufe paid to ths
eloquence of Ajax, and of Ulyffes. When Ajax had finifhed
fpeaking, the audience expreffed their approbation aloud; but
when Ulyffes ceafed, there was filence. j^tfeems that the lively
temper of the French nation indulges itfelf in the moll ve-
hement and clamorous emotions on hearing any public fpeaker
whom they admire
;
and fcruple not in their national affembly
to interrupt the moil ferious debates by tumultuous acclama-
tions. Allowing for the influence of cullom, for national cha-
rader, and other external agencies, I think I am juftified in
concluding, that the llronger and more energetic the mind is,
the lefs the paffions principally exercifed wiil be openly dif-
played. This idea receives fome confirmation from the fadl,
that untutored fayages fuffer all the agonies of torture, and con-
ceal the deadliell extremes of rage and revenge, beneath a
gloomy filence
;
and that fome nations did anciently, and do
even now, ruQi on to battle with Ihouts and clamour, others
with a folemn and awful filence.
It feems very
difficult, if not impoffible, to explain moll of
thefe external
modes of tellifying at the inllant, approbation or
diflike, from the principles of the affoclation of ideas, or from
reflexion; they feem rather the refult of the fenfation of the
moment,
without any intervention of the memory
or judgment.
Vol. I.
T
7
whilfl:
a86 THE ATTIC NIGHTS
v/hilft the
philofopher is fpeaking, muft filently ex-,
perience
emotions of fhame, of repentance, of plea-
fure, and
adnniration. PI is countenance
and fenfi-
bility will be varioufly clianged and afFed:ed,
in pro-
portion as the dilcourfe
of
the philofopher
fhall
have
interefted him, or awakened the ingenuous or
morbid qualities of his mind.He further ob-
Jerved,
that extreme praife was not remote from
admiration, but that the extremeft admiration did
pot
produce words, but fiience.

" For this rea-

fon,"
he continued,
"
the wifeft of poets makes
thofe who heard Ulyfles relate, in a moft delightful
manner, his travels, when he had finiflied fpeaking
not leap up with vociferous clamour, but he reprc-
fents them as being univerfally filent, as if aftonifhed
and confounded with the foothing gratification of
their ears, extending even to their power of utt?-.
ranee."
C H A p. II.
Of
^Alexander's horje^ called Bucephalus.
THE
horfe of king Alexander was, in
appear-
ance as well as in name, Bucephalus '.
Chares has reported, that he was bought for thir-
teen
*
Bucephalus,']having a head like an ox; from /Sa?, an ox,
and
xt<pa,Mt a head. A fpecies of ferpents were called y.(pxXoi,
and the Athenians ludicroufly named fo. See Hefychius at
the word xeipaAo*. Many particular
anecdotes and defcrip-
tions
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
287
teen
talents, and given to king Philip, a fum
equal
to three hundred and twelve thoufand fefterces of
our money. Concerning this horfe it feems worthy
of being remembered, that when he was made ready
and armed for battle, he never would fufFer himfelf
to be mounted by any but the king. It is further
memorable of this horfe, that when, in the Indiaa
war, Alexander was mounted upon him, and per-
forming the nobleft exploits, he had carelefsly en-
tangled himfelf amidft a phalanx of the enemy :
fpears from all parts were heaped on Alexander,
tionsof this horfe are to be found in Pliny and Quintus Curtius.
According to Salmafius in Solinum, it is difputed whether he
fhould not more properly be called Buccphalea. With refpeft
to the price faid to be given for this horfe, it the lefs furprifes
us, when we remember how large a fura was given in our coun-
try for the famous Eclipfe. It is remarked alfo of this Eclipfe,
that in his outward form he. was not very^beautiful, but coarfe
and large, as formed rather for ftrength than fpeed.
According to Pliny, Bucephalus would admit any other rider
to mount him, as well as Alexander, except when he was decked
with the royal furniture.
A feflertius was in our money worth about one penny
3
|
far-
things. A hundred thoufand feilcrtii are worth
.
8,072.
8x. ^d.
The fum, therefore, given for Bucephalus, was aboutj^.24,314. 2x.
as nearly as can be computed.
The Chares mentioned in this chapter was of Mytilene, and
wrote the life of Alexander. He is often quoted by Athencsus
and by Plutarch. A fimilar faft is recorded by Homer, of the
horfes of Achilles, who, when Achilles firft returns to combat,
are by Juno enabled to tell the warrior that they will bring him
home that day fafe from the battle :
"
Achiiles, yes, this day at leaft we bear
. Thy rage in fafety thro* the files of war, &c."
and
isa THE ATTIC MIGHTS^
and the horfe was covered with many and deep
Wounds, in the neck and in his fide. Ready to
expire, and almoft exhaufled of blood, he bore
the king from the midft of the foe with a moft ra-
pid pace, and having carried him beyond the reach
of their fpears, he dropped down, and, certain that
his mafter was fafe, he breathed his laft, as if with
the confolation of human fenfibiHty. Upon this
king Alexander, having been victorious in this war,
built a city on this fpot, and, in honour of his horfe^
named it Bucephalon*
Chap. III.
What was the original
occafion which led Protagoras
to the
ftudy of
^hilojophy.
THEY
fay that Protagoras, a man eminent irt
his purfuits of learning, with whofe name
Plato has infcribed his celebrated trad
',
when a
*
Celebrated tra^."] Protagoras, or the Sophift. This anec-
dote is related by Plat, by Plutarch, and by Diogenes Laer-
tius; but, as Gronovius remarks, by none fo fully as by Gellius.
After Protagoras had fuccefsfully promoted the ftudy of philo-
fophy, and was become rich, he was banifhed by the Athenians
for his impious writings. His books were coUefted and burned
publicly in the market-place
j
perhaps the firft example on re-
cord of this kind of punifhment.
He was loft at fsa, in his paf-
fage from Epirus to Sicily.
young
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
a^
young man hired himfelf out to
procure a liveli-
hood, and was accuftomed to carry burdens, which
fort of men the Greeks call o(,^^o(popoiy and we in
Latin l^ajuli. He was once carrying from the ad-
joining fields to Abdera, of which he was an inha-
bitant, a number of flicks fecured together by a
ihort rope. It happened that Democritus, a citizen
of the fame place, a man very highly refpedlable
for his virtue and philofophic attainments, as he was
walking without the city faw him with this burden,
which was inconvenient to carry and hold together,
walking with eafe, and at a quick pace. He came
near him, and contemplated the wood, which was
put together and fecured with great fkill and judg-
ment, he then afked him to refl a little ; with which
requefl, when Protagoras complied, Democritus
obferved of this heap, and, as it were, mafs of wood,
that it was fecured by a fmall rope, and adjufted
and poifed with a certain mathematical nicety : he
enquired, who thus difpofed the wood; the other
replied, that he had. He was then defired to undo it,
and place it a fecond time in the fame form
;
which,
when he had done, and put it a fecond time to-
gether, Democritus, wondering at the acutenefs and
the fkill of an unlearned man,
"
Young man," fays
he,
"
as you have a genius for doing well, there are
greater and better things which you may do with
me,"He inflantly took him away, and retained
him at his houfe -, maintained him, inftruded him
in philofophy, and made him what he afterwards
became.
Yet this Protagoras was not an
inge-
VoL. I. U nuo.ws
190
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
nuous
*
philofopher, though ont of the mod actitf
of the fophifts ; for when he received a large annual
fum from his difciples, he promifed to inflrud thera
*
///g-^aoj.]iMilton feems to have had this Idea of a fo-
phift's chara<5^er in his mind, when he deferibed the elofittehci
and accOmplifhments of Belial i-^
*
Up rofe
Belial, in aft more graceful and humane
|
A fairer perfon loft not heaven :
he feem'd
For dignity composed, and high exploit
;
'But all was falfe And hollow : tho' his tongue
Dropt manna, and could make the worfc appear
The better reafon, to perplex and dafh
Matureft counfels.'*
There was a very diftinft; line drawn in ancient Greece btf-
twixt the fophiils and the philofophers. It was the pride of the
fophifts to difpute, as is here aflerted of Protagoras, on either fide
of any queftlon ; the objed and cxcercife of the philofophers
was the mveftigation and defence of truth alone. The fophiftS
inftruded and gave lettures for fee and reward ; this the philo-
fophers difdained* The confequencc of this was, that the ve-
nerable dignity of the character and conduft
of SocrateS ex-
pofed him to the ridicule and enmities of the fophifts, whofe in-
fufficiency in the attainments of the mind> and whofe want of
fuljftantial integrity, he conftantly endeavoured to point out to
abhorrence and contempt. This Protagoras, his peculiarities,
and his doftriues, have often been confounded with Diagoras.
See Bayle, article Diagoras.
it may not be impertinent to add, at the conclufion of this
chapter, that Ammonius Saccas, an illuftrlous philofopher of the
third century, and one of the principal inftruftors of Longinus,
received from the fcurrilous Alexandrians the name of Saccas,
on account of his having followed the fame employment -with
Protagoras, of carrying burdens fo^his livelihood.
I
.by
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS. 1291
by what difpofition of words, the weaker caufe
ihould be the flrongefl, which thing he thus ex-
jprefled in Greek, tov )itIw
Xoyov xparlw ttoj^v.
Chap. IV.
Of
the phrafe
^^
duoetvicefimo^' whichy though va*
rioujly
ufed
hy learned men in hcoksy is not generally
known.
I
AND Julius Paulus the poet, a man the mofl:
learned in my remembrance, were fitting in a
ftiop' at the Sigillaria*. There lay for fale the
Annals of Fabius
^
books of good and undifputed
antiquity, which, the feller afierted, were perfedb,
^/v/.]From the context it (hould feem that this was d
bookfelkr's ihop, thottgh the word libraria has not this exclufive
meaning. It may as well come from the word libro, to weigh,
as from liber, a book.
*
Sigi/laria.]

