90 ESSAT upon the PRINCIPLES 



the 30th chapter of the i6th book of the Annals. During the 

 many unjuil profecutions under NERO, SORANUS was accufed 

 of intimacy with RUBELLIUS PLAUTUS, who had been banim- 

 ed, and alfo of mifbehaviour as a proconful. His daughter, 

 from (Irong affection to her injured father, had fold her clothes 

 and jewels, in order to confult the magicians as to the event of 

 his trial. On this account, the, too, was ordered to appear be- 

 fore the fenate. " Igitur accita eft in fenatum, fteteruntque di- 

 ' verfi ante tribunal confulum, grandis aevo parens ; contra fi- 

 ' lia intra vicenmum setatis annum, nuper marito ANNIO POL- 

 ' LIONE in exilium pulfo, viduata defolataqxie : Ac ne patrem 

 ' quidem intuens, cujus onerafTe pericula videbatur. Turn in- 

 ' terrogante accufatore, an cultus dotales, an detraclum cervici 

 ' monile venum dediiTet quo pecuniam faciendis magicis facris 

 ( contraheret ? Primum ftrata humi, longoque fletu et filentio, 

 ' poft altaria et aram complexa ; " Nullos, inquit, impios deos, 

 1 nullas devotiones, nee aliud infelicibus precibus invocavi, 

 ' quam ut hunc optimum patrem, tu CJESAR, et vos Patres fer- 

 ' varetis incolumem. Sic gemmas et veftes et dignitatis infignia 

 ' dedi, quomodo fi fangtiinem et vitam popofciflent. Viderint 

 ifti, antehac mihi ignoti, quo nomine fint, qxias artes exerce- 

 ant : Nulla mihi principis mentio, nifi inter numina fait. 

 1 Nefcit tamen miferrimus pater: Et fi crimen eft, fola deliqui." 

 ' Loquentis adhuc verba excipit SORANUS proclamatque, " Non 

 ' illam in provinciam fecum profeclam, non PL AUTO per setatem 

 ' nofci poruiffe ; non criminibus mariti connexam ; nimis tan- 

 ' turn pietatis ream, fepararent a fe quamcunque fortem fubi- 

 " ret." Simul in amplexus occurrentis filiae ruebat, nifi inter- 

 1 jecli liclores utrifque obftitiflent." 



A BEAUTIFUL conteft is here prefented between the ftrong- 

 eft parental and filial attachments. The defcription is the lan- 

 guage of nature throughout. Every circumftance is carried its 

 due length, without bordering upon extravagance. No tragic 

 poet, whofe fancy is allowed a latitude which is denied the hi- 



ftorian, 



