and conjugal afFeftion.
It happened that her hufband and her
fon were both, at the fame time, attacked
with a dangerous illnefs. The fon died.
He was a youth endowed with every quality
of mind and perfon which could endear hiiiK
to his parents. His mother's heart was torn
with all the anguifh of grief; yet flie re-
folved to conceal the diltreffing event from
her hufband. She prepared and conduced
his funeral fo privately, that Pstus did not
know of his death. Whenever fhe came
into her hufband's bed-chamber, Ihe pre-
tended her fon was better ; and, as often as
he inquired after his health, would anfwer,
that he had refted well, or had eaten with
an appetite. When fhe found that fhe could
no longer reftrain her grief, but her tears
\/ere gufliing out, fhe would leave the room,
and, having given vent to her pafTion, return
again with dry eyes and a ferene counte-
nance, as if fhe had left her forrow behind
her at the door of the chamber.
Camillus Scribonianus, the governor of
Dalmatia, having taken up arms againft
Claudius, Pstus joined himlclf to his party,
and was foon after taken prifoner, and
brought to Rome. When the guards were
going to put him on board the Ihip, Arria
befought them that fhe might be permitted
to go with him. " Certainly," faid fhe,
«« yoa cannot refufe a man of confular dig-
<* nity, as he is, a few attendants to wait
« upon him ; but, if you will take me, 1
" alone will perform their office." Thit
favour, however, was rt- fufed ; upon which
fhe hired a fmail fifhing vcffel, and boldly
ventured to follow the fhip.
Returning to Rome, Arria met the wife
of Scribonianus in the emperor's palace,
who prefTing her to difcover all that fhe
knew of the infurreftion,— " What!" faid
fhe, *' Ihall I regard thy advice, who faw
K k r' thy
49^
feLEGANT EXTRACTS,
Book IL j
*« thy hufl)and murdered in thy very arms, ^ While Abdolonymus was bufily employed ,,
«* and yet furviveft him ?" in weeding his garden, the two friends oft
Pastus being condemned to die, Arria Kephaeflion, bearing in their hands the
formed a deliberate refolution to fhare his enligns ot royalty, approached him, and I
fate, and made no fecret of her intention, faluted him king, informing him that Alex-
Thrafea, who married her daughter, at- ander had appointed him to that office;
tempting to diffuade her fromher purpofe : and requiring him immediately to exchange
among other arguments which he ufed, laid
to her, *• Would you then, if my life were
" to be taken from mc, advife your daugh-
" ter to die with me ?" " Moft certainly
" I would," Ihe replied, " if (he had lived
«' as long, and in as much harmony with
*« you, as I have lived with Pzetus."
Perfifting in her determination, fhe found
means to provide herfelf with a dagger :
and one day, when ihe obferved a more
his ruftic garb, and utenfils of hulhandry,
for the regal robe and fceptre. At the fame
time, they urged him, when he (hould be
feated on the throne, and have a nation in
his power, not to forget the humble condi-ijoiti'
tion from which he had been raifed.
All this, at the firft, appeared to Abdo-
lonymus as an illufion of the fancy, or an
infult offered to his poverty. He requeiled !
them not to trouble him farther with their
than ufual gloom on the countenance of impertinent jefts, and to find fome other
Paetus, and perceived that death by the hand way of amufing themfelves, which might
of the executioner appeared to him more leave him in the peaceable enjoyment of his
terrible than in the field of glory — perhaps, obfcure habitation. — At length, however,
too, fenfible that it was chiefly for her fake they convinced him that they were ferious in ;
that he wifhed to live — fhe drew the dagger ^^-' '' ' i -i i
from her fide, and ilabbed herfelf before his
eves. Then inllantly plucking the weapon
irom her breaft, fhe prefented it to her
hufband, faying, " My Pxtus, it is not
«' painful*." Fliftj.
§ 255. Abdolonymus raifed to the Ga-
•vernment of Si don.