'Probably the name of a flreet in Rome, where

things were expofed to fale. It comes from the word figillum, a
fmall image. Gronovius, in a former note, fays, that the tradef-
men of Rome fold ligilla, or tokens
which were given in friend-
ihip from one perfon to another. I think it will admit of ano-
ther interpretation. It may mean a fign> and not impoffibly that
of the tutelar god which each tradefman who had wares to fell
expofed before his doors.
'
Fabius.'] Fabius Piflor, who lived in the time of Hannibal,
and wrote the hillory of the Punic war.
U 2
But
19^ THE ATTIC NIGHTS
But a certain grammarian of the higher rank, being
dcfired by a purchafer to examine the books, af-
firmed that he had found one defedb in the book
;
whilft on the contrary, the bookfelier offered to
rifquc any pledge, that there was no fault even in a
lingle letter. The grammarian fhewed, that in the
fourth book it was thus written:

"
Quapropter
tum primum ex plebe alter conful fa6lus eft, duoet-
vicejimo anno
^
poftquam Romam Galli ceperunt."

It ought not, he faid, to have been written

duoetvicefimoy but duodevicefimo. For what is the
meaning of duoetvicejimo ?

The fame perfon, in

another place, has written thus :

" Mortuus eft

anno duoetvicefimoy rex fuit annis viginti et unum."
Duoet'vkefimo
annoJ] Duoetvicefimo anno means in the two-
and-twentieth year; duodeviceiimo anno means in the eighteenth
year.This mode of expreflion, of which we have frequent
examples in the older writers, often tends to perplex chronolo-
logical
computation; thus tertius ab confulatu Coffi annus,
means, in the fecond year after the confulfhip of Coflus ; fe-
cundus a rege, is the next to the king.See this matter inge-
nioufly difcufled, and fatisfaftorily explained, by Perizonius m
his Animadverfiones Hiftoricas.
Chap.
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
293
C H A P. V.
Sarcafm
aimed hy the Carthaginian Hannibal againji
king Antiochus,
IN
the old books of Memorials, it is recorded
that Hannibal, the Carthaginian, facetioufly ri-
diculed king Antiochus. The jeft was of this
kind: Antiochus difplayed to him in his camp the
numerous forces he had colle6led, being about to
make war on the Romans, and he pointed to the
'
troops covered with ornaments of gold and filver ".
He
'
Ofnaments
of
gold and/iher.'\ The defcription here given
of the army of Antiochus refembles, in all refpefts, the condition
of the praetorian bands, in the more degenerate and corrupt
ages of Rome. Indeed the progrefs of luxury, and its opera-
tion on the human mind, feems to have been much the fame in
all ages, and in all countries. As far back as Homer, we havp
accounts in the armies of the Greeks and Trojans, of indi-
viduals diilinguilhed from all their other comrades by their ef-
feminacy and luxury. Amphilochus, the leader of the Athe-
nians, is thus defcribed
:

"
Amphilochus the vain.
Who, trick*d with gold, and glittering in his car.
Rode like a woman to the field of war."
The armour of Glaucus was of fine gold, whllft that of Diomed
was of brafs.See Vegetius for a particular account of the Ro-
man difcipline, exercifes, and arms, in the earlier ages of the re-
public
j
and the curious reader will be highly entertained by
U
3
the
294
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
He fliewed alfo chariots armed with fcythes, and
elephants with their turrets, and his cavalry, which
made a Iplendid fliow, v/ith their harnefs, trappings,
chains, and bracelets. The king then, exulting at
the view of fuch a numerous and Iplendid army,
turned to Hannibal, and laid

" Do you think that

thefe can be compared with, and will they be
enough for the Romans
?"
Then the Carthaginian,
ridiculing the want ofvalour and ofdifcipline in thofe
troops, armed in .fo coftly a manner,

" Enough
indeed,'* he replied,
*^
enough even if we fuppofc
them as avaricious as pofTible."
Nothing could be
faid with more wit, or greater feverity. The king's
queflion related to the number
and fplendid prepara-
tion of his army -, Hannibal's anfwer referred only;
to
the plunder.
the contraft which Mr. Gibbon draws betwixt the ftate of the
Roman armies in their firft inllitution and their decline. We
have ah'b in our own country an inftruflive leflbn of a fimilar
kind. The arms depofited in the Tower of London, which
were undoubtedly worn and ufed by our hardy forefathers,
alarm in their very afpeft our modern foldiers. Neverthelefs,
we muft not b6 very hafly in drawing our conclufions, iince"
it is the peculiarity of every age to talk of its degeneracy
with a fort of afrefted humiliation and regret; nor can we
remember without a fmile, that the heroes of Homer 'boafted
of their anceilors ftrength and valour, and lamented in me-
lancholy terms the comparative unworthinefs of the times in
which they themfelves were obliged to live. It is hardly ne-
ceflary to add, that this fplendid army of Antiochus became au
eafy prey to the more hardy Romans.
Chap.
OF
AULUS GE3LLIUS,
295
Chap.
VI,
Of
military crowns :

fbe corona triumphalts,

ohfii-
dionalisy civica, muralis^
cafirenfiSy navaUh ovalis,
and oleaginea.
THE
military crowns were of various kinds.
Of thefe the moil honourable are generally
underfl-ood to be, the triumphal, the obfidional, the
civic, the mural, the corona caftrenfis, and the
naval crown. There is one alfo called corona
ovalis, and laftly the olive crown, which is worn
by them who, though not in battle, yet obtain a
triumph. The triumphal crowns were of gold, and
fent to generals on the honour of a triumph ; this
commonly is called the golden crown, Thefe an-
ciently were of laurel, but afterwards were made of
gold. The obfidional crown is that which they
who have been delivered from a fiege give to the
x:ommander who has delivered them : this is made
of grafs, and care was taken that it Ihould be
formed of grafs growing in the place in which the
befieged had been confined. This crown of grafs
the fenate and people of Rome gave to
Q;^
Fabius
Maximus in the firft Punic war, becaufe he had de-
livered Rome from a fiege. The civic crown
*
is
that
<*
C/o'/Vfrcayzf.].To expatiate on the nature and particu-
larities of thefe military rewards, would be merely to tranfcribe
U
4
what
196
THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
that which a citizen gives to another citizen who
has faved his life in battle, in teftimony of his life
being preferved. This was made of leaves of oak,
fince moft anciently food and fuflenance was fur-
nifhed by the oak, even from the fcarlet oak, which
kind of crown is next to the other, as appears in
a
comedy of Caecilius
:

>
*^
They are carried with an oakfen crown, and
foldiers veil.
Ye gods 1 who would believe it
?"
But Mafliirius Sabinus, in his eleventh book of
Memorials, affirms, that a civic crown was given
when he who had preferved a citizen had at the fame
time killed an enemy, without quitting his rank in the
battle ; otherwife the claim of a civic crown was not
allowed. He fays, that Tiberius Casfar being con-
fulted, whether he could have a civic crown wha
had preferved a citizen in batde, and had alfo (lain
two enemies, but had not kept the rank in which he
fought, but that the enemy had poirefTed this, wrote
back; that he did deferve a civic crown, becaufe it
appeared, that a citizen was preferved by him on fo
difadvantageous a fpot, that it could not be main-
tained even by thofe who fought with valour.-
T^'liat is amply detailed and explained by Kennet, in his Roman
Antiquities ; by Adams, in his Manners and Culloms of the Ro-
mans
;
and laftly by Lemprjere, in his Claflical Didionary. The
civic crown was the higheft in point of dignity, and was dif-
tinguifhed by extraordinary honours. It was worn on all public
occafions, and at the theatre. The audience rofe up when he
who wore it entered ; not to mention many other marks of il-
milar reverence.
*
Lucius
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
197
Lucius
Gellius, a man of cenforian rank, fays,
that
Cicero, when conful,
was prefented with this civic
crown in the fenate by the republic, becaufe by his
activity the moft atrocious confpiracy of CatiHne
was dctefted and avenged. The mural crown is
that which is given by a commander to him who
firft fcales the wall, and enters an enemy*s city by
aflault; for this reafon it was adorned with what
refembled the battlements of a wall. The corona
caftrenfis is what the general prefents to him who
firft in an a6lion enters the enemy's camp
j
this
crown had the imprefTion of a palifade. The na-
val crown is given to him who in a fea fight firft
boards a vefTel of the enemy
5
this was imprefied
with the beaks of fhips. The corona caftrenfis, the
mural, and the naval crowns, were made of gold:
the corona ovalis was of myrtle ; this was worn by
commanders who entered the city with the honours
of an ovation.
An
ovation, rather than a triumph,
is granted when wars have not been formally de-
clared, nor carried on with^a regular public enemy
;
or the enemy is either mean or inglorious, as in the
cafe of flaves or pirates; or a furrender being unexr
pededly made, the vic^lory is without exertion or
bloodflied. To which facility they imagined the
garland of Venus
*
to be adapted, as the triumph
feemed
*
Garland
of
Fenus.
I'-^TlxQ firft perfbn who received this re-
ward of a bloodlefs vi<5lory was Poftumus Tubertus, To this
elegant cuftom I recollect a beautiful alluflon in Tome verfes on a
kifi),
by
an anonymous author:
"
A
ready
29$
THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
ftcmed to be rather that
of Venus than
of Mars^
This myrtle crown Cr^fllis,
when/having
finifhed
4.
'
war
with the fugitives, an ovation was
granted
him,
rejected with difdain, and he made
intereft
that
a
decree of the fenate fhould pafs, direding
him to be
crowned with laurel, and not with myrtle. It was
objeded by M. Cato to M. Fulvius Nobilior, that
from motives of ambition he prefented
crowns to
his foldiers, on the moft trifling occafions.
On
which fubjedl I have added the words of Cato
:

**
For, anciently, who ever faw any one prefented
with a crown when a city was not taken, or ajj
cneiny*s camp not burned f"
rrr But Fulvius,
igainft whom this was fpoken by Cato, had pre-
fented his foldiers with crowns, becaufe they
had
taken care of an entrenchment, or with adivity funk
a well. We mufl: not pafs over what relates to
ovations
\
concerning which ancient writers,
I

