BOOK VII.] History of Nature. 217 



the Poet should be set over his Tomb; 1 to the end that this 

 illustrious name, or indeed the spoil that he had carried 

 away from a third part of the World, should be read over his 

 last ashes, with the title of the Poet. Divus Augustus forbad 

 that the Poems of Virgil should be burned, contrary to the 

 truth of his will ; by which means there grew more credit to 

 the Poet, than if himself had approved his own Verses. 

 Asinius Pollio was the first that set up a public Library at 

 Rome, raised from his portion of spoil ; and in it he placed 

 the image of M. Varro, even while he lived : a thing of as 

 great honour, in my opinion (considering that among the 

 multitude of learned Men he only received this Crown from a 

 Citizen and an excellent Orator), as that other Naval Crown 

 gained him, which Pompey the Great bestowed upon him 



Thus interpreted : 



Hunc unum plurimi consentiunt Romae, 



Bonorum optimum fuisse virum, 



Lucium Scipionem, filius Barbati, 



Consol, Censor, ^Edilis, Hie fuit ; atque (or, apud vos, 



or ad eos). 



Hie cepit Corsicam, Aleriamque urbem 

 Dedit Tempestatibus aedem merito. 



" The Roman people agree in thinking this man, Lucius Scipio, the 

 best of all good citizens. He was the son of Barbatus, and consul, censor, 

 and aedile among you. He took Corsica, and the city Aleria, and 

 worthily dedicated a temple to the Seasons." 



This inscription was dug up in 1616, but was rejected as spurious until 

 the others were discovered. Africanus, the greatest of the Scipios, was 

 not buried in the paternal tomb, but on the shore at Liternum ; and the 

 inscription on his tomb is supposed to have been, " Ingrata Patria, ne 

 ossa quidem habes." The place is supposed to be marked by a modern 

 tower, which from the inscription still retains the name of " Patria." 

 Wern. Club. 



1 " Nor think the great from their high place descend, 

 Who choose the Muses' favourite for a friend ; 

 When mighty Scipio, Rome well pleas'd could see, 

 With Ennius join'd, in kindest amity." 



JEPHSON'S Roman Portraits. 



" L'intime liaison de Scipion avec le poe'te Ennius, avec qui il voulut 

 avoir un tombeau commun, fait juger qu'il ne manquoit pas de gout 

 pour les belles lettres." Hist. Rom. par ROLLIS, vol. vii. 



