PLUTARCH's ARCH's LIVE S. FABIUS MAXIMUS. SUCH were the memorable actions of Pericles, as far as we have been able to collect them; and now we proceed to the life of Fabius Maximus. The first Fabius was the fon of Hercules by one of the nymphs, according to fome authors, or, as others fay, by a woman of the country, near the river Tyber. From him came the family of the Fabii, one of the + moft numerous and illuflrious in Rome. Yet fome authors write, that the first founders of this family were called ‡ Fodii, on account of their catching wild beasts by means of pits; for a pit is ftill in Latin called fovea, and the word fodere fignifies to dig: but in time two letters being changed, they had the name of Fabii. This family produced many eminent men, the most confiderable of whom was § Rullus, by the RoVOL. II. B mans + The most numerous, for that family alone undertook the war against the Veientes, and fent out three hundred and fix perfons of their own name, who were all flain in that expedition. It was likewise one of the most illuftrious; for the Fabii had borne the higheft offices in the ftate, and two of them had been feven times confuls. Pliny's account of the matter is much more probable, viz. that they were called Fabii, a Fabis, from their skill in railing beans; as feveral other families of note among the Romans were denominated from other branches of husbandry. Indeed, their firft heroes tilled the ground with their own hands. § This Fabius Rullus was five times conful, and gained several important victories over the Samnites, Tufcans, and other nations. It was not, however, from these great actions that he obtained the furname of Maximus, but from his behaviour in the cenforfhip; during which he reduced the populace of Rome into four tribes, who before were difperfed among all the tribes in general, and by that means had very great power in the affemblies. Thefe were called Tribus Urbana. Liv. lib. ix. cap. 46. furnamed Maximus, or the great, and from him the Fabius Maximus of whom we are writing, was the fourth in descent. This laft had the furname of Verrucofus from a small wart on his upper lip. He was likewife called Ovicula from the mildness and gravity of his behaviour when a boy. Nay, his compofed demeanour, and his filence, his caution in engaging in the diverfions of the other boys, the flowness and difficulty with which he took what was taught him, together with the fubmiffive manner in which he complied* with the proposals of his comrades, brought him under the fufpicion of ftupidity and foolishness, with those that did not thoroughly know him. Yet a few there were who perceived that his compofednefs was owing to the folidity of his parts, and who difcerned withal a magnanimity and lion-like courage in his nature. In a fhort time, when application to bufinefs drew him out, it was obvious even to the many, that his feeming inactivity was a command which he had of his paffions, that his cautioufnefs was prudence, and that what had paffed for heavinefs and infenfibility was really an immoveable firmnefs of foul. He faw what an important concern the administration was, and in what wars the republic was frequently engaged, and therefore by exercife prepared his body, confidered its ftrength as a natural armour; at the fame time he improved his powers of perfuafion, as the engines by which the people are to be moved; adapting them to the manner of his life. For in his eloquence there was nothing of affectation, not empty plaufible elegance, but it was full of that good fenfe which was peculiar to him, and had a fententious force and depth, faid to have refembled that of Thucydides. There is an oration of his ftill extant, which he delivered before the people on occafion of his fon's funeral, who died after he had been conful. Fabius Maximus was ‡ five times conful; and in his first confulfhip was honoured with a triumph for the victory he gained over the Ligurians; who being defeated by him in a fet battle, with the lofs of a great number of men, were driven behind the Alps, and kept from fuch inroads and ravages Ovicula fignifies a little feep. The writers that affect this, Plato calls λoysòmidavuç. Fabius was conful the first time in the year of Rome 521; and the fifth time, in the tenth year of the fecond Punic war, in the year of Rome 545. д |