A r9a;dy conqueft oft tlic vilor fcorns

;
His laurels fade whofe foe ere battle yields
:
No ihouts attend the warrior who returns
To claim the palm of uncontefled fields."
On account of its confecration to the goddefs Venus, the myrtle
was -forbidden at the feflival of the Good Goddefs (Bona Dea).
See Plutarch, in his Roman
Qucflions.Another curious reafon
is given for this interdiftion of the myrtle at tliis folemnity. See
Arnobius.Fauna, or tlie Good Goddefs, who drank, it fcems, a
whole barrel of wine without the knowledge of her hufband, was
whipped with rods of myrtle.Confult alfo Bayk, article Eutas.
5
Ovatio)is.'\ It may be proper to mention, that the ovation,
r inferior triumph, was fo called from ovis, a fheep. In the
greater triumph bullocks were facrificed, but in an ovation only
a fheep.
know.
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
253
know,
have differed. Some have aflerted, that
he
who had an ovatjon, made
his
entrance
on horfe-
back, but Sabinus MalTurius affirms, that they
en-
tered on foot, followed not by their jtroopg, but the
whole body of the fenate.
Chap. VII.
Tngenious interpretation
of
the word
"
pr/bna/*
and
what was /aid to he its derivation
hy Gahius
Bajfus.
^
I
MUST confefs that Gabius Bafius, in the
books which he wrote on the derivation of
words, gives the etymology of the word
perfona
with equal wit and fagacity. He conjedlures that
the word is derived a perjonando \

The
j4 perfonando.^'-^Yrom founding through. This interpre-
tation of the word perfona is adopted without hefitation by Mr.
Colman, though I think it may be doubted. The ancient maflc
was very different from that ufed in modern times, as may be-
feen in the plates to Mr. Colman's Terence, given from that
in
the Vatican Terence. They covered the whole of the head,
and had falfe hair behind them; the features were hideoufly
enlarged and diftorted, from the fame principle which on our
theatres induces the performers to load their countenances with
fo much unnatural varnilh, namely, to produce an eifedl at a
diftance. The ancient theatres were much larger than ours
j
therefore this aggravation, if we may fo fay, of nature, was the
more
30O THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
*^
The head and the countenance/'
he remarks,
*^
being on all fides proteded by a
covering of the
mafic, and one only aperture left for the
emiflion of
the voice ; fince it is not wide or difFufe, it utters
the found colledbed and condenfed into one fingle
exit, and makes the voice clearer and more audible.
Since, therefore, this covering of the countenance
makes the found clear and audible, it is for this
caufe Cd\\t6. ferjonay the o being made long, on ac-
count of the form of the word."
more allowable, and the more necefTary. "We may add, that
the Roman mafk was a mere imitation of the Greek ; and in
this place I may give my reafons for difputing the interpreta-
tion here approved by Gellius, and which is reafoned upon by
Colman. If they had been named perfonas, from their having
one hole through which the found was conveyed to the audience
fuller and with more llrength, this aperture would have been
nearly of the fame dimenfions in all. But this was not the cafe;
this aperture was very large in fome mafks, very fmall in
others* The word in Greek is vpoeru'nrov ; and of the Grecian
mafk the curious reader will find a particular account in Julius-
Pollux, Book IV. chap. xix. fegm.
133,
kc.
I had given the caufe of my diflent from Gellius, and from
thofe who accept his interpretation of the word perfona, before
I had met with a paiiage in the Adverfaria of Barthius, under
whole autliority I am glad to take Ihelter.See Barthius, Book
xlvii. page 2207.He argues, that the circumllance of the
vowel 0, which in fono is Ihort, and in perfona is long, renders
the etymology here vindicated by Gellius inadmiffible. At the
fame time this critic would derive the word perfona from wept
trufxec,
which feems by no means more fatisfadory. Voffius de-
rives it
without hefitation immediately from the Greek w^o-
etJiroK, to which the difference betwixt the initial fyllables per
zv^d pro does not feem a fuificient objedlion. The metathefis is
obvious, and not urfrcquent, as in Profephone and Perfephone.
Chap.
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
jox
Chap. VIII.
Defence
of
Virgil
from
the cenfures
of
Julius Higinui
the grammarian
;
of
the word
"
lituus^* and its
etymology.
**^
TPS E Quirinall ' lituo parvaque fedebat
X
Succindus trabea, laevaque ancile genebat."
Higinus affirms, that in the above verfes Virgil
has erred, as if he did not perceive that fomething
was wanting to thefe words

*^
Iple Quirinali lituo."
*'
For if," fays he,
'^
we allow that nothing is want-
ing
5
it would appear as if it were to be underftogd
' *
Ip/^ ^irinali, ^r.]Dryden's vcrfion of this pafTagie is
very inadequate
:
"
Above the reft, as chief of all the band.
Was Picus plac'd ; his buckler in his hand.
His other wav*d a long divining wand.'*
The augur's drefs is here defcribed by Virgil. The lituus was
the augur's ftafF, which was bent at one extremity. The trabea
was a robe ftriped with purple.-See a little further on, in the
fame book of Virgil
:

"
Ipfe Quirinali trabea clnfluque Gabino
Infignis, referat ftridentia lumina conful."
In the tranflation of which lines Dryden does not appear to
have been more fuccefsful
:

"
The Roman conful their decree declares.
And in his robes the founding gate^ unbars;^
litHQ
5fe^ THE Attic
nights
Utuo et trdbeaJuccinEiuSy which
is moft abfurd : for aS
lituus is a Hiort rod, bent at the
ilronger
end, fuch
as the augurs ufc, how can he be faid
to be
Juc--
cinfus lituo?''But Higinus himfelf has
negledled
to obferve, tliat this is faid, as are many other things,
ellipically ;
as thus i

-M, Cicero^ homo magna elo-

quentia-y
^
Rojciusy
hiftrio Jummd venufiate

-
Neither of thefe are complete and perfedl, though
'
they convey a complete and perfeft meaning,-As
Virgil fays, in another place

"
Vi6torem Buten immani corpore.'*
That is, habentem immane corpus
i
and thus elfe
where
:
"
In medium geminos immani pondere casilus
Projecit.**
In
like manner
"
Domus fanie dapibufque cruenti!;
Intus opaca, ingens,"
Thus the firft pafTage fhould, as it feems, have beeii
faid

Picus ^irinali lituo erat, as ive fay Statua

grandi capite erat,But eji^ eraty and
///,
are often
omitted with elegance, and without injury to the fen-
tence. And fince mention has been made q{ lituus,
it ought not to be omitted, that it may be reafon-
ably enquired, whether the lituus auguralis was fo
named from a trumpet, which is called lituus
%
or
*
ii;>;/ai.]Thu3 in Ovid :
"
Jam lituus pugnae figna daturus erat.**
'<
The trumpet was about to give the fignal for battle.*'
whether
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS,
305
whether
the trumpet is called Ikuus from the lituus
of the
angurs ? Both
are of the fame ihape, and alike
crooked. But If, as fdme
fuppofe, the trumpet is
called lituus from the found, from the Homeric
cxprefTion,
xiy^t f3ioj%
we mull neceflarily conclude
that the
augur's rod is called lituus from its refem-^
blance to a
trumpet.-^Virgil
alfo ufes this word aa
fynonymous
with trumpet:
^
Et
lituo pughas infignis obibat et hafla."
3
/^^^^i ^105.1
From
^.iyx'"^
^^ make a noife; or rather, per-
haps, from Ar5-M or Aittw.
See Hefychius and H. Suvcns's
^lofTary ; or as Gronovias thinks it may be from XiToj.
Chap.
IX.
Story
of
the/on ofCrcefuSyfrom
Herodotus*
THE
fon of king Crcefus*, when he was old
enough to fpeak,
was neverthelefs dumb,
neither when he grew up could he (peak a word.
Thus for a long time he
was thought mute and
Ipeechlefs. When ah enemy, ignorant of the king's
*
This ftory of the fon of Crcsefus is related at length by He-
rodotus. See Clio.See alfo the fortieth Differtation of Maxi-
mus Tyrius, who fays nothing about this youth's being dumb,
but aflerts that he was deaf-See a long and learned note of
Larcher in the chapter of Herodotus where this anecdote is re-
lated, and my tranflation of Herodotus, Vol. I. page
90.
perfon.
304
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
perfon, in the war in which his father was vanquifhed,
and the city where he lived being
captured, attacked
him with his drawn fword, the
youth drew up
his mouth, making efforts to cry out, and by the
force and impetuofity of the exertion, broke the tie
upon his tongue, and fpoke clearly and articulately,
calling to the enemy not to kill king Croefus.
The foe then drew back his fword, the king's life
was faved, and the youth from that time was able
to fpeak. Herodotus, in his hiilcry, is the writer
of this anecdote ; and the words which he relates the
fbh of Croefus to have firft uttered, were

" Man,
kill not Crcefus
!"

A certain wreftler alfo, of

Samos, whofe name was ^gles, who before was
dumb, is faid to have began to Ipeak from a fimilar
caufe. For when in fome facred games, the lots
*
betwixt his own and the adverfary's party were not
fairly drawn, and he faw the name of another fur-
reptitioufly inferted, he fuddenly cried out aloud to
him who had done this, that he faw what he did.
He thus, delivered from the tie upon his tongue,
during the whole remainder
of his life fpoke with-
out difficulty or hefitation.
"^The Jots."] The order of wreftling at the public games of
Greece was determined in the following manner:A number'
of little fquares, about the fize of beans, were thrown into a fil-
vcr urn, two of each letter were inferted. They who drew the
fame letter wrellled tosether.
Chap.
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
305
Chap. X,
'
Of
the arguments^ called
hy
the
Greeks (vTicrr^i(po^T<z^
hy
us rec'fproca,
AMONGST
the imperfections of arguments,
thofe appear by far the greateil which the
Greeks call ai/TJo-T^f^povra. 1 hefe have been named
by our countrymen, and properly enoilgh, reciproca.
This imperfection is of this kind
:
When an argu-
ment propofed can be turned back and inverted
againft him by whom it is ufed, and on both fides
appear alike valid
; like that very common inftance
which Protagoras, the acuteft ofthe fophifts, is faid to
*
The example which Arillotle gives of the argument here re-
probated, is this
:
A certain pried advifed his fon never to make
a fpeech to the people;
<*
If," fays he,
"
you fliall advife them
to what is unjuft, the gods will be oiFended; if to what is juft,
you will difpleafe men."Tt^e fon returns
ocrvna-rfiipih, that this
could not be, and that it Avas wife to addrefs the people.-^" If
I fay what is juft, the gods will be my friends; if what is un-
juft, I fhall pleafe men/'-K^Of this fort of quibble the ancient
fophifts were amazingly fond, to the difgrace of the human un-
iderftanding, and the injury of true learnings
J
give one ex-
ample of the fpecies of fophifm called th? Liar.*-" If, when you-
fpeak the truth, you fay You lie,
you lie; but you fay. You
iie, when you fpeak the truth; therefore in fpeaking the truth
you lie."^--i\nother Ibphifm was called the Homed.

