1

and this at Haliartus, though the latter did not happen till thirty years after the other. The oracle runs thus ;

Beware the confines of the wolf, nor spread

Thy snares for foxes on th' Orchalian hill.

The country about Delium he calls the confines,' because Boeotia there borders upon Attica; and by th' Orchalian hill' is particularly meant that called Alopecus 54, on the side of Helicon looking toward Haliartus.

After the death of Lysander, the Spartans so much resented Pausanias' whole behaviour with respect to that event, that they summoned him to be tried for his life. He did not however appear to answer to the charge, but fled to Tegea and took refuge in Minerva's temple, where he spent the rest of his days as her suppliant.

Lysander's poverty, which was discovered after his death, added lustre to his virtue. It was then found, that notwithstanding the money which had passed through his hands, the authority which he had exercised over so many cities, and indeed the immense empire of which he had been possessed, he had not in the least improved his family-fortune. This account we have from Theopompus, whom we more readily believe when he commends, than when he finds fault; for he, as well as many others, was more inclined to censure than to praise.

Ephorus informs us that afterward, upon some disputes between the confederates and the Spartans, it was thought necessary to inspect Lysander's papers, and for that purpose Agesilaus went to his house. Among the rest he found that political one, which was calculated to prove the propriety of taking the right of succession from the Eurytionidæ and Agidæ, and of electing kings from among persons of the greatest merit. This he was going to produce before the citizens, in order to show

xii. 76; and, according to Thucyd. v. 32, the year before: and that of Haliartus full twenty-nine years afterward. But it is common for historians to make use of a round number, except in cases where great precision is required.

54 That is, fox-hill.'

what the real principles of Lysander were. But Lacratidas, a man of sense and the principal of the Ephori, restrained him from it by representing, "How wrong it would be to dig Lysander out of his grave; when this oration, which was written in so artful and persuasive a manner, ought rather to be buried with him."

Among the other honours paid to his memory, that which I am about to mention is none of the least. Some persons, who had contracted themselves to his daughters in his life-time, when they found that he died poor, renounced their engagements. The Spartans fined them for having courted the alliance while they had riches in view, and breaking it off when they discovered that poverty, which was the best proof of Lysander's probity and justice. There was a law (it seems) at Sparta, which punished not only those who continued in a state of celibacy, or married too late, but those that married ill; and it was levelled chiefly at persons, who married into rich, rather than into good families. Such are the particulars of Lysander's Life, with which history has supplied us.

THE

LIFE OF SYLLA.

SUMMARY.

Extraction and fortune of Sylla. His figure, love of repartee, and good living. Bocchus delivers up to him Jugurtha: source of his hostility against Marius. He is elected prætor, and sent as lieutenaut into Cappadocia. His future greatness predicted. New subjects of quarrel between Marius and himself. His success in the Social War: ascribed by himself to fortune. Presage of his sovereign authority. Inconsistency of his conduct. He is elected consul: commencement of the Civil War announced by prodigies. Marius combines with the tribune Sulpitius, who procures him the management of the Mithridatic War. Prætors insulted by Sylla's soldiers. Omens, which determine him to march to Rome. The senate sends an embassy to him. He enters the city. Marius flies. Sylla sets a price upon his head. Situation of Mithridates' affairs. Sylla lays siege to Athens; and plunders the Grecian temples: compared with the ancient Roman generals. Portrait of the tyrant Aristion. Capture and sack of Athens. Sylla puts a stop to the carnage. Aristion surrenders himself. Sylla goes into Baotia. His small force despised by the enemy. He seizes an advantageous position, and saves Charonea, Presages of his success. He encamps near Archelaus. Two Charoncans drive the enemy from the port of ThuriSylla gains a complete victory, and erects trophies: is attacked in Thessaly by Dorilaus, and gains a second

um.

victory. He has an interview with Archelaus, and grants him a peace. Mithridates' envoys refuse to confirm it. Sylla's interview with that prince, and ratification of the treaty. He oppresses Asia Minor: carries off from Athens the writings of Aristotle and Theophrastus: is seized with the gout, while in that city. Satyr found near Apollonia. Sylla defeats the consul Norbanus. Lucullus, his lieutenant, routs a much more numerous army. Sylla corrupts the troops of Scipio; and gains a great victory over young Marius. Telesinus the Samnite

nearly gets possession of Rome: is engaged by Sylla, and defeated. He convenes the senate, and during their sitting massacres six thousand men. His change of behaviour, on obtaining the supreme power; and horrible proscriptions. He orders twelve thousand men to be put to death at Præneste: declares himself dictator: lays down the office, and predicts to Pompey the war which he subsequently waged with Lepidus. Dedicates the tenth of his substance to Hercules: is attacked by the Morbus Pediculosus: dies. His funeral.

LUCIUS CORNELIUS SYLLA was of a patrician family. One of his ancestors, named Rufinus', is said to have been consul, but to have fallen under a disgrace more than equivalent to that honour. He was found to have in his possession more than ten pounds of plate, which the law did not permit; and for that he was expelled from the senate. Hence it was, that his posterity continued in a low and obscure condition; and Sylla

1 Publius Cornelius Rufinus, a man of great military talents and dishonest avarice (A. Gell. iv. 8.), was twice consul; the first time A. U. C. 463, and the second thirteen years afterward. He was expelled the senate two years after his second consulship, when Q. Fabricius Lucinus and Caius Emilius Papus were censors. (See Val. Max. ii. 9.) Velleius Paterculus (ii. 17.) informs us that Sylla was the sixth in descent from this Rufinus, which might very well be; for between the first consulship of Rufinus and the first campaign of Sylla, there was an interval of a hundred and eighty-eight years.

himself was born to a very scanty fortune. Even when he was grown up, he lived in hired lodgings, for which he paid but a small consideration; and with this he was subsequently reproached, when risen to such opulence as he had no reason to expect. For one day, as he was bragging and priding himself upon the great things which he had achieved in Africa, a person of some fame and character asked, "How canst thou be an honest man, who art master of such a fortune, when thy father left thee nothing?" Though the Romans at that time did not retain their ancient integrity and purity of manners, but were degenerated into luxury and expence, yet it seems they considered it as no less disgraceful to have departed from family-poverty, than to have spent a paternal estate. And a long time afterward, when Sylla had made himself absolute and put numbers to death, a man who was only the second of his family that was free, being condemned to be thrown down the Tarpeian rock for having concealed a friend of his that was included in the proscription, spoke of Sylla in this upbraiding manner; "I am his old acquaintance; we lived long under the same roof: I hired the upper apartmeat at two thousand sesterces, and he that under me at three thousand." So that the difference between their disbursements was then only a thousand sesterces, which in Attic money is two hundred and fifty drachmas. Such is the account, which we have of his origin.

As to his figure, we have the whole of it in his statues, except his eyes. They were of a lively blue, fierce and menacing; and this ferocity was heightened by his complexion, which was a strong red, interspersed with spots of white. From his complexion, we learn, he had the name of Sylla 2; and an Athenian droll drew the following jest from it;

"Sylla's a mulberry sprinkled with meal."

Neither is it foreign to make these observations upon a man, who in his youth, before he emerged from ob

2 Sil or Syl is a yellow kind of earth, which when burnt becomes red. Hence Syllaceus Color, in Vitruvius, signifies purple.'