The city of Sidon having furrender'jd to
Alexander, he ordered Hephasftion to beflow
the crown on him whom the Sidonians
Ihould think moft w^orthy of that honour.
Hephiellion being at that time refident with
two young men of diflindtion, offered them
the kingdom ; but they refufed it, telling
him that it was contrary to the laws of
their country, to admit any one to that
honour, who was not of the royal family.
their juopofal, and prevailed upon him to
accept the regal office, and accompany them ;
to the palace.
No iboner was he in pofTeflion of the go-
vernment, than pride and envy created him
enemies, who whifpered their murmurs in
every place, till at laft they reached the ear
of Alexander ; who, commanding the new-
eleded prince to be -fcnt for, required of
him, with what temper of mind he had
borne his poverty. " Would to Heaven,'*
replied Abdolonymus, " that I may be able
•• to bear my crown with equal moderation :
" for when 1 poflcfTed little, I wanted no-
** thing : thefe hands fupplied me with
•• v^hatever I defired." From this anfwer,
Alexander formed fo high an idea of his -
wifdom, that he confirmed the choice which
had been made, and annexed a neighbour-
He then, having expreffed his admiration ing province to the government of Sidon.
of their difinterelted fpirit, defired them
name one of the royal race, who might re-
member that he received the crown through
their hands. Overlooking many who would
have been ambitious of this high honour,
they made choice of Abdolonymus, whofe
fmgular merit had rendered hip confpicuous
even in the vale of obfcurity. Though re-
motely related to the royal family, a feries
of misfortunes had reduced him to the ne-
cefTity of cultivating a garden, for a fmall
ftipend, in the fuburbs of the city.
256. The
Refignation of the
Charles V.
^intus Curiius,
Emperot\
Charies refolved to refign his kingdoms to
his fon, with a folemnity fuitable to the:
importance of the tranfattionj and to per-
form this laft aft of fovereignty with fuch
formal pomp, as might leave an indelible
irapreffion on the minds, not only of his
fubjefts, but of his fucceffor. With this
view, he called Philip out of England,
* In the Tatler, No. 72, a fancy piece is drawn, founded on the principal fa<a in this ftory, l>ui
wholly fiftitioui in the circumftances of the tale. The author, niiftaking Ca;cinra Fsttjs for Thrafea
Paetus, has accufed even Nero unjuftly; charging him with an adtion which certainly belonged ta
Claudius. See Pliny's Epiftles, Book iii, Ep. 16. Dion. Caffius, Lib. Ix. and Tacitus, Lib. xvi. § 35'"
where
Book II. CLASSICAL ANDHISTORICAL.
499
where the peevifli temper of his queen,
which increafed with her defpair of having
iffue, rendered him extremely unhappy ;
and the jealoufy of the Englifh left him no
hopes of obtaining the direftion of their
affairs. Having aifembled the ftates of the
Low Countries, at Bruffels, on the twenty-
fifth of Oftober, one thoufand five hundred
and fifty-five, Charles feated himfelf, for
the laft time, in the chair of ftate ; on one
fide- of which was placed his fen, and on the
other his filter, the queen of Hungary, re-
gent of the Netherlands ; with a fplendid
retinue of the grandees of Spain, and princes
of the empire, ftanding behind him. The
preiident of the council of Flanders, by his
command, explained, in a few words, his
intention in calling this extraordinary meet-
ing of the ftates. He then read the inliru-
ment of refignation, by which Charles fur-
rendered to his fon Philip all his territories,
jurifdiftion, and authority in the Low Coun-
tries ; abfolving his fubjefts there from their
oath of allegiance to him, which he re-
quired them to transfer to Philip, his lawful
heir, and to ferve him with the fame loyalty
and zeal which they had manifefted, during
fo long a courfe of years, in fupport of his
government.
