THE TRUE EFFIGIES, OR Portraiture Of the chief Philosophers, Historians, Poets, Grammarians, and Orators.  
OR, A Compendious VIEW of each, both dignified with, and distinguished by, their peculiar CHARACTERS.  
By Ed. Larkin, A. M. late Fellow of King's College in Cambridge, and now of Limesfield in Surrey Minister.  
LONDON, Printed by E. Cotes, for Henry Eversden, and are to be sold at his Shop, at the Greyhound in St. Pauls-Church yard, 1659.   

ΕΙΚΩΝ ΦΙΛΟΣΟΦΩΝ:  
OR, THE Philosophers, In their Express IMAGES.  
By E. Larkin, M. A. and late Fellow of King's College in Cambridge; now of Limesfield in Surrey Minister.  
LONDON, Printed by E. Cotes, for Henry Eversden, and are to be sold at his Shop, at the Greyhound in St. Pauls-Church-yard, 1659.   

TO THE Right Worshipful Sir WILLIAM HAWARD OF TANDRIDGE, KNIGHT; A great Honourer of LEARNING, and Learned Men.  
Noble SIR,  
HAving considered of some few choice Philosophers, and Historians, when spare hours were for such pleasing Recreations, I have here represented them in as brief Characters as I could, only begging your favourable View of them.  
Sir, your high Deserts, in respect of your Excellent Parts, and your large Improvement of them in all Literature, together with that serene Candour which is in you to Admiration, have emboldened me to make these rude Draughts yours, and to shroud them under the Wings of your great Name.  
I know I have pitched upon, as a most Judicious, so, a most Candid Patron; And were I sure to meet with as gentle a Reader, I should not then fear that black Coal, which young Writers so much dread.  
Sir, your Indulgent Acceptance of this so mean a Present, will tie me to you with the strongest Cords of Observance, and force, me not only to write, but also, to show myself ever more,  
Yours, to Honour and Reverence You, Edw. Larkin.   

The Names of the Philosophers as they are handled in order.  

HErmes,  
Pythagoras,  
Democritus.  
Heraclitus,  
Socrates,  
Plato,  
Epicurus,  
Zeno,  
Chrysippus,  
Cleanthes.  
Anaxagoras,  
Carneades,  
Aristoteles,  
Diogenes,  
Theophrastus,  
Seneca,  
Plinius,  
Plutarch,  
Apollonius Tyan.  
Epictetus,  
Arianus,  
Plotinus,  
Porphyrius,  
Maximus Tyrius,  
Boethius,    

Whereunto are added the Characters of those two most Eminent Physicians,  

HIppocrates.  
Galenus.    


THE CHARACTERS Of the chief of the PHILOSOPHERS.  

Hermes, i. e. Mercurius.  
HErmes, i. e. Mercurius, called by Gyraldus, Trismegistus, because he was in three respects great; as a Philosopher, as a Priest, and as a King. He was esteemed as the wisest of the Egyptians, and is thought by learned Suidas, to have flourished in the World before Pharaoh: He calls him Termaximum, not upon that account as Gyraldus doth, but because he spoke something that did intimate to him, he had some acknowledgement of the Trinity.  
Lactantius expresseth this wise Ancient in his Book de Ira Dei, where he saith, Ob virtutem multarumque artium Scientiam, Trismegistus nominatus, non modo Pla●one, verum etiam Pythagora, septemque illis sapientibus antiquior. Hermes named Trismegistus, for his Virtue and Science of many Arts, not only more ancient than Plato, but Pythagoras also, and the seven wise Men. Lypsius tells us, That though he was an Egyptian, and a Heathen man, Tamen in eo multa esse mysteria & arcana nostrae legis. Yet there are in him many mysteries and secrets of our Law. I'll let him pass with those Verses of Joseph Scaliger.  
— Quid vetus ejusdem  
Tyrannus aulae terque maximus Nili  
Regnator Hermes, qui logisticis punctis  
Collegit astra, coelici penetrali●  
Reseravit adyta, venit ad Deos ipsos,  
Coelo potitus sic per astra captivo?   

Pythagoras.  
PYthagoras the Samian Philosopher, was the Son of M●esarchus a Jeweller, of whom it is said, That in the Trojan War, his Name should be Euphorbus, according to that of the Poet, 
— Trojani Tempore belli  
Panthoides Euphorbus eram.—  But being there slain, and afterwards reviving, he was called thenceforward Pythagoras, whence arose that mad opinion of the Pythagorean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, whereby they report, that there is a migration of Souls out of one body into another, as they suit each with other in their Constitutions and Tempers; so that according to this principle, if a man of a fierce and fiery disposition dies, than his Spirit goes into some wild and ravenous Beast, such as is the Bear, or Lion; and so their Bodies are informed with an humane Soul.  
Now what a Chimaera this is, I need not stand to show, it being in its self absurd, and monstrous unto every eye. This Philosopher is by Justinus in his Dialogue with Tryphon, joined with the great Plato, and called with him, Vir sapiens, & quasi murus praesidiumque Philosophiae. A Wise man, and as it were the Wall, and Bulwark of Philosophy. Valerius Maximus in his seventh Book, styles him perfectissimum opus sapientiae, Wisdoms most perfect Work. And Plutarch tells us, That the Decrees of him, and of Empedocles were the only Laws of the Ancient Grecians.  
He was against any man's eating of things, wherein there was Blood, and Life, as is expressed by the Poet in the fifteenth Book of his Metamorphosis. I'll conclude him with that of Lypsius, Ejus singula sententiarum frusta gemmas habent. All his Crusts of Sentences have their Jewels.   

Democritus.  
DEmocritus, Surnamed Abderites, and called (as Suidas saith) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quod inania hominam studia derideret; Because he derided the vain Studies of men. Aelianus further calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Wisdom, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, because he was learned in Physics, Ethics, Mathematics, and in all other liberal Arts, and Disciplines. Epicurus in Laertius, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A Censurer of toys. Or else as Hadrianus Jun. would have it read, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
This Philosopher placing himself in his Garden, situate near the City Walls, did there purposely put out the sight of his Eyes, that he might be the better disposed for Contemplation. His Opinion was, That all things were made of Atoms, and that there were more Worlds than one. He learned Theology, and Astronomy from the Chaldeans. He bought himself to great want by reason of his tedious and frequent Travail, which he undertook for no other end but to advantage his Knowledge by them. He was the first Anotamist.  
Pliny calls him Virum sagacem & vitae utilissimum. He lived until he was very Aged, as being an hundred and nine years old when he died. He wasted himself in supplying the necessities of other men. His Father was so rich in Substance, that it is reported of him, that he entertained Xerxes huge and mighty numerous Host with a sumptuous Banquet.   

Heraclitus.  
HEraclitus the Ephesian Philosopher had affections quite contrary to those of Democritus, for he would weep at every Object, as the other laughed: He is by Suidas called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, obscure, and dark, because he so clouded all his Speeches, that the best eyed, and most judicious Philosophers could very hardly discover the meaning of them.  
Some say, that he never had any Master to instruct him, but that he learned all he knew, by his own only labour and industry; however others affirm, that he was Schooled both by Xenocrates, and Hippasus the Pythagorean. Declining in years, he fell into a Dropsy, but would not use the help of Physicians for the curing of him. At last, tumbling himself all over Head and Ears in Dung, he was torn in pieces by greedy Dogs, or as some others say, overwhelmed, and smothered in the Dirt.  
Pliny says of him, that for his rigour, and inflexible roughness of nature, he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a man without passion: In Laertius we meet with this Epigram upon him.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
He was styled by Epicurus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an Ape, or Affectatour, as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mero bibus; he said of himself, that when he was young, he knew nothing, and when he came to ripe years, he was ignorant of nothing. He flourished in the Reign of the last Darius the Persian; he wrote many things in a Poetical strain, and way, and is often times cited by the great Peripatetic Aristotle; There were four others of this Name.   

Socrates.  
Socrates' the Athenian Philosopher was the Son of Soproniscus, and Phanarota, his Father being a Statuary, and his Mother a Midwife. He had two Wives, whereof one was named Xantippe, a Woman of an unquiet, turbulent, and restless Spirit; of whom its noised, that whilst her labouring husband was reading of his grave Lectures, and in serious conference with his Disciples, she would frequently break in upon them, and overturn the Tables, on purpose to vex him; whence the good man was called, as we read in Seneca, Perpessitius Senex, per omnia aspera jactatus; Invictus tamen.  
It was his frequent saying; Quae supra nos, nibil ad nos. Those things which are above us, are nothing to us: The Delphic Oracle spoke thus of him, as it is noted in Aristophanes his Nubibus. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Sophacles is wise, Euripides wiser; but of all men, Socrates is the wisest.  
Eunapius calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A living Image of Wisdom. Valerius Maximus, Humanae sapientiae quasi quoddam terrestre oraculum. As it were an earthly Oracle of humane wisdom. Heinsius,  sapientiae: only Zeno of all men adventures to disparage him, in calling him, Scurram Atticum.  
Quintilian affirms, that he was the first Philosopher that brought down Wisdom from Heaven, and placed it here on earth in the habitations of men. He learned to play upon the Harp, when he was somewhat aged, he was compelled to drink a draught of Poison, and so he died. I'll add but his Character from Maximus Tyrius: Homo (says he) & corpore purissimus, & animo optimus, & vivendi ratione perfectissimus, & in dicendo suavissimus, qui pie cum Deo, & sancte cum hominibus versabatur. A man most pure in body, and best in mind, most perfect in his way of living, and most sweet in his expressions, one that lived piously with God, and holily with Men.   

Plato.  
PLato the Prince of the Academic Sect, was the Son of Ariston, and Parectonia, so called (as Appuleius saith, A corpori● habitudine, from the habitude of his Body; for he had broad Shoulders, whereas before, he was named Aristocles. Being young, he acquired the Art of Limning, and spent also some time then in composing of Poems and Tragedies: when he grew in years he followed Socrates, from whom he sucked his Rudiments of Philosophy; wherein he so outstripped all others of his time: that (as Cicero says) he was accounted Deus Philosophorum, the God of the Philosophers, and called (as in the Epigram) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Tully further in his Book de Divinatione, telleth us, That being a Child, and lying in his Cradle, a Swarm of Bees ligted upon his Lips, and thence it was answered, That he should prove the sweetest of all Orators: His Eloquence was thus foreseen in his Infancy, and to it doth that Epigram of Owen's relate.  
Quae primum in labris pueri sedere Platonis,  
In Libris resident usque Platonis apes.  
What says Antimachus of him in Cicero's Brutus; Plato unus mihi instar omnium millium, Plato alone is ●o me as many thousands. Maximus Tyrius is bold to affirm, That Nature herself never saw any thing more eloquent, no, not so much as great Homer excepted; Panoetius therefore styles him the Homer of Philosophers: Pliny, Sapientiae Antistitem, The Precedent of Wisdom. Salvian, Romanum Catonem, The Roman Cato. Et alium Italiae Socratem; And another Socrates of Italy.  
He is further compared by a Philosopher to Moses, and called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Moses speaking in the Arctic Dialect. Lipsius saith, That he uttered many things worthy of the Gods, and that, though he sometime spoke, yet he did not think with the Multitude. He was named Philosychus, because he extremely loved to seed on Figgs; he lived his whole life a Bachelor, and as some say, He died Morbo pediculari, Of the lousy Disease.   

Epicurus.  
EPicurus the Head of that Sect, called the Epicurian, was an Athenian Philosopher, of whom it is reported, That he should place Man's chiefest happiness in Pleasure, yet not with Aristippus, in that of the Body, but in that of the Mind. Seneca tells us, that he did Sancta, & recta praecipere, Command things holy and just, and that he did Male audire Infamis immerito. They further write of him, That he should deny the Divine Providence, as though all things of the World were upheld and maintained without it: what ever these say of him, yet Lucretius most highly extolleth him, doubting not to affirm, That this Epicurus hath as far dimmed the light of other Philosophers, as the Sun doth outshine the other Planets.  
He was a man of most continent life, notwithstanding that his placing of man's chief good in Pleasure hath caused this; that all voluptuous men are from his Name called Epicurians: He writ very much, whereupon he is in Diogenes Laertius called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Suidas saith, That he was seven years old at Plato's death; and that when he was a young man, he could with much ado get out of his Bed, and that his Eyes were so weak, that he could not bear the Sunshine.  
Timocrates called his Philosophy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A nocturnal and secret Conventicle; he cared not for Logic, asserting that Philosophy might be comprehended in simple, and naked words.   

Zeno.  
ZEno the Head of the Stoic Sect, was had in so great esteem and admiration with the Athenians, (as Laertius hath reported) that they would dare to commit the custody, and trust of their City Keys to him, honouring him moreover with a Golden Crown, and a brazen Image. This man one day hearing a Youth to prate idly and foolishly, spoke thus unto him, Ideo duas habemus aures, os autem unum, ut scilicet multa audiamus, pauca vero loquamur. Therefore have we two Ears, and but one Mouth, that we might hear many things, and speak but few.  
Cicero tells us, That this was the Philosopher which did distinguish with his hand, those two Arts of Logic, and Rhetoric, Nam cum compresserat digitos, pugnumque fecerat, dialecticam a●ebat ejusmodi esse, cum autem diduxerat, & manum dilataverat, palmae illius similem eloquentiam esse dicebat. When he contracted his Fingers, and clenched his hand, than it resembled Logic, but when those Fingers were spread abroad, and when he had opened his hand, than did he represent Rhetoric, or Eloquence.  
It's further said, to his great praise, and honour, that he did verba vertere in opera, Even live, as he spoke, there being no dis-harmony betwixt his Conversation and Doctrines. So that his Life was proposed to the Athenians, as a Pattern for them to imitate. He is styled by a learned man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A severe Philosopher, and one that uttered very sublime things. And he is called by Laertius, Aegiptius palms; for the talness and procerity of his lean, and slender Body.   

Chrysippus.  
CHrysippus the Son of Apollonius, or as others will have it, Apollonides, and the Disciple of Zeno, was an eminent Stoic: His Opinions were repugnant to many of his Contemporaries; He was so excellent a Logician, that it was an ordinary expression in the World concerning him; That it there were any use of Logic amongst the Gods, they then used none other then that of Chrysippus.  
He is called by Carneades, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for the smallness of his Body, who speaks further in the praise of him: Nisi Chrysippus esset, ego non ●ssem, Unless Chrysippus had been, I had not been. Heinsius calls him very wittily Retiarium Chrysippum, As if like to a Net, he was apt to catch all men; for his voluminousness, and multitude of Books, he was thought to emulate Epicurus, and therefore was well named by Carneades, Librorum ejus parasitus, His Books parasite.  
I meet not with any contemptuous or scornful affront put on him, but only with one from Zeno, who playing upon his Name, very disdainfully called him Chesippum, which word is derived from the Greek term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and signifies an immodest Act, Cacare. Laertius says of him, How that next to Cleanthes, he was the principal Member of the Stoic School.   

Cleanthes.  
Cleanthes' a Stoic Philosopher, was the Disciple of Grates, and Successor to Zeno, whose Philosophy he ever adhered to, and propagated it to all, that he could converse with. Suidas saith of him, that he was so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Such a great Pains-taker, that he attained the name of another Hercules.  
Being very poor, and not able to supply himself with daily Food, he would suffer his Labour to be hired all Night, and to be used in drawing of water, and when the day was come, he would spend the greatest part of that either in his private Studies, or in Conferences with Disciples: yet because he wrought so hard when he came to his handy Labour, therefore instead of Cleanthes, they would very often call him Phreanthes, which being in e●pteted, (says Laertius) signifies one that is an Emptier of Wells.  
Cicero calls him notwithstanding, Stoicum majorum Gentium, & Zenon is auditorem, A Stoic of the highest Rank, and the Auditor of Zeno. He was so poor, that when he was the Scholar of the forementioned Zeno, not being able to buy Paper for his own use, he would write the Instructions which he received from his Master, in Shells, and Bones.   

Anaxagoras.  
ANaxagoras the Disciple of Milesius, and the Son of Hegesibulus, was called (as Plutarch says) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, because he asserted that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Matter, and Mind, were the Maintainers, and Preservers of all things. Suidas reports, that he was very rich, but left all his Lands to be devoured by Cattles, whence Apollonius Tyaneus took occasion to say handsomely, Anaxagoram potius ovibus, quam hominibus philosophatum fuisse. That Anaxagoras rather philosophised to Sheep then Men. At length, the question being asked him by his Friends, why he took no more care of his Country, He forthwith stretching forth his Arm to Heaven-ward, raplyed (as it is in Laertius) Patriam eam esse, That that was his Country: At last returning home, and finding every thing out of order, his Lands unmanured, and untilled, and his Houses ruinated, he broke out into these, or such like words, Non essem ego salvus, nisi istae periissent. I had not been safe, if they had not perished.  
This Philosopher was the first man that found out the Lunary Eclipse (as Plutarch affirms in the life of Nicias) for Nicias his Soldiders at the fight of one, were therewith all terrified, and looked upon it, as a Sign of the God's displeasure, not knowing that there was a natural cause of it.  
Laertims also writes, that he was the first too that undertook to publish to the World the Works he had composed. It was his opinion of God, That he was Infinita mens, quae per seipsam movetur, as Polydore Virgil hath recorded it, Cicero hath styled him, Virum summum in maximaerum rerum scientia, A man most eminently knowing in the most transcendent things.   

Carneades Cyrenaeus.  
CArneades Cyrenaeus called by Suidas, Novae, Academiae Author, The Author of a new Academy, was a great Admirer of the Chrysippaean Philosophy, and opponent to the Principles of the Stoic Zeno: They say, that he made use of the Art of Memory.  
Cicero, Gellius, and Quintilian write, that he was sent with others in an Embassy, by the men of Athens to Rome, but as soon as Cato had espied him, he informed the Senate, that he was a very dangerous man, and that it concerned them to be wary of dealing with him, lest his eloquent and winning Tongue should so master them, as to make them grant whatsoever he demanded.  
Tully extols the Abilities of this man, in this following Character; Carneadis vis incredibilis illa dicendi, & varietas perquam esset optanda nobis qui nullam unquam in illis suis disputationibus rem defendit, quam non probarit, nullam oppugnavit, quam non everterit; How well were it to be wished, that we had that incredible faculty of Carneades his Eloquence, who never undertook a Cause, but did maintain, never impugned one, but overthrew it. Whence it was, says Cicero, that it was called Vis Carneadea aut Aristotelia: Either a Carneadean, or Aristotelian Ability.  
Valerius Maximus calls him Laboriosum sapientiae militem, Wisdoms laborious and painful Soldier: and if Pliny may be thought worthy of Credit; It was the Censor Cato's opinion, and saying, That it was a very difficult thing to discern the truth, when this Philosopher was disputing. He lived ninety years, and as the forementioned Historian saith of him; Idem illi vivendi, ac Philosophandi finis fuit.   

Aristoteles.  
ARistoteles the Stagyrite, the Son of Nicomachus was the Master of great Alexander of Macedon, whose Works were had in that reveeence with Chosroes the King of the Persians, that he had gotten them all by heart. He was Plato's Auditor at Athens for the space of ten years, and so profited in the Study of Philosophy, that one would think, the Characters which the Learned afforded him, are Hyperbolical, and yet some there be, that think, that they do not transcend the man's merit.  
Cicero calls him, Aureum eloquentiae flumen, A golden River of Eloquence. Plutarch, Virum eloquentissimum, & peritum flectendi animos quaqua vellet, A man most eloquent and skilful to incline, and draw men's Minds whithersoever he pleased.  
Averro informs us, that he invented three of the Sciences, Logicam, Naturalem, & Divinam, and in another place the same Author says, Aristoteles est regula, & exemplar, quod natura Invenit ad demonstrandam ultimam perfectionem humanam; Aristotle is that Rule, and Sample which Nature hath found out to demonstrate man's ultimate Perfection.  
He is called by Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nature's Scribe: and in the Greek Anthology, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; To Arnobius, he is Pater peripateticorum, The Father of Peripatetics. To Julius Scaliger, Summus acprimus omnium scienti●rum dictator, The chief and prime Dictator of all Sciences. And as the same Author further speaketh, Neque ipso, Pindaro minor, neither inferior to Pindar himself. Lastly, He is to Lipsius, Summus rerum omnium Jude●, The chief Judge of all matters.  
It is noised, that he withstood the learnedst of men, divine Plato, whence Aelian takes an occasion to bring in great Plato, calling his Scholar most unthankful, who like a wanton Calf filled with the Mother's Milk, lifts up its Heel against its own Dam. He died in the sixty eighth of his Age, in the same year as did Demosthenes.   

Diogenes Synopensis.  
Diogenes Synopensis, the Disciple of the Philosopher Antisthenes, who would have him to be his Master, even against his will, for when he refused to take upon him the charge of Scholars, Diogenes would not be put off, nor recede from him; and when he threatened to strike him with his Staff, the Cynic most willingly submitted his Pate to it, saying withal, Nullus tam dirus baculus est, qui me a tuo possit obsequio seperare. There is no stick so hard, as to be able to separate me from your Service.  
He was familiarly and frequently called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Dog, and being demanded, why he was so named, his answer was to this purpose, Quod iis blandior, qui daunt, in eos vero qui non daunt, oblatro, malos autem mordeo; Because I flatter and fawn on those which give, and bark at such as give not; and for the wicked ones I by't them. So that that Verse which the Poet Horace applies to sordid Avidienus, may very well suit with this Diogenes.  Cui Canis ex vero ductum cognomen adhaeret. 
For as it is in Diogenes Laertius, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉   
Suidas saith, That this Philosopher was eminent for his Valour, and Courage, as others were for other Virtues. Xenocrates for mildness, Theophrastus for Gravity, Zeno for Austerity, and Plato for Majesty: The latter of which called this Diogenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Distracted Socrates.  
Being Courted once by Great Alexander, and desired to ask of him any thing he liked. In answer, He wished, that the King would not take that from him, which he could not give him. Alexander being so great a Potentate, wondered greatly what that might be, and forth with he understood that it was the comfort of the Sun-beans, for indeed the King stood betwixt him and the Sun.   

