Fabaria, festivals at Rome in honour of Carna wife of Janus, when beans (fabæ) were presented as an oblation.
Fabăris, now Farfa, a river of Italy in the territories of the Sabines, called also Farfarus, Ovid, Metamorphoses, bk. 14, li. 330.—Virgil, Æneid, bk. 7, li. 715.
Fabia. See: [Fabius Fabricianus].
Făbia lex, de ambitu, was to circumscribe the number of Sectatores or attendants which were allowed to candidates in canvassing for some high office. It was proposed, but did not pass.
Făbia, a tribe at Rome. Horace, bk. 1, ltr. 7, li. 52.——A vestal virgin, sister to Terentia, Cicero’s wife.
Făbiāni, some of the Luperci at Rome, instituted in honour of the Fabian family.
Făbii, a noble and powerful family at Rome, who derived their name from faba, a bean, because some of their ancestors cultivated this pulse. They were said to be descended from Fabius, a supposed son of Hercules by an Italian nymph; and they were once so numerous that they took upon themselves to wage war against the Veientes. They came to a general engagement near the Cremera, in which all the family, consisting of 306 men, were totally slain, B.C. 477. There only remained one, whose tender age had detained him at Rome, and from him arose the noble Fabii in the following ages. The family was divided into six different branches, the Ambusti, the Maximi, the Vibulani, the Buteones, the Dorsones, and the Pictores, the three first of which are frequently mentioned in the Roman history, but the others seldom. Dionysius of Halicarnassus, bk. 9, ch. 5.—Livy, bk. 2, ch. 46, &c.—Florus, bk. 1, ch. 2.—Ovid, Tristia, bk. 2, li. 235.—Virgil, Æneid, bk. 6, li. 845.
Făbius Maximus Rullianus, was the first of the Fabii who obtained the surname of Maximus, for lessening the power of the populace at elections. He was master of horse, and his victories over the Samnites in that capacity nearly cost him his life, because he engaged the enemy without the command of the dictator. He was five times consul, twice dictator, and once censor. He triumphed over seven different nations in the neighbourhood of Rome, and rendered himself illustrious by his patriotism.——Rusticus, an historian in the age of Claudius and Nero. He was intimate with Seneca, and the encomiums which Tacitus passes upon his style make us regret the loss of his compositions.——Marcellinus, an historian in the second century.——A Roman lawyer whom Horace, bk. 1, satire 2, li. 134, ridicules as having been caught in adultery.——Quintus Maximus, a celebrated Roman, first surnamed Verrucosus from a wart on his lip, and Agnicula from his inoffensive manners. From a dull and unpromising childhood he burst into deeds of valour and heroism, and was gradually raised by merit to the highest offices of the state. In his first consulship, he obtained a victory over Liguria, and the fatal battle of Thrasymenus occasioned his election to the dictatorship. In this important office he began to oppose Annibal, not by fighting him in the open field, like his predecessors, but he continually harrassed his army by countermarches and ambuscades, for which he received the surname of Cunctator, or delayer. Such operations for the commander of the Roman armies gave offence to some, and Fabius was even accused of cowardice. He, however, still pursued the measures which prudence and reflection seemed to dictate as most salutary to Rome, and he patiently bore to see his master of horse raised to share the dictatorial dignity with himself, by means of his enemies at home. When he had laid down his office of dictator, his successors for a while followed his plan; but the rashness of Varro, and his contempt for the operations of Fabius, occasioned the fatal battle of Cannæ. Tarentum was obliged to surrender to his arms after the battle of Cannæ, and on that occasion the Carthaginian enemy observed that Fabius was the Annibal of Rome. When he had made an agreement with Annibal for the ransom of the captives, which was totally disapproved by the Roman senate, he sold all his estates to pay the money, rather than forfeit his word to the enemy. The bold proposal of young Scipio to go and carry the war from Italy to Africa, was rejected by Fabius as chimerical and dangerous. He did not, however, live to see the success of the Roman arms under Scipio, and the conquest of Carthage, by measures which he treated with contempt and heard with indignation. He died in the 100th year of his age, after he had been five times consul, and twice honoured with a triumph. The Romans were so sensible of his great merit and services, that the expenses of his funeral were defrayed from the public treasury. Plutarch, Parallel Lives.