CHAP. VII.
(Of the World, 3966—Of Rome, 666.)
Marius, [1]though now [2]broken with [3]age and years, yet being very [4]ambitious of getting [5]employed against Mithridates, could not [6]bear with patience the [7]bestowing that [8]province upon Sylla. [9]Wherefore he [10]prevailed by the [11]means of C. Sulpicius, the tribune of the people, to have it [12]taken from Sylla, and bestowed upon himself. At which Sylla being [13]enraged, [14]seized upon the city, and having [15]slain Sulpicius, [16]obliged Marius to [17]fly. In his [18]absence, Cinna the consul, making a [19]disturbance, was [20]driven out of the city, and being [21]joined by Marius, Carbo, and Sertorius, [22]assaulted Rome; which, having [23]taken, [24]he put a great many of the Romans [25]to the sword. Marius [26]died a natural death the year following.
Sylla having made peace with Mithridates, [27]returned into Italy, and [28]made an end of the civil war in two years time, by the [29]defeat of Carbo, Norbanus, young Marius, and others; and being [30]declared [31]dictator, [32]took off a great many of Marius’s party by means of a [33]proscription. Q. Sertorius [34]retired into Farther Spain, where he [35]held out for some years very [36]valiantly.
Sylla having in the year 675 [37]laid down the [38]dictatorship, died the year following of the [39]lousy [40]disease, in the sixtieth year of his [41]age. After his death, Lepidus the consul, [42]endeavouring to [43]annul the [44]acts of Sylla, was [45]forced out of the city by his [46]colleague Catulus. And the year following [47]advancing up to the city with an [48]army, he was defeated by the same Catulus and Cn. Pompey, and [49]fled into [50]Sardinia, where he [51]fell ill and died. The same Pompey being [52]sent into Spain against Sertorius, [53]performed no important things; but the latter being [54]treacherously [55]slain by his own people, he [56]easily [57]recovered that province in the year 681.
In the mean time the war with Mithridates [58]broke out again, while Sylla was yet living; and after Sylla’s death, Mithridates having [59]entered into an [60]alliance with Sertorius, [61]seized by force of arms upon Bithynia, which Nicomedes at his death in 679, had [62]left to the Roman people. L. Lucullus consul, in 680, [63]went against him, and being very [64]successful both by [65]sea and [66]land, he [67]obliged him to fly, first into [68]Pontus, and soon after to [69]Tigranes in Armenia. Lucullus [70]conquered Pontus, and defeated both the kings who [71]engaged him with an army of two hundred thousand [72]foot and sixty thousand [73]horse, in the year of the city 685. After this, Tigranocerta, the capital of Armenia, and [74]Nisibis, two very great cities, were [75]taken. But this excellent general being [76]forsaken by his men, was [77]obliged to [78]leave the [79]fruit of his [80]toil and [81]victories to Cn. Pompey, in the year 688. He having [82]forced Tigranes to [83]surrender, obliged him to be [84]satisfied with Armenia; and whilst he [85]pursued Mithridates, he [86]added the [87]Iberians and [88]Albanians to the Roman empire, in the year 689. [89]Finally, Mithridates, in the year 691, being [90]every where [91]beaten, [92]thought of [93]flying into [94]Gaul, but being [95]discouraged by the [96]revolt of his son [97]Pharnaces and the army, he [98]slew himself.
Whilst the war with Mithridates was [99]warmly [100]carried on, there [101]broke out another with the [102]slaves, in the year of the city 681. One [103]Spartacus Ænomanus, and [104]Crixus, [105]gladiators, having [106]broken up a [107]school of gladiators at Capua, [108]belonging to Lentulus, and [109]assembled an army of [110]desperadoes, [111]routed the Roman armies several times, but at last were [112]vanquished by Crassus the prætor, and Pompey, in the year 685.