Theophrastus.  
THeophrastus, a Philosopher of the City Eresse, whence called Eresseus, was the Disciple of great Aristotle, who departing from his School to Chalcis, left this man behind to be his Successor.  
Suidas saith, that at the beginning, his Name was Tyrtamus, but afterwards he was called by Aristotle, Euphrastus, and at length by some others Theophrastus; his Philosophy indeed being Heavenly and Divine; It was a familiar speech of his, that a learned man could never be Amicorum inops, Without Friends: the same, Seneca hath delivered of the wise man. They say, that he had two thousand Scholars, the like not being affirmed of any Philosopher, either before, or after him.  
Casaubon saith of him, That he was, Vir dignissimus qui eo seculo viveret, quod tulit Socratem, vidit Platonem, Aristotelem generi humano dedit, Triumviros constituendae philosophiae divinitus sine dubio excitatos: A man most worthy to live in that Age, that brought Socrates into the World; Saw Plato, and gave Aristotle to Mankind, the Triumvirs that were raised by Divine Providence, for the constitution of Philosophy.  
Therefore he saith further of him, Seeing he was, as it were, bred in the very Bosom of those, It is no wonder, if he arrived to that deptst of Learning, and vein of Eloquence, that nothing could seem to proceed from him, which was not every way thought perfect by all that were studious of Wisdom.  
He is styled by Scaliger in his Poetices, Divina vir eloquentia, A man of divine Eloquence: and by Aegllius, Suavitate homo insigni, linguae, pariter ac vitae; One, both for Tongue, ana Life, of eminent Sweetness: Plutarch affirms, how that the Roman Orator M. Tullius was wont to call him his Deliciae; his Works are commemorated by Diogenes: He died very aged.   

Lucius Annaeus Seneca.  
LVcius Annaeus Seneca, of Corduba in Spain, was a Stoic Philosopher; and the Master of Domitius Nero, by whom he was very ill recompensed for all his Learned and good Instructions; for that same Monster of men compelled him to open his own Veins, and to let out his own blood, and that only out of a suspicion, that he had been one of Piso's Conspiracy.  
He was called as Gyraldus well observes, Moralis, The Moralist, whom Fabius in his tenth Book styles Egregium vitiorum insectatorem, An eminent Scourger of the Vices: Quamvis in philosophia parum diligentem, Although not so diligent in his Philosophy, as the same Author there notes: But Pontanus in his Observations upon Macrobius his Saturnals, names him Romana philosophiae Syrenem, The Siren of the Latin Philosophy. And Lipsius, Magnum inter magnos virum, & sapientiae fontem: Great amongst the great ones, and the Fountain of Wisdom: He further calls him an Author amongst all others most praise worthy, and for the Study of Virtue almost a Christian; his matter was so sweet to him, that he could not choose but break thus out. Pura, & coelo digna mens, & ad coelum alios subducens O pure Mind, and worthy of Heaven and drawing others to Heaven. Erasmus could say this also of the man, Si legas illum ut paganum, scripsit Christiane, si ut christianum, scripsit paganice. If thou readest him as a Pagan, he writ like a Christian: If thou readest him as a Christian, he writ like a Pagan.  
Caussinus his Judgement of him was, That he had not his equal for Wit, and that he is rather to be admired, then commended. They say, that Quintilian and Agellius did for something or other dislike of him: but learned Lipsius showeth that they did it without a cause, so that he concludes thus of him; Soli Caligulae, cui nihil boni placere poterat, displicuit: He was displeasing only to Caligula, whom no good thing could ever please. Those Fathers, Tertullian, Augustine, and Jerome speak very honourably of the man.   

Plinius Secundus.  
PLinius Secundus of Verona, flourished when Vespasian was Emperor, to whose state affairs he was very serviceable, as appears by Suetonius, who in these following words applauds his Faithfulness; Equestribus militiis industrie functus, procurationes quoque splendidissimas atque continuas summa Integritate administravit, & tamen liberalibus studiis tantam operam dedit, ut non temere quis plura in otio scripserit.  
His Life was very diligently written by his Grandson Caecilius, whose Epistles we have now extant with a Panegyric, in honour of Trajanus. But as for this man, his chiefest work, is his natural History; upon the account whereof, we have him styled by one of the Learned, Naturae Bibliothecarium; in which Work of his Caussinus takes notice of some disparity, for says he in the third Book, de Eloquentia, Plinius non ubique sui similis, plaeraque enim acute scripsit, nonnulla neglecta & inculta: Pliny is not every where like himself, many things he hath writ acutely, others with more neglect, and with less Ornament.  
However there are others of the Learned, who highly extol him, as Heinsius; Jam de Caio Plinio quid dicam? qui naturam universam & utrumque mundum plane inusitata ante caeteris audacia, paucis voluminibus inclusit: qui imperio Romano, cui universus terrae orbis concessisset, coelum quoque adjecit. Now what shall I say of Caius Plinius? who included the whole Universe in a few Volumes, a boldness that others before him did not dare to show; who added Heaven also to the Roman Empire, to which the whole World had before submitted.  
His Grandson in one of his Epistles attributes to him, Acre Ingenium, Incredibile studium, & summam vigilantiam, A quick Wit, an incredible studiousness, and a wonderful Vigilancy. Dempster the Grammariam heaps upon him many worthy Epithets. Scriptor diligentissimus, eloquentissimus, veracissimus, incomparabilis, unus omnium Instar. A Writer most diligent, most eloquent, most true, incomparable, and one in esteem that is worth all. He is said to have been consumed in the flames that issued out of the Mountain Vesuvius, whilst too carelessly he was enquiring into, and seeking out the causes of it.   

Plutarch.  
PLutarchus of Choeronea in Boeotia, called by Eunapius, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, divine Plutarch. As also, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The Venus and Harp of all Philosophy. He was in great repute, when Trojanus, and Adrian were Emperors. Suidas saith, That he was honoured with Consular Titles and Dignities by the former of the two Princes, and that he was sent by him into Illyria with very great Authority, the Magistrates being there required not to act or determine any thing without Commission from their Deputy.  
Heinsius in one of his Orations styles him, Compendium eruditionis, Prudentiae Thesaurum, Antiquitatum utriusque generis, Quendam Delium Apollinem. An Epitome of Learning, a Treasury of Prudence, and for Antiquities of either kind a certain Delius Apollo. Lipsius calls him, Meliorem omnino, quam acutiorem Doctorem. Rather a better, then more acute Doctor.  
Frisclinus did so admire his Works, that it was his Judgement of them; that in Case all other Authors were lost, yet they might be repaired, and made good again by these Writings of Plutarch.  
I'll let him pass with his Encomium from Bodinus, Est in eo, quod miremur, liberum de re quaque judicium ut non tam Historicus, quam principum Censor esse videatur; sic tamen existimo, si quis Idoneus est earum rerum arbiter, aut Plutarchum esse, aut neminem, quid enim tantam sapientiam latere po●uit? There is that in him, we may admire, a free Judgement in every matter, that he seems not so much to be an Historian as a Censurer of Princes; so than I think, if there be any fit Arbiter, or Judge of those things, it's either Plutarch, or no man, for what is there in the World, that can be concealed and hid from so transcendent Prudence and Wisdom.   

Apollonius Tyaneus.  
APollonius Tyaneus, a Pythagorean Philosopher, styled by Vopiscus, Celeberrimae famae authoritatisque vir, A man of most transcent Fame, and Authority, as also by the same Author, Amicus verus Deorum, pro numine frequentandus. A t●●● Friend of the Gods, and to be honoured as a Deity, had his life written by Philostratus, and before him, by one Damis the sole Companion of his tedious Travels.  
Sidonius in his Epistle extols him, as a man that was endued with all Virtues; Erat cupidus scientiae, continens pecuniae, inter epulas abstemius, inter purpuratos lin●eatus, inter alabastra censorius. He was desirous of Science, continent of money, in Banquets abstemious, amidst purpled Ones mean habited, and among the Alabastred censorious.  
This man being at Ephesus in that very hour that the Emperor Domitian was murdered. As he was disputing in a Throng of people, on a sudden, he cast his Eyes downward, and became mute; but presently he burst out into these, or the like words, Euge Stephano pulchre, percute peccatorem, pulsasti, vulnerasti, & interfecisti. Alluding therein to the ruin and destruction of that cruel and bloody Emperor.  
This man hath excellent Characters given him by the learned. Paulinus, says of him, Quod invenit ubique, quod disceret, & semper proficeret, That he every where met with something that he might learn, and that he always profited. Casaubon affirms, that the Critics called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Faultless and Inculpable, in whom indeed there appeared more of Ca●e, then Wit.  
Eunapius speaks him to have been as it were of a middle Nature betwixt the Gods and Mortals. Justinus Martyr notes him to have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scientissimum, eoque stupendae mirabilitatis effectorem celeberrimum. Suidas preferred him before Simonides for strength of Memory, calling him Virum admirandum ac divinum. Caelius Rhodiginus says, that he was skilful in the understanding of the Beasts Language; it was his daily wish and prayer unto his Gods, that he might know the good ones, and avoid the evil.   

Epicteus.  
Epictetus' a Stoic Philosopher of Hieropolis in Phrygia, who going from thence to Rome, bound himself in Service to Epaphroditus, one of Nero's, principal Lifeguard, and there lived until the Reign of Domitian, whose Misgovernment, when he could not well digest, he left the City, and returned again to Hierapolis: he fell lame by a Distillation, which had gotten into one of his Legs, and that lameness he intimated in this following Epigram, being of his Composing.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Lipsius calls him Philosophum optimi sensus, A Philosopher of the best sense: and in another place, Virum totum a se, & a Deo, nihil a Fortuna. A man wholly of himself, and of God, having nothing as from Fortune. Lucian tells us in one of his Dialogues, That one gave three thousand Drachmas for this man's earthen Candlestick, or Lantern, hoping that if he might but read by that at Night, he might attain to Epictetus' Wisdom, and be like that excellant old man.  
This Philosopher was had in high esteem with the two Antony's; his Enchiridion was writ in Greek, but afterwards Latinized by Angelus Politianus. The Critics have spoken very highly in the praises of it. What saith Lipsius? Enchiridion sane egregium, & Stoicae philophiae velut anima, His Enchiridion is truly admirable, and as it were, the very Soul of the Stoic Philosophy.  
Another says, that its a Book, more heavy for weight, then great for Bulk, daily to be embraced, and kissed, and never to be out of men's hands. I'll end him, with that of Dempster, Epicteti Enchiridion moribus utile, dissertationes graves, prudentiae plenae; Epictetus his Enchiridion is profitable for manners, his Disputations grave, full of prudence.   

Arianus.  
ARianus of Nicomedia the Disciple of Epictetus, sir-named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The new Zenophon, or Zenophon the Junior; because he set forth the Dissertations of Epictetus, as the other had done of Cyrus. Suidas saith, That he lived at Rome, in the Reigns of Adrian, and Marcus Antonius then Emperors, by whom he was promoted to Consular Honours for his excellent Erudition, as is reported by Heliconius.  
Lipsius says, That he had Epictetus his Discourses, In via, Domo, Schola, In his Way, House, School, as being never out of his Hands, and Mouth, and Heart. Bodinus styles him, Virum summo ingenio, summaque doctrina praeditum, A man endued with an admirable Wit, and with very great Learning, as indeed appears by those his Commentaries upon the Renowned Epictetus.  
Vossius admiring the sweetness of his Tongue, doth also call him Alterum Zenophonta, Another Zenophon: for he writ History as well as Philosophy, having described the Warlike Feats, and Martial Affairs of Great Alexander, whereupon he is called by Coelius Rhodiginus, Historicus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A truth-loving Historian. There is a certain Grammarian that chargeth him with Arrogancy, as one that gloried mightily in his own Writings, and that would be accounted among the Greek Historians, as was Great Alexander amongst the Martial Captains: There was another of the Name, a Poet, with whose Verses, Suetonius writes, that Tiberius Caesar was extremely well delighted and pleased.   

Plotinus.  
PLotinus named Lycopolita by learned Suidas, as being an Egyptian, and an Inhabitant of the City Lycus, who (as the same Author relates it) was E Bajulo philosophus. He was the Scholar or Disciple of Ammonius, and the Master of Porphyrus: He was a man of a spare and lean body, subject unto many Corporal Infirmities, and among the rest, to the Falling-sickness.  
He lived in the Reigns of Galenus, Tacitus, and Probus the Roman Emperors; Eunapius who writ the Lives of the Sophisters, calls him Magnum Plotinum, The great Plotinus. Theodoret, one of the Greek Fathers saith, That he was Origenis Auditor, One of Origen's Auditors; and he affirms moreover, that he well understood the Traditions of the Rabbins.  
The forementioned Eunapius further testifieth that this man's Speech was so obscure, and Enigmatical, Quod a populari captu disjunctior videbatur; That it seemed to be much separated from, and far above the popular Capacity.  
Lipsius' in the fourth Century of his Miscellanies, styles him Virum sapientia inclytum, A man famous for his Wisdom.   

Porphyrius.  
POrphyrius a Philosopher of Tyre, the chief City of the ancient Phoenicians, was at the beginning called by the name of Malchus, which in the Syrian Language signifieth King: whereupon Suidas saith, that his Name was Basilius. However he was called by his worthy and learned Master Longinus, by the name of Porphyrius, and that from the Purple in his Garment, which is indeed an Ensign of Majesty.  
This man taking his leave of Longinus, traveled to Rome, and there heard the Philosopher Plotinus, where for his Companions, and Condisciples, he had those two men of Fame, Origen, and Amelius.  
This Author doth seem in his Works to have delivered Contradictions; but the cause hereof, is thought to be his final Retractation, as rejecting in the end those Principles, which he did at the beginning close with: In some of his Writings, he endeavours to clear, that both Plato, and Aristotle were of one, and the same Sect. He writ against the Christians; as for the time he lived in, it was in the Reign of Aurelian, and he continued to Tacitus, and Probus.  
Suidas in honour of his great Learning, gives him this ensuing Character;  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. A man that form and expressed all kinds of Philosophy. And again,  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. One promiscuously rolled in every Virtue.  
Nicephorus in his tenth Book, speaks him an Apostate from the Christian Faith, and that Libanius the Sophister should account of him as it were a God; Nazianzen also informs us, That Julian did glory in his fabulous Lies, as though they had been the very Oracles of God. He fell sick once at Lylibaeum in Sicily, but recovering of that distemper, he died afterwards at Rome.   

Maximus Tyrius.  
MAximus Tyrius a Platonic Philosopher, called by Heinsius in his Epistle Dedicatory before Horace, Vir magnus & Terrarum Domini praeceptor, A great man, and Tutor to the Emperor; for by Terrarum Domini is to be understood Marcus Antoninus then Reigning: what this man disputed in the Greek Tongue at Rome, was afterwards Latinized, or made Roman by learned Heinsius, who gives all his learned Disputations this excellent Eulogy.  
Hujus viri disputationes, quae ad nostram pervenerunt aetatem, tales sunt, ut unum quidem si excipias Platonem, nemini dicendi venustate, pariter ac sapientia concedant, neque quisquam hodie legatur, qui tam accurate, ac feliciter indolem ac genium musae expresserit Platonicae. The Disputes of this man which are come to our Age, are such, that if you do but except that one man Plato, they shall be inferior to none in sweetness of Speech and wisdom. Neither can any one be now read, that hath so accurately, and happily expressed the Wit, Spirit, and Genius of the Platonic Muse.  
No wonder therefore if Casaubonus styles him Platonicorum mellitissimum, The sweetest of Platonics. Whereunto also that description, that Heinsius hath made of him, doth very well accord. Scriptor ex Academia, Sapiens, Amaenus, Floridus, Facundus, & qui ubique patrem suum refert Platonem. An Academic Writer, Wise, Pleasant, Florid, Eloquent, and one that every where expresseth his Father Plato.   

Severinus Boethius.  
SEverinus Boethius, a man of Consular degree, and an excellent Aristotelian, whence Barthius could say, That scarce any Writer was so commendable in the Schools as he, because he Latinized so well Aristotle's Doctrine of Disputing.  
Scaliger tells us, that Valla commended this Boethius, and this Boethius Valla; V●lla docet Boethium latin loqui, at Vallam Boetius bene sapere. This Philosopher was so good a Speaker, that a Critic could say of him Quod flumen Romani sermonis apud illum fere solum remansit. That the River of the Roman Tongue almost remained alone with him.  
He was banished by Theodoricus, when Zeno was Emperor, and afterwards Imprisoned, and last of all put to death with his Father-in-Law Symmachus one of the Senators, and all for suspicion of a Conspiracy for liberty.  
Angelus Politianus extols him as a man eminent in all Sciences: Quis Boetio vel in dialecticis acutior? vel subtilior in Mathematicis? vel in philosophia locupletior? vel in Theologia Sublimior? Who more acute than Boetius in Logicks? or more subtle in Mathematics, or richer in Philosophy? or more sublime in Divinity.  
And to all this I'll but add one thing more from Caspar Barthius, and it relates to this Author, Ejus Ingenium neque ante se multos, neque pest se aliquem toto Romani imperii tempore habuit similem. His Wit had not many before him, nor any after like unto him, in all the time of the Roman Empire.    

THE CHARACTERS Of those two excellent Physicians, HIPPOCRATES, AND GALENUS.  

HIppocrates Cous the Son of Heraclidas, and the Auditor of Democrates, was for his knowledge in Physic far preferred before his own Grandfather an eminent Doctor, and of his own name; for Suidas gives him this honourable Encomium, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The Star and Light of Physic, which is most profitable for life. He was of great Repute with all that had ever heard of him.  
Artaxerxes (as Suidas relates it) that mighty Emperor of the Persians did solicit for, and woe his company by magnificent Largesses, and most high Advancements, as esteeming his presence equal almost to the Wealth of his whole Empire.  
Cornelius Celsus calls him Medicinae parentem virumque arte & Facundia insignem, The Parent of Medicine, and a man famous for his Art and Eloquence, he is styled by Agellius, Divina vir scientia, A man of Divine Knowledge: By Seneca, Maximus medicorum & hujus scientiae conditor, The greatest of Physicians, and the Creator as it were of this Science.  
Macrobius speaking also of him, hath this very passage, Hippocratis proprium, ne fallere, aut fallisciat, 'Tis proper to Hypocrates, not to know, either to deceive, or to be deceived. There is an handsome Epigram in the Greek Anthology, and it runneth thus.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
— 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Cicero saith this of him, That he thought more sick and languishing persons were recovered by this Hypocrates, then were by Aesculapius: I'll let him go, but with a word from Heinsius, Quid cum solo conferendum Hippocrate ulla vidit aetas. What hath any Age seen worthy to be compared with Hypocrates. There were more of the Name, one a Soldier mentioned by Thucydides. Another a Mathematician, spoken of by learned Plutarch.   

Galenus.  
GAlenus was of Pergamus, the Son of Nicon, that famous Geometrician and Architect. He is called by Caelius Rhodiginus, a Philosopher, as well as a Physician; who further saith of him, That in the common rumour and Fame of the World, he through his wonderful Temperance, and Sobriety, prolonged his life to an hundred and forty years, and that he breathed always Odoriferously. Whence, saith Rhodiginus, it became a Proverb,  Galeni valetudinem dicamus pro ea, quae ultra humanum captum nimis sit prospera, nimisque inoffensa. That we say, Galens Healthiness, for that, which is too prosperous, and too inoffensive beyond the natural Capacity of men.  
He flourished in the Reigns of Marcus, and Commodus; as he compiled much in Physic, so he writ also much in Philosophy, Rhetoric, and Grammar. The Learned have afforded him many eminent Eulogiums. By Diaconus, he is styled, Medicus optimus, The best Physician, by Casaubon, Criticorum non minus, quam medicorum princeps, No less the Chief of Critics, then of Physicians: By Dempster, Medicorum, ex primo primus.  
But of all others, Heinsius is most high upon his Merit, who calls him, and that without flattery, Mare eruditionis, Oceanum disciplinarum, Omnium Ingenuarum artium promum, condum, & quasi quandam Bibliothecam; A Sea of Learning, an Ocan of Disciplines, a Butler or Drawer out of all ingenuous Arts, and as it were a certain Library; He Composed a Dictionary in an Alphabetick way, upon the Learned Works of Hypocrates; How, and where he died, I certainly read not.     

ΤΥ'ΠΟΣ ' ΙΣΤΟΡΙΧΩ ' Ν, OR, THE HISTORIANS In their proportionable LINEAMENTS.  
LONDON, Printed by E.C. for Henry Eversden, at the Greyhound in S. Paul's Churchyard, 1659.   

THESE ARE THE NAMES Of some of the chief HISTORIANS, As they are handled in Order.  

THucidides,  
Zenophon,  
Polybius,  
Herodotus,  
Dyonysius Halicarnassius,  
Caius Julius Caesar,  
Velleius Paterculus,  
Diodorus Siculus,  
Crispus Salustius,  
Titus Livius,  
Valerius Maximus,  
Quintus Curtius.  
Cornelius Tacitus,  
Lucius Annaeus Florus,  
Josephus,  
Suetonius Tranquillus,  
Junianus Justinus,  
Pausanias,  
Herodianus,  
Procopius,  
Ammianus Marcellinus,    

THB CHARACTERS Of some of the chief of the HISTORIANS.  