Yotf
have what you have not loft
;
you have not loft horns, therefore
you have horns."The reader may
find many other examples
of thefe follies in Enfield's Hiftory
of Philofophy.
Vol. I.
X
have
.^o6 THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
have applied againft Euathlus, his difciple. The dif-
pute and controverfy betwixt them,
concerning a bar-
gain they had naade, was this
:
Euathkis,
a young
man of fortune, was defirpus of learning
eloquence,
and of pleading caufes. He became a follower
of
Protagoras, and engaged to give him as a reward
a
large fum of money> which Protagoras had fpeci-
fied. The one half he was to pay down on his.
flrft beginning to learn, and he promifed to give the
remainder on the firft day when he fliould fuccefs-
fuUy plead a caufe before the judges. After he had
been a long time a follower and imitator of Pro*
tagoras, and had made a confiderable
progrefs in
the ftudy of eloquence, he refufed to undertake
any caufe; iand fo long an interval had elapfed,
that
he appeared to do this,, left he Ihould pay the re-
mainder of the fum. Protagoras formed a defign,
which at the time leemed artful enough
:
He de-
manded the remainder of the fum agreed on, and
commenced a fuit againft Euathlus. When they
appeared before the judges for the purpofe of invef-
tigating
and deciding the matter, Protagoras thus be-
gan:
*^
Be afllired, thou moft abfurd young man,
thou muft in either cafe pay what I demand, whe-r
ther
the decifion be for or againft you. If the
decifion be
againft you, the fentence will compel
you to fulfil your agreement, becaufe
I ftiall con-
quer. If the decifion be for you, the terms of the
bargain will be due to me, becaufe you conquer."

^To
which Euathlus replied,
"
I might meet this
your captious fubdety if I did not reply a word, but
apply
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
307
apply to another advocate ; but I
have a much
greater delight in this vi6lory, beating you not only
in the caufe, but the argument. Learn, thereforej
y6li moft wife mafter, that in either cafe I will not
pay what you demand, whether it be determined
for
or againfl: me. If the judges fhall determine for
me, according to their fentence nothing will be due
to you : if they decide againft me, according to the
agreement, nothing will be due to you, becaufe I
ihall not overcome."Then the judges, confider-
ing this as dubious, and indeed inexplicable, which
was urged on both fides, and thinking that on what^
ever part their determination might be, it might be
turned againft itfelf, left the queftion undecided, and
deferred the caufe to a very diftant day
*.
Thtis a
famous mafter in the difcipline of eloquence
was
confuted in his own argument, by a young man,
his fcholar, and eluded by a fubtlety artfully al*
kdged*
^
To a 'very
difiant day.'\ See a curious decifion of the Areo-
J)agites, in Gellius, Book
XII. chap. vii. This mode of de-
ferring a decifion to adiftant period of a perplexing and difficult
queftion, is ridiculoufly
followed by our houfes of parliament.
It is common to refer the
difcuffion of a queftion in the houfe of
commons to a period
when it 15 well known the parliament will
not meet.
X ^ C H A F,
308
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
Chap. XI.^
^he
fyllogifm
of
Bias on marriagey is not an example
of
the oairi(rr^i(pov,
A
CERTAIN perfon has thought that the
reply of Bias, a wife and eminent nnan, was
like the Antiflrephon of Protagoras before men-
tioned. When Bias was afked by fome one, Whe-
ther he fhould marry, or live a fingle life ? he re-
plied,
"
You will either marry one fair or ugly.
If fair, fhe will be common; if ugly, a punifhment:
neither is good, therefore do not marry."

They
turn this argument thus
:

" If I fhall have a fair

wife, I fhall not have a punifhment; if an ugly one,
I fhall not have her common ; therefore it is right
Every Englifh reader, on perufmg this chaper, will not fail to
remember that thefe fophiftical and prepoftereus fubtleties were,
at a period not very remote, in this country, and indeed
throughout Europe, dignified by the name of learning. In the
abfurd invelligation of thefe intricacies, of ufe neither to fcience
nor to virtue, the fineft talents have been mifemployed, and the
faireft powers of genius perverted. There is a popular argu-
ment of Thales on this fame fubjefl, which it may not be imper-
tinent to introduce. His mother, at a time which to her feemed
fuitable, importuned him to marry ; his reply was, that it was too
foon. An interval fucceeded, and fhe again recommended him
to marry
^'
It is now,"
faid he,
"
too late."

^What in this
chapter is afcribed to Bias, is by Diogenes Laertius given to
Bion.
9.
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
309
to marry
;"
but thus converted, from the other fide
it becomes cold and weak; for Bias determined
that it was not right to marry a wife, on account of
one of thefe difadvantages, which were certain to
attend him who married. But he who converts it
does not avert from him the injury which is pre-
fent, but favs he is without the other which is not
prefent. But it is enough to defend the opinion of
Bias, that he who is married muft necelTarily fuffer
one of two evils; his wife muft be either common,
or a punifliment. But our Favorinus, when men-
tion was accidentally made of this fyllogifm of Bias,
of which the firft propofition is,
"
You will either
have one fair or ugly," affirmed, that this was not
true if disjoined ; becaufe either of thefe when dif-
joined was not a neceflary confequence, which is ef-
fentiai in a disjundlive propofition. Fair or ugly
feem to imply a particular diftin6i:ion of perfon :
"
But," fays he, there is a mean betwixt thefe two
which are disjoined, to which Bias paid no regard.
Betwixt the moft beautiful and moft ugly female,
there is a mean degree of perfonal merit, equally
remote from the hazard of exceflive beauty
%
and
^
Hazard
of
exceffj'vs beauty.']'^w9 popular lines in
John-
lon's Vanity of Human Wifhes, feem applicable in this place
:

"
Yet Vane could tell what ills from beauty fpring
;
And Sedley curs'd the charms which pleas'd a king."
Our Milton, who, like Euripides, has fome very fevere
reflec-
tions upon the fex, intimates that the mifery of man
is to be
principally
attributed to woman
:

"
But fhill I fee the tenor of man's woe
Holds on the fame, from woman to begin.'*
X
3
the,
31Q THE ATTIC NIGHTS
the odium of extreme uglinefs, fuch as is exprefled
by Ennius in his Menalippe
\
by the elegant worci
fiafay
which would make a woman neither common
nor a punifhment ; which moderate and modeft merit
of the perfon, Favorinus, with no little fagacityj^
terms the
"
conjugal."Ennius, in the tragedy
>vhich I have mentioned, fays, that thofe ferrlales
are of the fecureft challity, who pofTefs this nniddle
degree of perfpnal merit (forma ftata.)*
'
Mefjal/ppe-I^^We have the authority of Eufebius for aflert-
ing that Euripides alfo wrote a tragedy on this fubjed. Of the
ftory of Menalippe I know no more than what the reader
alfo
^nay colled from the following paflage in Arnobius
:
"
Nunquid enim a nobis argi^itur rex maris Amphitrites,
Hippothoas, Amymonas, Menalippas, Alppas per furiofae cupidi-
tatis ardorem caftimoniae virginitate privaiTe."
The play of pnnijj, referred to.
by (^pliius, is mentioned alfo..
l^y
Juvenal
:-
*'
Ante pedes Domiti
longum tu pone Thyeftas
Syrma, vel Antiopes, feu perfonam Menalippes.'*
This name is confounded \yith Evippe, an4 very frequently
is
written Melanippe^r It fhould be obferved, that in the
Greek
words traiiflatcd here co?mnonf and a punifcmeut, is a play
between
fimilar founds, koine and poine, which cannot be preferved
in
Englifli,
G J^AH.
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
311
Chap. XII,
Of
the names
of
certain deities
of
the Romans^ Dijovis
and Vejovis.
IN
the ancient infcriptions we perceive the names
of the deities Dijovis and Vejovis \ The temple
of Vejovis is at Rome, betwixt the citadel and the
capitol.
'
I cannot fpeak with any decifion with refpeft to this an-
cient deity of Rome. He had the different appellations of Ve-
jovis, Vejupiter, and Vedius. Gellius, without hefitation, con-
iiders the term as fynonymous with Jupiter; adding, there are
fome who believe that Apollo is the deity here named. On the
contrary, Martianus thinks that neitlier Jupiter fior Apollo are
here underftood, but Pluto.
To worfhip fomc deities from afFeftion, and others from fear,
appears to be an at natural to the human mind, in a ftate of ig-
norance and barbarity. We accordingly find that this cuftom
prevailed, and does ftill prevail, among rude and uncivilized
nations. To imagine an evil being of aftive and preternatural
powers, inuft be an idea which prefents itfelf to every mind
which difcerns and experiences ill, which it is unable to account
for or explain. To deprecate the wrath and indignation of fuch
a being, is the next and unavoidable emotion whiph an untutored
mind muft feel. The reader would be foon tired were I to enu-
merate the catalogue of inaufpicious deities which were ve-
nerated in ancient Rome. Difcord,
the Furies, Adverlity (Mala
Fortuna), Fear, and even Fever (Febris), were among thofc
to whom divine honours were paid.
There are fome writers, according to Philippus Carolus, who
affert, that the term Vejovis is derived from that of the true
X
4
god.
3Ja THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
Capitol. The purport of thefe names I have found
to be this : the old Latins gave the name
of
Jove
a
juvando (from helping) and, by the
addition of ano-
ther word, called him father.
.
For that which in a
certain abbreviated or altered word is Jupiter, writ-
ten full and at length, is Jovifpater. Thusj. fpoken
conjun6tively, we fay, Neptunufpater, Saturnufpater,
Janufpater, and Marfpater, that is, Marfpiter; fo
Jovis
is named Diefpater, that is, Father of Day
and Light. Thus in a fimilar manner he is called
Dijovis and Lucetius, becaufe he beftows upon, and
affifts us with day and light, as with life itfelf.
Cneius Nasvius calls
Jove
Lucetius, in his books on
the Punic war. Since, therefore, they faid
Jovem
and Dijovem a juvando, fo on the contrary they
named the deity who had not the power of afTifling
(juvandi) but of doing injury -, for they reverenced
fbme gods that they might do them good, and ap-
peafed others, not to do them harmi Vejovem, the
faculty of afiifting (juvandi) being taken away.