Charles then rofe from his feat, and
leaning on the flioulder of the prince of
Orange, becaufe he was unable to ftand
without fupport, he addreffed himfelf to the
audience, and, from a paper which he held
in his hand, in order to afilft his memory,
he recounted with dignity, but witheut
oHentation, all the great things which he
had undertaken and performed fince the
commencement of his adminiltration. He
obferved, that, from the feventeenth year
of his age, he had dedicated all his thoughts
and attention to public objeds ; referving
no portion of his time for the indulgence of
his eafe, and very little for the enjoyment
of private pleafu re : that, either in a-pacific
or hoftile m.anner, he had vifited Germany
nine times, Spain fix times, France four
times, Italy feven times, the Low Countries
ten times, England twice, Africa as often,
and had made eleven voyages by fea : that,
while his health permitted him to difcharge
his duty, and the vigour of his conftitution
was equal, in any degree, to the arduous
office of governing fuch extenfive domi-
nions, he had never Ihunned labour, nor
repined under fatigue : that now, when his
health was broken, and his vigour exhaufted
by the rage of an incurable diftemper, his
growing infirmities admoniihed him to re-
tire; nor was he fo fond of reigning, as to
retain the fceptre in an impotent hand,
which was no longer able to proted his fub-
jeifts, or to render them happy : that, inftead
of a fovereign worn out with difeafes, and
fcarcely half alive, he gave them one in the
prime of life, accuftorr.ed already to govern,
and who added to the vigour of youth, all
the attention and fagacity of maturer years :
that if, during the courfe of a long admini-
ftration, he had committed any material
error in government ; or if, under the pref-
fure of fo many and great affairs, and amidft
the attention which he had been obliged to
give to them, he had cither neglccled, or
injured any of his fubjedls, he now implortd
their forgivenefs : that tor his part, he
fhould ever retain a grateful fcnfe of their
fidelity and attachment, and would carry
the remembrance of it along with him to
the place of his retreat, as his fwteteft con-
folation, as well as the beft reward for all
his fervices ; and, in his laft prayers to Al-
mighty God, would pour forth his ardent
wiihes for their welfare.
Then, turning towards Philip, who fell
on his knees, and killed his father's hand,
" If," fays he, " I had left you by my
" death, this rich inheritance, to which I
" have made fuch large additions, forae
*• regard would have been juftly due to my
" memory on that account : but now, when
" I voluntarily refign to you v/hat I might
'* ftill have retained, I may well expeft the
*' warmeft exprefuons of thanks on your
*' part. With thefe, however, I difpenfe ;
" and Ihall confider your concern for the
'* welfare of your fubjefts, and your love
" of them, as the beft and moft acceptable
" teftimony of your gratitude to me. It is
" in your power, by a wife and virtuous
" adminiftration, to juftify the extraordi-
" nary proof which I this day give of my
" paternal affection ; and to demonftrate,
" that you are worthy of the confidence
" which I repofe in you. Preferve an in-
" violable regard for religion; maintain the
'* Catholic faith in its purity ; let the laws
•« of your country be facred in ^'our eyes ;
<* encroach not on the rights and privileges
'• of your people : and, if the time fhall
" ever come, when you fhall v/ifh to enjoy
" the tranquillity of private life, may you
♦• have a fon endowed with fuch quali|ies,
â– " that you can refign your fceptre to him
«• with as much fatisfadion as I give up
<* mine to you !"
As foon as Charles had finiihed this long
addrefa to his fubjedts, and to their new fo-
K k > vereign.
50<5
thtGA^ir EXTRACTS,
Book It.
vereign, hefankinto the chair, exhauftcd,
and ready to faint with the fatigue of fuch
an extraordinary effort. During his dif-
courfe, the whole audience melted into
tears; fome, from admiration of his magna-
nimity ; others, foftened by the exprefllons
of tendernefs towards Ills fon, and of love
to his people; and all were affeded with
the dcepeft forrow, at lofing a fovereign,
who had diftlnguifhed the Nstherlands, his
native country, with particular marks of his
regard and attachment.