Pompey [113]likewise [114]subdued the [115]pirates, who, at the [116]instigation of Mithridates, [117]infested the seas, having an [118]extraordinary [119]commission [120]for that purpose by the [121]Gabinian law. Whilst Pompey was [122]enlarging the Roman empire [123]abroad, the [124]head of the empire was in no small [125]danger from a [126]conspiracy which [127]Cataline, [128]Lentulus the prætor, [129]Cethegus, and other senators, had [130]entered into, to [131]murder the consul [132]Cicero, and to [133]burn and [134]plunder the city. But their [135]designs were [136]prevented by the [137]vigilance of the consul. Catiline being [138]forced out of the city, [139]repaired to the army, which some of his [140]accomplices had [141]collected. Lentulus, and the rest of the [142]ringleaders of the [143]plot were put to death. This [144]happened in the year 691, and the following year Cataline was [145]defeated by [146]Petreius [147]Antony the proconsul’s [148]lieutenant, and [149]slain in the [150]fight.
The whole [151]world being now almost [152]subdued, the Roman empire was [153]arrived to that [154]grandeur, that it could [155]hardly [156]extend itself farther. No [157]outward [158]force was [159]sufficient to [160]ruin it; it [161]fell by its own [162]power, which was [163]occasioned by the [164]ambition of the [165]leading men, and the civil [166]contests that [167]arose from thence.
C. Cæsar, after the time of his [168]prætorship in the city was [169]expired, [170]obtained the province of Lusitania; and by the great feats he [171]performed there, [172]deserved well the honor of a [173]triumph; but [174]postponed the [175]hopes of that to the [176]consular [177]dignity; for which, [178]while he made all [179]possible [180]interest, Pompey [181]united with Cæsar and Crassus, while Lucullus and some others of the [182]grandees, [183]opposing his [184]acts, which he [185]desired might be [186]ratified by the senate. Thus Cæsar [187]gained the [188]consulship in the year 695, in which he [189]established the acts of Pompey by the senate, and [190]divided the [191]public [192]lands in Campania amongst the [193]citizens. He [194]married his daughter Julia to Pompey, and [195]took Calphurnia, the daughter of [196]Piso [197]as a wife. Having by these [198]arts, and a [199]boundless [200]generosity, [201]gained the [202]favor of all [203]ranks and [204]degrees of men, he [205]procured the province of Gaul, which he [206]governed for nine years; during which time he [207]reduced all Gaul, that is [208]comprehended within the [209]Pyrenean mountains, the [210]Alps, the Rhone, and the [211]Rhine, in the [212]form of a province, and [213]imposed a [214]yearly [215]tribute upon it. He was the first of all the Romans that [216]attacked the [217]Germans [218]beyond the Rhine. He likewise [219]visited the [220]Britons, where [221]none before him had ever [222]come. In this [223]interval, in the year 698, he [224]entered into an [225]association with Pompey and Crassus; by [226]virtue of which he was to have Gaul [227]continued to him. Pompey was to have [228]Spain, and Crassus Syria, in order to a war against the [229]Parthians; to which he [230]accordingly [231]went in the year 699, and the third year after, [232]perished most [233]miserably, with the greater [234]part of his army; after which the Parthians made an [235]irruption into Syria, but were [236]bravely [237]repulsed by Cassius.
After the death of Crassus, Pompey not being able to [238]endure an [239]equal, nor Cæsar a [240]superior, the civil war broke out. Pompey’s [241]party [242]endeavouring to [243]take away from Cæsar both his army and province, as soon as the time of his [244]government should [245]expire; whilst Cæsar’s on the other [246]hand were for [247]treating Pompey [248]in like manner. At last in the year 705, in the [249]consulship of C. Claudius Marcellus, and L. Cornelius Lentulus, the senate, by a [250]vote, obliged Cæsar to [251]disband his army by a certain day. Antonius and Cassius, tribunes of the people, [252]interposing their [253]authority in vain, [254]left the town, and [255]repaired to Cæsar, who [256]advancing his army towards the city, [257]struck such a [258]consternation into Pompey and the rest, that [259]leaving the city [260]without much ado, and [261]shortly after Italy, they [262]passed over into [263]Greece. Cæsar went to Spain, where he [264]vanquished Petreius and Afranius, and [265]forced their armies to [266]surrender [267]prisoners of war. In his [268]return he [269]took [270]Marseilles, and after that was made dictator, to which [271]office he was [272]chosen four times, and at last had it [273]given him for [274]life.