Thucydides.  
THucidides an Historian of Athens, was the Son of Olorus, who flourished in the time of the Peloponesian War, which he undertook to write, and performed it most accurately; for having hired both sides with pieces of Silver, to inform him with the most true intelligence, he was thereby enabled to deliver his Narration incorrupt, and impartial: he learned Philosophy of Anaxagoras, and Rhetoric of Antiphon; Demosthenes was so transported with his History, that transcribing it very often, he at length had it by heart.  
Quintilian compares him with Herodotus, and Cicero prefers him to all others, him only excepted: he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The Star of Rhetoric; and is equalled on that account, to Demosthenes, and Aristides. Lipsius' in his Politics affords him this following Character; Res nec multas, nec magnas nimis scripsit, sed palmam fortasse praeripit omnibus, qui multas ac magnos. He writ neither very many, nor great matters, however he is advanced above those that wrote both many and great. Gregory Nazianzen could not contain himself from breaking forth into this praise; Quis mihi Herodoti ac Thucididis otium linguamque suppeditabit? Who will supply me with the Leisure and Language of Herodotus, and Thucydides?  
Vossius gives him Tergeminam gloriam, in that he was, Et bonus Philosophus & Historicus, & bello dux bonus. Both a good Philosopher, and an Historian, as also a good Warrior; There were others likewise of this Name, but none equal to him in Repute and Fame.   

Zenophon.  
ZEnophon the Son of Gryllus was the Disciple of Socrates, and an Historian of Athens; he was called for the sweetness of his stile Musa Attica, The Athenian Muse, he was the first of the Philosophers that writ an History, wherein he shown himself a most accurate Imitator of Socrates; Cicero affirmeth of him, That his Speech is sweeter than Honey, and that the Muses did, as it were, use his Language, when they spoke.  
He is styled Apis Attica, The Athenian Bee by Laertius, as before, Musa Attica, The Athenian Muse by Suidas. P. Cornelius Africanus was so high an Esteemer of him, and his History, that he would never suffer him to be out of his hands; and Lucius Lucullus, who was sent against that subtle and potent Enemy Mithrydates, being himself but a raw, and unskilful Warrior, yet by reading the Works of this Zenophon, he so bettered his Judgement in Military Affairs, that at last he subdued him, and triumphed over him.  
The stile of this man is sublime, and his Expression Candid; so saith Dempster. Agellius informs us, that he lived sometimes in variance with great Plato. There were three more of this Name, one of Antioch, another of Ephesus, and a third of Cyprus, so saith the learned Suidas.   

Polybius.  
POlybius an Historian of Megalopolis, a City of Arcadia, was the Master of Scipio Africanus; he wrote the Roman History in forty Books, beginning from the Banishment of Cleomenes, the Spartan, and Philip the Son of Perseus, and afterwards joining the Roman Affairs with the Macedonian, where this man ends, Possidonius proceeds, as also doth Strabo. Cicero and Plutarch, with many others of the Learned, do in his Philosophy admire his Learning, in his Manners, his Honesty, and in his History his prudence.  
Titus Livius was so great an Admirer of his Works, that he would be perpetually writing of them, and rehearsing them, as though they had been the Product of his own Brain. And Marcus Brutus that eminent Censurer both of men's Writings, and Manners, to whom Cicero himself could not give sufficient satisfaction, would never suffer this Polybius to be out of his hands.  
Cicero styles him Bonum Autorem, A good Author: Lipsius saith, Recta & salutaria ubique esse ejus monita; That his Admonitions and Counsels are every where right, and wholesome. And its Vossius his Character of him, Cedit uni, altetique Graecorum eloquentia, civili prudentia, & scientia militari, nulli secundus. He is inferior to one, or other of the Greeks, for Eloquence, but for civil Prudence, and military Science, he is behind none of them.   

Herodotus.  
Herodotu of Hallycarnassius, an excellent Historian, wrote nine Books of History, calling them by the Names of the Muses; he began from Cyrus' King of the Persians. This man being discontented at the Tyranny of Lygdanus, withdrew himself to Samus, but afterwards returned, upon the Tyrant's expulsion: he is called Thurius Scriptor, because being envied by his Fellows, he departed to Thurius, a Colony of the Athenians, where he wrote his History.  
Cicero calls him Patrem Historiae, The Father of History; and Quintilian saith, That he is both, Dulcis, candidus, & fusus, Sweet, candid, and flowing. Thucydides would be present at the reciting of his Books, and upon the hearing them read unto him, he would frequently fall on weeping.  
Dionysius Halycarnassius makes him the chief of the Historians, as Sophocles of the Tragedians and Plato of the Philosophers. Scaliger could say of him, Herodoti libros mihi difficilius est deponere, quam cyathum, It's more difficult to me to lay aside Herodotus his Books, than the Cup: he died either at Thurius, or at Pella; and where he died, there he was buried.   

Dionysius Halycarnassius.  
DIonysius Halycarnassius the Son of Alexander, wrote eleven Books of the Roman Antiquities; he flourished according to the Judgement and report of Suidas, in the Reign of Caesar Augustus, Eo accuratius tempora nemo observavit, says Scaliger of him, No man observed the times with more diligence and care than he.  
Some prefer him before Livy, because he seems to deliver many things pertinent to the Roman Antiquities, with more accurateness than other Writers, his stile is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, To savour of comely novity: he was a noble Censurer of other men's Labours, and Style, even as Quintilian was amongst the Latins, being a Rhetorician, and Critic of that Repute and Credit, that all men would close with his Sentence and Judgement.  
Dempster calls him Historicorum clarissimum, eloquentissimum, veracissimum, antiquitatis studiosissimum, & omnium ultissimum. The most famous, most eloquent, most true, most studious of Antiquities, and the most profitable of all Historians. Besides his History, he wrote the Characters of the ancient Orators, together with a Method of composing Epithalamies, Epitaphs, and Panegyrics; all which were translated into Latin by Theodore Gaza.   

Caius Julius Caesar.  
CAius Julius Caesar, the Founder of the Roman Empire, is very well Characterised by Velleius Paterculus; whose words I shall hear recite. Secutus deinde Consulatus Caii Caesariis, qui scribenti manum injicit, & quamlibet festinantem in se morari cogit. Then followed the Consulship of Caius Caesar, who as I am writing layeth his hand upon me, and what haft soever I am in, constrains me to pause upon him; he being extracted from the most noble Julian Family (which was accounted by all men of the greatest Antiquity) deriving his Descent from Anchises and Venus; of person the most lovely of all the Citizens of Rome, in vivacity of Spirit most sharp, in Bounty most liberal, of Courage, either above the nature or belief of any m●n, in greatness of his Desires, Celerity in execution, Patience in dangers, most nearly resembling that great Alexander, but him sober, and not transported with Anger. Finally, That used both Sleep and Meat to live, and not for Voluptuousness: this is Paterculus his Figuration of him.  
Now if his Person and Qualities were so Eminently Illustrious, we cannot but estimate his Writings also conformable.  
Quintilian saith thus of him, C. Julius Caesar si foro tantum vacasset, non alius ex nostris contra Ciceronem nominaretur: Haddit Caesar only employed his time at the place of Pleas, he and none else of all the Romans might have been opposed to Cicero.  
Vnus mihi (saith Gyraldus) Caeteros vicisse & scribendo & pugnando videtur, He alone seemed to me to have overcome both in Writing and Fight.  
Lipsius speaks him an Historian eloquent, his Language pure without any meritricious Paintings, worthy of the Roman or the Athenian Muses.  
And Dempster compares him with the best of the Orators.   

Velleius Paterculus.  
VElleius Paterculus was at the first a Military Tribune in Thrace, afterwards Praefect of the Horse in Germany. Then Quaestor, than Tiberius his Legate in the Pannonian War, all which he publisheth of himself in his own History; He sprang out of the eminent Princes of Campaine: he wrote his History in the sixteenth year of Tiberius; his Ancestors were all famous for Military Discipline; he dedicated his two Books of History to Marcus Vinicius. Tacitus maketh mention of him in the sixth of his Annals, where speaking of his Descent, he tells us, that his Father and Grandfather were of Consular Degree and Dignity: a great part of what he writ is lost.  
Vossius thus Characteriseth him, and in his little Work: Dictio ejus plane Romana, ac elegans; Quaedam etiam habet, quae haud alibi invenias, sed in sui aevi rebus nimis Domui Augustae & Sejano adulatur. His phrase of Speech is truly Roman and elegant; he hath also some things, which you may not elsewhere meet with, but in the Affairs of his own time, he too much flatters both Caesar's House, and Sejanus.  
Dempster herein complies with Vossius, who speaking of his History, affirms it to be Styli elegantis, sed pudendae adulationis; of elegant Style, but of shameful Adulation.  
I'll end with that of Lipsius; Compendium Velleianum laudabile fuit, sed potior pars periit, judicio, & ordine tamen scriptum, & quoth exemplar pleniori Chronologiae sit ad Imitandum. Velleius his Epitome was worthy of praise, but the better part thereof is perished, yet written judiciously, and with order, and which may be an Imitable Platform to a more full Chronology.   

Diodorus Siculus.  
DIodorus Siculus of Agyrium a Town in Sicily, according to the Geograpy of Cluverius (though others call it Argyrium, and Angyrium) lived in the Reign of Julius Caesar, as Eusebius reporteth; and yet this contradicteth not learned Suidas, who would have him to flourish in the time of Augustus, and so he did, his Life reaching unto the midst of his long Domination. He wrote an Historical Library, or as the Sholiast of Aristophanes, calls it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A Library of Histories, who gave it that appellation, because it was Catholic, as treating of the Affairs of the Egyptians, Assyrians, Medians, Persians, Romans, Grecians, Carthaginians, and others; and this Work of his he comprised in forty books, the Argument whereof, he setteth down in his Preface, where he also saith, that he was full thirty years in compiling of it, much of the time being consumed in Travel through Asia and Europe: of all which Books, we have at present but fifteen remaining.  
What he writ was highly commended both by Justine Martyr and Eusebius; and yet Ludovicus Vives reprehends his Matter, and Bodinus his Phrase, but Photius the Patriarch, had a more noble opinion of him, who saith, Vsum esse, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. That he used a perspicuous Phrase of Speech, not too much adorned with Tropes, but most convenient for an History.  
I'll let him pass with the phrase of Stephanus, Quantum solis lumen inter stellas, tantum inter omnes, quotquot ad nostra tempora pervenerunt, historicos (si utilitatis potius, quam voluptatis habenda sit ratio) noster hic Diodorus eminere dici potest. As far as the Sun's light is beyond the Stars, so far doth our Diodorus excel the Historians of our times, if so be, that we regard rather profit then pleasure. And Dempster expresseth him to be an Author of ancient Erudition; and blames nothing else in him, but his corrupt Roman Names.   

Crispus salustius.  
CRispus salustius was born at Amiternum, of the Sabines, the year after that Catullus was at Verona, and died four years after the Actiack War, as Eusebius hath recorded. He was Tribune of the People that same year that Cicero was recalled from banishment, and Clodius slain of Milo; and in that Tribuneship of his, he behaved himself very loosely, for being taken in Adultery with Fausta, L. Sylla's Daughter, he was scourged with Rods by Milo, which was the cause that he acted with the Clodian Party against him; he was removed the Senate for his Adulteries and Rapes by Claudius Pulcher, and Calpurnius Piso; though afterwards restored again by Julius Caesar. Dion records, that he was set over Numidia, which he exceedingly pillaged, but was absolved of the Crime by the very power that advanced him, yet the Infamy ever stuck to him, as one that acted those Obliquities, which he highly condemned in all others: he was at length so enriched with his Numidian Rapes, that he bought those stately Buildings on the quirinal Hill, which were afterwards called Sallustii forum, The Court of salustius. His Deportment was so extravagant in his public Capacities, that in respect of his Conversation, it prevented him of all Praise; however his Writings were ever matter of Applause unto him, being a good Writer, though a bad man.  
The Ancients do judge his phrase of Speech to be brief and finuous, as one that aemulated Thucydides. Turnebus calls him Scriptorem Atticum, The Athenian Writer, and one that comes nearer to Demosthenes, than Cicero himself did. Tacitus in the third of his Annals, styles him, Rerum Romanarum florentissimum autorem, A most flourishing Author of Roman Affairs. Scaliger calls him, Patrem Historiae, The Father of History; Scriptorem seriae & severae orationis. Agellius, a Writer of serious, and severe Speech. Principem senatus Historici, Lysius, the chief of the Historian Senate; Romana primum in historia, Martial, the first, for the Roman Story. And S. Augustine calls him, Nobilitatae veritatis historicum, An Historian of ennobled Verity.   

Titus Livius Patavinus.  
Titus' Livius Patavinus, called by Seneca in his first Book, De ira, vir disertissimus, A most eloquent man, flourished in the Reigns of Caesar Augustus, and Tiberius, in the beginning of the latters Reign, he compiled his History, consisting of an hundred and forty two Books, as Petrarch reporteth, though others will have two bated of the said number. Therein be comprised all the Roman Affairs, from the Foundation of the City, to the Germane War, which was managed by Drusus; of all which Books, there are but left remaining thirty and five.  
No Writer expresseth more Majesty, and plenty, than this Historian. Quintilian styles it, Lacteam ubertatem, and compares him to Herodotus, as salustius to Thucydides. On the other-side it's written of Caligula, one of the Roman Majesties, That he much vilified him, calling him Verbosum. Likewise Asinius Pollio quarrelling with his Phrase was wont to say, that he found therein a smack of Patavinity. But the forementioned Emperor did so distaste him, that he threatened his removal, and ejection out of all the Roman Libraries: but no wonder that he was thus transported against this noble Historian, when as those two renowned Poets, Virgil, and Homer could not escape his Censure; nay, he was like to consume them, if we may believe Suetonius in these his words;  
Cogitavit & de Homeri carminibus abolendis, cur enim sibi non liceret, dicens, quod Platoni licuit, qui eum a civitate, quam constituebat ejecerit? sed & Virgilii, & Titi Livii scripta, paulum abfuit, quin ex omnibus bibliothecis amoverit, quorum alterum & nullius ingenii, minimaeque doctrinae, alterum ut verbosum in historia, negligentemque earpebat. He thought of abolishing Homer's Verses, saying, Why should it not be as lawful for him to do it, as it was for Plato, who cast him out of that City, whereof he was the Founder.  
But the Judgement of this Savage Prince was no way prejudicial to those two renowned Authors, and as little to this eminent Historian, let us therefore hear what better heads have said of him. He is called by Barthius, Patavina Siren, The Patavinian Mearmaid. Gruterus styles him, Historiae latinae principem, The Prince of the Latin History. Lipsius, Historicorum uberrimum, Of Historians the most plentiful. And again, says the same Author, In Livio nimia nobis bona, In Livy we meet with things that are too good for us.   

Valerius Maximus.  
VAlerius Maximus, lived after Velleius Paterculus, as may be made to appear from his depressing and disgracing of Sejanus, whilst Paterculus beyond the bounds of all Moderation parasitically extols him, which shows, that when Paterculus writ, Sejanus was in his full Greatness, and Glory, but when Valerius compiled his Collections, he was under judgement, contempt, and Ignominy, as his own words do clearly manifest, which are as followeth.  
Eum (speaking of Sejanus) omni cum stirpe sua Populi Romani pedibus obtritum, etiam apud Inferos, si tamen illuc receptus est, quae meretur supplicia pendere.  
He flourished under Caesar Tiberius, for he saith in his second Book, and eighth Chapter, That he went with Sextus Pompeius into Asia, which Pompey was Consul with Sextus Appuleius on that very year, that Augustus died, and so were the first Consuls, which swore Allegiance to Tiberius.  
Further, it's proved that he lived then, from another passage in his fifth Book, where speaking of Marcus Antonius, he saith, that he was the famous Orator of his Grandfather's time: Now this Antony flourished in Julius Caesar's Reign,  
Again, considering the Language wherewith he scourgeth the Parricide Brutus, all to gratify the care of Tiberius; and that Speech of his also in reference to Cassius, whom he would not have named without a Note of the grandest Infamy. All these Arguments may clearly convince, that he lived after Paterculus in the Reign of the Emperor Tiberius.  
Neither doth the meanness of his Language any way gainsay it: for Cicero himself could complain in his time (which was many years before) that the Roman Tongue began even then to be corrupt, through the reception of Foreigners: no wonder therefore, if this Author's Speech did somewhat decline from that sweet purity, that was in the Age before it.  
However let us hear what Testimonies, either of Merit, or Demerit the Ancients have afforded him. It's Caussinus Character of him;  
Valerius Maximus, ut Aegyptus Homerica, bonis & malis mixtus est; in plerisque enim est acutus, & subtilis, in plerisque durus, & obscurus, & ad plebeium sermonem abjectus, a puritate, & candore latini sermonis longius discedit. Est tamen in eo jucunda, tot Historiarum quasi florum congesta varietas, & brevitas narrationum, acuminibus sententiarum, non ra●o ●am apte aspersa, ut nihil videatur Amaenius. Valerius Maximus, as Homer's Aegyt, mixed with good and bad things, for he is in very many of them acute, and subtle, and again, in many hard and obscure, and being immersed into the Vulgar Dialect, he deviates far from the purity and candour of the Latin Phrase, yet there is in him a sweet variety of so many Histories, as it were Flowers gathered into a heap, and shortness of Narrations, with acuteness of Sentences, not seldom so aptly scattered, that nothing seems more delightful. Thus Caussin.  
Dempster no way detracts from him, for he styles him, Authorem rerum varietate, eloquentiaque incomparabilem, An Author incomparable, both for variety of things, and for his Eloquence. Only this he saith in his disparagement, That he did Sola adulationis foeditate vilescere, only become vile through the deformity of Adulation.  
And another calls him Ineptum affectatorem sententiarum, quanquam non inutilem propter exempla. A Fond Affectator of Sentences, though not unprofitable for examples.   

Quintus Curtius Rufus.  
QVintus Curtius Rufus filled the World with the Exploits of Great Alexander, his History being contained in ten Books, two whereof are lost, yet supplied by an addition from some other. There is a passage in his tenth Book, which discovers the Age he lived in, which passage is after this manner.  
Proinde jure meritoque Populus Romanus salutem se principi suo debere fatetur. Which Prince who it should be, the Learned agree not: Some will have him to be Caesar Augustus, but that Opinion cannot well stand, because he brought not peace along with him, as who had civil Wars for the space of thirteen years. Others affirm, that it may be Claudius Caesar, and that those Hurliburlies before mentioned, might relate to the slaughter of Caligula, and the Confusions which happened thereupon; but this Opinion also is very rationally impugned by some learned Ones. Now a third sort refers it to the Reign of the Emperor Vespasian; and that because the foregoing words of the Historian, may suit well with those Distractions, that happened upon the death of Nero, when Rome's Dominion was sought by force of Arms, between Galba, Otho, and Vitellius: And this is the Judgement of Rutgersius, and Vossius: That he flourished in the Reign of Vespasian; of whom it's reported, that he should teach Rhetoric in the last year of Tiberius, which might well be, considering that there were but two and thirty years betwixt that, and the Reign of Vespasian, he being young, when a rhetorician, and old when an Historian; Vossius thus advanceth him.  
Vsque adeo auctor est is verborum eligens, nec perspicue minus, quam terse scribit. Acuius etiam est in sententiis, inque orationibus mire disertus. Imo vel Augustaeo aevo digna esus est dictio, vel proxime abit. That he is an Author very choice in his words, neither writes he less perspicuously, then neatly: He is also acute in his Sentences, and in his Orations wonderfully eloquent. Nay, his Phrase is worthy of the Age of Augustus, or else that which immediately followed it.  
Lipsius' styles him, Historicum proprium principum, & assidue iis in manu sinuque habendum. An Historian proper for Princes, and daily to be had in their hands, and Bosoms. Floriditas Curtiana quatenus laudanda, says C. Barthinus? Alphonsus' King of Arragon being very sick, and his Physicians having tried all the ways they could to cure him with their Physic, but therein failing, he though very weak, on the sudden sell to reading of the History of Great Alexander, written by this Curtius, and thereupon he recovered, crying out, Valeant Avicenna, Hypocrates, & caeteri medici, vivat Curtius sospitator meus. Away with Avicenna, Hypocrates, and other Physicians: and let Curtius live my only Recoverer.   

