OCR Text |
Show The fife Bookeofthe Sift parte Cc HAP.§.:9\5... Armes, grewto bee fuchiwilling pattakers each of othets fortune, thatfeldome afterwards either the Gaules or Ligurians did ftiralone, but that their companions, hearing shis booke, it;wereready to fecond them.Howthe Romansfirftpreuatled,andgotlarge poffefions in Gallia C:/alpina,now called Lumbardie ; it hath bin long fince rehearfed between the firt and {econd Pumick Wars. As alfoit hath fince appeared,howthey loft the orcateft part of their hold in that Countrie, by meanes of Hewnibal his paflage there-through. Neitheris ivlikely that the re-conqueft would haue beene moredifficult or tediousvnto the Romans,than wasthe firft purchafe:if,befides the greater employments whichthey had oftheir Armies abroadjtheir forces appointed ynto this warre,had not been diftraGed by the Ligurians ; thatalwayes madethem to proceed warily, hauing an cye tothe 10 dangerattheir backes: ‘The Ligurians were ftout nation, light and fwift, of bodie, well practifed in laying ambufhes, and not difcouraged withany ouerthrow,but forthwith ready to fight againe. Their Countrie was mountainous, rough, wooddie,and full of ftraighvand dangerous paflages. Few good Townestheyhad; but many Caftles,cxceedingly well fortified by nature : fo. as withoutmuchlabour, they could neither bee taken nor befieged:They wetealfo very poore;and had little or nothing that mightgive contentment,vnto a victorious Armiethat fhould {poyletheir Land. Intheferefpeds, they ferued excellently well,to traine vp the Roman Souldiers to hardnefle & military patience: teaching them(befides other exercifes ofwarre)to endure much,and line con tented witha little.Their quarrell to Rome,grew partly from their loue vnto theGauls, 20 their neighbours and companions; partly from their delight in robbing & {poyling the Territorie oftheir borderers,that were {ubiect vato Rome. But their obftinate continu- ance in the Warre which they had begun, feemesto haue bin grounded vpon the Condition ofall Saluages; To befriendsorfoes,by cuftome,ratherthan by Iudgementsand toatknowledge no fuch vertue in Leagues, or formall conclufions of Peace,as ought to hinder them from vfing their aduantage,ortaking renenge ofininries whenthey returne to minde.T his qualitie is found in all,or moft ofthe Welt-Indians: who,if they be demandeda reafon of the Warres betweenethemand any of their neighbours, doe vfe commonly thisan{wer, J¢ hathfill-beene the cuftome for vs andthem, to fight one againft the other. Diuers oucrthrowes,thoughnone that were great,thefe Ligurians gaue vato the Ro- mans : but'many more,and grearef, they receiued. Often they fought peace,when they found themfeluesin diftreffe ; and brake it againe as often,when they thoughtit! profitable foto. doe. The beft was,that as their Countrie was a good place ofexercife ynto the Romans,fo out oftheir own Countrie they did little harme+ not fending any great Armiesfarre from home;perhaps,becaufe they knew not howto make warre, faue on theirowne ground. The Countrey of Spaine,as it was the firft part of the Continentout of Italy that became fubiect vntothe Romans:fo was it the laft ofall theirProuinces,which was wholly é& throughly by them fubdued.Itis likened in figure by forne Geographers vato an Ox- 4° hide:& the Romansfoundin it the property of that Oxe-hide,whichCalaaus the Indian fhewed wnto the Great Alexander,as an Embleme ofhis large Dominions. For,treading vpon any fide ofit, the furtherparts would rife fromtheground. And thus wasit with Spaine.Seldome did it happen,that thofe parts from which the Roman Armies Jayfuttheft, were sot vp in rebellion. The Spaniards werea very hardie Nation,andeafily {tir- redvp to armes ; but had not much knowledgeinthe Art ofwarre, nor any good Captaines. They wanted alfo( which wastheir priscipall hinderance )good intelligence 2mong themfelucs: and being divided into many {mall Signiorics, that had little othet communionthan of language,they feldome orneuerprouidedin generall for the commongood of their Couutrie ; but made it their chiefe care, each of themtolooke vato 5°° stheir owne Territorie.Suchpriuate refpeats made themoften to fall afunder, when many had ynited themfelues together, for chafing outof, the Romans. Andthefe werethe caufes of their often ouerthrowes ¥ as:defire of liberty, rather, than.,complaint of Ay Wrong doneto them, svasthe canfe oftheir often taking armes. : The Carthaginians had beeneaccuftomed, to.make euacuation of this, Cholerics¢ Spanith humour; byemploying as Mercenaries intheir warres abroad, thofe that wer mott likely tobe ynquiet at home, They had alfo taken Souldicis from one part of bi Countreyand vied thenin another: finding meanesto pay them allout of the. prone waite CHAP.5:§.5..) of