—Florus, bk. 2, ch. 6.—Livy.—Polybius.——His son bore the same name, and showed himself worthy of his noble father’s virtues. During his consulship, he received a visit from his father on horseback in the camp; the son ordered the father to dismount, and the old man cheerfully obeyed, embracing his son, and saying, “I wished to know whether you knew what it is to be consul.” He died before his father, and the Cunctator, with the moderation of a philosopher, delivered a funeral oration over the dead body of his son. Plutarch, Fabius Maximus.——Pictor, the first Roman who wrote an historical account of his country, from the age of Romulus to the year of Rome, 536. He flourished B.C. 225. The work which is now extant, and which is attributed to him, is a spurious composition.——A loquacious person mentioned by Horace, bk. 1, satire 1, li. 14.——A Roman consul, surnamed Ambustus, because he was struck with lightning.——A lieutenant of Cæsar in Gaul.——Fabricianus, a Roman assassinated by his wife Fabia, that she might more freely enjoy the company of a favourite youth. His son was saved from his mother’s cruelties, and when he came of age he avenged his father’s death by murdering his mother and her adulterer. The senate took cognizance of the action, and patronized the parricide. Plutarch, Parallela minora.——A chief priest at Rome when Brennus took the city. Plutarch.——A Roman sent to consult the oracle of Delphi while Annibal was in Italy.——Another chosen dictator, merely to create new senators.——A lieutenant of Lucullus defeated by Mithridates.——A son of Paulus Æmilius, adopted into the family of the Fabii.——A Roman surnamed Allobrogicus from his victory over the Allobroges, &c. Florus, bk. 2, ch. 17.——Another chosen general against the Carthaginians in Italy. He lost all his forces in a battle, and fell wounded by the side of Annibal. Plutarch, Parallela minora.——A consul with Julius Cæsar, who conquered Pompey’s adherents in Spain.——A high priest who wrote some annals, and made war against Viriathus in Spain. Livy, bk. 30, ch. 26.—Florus, bk. 3, ch. 2.——Dorso. See: [Dorso].
Fābrātĕria, a colony and town of the Volsci in Latium. Silius Italicus, bk. 8, li. 398.—Cicero, Letters to his Friends, bk. 9, ltr. 24.
Fabrĭcius, a Latin writer in the reign of Nero, who employed his pen in satirizing and defaming the senators. His works were burnt by order of Nero.——Caius Luscinus, a celebrated Roman who, in his first consulship, obtained several victories over the Samnites and Lucanians, and was honoured with a triumph. The riches which were acquired in those battles were immense, the soldiers were liberally rewarded by the consul, and the treasury was enriched with 400 talents. Two years after, Fabricus went as ambassador to Pyrrhus, and refused with contempt the presents, and heard with indignation the offers, which might have corrupted the [♦]fidelity of a less virtuous citizen. Pyrrhus had occasion to admire the magnanimity of Fabricius; but his astonishment was more powerfully awakened when he opposed him in the field of battle, and when he saw him make a discovery of the perfidious offer of his physician, who pledged himself to the Roman general for a sum of money to poison his royal master. To this greatness of soul were added the most consummate knowledge of military affairs, and the greatest simplicity of manners. Fabricius never used rich plate at his table. A small salt-cellar, whose feet were of horn, was the only silver vessel which appeared in his house. This contempt of luxury and useless ornaments Fabricius wished to inspire among the people; and during his censorship he banished from the senate Cornelius Rufinus, who had been twice consul and dictator, because he kept in his house more than 10 pounds weight of silver plate. Such were the manners of the conqueror of Pyrrhus, who observed that he wished rather to command those that had money than possess it himself. He lived and died in the greatest poverty. His body was buried at the public charge, and the Roman people were obliged to give a dowry to his two daughters, when they had arrived to marriageable years. Valerius Maximus, bk. 2, ch. 9; bk. 4, ch. 4.—Florus, bk. 1, ch. 18.—Cicero, bk. 3, de Officiis.—Plutarch, Pyrrhus.—Virgil, Æneid, bk. 6, li. 844.——A bridge at Rome, built by the consul Fabricius, over the Tiber. Horace, bk. 2, satire 3, li. 36.