" tions of prudence and wisdom, all the regard of friendship, with all the dignity and noble superiority of command, without the least expression of haughtiness and pride. His goodness distinguished itself even in chastisements. He never employed correction but once, and that much against his own inclination. It was in the sedition of Sucrone, which necessarily required a public example. And then, he [c] said, it was like tearing out his own bowels, when he found him"self obliged to expiate the fault of eight thousand, by putting thirty to death." It is remarkable here, that Scipio does not make use of the words scelus, crimen, facinus, but of nora, which is far more gentle, and signifies a fault. He even does not go so far as to determine absolutely whether it was a fault, and he leaves room to think it only imprudence and folly, octo millium seu imprudentiam, seu noxam. He thought it far better to contribute to the preservation of a single citizen, than to kill a thousand of the enemy. [d] Capitolinus observes, that the emperor Antoninus Pius used frequently to repeat this maxim of Scipio, and put it in practice. 3. Justice. The exercise of this virtue is properly the function of persons in high station and authority. It was by this virtue that Scipio rendered the Roman government so gentle and agreeable to the allies and conquered nations, and made himself so tenderly beloved by the people, who considered him as their protector and father. He must have had a great zeal for justice, as he was so exact in shewing it to his very enemies, after an action which took away all pretensions they could have to it. The Carthaginians, during a truce which was granted them at their earnest entreaty, knowingly, and by order of the republic, took and plundered certain Roman vessels that were put to sea; and, to make the insult still greater, the embassadors, which were sent to Carthage to complain of it, were set upon as they came back, and narrowly escaped being taken by Asdrubal. The embassadors of Carthage, as they were returning from Rome, fell into the hands of Scipio, who was very much pressed to make reprisals. No, [e] says he, though the Carthaginians have not only broke the truce, but have "also violated the law of nations in the persons of our embassadors, I will not treat theirs in a manner "unworthy either the maxims of the Roman people, "or the rules of moderation I have hitherto constantly "observed." 66 4. Magnanimity. It shone out in all the actions of Scipio, and in almost all his words; but the people of Spain were more especially affected with it, when he refused the title of king, which they offered him upon being charmed with his valour and generosity. They saw plainly, [] says Livy, what a greatness of soul there was in thus looking down with disdain upon a title, which is the highest object of admiration and desire with the rest of mankind. [g] It was with the same air of grandeur, that when he was obliged to defend himself before the people, he spoke so nobly of his military expeditions, and, instead of making a timorous apology in behalf of his conduct, he marched directly to the Capitol, with all the people at his heels, to thank the gods for the victories they had enabled him to gain. [e] Etsi non induciarum modò fides à Carthaginiensibus, sed etiam jus gentium in legatis violatum esset: tamen se nihil nec institutis populi Romani, nec suis moribus indignum in iis facturum esse. Liv. lib. xxx. n. 25. [] Sensere etiam barbari mag nitudinem animi, cujus miraculo nominis alii mortales, stuperent, id ex tàm alto fastigio aspernantis. Lib. 27. n. 19. [g] Lib. xxxviii. 5. Chastity. 5. Chastity. should It is not easy to comprehend that a pagan have carried his love to this virtue so far as Scipio did. The story of the beautiful young princess, who was kept in his house with as much care as if she had been in her father's, is known to all the world. I have related it in another place, as likewise the beautiful discourse he made to Masinissa upon the same subject. 6. Religion. I have often quoted the famous discourse of Cambyses king of Persia, to his son Cyrus, which is deservedly looked upon as containing an abridgment of the most useful instructions that can be given to a ge neral of an army, or a minister of state. This excellent discourse begins and ends with the subject of religion, as if every other branch of advice were useless without this. Cambyses recommends to his son, before all, and above all, religiously to discharge every duty that the Deity requires of men; never to undertake any enterprise, great or small, without consulting the gods, to begin all his actions with imploring their assistance, and conclude them with giving them thanks, as all good success arises from their protection, which no man can claim, and consequently ought to be referred to them. And this, indeed, was constantly observed by Cyrus with the utmost exactness, as we have said already in speaking of this prince; and he owns himself, in the discourse from whence this is taken, that he entered upon his first campaign with a full confidence in the goodness of the gods, because he could truly give this testimony of himself, that he had never neglected their worship. . I know not whether our Scipio had read the Cyropædia, as it is certain our second Scipio did, who made it his ordinary study; but it is visible, that he exactly copied after Cyrus, and especially in this point of religious worship. [h] From the time he took upon him the toga virilis, that is, from his seventeenth year, he never entered upon any business, either public or private, without going first to the Capitol, and imploring the assistance of Jupiter. [i] We have in Livy the solemn prayer he made to the gods, when he set out from Sicily for Africa; and the same historian does not fail to observe, that immediately after the conquest of Carthagena, be publicly returned thanks to the gods for the good success of that enterprise. [k] Postero die militibus navalibusque sociis convocatis, primum diis immortalibus laudesque & grates egit. It is not our business here to inquire what the reli-. gion either of Cyrus or Scipio was. We know very well, that it could be no other than a false one. But the example that is given to all commanders, and in general to all mankind, of beginning and ending all their actions with prayers and thanksgiving, is of no less force. For, what would they not have said and done, if like us, they had been guided by the lights of true religion, and had enjoyed the happiness of knowing the true God? After such examples, how shameful would it be for Christian generals to seem less religious than those ancient commanders among the Pagans? ARTICLE II. THE PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS AND VIRTUES OF THE ROMANS WITH RESPECT TO WAR. THE space of time, whereof I have abridged the history, and which Polybius chose for his subject, was, as I have already observed, the flourishing times of the Roman republic, [] which rendered Rome the mistress of the universe, and forced all nations to own, that a people, so far superior in merit and virtue, deserved also the superiority in power and authority. It was indeed, after this time, that [h] Liv. lib. xxvi. n. 19. [] Lib. xxix. n. 17. [k] Lib. xxvi. n. 48. the the Roman power, which had contended with its neighbours for several ages, within a very narrow compass, spread itself abroad like a river or a sea, which had broke its bounds, and over-ran almost the whole three parts of the world with an incredible rapidity. Plutarch, in a treatise, entitled De fortuna Romanorum, gives a glorious description of the grandeur of the Roman empire, of which it may not here be improper to give an abstract. The most powerful nations of the world, says he, with their utmost endeavours, contending for universal empire, gave occasion to an horrible confusion in the universe, till such time as the Roman republic uniting all people and kingdoms under her command, the whole took a firm situation, and a secure seat under a government, which taking in almost every part of the world, made them enjoy the fruits of peace and order under her shadow, by the administration of the great men she produced, in whom every virtue shone forth.-After having observed, that the rapidity with which Rome extended her dominions, did not arise from men, but God, he goes on; Rome no more measures her victories by the multitude of the slain, the greatness of the spoil, or the number of conquered cities; her achievements are never at an end, in subduing nations, in enslaving kingdoms, in conquering great islands and vast regions. Nothing is seen there but .iumphs upon triumphs, and conquests upon conquests. Philip is ruined by a single blow. Another drives the great Antiochus out of Asia. In the same year one month suffices for the conquest of Macedonia, another for subduing the kingdom of Illyria, and putting their [m] two kings to the sword. [n] One of her generals only in the course of the same expedition, brings under subjection Armenia, Pontus, Syria, Palestine, Arabia, the Albanians and Iberians; and extends the bounds of her dominions as far as the Caspian and Red Sea. And what is very remarkable, adds the same author, this happy genius of Rome has not favoured her only [m] Perseus & Gentius. [n] Pompey. for |