Cornelius Tacitus.  
COrnelius Tacitus, in some old Editions called by the name of Publius, but misliked of, and rejected by the learned: he wrote his History in the Reign of the Emperor Nerva, and not when Trajane Governed; as will appear by his styling of Nerva, Divus, but not Trajan: he writ his Annals after his History, although they be placed before it. He gins them with the death of Augustus, and ends them within two years of the death of Nero.  
Besides his said Annals and History, he left behind him a Book of the Situation of Germany, and the manners of that People, as also a Treatise of the life of his Father-in-Law, Julius Agricola, which he writ in Trajan's time.  
Vossius comparing his History with his Annals, speaketh thus of them.  
Dictio Taciti floridior, uberiorque in Historiarum est libris, pressior siociorque in Annalibus. Interim gravis utrobique, & disertus. The Speech of Tacitus is more florid, and copious in the Books of his Histories; more contracted, and more dry in his Annals. In the mean, every where Grave, and Eloquent. However Alciatus a man well learned, prefers Paulus Jovius far before him, in comparison of which Author, he calls the Lines of this Tacitus, but Senticeta, Briars: but this was said by him in regard of his transcendent Affection to his Friend Jovius.  
But the Emperor M. Claudius Tacitus so highly honoured this Historian, that he placed his image in all the Libraries, and caused his Books to be ten times transcribed in one year by his Notaries, for fear of perishing.  
Sidonius saith of him, that he should be never mentioned without praise. Tacitus nunquam sine laude loquendus. Lipsius calls him, Sallustii imitatorem, The Immitator of salustius: and of whom, he also further saith, Quod est omni virtute antiquis proximus, & si linguae latinae esset eadem puritas, caeteris sic perfectus, ut vocare illos ipsos antiquos in certamen possit dignitatis. That he is in every Virtue next unto the Ancients, and if there were but in him the same purity of Language, in other matters be is so perfect, that he might contend for Dignity with those very Ancients.  
The foresaid Critic moreover styles him, Acrem & prudentem scriptorem: A sharp and prudent Writer.  
The first five Books of this singular good Author, were found hid at Corbeia, and being brought to Leo the Great, the person which presented them, was rewarded with five hundred Pieces. Owen has an Epigram upon him, with which I shall end his Character.  
Veracem fecit probitas, Natura sagacem.  
Obscurum brevitas te, Gravitasque brevem.   

Lucius Annaeus Florus.  
LVcius Annaeus Florus, flourished (as some are of opinion) near the end of the Reign of the Emperor Trajan, though others will have it to be in the time of Adrian. The Prologue of his History, Discovers the Age that he lived in: A Caesare Augusto in seculum nostrum (saith he) sunt non multo minus anni ducenti. From Caesar Augustus to our time, there are not much fewer than two hundred years. But there is a grand mistake in the very number, for if we will compute the term of years, which intervened between Augustus and Trajan, we shall find that its short of it by fifty; and therefore Vossius taking special notice thereof, will have the number to be but an hundred and fifty.  
It hath been a general opinion, that this Author should be the Epitomiser of that voluminous History of Titus Livius, but they which will well observe him, will find much of Discrepancy, or difference betwixt them. There are some that disagree likewise concerning his very name, occasioned by Lactantius, in his seventh Book of Institutions, where he thus writes,  
Non inscite Seneca Romanae urbis tempora distinguit in aetates. Soneca doth not unwittily distinguish the times of the Roman City into Ages. But questionless they were distinct, and different persons, only the one did imitate the other, as Florus Seneca. However it cannot be denied, but that Florus was of the Family of the Senecaes', and therefore called in the ancient Books by the Name of Seneca, and Annaeus, as well as Julius. The Senecaes' being all of them Branches of the Annean Family. Now for his Character, we may receive it from that excellent Grammarian, Gerardus Vossius; who speaking of him in his Book of the Latin Historians, thus extols him.  
Ea potissima est Flori nostri laus, quod scriptor est elegans, & disertus, & si paucula exceperis, quae frigidius dicta videntur, vere floridus. That is the principal commendation of our Florus, that he is a Writer, elegant and eloquent, and if you will but except some few things which seem more coldly spoken by him, he is truly florid. As for his stile, it is declamatory, and nearer unto Poetical, as one that poureth out Virgil's Hemisticks.   

Flavius Josephus.  
FLavius Josephus a Jew, was the Son of Matthathias, born in the first year of Caius Caligula, by the Mother-side nearly related to the Royal Stock of the Maccabes. As for his Sect, he was a Pharisee, which Sext among the Jews was not unlike the Stoics of the Gentiles: He when he was arrived at the Age of twenty six years, repaired to the Roman Court, that he might there mediate with the Caesarean Majesty for those Priests, which Felix the Governor had for some petty Offences cast into Prison; Now arriving at Rome, and falling into Favour with Poppaea, Augustus Caesar's Wife: his success was such, that he did not only procure liberty for the Captives, but was dismissed with bountiful Rewards; but soon after returning into his Country, and upon an insurrection, being chosen chief Captain of those Galilaeans which rebelled, was at length besieged in Jotapata, and the City being taken by assault, he was committed unto safe Custody, that he might be sent thence, to give an account of his Sedition unto Caesar.  
Now being advertized of the Enemy's design towards him, he requested the favour of Conference with the General Vespasian, into whose presence as soon as he was admitted, he saluted him with a Predication, that he should be Emperor. Vespasian at first supposed that he devised that shift, thereby to procure his liberty, but on the sudden, receiving Intelligence of the death both of Nero, and Galba, as also news of the Civil Wars already commencing between Otho and Vitellius, he forthwith not only discharged him of his Restraint, but clothed him with such Apparel too, as might suit with his Education and Condition.  
Now soon after these Attempts, and providences that followed them; he accompanied that Hero Titus to the Siege of Jerusalem, which Siege he Ingenuously described, and commended it, when finished, to Vespasian and his Son Titus. The latter of the two approving it by a Subscription from his Royal hand, and afterwards commanding it to be received into the public Library.  
This Author writ also the Jewish Antiquities, which work was perfected by him in the thirteenth year of the Reign of Domitian. Many there were, that undervalved the Faith of this Writer: But Scaliger in his Book De Emendatione Temporum, doth most nobly vindicate him, where he thus Characters him.  
Diligentissimus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, omnium scriptorum Josephus, de quo nos hoc audacter dicimus, non solum in rebus Judaicis, sed etiam in externis tutius ei credi, quam omnibus Graecis ac Latinis. Josephus the most diligent and the greatest Lover of Truth of all Writers, of whom we dare boldly affirm this, That not only in Judaical matters, but also in external, he may be more safely credited, than all other Authors, whether Greek or Latin.  
He is styled by Isidore Pelusiote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A man most famous for Erudition and Eloquence. No marvel then, if he merited a Statue among the Romans for the Glory of his Wit, To all this I'll add but one thing more, and its this; That he gave an excellent Testimony to our Lord and Saviour, in the twenty second Book of his Antiquities.   

Caius Suetonius Tranquillus.  
CAius Suetonius Tranquillus, lived in the Reigns of Trajan and Adrian, being Magister Epistolarum, The principal Secretary to the latter of the two: As Spartianus hath recorded it in the life of that noble Emperor. His Father was Suetonius Lenis, as he himself testifieth in his Otho, and not Paulinus, as some others have reported  
Plinius held great Correspondency with this Historian, as appeareth by some special, and choice Epistles directed unto him. This man among other of his works, writ the lives of the Grammarians, and Rhetors, but the greater part of them is lost, and almost his whole Book of the Poets, none of them remaining to be seen, but the lives of Terence, and Horace; as for Lucan, and Persius, though they are with us, yet its questionable, whether their Lives were written by him; many of the learned Critics doubt it, a Book he wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Whereof Suidas makes mention.  
Vopiscus styles this man, Auctorem emendatissimum, & candidissimum, & cui familiare sit amare brevitatem. A most fair, and most candid Author, and to whom its familiar to love brevity. Ludovicus Vives calls him also, Graecorum ac Latinorum scriptorum diligentissimum, atque Incorruptissimum. Of the Greek and Latin Writers the most diligent, and most pure.  
There are some that would prefer him before those Renowned Ones, Livy, Sallust, and Tacitus, but the Grammarian Vossius will by no means assent to that, who approves of the Encomiums given him by Vopiscus, and Vives, only in reference to such men that have written Lives like himself. Suidas calls him, The Roman Grammarian, and Plinius, Virum probissimum, Honestissimum, Eruditissimum.   

Justinus.  
JVstinus, whom Orosius calls Breviatorem Pompeii, The Epitomiser of Trogus Pompeius, and Justus Lipsius, variarum rerum, gentium, temporum, compendium: A Compend of various Things, Nations, Times. He lived almost Contemporary with Suetonius, though indeed both his Name, and the Age he lived in, fall under some men's doubts, and suspicions. Arnoldus his Edition expresseth him by the name of Frontinus; but the Medicaean Library calls him Junianus, and the latter may well carry with it more show of truth, because of its Antiquity.  
And now for his time also, that hath been under some controversy; there are they, that think he lived after the Traslation of the Empire to Constantinople, as seems to them out of those very words of his in his vl Book, Graeciam nunc & viribus, & dignitate, orbis terrarum principem: But their mistake lieth in misapplying the Conjunction Nunc, which indeed is to be referred, not to the time he writ in, as they suppose, but to the subject matter whereof he wrote.  
It is the Judgement of Vossius, that he lived under Antoninus Pius, and dedicated his Epitome unto him, as is manifest by those very words in the Preface, Quod ad te, Imperator Antonine, non tam cognoscendi, quam emendandi causa transmisi. And that he lived under this very Emperor: we have besides this, the Testimony of Martinus Polonus, as he hath asserted it in his Chronicles.  
Dempsier gives him none of the meanest Commendations, calling him, Quantum stili genus patitur, disertum: As far as his kind of stile suffereth, eloquent. Only one tells us, that his Epitome is confused, Et omni temporum luce carens.  
Tilem.—   

Pausanias.  
Pausanias', a man of great Note and Repute in the Reign of Marcus Antoninus, was the Disciple of that Herod Atticus, who under those two Emperors Adrian and Antoninus Pius, had obtained a great Name amongst the Sophists of that Age.  
The Native Country of this gallant Historian was Cappadocia, and the place of his Commoration, Caesarea, whereupon it has been observed of him, that according to the Genius of the Cappadocians, he doth produce those Syllables, which he should shorten; and on the other side shorten those, that he should produce; and therefore he is very ingenuously resembled to a Cook, that provides unpleasing Sauce for good and savoury Meats.  
He declamed not at Athens only, the famous Academy of all Greece, but at Rome also, the Metropolis of the whole World. Philostratus speaketh much of him in his Lives of the Sophists. There is extant of his composure a Book De Graecia, wherein he describes the Situation of her Cities, Regions, Countries, and whatsoever in any of her Confines is thought worthy of notice-taking, a Treatise of more Learning, than Eloquence.  
As concerning his stile, it is accounted very weak, languid, and faint. However, that which Domitius Piso said once, may well be applied to this Pausanias. Thesauros scribi debere, non libros. That Treasuries ought to be written, not Books: for his Work is indeed a very Treasury. He is styled also by the Learned, Author, ob variarum rerum copiam, & Historiarum jucundam diversitatem, utilissimus. An Author for copiousness of divers things, and sweet variety of Histories, most profitable.   

Herodianus.  
HErodianus flourished much about the time, that Commodus was Emperor, a man of great esteem for his Abilities amongst the Romans; he wrote eight Books of History, beginning them from the death of M. Aurelius Antoninus the Philosopher, and ending them at the decease of Balbinus and Maximus.  
His stile according to the Judgement of Photius is elegant, perspicuous, and indeed such, that he is comparable upon any account to the best Historian; he is much for the truth of things, only in Alexander and Maximinus, he doth somewhat decline from it, which is well observed by that most exquisite Interpreter of him Angelus Politianus.  
He is commemorated by Julius Capitolinus in his Clodius Albinus, where he saith, Quod ad fidem pleraque dixit, as who was both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. So doth also Trebellius Pollio make mention of him in his thirty Tyrants, as also Lampridius in his Alexander Severus, and Antoninus Diadumenus.  
Ammianus Marcellinus styleth him, Artium minutissimum sciscitatorem, A most exact Searcher of all Arts: and Dempster calleth him, Historicum elegantem & copiosum, An elegant and copious Historian. Of his History, it is Stephanus his Observation. Quod nulla Romana Historia extat, quae tam mirabiles rerum in Romano Imperio vicissitudines non plurium annorum spatio complectatur. That there is no Roman History extant, which comprehends so wonderful vicissitudes of affairs in the Roman Empire, no, not in a larger space of years, as that doth in so short a time.   

Procopius.  
PRocopius lived when Justinian was Emperor, and was called by Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. He was Notary to Bellisarius, whose Acts he composed, and published; he has written eight Books of History: The two first do treat of the Persian War, the two next of the Vandal, and the four last of the Gothick. Those twain which give an account of the Persian, are Epitomised by Photius in the sixty third Chapter of his Bibliotheca; but yet a Synopsis of the whole we meet with in the Preface of Agathius, who proceeded where this Procopius ended.  
Before he died, he added a ninth unto his former eight, which he called by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, because it contained those things, that were not before published. Suidas reports, That this Historian in this his Addition, was very invective, against the Emperor Justinian, and the Empress Theodora, as also against Bellisarius, and his Wife: whatsoever is extant in the Greek Tongue of this Authors, the World is beholding to Heschelius for it; but as for the Translation of Porsena, it may be justly said of him, that what he undertook to convert, he altogether perverted.  
Dempster styleth this man Historicum Insignem, A famous Historian. And Bodinus is no way a Detractor from him, who writeth thus, Cum singulas epistolas Decreta, foedera, conciones vario dicendi genere, ac stilo describit; magnum verissimi scriptoris praebet argumentum. Seeing that he describes all the Epistles, Decrees, Leagues, Orations, with variety both of Speech and stile, it is a convincing Argument, of a singular true Writer.   

Ammianus Marcellinus.  
AMmianus Marcellinus flourished under Gratianus, and Valentinian, and wrote one and thirty Books, whereof thirteen are not now extant of what Nation, and Profession whence he took beginning of his History, and where he ended it; his own words in his Epilogue will clearly manifest it, he began with Nerva, and ended with Valens: That he was a Greek, not only a passage in his one and thirtieth Book, but also his phrase of Speech, or Dialect bewrayeth it. Suidas saith, That he was familiar with salustius the Philosopher, who was Captain of the Praetorians, and the first man that designed Valentinian to the Empire.  
He is a grave, and serious Writer (saith Vossius) worthy to be beloved of all men, especially of the Germans, the Situation of whose Country he most accurately described, as who had been engaged into a Military Employment in that Nation. But (saith the same Grammarian) Dictio horridior est; and no marvel if it be, for why should any wonder, if a Soldier speak like a Soldier, more roughly than other Writers? And besides, he was a Greek, and therefore the more excusable, if he writ after his own Native Idiom; he is remembered by Ammianus Priscianus.  
Barthius speaks nobly of him upon the account of a Soldier, whom in that respect, he thus Characters.  
Homo magno animo, Disciplinae militaris assecla, inter tubas & strepitum armorum pervenire eo absque ulla animi contentione potuit, quo nos studia per tot tantosque anfractus vix ducunt. A man of great Courage, and an Affector of Military Discipline, one that could amidst the sound of Trumpets and noise of Arms arrive there without any reluctancy of Mind, whither our Studies, through so many and great straits can hardly lead us. Neither doth the same Critic speak less of him as a Scholar, Vtilitate monitorum, & veritate Historica, nescio an quisquam autor ullibi sit supra Ammianum Marcellinum. For profitableness of Admonitions, and Historical Truth, I know not, whether there be any Author before Ammianus Marcellinus. I'll but add a Note from Dempster, to this of Barthius, and so end; Ammianus, Luculentus Rerum Romanarum scriptor.    

THE CHARACTERS Of some of the chief of the GRAMMARIANS AND ORATORS.  
LONDON, Printed by E.C. for Henry Eversden, at the Greyhound in S. Paul's Churchyard, 1659.   

THE NAMES Of the chief GRAMMARIANS Herein handled.  

VArro,  
Athenaeus,  
Julius Pollux.  
Aulus Gellius,  
Martianus Capella,  
Suidas,  
Coelius Rhodiginus,  
Erasmus,  
Budaeus,  
Julius Scaliger,  
Camerarius,  
Casaubonus,  
Josephus Scaliger,  
Justus Lipsius,  
Janus Gruterus,  
Caspar Barthius.   

The Orators.  
ANtiphon,  
Gorgias,  
Isocrates,  
Demosthenes,  
Aeschines,  
Lysias,  
Demades,  
Cicero,  
Marcus Seneca,  
Petronius Arbiter,  
Hermogenes,  
Quintilianus,  
Lucianus,  
Elianus,  
Aristides,  
Symmachus.    


ΜΟΡΦΗ ' ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΧΝ▪ OR, THE GRAMMARIANS In their due FORMS.  

Marcus Terentius Varro.  
MArcus Terentius Varro, was one of the Learnedest among the Romans, highly honoured by Cicero himself, although Remmius Palaemon could most arrogantly and contemptuously call him Porcum, a Hogg, Whereunto one wittily replied, That he should have added, Literarum unto it, A learned one. He is by Lactantius equalled to any one of the Latins or, Greeks; Marcus Varro, (saith he) Quo nemo unquam doctior, ne apud Graecos, nedum apud Latinos vixit. Marcus Varro, than whom, none lived more Learned, either with the Greeks, or Latins.  
Quintilian does prefer him before all the other Romans; Vir Romanorum eruditissimus: Cicero likewise in his Brutus styles him diligentissimum investigatorem antiquitatis, A most diligent Antiquary. Valerius Maximus calls him Vitae humane exemplum, The Pattern of man's life; and Dempster names him Criticorum patrem Incomparabilem; The Incomparable Father of the Critics. I'll but add to all this his Character from S. Augustine.  
Quis magno Varrone curiosius ista quaesivit? Quis invenit doctius? Quis consideravit attentius? Quis diligentius pleniusque conscripsit? qui tametsi minus est suavis eloquio, doctrina tamen, atque sententiis ita refertus est, ut in onmi erudition, quam nos secularem, illi autem liberalem vocant, studiosum rerum tantum iste doceat, quantum studiosum verborum Cicero delectat. Who sought into these things more curiously than Marcus Varro? Who more learnedly found them? who considered them more attentively? Who writ them more diligently and fully? Who, although he be not so sweet in his Language and Expression, yet he is so stuffed with Learning and Sentences, that in all Erudition which they call liberal, we secular, he teacheth him that is studious of things, as much as Cicero doth him, that is studious of Words.  
It's Terentianus his Versicle of him; Vir doctissimus undecuncque Varro.   

Athenaeus.  
AThenaeus was a Grammarian in the Reign of Marcus Antoninus, and was called by the name of Noucratita; his Deipnosophists are a Work both commendable for variety, and also for Erudition; he hath thereby described a magnificent and sumptuous Supper (The Order and Structure of the Book, being the same with that of a great and large Feast.) Indeed his Disputes are set out with the greatest Oratory and Rhetoric that can be, so that his transcendent Wit is very worthy the Readers Admiration.  
What pity is it then, that this laudable Work could not come unto our hands so perfect, as he intended it, a great part thereof being lost, indeed so great a part, that the remainder may be called, but as it were an Epitome of the whole.  
He is styled by Isaac Casaubon, Scriptor vere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A Writer very learned in many things, & ut paucis multa complectamur. Grecorum Varro, aut Plinius. And that we may comprehend much in a little, the Varro, or Pliny of the Greeks. Dempster also calleth him, Doctum veterum autorum compilatorem: A learned Compiler of ancient Autors.  
There was another of his Name before him, one that was an admirable Philosopher, as this was an Historian.   

Julius Pollux.  
JVlius Pollux lived under Caesar Commodus, and taught Rhetoric at Athens; he dedicated his Onomasticon to his Scholar the Emperor. Suidas saith, That he writ also on other Subjects, but they all miscarried.  
This Encomium is given to his Onomasticon, that it's called, a Treasury of all Words and Things, fit for, and exposed unto every use.  
Isacus Casaubonus in an Epistle that he writ to one, that set him forth, hath Characterised him thus:  
Et sane Pollux, siquid Judico, scriptor optimus, eruditissimus, utilissimus, & eo seculo, quod tot claros in literis viros tulit dignissimut. If I have truly any Judgement, Pollux is a very good Writer, very Learned, very profitable, and most worthy of that Age, which brought forth so many famous men for Learning.  
Dempster says, That in his Collections, he is incomparably diligent, and erudite; he died in the fifty eighth year of his Age.   

Aulus Gellius.  
AVlus Gellius, called by Gifanius Maximi Judicii vir, A man of deep and solid Judgement, flourished according to the account of learned Petavius, in the Reigns of Trojan, and Antoninus; who in his Rationary of times, joins him with some other eminent Grammarians, which were then Contemporary with him: Nay, Gellius himself in his twentieth Book of Attic Nights, discovers unto us the Age he lived in, where he saith, That he was present at the Dispute which was betwixt Sextus Caecilius the Civilian, and Favorinus the Philosopher.  
Lipsius' in his Miscellanies very highly commends his Latin, styling him Scriptorem purissimae latinitatis, & plane ad comadiam antiquam, A Writer of the purest Latin, and plainly suitable to the ancient Comedian strain.  
Politian speaking of his Books of Attic Nights, saith thus of them, That they are Maxim candidae, Very candid. Only Vives doth most injuriously condemn, and under value him, for which he is reproved by Henricus Stephanus. Pareus calls him, Criticorum madulsam: and Dempster, Grammaticorum utilissimum.  
As for this Author's Name, its uncertain whether it be Agellius, as some have thought, or Aulus Gellius. It's Lipsius his confession, Se ejus nomen nunquam nisi dubitantem & haesitantem posuisse, That he never writ his Name without great haesitation, and doubting.   

