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Patriarchs

Patrician.

There were besides many independent chiefs of dioceses, who, far from owning the jurisdiction of the grand patriarchs, called themselves patriarchs; such as that of Aquileia: nor was Carthage ever subject to the patriEccies arch of Alexandria. Mosheim* imagines that the biHist, vol. i shops, who enjoyed a certain degree of pre-eminence p. 154. over the rest of their order, were distinguished by the Jewish title of patriarchs in the fourth century. The authority of the patriarchs gradually increased, till, about the close of the fifth century, all affairs of moment within the compass of their patriarchate came before them, either at first hand or by appeals from the metropolitans. They consecrated bishops; assembled yearly in council the clergy of their respective districts; pronounced a decisive judgment in those cases where accusations were brought against bishops; and appointed vicars or deputies, clothed with their authority, for the preservation of order an tranquillity in the remoter provinces. In short, nothing was done without consulting them; and their decrees were executed with the same regularity and respect as those of the princes.

It deserves to be remarked, however, that the authority of the patriarchs was not acknowledged through all the provinces without exception. Several districts, both in the eastern and western empires, were exempted from their jurisdiction. The Latin church had no patriarchs till the sixth century; and the churches of Gaul, Britain, &c. were never subject to the authority of the patriarch of Rome, whose authority only extended to the suburbicary provinces. There was no primacy, no exarchate nor patriarchate, owned here; but the bishops with the metropolitans, governed the church in common. Indeed, after the name patriarch became frequent in the west, it was attributed to the bishops of Bourges and Lyons; but it was only in the first signification, viz. as heads of dioceses. Du Cange says, that there have been some abbots who have borne the title of patriarchs.

PATRIARCHAL CROSS, in Heraldry, is that where the shaft is twice crossed; the lower arms being longer than the upper ones.

PATRICIAN, a title given, among the ancient Romans, to the descendants of the bundred, or, as some will have it, of the two hundred, first senators chosen by Romulus; and by him called patres, "fathers." Romulus established this order after the example of the Athenians; who were divided into two classes, viz. the Juraτgidas, patricios, and nuorixovs, populares. Patricians, therefore, were originally the nobility; in opposition to the plebeians. They were the only persons whom Romulus allowed to aspire to the magistracy; and they exercised all the functions of the priesthood till the year of Rome 495. But the cognizance and character of these ancient families being almost lost and extinguished by a long course of years, and frequent changes in the empire, a new kind of patricians were afterwards set on foot, who had no pretensions from birth, but whose title depended entirely on the emperor's favour. This new patriciate, Zozimus tells us, was erected by Constantine, who conferred the quality on his counsellors, not because they were descended from the an ancient fathers of the senate, but because they were the fathers of the republic or of the empire. This dignity in time became the highest of the empire. Justinian calls it summum diguitatem. In effect, the patricians seem to have bad the

Patrick.

precedence of the consulares, and to have taken place Patrician before them in the senate; though F. Faber asserts the contrary. What confounds the question is, that the two dignities often met in the same person; because the patriciate was only conferred on those who had gone through the first offices of the empire, or had been consuls. Pope Adrian made Charlemagne take the title of patrician before he assumed the quality of emperor; and other popes have given the title to other kings and princes by reason of its eminence.

PATRICIAN is also a title of honour often conferred on men of the first quality in the time of our AngloSaxon kings. See THANE.

PATRICIAN Deities, Patricii Dii, in Mythology, were Janus, Saturn, the Genius, Pluto, Bacchus, the Sun, the Moon, and the Earth.

PATRICIANS, in ecclesiastical writers, were ancient sectaries, who disturbed the peace of the church in the beginning of the third century: thus called from their founder Patricius, preceptor of a Marcionite called Symmachus. His distinguishing tenet was, that the substance of the flesh is not the work of God, but that of the devil: on which account his adherents bore an implacable hatred to their own flesh; which sometimes carried them so far as to kill themselves. They were also called TATIANITES, and made a branch of the EN

CRATITE.

war."