A few weeks after^vards, Charles, in an
affembly no lefs fplendid, and with a cere-
monial equally pompous, reftgned to his fon
the crowns ot ISpain, with all the territories
depending on them, both in the Old ahd in
the New ^^'orld. Of all thefe raft poflef-
fions he referved nothing to himfelf, but an
annual pcnfion of a hundred thoufand crowns,
to defray the charges of his family, and to
afford him a fmall fum for a(5ts of bene-
ficence and charity.
The place he had chofen for his retreat,
\vas the monaftery of St. Juftus, in the pro-
vince of Eltremadura. It was feated in a
valje of no great extent, watered by a fmall
brook, and furrcunded by rifmg grounds,
covered with lofty trees. From the nature
of the foil, as well as the temperature of the
climate, it was efteeraod the moft healthful
and delicious lituation in Spain. Some
months before his refignation, he had fent
an architcd thither, to add a new apart-
ment to the monaftery, for his accommoda-
tion ; but he gave ftri<J^ orders, that the
ttyle of the building Ihould be fuch as fuited
his prefent fituation rather than his former
dignity. It confifted only of fix rooms ;
lour of them in the form of friars' cells,
with naked walls ; the other two, each
twenty feet fquare, were hung with brown
cloth, and furnifiied in the moll; fimple
manner. They were all on a level with the
ground; with a door on one fide, into a
garden, of which Charles himfelf had given
the plan, and which he had filled with va-
rious plants, intending to cultivate them
with his own hands. On the other fide,
they communicated with the chapel of the
monaftery, in which he was to perform his
devotions. Into this humble retreat, hardly
fufficient for the comfortable accommoda-
tion of a private gentleman, did Charles
enter, w^ith twelve domeftics only. He
buried there, in folicude and filence, his
grandeur, his ambit:on, together with all
thofe vaft proj^tts which, during half a cen-
tury, had alarmed and agitated Europe,
filling every kingdom in it, by turns,' with
the terror of his arms, and the dread of
being fubjedled to his power. Robert/on,
§ 257. ^M Jccon^it O/MVLY MoLVC.
When Don Sebaftian, king of Portugal,
had invaded the territories of Muly Moluc,
emperor of Morocco, in order to dethrone
him, and fet his crown upon the head of his
nephew, Moluc was wearing away with a
diftemper which he himfelf knew was in-
curable. Howe^'^er, he prepared for the
reception of fo formidable an enemy. He
was indeed fo far fpent with his ficknefs,
that he did not expert to live out the whole
day, when the laft decifive battle was given ;
but knowing the fatal confequences that
would happen to his children and people,
in cafe he ftould die before he put an end
to that war, he commanded his principal
ofiicers, that if he died during the engage-
ment, they (hould conceal his death from
the army, and that they fhould ride up to
the litter in which his corpfe was carried,
under pretence of receiving orders from him
as ufual. Before the battle begun, he was
carried through all the ranks of his army in
an open litter, as they flood draAvn up in
array, encouraging them to fight valiantly
in defence of their religion and country.
Finding afterwards the battle to go againft ,
him, though he was very near his laft ago-
nies, he threw himfelf out of his litter,
rallied his army, and led them on to the
charge ; which afterwards ended in a com-
plete vidory on the fide of the Moors. He
had no fooner brought his men to the en-
gagement, but finding himfelf utterly fpent,
he was again replaced in his litter, where
laying his finger on his mouth, to enjoin
fecrecy to his officers, who ftood about
him, he died a few moments after in tliat
pofture. Spe£tator. -
§ 258. Ajt Accouvt of Valentine ani'^
Unnion.