Martianus Capella.  
MArtianus Capella was a Carthaginian of proconsular degree and dignity, whom Dempster calls Rebus latinum, verbis Africanum, For Things a Roman, for Words a Carthaginian. And though Barthius acknowledgeth him to be Barbarior scriptor, A Writer that savoureth in his Speech of too much Barbarism, yet in this he commends him, that he is, Vtilissimus ad autorum de singulis artibus liberalibus sententiam capiendam, very profitable in apprehending the Judgement of Authors, touching all the liberal Arts; and therefore not worthy to be prostituted by the Critics unto that reproachful Name of Tulliaster.  
I will but add to this the commendation, which that eminently learned Grotius is pleased to bestow upon him;  
Ad ipsum Martianum te Relego, in quo plurima invenies, quae nec discere taedebit, nec didicisse poenitebit, Neque hoc ipsos barbari seculi homines latuit, apud quos quan●i nominis fuerit Capella, vel solùs Turonensis satis superque docebit, qui eum in fine libri non aliter nominat, quam si Aristotelem, Ciceronem, Varronem nominasset.  
I send thee to Martianus himself, in whom thou shalt find very many things, which it will not be irksome to learn, nor repent thee to have learned. Neither were the men of that barbarous Age ignorant of this, with whom in how great repute, and credit this Capella was, Turonensis alone will more then sufficiently make appear, who in the end of his Book calls him after no other name, then that of Aristotle, Cicero, Varro.   

Suidas.  
SVidas was, as some say, a Monk of Byzantium, and flourished about six hundred years since, according to the opinion of learned Casaubon. His Work is styled, Thesaurus insignis & Amaltheae velut Cornu: which though it be imputed unto his Name, yet many learned men (whose Names are prefixed to the Book) were Instrumental to the composure of it.  
The Grammarian Dempster thus is pleased to limn him, and to afford us such a Draught of him, as may serve sufficiently to express him.  
Suidas admirabilis, incomparabilis, unus instar omnium Grammaticorum: Suidas an admirable and an incomparable Author, one that is worth all the rest of the Grammarians. This Encomium may seem to some Censurers hyperbolical, but if any Author in that kind hath merited such a Character: Surely this Suidas hath much more deserved it.  
Some there are, that have taken notice of a notable slip committed by this Critic, in that he hath passed by in his Thesaurus, the Names of many eminent Writers, particularly amongst the Historians, he neither mentions Polybius, nor Dion.  
However his Work is called by one that was very learned, Copiosa & perfecta quaedam Grammatica. A certain copious, and perfect Grammar. There was another Grammarian also of this Name, one that was charged with this Fault by the Learned, as to be full of untrue Discourses, and therefore deservedly styled by some, Fabulosus scriptor, A fabulous Writer.   

Caelius Rhodiginus.  
Caelius Rhodiginus, called Varro by Caesar Scaliger, as was Athenaeus by Isaac Casaubon, yea, & Varrone major, And greater than Varro, and he thinks it spoken without the least shadow of Flattery: He is indeed an Author (as Dempster saith) Admirandae eruditionis, Of wonderful Erudition, although he be, as the same Critic hath elsewhere deciphered him, Asperae dictionis, Of rough Phrase or Elocution.  
Jovius doth discredit this man's Thesaurus, affirming, that it seemeth to him Rancidum quiddam olere, To have a very rank, and offensive smell: however, those two well known Verses do sufficiently vindicate him.  
Abfuit usque adeo nihil, hoc in Caelio haberent  
Tempora Varronem quo minus ista suum.   

Desiderius Erasmus.  
DEsiderius Erasmus, of Rotterdam in Holland, honoured by Jovius with this Excellent Title, Varro sui seculi & Cicero Germaniae, The Varro of his Age, and Cicero of Germany; The same Author saith further to his honour, Quod ad arcana cujusque doctrinae infinita lectione, inusitataque memoria penetravit: That he pierced to the secrets of all Learning by his infinite reading, and unheard of Memory.  
The Monks were wont to say this of him, Erasmum posuisse ova, Lutherum, & caeteros exclusesse pullos, That Erasmus laid the Eggs, and Luther, and others brought forth the young Ones.  
A certain Romish Doctor having gotten his Picture impressed upon a piece of Paper, set it up within his Parlour, which as he passed by, he would disdainfully spit upon, and being asked the question, why he did so? he returned answer, See Erasmo acceptum ferre calamitosum illud seculum: That he imputed to Erasmus the calamity of that Age.  
He is called in allusion to his Name, by one that wrote his life, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Amiable, and by Gifanius, Alterum orbis jubar, maximumque rei literariae decus, Another Sun beam of the World, and the greatest Ornament, and honour of Learning. Only Gyraldus doth endeavour to abate somewhat of his true worth.  
Vir, saith he, Vbique magnus, sed an tantus fuerit, quantus a nonnullis existimatur, haud mihi parum liquet:  inter Germanos latinus, inter latinos aliquando Germanus. A man every where great, but whether so great, as he is thought by some, it's not so clear to me; truly amongst the Germans, he is a Roman, and sometimes among the Latins, he is a German.  
There were some, that thus expounded this Versicle in that Psalm of david's, Thou shalt tread upon the Lion, and the Dragon. Upon the Lion, that was Luther, and upon the Dragon, that was this Erasmus.   

Gulielmus Budaeus.  
GVlielmus Budaeus, called Gallicus Alcides, The French Hercules, and for his great Erudition and Knowledge, by Erasmus, Galliae portentum, The Wonder of France: Nay, Jovius preferreth him before all the Learned men of Europe, Non Galliae modo, sed etiam totius Europae long doctissimus, Not only the Learnedest of the Frenchmen, but also of all the Europaeans.  
Barthius' honours him for his incomparable skill in the Greek Tongue, which did indeed give occasion to those two Verses of the Poet.  
Gallia quod Graeca est, quod Graecia barbara non est  
Utraque Budaeo debet utrumque suo.  
It was his earnest desire before he died, that all Solemnities should be omitted at his Funerals, and therefore they Interred him very privately in the deep silence of the Night. It's a gallant report, which the Poet Buchanan bestows on him in these following Verses.  
Sunt universi splendor orbis Galliae  
Et Galliarum splendour est Lutetiae.  
Splendour Camoenae sunt sacrae Lutetiae,  
Budaeus ornat unus innocentia,  
Splendore vitae, literis, solertia  
Orbem, Camoenas, Galliam, Lutetiam.   

Julius Scaliger.  
JVlius Scaliger styled by learned Vossius, Eruditorum maximus, naturae miraculum, & vir ad unguem factus: The Greatest of Scholars, Nature's Miracle, and a man exactly made, even to a Nails breadth. He was an excellent Poet, as well as a Grammarian, whose Poems Justus Lipsius' equals with the Poetry of the Ancients.  
The said Critic speaketh thus of him, Quod de Tullio dixit vetus magister, profecisse multum, cui is placeret, ego verius, magnum esse, cui Julius iste magnus. Vossius saith, that he was, Sed uno Aristotele minor, Inferior to none but great Aristotle. Barthius calleth him Hominum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The great wonder of men.  
Isaac Casaubon doth compare him with the very Gods themselves, giving him this sacred Epithet, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I'll let him pass with that of Vossius: Vir ille, hoc uno excepto, quod parem sibi filium genuit, caetera incomparabilis: That man (This one think being excepted) that he begot a Son not inferior, but equal to him, is to all others Incomparable.   

Camerarius.  
CAmerarius graced by Turnebus with this ensuing Appellation, Germaniae ornamentum, & Europae Decus, The Ornament of Germany, and the Honour of Europe; Thuanus saith, That he was of Noble Extraction, though his Wealth did no way answer to his Descent: He was endued with an Ingenuous, and handsome Shape, and delighted his Mind in such noble Exercises, as his Birth and Quality did require. He greatly affected good Horsemanship, being very skilful in managing his Bridle, and for all such Feats, as that Art could instruct him with.  
For his Learning, he was of that great Repute, that Janus Gruterus on that account, styleth him, Incomparabilem, Incomparable; and Justus Lipsius in his Miscellanies thus honours him: Vir quem Germania habuit sine paro: A man that Germany could not equal or parallel.  
His knowledge was such both in the Latin and Greek Tongues, that Jovius said this of him, Quod scribendo pernobilis Ciceronis imitator evaserit; That in Writing he shown himself a very noble Imitator of that eloquent Orator Marcus Cicero.   

Isacus Casaubenus.  
ISacus Casaubonus, is by Dempsterus called Quidam Pythius, A certain Apollo; By Heinsius, Eruditionis sol, & aetatis Decus, The Sun of Learning, and the Glory of the Age: And by Josephus Scaliger, Eruditorum Phoenix, The Phoenix of the Learned.  
His Writings were of that weight, and worth that one said of him, Quod tot palladas edidit, quot libros conscripsit. That he begat so many Palaces, as he wrote Books; and therefore saith another, Vir erat Nectare, & Ambrosia qui alatur, & sarrano qui dormiat ostro dignissimus: He was a man most worthy to be fed with Nectar, and Ambrosia, and to sleep upon a silken Bed.  
His Language and expression is so sweet, That Vossius calls him, Musarum-Favum, The Hive of the Muses: and for his great Learning he is styled by Pareus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 politioris literaturae. I'll but mention Barthius his Character of him, and so proceed unto the next.  
Immortal Galliae decus, quo digniorom omni laude alium ne historiae quidem continent: The Immortal Grace of France, than whom History mentions not any more worthy of all Praise.   

Julius Scaliger.  
IVlius Scaliger was the Son of Julius, whom Casaubon thus salutes: Magni parentis non minor Filius, O thou Son, no less than thy great Father. He is styled by the same Critic, Hercules Musarum, The Muses Hercules. By Vossius Alter Varro; Another Varro. By Pareus, Criticus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A Critic skilled in many Tongues. By Lipsius, Rei literariae Aesculapius, The Aesculapius of Learning. And lastly, by Caspar Barthius, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Most divine.  
Heinsius in his Funeral Oration breaks out thus into his Praises:  
Alii Abyssum eruditionis, alii scientiarum mare, alii doctorum , Alii patris sobolem divinam, Alii genus Deorum, Alii perpetuum literarum dictatorem, Alii maximum naturae opus, & miraculum, Alii aliter vocare. Some call him an Abyss of Learning, Others a Sea of Sciences, Others a Sun amongst the literate, Others the divine Offspring of a divine Father, Others the Stock of the Gods, Others a perpetual Dictator of Letters, Others the greatest Work, and Miracle of Nature, Others, Nature's utmost Strength, And others otherwise.  
Casaubon, honours him with the Title of Tripos, whereto all, which are in doubt are to repair. And the same Grammarian further resembleth him to the ancient, and wise Cato:  
Plane quod de Catone olim dictum versatile ingenium, sic illi pariter ad omnia fuisse, ut natum ad id unum diceres, quodcunque ageret, id verissimum in eo reperiri, non seria magis, quam lusus evincunt.  
Truly that which was heretofore said of Cato, That he had a Wit so pregnant, and prompt to every thing, that you would say, it was form for the very thing, whatsoever it was he was about; Now that this is found to be most true in this very man, his serious Affairs do not more evince it, than his Sports.  
I'll end him with that of Heinsius: Vir sine exemplo magnus, A man Great, without his Peer.   

Justus Lipsius.  
JVstus Lipsius is saluted by Pareus with the name of the Belgic Seneca, and called by Schottus, the very Eye of the Low Countries, by Woverius, Amor & deliciae Generis humani, The Love and Darling of Mankind, by Gruterus, Apex eruditionis reconditae, The top of all mysterious Learning. By Dausqueius, Seculi literati Sydus: The Star of the learned Age: and by one more, Deliciae Musarum, The Muse's Delights.  
Acidalius in his Readins upon Paterculus gives him this excellent ensuing Character.  
Quem virum per omnia Diis, quam hominibus ingenio propiorem, uti lumen unicum, & numen aevi nostri colo, & veneror praeter omnes, quos ille admiratores cultoresque ubique habuit plurimos. Which man in all things for Wit, more near the Gods, than Men, as the only light, and Deity of our Age I love, and reverence beyond those many Honourers, and Admirers which he hath.  
I'll add to this but that of Heinsius: Lipsius suavissimae quidem, sed inimitabilis, & ut ipse judicabat, ne tentandae quidem aliis eloquentiae vir; Lipsius a man of most sweet, and yet of unimitable Eloquence, and as he himself did judge, not to be aspired unto by any others. And therefore it was well said by Gaulterus, That he was Major omni invidia, Above all Envy.   

Janus Gruterus.  
JAnus Gruterus, an excellent Grammarian and Critic is commended by Caspar Barthius for his skill in correcting what in any learned Author may be amiss: Virro (says he) emendandi prudentissimus, ac perspicacissimus: Dempster extols him for a Critic of incomparable reading, and Judgement, calling him Seculi sui alterum Varronem, Another Varro of that age he lived in.  
Barthius advanceth his prudence, Honesty, Learning, and Wit. Praestantissimus Gruterus, vir intime bonus, prudens & super quam credibile, eruditus, & acutus. But of all men Pareus bursts forth into a strange admiration of him. Janus Gruterus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, qui vir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, criticorum hujus seculi, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, cujus scripta merum Nectar spirant & Ambrosiam. Janus Gruterus a Wonderment, which man is an Eagle in the Clouds, the Alpha and Omega of the Critics of this Age, whose Writings breathe forth mere Nectar, and Ambrosia.   

Caspar Barthius.  
CAspar Barthius is called by one of the Learned, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and graced by Pareus with this following Periphrasis: Clarissimum Germaniae lumen, & columen nutantium literarum. The most clear light of Germany, and the very Prop of staggering Learning.  
One saith of the Books he writ, that they are such, that we can scarce read the Indices of them without astonishmment, much less the Books themselves. Another thus Characters him.  
Varro altar, si quisquam, merito dicendus, qui tam multa legit, ut aliquid ei scribere vacare, miremur, tam multa scribit, quam vix quenquam legere posse credamus. Worthy to be called another Varro, if any man may be so named, who reads so many things, that we may wonder he had time to write, writes so many things, as that we may think no man able to read them.  
I'll end all with that hyberbolical Eulogy given him, by one that Comments upon Musaeus.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The allseeing Eye of the Graces.   

ΣΧΗΜΑ ΡΗΤΟΡΩΝ: OR, THE ORATORS. In their right SHAPES.  

Antiphon.  
ANtiphon an Orator of Athens, was the first that did write an Oration, and delivered Precepts concerning it, whereupon he is styled by Suidas, the most ancient of the Orators, of whom Cicero saith in his Brutus, That no man ever went beyond him in pleading of Causes of life, and death: as it appeared, when he pleaded his own Case.  
No marvel therefore, if the foresaid Suidas calls him Nestor, and after Gorgius the Prince of Orators: And Philostratus who writ the Lives of the Sophists, gives him also the same Character, and withal inserts the reason, Because he was able to persuade, in whatsoever he proposed.  
He used to sell his Plead at a very high rate, so that he became thereby wondrous wealthy, he was Contemporary with Socrates, with whom he had frequent Conferences: Zenophon relates one, that he had with that Philosopher, he studied also Poetry, and professed that the had an Art thereby to drive away all sadness.  
Plutarch tells us that he lived in an hired House near the Forum, where he published by Pen and Paper, that he could cure all griefs, so that when any made their addresses to him, and related the causes of their sorrows, he very sweetly allayed them. I read not who was his Master, but Plutarch acquaints us, that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, His own Instructor.  
I'll but add a word from Thuoidides which concers him, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, second to none of his time, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And one that was most excellent both for Invention and Elocution. Suidas saith, that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The Master of this Thucydides.   

Gorgias.  
GOrgias was a Rhetor of Sicily, the Disciple of Empedocles, and the Master of Isocrates, and other Orators, as Cicero hath recorded, of whom Philostratus hath said this, That as soon as he came forth into the Athenian Forum, he was wont to say continually, Propound to me what you please, and I will forthwith speak copiously to it, vaunting unto them, that he knew all things, and could discourse excellently well on every Subject. Whence says the same Author, it was Proverbial, Gorgias his Eloquence,  
Caelius Rhodiginus informs us, that his Oratory was had in so great esteem amongst the Athenians, that they would call those days wherein he was to plead, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and his Orations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; He gained so much Wealth by his Rhetoric, that of all the Orators which ever were, he was the first that placed a Statue of beaten Gold within the Temple of Apollo Delphicus, whereupon Plato meeting him returning from Delphos, said unto him, Behold the fair and golden Gorgias: You may read more of that Statue in Pliny.  
So sweet was this man's Eloquence, that it could detain and chain fast to his Society, those two famous young men, Critias and Alcibiades, as also the most excellent Thucydides, and Pericles, even then when they were both aged.   

Isocrates.  
ISocrates the Son of Theodorus a Rhetor of Athens, and Disciple of Gorgias, coaetaneous with Plato, whom of all the Orators (he himself could say) That he only admired: he was defective in his pronunciation, and therefore came not into the Forum to plead causes; yet he reconciled Philip by his Letters to the Athenians, and in his excellent Panegyric he stirred up the Greeks against Asia, and incited also the Rhetorician Gorgias to do the like.  
Cicero calls him Patrem eloquentiae, The Father of Eloquence, Et singularem doctorem, and a singular good Doctor. Lipsius, Oratorem militum. Nay Tully speaking of him comparatively to other Orators, as he commendeth the subtilety of Lysias, the acuteness of Hiperides, the sound of Eschines, the force of Demosthenes, so he praises the sweetness of Isocrates.  
Philostrates calls him the Athenian Siren, telling us that the Siren was placed on his Sepulchre as it were singing: In the Greek Anthology he is named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The light of Rhetoric. The Roman Orator compares his School to the Trojan Horse, out of which most eminent Rhetoricians came forth.  
Quintilian admireth him both for his speaking, and teaching; whose words are these:  
Clarissimus ille praeceptor Isocrates, quem non magis libri bene dixisse, quam discipuli bene docuisse testantur: That most excellent Schoolmaster Isocrates, whom his Books do not more testify to have spoken well, than his Scholars to have taught well: his Writings were so precious, that Pliny saith, He sold one only Oration for twenty Talents.   

Demosthenes.  
Demosthenes' a Citizen of Athens, and the Son of a Cutler, who, although he was left by his Father somewhat wealthy, yet being cheated through the dishonesty of his Guardians, he became so poor, that he had not wherewithal to satisfy his Schoolmasters: however at length by his great Industry and pains, he attained to such a perfection in Oratory, that he became the only Maintainer of the Liberties of Greece, making King Philip odious by his Orations, for his endeavouring the infringement of them.  
Isodorus Pelusiota calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The head of all Greece: and another eminent Author joining him with Aristides and Thucydides, stills them, Tria sydera Rhetorices, The three Stars of Rhetoric.  
In the Greek Anthology, he is honoured with this following Character:  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: The eloquent Trumpet of well sounding Oratory, a wise Father. Suidas telleth us, that Sallust had by heart all his Orations, and that Nonnus had also read him over no less than six times.  
Cicero in his Brutus gives him this Eulogy: Oratorem plane perfectum, & cui nihil admodum desit, Demosthenem facile dixeris. And again, in his Book de Oratore; Quo ne Athenas quidem ipsas magis credo fuisse Atticas. Then whom I believe Athens itself was not more Athenian. Quintilian expresseth him with this Title. Lex orandi; to all this, I will but add that of of the Satirist, 
Quem mirabuntur Athenae  
Torrentem, & pleni moderantem Fraena theatri.    

Eschines.  
ESchines of Athens was first (as Suidas relateth) a Stage-Player, than a Scribe, and afterwards an Orator: he was Demostenis aemulus, but overcome by him in that Cause De Corona. Cicero doth very highly extol him, Nihil illo oratore arbitror cogitari posse divinius. Indeed he was the first of Orators, that was said to speak Divinely, because what he delivered was without premeditation, as though he had been inspired by some heavenly Deity.  
Wherefore Philostratus saith of him, that his Eloquence was such, that none could imitate it; and hence it was, that his very Enemy Demosthenes (as it is in Vossius) would style him, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Agellius calleth him, Acerrimum prudentissimumque oratorum, qui apud conciones Atheniensium floruerunt. The most sharp and prudent of the Orators, which flourished in the Athenian Forum.  
This man in a weighty Cause corrupted the Judges, for which Delinquency he was cast into Prison, where by a Draught of Poison he made himself away; he was by the way of jeer called by Demostenes, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A Corrupter of Letters. Dionysius makes mention of seven more of this very Name.   

Lysias.  
LYsias the Son of Shafalus, the Syracusane, was one of the ten Orators born at Athens, whither his Father had been transported, styled by Marcus Cicero, Venustissimus scriptor, ac politissimus, A most gracious and polite writer, of whom in his Brutus also, he gives a most glorious Character, preferring none before him, but that same Paragon of Greece, Demosthenes.  
Neither is Dyonisius any way behind that Orator in commending him, who saith this to his immortal praise, that he obscured the glory of all those Orators, which either were before him, or Contemporary with him; so that thereupon, he styles him the very Rule, or Archetype of the Athenian Language then used.  
When he was a Boy, he went to the Colony of Thusios', where he continued, until he was seven and forty years of age: and then returned a most excellent Orator.  
Quintilian speaks thus of him, Lysias subtilis atque elegans, & quo nihil, si oratori satis sit docere, quaeras perfectius; nihil enim est inane, nihil arcessitum, puro tamen fonti, quam magno flumini propior: Lysias is subtle, and elegant, then whom (if it be enough for an Orator to teach) you can require nothing more perfect, for there is not any thing vain, nor any thing borrowed, being nearer to the pure Fountain, than the great, and wide Stream.  
I'll let him go with this Character from Dyonisius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, None more diligent, and more gracious than Lysias.   