PATRICK, ST, the apostle of Ireland, and second bishop of that country. He was born April 5th A. D. 373, of a good family, at Kirk Patrick near Dumbarton, in what is now called Scotland, but then comprehended under the general name of Britain. His baptismal name Suceath, signifies, in the British language, valiant in On some inroad of certain exiles from Ireland he was taken prisoner, and carried into that kingdom, where he continued six years in the service of Milcho, who had bought him of three others, when Patrick acquired the new name of Cothraig, or Ceathar-Tigh, i.e four families. In this time he made himself master of the Irish language, and at last made his escape, and returned home on board a ship. About two years after, he formed a design of converting the Irish either in consequence of a dream, or of reflection on what he had observed during his acquaintance with them. The better to qualify himself for this undertaking, he travelled to the continent, where he continued 35 years, pursuing his studies under the direction of his mother's uncle St Martin, bishop of Tours, who had ordained him deacon; and after his death, with St German, bishop of Auxerre, who ordained him priest, and gave him his third name Mawn or Maginim.

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An ancient author, Henricus Antisioderensis, who wrote a book concerning the miracles of St German, considers it as the highest honour of that prelate to have been the instructor of St Patrick: As the glory of a father shines in the government of his sons; out of the many disciples in religion who are reported to have been his sons in Christ, suffice it briefly to mention one by far the most famous, as the series of his actions shows, Patrick the particular apostle of Ireland, who being under his holy discipline 18 years, derived no little knowledge in the inspired writings from such a source. The most godly divine pontiff, considering him alike distinguished in religion, eminent for virtue, and stedfast in doctrine; and thinking it absurd to let one of the lest la

bourers

of Down lay claim to it, on the authority of the follow- Patric ing verses:

These three in Down lie in tomb one,

Briget, Patricius, and Columba pious.
Those of Glastenbury in England, from the old monu-
meats of their church: And some Scots affirm him to
have been both born and buried among them at Glas-
gow. His genuine works were collected and printed by
Sir James Ware, 1656. His immediate successor in
this see was St Binen or Begnus.

Order of St PATRICK, an institution which took place
in Ireland in the year 1783. On the fifth of Febru-
ary, in that year, the king ordered letters-patent to
be passed under the great seal of the kingdom of Ire-
land, for creating a society or brotherhood, to be called
knights of the illustrious order of St Patrick, of which his
majesty, his heirs and successors, shall perpetually be
sovereigns, and his majesty's lieutenant-general and
general-governor of Ireland, &c. for the time being,
shall officiate as grand-master; and also for appointing
Prince Edward, and several of the prime nobility of Irc-
land, knights companions of the said illustrious order.

Patrick. bourers remain inactive in the Lord's vineyard, re-
commended him to Celestine, pope of Rome, by his
presbyter Segetius, who was to carry to the apostolic
see a tetimonial of ecclesiastical merit of this excel-
lent man. Approved by his judgment. supported by
his authority, and confirmed by his blessing, he set
out for Ireland; and being peculiarly destined to that
people as their apostle, instructed them at that time by
his doctrine and miracles; and now does and will for-
ever display the wonderful power of his apostleship."
Lastly, Pope Celestine consecrated him bishop, and
gave him his most familiar name Patricius, expressive
of his honourable descent; and to give lustre and
weight to the commission which he now charged him
with to convert the Irish. Palladius had been here a
year before him on the same design, but with little
success: the saints Kieran, Ailbe, Declan, and Ibar,
were precursors both to Palladius and Patrick.
But
the great office of apostle of Ireland was reserved for our
prelate, who landed in the country of the Evolein, or at
Wicklow,, A. D. 441. His first convert was Sinell,
eighth in descent from Cormac king of Leinster; but
not meeting with encouragement, he proceeded to Dub-
lin, and thence to Ulster, where he founded a church
(afterwards the famous abbey of Saul, in the county of
Down), remarkable for its position, being made out of.
a barn, and its greatest length reaching from north to
south After labouring seven years indefatigably in his
great work, he returned to Britain, which he delivered
from the heresies of Pelagius and Arius; engaged seve-
ral eminent persons to assist him; visited the isle of
Man, which he converted in 440, when the bishopric
was founded'; and, A. D. 448, returned to the see of
Armagh (A), which he had founded three years before;
and in 13 years more completed the conversion of the
whole island (B). After giving an account of his com-
mission at Rome, he once more returned hither, and
spent the remainder of his life between the monasteries
of Armagh and Saul, superintending and enforcing the
great plan of doctrine and discipline which he had esta-
blished. After having established schools, or an aca-
demy here, he closed his life and ministry at Saul ab.
bey, in the 120th year of his age, March 17. A. D.
493, and was buried at Down afterwards, in the same
grave with St Bridget and St Columb, in the same
place. Respecting his burial-place, however, there
have been great disputes; and it has been as great a
subject of debate with the religious, as Homer's birth-
place was formerly among the cities of Greece. Those