In the year 706, Pompey being [275]defeated by Cæsar in the [276]fields of [277]Pharsalia, went to [278]Egypt, where he was slain by the [279]order of [280]Ptolemy, in the 59th year of his [281]age. Hither Cæsar [282]likewise [283]came the following year, and after a very [284]dangerous [285]rencounter, which he [286]happily [287]accomplished, [288]delivered the [289]kingdom of Egypt to Cleopatra and her brother. In the year following he vanquished Scipio and Cato, with king Juba, in Africa. Cato [290]laid violent hands upon himself at Utica. The year that [291]followed was [292]remarkable for the [293]correction of the [294]calendar and the year. The same year likewise he [295]conquered Pompey’s sons; and the year after was [296]stabbed in the [297]senate house, by a [298]conspiracy of Brutus and Cassius, and some others, in the 56th year of his age.
Besides these [299]convulsions, with which the whole [300]world was [301]shattered, there were some less [302]disturbances [303]happened a little before. [304]Clodius Pulcher being [305]made tribune of the people, [306]banished Cicero, for having [307]condemned the [308]associates of Cataline to death without a [309]trial; which [310]calamity he [311]bore too [312]meanly, and [313]by no means [314]agreeable to the [315]dignity of his past life. But he was [316]recalled the year after by the [317]interposition of Pompey, and Lentulus the consul, and [318]received with the greatest [319]honor. The same Clodius [320]declared [321]Cyprus to [322]belong to the Roman people, and Cato being [323]sent to [324]take possession of it, Ptolemy, king of the [325]island, after first [326]throwing all his [327]money into the sea, [328]prevented his [329]disgrace by a [330]voluntary death. The senate [331]bestowed the [332]prætorship upon Cato at his [333]return, by a [334]vote of the house, without any [335]election; which honor he [336]refused, being [337]desirous to [338]obtain it rather by the [339]free [340]votes of the people. But he was [341]disappointed in his [342]hopes, and Vatinius was [343]preferred to him.
[344]Bribery [345]ruling in [346]all [347]elections, and the [348]candidates making a most [349]dismal [350]confusion, after a long [351]interregnum, Pompey was made consul, without a [352]colleague, a thing [353]wholly new, and never heard of before; in which office he made a [354]severe [355]inquiry into all other [356]misdemeanors, as likewise into the death of Clodius, whom Milo [357]killed the same year, and for which he was [358]banished.
After the death of Cæsar, Antony the consul so [359]inflamed the people by [360]a seditious [361]harangue, that they [362]burnt his [363]body [364]publicly, and [365]threatened to set fire, and [366]pull down the houses of the [367]assassins. Octavius Cæsar, the son of Accia [368]Julius’s sister, was his [369]adopted son by [370]will. He being [371]slighted by M. Antony, [372]raised an army of [373]veteran soldiers, and [374]opposed his [375]tyrannical [376]proceedings. Antonius [377]extorted from the people by force the province of Gaul, but his [378]passage there was opposed by D. Brutus at Modena, where he was [379]besieged by Antony.
In the [380]consulship of [381]Hirtius and Pansa, in the year of the city 711, at the [382]instigation of Cicero Antony was [383]declared [384]enemy, and a war [385]undertaken against him; when Octavius [386]joined in [387]commission with the consuls, with the [388]power of proconsul, being then about the 20th year of his age. There was a [389]dreadful and [390]bloody [391]battle [392]fought near Modena, in which all Cæsar’s [393]life-guards were slain; but Antony was routed, and the [394]siege [395]raised, yet both the consuls were killed.
In Macedon, Brutus [396]took off C. Antonius, M. Antony’s brother, who was [397]intriguing against him, and [398]got together a [399]formidable army. Upon which the senate [400]resolved by [401]degrees to [402]take down Octavius, [403]for fear of his [404]growing too [405]powerful; which he being [406]apprehensive of, [407]he entered into an [408]association with Antony and Lepidus; and [409]consequently they were all three made [410]commissioners [411]for settling the [412]republic. They having [413]divided the whole [414]empire into three parts, [415]proscribed a great many of the Romans, and amongst the rest M. [416]Tully Cicero, who, whilst he was [417]endeavouring to [418]make his escape into Greece, was killed by Pompilius, a [419]captain, whose [420]cause he had [421]pleaded in a capital [422]action. There was a [423]dreadful [424]havoc made in this [425]proscription. The [426]Epitome of Livy speaks of no less than an hundred and thirty senators; the same year, [427]gave [428]beginning to one of the finest cities of France, [429]Lyons.
