his elocution was called Æmilius; such at least is the opinion of those, who say that Numa was educated under Pythagoras.

Those of this family, that distinguished themselves', found their attachment to virtue generally blessed with success. And, notwithstanding the ill fortune of Lucius Paulus at Cannæ, he displayed upon that occasion both his prudence and his valour. For when he could not dissuade his colleague from fighting, he joined him in the combat, though much against his will, but did not partake with him in his flight: on the contrary, when he who had plunged them into danger deserted the field, Paulus stood his ground, and fell bravely amidst the enemy with his sword in his hand1o.

This Paulus had a daughter named Emilia, who was married to Scipio the Great, and a son called Paulus, whose history I am now writing.

At the time, in which he made his appearance in the world, Rome abounded in men celebrated for their virtues and other excellent accomplishments11; and even among these Æmilius made a distinguished figure, without having pursued the same studies, or set out in the same track, with the young nobility of that age. For he did not exercise himself in pleading causes, neither could he stoop to salute, and solicit, and caress the people, which was the method that most men took who aimed at popularity. Not but that he had received talents from nature to acquit himself well in either of these respects, but he reckoned the honour that flows from bravery, justice, and probity, preferable to both; and in these virtues he soon surpassed all the young men of his time.

The first of the high offices of state, for which he.

8 From the Greek alunos.*

9 From Lucius Emilius, who was consul A. U. C. 270. and overcame the Volsci, to Lucius Paulus, who was father to Paulus Æmilius and fell at Canna, A. U. C. 538. there were many of those Æmilii renowned for their victories and triumphs.

10 See the Life of Fabius Maximus, Vol. II. p. 184.

11 In that period we find the Sempronii, the Albini, the Fabii Maximi, the Marcelli, the Scipiones, the Fulvii, the Sulpitii, the Cethegi, the Metelli, &c. &c.!!

PAULUS EMILIUS.

5

was a candidate, was that of Edile; and he carried it against twelve competitors, who (we are told) were all afterward consuls. And when he was appointed one of the priests called Augurs, whom the Romans employ in the inspection and care of divination by the flight of birds and by prodigies in the air, he studied so attentively the usages of his country, and acquainted himself so perfectly with the ancient ceremonies of religion, that what before was only considered as an honour, and courted on account of the authority annexed to it12, appeared in his hands to be one of the principal arts. Thus he confirmed the definition, which is given by some philosophers, "That religion is the science of worshipping the gods 13." He did every thing with skill and application; he laid aside all other concerns while he attended to this, and made not the least omission or innovation; but disputed with his colleagues about the minutest article, and insisted that though the Deity might be supposed to be merciful, and willing to overlook some neglect, yet it was dangerous for the state to connive at and pass by such things. For no man ever began his attempts against govern. ment with an enormous crime14, and relaxing in the smallest matters breaks down the fences of the greatest.

Neither was he less exact in requiring, and observing, the military discipline of his country. He did not study to be popular in command, nor endeavour like the generality to make one commission the foundation for another, by humoring and indulging the soldiery15: but, as a priest instructs the initiated with care in the sacred ceremonies, so he explained to those that were under him the rules and customs of war; and being

12 Under pretence that the auspices were favourable or otherwise, the Augurs had it in their power to promote or put a stop to any public affair whatever. (Cic. de Legg. ii. 12.) Of this college most of the patrician youth, who wished to take a part in state affairs, were admitted members.

13 See Plato's Euthyphron.

14 Thus nemo repentè fuit turpissimus, in Plutarch's opinion (it appears) was as true of political, as of moral turpitude.*

15 The Roman soldiers were at the same time citizens, who had votes for all the great civil and military employments.

A 2

inexorable, at the same time, to those that transgressed them, he reestablished his country in its former glory. With him indeed the beating of an enemy was a matter of much less account, than the bringing of his countrymen to strict discipline; the first seeming to be the necessary consequence of the latter.

During the war, in which the Romans were engaged with Antiochus the Great16 in the east, and in which their most experienced officers were employed, another broke out in the west. There was a general revolt in Spain 17; and thither Æmilius was sent, not with six lictors only like other prætors, but with twice the number, which seemed to raise his dignity to an equality with the consular. He beat the barbarians in two pitched battles13, and killed thirty thousand of them; which \success appears to have been owing to his generalship in choosing his ground, and attacking the enemy while they were crossing a river; for, by these means, his army gained an easy victory. He made himself master of two hundred and fifty cities, which voluntarily opened their gates: and having established peace throughout the province, and secured its allegiance, he returned to Rome not a drachma richer than he went out. He never indeed was desirous to enrich himself, but lived in a generous manner upon his own estate; which however was so far from being large, that after his death it was hardly sufficient to answer his wife's dowry.