In

PATRICK, Simon, a very learned English bishop,
was born at Gainsborough in Lincolnshire in 1626.
In 1644 he was admitted into Queen's college, Cam-
bridge, and entered into holy orders. After being for
some time chaplain to Sir Walter St John, and vicar of
the church at Battersea in Surrey, he was preferred to
the rectory of St Paul's, Covent-garden, in London,
where he continued all the time of the plague in 1665
among his parishioners, to their great comfort.
1668 he published his Friendly Debate between a Con-
formist and a Nonconformist. This was answered by
the Dissenters, whom he had much exasperated by it;
but by his moderation and candour toward them after-
wards, they were perfectly reconciled to him, and he
brought over many of them to the communion of the
established church. In 1678 he was made dean of
Peterborough, where he was much beloved. In 1682,
Dr Lewis de Moulin, who had been a history-profes-
sor at Oxford, and written many bitter books against
the church of England, sent for Dr Patrick upon
his
sick bed, and made a solemn declaration of his regret
on that account, which he signed, and it was publish
ed after his death. During the reign of King James,
the dean's behaviour shewed that he had nothing more
at heart than the Protestant religion; for which be
ventured all that was dear to him, by preaching and
writing

(A) At Armagh St Patrick founded, A. D. 445 or 447, a priory of Augustine canons, dedicated to St Peter and St Paul, much enriched by the archbishops; restored by Imar O Hedegan in the 12th century. It was granted, A. D. 1611, to Sir Toby Caulfield, knight. St Patrick also founded there a house of canonesses of the same order, under his sister Lupita, called Templeua firta, or the "house of miracles.”

We are told, that Armagh was made a metropolitan see in honour of St Patrick; in consequence of which it was held in the highest veneration not only by bishops and priests, but also by kings and bishops, as the venerable 'Bede informs us.

(B) There is a cave in the county of Donegal or Tir-connel, near the source of the Liffey, which, it is pretended, was dug by Ulysses, in order to hold conversations with infernals. The present inhabitants call it Ellan n3 Fradatory or the island of Purgatory, and Patrick's Purgatory." They affirm, with a pious credulity, that St Patrick the apostle of Ireland, or some abbot of that name, obtained of God by his earnest prayers, that the pains and torments which await the wicked after this life might be here set forth to view, in order the more easily to recover the Irish from their sinful state and heathenish errors.

Patrick writing against the errors of the church of Rome. In 1687 he published a prayer composed for that difficult Patriotism time, when persecution was expected by all who stood firm to their religion. The year after the Revolution, the dean was appointed bishop of Chichester, and was employed with others of the new bishops to settle the affairs of the church in Ireland. In 1691 he was translated to the see of Ely, in the room of the deprived Bishop Turner. He died in 1707, after having published various works; among which the most distinguished are his Paraphrases and Commentaries on the Holy Scriptures, three volumes folio. These, with Lowth on the Proverbs, Arnold on the Apocrypha, and Whitby on the New Testament, make a regular continued commentary in English on all the sacred books.