The year following, Octavius and Antony [430]fought a battle with M. Brutus and the [431]principal of the [432]conspirators, near the city of Philippi. The [433]right [434]wings were [435]victorious on both [436]sides, and on both sides the [437]camps were [438]plundered. But Cassius, who was in the wing that was [439]routed, [440]giving up all for lost, [441]slew himself. Brutus, being [442]defeated in another [443]engagement, likewise put an end to his own life, being then thirty-seven years of age, and none of Cæsar’s [444]assassins [445]lived above three years after, being all [446]taken off by a [447]violent death, as [448]Suetonius says; some too [449]killed themselves with the same [450]dagger with which they had slain Cæsar.
After the [451]victory, Antony [452]went to Asia, and Octavius to Italy; where he [453]was engaged in a war with L. Antony, the brother of the [454]triumvir, and his [455]wife Fulvia, a [456]woman of a [457]manly [458]spirit. He forced Lucius from the town; after which, being [459]declared an enemy, he [460]besieged him in Perusia, and obliged him to [461]surrender. In the mean time, the Parthians being [462]invited by Labienus, one of Pompey’s party, made an [463]irruption into Syria, whom Ventidius, after a very [464]signal [465]overthrow, in which the king was slain, [466]drove out again, and [467]recovered Syria.
S. Pompey, Cneius’s son, having a [468]fleet at his [469]command, [470]infested the seas. Cæsar made with him a peace, which was [471]soon [472]broken. [473]An engagement [474]followed, wherein Pompey was [475]worsted, and [476]forced to [477]fly. He was soon after [478]put to death by [479]order of M. Antony, under whose [480]protection he had put himself. About this time Antony made an [481]attempt upon the Parthians, by whom he was most [482]shamefully [483]beaten. At last Antony being [484]entirely [485]devoted to his Cleopatra, [486]divorced Octavia, Cæsar’s sister, and [487]declared war against him, in which he was at last defeated by sea near [488]Actium, a [489]promontory of [490]Epirus. Cæsar had upwards of 400 [491]ships, and Antony about 200, but so [492]prodigiously [493]large, that they [494]looked like [495]castles and cities [496]moving through the sea. The [497]flight of Cleopatra [498]turned the [499]fate of a [500]dubious [501]engagement into the [502]ruin of Antony; he followed her into Egypt, and being [503]besieged in Alexandria, he [504]slew himself, and Cleopatra soon [505]followed his [506]example.
FOOTNOTES
[1] benchè
[2] affievolito
[3] vecchiája
[4] ambizióne
[5] impiegáto
[6] tolleráre
[7] affidare
[8] província
[9] perciò
[10] ottenére
[11] mezzo
[12] leváre
[13] sdegnáto
[14] impossessársi
[15] uccíso
[16] forzáre
[17] fuggíre
[18] assénza
[19] distúrbo
[20] scacciàto
[21] unito
[22] assaltáre
[23] preso
[24] méttere
[25] a fil di spada
[26] moríre
[27] tornáre
[28] conclúdere
[29] rotta
[30] dichiaráto
[31] dittatore
[32] si disfece di
[33] proscrizióne
[34] ritirársi
[35] sostenere
[36] coraggiosaménte
[37] rassegnáto
[38] dettatúra
[39] pediculare
[40] morbo
[41] età
[42] procuráre
[43] annulláre
[44] atto
[45] scacciáto
[46] colléga
[47] accostársi
[48] armáta
[49] fuggíre
[50] Sardégna
[51] ammalársi
[52] mandáto
[53] eseguíre
[54] proditoriaménte
[55] uccíso
[56] facilménte
[57] ricuperáre
[58] accendérsi
[59] entráto
[60] alleánza
[61] impadroníto
[62] lasciáto
[63] andáre
