ROMAN LEGION.

Some God, propitious to the Roman name, (Vegetius cries) inspir'd the legion's frame." More ponderous arms than other soldiers wore, With ease, from custom, the main body bore.

complexion peculiarly suited to familiar poetry, and therefore mixing agreeably with other subjects of a darker hue; and next, because I am pleased to have any opportunity of paying every possible tribute to the importance of that sex, to whose sweetness and unostentatious virtues men are obliged for all that can soften the cares of life, or perhaps make them supportable; but I believe, at the same time, that the event was only haftened, and not produced, by the occurrence which I have related. The cause lay deeper: the general diffufion of wealth, from which importance is inseparable, sufficiently accounts for it. Though the French author I have quoted above, with the quondam gallantry of his countrymen, gives more weight to the tears of a lady than to ftate intrigues: Livy, with more circumspection, only says, this female pique was among the causes which opened the consulfhip to plebeians: "parva causa intervenit," is his expression.

7 Non tantum humano consilio, sed etiam Divinitatis instinctu legiones a Romanis arbitror conftitutas.

VEGET. de Re Mil. 1. ii. c. 21.

Light nimble troops were posted on the flanks,
With horse to charge the foes' disorder'd ranks;
Slingers and archers too, who sent from far
Their lead and arrows to provoke the war. 585
Machines for every siege were in its train,
With tools to encamp, and fortify the plain.
Thus in each separate legion's form we see
Compris❜d an army's just epitome.9

Not Macedon's firm phalanx could compare

589

With this proud boast and master-work of war:
Thence were Rome's thunders on the nations hurl'd;
With this strong engine she subdued the world.'
But when by this the subject earth was spoil'd,
The faithless engine on herself recoil'd ;

Nel' assalir son pronti, e nel ritrarsi ;

E combatton fuggendo erranti e sparsi. Tasso, can. i.

595

• Universa quæ in quoque belli genere necessaria esse creduntur, secum legio debet ubique portare, ut in quovis loco fixerit caftra, armatam faciet civitatem. VEGET. de Re Mil. 1. ii. c. 25.

1

Πεντακις μεν χίλιοις και διακοσίοις πεζές, ιππεις δε τριακοσίοις εχον εκας του.
POLYB. 1. ii.

Not long employ'd to serve the parent state,
It humbled her, to make her tyrants great;*
A sad exchange was all her pride could boast,
Mankind subdued, and her own freedom lost.
'Tis vain to talk of liberty in states,
Where the fierce soldier's arm predominates;
Prompt to obey the stern commander's word,
He finds the law's sole comment in his sword;
With floods and fire his character accords,
The best of servants, but the worst of lords.

2

600

605

* When Marius and Sylla, Cæsar, Anthony, Auguftus and all the subsequent emperors, enslaved Rome, by having the legions at their devotion.

HANNIBAL.

HANNIBAL.

A. U. C. 534.

Thus far, where'er assailing or assail'd,

The event was certain, and Rome's arms prevail'd. But see at last great Hannibal appear;

See her proud genius taught at last to fear.

609

Thy towers, Saguntum, by his skill o'erthrown,3

Had fill'd th' admiring world with his renown:

A dreadful prelude thy sad ruins yield
Of Thrasimene, and Canna's direr field.

While yet a child, led by his warlike sire,‘
'Gainst Rome the infant's lips denounc'd his ire; 615
His little hands outstretch'd, the altar bore
Eternal record of the oath he swore;

› Saguntum fæderatam civitatem vi expugnavit. COR. NEP. in Han. λαβομένου της δεξιας προσαγαγειν αυτον προς τον βωμον, και κελεύειν αψαμένον των ιερων ομνύναι μηδέποτε Ρωμαίοις ευνοήσειν. POLYB. 1. iii.

admodum me,

Pater Amilcar (inquit Annibal) Antioche, parvum eum sacrificaret, altaribus admotum jurejurando adegit, nunquam amicum fore populi Romani. Liv. 1. xxxv. c. 19. G 2

And,

And, deeply crimson'd with Patrician blood,"

6

620

The promise of his tongue his sword made good.
No dangers his intrepid soul could daunt ;"
Sagacious, hardy, cool, and vigilant.
Mankind in wonder of his daring lost,

He pour'd on Italy a mingled host.

On the huge peak, whose giant ribs command'
The teeming soil of soft Ausonia's land,

625

He stops well pleas'd, to scent the sharpen'd breeze
From fuming rills, and undulating trees,
Whose fruits not yet were warm in infant down,
In rugged rinds, or husks of cruder brown.

$ Documenta cladis, cruentus aliquandiu Aufidus. FLOR. 1. ii. c. 6.

• Plurimum audaciæ ad pericula capessenda, plurimum consilii inter ipsa pericula erat. Nullo labore aut corpus fatigari, aut animus vinci poterat. Caloris et frigoris patientia par: cibi potionisque, desiderio naturali, non voluptate, modus finitus: vigiliarum somnique nec die nec nocte discriminata tempora, &c. Liv. l. xxi. c. 4.

7 Prægressus signa Annibal, in promontorio quodam, unde longe ac late prospectus erat, consistere jussis militibus Italiam ostentat, &c. Liv. 1. xxi. c. 35.

αμα

δε και του της Ρώμης αυτής τοπον υποδεικνύων, επι ποσον ευθαρσεις

εποίησε τοις ανθρωποις.

POLYB. 1. iii.

The