PATRIMONY, a right or estate inherited by a person from his ancestors.

The term patrimony has been also given to churchestates or revenues; in which sense authors still say, the patrimony of the church of Rimini, Milan, &c. The church of Rome hath patrimonies in France, Africa, Sicily, and many other countries. To create the greater respect to the estates belonging to the church, it was usual to give their patrimonies the names of the saints they held in the highest veneration thus the estate of the church of Ravenna was called the patrimony of St Apollinarius; that of Milan, the patrimony of St Ambrose; and the estates of the Roman church were called the patrimony of St Peter in Abruzzo, the patrimony of St Peter in Sicily, and the like.

What is now called St Peter's patrimony is only the duchy of Castro, and the territory of Orvietto. See CASTRO, &c.

PATRIOTISM, a love of one's country, which is one of the noblest passions that can warm and animate the human breast. It includes all the limited and particular affections to our parents, children, friends, neighbours, fellow-citizens, and countrymen. It ought to direct and limit their more confined and partial actions within their proper and natural bounds, and never let them encroach on those sacred and first regards we owe to the great public to which we belong. Were we solitary creatures, detached from the rest of mankind, and without any capacity of comprehending a public interest, or without affections leading us to desire and pursue it, it would not be our duty to mind it, nor criminal to neglect it. But as we are parts of the public system, and are not only capable of taking large views of its interests, but by the strongest affections connected with it, and prompted to take a share of its concerns, we are under the most sacred ties to prosecute its security and welfare with the utmost ardour, especially in times of public trial.

"Zeal for the public good (says Mr Addison) is the characteristic of a man of honour and a gentleman, and must take place of pleasures, profits, and all other private gratifications: that whosoever wants this motive, is an opeu enemy, or an inglorious neuter to mankind, in proportion to the misapplied advantages with which nature and fortune have blessed him." This love of our country does not import an attachment to any particular soil, climate, or spot of earth, where perhaps we first drew our breath, though those natural ideas are often associated with the moral ones; and, like ex

ternal signs or symbols, help to ascertain and bind Patriotism. them; but it imports an affection to that moral system or community, which is governed by the same laws and magistrates, and whose several parts are variously connected one with the other, and all united upon the bottom of a common interest. Wherever this love of our country prevails in its genuine vigour and extent, it swallows up all sordid and selfish regards; it conquers the love of ease, power, pleasure, and wealth; nay, when the amiable partialities of friendship, gratitude, private affection, or regards to a family, come in competition with it, it will teach us to sacrifice all, in order to maintain the rights, and promote and defend the honour and happiness of our country. To pursue, therefore, our private interests in subordination to the good of our country; to be examples in it of virtue, and obedient to the laws; to choose such representatives as we apprehend to be the best friends to its constitution and liberties; and if we have the power, to promote such laws as may improve and perfect it; readily to embrace every opportunity for advancing its prosperity; cheerfully to contribute to its defence and support; and, if need be, to die for it:-these are among the duties which every man, who has the happiness to be a member of our free and Protestant constitution, owes to his country.

The constitution of man is such, that the most selfish passions, if kept within their proper bounds, have a tendency to promote the public good. There is no passion of more general utility than patriotism; but its origin may unquestionably be termed selfish. The love of one's relations and friends is the most natural expansion of self-love: this affection connects itself too with local circumstances, and sometimes cannot easily be separated from them. It often varies, as relationship or placevaries; but acquires new power when the whole community becomes its object. It was therefore with singular propriety that the poet said, "Self-love and social are the same." Under the article CALAIS we have al- Rapin's ready given the outlines of the transactions of its siege Hist. Eng. by Edward III. during which the inhabitants displayed Edw. III, a degree of patriotism truly wonderful. History scarcely affords a more distinguished instance of true patriotic virtue than on this occasion. We shall therefore give a fuller account of this remarkable affair, as one of the best examples that can possibly be selected of the virtue we have been explaining. The inhabitants, under Count Vienne their gallant governor, made an admirable defence against a well disciplined and powerful army. Day after day the English effected many a breach, which they repeatedly expected to storm by morning; but, when morning appeared, they wondered to behold new ramparts raised nightly, erected out of the ruins which the day had made. France had now put the sickle into her second harvest since Edward with his victorious army sat down before the town. The eyes of all Europe were intent on the issue. The English made their approaches and attacks without remission; but the citizens were as obstinate in repelling all their efforts. At length, famine did more for Edward than arms. After the citizens had devoured the lean carcases of their half-starved cattle, they tore up old foundations and rubbish in search of vermin: they fed on boiled leather, and the weeds of exhausted gardens; and a morsel of damaged corn was accounted matter of