god, Jehovah ; which opinion he does not fcruple to reje<5l, as

prepofterous andabfurd,
'
The verfes from Virgil, quoted in the conclufion of the chap-
ter, are thus ttanllated by Martyn
:
-
"
My fubjeft is fmall, but my glory will not be fmalli if the
adverfe deities permit, and Apollo hears my invocation."
It ought, however, to be obferved, that the epithet Isvus ir
not always ufed in a bad fenfe. The Romans generally under-
ilood any appearances to the left to be propitious. The curious
reader may find a long and entertaihing note on thisifubjedl by
Martyn.-** Intonuit laevum,"-
**
It thundered on the left," is
conlidered in Virgil as a fortunate omeaj yettiie fame -Virgil
moft frequently ufca latvus in: a-bad fcnie*/
.".. i^> ;-.!; ?;.
f
X
" For
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS.
jij
For the
particle w, which in many words is
written
varioufly, ve or v^Cy the middle letter being as it
were mixed, takes a double and a contrary meaning.
It IS of power both to increafe or diminilh, like a
great number of other particles. Thus it happens
that certain words to
which this particle is prefixed
are ambiguous, and may be interpreted either way
;
as vefcum, vehemens, and
vegrande, concerning
which in another place I have treated more fully.
But vefani and vecordes
can be conftrued one way
only, which is negative, or as the Greeks fay, by
privation. The fhrine, therefore, of the god Ve-
jovis, which is in the temple I have mentioned,
has in his hands arrows feemingly prepared to do
injury. For which reafon many have fuppofed this
god to be Apollo, and a goat is facrificed to him,
according to the Roman forms
*.
Therefore,
they fay that Virgil, a man well fkilled in an-
tiquity, and v/ithout any difgufting
oftentation,
makes in his Georgics inaufpicious deities to be
deprecated, intimating, that in this kind of deities
there is a power rather of doing injury than good.
Thefe are Virgirs verfes :

*
Romanforms.
'\
The word In thd text is humano, but I pre-
fr reading Romano, with Gronovius. Here it may be ob-
ferved, that a goat was facrificed to Bacchus as well as to
Ju-
piter. Tlie reafon was, that the bite of the goat was fatal to
the vine.See the fecond Georgic, 1.
380
:

"
Non aliter ob culpam Baccho caper omnibus ari$
Ca^ditui."
c<
In
314
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
"In tenui labor, at tenuis non gloria, fi quern
Numina lasva finunt, auditque
vocatus Apollo."
Among thefe deities who are to be appeafed,
that
they may avert evil from ys, or the young com, are
Averruncus ' and Robigus.
'
Jnjerruncus.'] Averruncare is the fame as averterc, to
avert ; and Robigus was fuppofed to avert the mildew from
corn.Of this deity I have before fpoken.
Chap. XIII.'
Rank and order
of offices
ohferved in the
cuftoms
of
the
Roman people.
THERE
once happened, whilfl I was prefent,
a difpute among fome elder and noble per-
fonages of Rome, who were alfo well fkilled in the
knowledge
'
' The fubjeft of this chapter is very interefling, as it gives
great infight into the private manners of the Romans. On the
fubjcft of clients 1 have fpoken before, but if not at fufficient
length, the reader will find every thing which it involves de-
fcribed by Adams, in his ufeful book of Roman Antiquities, and
particularly by Heineccius.
The union, it feemS, betwixt patron and client was inftituted,
and was confidered fo folemn on both fides, that during the firft
j6qo years of Rome, no example occurred of its being broken.
To deceive a client is confidered by Virgil as a kind of parricide;,
and next in moral turpitude to the beating a parent.-

Hie
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
315
knowledge and remembrance of ancient difciplines
and cuftoms, concerning the order and rank of of-
fices. When it was enquired to whom firft, and in
preference, we ought to pay principal regard, in
the difcharge of any duty or office, the anfwer was
by no means decifive. They eafily agreed, and it
did indeed appear, according to the principles of
Roman manners, that next to their parents, young
people ought to reverence thofe to whofe guardian-
fhip and care they were entrufted. Next to thefe,
clients were to be regarded, who had confided
themfelves to our protection and patronage
; in the
third rank were thofe who claimed hofpitality
*;
^nd laftly, relations. Of thcfe particular obferv-
**
Hie quibus invifi fratre, dum vita manebat,
Pulfatufve parens, et fraus innexa clienti."
According to the laws of the twelve tables the patron who was
perfidious to his client was accurfed
:
*'
Patronus ii clienti fraudem fecerit, facer e&o',**
**
If a patron fhall have been fraudulent to his client, let him
be accurfed."
The term clients is differently derived, from colentes, from
cole, to revere, or from xAsjsvtjj, from tihn^, claudo, which here
means to pay attention to.
*
fF/?o claimed hofpitalityJ\ Hofpites : for this
tarm, as the
cuftom to which it alludes is exploded, we have in Englifh>no
correfpondent word

guefts is by no means adequate.

On the fubjel of hofpitality, as it prevailed amongft the an-
cients, the reader will find a long note in my tranflation of He-
rodotus : the concluding part of the chapter informs us that re-
mote nations fought the patronage of the more illuftrious per-
fonages of Rome. The Sicilians, for example, were the clients
of the family of the Marcelli.
I
ances
3i6 THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
ances many tefllmonies and
documents are found in
books of antiquities
j
from one of which,
as it is at
hand, I (hall extra<51: a paflage which
relates to clients
and relations. M. Cato, in an oration
fpoken
be-
fore the cenfors againfl Lentulus, fays thus
:

'^
Becaufe our anceflors held it more facred that
children flfould be protected, than not to deceive a
client, evidence is given in favour of a client
againfl relations, but no one gives teftimony againft
a client
-,
a father firft-, and then a patron, has the
chief regard."
But MafTurius Sabinus, in his third book of Civil
law, gives a higher place to one who claims hofpi-
tality than to a client. His words are thefe:

*^
With refped to duties, it was thus obferved
among
our anccftors.The firft was to a ward
;
next to one' claiming hofpitality ; then to a client
;
fourthly to a relation; and laftly to a neighbour.
Whence it was that women were preferred to their
hufbands, though the guardianfhip of a young man
was thouo;ht more facred than that of a female. If
they who were guardians had a law-proceeding
againfl any man, and were left the guardians of the
fame man's fon, they were obliged to defend that
Ton, in that very caufe."
A
clear and decifive teftimony to this circum-
ftance is the authority of C. Csefar Pontifex Maxi-
mus, who, in an oration for the Bithynians, begins
thus
:

"
Both on account of. the hofpitality betwixt me
and king Nicomedes, and the circumflances of thofc
whofb
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
317
whofe
intereft is concerned, I could not poflibly
re-
fufe the office I have undertaken. For neither can
the deceafe of men obliterate their memory from
thofe who are neareft them, neither can clients,
without extreme infamy, be abandoned, to whom
we are bound to render afllftance in preference to
our relations."
Chap. XIV.
^j>pioVy a learned man called Pliftonices^ has related
that be
Jaw
at Rome a mutual recollection take pla^
from
old acquaintance between a man and a lion.
AP
P I ON
",
who was called Pliftonices, was a
man of great and various learning, and had
alfo very extenfive knowledge of Greek. His books
are faid to have had confiderable reputation, in
which almoft every thing is to be found that is moil
extraordinary in the hiftory of i^gypt. But in thofe
things, which he affirms that he either heard or read
himfelf, from a reprehenfible defire of oftentation,
he
is fomewhat too talkative, being indeed, as to
*
Appion lived in the time of Tiberius, and wrote five books
on Egyptian Affairs. He was ambaifador from the people of
Alexandria to Caligula ; he wrote alfo againft the
Jews,
and was
'infwered by Jofephus.
His name, as VoiTms obferves, was not
Appion, but Apion. Scaliger relates, tlftic Tiberks called this
Appion or Apion, Cymbalum mundi.
the
3i8 THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
the propagation of his own doftrines, a boaftcFv
But v/hat follows, as it is written in his fifth book
of -Egyptian Things, he does not affirm
that he
either heard or read, but faw with his own
eyes in
the city of Rome.
"
In the largeft circus
%'*
he relates,
"
a Ihew of
a very great hunting conteft was exhibited to the
people. Of this, as I happened to be at Rome, I
Was a fpe6lator. There were many favage animals,
beafts of extraordinary fize, and of unufual form
and ferocity. But, beyond all the reft," he obfervcs,
**
the fize of the lions was moft wonderful, and one
in particular was moft aftoniftiing. This one lion,
by the ftrength and magnitude of his body, his ter-
rific and fonorous roar, the brandifhing of his mane
and tail, attrafted the attention and the eyes of all
prefent. Among others who were introduced to fight
with the beafts, was aDacian (lave, belonging to one
of confular rank. His name was Androclus ^
When the lion obferved him at a diftance, he fud:^
denly ftopped as in furprize, and afterwards gra-^
du^ly and gently approached the man, as if recol-
ledling him. Then he moved his tail with the ap-
pearance of being pleafed, in the manner of fawning
dogs : he next embraced, as it were, the man's
body,
gently licking with his tongue the arms and
the
legs of the man, half dead with terror.
An-
droclus, in the midft* of thefe blandifhments of the
*
Lurgeji circus,
1
Called, by way of diftindion, the CircU*
Maximus.
? 4ndrQclus,']is writteQ varioufly, Androdu* and
Androclus.
ferocious
OF
AULUS
GELLIUS.
319
ferocious
animal, recovered his loft fpirits^ and
gradually turned his eyes to
examine the lion.
Immediately, as if from
mutual
recolle6lion,
the
man and the lion
were to be feen delighted,
and
congratulating each other.
This matter, in the
higheft degree aftonifhing, excited," as he relates,
"
the greateft acclamations from the people. An-
droclus was fent for by Casfar, who aflced him the
reafon why this lion, fierce above all others, had
fpared him alone.
Then Androclus told what is
really a moft furprifmg
circumftance
:
'
When my
mafter,' faid he,
^
had obtained the province of
Africa as his proconfular
government, by his unjufl
and daily feverities I was compelled to run away
;
and, that my place of retreat might be fafer from
him, the lord of the country, I went to the moft
unfrequented folitudcs and defarts; and if food
ftiould fail me, I determined to take fome method
of deftroying myfelf. When the fun was a.t mid-
day moft violent and fcorching, having difcovqred
a
remote and fecret cave, I entered and concealed
myfelf within it. Not long afterwards this lion
came to the fame cave with a hxn^ and bloody
foot, uttering groans and the moft piteous com-
plaints from the pain and torture of his wound.'
He proceeded to declare,
^
that when he faw the
lion firft approach, his mind was overcome with
terror. But when the lion was entered, and a^ it
appeared into his own particular habitation, he favy"
me at a diftance endeavouring to conceal myfelf;
he then approached me in a mild and quiet manr
n^r.
310 THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
per, and with his foot lifted
up
appeared to point
and reach it out to me, as foliciting
my aid.
I
then/ faid he,
*
plucked from the bottom
of his
foot a large thorn, which there ftuck -,
I cleared
the
corruption from the inner wound, and more care-
fully, and without any great apprehenfion, entirely
dried and wiped away the blood. He then, being re-
lieved by my care and aid, placing his foot betwixt
my hands, laid down and flept. From this day, for
the fpace of three years, the lion and I lived together
in the fame den, and on the fame food. Of the
beafts which he hunted, the choiceft limbs he
brought to me in the den, which I, not having
any fire, roafted in the^ mid-day fun, and ate. But
being tired of this favage life, one day, when the
lion was gone out to hunt, I left the den, and after
a journey of three days was difcovered and appre-
hended by the foldiers, and brought by my mafler
from Africa to Rome. He
inllantly condemned
mC" to a capital puniftiment, and to be given to
the
^
Condemned
me,
I'^TXit fituation of flavcs amongft the an-
cients was in the higheft degree humiliating and wretched.
Upon this fubjedl I have enlarged in my notes to Herodotus
;
and I beg leave to refer the more inquifitive reader to a volume
written on the fubjedt of flaves, their condition, their offices,
&c,
by Pignorius. It appears, that the fjaves of tyrannic mafters,
for offences the moll trivial that can be imagined, were firft
tortured with the moft horrid and barbarous cruelty, and after-
wards thrown to wild bealls to be devoured.
It is a plaufible remark of fomc
old writer,
that the in-
genioufly cruel tortures, puniihments, and deaths, which were
inflicted
OF AULUS GELLIUS.
321
the beads. I underftand/ he continued,
^
that this
lion alfo, after my departure, was taken, and now he
has fhewn his gratitude to me for my kindnefs and
cure.'
"
Appion relates, that this narrative was told by
Androclus, who explained all this to the people, in-
fcribed and handed about on a tablet. Therefore,
by the univerfal requeft, Androclus was difcharged
and pardoned, and, by the voice of the people, the
lion was given him.
"
We afterwards," he relates,
fawAndroclus, and the lion, confined only by a flight
cord, go round the city and to the taverns.
Money
was given to Androclus, the lion was covered with
flowers, and all who met them exclaimed.
This
is the lion
^
who was the man*s friend ! This is the
man who was the lion's phyfician
!"
inflifted upon Haves, gave occafion to the treatment wKich th6
firft profeffors of Chriflianity
experienced. They were con-
iidered as the vilell of mankind, meaner even than flaves, and
entitled to the fame treatment.
5
This is the lion.'\ The reader is defired to confult Warton*s
third volume of the Hiftory of Englifh Poetry,
p. 40.This, it
feems, was one of the tales in the Gefta Romanorum ; but Mr.
Warton is of opinion that the writer did not borrow it from
Gellius, with whom he feems familiarly acquainted, and whom
he frequently quotes. He thinks it is an Oriental apologue on
gratitude, written at a much earlier period, and appears in the
Gefta Romanorum in its original ftate.
.*
The ftory, as related
in the Gefta,*' continues Mr.
Warton,
"
has much more fim*
plicity than that of Gellius, and contains marks of Eaftern man-
ners and life."The reader
will be
pleaded to fee the extract
from the Gefta :<i-
Vol. I. Y
Citp.
2ii THE ATTIC NIGHTS
Chap. civ.
"
A knight in hunting meets a lion, from whofc
foot he extra<5ls a thorn. Afterwards he becomes an outlaw,
and, being feized by the king, is condemned by him to be
thrown into a deep pit to be devoured by a hungry lion. The
lion fawns on the knight, whom he perceives to be the fame
that drew the thorn from his paw. Then, faid the king, I will
learn forbearance from the bealls. As the lion has fpared your
life, when it was in his power to take it, I therefore grant you
a free pardon. Depart, and be admonifhed hence to live virtu-
ufly."
Chap. XV.
^ke
opinions
of
philojbphers are
differenty whether the
'voice be a bodily
Juiftance
or not
'.
IT
has anciently and repeatedly been a matter
of difpute among the mod enninent philofophers>
whether the voice be a body or incorporeal. For this
word fomc have fornaed in the fame manner as the
Greek term ao-cy^M-aToi/. A body is that which is either
adive or paffive
3
this is defined in Greek thus:'
'
Such were the fubtleties on which the wifeft men of anti-
quity confumed their time and their talpnts. They could have
entertained no doubts on the fubjeil difcufled in this chapter, if
any progrefs had been made in anatomical fcience. Thi^
fcience removes every difficulty, and proves to us, that the voice,
certainly incorporeal, is a found produced in the mouth and
throat of an animal, by certain iaftrument* and: organs, which
ar there fituated.
Q
*^That
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
323
^^
That
which a<n:s or fufFers is a body."
Which
definition Lucretius, defirous to exprefs, has thus
written:

Tangere* enim aut tangi, nifi corpus nulla

poteft res/^
The Greeks alfo exprefs body another way, fo rpi^n
^lo^a-rotrov K But the Stoics contend that the voice
is a body, and they fay it is air flruck. But Plato
thinks that the voice is not a body

" For, not

the air ftruck," fays he,
"
but the flroke and blow.
is a voice."
cc
Not fimply the flriking of the air is a voice;
for an impulfe of the finger flrikes the air, and yet
does not make a voice
j
but a ftroke flrong, and
of a certain power, fufficient to be heard."
Democritus, and after him Epicurus, fays, that a
voice confifts of atoms, and
they call it, to ufe
their own words, psu/xa Aoywf, a llream of words.
As often as we hear or read of thefe or fimilar fo-
phiflries of an acute and agreeable amufement, and
are unable to find in thefe fubtleties any thing of
iiFiportance to the regulation of life *, or indeed
ainy
*
Tangere, &c.]

Nothing but a body can touch or be

touched.
^
Aiao-Taroy]
^
which may be meafured three ways
;
that is>
as we may confiilently exprefs it, that which has length, breadth,
and thicknefi-.
Regulation
of ltfe.'\ This concluding oblervation of Gel-
lius is too full of found fenfe
and
wifdom to be pafled over
Y %
without
314 .
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
any end of
difputing, I cannot but approve the
Neoptolemus
of Ennius, who fays thus
:
"
Philofophy is to be confined to few, for it
does not pleafe univerfally.*'
without oar tribute of praife. Thcfc old fophifts required con*
(iantly to be reminded of the adage of Horace :

Sapientia prima
Stultitia caruifTe."
,
Which Pope well tranflates,

'.Tis the firft wifdom to be fool no more.''