His first wife was Papiria, the daughter of Papirius Maso, a man of consular dignity. After he had lived with her a long time in wedlock, he divorced her, though she had brought him very fine children; for she was mother to the illustrious Scipio, and to Fabius Maximus.

16 The war with Antiochus the Great, king of Syria, began about A. U. C. 562., twenty-four years after the battle of Cannæ. The consul Glabrio was employed in it, and after him the two Scipios; the elder of whom was content to serve as lieutenant under his brother. (LIV. xxxvii. 1.)

17 Spain, after having shaken off the Roman yoke during the Punic wars, had been recovered by Scipio Nasica.

18 Livy (xxxvii. 57.) speaks only of one successful battle, in which Paulus Æmilius forced the intrenchments of the Spaniards, killed eighteen thousand of them, and made three hundred pri

soners.

The reason of this separation history does not record; but with respect to divorces in general, the account which a certain Roman, who put away his wife, gave of his own case seems to have been a just one. When his friends remonstrated, and asked him, “ Was she not chaste? Was she not fair? Was she not fruitful?" He held out his shoe, and said, "Is it not handsome? Is it not new? Yet none knows where it pinches, but he that wears it." It is certain, that men usually repudiate their wives for great and visible faults; yet sometimes also a peevishness of temper or incongruity of manners, small and frequent distastes though not discerned by the world, produce the most incurable aversions in a married life 19.

Æmilius, thus separated from Papiria, married a second wife, by whom he had also two sons. These he brought up in his own house; the sons of Papiria being adopted into the greatest and most noble families

19 M. Ricard, with some others, thinks it not improbable that the author of this observation was Paulus Emilius himself. The very ingenious Dr. Robertson mentions this frequency of divorces, as one of the necessary reasons for introducing the Christian religion at that precise period of time, when it was published to the world. "Divorces on very slight pretences were permitted both by the Greek and Roman legislators. And, though the pure manners of those republics restrained for some time the operation of such a pernicious institution, though the virtue of private persons seldom abused the indulgence that the legislator allowed them, yet no sooner had the establishment of arbitrary power and the progress of luxury vitiated the taste of men, than the law with regard to divorces was found to be amongst the worst corruptions that prevailed in that abandoned age. The facility of separations rendered married persons careless of practising or obtaining those virtues, which render domestic life easy and delightful. The education of their children, as the parents were not mutually endeared or inseparably connected, was generally disregarded; each parent considering it but a partial care, which might with equal justice devolve on the other. Marriage, instead of restraining, added to the violence of irregular desire, and under a legal title became the vilest and most shameless prostitution. From all these causes the marriage state fell into disreputation and contempt, and it became necessary to force men by penal laws into a society, where they expected no secure or lasting happiness. Among the Romans domestic corruption grew of a sudden to an incredible height. And perhaps, in the history of mankind, we can find no parallel to the undisguised impurity and licentiousness of that age. It was in good time therefore, &c. &c.”

in Rome, the elder20 by the Fabius Maximus who was five times consul, and the younger by his cousin german the son of Scipio Africanus, who gave him the name of Scipio. One of his daughters was married to the son of Cato, and the other to Elius Tubero a man of superior integrity, and who of all the Romans knew best how to bear poverty. There were not fewer than sixteen of the Elian family and name, who had only a small house and one farm among them21; and in this house they all lived, with their wives and many children. Here dwelt the daughter of Emilius, who had been twice consul, and had triumphed twice; not ashamed of her husband's poverty, but admiring that virtue which kept him poor. Very different is the behaviour of brothers, and other near relations in these days; who, if their possessions be not separated by large tracts of land, rivers, and fortresses, are perpetually at variance about them. So much instruction does history suggest to the consideration of those, who are willing to profit by it.

When Emilius was created consul22, he went upon an expedition against the Ligurians, whose country lies at the foot of the Alps, and who are also by some called 'Ligustines:' a bold and martial peopie, that had learnt the art of war from the Romans, by means of their vicinity. For they dwelt in the extremities of Italy, bordering upon that part of the Alps which is washed by the Tuscan sea, just opposite to Africa, and were mixed with the Gauls and Spaniards who inhabited the coast. At that time they had likewise some strength at sea, and their corsairs plundered and destroyed the merchant ships as far as the pillars of Hercules. They had an army of forty thousand men to receive Æmilius, who came but with eight thousand at the most. He engaged them however, though five times his number,

20 Who took the name of Q. Fabius Emilianus, and was father to the celebrated orator Q. Fabius. His brother likewise adopted the surname of Æmilianus.*

21 See Val. Max. (iv. 4.) who adds, minùs multos cultores desiderans, quam dominos habebat.*

22 It was in the year following, that he went against the Ligurians. (Liv. xl. 25.)