luxury.

Patriction, luxury. In this extremity they resolved to attempt the enemy's camp. They boldly sallied forth; the English joined battle; and, after a long and desperate cu gagement, Count Vienne was taken prisoner; and the citizens, who survived the slaughter, retired within their gates. On the captivity of their governor, the command devolved upon Eustace Saint Pierre, the mayor of the town, a man of mean birth, but of exalted virtue. Eustace soon found himself under the necessity of capitulating, and offered to deliver to Edward the city, with all the possessions and wealth of the inhabitants, provided he permitted them to depart with life and liberty. As Edward had long since expected to ascend the throne of France, he was exasperated to the last degree against these people, whose sole valour had defeated his warmest hopes; he therefore determined to take an exemplary revenge, though he wished to avoid the imputation of cruelty. He answered by Sir Walter Mauny, that they all deserved capital punishment, as obstinate traitors to him, their true and notable sovereign; that, however, in his wonted clemency, he consented to pardon the bulk of the plebeians, provided they would deliver up to him six of their principal citizens with halters about their necks, as victims of due atonement for that spirit of rebellion with which they had inflamed the common people. All the remains of this desolate city were convened in the great square; and like men arraigned at a tribunal from whence there was no appeal, expected with throbbing hearts the sentence of their conqueror. When Sir Walter had declar'ed his message, consternation and pale dismay was impressed on every face: each looked upon death as his own inevitable lot; for how should they desire to be saved at the price proposed? Whom had they to deliver up, save parents, brothers, kindred, or valiant neighbours, who had so often exposed their lives in their defence? To a long and dead silence, deep sighs and groans succeeded, till Eustace Saint Pierre ascending a little eminence, thus addressed the assembly: "My friends and fellow-citizens, you see the condition to which we are reduced; we must either submit to the terms of our cruel and ensnaring conqueror, or yield up our tender infants, our wives, and chaste daughters, to the bloody and brutal lists of the violating soldiery. We well know what the tyrant intends by his specious offers of mercy. It does not satiate his vengeance to make us merely miserable, he would also make us criminal: he would make us contemptible: he will grant us life on no condition, save that of our being unworthy of it. Look about you, my friends, and fix your eyes on the persons whom you wish to deliver up as the victims of your own safety. Which of these would you appoint to the rack, the axe, or the hafter? Is there any here who lias hot watched for you, who has not fought for you, who has not bled for you? Who, through the length of this inveterate siege, has not suffered fatigues and miseries a thousand times worse than death, that you and yours might survive to days of peace and prosperity? Is it your preservers, then, whom you would destine to destruction? You will not, you canhot, do it. Justice, honour, humanity, make such a treason impossible. Where then is our resource? Is there any expedient left, whereby we may avoid guilt and infamy on the one hand, or the desolation and horrors of a sacked city on the other? There is, my