Chap. XVL
Of
the power
of
the eyesy and the caujes
of
fight
'
IH
AVE remarked various opinions among phi-
lofophers concerning the caufes of fight, and
the nature of vifion. The Stoics affirm the caufes
of
*
Upon this phyfical controverfy concerning the nature of
Tifion, like the one in the preceding chapter concerning found,
it is neceffary to fay but little. Both are now too well under-
ftood and explained by the fure procefs of fadls and philofophi-
cal experiment. No branch of philofophy has been better il-
luftrated, or more fatisfaftorily difcufl'ed, than this of optics.
The fame fubjeft is difcuffed, and nearly in the fame terms, by Ma-
crobius, Saturn, vii.
14;
and is alluded to by Cicero, in the third
cpiftle of his fecond book of Letters to Atticus.To
detail th
opinions
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
325
offight to be an emiflion ofradii from the eyes againll
thole things which are capable of being fcen, with
an expanJQon at the fame time of the air. But
Epicurus thinks that there proceed from all bodies,
certain images of the
bodies themfelves, and that
thefe imprefs themfelves upon the eyes, and that
thence arifes the fenfe of fight. Plato is of opi-
nion, that a fpecies of fire and light ifllies from the
eyesj and that this, being united and continued,
either with the light of the fun or the lieht of fome
other fire, by its own, added to the external force,
enables us to fee whatever it meets, and illuminates.
But on thefe things it is not worth while to trifle
further ; and I recur to an opinion of the Neop-
tolemus of Ennius, whom I have before mentioned
;
he thinks, that we fiiould tafte of philofophy
*,
but
not plunge in it over head and ears.
opinions of the ancients, unfounded as they were on any data,
or philofophical experiment, would exceed my limits, and pro-^
bably exhauft the reader's patience,
*
Tajie
of
philofophy.
'\
This affertion will be ridiculed by
many, and difputed by all. It is contradidory, indeed, to every
idea we entertain of ingenuous curiofity, and the progrefs of the
human mind in fcience, which, the further it advances, fees how
much more is to be known, and feels its ardour and ambition
proportipnably increafe if
"
Fir'd at firft fight with what the mufe imparts.
In
fearlefs youth we tempt the heights of arts.
While from the bounded level of our mind
Short views we take, nor fee the length behind;
But, more advanced, behold, with ftrange furprize.
New diltant fcenes of endlefs fcience rife."
Y
3
Chap.
S26
THE ATTIC NIGHTS
Chap.
XVII.
fh^ reafon
why the
firft
days
after the calends
^^
nones
^
and ideSy are called unfortunate
;
and why mojl peo-
ple avoid
alfo
the
fourth day
before the calendsy nones
:,
and ides3 as ominous.
VERRIUS
Flaccus, in his fourth book, on
the Signification of Words,
_ fays, that the
fiays
which follow the calends, the nones, and the
ides, which the common people ignorandy term
Ttefafiiy
were on this account called and efteemed
unfortunate.
"
The city," fays he,
"
being recovered from the
Senones of Gaul, Lucius Atilius declared in the fe-
nate, that Quintus ^ulpicius, tribune of the people,
had performed facred rites with a view of engaging
the Gauls in battle at the river Alia, on the day fol-
lowing the ides. The army of the Romans was
then, defeated with great deftrudion, and on the
third day afterwards the city was captured, all but
the capitol. Many other fenators alfo affirmed
that they remembered, that as often as, with a view
to carrying on war, facred rites were performed on
the day following the calends, the nones, or the
ides, officially by the magiftrates of Rome, in
the very next battle of that war the commonwealth
received detriment. The fenate on this referred
the matter to the college of priefts^ tq determine
what
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
327
what they
thought advifeable. They decreed,
that
no facrifice offered on thefe days would be aufpi-
cious."
The fourth day alfo before the calends, the nones,
or the ides, many regard as ill-omened. It has been
an objedl of enquiry. Whether there is any religious
motive for this prejudice ? But we find nothing re-
corded on this fubjed, unlefs that
Q^
Claudius, in
his fifth book of Annals, relates, that the prodigious
Daughter of the battle ofCann^ happened on, the
fourth day before the nones of April',
*
That a prejudice with refpedl to lucky or unlucky days
fiiould prevail in the earlier periods of the world, is to be ac-
counted for on the common principles ofthat fuperftition, the re-
fult and the companion of ignorance. It is lefs eafy to ex^
plain the fecret caufes which have rooted this prejudice fo deeply
in the human mind, that the light of increafmg fcience and phir
lofophy, ftrengthened by the yet far ftronger rays of revela-
tion, have never been able altogether to exterminate it. It ever
has, and probably ever will prevail
j
and, I believe, there are
many individuals in the world, who, while they publicly zffed^
to treat this fuperftitious appreheufion with difdain and ridicule,
are fecretly the flaves of its power. It has been very happily
ridiculed by our beft moral writers, particularly by Addifpn,
Gay, and Johnfon.
The unlucky days in the Roman calendar were termed ne-
fafti, for this reafon : the power of the praetor to adminifter
judice was expreflcd in thefe three words, do, dico, addico.
The days on which he exercifed his power were termed dies
FASTI. When it was not lawful for him to fit in judgment,
fuch days were called nefajii, from nefari, when the three word^
above mentioned might not be fpoken.
4
Chap.
331* THE ATTIC NIGHTS
Chap. XVIII.
What, and how great the difference
betwixt a hijtory or
annals : a
paffage
on this
Jul
je5l
from
the
fir
ft
hook
tf
the
"
Res
Gefta''
of
Sempronius Jfellio,
SOME
are of opinion that a hiftory differs
from annals in this, that both being a narration
of fa6ls, a hiftory is, properly fpeaking^ an account
of thofe things, at the performance of which, he who
relates them was prefent. That this was the opi-
nion of fome, Verrius Flaccus relates, in his fourth
book of the Signification of Words, who at the
fame time intimates, that he has doubts on the fub-
jedl. He neverthelefs thinks, that there may feem
fome appearance of reafon in this opinion, becaufe
in Greek, hiftory fignifies a knowledge of things
prefent. But we are accuftomed to underftand
that annals are altogether the fame as hiftories, but
that hiftories are not the fame altogether as annals
;
as that which is a man is neceffarily an animal, but
that which is an animal is not of neceffity a man.
Thus indeed they fay, that hiftories are the expofi-
tion or
demonftration, or whatever elfe they may
call it, of fafts, but that annals are the fadirs of a
number of years, the order of each year being ob-
ferved, regularly put together. But when
fadls
are defcribed not by years but feparate days, this
hiftory is expreffed by the Greek word
if
?j/*e/3tff j
the
Latii>
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
329
Latin
interpretation of which is in the firft book
of
Sempronius Afellio, from which I have alfp
ex-
tradled other paflfages, that we may fee what he
conceives to be the difference betwixt fa6ls and
annals.
^'
But betwixt thofe," faid he,
"
who thought
proper to leave annals, and thofe who attempted to
defcribe the adions (Res Geftae) of the Romans,
there was this uniform
difference

the books of
annals only pointed out the things which were done
in each particular year, in the manner of thofe who
write a diary, which the Greeks call
(p>]/Aj3K. For
us, it feems enough, that we are not only able to
fay that fuch a thing was a6lually done, but to Ihew
with what particular motive and defign."
In the fame book, a little afterwards, this
Afellio
fays

*^
For
neither can books of annals have the
fmallefl effed, either in making men more zealous
to defend the commonwealth, or more reluftant to
perpetrate evil -, but to write in what confulfliip a
war was begun, by what means
it was terminated,
and who had the honours of
a triumph, and to re-
late the particular things done in this war, and not
at the fame time to explain
what the fcnate de-
creed, what law or ftatute was ena6ted, nor with
what views thefe things were done, this is but tell-
ing tales for children, and by no means writing
hiftory/'
On the meaning of the word hiftory, fee Vol. IV. of my
tranflation of Herodotus, page
105. The modern acceptation
of
336
THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
of the terms annals and hiftory is fufficiently
decifive. Annals
arc underftood to be a plain recital of paft
tranfadions,
without
4ny
adventitious comments. The office of hiftory
cannot ba
better
defined than in the words of Mr. Gibbon, which I quote
from
memory
:^
"
Hiftory, whofe office it is to record the tranfaftions of paft
ages,
for the inftrudion of the prefent, would but ill execute
this honourable employment, did (he condefcend to plead the
caufe of tyrants, and juftify the maxims of perfecution."
The fame writer fays, in another place

<
Wars, and the adminiftration of public affairs, are the prin-
cipal fubjefts of hiftory,**
I
tranfcribe, for the amufement of the reader, a paflage from
Lucian's tradl on writing true Hiftory.

Since thefe things happened, namely, the war with the Bar-
barians, the overthrow received in America, and thofe frequent
viftories, all the world writes hiftory ; nay, every man fets up
for a Thucydides, an Herodotus, or a Xenophon. And it ap*
pears to be a true faying, that war
is the parent of all things,
jince it has begot fo many hiftorians in this fmgle country."
We learn from a paflage in Suetonius, tliat before the time
of
Pompey nobody undertook to write hiftory but perfons of
jioble birth.-" Cornelius Nepos is of opinion, that Oftacilius
Poiitus was the firft freedman who engaged in writing hiftory,
which was ufually the employment of none but men ofdiftin(^ioi\
,
(Non nifi ab honeftiffimo quoque fcribi folitare.)'*
See Bayle's DiiTertation upon Defamatory Libels,
C H AP,
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
331
Chap. XIX.
Meanifig
of
^^
adoptalio
"
and
"
arrogatio" how they
differ.
Form
of
words
ufed
by any one who appeals
to the people on thefuh']e5i
"
in liheris arrogandis^
WHEN
ftrangers are received into another
fannily, and in the place of children, it is
done either by the pr^tor or the peopled That
which is done by the prsetor is called adoptatio,
that by the people, arrogatio. They are adopted
when they are given up by the parent, in whoic
power they are, by a third legal mancipation; and
they are claimed by him who adopts, before him
who legally prefides. They are arrogated^ who,
being maflers of their own perfons, give themfelves
up to the power ofanother,* and they themfelves are
the authors of the fad. But thefe arrogations do
not take place rafliiy and without due examination.
Comitia are fummoned, at which the high priefts
*
It is unneceflary to repeat, that the parental authority of
ancient Rome was unlimited. When, therefore, a father wilhed
to reieafe a fon from this authority, he took him before the
praetor, and then formally fold him three times to a friend.
This friend, after the third fale, fold him again to his father.
This was called emancipation. What is here called adoptatio,
Cicero calls adoptio. Adoption was alfo in ufe among the
Greek.s
;'
there vVere two modes ; one by arms, the other, fingu-
lar enough, was by introducing the adopted child
betwixt the
ihirt and ikin of the parent.
prende|
33*
THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
prefide, which are termed curiata
%
and the age of
him who wilhes to arrogate is confidered
; whether
it be not fuitable to have children of his own
',
and
whether the efFedls of him who is arrogated be not
inGdioufly coveted; and we have an oath handed
down to us, which was contrived by Q^Mucius,
Pontifex Maximus, which was taken at this cere-
mony. But no one could be arrogated before he be-
came a youth Wt was called arrogation becaufe this
kind
*
Car///5r,]-The Comitia Curiata were thofe at which the
people voted by curias ; of thefe were thirty. What the ma-
jority decided was faid to be the will of the people.
5
Children
of
his oiv.]It was a matter of extreme ridicule
at Rome, as well it might, that the emperor Elagabalus, at the
age of fourteen, adopted Alexander Severus, at the age of
twelve. This is related on the teftimony of Herodian, Hill.
5,
7.
Other examples of abfurd and unnatural adoption are re-
lated by Suetonius and others. And it was alledged as a reafon
why adoptions were fo frequent at Rome, that they afforded fo
favourable an opportunity for fraud and licentioufnefs. This
cuftom, which muft have had a powerful agency on the manners
of the Romans, has not been animadverted upon by Mr. Gib-
bon with the ferioufnefs it appears to deferve. When we read
that Clodius, who was a patrician of the noble family of Clau-
dius, procured himfelf to be adopted into a plebeian family,
that he might the more effedtually gratify his refentment againft
Cicero, and of the adoption of Dolabella into the Livian fa-
mily, from a motive not more honourable, I cannot help being
fcrprifed that it fhould in a manner cfcape the fagacity of the
hiftorian, whofe objedl was to defcribe the caufes of the decline
of Rome.
Jyouth.]
The original is vefticeps. The natural deriva-
tion of this word feems to be from veftis, a garment, and capio, to
take : yet Geffner aflerts, that veftis has fometimes the fignifica*
tion
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
3:^3
kind of
removal into the family of another was by
afking
the people; the form of which rogation
was this