[64] fortunáto
[65] mare
[66] terra
[67] forzare
[68] Ponto
[69] Tigràne
[70] conquistáre
[71] attaccáre
[72] infantéria
[73] cavallería
[74] Nísibi
[75] preso
[76] abbandonáto
[77] obbligáto
[78] lasciáre
[79] frutto
[80] fatíca
[81] vittória
[82] forzáto
[83] arrendérsi
[84] contentarsi
[85] incalzáre
[86] aggiúngere
[87] Ibérj
[88] Albanési
[89] finalménte
[90] dappertútto
[91] battúto
[92] pensáre
[93] fuggíre
[94] Gállia
[95] scoraggíto
[96] rivólta
[97] Farnáce
[98] ammazzársi
[99] vigorosaménte
[100] continuáto
[101] accéndersi
[102] schiávo
[103] Spartáco Enománo
[104] Crisso
[105] gladiatóre
[106] disfatto
[107] scuóla
[108] appartenére
[109] radunáto
[110] disperáto
[111] sconfíggere
[112] vinto
[113] pariménte
[114] soggiogáre
[115] corsáro
[116] istigazióne
[117] infestáre
[118] straordinário
[119] commissióne
[120] a questo effétto
[121] Gabiáno
[122] aggrandíre
[123] fuóri
[124] capitale
[125] perícolo
[126] cospirazióne
[127] Catilína
[128] Léntulo
[129] Cetégo
[130] fare
[131] uccídere
[132] Ciceróne
[133] abbruciáre
[134] saccheggiáre
[135] diségno
[136] impedíto
[137] vigilánza
[138] scacciáto
[139] trasferírsi
[140] cómplice
[141] radunáto
[142] capo
[143] congiúra
[144] succédere
[145] sconfítto
[146] Petrejo
[147] António
[148] luogotenénte
[149] uccíso
[150] battáglia
[151] mondo
[152] soggiogáto
[153] arriváto
[154] grandézza
[155] appéna
[156] estendérsi
[157] estérno
[158] forza
[159] bastánte
[160] rovináre
[161] cadére
[162] potére
[163] cagionáto
[164] ambizióne
[165] principále
[166] contésa
[167] deriváre
[168] pretura
[169] spiráto
[170] ottenére
[171] eseguíre
[172] meritáre
[173] triónfo
[174] pospórre
[175] aspettativa
[176] consoláre
[177] dignità
[178] mentre
[179] possíbile
[180] diligenza
[181] unírsi
[182] grande
[183] oppórsi
[184] atto
[185] desideráre
[186] ratificáto
[187] ottenére
[188] consoláto
[189] fece ratificáre dal senato
[190] divídere
[191] terre della
[192] repubblica
[193] cittadíno
[194] maritáre
[195] préndere
[196] Pisóne
[197] in qualità di móglie
[198] arte
[199] imménso
[200] generosità
[201] guadagnáre
[202] favóre
[203] degli uomini di qualunque rango
[204] grado
[205] procuráre
[206] governáre
[207] debelláre
[208] compréso
[209] Pirenéi
[210] Alpi
[211] Reno
[212] forma
[213] impórre
[214] annuále
[215] tribúto
[216] attaccáre
[217] Tedeschi
[218] di là
[219] visitáre
[220] Británno
[221] niúno
[222] venúto
[223] intervállo
[224] entráre
[225] confederazióne
[226] virtù
[227] continuáre
[228] Spagna
[229] Parti
[230] in conseguénza
[231] andáre
[232] períre
[233] miseraménte
[234] parte
[235] incursióne
[236] valorosaménte
[237] rispinto
[238] tolleráre
[239] eguále
[240] superióre
[241] partíto
[242] cercáre
[243] leváre
[244] govérno
[245] spiráre
[246] canto
[247] trattáre
[248] nell’ istésso modo
[249] consoláto
[250] decreto
[251] licenziáre
[252] interpórre
[253] autorità
[254] lasciáre
[255] trasferírsi
[256] accostáre
[257] riempíre
[258] costernazióne
[259] abbandonáre
[260] senz’ altro
[261] poco dopo
[262] passáre
[263] Grécia
[264] víncere
[265] forzáre
[266] arrendérsi
[267] prigioniéro
[268] ritórno
[269] préndere
[270] Marsíglia
[271] uffízio
[272] scelto
[273] dato
[274] vita
[275] sconfítto
[276] campo
[277] Farságli
[278] Egítto
[279] ordine
[280] Toloméo
[281] età
[282] pure
[283] veníre
[284] pericolóso
[285] fatto d’armi
[286] fortunataménte
[287] fu vittorioso