At

friends, there is one expedient left; a gracious, an ex- p cellent, a god-like expedient! Is there any here to whom virtue is dearer than life! Let him offer imself an oblation for the safety of his people! he shall not fail of a blessed approbation from that power, who offered up his only Son for the salvation of mankind.” He spoke-but an universal silence ensued. Each man looked round for the example of that virtue and magnanimity in others, which all wished to approve in themselves, though they wanted the resolution. length Saint Pierre resumed: "It had been base in me, my fellow-citizens, to promote any matter of damage to others, which I myself had not been willing to undergo in my own person. But I held it ungenerous to deprive any man of that preference and estimation, which might attend a first offer on so signal an occasion: for I doubt not but there are many here as ready, nay, more zealous for this martyrdom than 1 can be, however modesty and the fear of imputed ostentation may withhold them from being foremost in exhibiting their merits. Indeed the station to which the captivity of Count Vienne has unhappily raised me, imports a right to be the first in giving my life for your sakes. I give it freely, I give it cheerfully. Who comes next? Your son! exclaimed a youth, not yet come to maturity.-Ah, my child! cried St Pierre; 1 am then twice sacrificed.-But no-I have rather begotten thee a second time.-Thy years are few, but full, my son; the victim of virtue has reached the utmost purpose and goal of mortality. Who next, my friends? This is the hour of heroes.-Your kinsman, cried John de Aire! Your kinsman, cried James Wissant! Your kinsman, cried Peter Wissant !—“Ah! (exclaimed Sir Walter Mauny, bursting into tears), why was I not a citizen of Calais ?" The sixth victim was still wanting, but was quickly supplied by lot, from 'numbers who were now emulous of so ennobling an example. The keys of the city were then delivered to Sir Walter. He took the six prisoners into his custody. He ordered the gates to be opened, and gave charge to his attendants to conduct the remaining citizens with their families through the camp of the English. Before they departed, however, they desired permission to take their last adieu of their deliverers.- What a parting! what a scene! they crowded with their wives and children about St Pierre and his fellow-prisoners. They embraced, they clung around, they fell prostrate before them. They groaned; they wept aloud; and the joint clamour of their mourning passed the gates of the city, and was heard throughout the camp. At length Saint Pierre and his fellow-victims appeared under the conduct of Sir Walter and his guard. All the tents of the English were instantly emptied. The soldiers poured from all parts, and arranged themselves on each side to behold, to contemplate, to admire this little band of patriots as they passed. They murmured their applause of that virtiie which they could not but revere even in enemies; and they regarded those ropes which they had voluntarily assumed about their necks as ensigns of greater dignity than that of the British Garter. As soon as they had reached the royal presence, "Mauny (says the king), are these the principal inhabitants of Calais ?" "They are (says Mauny); they are not only the principal men of Calais, they are the principal men of France, my lord,

Patriotism. if virtue has any share in the act of ennobling." "Were they delivered peaceably, (says Edward) ? Was there no resistance, no commotion among the people!" "Not in the least, my lord. They are selfdelivered, self-devoted, and come to offer up their inestimable heads as an ample equivalent for the ransom of thousands."

The king, who was highly incensed at the length and difficulty of the siege, ordered them to be carried away to immediate execution; nor could all the remonstrances and intreaties of his courtiers divert him from his cruel purpose. But what neither a regard to his own interest and honour, what neither the dictates of justice, nor the feelings of humanity, could effect, was happily accomplished by the more powerful influence of conjugal affection. The queen, who was then big with child, being informed of the particulars respecting the six victims, flew into her husband's presence, threw herself on her knees before him, and, with tears in her eyes, besought him not to stain his character with an indelible mark of infamy, by committing such a horrid and barbarous deed. Edward could refuse nothing to a wife whom he so tenderly loved, and especially in her condition; and the queen, not satisfied with having saved the lives of the six burghers, conducted them to her tent, where she applauded their virtue, regaled them with a plentiful repast, and having made them a present of money and clothes, sent them back to their fellow citizens.

The love of their country, and of the public good, seems to have been the predominant passion of the Spartans. Pedaretus having missed the honour of being chosen one of the three hundred who had a certain rank of distinction in the city, went home extremely Plutarch's pleased and satisfied; saying, "He was overjoyed there Life of Ly-were three hundred men in Sparta more honourable than himself."

curgus.