At the fiege of Namur by the allies,
there were in the ranks of the company
commanded bv captain Pincent, in colonel
Frederic Hamilton's regiment, one Unnion,
a corporal, and one Valentine, a privata
centinel : there happened between thefe two
men a difpute about an affair of love, which,
upon fome aggravations, grew to an irre-.,
concileable hatred. Unnion being the officer
of Valentine, took all opportunities even to
ftrike his rival, and profefs the fpite and
revenge which moved hi.a to it. 1 he cen-
tinel bore it without refiftancej but fre-
quently
ieookii. classical and H.I s tori ca'l. sot
The alliances they could form were but
few ; for moft of the neighbouring ftate*
avoided embroiling themfelves on their ac-
count. The Romans, feeing that they had
nothino; to truft to but their ow n conduct,
found It neceflary to beftir themfelves with
great diligence, to make vigorous prepara-
tions, to excite one another to' face their
enemies in the field, to hazard their lives in
defence of their liberty, their country, and
their families. And when, by their valour,
they repulfed the enemy, they gave afiill-
ance to their allies, and gained friendfhips
by often giving, and feldom demanding,
favours of that fort. They had, by this
time, eftablifhed a regular form of govern-
ment, to wit, the monarchical. And a
fenate, confifting of men advanced in years,
and grown wife by experience, though in-
firm of body, confulted with their kings
upon all important matters, and, on account
of their age, and care of their country, were
called fathers. Afterwards, when kingly
power, which was originally eftablifhed for
the prefervation of liberty, and the advan-
tage of the ftate, came to degenerate into
lawiefs tyranny, they found it neceffary to
alter the form of government, and to put
the fupreme power into the hands of two
chief magiftrates, to be held for one year
only ; hoping, by this contrivance, to pre-
vent the bad efFefts naturally arifing from
the exorbitant licentioufnefs of princes, and
the indefeafible tenure by which they gene-
rally imagine they hold their fovereignty,
&c. SalL Bell. Caiilimr.
quently faid, he would die to be revenged
of that tyrant. They had' fpent whole
months in this manner, the one injuring,
, the other complaining; when, in the midft
of this rage towards each other, they were
commanded upon the attack of the caftle,
where the corporal received a fnot in the
thigh, and fell ; the French preffing on, and
he expefting to be trampled to death, called
out to his enemy, " Ah, Valentine! can
you leave me here ?" Valentine immedi-
ately ran back, and in the midit of a thick
fire of the French, took the corporal upon
his back, and brought him through all that
danger as far as the abbey of Salfine, where
a cannon-ball took off his head : his body
fell undct his enemy whom he was carrying
off. Unnion immediately forgot his wound,
rofe up, tearing his hair, and then threw
himfelf upon the bleeding carcafe, crying,
•* Ah, Valentine! was it for me, who jiave
fo barbaroufly ufed thee, that thou halt
died ? I will not live after thee." He was
not by any means to be forced from the
body, but was removed with it bleeding in
his arms, and attended with tears by all
their comrades who knev/ their enmity.
When he was brought to a tent, his wounds
were dreffed by force ; but the next day,
ftiil calling upon Valentine, and lamenting
his cruelties to him, he died in the pangs of
reraorfc. Tatler.
5 259. An Example of Hijiorkal Narration
from Sallust.
The Trojans (if we may believe tradi-
tion) were the firft founders of the Roman
commonwealth; who, under the condud of
iEneas, having made their efcape from their
own ruined country, got to Italy, and there
for fome time lived a rambling and unfettled
liie, without any fixed place of abode,
among the natives, an ancultivated people,
wliO had neither law nor regular govern-
ment, but vv'ere wholly free from all rule or
reltraint. This mixed multitude, however,
crowding together into one city, though
originally different in extradion, language,
and cuftoms, united into one body, in a
furprifingly (hort fpace of time. And as
their little ftate came to be improved by ad-
ditional numbers, by policy, and by extent
cf territory, and feeraed likely to make a
figure among the nations, according to the
common courfe of things, the appearance
of profperity drew upon them the envy of
the neighbouring ftates ; fo that the princes
and people who bordered upon them, begun
to feck occaHgns of quarrelling with thcai.
