220 History of Nature. [ BOOK VII. 



nounced the most modest ; and was elected out of a hundred 

 principal Matrons to dedicate the Image of Venus, according 

 to the Sybilline Books. Claudia, likewise was, by a religious 

 Experiment (proved to be such), by bringing the Mother of 

 the Gods to Rome. 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 

 Of Piety. 1 



TRULY, in all Parts of the World, there have been found 

 infinite Examples of Piety ; but one Example of this occurred 

 at Rome, to which none beside can be compared. There 

 was a young Woman of humble Condition among the com- 

 mon People, and therefore of no account, who lately had been 

 in Childbed, and whose Mother was shut up in Prison for 

 some great Offence ; and when this Daughter obtained leave 

 to have Access to her Mother, and constantly by the Jailer 

 was narrowly searched, that she might not bring to her any 

 Food, she was at last detected suckling her with the Milk 

 of her Breasts. On account of this astonishing circum- 

 stance the Life of the Mother was granted to the Piety of 

 the Daughter, and both of them had continued Sustenance 

 allowed them ; and the Place where this happened was con- 

 secrated to this Deity (Piety} : so that when C. Quintius and 

 M. Acilius were Consuls, the Temple of Piety was built, in 

 the very Place where this Prison stood, and where now 

 standeth the Theatre ofMarcellus. The Father of the Gracchi 



pateretur, alioquin criminis capitalis reus haberetur." That they should 

 give way to matrons, that no obscenity should either be spoken or done in 

 their presence ; and that no man should suffer himself to be within sight 

 of them naked : if otherwise, he should be held guilty of a capital crime. 

 Wern. Club. 



1 In the language of the ancients, piety is not to be understood as 

 having a reference to God, but only as expressing the law of social kind- 

 ness among the relations of blood or marriage. It proceeds only from 

 revelation that the latter is made to be a duty flowing from the former ; 

 and hence, while among Heathens the most vicious of mankind in his 

 general character might also be among the most pious, among Christians 

 no such anomalies can exist. Wern. Club. 