The patriotism of the Romans is well known, and has been justly admired. We shall content ourselves at present with the following example; a zeal and patriotic devotion similar to which is perhaps scarcely equalled, and certainly is not exceeded, in history.

Dion, lib. Rome, under the consuls Caso Fabius and T. Virviii. p. 570. ginius, had several wars to sustain, less dangerous than and Rol- troublesome, against the Æqui, Volsci, and Veientes. lin's Rom. To put a stop to the incursions of the last, it would

Hist. vol. i. P. 366.

have been necessary to have established a good garrison upon their frontiers to keep them in awe. But the commonwealth, exhausted of money, and menaced by abundance of other enemies, was not in a condition to provide for so many different cares and expences. The family of the Fabii showed a generosity and love of their country that has been the admiration of all ages. They applied to the senate, and by the mouth of the consul demanded as a favour that they would be pleased to transfer the care and expences of the garrison necessary to oppose the enterprises of the Veientes to their house, which required an assiduous rather than a numerous body, promising to support with dignity the honour of the Roman name in that post. Every body was charmed with so noble and unheard of an offer; and it was accepted with great acknowledgment. The news spread over the whole city, and nothing was talked of but the Fabii. Every body praised, every body admired and extolled them to the skies. "If there VOL. XVI. Part I.

+

were two more such families in Rome," said they, "the Patriotism. one might take upon them the war against the Volsci, and the other against the Æqui, whilst the commonwealth remained quiet, and the forces of particulars subdued the neighbouring states."

Early the next day the Fabii set out, with the consul at their head, robed, and with his insignia. Never was there so small, and at the same time so illustrious, an army seen; for which we have the authority of Livy. Three hundred and six soldiers, all patricians, and of the same family, of whom not one but might be judged worthy of commanding an army, march against the Veii full of courage and alacrity, under a captain of their own name, Fabius. They were followed by a body of their friends and clients, animated by the same spirit and zeal, and actuated only by great and noble views. The whole city flocked to see so fine a sight; praised those generous soldiers in the highest terms; and promised them consulships, triumphs, and the most glorious rewards. As they passed before the capitol and the other temples, every body implored the gods to take them into their protection; to favour their departure and undertaking, and to afford them a speedy and happy return. But those prayers were not heard. When they arrived near the river Cremera, which is not far from Veii, they built a fort upon a very rough and steep mountain for the security of the troops, which they surrounded with a double fosse, and flanked with several towers. This settlement, which prevented the enemy from cultivating their ground and ruined their com merce with strangers, incommoded them extremely. The Veientes not finding themselves strong enough to ruin the fort which the Romans had erected, applied to the Hetrurians, who sent them very considerable aid. In the mean time the Fabii, encouraged by the great success of their incursions into the enemy's country, made farther progress every day. Their excessive boldness made the Hetrurians conceive thoughts of laying ambuscades for them in several places. During the night they seized all the eminences that commanded the plain, and found means to conceal a great number of troops upon them. The next day they dispersed more cattle about the country than they had done before. The Fabii being apprised that the plains were covered with flocks and herds, and defended by only a very small number of troops, they quitted their fort, leaving in it only a sufficient number to guard it. The hopes of a great booty quickened their march. They arrived at the place in order of battle; and were preparing to attack the advanced guard of the enemy, when the latter, who had their orders, fled without staying till they were charged. The Fabii, believing themselves secure, seized the shepherds, and were preparing to drive away the cattle. The Hetrurians then quitted their skulking places, and fell upon the Romans from all sides, who were most of them dispersed in pursuit of their prey. All they could do was to rally immediately; and that they could not effect without great difficulty. They soon saw themselves surrounded on all sides, and fought like lions, selling their lives very dear. But finding that they could not sustain this kind of combat long, they drew up in a wedge, and advancing with the utmost fury and impetuosity, opened themselves a passage through the enemy that led to the side of the mountain. When they came thither, they halted, and H

fought

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