the Lisftory of the World: which they,taifed.vponthe whole Gountrie 54s being far better husbands.and éfmiore dextesitie than wererheRomans;in thatkinde, But contrariwifethe Reduce ving th feruice oftheir-owne Legions, and.oftheit {ure friends the Hatines had litéle builigedie forthe Spaniards:ianid theiefore were fainevodue much bufitielfe with thems>-Sp res was toodar diftant,and withaltoo great,forthemtofend oner Galonies thither sttes by toholditin goodiordersaccordingte the courte that they tooke in: Italy Where: foreitremained, thartheydhouldalwaies maintaine fuch Armies in the \Gonntri¢, :as mightferueto!hold atisi:obedicrice peiforcesand {ach heedfull Captaines; as! might be Milbreadyto oppoferh¢Barbarians intheir firft Commotions: This they did slandther yo byheld:the Countries though feldome:in peace! Trek enVery foone after the departurc.of Scipio, there was raifed warre in Spainé|aeainft the Romans,ciien vpomthe fame genérall ground,that was the foundation ofall the Spanith Watres.following, -It was thought vnreafonable, that the Spaniards fhould, one while helpetht Carthaginians againft the Romans, and another whilethe Romansacainf the Catthagihians;bafely forgetting to helpthemf{clues againft thiofe that were firangers yet viurped the Dominion ouerthems But the forces which Scio had left behinde him in that Countrie, being well acquaintedwith the manaet of Watrein:thofe parts; ifupprefledthis Rebcllion by many vitories : andstagetherwith fubiestion, broughn peace ap pon the Countries, which lafted fine ‘yceres, This viGtory ofthe: Romans; though "ithappilyended the Watre : yetleft it fill remaining the canfé of the Warres: whith after finesyeeres brake outagaine.2 Fhe Spaniards fought a:battaile with ithe: Roman Procenfhlia whom they: flew ; and, hada! great \Vittorie, that filledthém with greaterhopes. Yet thehappyducceffe of their Warres in Greece; madethe Romans 'thinke itenoughto fead thither:two Pretorsjand with eath of them fome two Legions. Thefe didfomesvhat yet norfomuchy,, butthat 4¢.Porcius Cate, who was Confull the yeere following; and fenrinto that'Prouinée ; found at hiscomming little! lefle to doe, than thereconquering ofall Spaine. Butit fell out happily;that all the Spaniards wetenot of one minde si fSme!weretaichfull to Rome; andfome were idle beholdets ofthe paines that others tooke.. Yet when: Caté+had:wonne a greativiGorie pon the chiefeft of 30 them ; they rofe againft him in many parts of the Countrey, and put him/vnto -mucia New trouble. Whileft-he wasabout to makea iourney-againg thofe hat were as yetivn- fubdued : fome ofthe lately vanquithed,wene,euen ready to rebels Hee ‘therefore! dif- ammed them > which they.teoke fo heauily,thatmany of them flewthem{elues forvery gtiete, Hearing.ofthis's and,well.vnderftanding, that fach defperation might. worke dangerous cffects ;Heecalled ynto.him the principallamong thenrs and: commending vnto them peace and quietnefle; -whichthey neuer-had.difturbed: but vatortheir/owne great loffe, He prayed themto denifewhat courfe might be taken, for holding themaffiited ynto Rome,withourfurthertrouble. Noneofthem could;or would gitecounfaile ida matter ofthis ature.Hauing therefore talked.withthemonceor twice,.and finding their inuention barten inthigkindeof Subiect'; Hee gaue' expreffe chargé,» That vpion aday appointed they, fhouldthrow downe thewwalls ofall their Townes. Afterwardshe Carried the Warre about ftomplaceto places andwithfingular induftty: finifhed itrin thorttime. Neitlier thought he it any difgtace tohimor to. Rome,iothis time of danger, toimitate the Carthaginians,and hirean Army of theGeltiberians,againft other oftheir ountrimen : excufing the indignity; fuch as it feemed;withaiett, Thatif he were van- quifhed and flaine;.then fhould he need toypay them nothing ;:whereasif he had the Viory, hee ceuld pay:them with the Enemies money! Finally; He broughtthie watre to 10 800d end; that in Jong time after,thoughSpaine were oftentroublefome, yet was it Mno dangerofbeing loft. Heincteafedalfo the publikeRleuenues in that Pronince; by caufing fome!Mynes ofIronandSiluertobe wrought,that had: before laine vnregarded. soHereinhee:did benefit the Common-wealth, bya vertue. much :agrécable to his own Peculiaridifpofition, wellbe For this.42.Cato was not onely very notablleintheArtof war,.which might Mentermed the Occupation of the Romans; but fo well furnithed with all ocher wfefull accom~ Qualities;that very little was wanting in hitwhich might f{eemerequifate tothegreat E+ f ent ofia perfect man:He was.very's kilfull in the Roman Lawes, amano i Cquence;not vnprofitablein any bufine ffe either ptinate or publike. Many bookes he Wrote:wherof the principall were;ofthcR omanantiquiticsSof husbandry,In mt Qqq94 3 4 |