ANIMALS. 335 



inherit not only the kingdoms, but the strength of liieir fore- 

 fathers ; and we may conclude, that they owe the greatest sbaro 

 of their imputed strength rather to the dignity of their stations 

 than the force of their arms ; and, like all fortunate princes, 

 their flatterers happened to be believed. In later ages, indeed, 

 we have some accounts of amazing strength, which we can have 

 710 reason to doubt of. But in these, nature is found to pursue 

 her ordinary course ; and we find their strength accidental. V/e 

 find these strong men among the lowest of the people, and 

 gradually rising into notice, as this superiority had more oppor- 

 tunity of being seen. Of this number was the Roman tribune, 

 who went by the name of the second Achilles ; who, with his 

 o>vn hand, is said to have killed, at different times, three hun- 

 dred of the enemy ; and when treacherously set upon, by twenty- 

 five of his own countrymen, although then past his sixtieth year, 

 killed fourteen of them before he was slain. Of this number 

 was Milo, who, when he stood upright, could not be forced 

 out of his place. Pliny also tells us of one Athanatus, who 

 walked across the stage at Rome, loaded with a breastplate 

 weighing five hundred pounds, and buskins of the same weight. 

 But of all the prodigies of strength, of whom we have any 

 accounts in Roman history, Maximin, the emperor, is to be 

 reckoned the foremost. Whatever we are told relative to him 

 is well attested; his character was too exalted not to be 

 thoroughly known ; and that very strength, for which he was 

 celebrated, at last procured him no less a reward than the empire 

 of the world. Maximin was above nine feet in height, and the 

 best proportioned man in the whole empire. He was by birth 

 a Thracian ; and, from being a simple herdsman, rose through 

 the gradations of oflSce, untU he came to be emperor of Rome. 

 The first opportunity he had of exerting his strength, was in the 

 presence of all the citizens, in the theatre, where he overthrew 

 twelve of the strongest men in wrestling, and out-stript two of 

 the fleetest horses in running, all in one day. He could draw 

 a chariot loaden, that two strong horses could not move j 

 he could break a horse's jaw with a blow of his fist, and its 

 thigh with a kick. In war he was always foremost and invin- 

 cible : happy had it been for him and his subjects if, from being 

 formidable to his enemies, he had not become still more so to 

 his subjects ; he reigned, for some time, with all the world his 