*^
Romans, you are defired to ordain, that Lu-
cius Valerius fhould be declared the fon of Lucius
Titius, with the fame legal rights as if born from a
father and mother of that family; and that he fhould
have power of life and death over him as a father
ought to have over his fon. I defire you, O Ro-
nians, to grant what I have afked."
But neither could a ward, nor a woman not in the
power of a parent, be arrogated, becaufe women had
no part in the comitia, and it was not allowed guar-
dians to have fo great authority over their wards, as
to fubjed the perfon of one free born, committed
to
his care, to the power of another. But Maffurius
tion of beard. I fhould rather imagine that vefticeps alludes to
the period when the toga prastexta was laid afide, and the
toga virilis, or manly gown, taken ; this was, when they had com-
pleted their feventeenth year. This is defcribed in four lines by
Periius, which I give in the tranflation of Dryden ;

<'
When firft my childifli robe refign*d the charge.
And left me unconfin'd to live at large
;
When now my golden bulla hung on high.
The houfhold gods declared me part a boy;
And my white fhield proclaim'd my liberty.
The bulla was a gold heart, which boys of quality wore about
their necks ; and the white fhield was an emblem that they had
not yet feen military fervice. The idea that veflis may mean a
beard, receives confirmarioa from the following pafTage in Lu-
c;-etius;
**
Molli vcflit lanugine malas."
Sabinus
:v."
)
*3:?4 THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
Sabinus fays, that freedmen could
be legally
adopted by the free born. He thought
that it
never
was nor could be allowed, that
men
of the
rank of thofe who had been made free,
could
by
adoption obtain the rights of thofe who were
free
born
;
otherwife, if this ancient law of adoption
pre-
vailed, even a flave before the praetor could be re-
ceived in adoption by his mailer; which, he fays,
many writers on the ancient law have afferted could
be done. I obferve in the oration of Publius
Scipio, which when cenfor he made to the people
concerning manners, among other things
which he
reprehended as being done contrary to the inftitu-
tions ofour anceftors
;
he alfo found fault with this,
that a fon who was adopted gave to the father who
adopted him the legal rights of a natural father.
The pafTage in the oration is this

"
In one tHbe a father gives his vote, in another
the fon, and the adopted fon gives the fame rights
as if naturally born to his adopting father. That
they diredled the abfent to be cenfed, fo that it
ceafed to be necefTary for any one to appear
^
at t;he
cenfus.**
*
To appear.] We learn from hence that in the earlier periods
of tlie public, and in the firil inflitution of the cenfor's office, it
was indifpen fable that the citizens who were to be rated fliould
perfonally appear. As the cenfor's duty was to rate the fortunes
and infped the morals of the Romans, the moment that abfence
was difpenfed with, this latter part of the ofRce was rendered
nugatory, and the office itfelf of no material dignity or ufe.
Chap.

OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
335
Chap. XX.
Capito Aftnius
made a Latin word
of
^^
Jolcecifmus
:"
what the old Latins called this
;
hi what manner the
Jame
Capito Afinius defined
^^
JolcecifmJ^
ASOLCECISM
was called in Latin, by Ca-
pito Afinius, and others of his time, imparilitas,
and by the older Latins
ftrihligo\y
as if from the
change and defed of a twilled fentence, and, as ic
were, a certain fterohiligo: which fault Capito
Afinius, in his letters to Clodius Tufcus, thus de*
fines
:

" A foloecifm,'* fays he,

"
is an unequal
and incongruous compofition of the parts of a (en-
Stribligo,'] or rather ftrobiligo. See Suidas at the word
rTo/?*Aoj. Stribligo is ufed to fignify fometimes an artichoke,
fometimes a whirlwind. It is a word of unufual occurrence.
I find it in Arnobius adverfus Gentes, book i.
"
Et tamen Oh ! ifti qui pollutas res noHrasvitiorum crimina,
mini foeditate, Jiribiligines, et vos iftas libris illis in maximis
atque admirabilibus non habetis
?"
Its derivation is from crr^s(poj, whence it means any kind of
contention. The reader will be pleafed to fee a definition of the
word
foloecifm from a Hiftory of Englifh Poefy, written fo early
as the year
1589,
by Puttenham
:

*'.
Your next intolerable vice is
folecifmiis, or incongruitie, as
when we fpeak falfe Engliihe, that is, by mifufmg the graTHmati-
call rules to be obferved in cafes, genders, tenfes, and fuch like
;
every poore fcholler knowes the fault, and cals it the breaking
of Prifcian's
head, for he was among the Latines a
principall
grammarian,'*
tence.
33^
the; attic nights
tence. But as folcecifm is a Greek word, whether
the Attics, who fpoke moft elegantly,
ufed it, has
often been an obje6l of enquiry. But
among the
Greeks of the heft authority, I am unable to find
cither the word folcecifm or barbarifm. For they
ufed (ix^Qa^ov as (roXomov, The more ancient among
us often u^cd
fol^cusy
but I cannot find that they ever
ukd/olcecifmus. But if it be fo, folcecifmus is not
proper either in Greek or Latin.
Chap. XXI.
'
fbai it is not barbarous
^
but good Latiny to
Jay
y
*^
flu--
riay*
"
compluria" and
*^
compluries.*^
A FRIEND of mine of competent learning,
xjL accidentally ufed in converfation the word
fluriay
not from any oftentation, nor becaufe he
thought ^///r^ might not be faid. He is a man of
ferious learning, attached to the focial duties, and
by no means particular in his choice of words. But
I
believe, that from his frequent perufal of ancient
writers, this word, which he had repeatedly met with,
became familiar to his tongue. There was pre-
fent when he ufed it an impertinent caviller at words,,
who had read very little, and thofe only books which
are in every one's hands. He had a few familiar
rules,
wbicfi he had heard of the forms of
granamar,
*
fome
5F AULUS GELLIUS.
^j?
fome
rude and half-learned, others incorredl, and
chefe he threw about him when he met any one, as
jdufl into the eyes
*.
On this occaliori, addrefling
my
friend,
^^
You have ufed," faid he,
^^
fluria bar-
baroufly ; for this word has neither reafon nor au-
thority^."Then my friend replied with a fmile,
*^
I fhall be obliged to you, my good Sir, as wc
have n6w leifure from more ferious bufmefs, if yoii
will tell how it happens that
fhria^
or^ what is the
fame thing, compluria, is ufed barbarouflyj and not
properly, by
M.
Cato,
Q^
Claudius, Valerius An*
tias, L.
iElius, P. Nigidius, and M. Varro, who
have ufed themfelves, and approved in others, this
word, not to mention a great number of ancient
orators and poets?"To which the other anfwered^
arrogantly enough :
"
Thefe authorities," fays he,
**
you have from the age of the Fauni and Abori-
gines
*,
and you afient to this rule. For no com-
parative neuter word in the plural number
and no*
*
Duji into the eys.\-^T\^\s is a proverbial e%prefiibn takeii
from an old military ftratagera. Plutarch relates, in his Life
of Sertonius, ^hat he commanded his foldiers to throw duil; iii
the eyes of the enemy. It became afterwards an expreflion for
wantonly and deliberately perplexing
the judgment of any one.
Among ourfelves it is not unfreqjiently applied to the fuccefsful
adminiftration of a bribe given to obtain a favourable decifion^
or to prevent any one from feeing what would be to onr pre-
judice.
"^
Fauni and Jhorigines.'l''Xliks
alliides to the fabulous aga
when Faiinus, the {on of Saturn, was fuppofed to reign in Italy,
The Aborigines were underflood to be the firil inhabitants
f
Jtaly.
Vol., I. %
minatiyf
338
THE ATTIC
NIGHTS
minative cafe, has the letter i before the final a, as
melioray major
a^
graviora. It is therefore
cuftomary
to fay not pluria, but pluray left, contrary to the in-
variable rulcj in the comparative degree, the letter i
fhould occur before the final a,''

^When my friend,
not thinking this impertinent fellow worthy of more
words, returned,
"
I believe there are many letters
of Sinnius Capito,/a very learned man, colledled in
one book, and depofired in the temple of Peace ^
The firft epiftle is to Pacuvius Labeo
-, the tide of
which is prefixed,
*
We ought to fay pluria^ and
not plura,'In this epiftle he urges many gram-
matical reafons, by which he ftiews th-dt pluria li
good Latin, and that plura is barbarous. I there-
fore refer you to Capito; from him you will alfo
learn, if you are able to comprehend what is intro-
duced in that epiftle, that pluria^ or plura^ is abfo-i
lute, or fimple, and not, as you feem to think, of the
comparative degree. This opinion of Sinnio re-
ceives additional confirmation, becaufe when we fay
compluries we do not ufe it with a comparative
fenfe. But from compluriay compluries is applied
adverbially. But as this does not frequently occur,
I have fubjoined a verle of Plautus, from the co-
medy called The Perfian
:

"
Quid metuis* ? metuo hercle vero, fenfi ego
compluries/'
So
'
Temple
of
Peace
^l^txc
was a public library eilablifbed by
Vefpafian.
'
^ ^idmctuis ?'\
This paflage occur* in the third fcene of
the
3
OF
AULUS GELLIUS.
33^
So alfo M*
Cato, in his fourth book of Origins, has
u{cd this word three times :

Compluries eorum nnilites

mercenarii inter fefc
miilti alteri alteros accidcre, compluries multi fimui
ad hoftes transfugere complurks inimperatorem im^
petum facere."
the fourth a<3:. But In the edition which I have by me of Gro-
rjovms it is read not ccmplurks, but co?nplm'es\ nor is any notice
taken of the word in the notes. It has in the paflage befpre
uf
the meaning of
of
tie.
NJ3 OF THE FIRST VOLUME^
9IB
^
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