§260. The Story of Y)kUO-s andVYTHlM'
Damon and Pythias, of the Pythagorean
f:ft in philofophy, lived in the time of
Dionyfius, the tyrant of Sicily. Their mu-
tual friendlhip was fo ftrong, that they were
ready to die for one another. One of the
two (for it is not known which) being con-
demned to death by the tyrant, obtained
leave to go into his own country, to fettle
his affairs, on condition that the other
fhould confcnt to be imprifoned in his ftead,
and put to death for him, if he did not re-,
turn before the day of execution. The at-
tention of every one, and efpecially of the
tyrant himfclf, was excited to the higheft
pitch ; as every body was curious to fee .
what fhoflld be the event of fo ftrange an
affair. When the time was almoft eiapfed, â–
and he who was gone did not appear, the
rafimefs of the other, whofe fanguine friend-
lhip had put him upon running fo feemingly
dcfperate a hazard, was univerfally blamed.
K k 3 But
502
ELEGANT EXTRACTS,
Book II.
262. A remarhahle Infiancc of filial Duty,
But he ftill declared, that he had not the
lead fliadcw of doubt in his mind of his , •, • 1 • •
friend's fidelity. The event fhewed how The pmor had given up to the triumvir
well he knew him. He came in due time. ^ ^?"^^" P^ fome rank, condemned, for a
and furrendeied himfelf to that fate, which capital crime to be executed m the prifon.
he had no reafon to think he (hould efcape ; "^^ y'}^ ^^^ 'iu'^l-''^ the execution, m
and which he did not defire to efcape by confideration of her birth, did not immedi-
leaving his friend to fuffer it in his place ^^^^y P"^ her to death. He even ventured
Such fidelity fottened even the favage heart
of Dionyfiiis himfelf. He pardoned the
condemned. He gave the two friends to
one another ; and begged that they would
take himfelf in for a third. Val. Max. Cic.
§ 261. The Stcry of DloNYSius the
Tyrant.
Dionyfius, the tyrant of Sicily, fhewed
how far he was from being happy, even
whilft he abounded in riches, and all the
pleafures which riches can procure. Da-
mocles, one
ately put her to death.
to let her daughter have accefs to her in
prifon ; carefully fearching her. however,
as (he went in, left flie (hould carry with her
any fuftenance ; concluding, that in a few
days the mother muft of c-ourfe perifh for
want, and that the feverity of putting a
woman of family to a violent death, by the
hand of the executioner, might thus be
avoided. Some days paiTmg in this manner,
the triumvir began to wonder that the
daughter ftill came to vifit her mother, and
could by no means comprehend, how the
of his flatterers, was compli- latter fnould live fo long. Watching, there
menting him upon his power, his tkafures,
and the magnihcence of his royal ftate, and
affirming, that no monarch ever was greater
or happier than he. " Have you a mind,
*' Damocles," fays the king, ** to tafte
** this happinefs, and know, by experience,
•' what my enjoyments are, of which you
fore, carefully, what palled in the inter-
view between them, he found, to his great
aftonifhment, that the life of the mother
had been, all this while, fupported by the
milk of the daughter, who can:e to the
prifon every day, to give her mother her
breads to fuck. The Itrange ccntrivance be-
« have fo hioh an idea ?" Damocles ^^^""^ '^^"^ ^^-^ reprefented to the judges,
gladly accepted the ofi^r. Upon which the ^^^^ P?„'^ ff., "" ?"* " ™° *
king ordered, that a royal banquet fhould " *
be prepared, and a gilded couch placed for
him, covered with rich embroidery, and
fideboards loaded with gold and filver plate
of immenfe value. Pages of extraordinary
beauty were ordered to wait on him at table ;
Nor was it thought fufficient to give to fo
dutiful a daughter the forfeited life of her