[288] consegnáre
[289] regno
[290] uccidérsi
[291] seguíre
[292] segnalato
[293] correzióne
[294] calendário
[295] vincere
[296] pugnaláto
[297] senáto
[298] cospirazióne
[299] convulsióne
[300] mondo
[301] conturbato
[302] distúrbo
[303] succédere
[304] Clódio Pulcro
[305] fatto
[306] esiliáre
[307] condannáto
[308] complice
[309] procésso
[310] calamità
[311] soffríre
[312] vilménte
[313] in nissún conto
[314] come si conveniva
[315] dignità
[316] richiamáto
[317] interposizióne
[318] ricévere
[319] onóre
[320] dichiaráre
[321] Cipro
[322] appartenére
[323] mandáto
[324] impossessársi
[325] ísola
[326] gettáto
[327] danaro
[328] prevenire
[329] disgrázia
[330] volontária
[331] accordáre
[332] dignità di pretóre
[333] ritórno
[334] per votazione dell’assemblea
[335] elezióne
[336] rifiutáre
[337] desideróso
[338] ottenére
[339] libero
[340] suffragio
[341] frustráto
[342] speránza
[343] preferíto
[344] corruzióne
[345] domináre
[346] tutto
[347] elezióne
[348] candidáto
[349] rattristante
[350] confusióne
[351] interregno
[352] colléga
[353] affátto
[354] sevéro
[355] perquisizióne
[356] delítto
[357] uccídere
[358] bandíto
[359] accéndere
[360] sedizióso
[361] arrínga
[362] incendiáre
[363] corpo
[364] pubblicaménte
[365] minacciáre
[366] demolíre
[367] assassíno
[368] Giúlio
[369] adottáto
[370] testaménto
[371] sprezzáto
[372] leváre
[373] veteráno
[374] oppórre
[375] tiránnico
[376] portaménto
[377] strappáre
[378] passággio
[379] assediáto
[380] consoláto
[381] Írzio
[382] istigazióne
[383] dichiaráto
[384] nemíco
[385] intrapréso
[386] unírsi
[387] commissióne
[388] potére
[389] terribile
[390] sanguinóso
[391] battáglia
[392] dato
[393] soldáto della guárdia
[394] assedio
[395] leváto
[396] uccídere
[397] cabalizzare
[398] radunáre
[399] formidábile
[400] risólvere
[401] a poco a poco
[402] abbassáre
[403] per timóre che
[404] diventáre
[405] poténte
[406] timoróso
[407] entráre
[408] lega
[409] conseguenteménte
[410] commissionário
[411] regolare
[412] repúbblica
[413] divíso
[414] império
[415] proscrívere
[416] Túllio Ciceróne
[417] procuráre
[418] scampáre
[419] capitáno
[420] causa
[421] diféndere
[422] procésso
[423] orréndo
[424] strage
[425] proscrizióne
[426] sommário
[427] dare
[428] princípio
[429] Lióne
[430] dare
[431] principále
[432] congiuráto
[433] ala
[434] dritto
[435] vittorióso
[436] parte
[437] campo
[438] saccheggiáto
[439] sconfítto
[440] crédere
[441] uccidérsi
[442] rotto
[443] conflítto
[444] assassino
[445] vívere
[446] perire
[447] violénto
[448] Suetónio
[449] uccidérsi
[450] stilétto
[451] vittória
[452] partíre
[453] veníre alle armi
[454] triumvíro
[455] moglie
[456] donna
[457] virile
[458] spírito
[459] dichiaráto
[460] assediáre
[461] arrendérsi
[462] invitáto
[463] scorrería
[464] segnaláto
[465] sconfítta
[466] scacciáre
[467] ricuperáre
[468] flotta
[469] comándo
[470] infestáre
[471] présto
[472] rotto
[473] combattiménto
[474] seguíre
[475] malmenato
[476] forzáto
[477] fuggíre
[478] messo
[479] cenno
[480] protezióne
[481] intraprésa
[482] ignominiosamente
[483] battúto
[484] affátto
[485] dedicáto
[486] ripudiáre
[487] dichiaráre
[488] Azio
[489] promontório
[490] Epíro
[491] vascéllo
[492] prodigiosaménte
[493] grande
[494] rassomigliáre
[495] castéllo
[496] muóvere
[497] fuga
[498] cambiáre
[499] sorte
[500] dubbióso
[501] battáglia
[502] rovína
[503] assediáto
[504] ammazzársi
[505] seguíre
[506] esémpio