Demades.  
DDemades whom Suidas styleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Crafty and fortunate, of a Mariner, and Porter, became an Orator of Athens, he lived about the times of Philip, and Alexander, Kings of Macedon; he writ, says Suidas, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Olympias was the Wife of Philip, and Mother of great Alexander.  
He waxed exceeding rich, and Potent, and desired nothing more than the favour of the Macedonians, and especially of Antipater: He was much addicted to Luxury, so that he consumed most of his Wealth upon his Belly; whence it was Antipater's sc●ff, Nihil ei, sicuti & coesis victimis, praeter linguam, & ventrem superesse. That there was nought more remaining to him, than what was wont to the Sacrifices, even the Tongue, and the Belly.  
Cicero reporteth, that he wrote nothing; but Suidas mentions somewhat that he should write, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Besides what he might dedicate to Olympias.  
Plutarch in the life of Demosthenes doth inform us, That Theophrastus being once asked the question, What kind of Orator was Demosthenes? his Answer was, Worthy of this City. And then being demanded, what a one was this Demades, he replied, Supra urbem, Above the City.  
He was an extreme factious, and seditious man, never well, but when he was in the fire of Contention. However excusing himself one day as to that matter, he acknowledged, that he had oftentimes spoken words to his own particular damage, but never any that were injurious to the Commonwealth. Suidas says, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. That he everted Judgements, and took away all Oratory Contentions. He died under Antipater.   

Marcus Tull. Cicero.  
MArcus Tull. Cicero whose Father was a Roman Knight, passed through all the Honours and Dignities of that excellent Republic; being one of the Consuls, when Catiline broke out into Rebellion, he soon by his vigilancy and prudence quieted that Commotion. In his old Age, he was first proscribed by Marcus Antonius, and afterwards murdered, which caused that serious Apostrophe from Vellius Paculus to the said Antony, which I shall here insert.  
Rapuisti tu Marco Cicerone lucem sollicitam, & aetatem senilem, & vitam miseriorem te principe, quam sub te triumviro mortem. Famam vero, gloriamque factorum, atque dictorum, adeo non abstulisti, ut auxeris, vivit, vivetq, per omnium seculorum memoriam, dumque hoc vel forte, vel providentia, vel utcunq constitutum rerum naturae corpus, quod ille poene solus Romanorum animo vidit, ingenio complexus est, eloquentia illuminavit, manebit incolume, comitem aevi sui, laudem trabet, omnisque posteritas illius in te scripta mirabitur, tuum in eum factum execrabitur, citiusque in mundo genus hominum, quam hujus nomen cadet.  
Thou hast snatched from Marcus Cicero a sollicitious light, and old age, and a life more miserable under thee Prince, than death under thee Triumvir. The fame and glory of his deeds, thou art so far from taking away, that thou hast augmented them; He lives, & shall live through the memory of all ages, and whilst this Universe, or body of natural things, constituted either by casualty, or by providence, or any other way (which he only of all the Romans apprehended in his mind, comprehended with his wit, illuminated with his wisdom) shall remain in safety, his praise shall bear it company, and all posterity shall admire his Writings, against thee, and curse thy bloody deed against him, and mankind shall sooner cease to be in the World then his Name shall perish.  
It's reported of Molon this Orator's Master, (as it is affirmed by Aurelius Victor) that he wept very soar, because he did as it were foresee, that his Scholar being a Roman, should deprive Greece of her Renown for Eloquence; It's the forementioned Paterculus his Observation of him, Quod omnia sua incrementa sibi debuit, vir ut vita clarus, ita ingenio maximus, qui effecit, ne quorum arma viceramus, eorum ingenio vinceremur. That he owed all his proficiency only to himself, a man as eminent in life, so transcendent for wit, who indeed effected, that we were not overcome by their wit, whose Arms we had conquered.  
Seneca the Rhetorician speaketh to the same purpose:  
Quicquid Romana facundia habet, quod insolenti Graeciae aut opponat, aut praeferat, circa Ciceronem floruit: Whatsoever the Roman Eloquence hath, which it may oppose, or prefer to insolent Greece, it all flourished in Cicero. And again saith the same Author, Illud Ingenium solum populus Romanus par Imperio suo habuit. The People of Rome had that only wit equal unto their Empire.  
Quintdian tells us, that he attained to the force of Demosthenes, the copiousness of Plato, and the sweetness of Isocrates: well might Symmachus then call it Tullianam Opulentiam.   

Marcus Seneca.  
MArcus Seneca the Rhetorician, was the Father of Lucius the Philosopher, and vulgarly called by the name of Declamator, although (as Justus Lipsius saith) Those Declamations were not of his own Composure, but only were digested, methodised, and set in order by him; wherein (says that learned Grammarian) Come ac amaenum ingenium suum satis ostendit, He sufficiently displayed his neat and pleasant wit.  
This same Lipsius saith further, That that work of his is very profitable for Eloquence, because he brings into one body thereby (as it were) the Members of all other Orators: And again, comparing him with his Son, he thus speaketh of him, Vnice me in filio sapientia delectat, in patre comitas, lepos & Facundia quaedam simplex: In the Son, Wisdom is the thing that only affects me, In the Father Comity, Pleasantness, and a certain naked Eloquence.  
I'll add but that of Andrea's Scottus, Nihil in lingua latina cum a Cicerone, Fabioque discesseris, scriptum purius, aut elegantius. If you will but except Cicero, and Quintilian, there is nothing written in the Latin Tongue more purely, and more elegantly.   

Petronius Arbiter.  
PEtronius Arbiter was a Knight of Rome, and very intimate and familiar with the Emperor Nero, called thereupon Barthius, Arbiter noctium voluptatumque Neronis, Pandarus unto Nero's Nightly pleasure: for to this lascivious Writer, the Tyrant owed all his Sports, and Pastimes, and therefore was delighted with no man's company, as he was with his.  
Tacitus speaking of this bloody Prince, says this of him, Quod nihil amaenum & molle affluentia putavit, nisi quod ei Petronius approbavisset. That he accounted nothing sweet, and soft, and pleasant, but what Petronius had approved of. It seems then that this Petronius had the skill to make Provision of such Dainties, as would be suitable to his lustful Appetite: and this appears by those common Characters which several Authors have bestowed upon him.  
Turnebus calls him, Obscenum & lascivum scriptorem, An obscene and lascivious Writer. Et quod venustatem orationis suae spurcissimis inquinavit amoribus, And that he defiled the Elegancy of his Oration with his most filthy Loves.  
Indeed his Latin is of the sweetest strain, and therefore deservedly styled, Vernulae & latinae urbanitatis purissimus fons, The purest Fountain of the Roman Language. What says Lipsius of him? Vidistine quidquam venustius, argutius post natas Musas? Hast thou seen any thing since the Muses were in the World, more sweet, and witty? And it is a pretty expression of the same Critics; Fragmenta ejus purissimae impuritatis. His Fragments are of a most pure impurity.  
Dempster also doth express him to the life in this following Character.  
Candidus, Tersus, suavis, in omnibus mirandus, modo absit obscoenitas. Candid, fair, sweet, admirable in all things, were but his obsceaness wanting.   

Hermogenes.  
HErmogenes of Tarsus, surnamed Xyster, wrote a Book of Rhetoric when he was but of the Age of eighteen; so that his Fame spread so far and wide, that it came to the Ears of the Emperor Antoninus, whose Imperial Majesty did condescend and stoop so low, as to receive Instructions in that Art of Eloquence from him so young: as also did the grave Philosopher Musonius.  
But when he had arrived at the four and twentieth year of his Age, he was deprived of his Wits, losing all his Eloquence, without any visible cause of so sudden, and so sad a change. This made Antiochus the Sophist (as it is in the learned Suidas) to play upon him with this following Jeer.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Hermogenes which was amongst the Boys as an aged man, became at length amongst the aged men a Boy.  
Vossius alluding to his Name calls him, Mercury, si nomen spectes, patrem merito voces ipsum eloquentiae Mercurium. If you consider and regard his Name, you may very well call him the Father of Eloquence Mercurius.   

Quintilianus.  
QVintilianus by nation a Spaniard, called by an eminent Critic, Romanae eloquentiae censor, & oratorum Coryphaeus, accompanied the Emperor Galba unto Rome, where he was afterwards made Tutor to the Nephews of Caesar Domitian.  
Angelus Politianus saith, and that out of Hierome, Quod primus omnium Romae publicum juventutis gymnasium instituit, & e fisco eximium stipendium accepit. That he was the first which taught a public Freeschool at Rome, and upon that account received a large Stipend from the public Exchequer.  
Trebellius Pollio saith of him, That he was the acutest, and wittiest Declamator within the whole Roman Empire, and that the reading bu● of one of his Chapters will sufficiently declare it: no wonder therefore if Sidonius styleth it, Acrimoniam Quintiliani, The Acrimony of Quintilian: and Barthius, Omnium qui unquam scripserunt auctorum elegantissimum, The most elegant of all Authors that ever writ.  
Another Characterizeth him thus: Criticorum omnium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The most Critical of all Critics. And Dempster gives him th●se two ensuing Periphrases: Orator eximius, ac necessarius, Optimusque dicendi Artifex, A famous and necessary Orator, and the best Master of Language. Witty Marshal Commemorates him in one of his acute Epigrams.  
Quintiliane vagae moderator sum Juventae,  
Gloria Romanae Quintiliane Togae.  
He is also taken notice of by that same admirable Satirist Junius Juvenal.   

Lucianus Samosatensis.  
LVcianus Samosatensis lived in the Reign of Trajan, he was in the beginning a Professor of the Christian Faith, but in the end he Apostatised and fell to disparaging, disgracing, and reviling of it, thereby proving a Blasphemer of that glorious Profession, whereof he had been once, as it were a noble Champion.  
Suidas says that he was at length torn in pieces by fierce and greedy Dogs, a very just Judgement from Heaven upon him, and a righteous reward to his base Apostasy. He was surnamed Blasphemus, or Dysphemus, because he would frequently deride the Oracles of God, and make but a mock of the true Religion.  
Hence it is that Barthius styles him, Deorum hominumque irrisorem, A derider both of Gods and men; and says Lactantius, Lucianus, Qui Diis & hominibus non pepercit. Lucian who spared neither God nor man. Eunapius tells us, That he was altogether composed for merriment. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. A man as it were made for to provoke Laughter.  
Nay, he himself who best of all knew his own natural temper, confesseth in his Pseudologista, that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: Incontinent of laughing.  
I'll but add that, which Caspar Barthius hath said of all his Writings. De philosophia hujus scriptoris dicere ausim n●mini ad nos usque fuisse perspectam, & cognitam, neque impiam esse, nisi quatenus veritati sese opponit Christianae, & non paulo altius oculos in rerum divinarum considerationem immittere, quam vulgo censetur.  
Concerning the Philosophy of this Writer, I dare affirm that it was never well apprehended and known by any, even to our very selves; Neither is it impious, but where it opposeth Christianity, and that it looketh higher into the consideration of divine things, then is commonly imagined by the Vulgar.   

Aelianus.  
AeLianus born at Praeneste a Town in Italy, was the Auditor of Pausanias: he taught Rhetoric at Rome, soon after the death of the Emperor Adrian. Suidas says, That for the sweetness of his Speech he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. He writ De animalibus, de varia Historia, De Re Militari, all which are come safe into our hands, we find this Character given him by Eunapius, That he wrote as Athenian like, as the very Athenians themselves, a man most praiseworthy for his purity in the Greek Tongue.  
Gesner speaking as to his History of living Creatures, saith thus of it:  
In Aeleani de Animalibus libris Temperamentum quoddam, & Harmonia utriusque philosophiae, moralis (inquam) & naturalis. In Aelian's Books of living Creatures, there is I say, a certain Temperament and Harmony of either Philosophy, moral and natural.  
And says another occasionally, wherewith I shall let him pass;  
In ejus narrationibus, quid non egregium, non praestans, non Idoneum vel ad cognoscendum, vel ad emitandum, fugiendumve? Quid non in eo tersum, elegans, politum, & Atticum? In his Narrations, what is there, that is not egregious and excellent? What not fit either to be known, or to imitate, or to be declined? What is there, that is not neat, polite, elegant, and Attic.   

Aristides Adrianensis.  
ARistides Adrianensis an excellent Sophist, was much affected with Contemplation, who not being naturally prompt to Oratory, yet through his painful Industry, he attained to an incomparable strain of Elocution. When Mark Antonine the Emperor was at Smyrna, where he had been for the space of full three days ere this Orator would afford him his attendance; at length coming to wait upon his princely Majesty, it was the Emperor's first question, Quare te sero vidimus? Why so late before we saw thee? And the Rhetors' reply was, Theorema O Rex nos occupabat, atqui mens aliquid considerans, ab eo quod quaerit, suspensa esse non debet. We were O King taken up with a Theorem, but the Mind being under meditation, must not be withdrawn from that it seeketh.  
Antonine being well pleased with this return, put this question also to him; Quando audiam te? Whom the Orator thus answered, Hodie propone, & cras audies; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Propound to day, and you shall hear to Morrow, for we are not of those, that vomit forth things, but of them, that do all things accurately.  
Philostratus calls him the Builder of Smyrna, for that City being destroyed by a most fearful Earthquake, this Aristides wrote a lamentable Letter to the Emperor, such a Letter, as made him weep, and it so far prevailed with him, that in the end he condescended to rebuild it.  
He is highly applauded by one that set forth his Orations, and that in these ensuing words;  si quid judicare possum, videor mihi in uno hoc oratore & subtilitatem Thucididis, & suavitatem Herodoti, & vim denique 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Demosthenes', accuratissime expressas deprehendere. Truly, if I am able to judge, I seem most accurately to meet within this one Orator, the subtlety of Thucydides, and the sweetness of Herodotus, and the force and gravity of Demosthenes.   

Quintus Aurelius Symmachus.  
QVintus Aurelius Symmachus was a man of Cosular degree, and Praefect of the City. He is much commmended by Marcellinus for his Learning, and modesty, and thus Characterised by Boethius, Illud pretiofissimum generis humani decus, vir totus ex sapientia ac virtutibus factus: That most precious Ornament of Mankind, altogether composed of Wisdom and the Virtues: As also thus by Prosper; Mirabili eloquie & scientia praeditus, Endued with wonderful knowledge, and Eloqution. Ausonius' writing an Epistle to him, gives him therein these following Commendations: Haud quisquam ita nitet, ut comparatus tibi non sordeat; Quis ita Aesopi venustatem, Quis sophisticas Socratis conclusiones, Quis Enthymemata Demosthenes', aut opulentiam Tullianam aut proprietatem nostri Maronis accedat? Quis ita affectet singula, ut tu imples omnia? Quid enim aliudes, quam ex omni bonarum artium ingenio collecta perfectio? Who comes so near the Grace of Aesop? who the sophistical conclusions of Socrates? Who the Enthymem● of Demosthenes? Or the Opulency of Cicero? Or the propriety of our Maro? Who so affects each as thou fillest all? For what art thou else but collect Perfection from the Wit of all good Arts?  
I'll but add a Note from Dempster: In Epistolis eloquens, in Relatione vehemens. Eloquent in his Epistles, in his Relation vehement.     

ΧΑΡΑΚΤΗ'Ρ ΠΟΙΗΤΩΝ OR, THE POETS In their lively PICTURES.  
LONDON, Printed by E.C. for Henry Eversden, at the Greyhound in S. Paul's Churchyard, 1659.   

TO HIS HONOURED FRIEND, JOHN HOLMDEN Of Limsfield in the County of Surrey, ESQUIRE.  
Ingenious SIR,  
AND I hope as kind, otherwise I must expect to meet with Frowns, for so slender hath my performance been, that if there be such a Grace, as Modesty, I may blush to own it. However a courteous Eye may pass over all my slips with a generous Indulgence; Indeed this is the presage, to which I may impute all my boldness, and if I am deceived, it's my too forward praeconception of your Candour hath beguiled me: And yet I am brief enough, and therefore guilty of the fewer Faults; had I been more prolix, I might have tired out the greatest Patience, but seeing you are secured from that, I hope it will be one Grain more in the Scale to make your Lenity the heavier. If I shall attain this undeserved Favour, I shall have my wish, and be engaged to approve myself,  
SIR, Yours to all Civilities, Edward Larkin.   

THE NAMES Of the POETS As they are handled in Order.  

Orpheus',  
Alcaeus,  
Sapph,  
Musaeus,  
Homerus,  
Hesiodus,  
Pindarus,  
Anacreon,  
Theognis,  
Theocritus,  
Aratus,  
Lycophron,  
Aeschylus,  
Sophocles,  
Euripides,  
Menander,  
Aristophanes,  
Plautus,  
Terentius,  
Callimachus,  
Afranius,  
Lucilius,  
Accius,  
Ennius,  
Lucretius,  
Catullus,  
Virgilius,  
Corn. Gallus,  
Horatius,  
Ovid,  
Manilius,  
Tibullus,  
Propertius,  
Gratius,  
Seneca,  
Persius,  
Pedo Albin.  
Pomponius 2 us.  
Arunt. Stella,  
Juvenalis,  
Valerius Flac.  
Silius Italic.  
Lucanus,  
Martialis,  
Statius,  
Ausonius,  
Oppianus,  
Sidonius,  
Prudentius,  
Claudianus,  
Pontius Paul.  
Dracontius,    

ΧΑΡΑΚΤΗ'Ρ ΠΟΙΗΤΩΝ OR, THE POETS In their lively PICTURES.  

Orpheus.  
Orpheus' an excellent Musician and Poet, was a Thracian by Birth the Son of Oeagrus, and the Muse Calliope, much reverenced by the Odrysae, a Mountainous and wild People, their manners answering to the Climate of their Country, who notwithstanding their Native Freity, danced after his wel-tuned Instrument, nay, the very senseless Trees are reported to have skipped, whensoever his Harp sounded, whereunto the Poet Horace hath alluded.  
Unde vocalem temere insecutae  
Orphea sylvae,  
Artemat erna rapidos morantem  
Fluminum lapsus, celeresque ventos  
Blandum & auritas fidebus canoris  
ducere quercus.  
Suidas saith of him, that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A wise man, and instructed in many Secrets. He was torn in pieces by the raving Maenades, near the River Hebrus, whose rent and dispersed Members the Muses gathered up and buried. His Harp upon his death was feigned to have been taken up into Heaven.  
Suidas in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 affirmeth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. That he was the first Inventor of the Mysteries of the Greeks, so doth also Tertullian in Apologetico.   

Alcaeus.  
ALcaeus of Mitylene a Lyric Poet, equal with that Pittacus, which was one of the seven wise men; amongst other of his Works, wrote a Book called Stasiotica, wherein he sharply reproved Pittacus, Myrsilus, Meglagyrus, Cleanthis, and other Tyrants for oppressing their Native Country.  
Stobaeus doth recite two of his Verses concerning the dispraise of Poverty, the same being also recorded by that learned Writer Athenaeus, Plutarch the Philosopher in the life of Flaminius, doth rehearse those Verses which this Author hath written in the dishonour of King Philip.  
He was a most excellent Musician, and a great Warrior, preferring his strength far before his Poetry. Athenaeus doth describe him to have been a Lover of Drink, wherein he would exceed without regard had either to the time of the year, or the disposition of the Heavens.  
And Barthius gives him this mark, Quod erat omnium post Anacreonta maxim bibulus: That after Anacreon he was the greatest Tipler. It's said, that one part of his Writings is worthy of a golden Harp, but in the other part, he descends to his vain sports, and loves, being indeed fit for matters of greater weight and moment,   

Sapph.  
SAppho a Lyric Poetress, was born about the forty second Olympiad; she wrote Epigrams, Elegies, iambics, & nine Books of Lyric Verses. Suidas saith of her, Quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, That she was the first Inventress of the Harp; she is cited both by Athenaeus and Stobaeus. Plutarch in the life of Demetrius, makes mention of a Book, that she should write of Loves.  
Others say, That there was another Sapph, and a Poetress, which entirely loved the young man Phaon; however the Latins do commend but one, who is by Gyraldus styled Mascula for her Virile Studies, which Epithet is likewise given her by Horatius, Temperate Archilochi musam pede mascula Sapph.  
And she is called also Pulchra Fair, a●carminum pulchritudine, From the beauty of her Poems. In the Greek Anthology they  he● thus, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: The sweet Pierian Bee. Whatsoever is extant of her composure, is printed in Greek and Latin by Henricus Stephansis.   

Musaeus.  
MVsaeus a famous Poet, was the Disciple of Orpheus, if (as some say) not his Son: he had that renowned Harp of his conferred upon him at his death, being for his great skill in Music, thought worthy of it. He is the first that wrote of the Genealogy of the Gods; so great was his esteem among his Countrymen, that Tertullian saith, they accounted of him as a God, Deus a suis habitus. There goeth a Poem under his authority and Name, called Leander and Hero, but learned Casaubon hath clearly discovered, that he was never the Author of it.  
Scaliger in his Poetices speaketh thus of him: Arbitror ego Musaei stylum longe esse Homerico politiorem ●o comptiorem, Quod si Musaeus ea, quae Homerus scripsit, scripsisset, long melius eum scripturum fuisse judicamus. I believe that Musaeus his stile is far more polite and neat, than Homer's, so that if Musaeus had written upon Homer's Subject, in my Opinion and Judgement, he would have written much better than he. Suidas saith, that there were no less than three of this Name, and all of them Poets.   

