BOOK VII.] History of Nature. 215 



lately had died in Athens : and by relation of the Citizens 

 soon found out who the god had signified ; and so gave them 

 peace for the burial. 



CHAPTER XXX. 

 Of Plato, Ennius, Virgil, M. Varro, and M. Cicero. 



DIONYSIUS the Tyrant, born otherwise to pride and 

 cruelty, sent out to meet Plato, the Chief of the Wise 

 Men, a Ship adorned with Ribbons; and himself went out 

 in a Chariot with four white Horses, to receive him on the 

 Shore. Isocrates sold one Oration for twenty talents of Gold. 

 JEschines, the famous Orator of Athens, having at Rhodes 

 rehearsed that accusation which he had made against 

 Demosthenes, read also his adversary's defence, by occasion 

 of which he had been driven into Banishment at Rhodes ; 

 and when the Rhodians wondered at it he said, How much 

 more would you have wondered, if you had heard him de- 

 livering it himself! Yielding thus in his Calamity a noble 

 Testimony to his Adversary. The Athenians exiled Thucy- 

 dides their General : but after he had written his Chronicle 

 they called him home again, wondering at the Eloquence of 

 the Man whose Courage they had condemned. The Kings 

 of Egypt and Macedonia gave a strong Testimony how much 

 they honoured Mcenander the Comic Poet, in that they 

 sent Ambassadors for him with a Fleet ; but he won himself 

 greater fame by esteeming more his Studies, than the Favours 

 of Princes. Also the Roman Nobles have afforded Testi- 

 monies even to Foreigners. Hence Cn. Pompey, when he had 

 ended the War against Mithridates, being about to enter the 

 House of Posidonius, the celebrated Professor of Wisdom, 

 forbad the Lictor to knock at the Door according to custom : 

 and he to whom both the East and the West parts of the 

 World had submitted, laid down the lictorial Fasces at the 

 Gate. Cato, surnamed Censorius, when there came to Rome 

 that noble embassage from Athens, consisting of three, the 

 wisest Men among them, having heard Carneades speak, 



