BOOK VII.] History of Nature. 227 



CHAPTER XLIII. 

 Of one twice Proscribed: of Q. Metellus, and L. Sylla. 



M. FIDUSTIUS, a Senator, having been Proscribed by 

 Sylla, was preserved for six-and-thirty Years; but he was 

 afterwards Proscribed the second time : for he outlived Sylla 

 and continued to the time of Antony ; and it so happened 

 that by him he was Proscribed again, for no other reason 

 but because he had been so before. Fortune was pleased 

 that P. Ventidius alone should triumph over the Parthians : 

 but she had led him, while a Boy, in the Asculan triumph of 

 Cn. Pompeius Strabo ; although Massurius testifieth, that he 

 was so led in triumph twice. Cicero saith, 1 that he was at 

 first but a Muleteer to serve the Camp with Meal. Many 

 others affirm that in his Youth he was a poor Soldier, and 

 served as a Footman in his Caliga (or Military Foot Clothing). 

 Balbus Cornelius was also the Senior Consul : but he had 

 been judicially accused, delivered over to the Counsel of the 

 Judges, so that the right of the Rods 2 was on him. But this 

 Man was the first Roman Consul of Foreigners, arid even of 

 those born within the Ocean ; having attained to that Dig- 

 nity, which our Forefathers denied to Latium. Among the dis- 

 tinguished is L. Fulvius, who was Consul of the rebellious Tus- 

 culans ; but when he had passed over to the Romans, he was 

 presently by the whole People advanced to the same Honour 

 among them : and he was the only Man who triumphed at 



1 Epist. x. 18. 



2 This "right" was according to a law whose origin is disputed; but 

 it seems to have been ancient. According to Dalechampius' note on the 

 passage, no Roman citizen could be sentenced by the magistrate to the 

 rods, or be put to death, for any other crime than murder; and of 

 the latter it was necessary that he should be regularly convicted. But it 

 would appear that he might be condemned to exile with little ceremony. 

 Before the passing of this law, a Roman citizen, as well as a foreigner, if 

 sentenced to death, was scourged as a matter of course previous to the 

 execution of the higher sentence. The tendency of this law to confer 

 protection is seen in the instance of St. Paul, Acts of the Apostles, xvi. 37, 

 and xxii. 25. Wern, Club. 