Homerus.  
HOmerus so named by the jonians for his blindness for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Language by the Figure Metathesis signifies blind; yet his proper Name was Melesigenes, because he was born near the River Meletes: He is otherwise called Maeonides, from his Parent Maeone, though some others would needs have him to be the Son of Apollo, and the Muse Calliope: he was a Poet of that great Renown, that no less than seven Cities strove to have the honour and glory both of his Birth and Breeding. The Verses are very well known.  
Septem urbes pugnant genus obsapientis Homeri;  
Smyrna, Chios, Colophon, Ithace, Pylus, Argos, Athenae.  
Neither only did these 7. lay claim unto him, but three times seven, if we will give credit to the learned Plutarch, and Suidas, amongst which, Rome is very urgent, that he may be accounted hers; Now the uncertainty hereof moved Appion the Grammarian to invoke his Ghost to come forth from the dead, and to declare the Country, that so the Controversy might be decided. He wrote in twenty four Books the Wars of Troy, which he calls his Illias', and in as many more the Travels of Ulysses, which he Name's his Odysseys. They were digested into that Order, wherein we now have them, not by himself, but by other men, and (as Suidas reports) chief by Pisistratus the Athenian Tyrant.  
His Works were so admired by Arcesilaus, that he would not take his rest, until he had read some portion of them. And again in the Morning, as soon as he was risen, he would say, Se ad Amasium ire, That he was going to his Darling.  
Alcibiades would strike that Schoolmaster in the Ear, whom he found without the Books of this most renowned Author. Alexander the great King of Macedon, having taken a rich Cabinet from Darius, whom he had overcome in Battle, resolved, that it should serve to keep these famous Works in.  
Elian telleth us, That Plato at the beginning studied Poetry, and having compiled certain Heroic Verses, he came to examine them by these noble Treatises of Homer, and finding them to fall very short of this eminent Poeta Art and Faculty, he forthwith tore them, and burned them.  
Dionysius Hali●arnasensis calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The top of all, whence every River, Sea, and Fountain flows. No wonder therefore if the Painter Galaton feigned him Vomiting, and all the other Poets like so many Dogs licking up what he had spewed out.  
Cicero could say, Homero nemo similis, None like great Homer: And Velleìus Paterculus a most elegant and neat Historian, could give him a Character somewhat suitable to his merit.  
Clarissimum Homeri ingenium sine exemplo maximum, qui magnitudine operum, & fulgore carminum solus appellaripoeta meruit, in quo, hoc maximum est, quod neque ante illum, quem ille imitaretur, neque post illum, qui eum imitari possit, inventus est.  
The most bright and matchless Wit of Homer, who both for the greatness of his Works, and the clearness of his Verses did alone deserve the Name of Poet, in whom this is most glorious, That there was neither any one before him, for him to imitate, nor any found after him, that could imitate him. I meet with his Epitaph in Suidas, which is as followeth.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
He flourished about 160 years before Rome, the Mistress of the World, was sounded.   

Hesiodus  
HEsiodus was called Cumaeus from his Native Soil, and Ascreus from the place of his Education, he lived an hundred years after Homer, so says Porphyrius, and some others, as it is in Suidas. Plutarch writes of him, That being a Boy, and keeping his Father's Flocks and Herds, he was beloved of the Muses, who gave him Laurel to eat, whereupon he commenced a most excellent Poet; and a● Homer was called Poeta Lacedaemoniorum, The Poet of the Lacedæmonians; so this Hesiod was styled Poeta Helotarum, The Poet of the Helots'. The one teaching the way of Warfare, the other of Tillage.  
The Philosopher Jeronymus reports, That Pythagoras descending into Hell, saw the Soul of this Hesiod fastened to a brazen Pillar, and there making a most doleful, and dreadful noise: as also the Ghost of Homer compassed about with Serpents, and all for this cause, because they uttered in their Books false things of the Gods.  
Pliny, and Columella affirm, that this Poet was the first man that wrote of Agriculture: The Critics have afforded him many worthy Encomiums. Hesiodi opuscula, (says Barthius) Quantus Thesaurus Infucatae sunt sapientiae? The Works of Hesiod, how great a Treasury are they of untainted and unadulterated Wisdom? And for his Style, Heinsius saith of it, That it is Mitis, facilis, ac amaenus, Mildred, facile, and pleasant.  
Amongst the Tragedians he is compared to Euripides, and amongst the Lyrics unto Sapph, and amongst the Orators unto Isocrates.  
Paterculus thus Characters this Poet; Hesiodus vir perelegantis ingenii, & molissima dulcedine carminum memorabilis, otii quietisque cupidissimus, ut Homero tempore, ita operis autoritate pr●ximus.  
Hesiod for the clearness of his Wit, and the dainty smoothness of his Verse, is worthy of memory, a man infinitely desirous of rest and quiet, and as he was in time, so also in esteem the next to Homer.  
Suidas speaking of his death, says, that he was slain upon mistake, by the two Brothers Antiphus, and Climenus, who in the Night thought they had been avenged on him, who had been the Deflowrer of their Sister.   

Pindarus.  
PIndarus of Thebes, the Prince of the Grecian Lyrics, was Eschylus his equal, he wrote in the Doric Dialect, whom Horace for his Sentences, Figures, and Expressions, calls unimitable, he being indeed a Poet so much abounding with them.  
When Alexander the Macedonian King made an assault upon the City Thebes, and took it by storm: Curtius informs us, that he spared the Family of Pindar, for the respect and reverence that he bore him. But Suidas is of opinion, that it was another Pindar, the Son of Scopelinus, whom Alxeander so honoured, though the Cousin German of this Lyric Poet.  
Yet Plato styles this man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Most wise and divine: And Athenaeus expresseth him to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. In the Greek anthology he is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The sweet singing Heliconian Swan. As other Muses were feigned to inspire other Poets, so did Polyhymnia him.  
I'll say no more but a word from Lipsius. Pindarus ex ore humano praefert aliquid non humanum; Pindar out of an humane Mouth let's drop somewhat, that is more than humane.   

Anacreon.  
ANacreon was a Poet of jonia, whence he was called jonum Gloria. He lived in Favour with Polycrates the Samian Tyrant: Cicero saith, that his Poem is amatorious, and lascivious, as is also his life: He was much taken among others with the beauty of the Boy Batillus, whereunto the Poet Horace alludeth in that Verse of his; 
Non aliter Samio dicunt arsisse Batillo  
Anacreonta Teium.   
He flourished in LII Olympiad. He was named Teius from the City he lived in, which was called after that Name: Pliny writes, that he was strangled with the stone of a Raysin. Scaliger thus praiseth him;  
Hic excelluit adeo, ut ejus dictio quovis Indice arundinis succo dulcior mihi videbatur. He so excelled, that his Speech seemed to me sweeter than the juice of the Sugar-Cane. Dempster styleth him, Lyricum suavissimum, The sweetest Lyric. Suidas saith of him, that he wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Drunken Verses and iambics; and all of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the jonick Dialect.   

Theognis.  
THeognis was of Megara in Sicilia, and flourished about the LIX. Olympiad. He wrote an Elegy upon those of the Syracusanes, that were preserved in the Siege, dedicating it to one Cyrhus, whom he dearly loved: There was another of this Name, which was a Tragic Poet, so cold in all his Works, that he was proverbially called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Snow: But this Theognis as he hath been discommended by some, so he hath been applauded by others.  
Ammianus Marcellinus saith, That he is both Poeta prudens, & vetus, An ancient and wise Poet. And although Barthius could lay it to his charge, That his Poem had neither Caput, nor Calcem, Head, nor Tail, yet Dempster affirms, That he is Velure Isocrate Judice necessarius. A necessary Poet even in the Judgement of Socrates. He gins his Work with the usual form of Invocation; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   

Theocritus.  
THeocritus was a Poet of Syracuse, the Son of Symmichus and Philina, though Suidas calls his Father by the Name of Praxagoras, he lived in the time of Ptolemy the Son of Lagus; some would have him to be of Cous, and that he was transported from thence in a Ship to Syracuse. He wrote Idylls, and that in the Doric Dialect, which Virgil afterwards undertook to imitate.  
Heinsius styles him, Bucolicorum principem, The Prince of Bucolics, preferring him on that account far before the renowned Maro: he was named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as Homer was Poeta; of whom this is also Heinsius his Character. Theocritus scriptor, cujus gratias, & Veneres nemo satis capit, Theocritus a Writer, whose Graces, and sweetness none sufficiently comprehendeth.  
Suidas joins this Poet with Moscus, and Bion, and saith of them all, That they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The three Bucolick Poets.   

Aratus.  
ARatus called by Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Solensis, from a Town of that name in Cilicia; was an ancient Greek Poet, the Son of Athenodorus, instructed in Grammar by Menecrates the Ephesian, and in Philosophy by Timon, and Menedemus: so Suidas. Cicero testifieth of him, that being ignorant of Astrology, yet he described the Heavens and Planets in most eloquent and excellent Verses.  
Quintilian thus commends him, Sufficit operi, cui se parem credidit, He sufficeth for the Work whereunto he thought himself equal: It's Ovid's Verse of him; Come sole, & luna semper Aratus erit.  
Suidas saith of his Phaenomena, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. That the beginning of them is admirable, and his emulation Homerical. Cicero translated them when he was but a young man. Suidas informs us also, that besides his Poetry, he wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Epistles also in Prose.  
Barthius applaudeth him for this, Quod de Deo locutus est divinitus, That he spoke divinely of God, more than could be expected from one that was ignorant of all heavenly truth: Saint Paul himself makes use of a saying of this Poets, Act 17.28.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 
For we are his Off spring. He was borne about the hundred and twenty fourth Olympiad.   

Lycophron.  
LYcophron of Vbaea, Citizen of Chalcis, the Son of Aricles, though adopted, as Suidas saith, by Lycus of Rhegium, was both a Grammarian, & a Tragic Poet: and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. One of those seven which were called Pleiades. He wrote in all twenty Tragedies, whose Names are recorded by Suidas: and besides those, a very obscure Poem, named Alexandra, which the forementioned Grammarian styles (in respect had to the obscurity of it) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A dark Poem.  
Laertius tells us, That he was the Author of that Treatise Menedemus, so called from the Philosopher, whom he doth therein extol; of his death, the Poet Naso in his Ibin, thus writes.  
Utque cothurnatum periisse Lycophrona narrant,  
Haereat in fibris fixa sagitta tuis.  
He was very gracious with Ptlomeus Philadelphus; his Works were so dark and obscure, that the Poet Statius makes it proverbial of him, Carmina Battiadae, tenebrasque Lycophronis atri, His Alexandra is set out by Meursius, from whose hand it hath received so much clearness, and light, that he who was before called Lycophron, may be now named Glycophron.   

Eschylus.  
AeSchylus of Athens, according to the report of the Orator Quintilian, was the first Composer of Tragedies. Suidas saith, that he writ in all ninety, and besides them some Elegies: his death was sudden, and strange, for fitting in an open place, on purpose to decline that stroke, which by unhappy prognostication threatened his ruin. It fell out, that being bareheaded, and bald, an Eagle flying over him with a shellfish enclosed in his Talons, and taking his Pate to be some stone, whereon it might crack the shell, to come at the Meat, let it fall on the sudden, and brained him.  
It's reported of him, that being well heated with Wine, he would then compose his Tragedies, and consecrate them to Bacchus: Plutarch as he commends the wisdom of Euripides, and the eloquence of Sophocles, so he doth the sublimity of this Aeschylus, all the commendation that he himself would give his Works, was this, he would call them, The Crusts of Homer's magnificent and sumptuous Suppers.  
He was a good Warrior, and as he did fight, so he did speak, wherefore Heinsius saith thus of him.  
Sane ad tubam etiam scripsisse credas, adeo sublimis in oratione, ac grandis, verbisque quibus utitur, ipsis prope par rebus, heroicam & audacem dictionem effundit.  
He wrote indeed with his Pen, as he fought with his Sword.   

Sophocles.  
SOphocles was an Athenian, the Son of Sophilus, borne in the seventy third Olympiad, about seventeen years before the Learned Socrates: he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: The Bee for the sweetness of his Expression; so saith Suidas.  
It's recorded, that his own Sons accused him in his old age for a witless man before the Judge, whereupon the aged Father produced a Tragedy, which he had lately form, and then asked the Judge the question, Whether that seemed to be the work of an Idiot? Wherefore the Judge commending him, and his Poem, rebuked his Sons, and sent them away with shame.  
Polemon the Athenian Philosopher, was so delighted with this man, and Homer, that he would frequently say, they were both endued with equal wisdom, calling Homer Heroical Sophocles, and Sophocles Tragical Homer.  
Simonides the wise man, styled him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The Flower of the Poets. Suidas saith, that he wrote one hundred and three and twenty Tragedies: and in his Contentions for the palm with other Poets, he obtained no less than four and twenty Victories, the last whereof happening far beyond his expectation, he was so transported with sudden joy, that he forthwith expired: he died about six years after Euripides, and is preferred before him for the majesty of his stile, though short of him for number of Sentences. Suidas saith, that besides his Tragedies, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. He wrote an Elegy, and Paeans, and also solute Prose.   

Euripides.  
EVripides was the Son of Mnesarchus and Clito, and had not, as some have reported, a Seller of Herb● for his Mother: Suidas vindicates him from the disparagement of so mean a descent, asserting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. That he was of noble Birth, as Philochorus doth demonstrate it. He was born on that very day, wherein that huge and numerous Host of Xerxes was overthrown by the Athenians  
At the first, he was a Painter, but afterwards he became a most excellent Tragedian. For Rhetoric he was the Scholar of Prodicus, and for Philosophy the Auditor of the most learned Socrates; he had his Name from Euripus: for his Austerity, they called him, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A Hater of Women: and yet Suidas affirms, that he was a married man, and had two Wives, being divorced from the first for her unchastity, neither did he find the second more loyal to his Bed: he flourished in the Reign of Archelaus the King of Macedon. Suidas saith, That he was torn in pieces by ravenous and greedy Dogs, or rather in the Night by barbarous and bloody Women: The Athenians grievously bemoaned his untimely and sudden death, his Monument is all Greece: He was aged seventy five years, and died in the ninety third Olympiad: he wrote (they say) seventy five Tragedies, for every year he lived a Tragedy, though others will have the number of them to be ninety two: however Suidas saith, that there are but seventy seven extant. He obtained five Victories, four in his life time, and one after his death, his Brother's Son being the Actor of that Tragedy.  
Heinsius gives him this good commendation, Omnium Oratorum non minus pater, quam optimus Poeta. No less the Father of all Orators, than a most excellent Poet.   

Menander.  
MEnander an ancient Comedian of Athens, was solicited (as Pliny reporteth) by solemn Ambassadors from the Kings of Egypt, and Macedon, to grace them with his Society, craving it from him, by very bounteous and magnificent proffers of honour and wealth.  
This Poet wrote according to the Judgement of Suidas, an hundred and eight Comedies, though others affirm no less than an hundred and eighty; They were all translated into elegant Latin by Terentius, but the ill success of the times prevented us of the enjoyment of them, they being all lost He writ also Epistles to Ptolomeus the Son of Lagus King of Egypt, and some to his friend Glycera; he flourished about the hundred and fifteenth Olympiad: Suidas calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and besides he saith of him, that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Very mad in his love of Women. However Quintilian is very large in the setting out his praises.  
Menander vel unus meo judicio diligenter lectus ad cuncta quae praecipimus effingenda sufficiat, ita omnem vitae Imaginem expressit. Menander alone in my Judgement well read, may suffice for all that we command to be done, for he hath very well expressed every kind of life. The same Author extolleth him both for his copiousness of Invention, and for his vein of Eloquence, neither is Plutarch less backward in his advancement.   

Aristophanes.  
Aristophanes' a Comedian, lived in the hundred and fourteenth Olympiad. Suidas, speaking of his Birth, saith thus of it; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Some affirm that his extract was servile. The same Author reports him to have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. He was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, because in his Comedy styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he doth satirically traduce Socrates, who indeed was by Oracle reputed the wisest of the World  
Scaliger saith, that this Poet is Cum risu mordax, Though merry, yet without biting: It's reported, that Plato so admired him, that when Dyonisius the Tyrant was desirous of the Athenian Language, he sent this man's Comedies unto him. And chrysostom was so taken both with his Eloquence, and vehemency in taxing, and reproving the Vices of Women, that he would spend a great part of the day in reading of him, and at Night going to his rest, he would put him under his Pillow, and so sleep upon him, as Alexander the Great was wont to use Homer.  
Quintilian joining this Comedian with Aristarchus, calls them Poetarum judices, The Judges of the Poets, and yet Athenaeus ●elleth us, that he was ever in drink when he composed his Verses, as was also Alcaeus. The Athenians so highly honoured him, that they would have him, and none other to be supreme, so saith Aelian.   

M. Acc. Plautus.  
M. Acc. Plautus, named at the beginning Plotus (as Festus reporteth) A planicie pedum, From the plainess of his feet, which the Vmbrians call Plotos, was a most witty Comedian, styled by Scaliger, Romanae linguae lex, The Law of the Roman Tongue: and by Lipsius, Decima Musa, The tenth Muse: as also Gratiarum hortus, The Garden of the Graces. He lived in those times at Rome, wherein those eminent Romans, Publius Scipio, Fulvius Nobilior, and Marcus Cato flourished. Horatius Flaccus testifieth, that he imitated in his Plays those Greek Authors, Demophilus, P●i●emon, and Epicarmus the Sicilian.  
It was Varroes' opinion, that if the Muses spoke in the Latin Tongue, they then used the phrase of Plautus.  
Meursius styleth him, Omnium leporum patrem, The Father of all witty Conceits. He was compelled to grind at a Mill, in regard of his extreme poverty, and when he was tired by that painful and heavy work, than he would by way of recreation compose Comedies, and sell them for his provision and sustenance.  
Volcatius Sedigitus writing of the Comedians, and setting every one in his place and order, preferreth this Plautus before all others, even next unto Caecilius: Jerome takes special notice of this Author, Haec est Plautina elegantia, hic lepos Atticus, & musarum, ut dicunt, eloquio comparandus. This is Plautus his elegancy, this is the Athenian Wit, and (as they say) comparable to the elocution of the Muses. He died few years after Quintus Ennius in the hundred forty fifth Olympiad: what a great loss was sustained by his death, he himself witnesseth by these Verses, which he composed before his death.  
Postquam est morte captus Plautus,  
Comaedia luget, Scena est deserta.  
Deinde risus, ludus, jocusque & numeri  
Innumeri simul omnes collacrymarunt.  
There were imputed to this Poet's composure an hundred and thirty Comedies, but Laelius a most learned Writer will have but twenty five acknowledged to be his, many being composed by one Plautius, whereupon the mistake might be grounded in respect of the vicinity of their Names.   

Publius Terentius.  
PVblius Terentius was by Birth a Carthaginian, but brought to Rome in his tender years, where he was ingenuously trained up, and educated both in good Literature, and Manners by Terentius Lucanus; being naturally furnished with a quick Wit, and ripe Judgement, he was taken into Fellowship by those two noble Romans Laelius, and Scipio, whose assistance he had (as Cicero writeth) in the composure of his most neat and elegant Plays. And the learned Varro is also of the same judgement.  
This Comedian was an Imitator of Menander, whereof Justus Lipsius calleth him Menandri Imaginem, The Image of Menander: and so the Verses of Caius Caesar do Decipher him.  
Tu quoque, tu in summis o dimidiate Menander  
Poneris, & merito puri sermonis Amator.  
Africanus that great Comedian prefers him before all other Comic Poets.  Terentio non similem dices quempiam. 
Heinsius saith, that his Wit is incredible, and that scarcely one in one hundred understands him. Caecilius, Afranius, and he, lived all about the same age. Dulces latini leporis facetiae per Caecilium, Terentiumque & Afranium sub pari aetate nituerunt. The dainty witty Conceits of the Latin Tongue about the same age were by Caecilius, Terentius, and Afranius rendered worthy of an high esteem. So Paterculus.  
Horatius Flaccus the best Censurer of the old Poets, admires the Gravity of Caecilius, and the art of this Terence, wherein he wonderfully excelled; and of the same judgement was also Quintilian, as the Epigrammatist Ausonius compareth Virgil with Homer, so he doth Terence with Menander, attributing to him the very elegancy of the Latin Tongue.  
Tu quoque qui Latium lecto sermone Terenti  
Comis, & astricto percurris pulpita socco.  
Concerning his death Authors vary, some say, that he died in Arabia, others, and amongst them the Poet Ausonius, do affirm, that the loss of his Plays (which happened through Shipwreck) broke his heart, so that he died for very grief.   

Callimachus.  
CAllimachus the Son of Battus, and Mesaime was an Elegiographer of Cyrene, of whom Suidas saith, That his industry and diligence was so wonderful, that he could compose Poems in any kind of Verse, and also writ most excellent smooth Prose. The said Author moreover affirmeth, that he compiled no less than eight hundred Books: he lived in the time of Ptolomaeus Philadelphus: Quintilian styleth him, Elegiae principem, and saith Ovid of him.  
Battiades toto semper cantabitur orbe;  
Quamvis ingenio non valet, arte valet.  
He wrote a notable Work, De sucrorum origine, which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The argument whereof is much after that of Ovid, de Fastis. Marshal commemoratos him in his tenth Book, in an Epigram to his friend Mamurra.  Legas Aetia Callimachi. 
Before he came to converse with Ptolemy, he taught Grammar at Eleusine a Village of Alexandria. He married the Daughter of Euphrates a Syracusan, his sister's son was of his Name, and an heroic Poet, mentioned by Suidas.   

Lucius Afranius.  
LVcius Afranius, called by some Marcus Afranius was a Comical Poet and flourished in Rome at that time, when Terence, and Caecilius were somewhat aged. Cicero in his Brutus styleth him Hominem perargutum, in Fabulis etiam disertum: A witty man, and eloquent in all his Comedies. He came near in his imitation to Menander, according to that of the Poet Horatius.  Dicitur Afrani toga convenisse Menandro. 
Indeed Macrobius affirmeth, that he borrowed much from that old Comedian, which the Poet himself very ingenuously acknowledgeth, as is to be seen in that answer of his, to his Obtrectors.  
Fateor, sumpsi non a Menandro modo,  
Sed ut quisque habuit, quod conveniret mihi,  
Quod me non posse melius facere credidi.  
Quintilian commends his Elegancy, but withal takes special notice of his filthy loves, wherewith he did deprave and corrupt his Arguments.  
He is remembered by that neat Epigrammatist Ausonius.  Qui toga facundi scenis agitavit Afrani. 
And he is mentioned likewise together with Caelicius and Terentius, by Velleius Paterculus, ut supra. Aulus Gellius highly honours this Poet, and chief commends that Verse of his, wherein he thus speaketh of Wisdom.  
Usus me genuit, mater peperit memoria,  
Sophiam me Graii vocant, vos sapientiam.  
The Grammarians do frequently make mention of him, but of his death the Ancients writ not.   

Caius Lucilius.  
CAius Lucilius called by Juvenal, Alumnus Aruncae: was born of good Parentage, being Uncle (as some of the Grammarians have written) to Cneius Pompeius. Petrus Crinitus thus extols him. Illud imprimis manifestum est, fuisse Lucilium in genio acerrimo, & in scribendis versibus festivo, & urbano.  
He was very intimate and familiar with Quintus Philocomus, who was one chief Instrument of the publication of the Works of this Satirist, so records Suetonius.  
He was the first Poet that wrote Satyrs, being an Italian by Birth. He scourgeth the Vices of those that were his Countrymen, by name Rutilius, Carbo, Tubulus, and many others whose wickednesses his Ingenuity could not bear with.  
Horace fasteneth this reproach upon him, that he should flow muddily.  At dixi fluere hunc lutulentum. 
And Scaliger saith, Illum ne fluere quidem: that he floweth not at all; But Juvenal well observing his Acrimony, thus describes him.  
Ense velut stricto quoties Lucilius arden's  
Infremuit, rubet auditor, cui frigida mens est  
Criminibus, tacita sudant praecordia culpa,  
Ind Irae, & lacrymae.  
The Emperor Adrian preferred this Lucilius before all the Poets that had written Satyrs. Gellius and Quintilian were great Admirers of him, the Encomium, which the latter hath given him, we will here publish. Satyra quidem tota nostra est, in qua primus insignem laudem adeptus est Poeta Lucilius, qui quosdam ita deditos sibi habet amatores, ut cum non ejusdem modo operis autoribus, sed omnibus poet is praeferre non dubitent; Ego quantum ab illis, tantum ab Horatio dissentio, qui Lucilium fluere lutulente, & esse aliquid quod tollere possis, putat, nam eruditio in eo mira, libertasque & acerbitas, & abunde salis.  
The satire is wholly ours, wherein the Poet Lucilius hath first attained transcendent praise, who hath indeed gained lovers so firm and constant to him, that they do not doubt, not only to prefer him to the Authors of the same Work, but also to all other Poets. In as much as I differ from those so I descent from Horace, who thinks that Lucilius floweth muddily; and that there is in him, which you may strike out; for there is in this Author, learning to be admired, and freeness, and bitterness, and abundance of salt.  
Now, that he was the first Satirist, we gather it from those words of Pliny;  
Lucilius primus condidit stili nasum: He flourished about the time of the second punic War; he died at Naples, and there was Interred after he had lived to the age of six and forty years: Some writ, that he had a public, and solemn Funeral.   

Accius.  
Accius' a Tragedian, Junior to Pacuvius, was borne when Macrinus and Seranus were the Roman Consuls: a Poet so beloved of Decius Brutus, that he would adorn the Frontispieces of the Temples, and the Monuments of the dead, with his worthy Verses. This Poet would not arise to Julius Caesar, when he entered the Theatre, not out of contempt to his Mighty Greatness, but because he thought himself in reference to his Abilities, far Caesar's Superior, and therefore he was not accounted insolent, because in those assemblies, there was a comparison of Volumes, and not of Images.  
This Accius journeying into Asia, went to Tarentum, that he might converse with Pacuvius, to whom he recited his Tragedy Atreus, which that grave Poet did indeed commend, but withal said (as it is in Crinitus) Simul grandia & sonora esse, quae ab Accio scripta forent, videri tamen sibi duriuscula, & subacida. To which words of Pacuvius, Accius thus replied (as I read in the same Author) Nec se poenitere, quoniam idem ferme ingeniis solet accidere, quod pomis, quae enim dura admodum, & acerba nascuntur, paulatim mitia fiunt, atque perfectiora redduntur; Quae vieta gignuntur, & mollia, nunquam ad veram frugem, & maturitatem perveniunt: Sic sentiendum est de hominum Ingeniis.  
Pliny says, that he was but of low stature, although he had placed his Image in the Temple of the Muses, in a very large form and proportion: his Trajedies are often cited by our Grammarians. Quintilian conferring this Poet with Pacuvius, says thus of both.  
Nitor & summa in excolendi● operibus manus magis videtur temporibus, quam ipsis defuisse. Virium tamen Accio plus tribuitur, Pacuvium videri doctiorem, qui esse docti aff●ctant, volunt. Horace also thus compares him.  Aufert Pacuvius docti famam senis, Accius Alti. 
Pacuvius gets the same of being learned, and Accius of being sublime, and high. That comparison of Quintilians makes me altogether forbear to speak of Pacuvius.   

Quintus Ennius.  
QVintus Ennius called Rudius, from Rudium a Town in Calabria, where he had his birth, and breeding, was in the Consulship of Quintus Valerius, and Caius Manlius brought by the Quaestor Cato into the City of Rome, where he had his habitation in the Mount Aventine. He wrote Annals, Satyrs, Comedies, and Tragedies, but they are all lost, there being nothing else communicated unto us, but a few scattered Verses, cited by several Authors: Horace calls him, Alterum Homerum, Another Homer.  
Ennius & sapiens, & fortis, & alter Homerus. For he himself gave out, that Homer's Soul was the Informer of his Body. Aulus Gellius affirms, that he would ofttimes say, that he had three Hearts, Quod loqui Graece, latin & Osce sciret: Because he could speak both the Greek, Latin, and Oscian Languages. Whence it is, that Gyraldus also styleth him, Tricor, and Lucretius Tripectorum.  
It's the common fame, that Virgil should say, Aurum se ex Ennii stercore colligere, That he gathered up Gold from Ennius his Dunghill. Scipio Africanus, so intimatly and entirely affected him, that he would needs rest in the same Sepulchre with him: he died through immoderate drinking; whereupon the Poet Horace in his Epods, changeth him with the guilt of drunkenness.  
Quintilian so highly esteemed this Ennius, that he thought him worthy to be adored with the same Religion, they honoured their sacred Groves. Marcus Cicero affirms, that this Poet composed these following Verses of himself.  
Aspicite o Cives, senis Ennii Imaginis urnam:  
Hic vestrum pinxit maxima facta patrum.  
Nemo me lacrymis decoret, nec funera fletu  
Faxit, cur? volito vivus per ora virum.   

Titus Lucretius Charus.  
Titus' Lucretius Charus, of the Family of the Lucretii, was a physical Poet: Quintilian joins him with Macer; Macer & Lucretius legendi quidem, elegantes in sua quisque materia, sed alter humilis, alter difficilis. Macer and Lucretius are to be read indeed, as being both of them elegant in their matter, the one humble, the other hard: Lucretius wrote more purely, then learnedly, showing the Reader more of his Wit then Art, for he did nothing else but illustrate what others had invented, by the sweetness of his Verse.  
He wrote six Books of the Nature of things, wherein he followed the Doctrine of Epicurus, and the Poet Empedocles, whose Verse and Wit he did exceedingly admire. Some say, that this his Work was afterwards corrected by Cicero, himself deceasing ere he had time to revise it. They say of this Poet, that after some intervals of recreation, he would return unto his Poetry as one surprised with a spirit of madness, whence is that of Statius.  Et docti furor arduus Lucreti. 
Of whom also thus writes Ovid.  
Carmina sublimis tum sunt peritura Lucreti,  
Exitio terras cum dabit una dies.  
In Vespatian's time there were those that for Virgil would read Lucretius, and for Horace, Lucilius; so says Crinitus. Eusebius tells us, That his own Wife Lucilia, by giving him a Philter, cast him into a Frenzy, whereof he forthwith died; whereas her only intent and design was to make him love her the better, he was not much before Cicero's time, neither did he live above the age of forty.   

Caius Valer. Catullus.  
CAius Valer. Catullus, an Epigrammatist of Verona, was born when Terentius Varro that learned Grammarian flourished, one year before the Historian Salustius; much about that time, that Sylla and Marius rend the Commonwealth of Rome with their intestine and bloody Factions: he was gracious with Virgil, as appears by that known Distich.  
Sic forsan tener ausus est Catullus  
Magno mittere passerem Maroni.  
He was brought unto the City by Mallius when he was but of tender years, where by the maturity of his piercing Wit, and eminent Learning he soon found grace and acceptance with the Nobles, and chief with Cicero; to whom, as his Patron, he dedicates this neat and elegant Epigram.  
Disertissime Romuli Nepotum.  
Quot sunt, quotque fuere Marce Tulli,  
Quotque post aliis erunt in annis,  
Gratias tibi maximas Catullus  
Agit pessimus omnium Poeta,  
Tanto pessimus omnium poeta,  
Quanto tu optimus omnium Patronus.  
He merited the name of Learned, because he so well expressed in the Latin Tongue, what the Greeks thought not imitable, for indeed a better Interpreter of the Grecian Poems, no Age can present us with, than this Catullus, whose success therein was so incomparable, that Martial could not choose but sound his praise.  Verona docti syllabas amat vatis. 
Aulus Gellius honours him with this Title, Elegantissimus poetarum, The most elegant of the Poets. However Lasciva est pagina, his Book is lascivious, and biting too beyond moderation, so that its reported of him, That he would not spare Caesar himself, no, not even then when he was in his greatest Glory. He loved one Clodia, whom by a feigned Name, he called Lesbian, according to Ovid's Verses.  
Sic sua lascivo cantata est soepe Catullo  
Foemina cui falsum Lesbia nomen erat.  
The same Poet doth oppose this very man to Virgil's Majesty, and the Epigrammatist Martial prefers him before himself in that Epigram of his to his Friend Macer.  
Nec multos mihi praeferas poetas,  
Uno sed tibi sim minor Catullo.  
Gellius in his Attic Nights commends him for a most elegant and sweet Poet He died but young, not exceeding the Age of thirty years. I'll let him pass with that well-known Distich.  
Tantum parva suo debet Verona Catullo,  
Quantum magna suo Mantua Virgilio.   

Publius Virgilius Maro.  
PVblius Virgilius Maro, called Virgillius a virga, which Calvus alludeth unto in that Verse of his.  Et Vates cui virga dedit memorabile nomen. 
The Poet to whom the Laurel Rod did give a memorable Name. Yet some others will have it to be the Poplar; he was called Parthenia, from his modesty: of his Birth Martial thus speaketh.  
Maiae Mercurium creastis Idus,  
Augustis redit Idibus Diana.  
Octobres Maro consecravit Idus.  
He was born in the Village And, not far from Mantua, and therefore called by Silius Italicus Andinus vates. He studied at Cremina, and at Naples, his Masters were Orbilius, and Scribonius, he put on his Viril Gown the same day that Lucretius died. In his Bucolics, he imitated Theocritus, in his Georgics Hesiod, in his Eneids, Parthenius, Pisander, Apollonius, and chief Homer, and amongst the Latins, Ennius, Livius, Andronicus, Naevius, and Lucretius.  
His choice Friends, he conversed with, were Asinius Pollio, Cornelius Gallu●, Quintilius Varus, Horatius Flaccus, and Maecenas. Nay, Caesar himself was a transcendent Lover of him, they writing familiarly each to other.  
Jerome in one of his Epistles compareth him unto Homer, styling him Alterum Homerum. Lampridius writing his life, names him Platonem poetarum, the Plato of the Poets, and so Caelius Rhodiginus, Poeta platonicus, The Platonic Poet.  
Alexander Severus the Roman Emperor placed his Picture together with the Image of Cicero in the House of his Lares. Columella giveth him this Epithet, Sydereus vates, The Starry Poet. Scaliger calleth his Eneids, Altiloquentissima Eneis. Whensoever any of his Verses were recited in the Theatre, the people would all rise up, and reverence him being present, as though he were Caesar Augustus: he was had in so great esteem at Rome, that whensoever he did but show himself in public, the people would cry out, Delitias Romae, Rome● D●rling,  
I will but add Scaligers report of him, and so pass unto the next; Vates suavissimus, Nitidissimus, pulcherrimus, dulcissimus, politissimus; Inest in eo phrasis regia, & ipsius Apollinis ore digna, sic puto loqui Deorum preceres in Conciliis Caelestibus, Non, si ipse Jupiter poeta fiat, melius loquatur. Most sweet, fair, splendid, polite Poet; There is in him a regal phrase, worthy of Apollo's Mouth, so I think the principal Gods speak in their heavenly Counsels, and if Jupiter himself were become a Poet, he could not speak more sweetly.  
Moreover this eminent Critic comparing him with Homer, saith thus, Virgilius Magister est, Homerus discipulus. Virgil is the Master, and Homer the Scholar. Homerus moles quidem est, sed rudis, & indigesta, Virgilius autem Deus, & melior Natura. Homer indeed is an heap, and that rude and indigested, but Virgil is as God, and the better nature. His death was deplored by Cornelius Gallus amongst many others, in a Paper of Verses to Caesar Augustus.   

Cornelius Gallus.  
COrnelius Gallus was excellent for Elegies, born that very year, wherein the most learned of the Romans Terentius Varro died. He was of mean Fortune, but by the Favour of Octavianus Caesar, he was promoted to great dignities: he governed Egypt after that it was made a Province by the Romans; being suspected to have been in Conspiracy against Augustus, he slew himself, as Dion and Marcellinus have recorded, and whereunto also that Verse of Ovid's doth relate.  Sanguinis atque animae prodige Galle tuae. 
He was Virgilii delitiae, Virgil's Darling; as doth appear by the fourth Book of his Georgics, wherein he much advanceth the worth of this Gallus: he was in love with Cytheris the freewoman of Volumnius, which disdaining him went after Antonius into France, whereupon Virgil comforted him, who in the tenth Eclog of his Buzolicks, calleth this same Cytheris, Lycoris.  
Dion writeth, how that Proculeius meeting accidentally with this Poet, clapped his hands forthwith unto his Mouth, thereby signifying, that it was not safe either to speak, or breath, where that Gallus was in presence: so great indeed was his Insolency. There are some Verses imputed unto him, which are not after his strain, being neither suitable to his time, nor phrase; but they are presumed to be the invention of one Maximianus, a mere Juggler. So dear was this Poet to Virgil, that his fourth Book of Georgics, from the midst thereof, unto the end, only comprehendeth his praises. Diomedes speaking De elegia, joins this Gallus with Tibullus, and Propertius. Quintilian mentioning him, calls him Poetam duriorem, A harder Poet.   

Quintus Horatius Flaccus.  
QVintus Horatius Flaccus of Venusium a Town in Apulia, lived in the Reign of Caesar Augustus, with whom he was in high esteem, and great credit, as also with his Patron Maecenas. He was born two years before the Conspiracy of Lucius Catiline. His Father was a Libertine, and Collector of the public Loans and Taxes: his Master was Orbilius of Beneventum, whom he styles in his Poems, Plagosum, he went to Athens, and there studied Philosophy, chief approving of the Epicureans, as appears by that Vrbane Speech of his.  
Me pinguem & nitidum bene curata cute vises,  
Cum ridere voles Epicuri de grege porcum.  
He was much prone to Choler, however very pleasing, grateful, and officious to his friends: among the Poets he was very intimate with Tibullus, Quintilius, Varrus, Valgius, and Virgil: among the Nobles with Julius Florus, Maximus Lollius, and Maecenus, with whom he lived familiarly seven years, and upwards, as is manifest by these following Verses.  
Septimus octavo propior jam fugerit annus,  
Ex quo Maecenas me caepit habere suorum  
In numero.  
In the civil Broils of Rome, he took part with Brutus and Cassius; as Sidonius Apollinaris amongst many others, thus testifieth: 
Et tibi Flacce acies Bruti Cassique secuto  
Carminis est author, qui fuit & veniae.  However Maecenas restored him to his Prince's Favour, and thereby, to all his pristine Dignities.  
As touching the habit and proportion of this Poet's Body, he was short and fat; whence he was called by Caesar, Homuncio, a man of low stature, or Dwarf, he names himself Latinum fidicinem, The Latin Harper: In his Epods, he hath expressed himself an Imitator of the Courage, Numbers, and great Spirit of Archilochus; he was excellent at writing of iambics.  
Heinsius saith, that he performs much more, than he promiseth, for when we come unto him as to a Poet, we carry away upon our return such Fruit, as speak him a Philosopher. He is Optimus vivendi author, One that teacheth all that read him to live well: Though he be Vrbanus, Jocund, yet, which may seem strange, he is also gracious, serious, and grave.  
I will but recite that Character, the eminent Orator Quintilian is pleased to bestow upon him, and so proceed to the next. Lyricorum Horatius fere solus legi dignus, nam & insurgit aliquando, & plenus est jucunditatis, & gratiae, variis figuris, & verbis felicissime audax. Horace of all the Lyric Poets is almost only worthy to be read, for he swelleth sometimes, and is full of sweetness and grace, being most happily bold with variety of Figures, and expressions.  
He is very pleasant in his taxing of the Vices of the times, whence is that of Persius.  
Omne vafer vicium ridenti Flaccus amico  
Tangit, & admissus circum praecordia ludit,  
Callidus excusso populum suspendere naso.  
He died in the 57 of his age, though some others will have him to have reached 70.   

Publius Ovid Naso.  
PVblius Ovid Naso of Sulmone, was born the same day with Albius Tibullus, that excellent Elegiographer, as some have testified: in his Childhood he was much addicted to Poetry, which his Father wished him to decline, and to betake himself to the study of Oratory, that being the right way to get wealth: for which end, he was instructed in Rhetoric by arelius Fuscus, and Porcius Latro, wherein he made no mean progress in very short time, as Annaeus Seneca hath declared. However at length he returned to his old study, whence he knew he might attain singular fame and rest: He had no less than three Wives, the two first he put away, the one for naughtiness, the other for other causes, but the third, which was his Perilla, he adhered to, and dearly loved, whom he instructed in the Art of Poetry. He was intimate with many great Ones eminent both for Learning & Birth; by name Albius Tibullus, Corn. Severus, Sabinus, Sext. Pompeius, Graecinus, Flaccus, Messala, Macer, Maximus, and many more; with these he conversed most familiarly. Sueton saith, that he was greatly beloved of Julius Higinus, Augustus his Freeman, one that was eminent both for Wit, and Literature.  
He wrote sundry Poems: In his Metamorphosis, he imitated Parthenius the Chian Poet, who wrote in Greek upon the same Argument and Subject. This Poem of Ovid's was so admired by the Grecian Wits, that they translated it into their Mother Tongue. In his Elegies he was too lascivious, but for his heroic Epistles, the Critics note, that they are fraught with excellent Elegancy, and Artifice. He was banished by Caesar unto Tomos in the Isle of Pontus; as for the cause of this his Relegation, Authors do differ about it. Sextus Aurelius is of opinion, that it was for his Book of Loves, which for their lasciviousness did highly displease Augustus, but others affirm, that it was for committing Adultery with Julia, Caesar's Daughter: of this Judgement was Sidonius Apollinaris, as these Verses insinuate.  
Nec te carmina per libidinosa  
Notum Naso tener, Tomosque missum:  
Quondam Caesareae nimis puellae  
Ficto carmine subditum Corinnae.  
Nay the poor Poet himself seems to acknowledge this the cause.  Lingua sile; non est ultra narrabile quicquam! 
Without question, or doubt this Julia was a notorious Strumpet, infamous for her burning Lust, and frequent Adulteries; and therefore very likely it is, that she prostituted her body to this unhappy Poet. Et hinc causa malorum.  
He is styled the Prince of Elegiacks by Dempsterus, and so admired he was by all men, both in his own time, and since, that he is called, Non ingeniosus tantum, sed etiam ipsum ingenium. Not engenious only, but Ingenuity itself. Non Musarum sacerdos, sed ipsum Numen. Not the Priest of the Muses, but even their very Deity.  
It's the judgement of the Learned, That if the Latin Tongue were quite extinct, yet his Poems only remaining, there might be from them a very speedy restitution. Seneca saith of him, That he had been Poetarum ingeniosissimus, The most Ingenious of the Poets, if he had not reduced the acuteness of his Mind, and Wit, and Matter to Boyish Fancies.  
Barthius affirms, Quod opus ejus universum ingenium potius refert, quam curam. That his whole Work speaks more his Wit, then Care. Scaliger reporteth, Quod sibi pepercit, cum meliora multo posset, That he spared himself too much, when he could have done much more. He was so dexterous in obliging those, with whom he conversed, that the barbarous Nations to whom he was confined, had him in great reverence, not being able to contain themselves from lamentation, when he died, he, and Titus Livius deceased both in one year.   

Marcus Manilius.  
MArcus Manilius was an Astronomical Poet, for he wrote Poems of Astronomy, and for that Treatise of his, he is compared to Atlas and Alcides, as the Verse hath expressed him.  
Manilius Altas  
Altar, & Alcides, qui capite astra tulit.  
What a Poet, and of how great Wit this man was, we may discover out of the description of his Andromeda, which he hath adorned, and set out with incomparable Elocution. However Scaliger in his Castigations chargeth him with this folly, that he should undertake to write of those things, whereof he was wholly ignorant: The like is said by the Ancients of Nicander, and Aratus, how that they also aspired to treat of matters beyond their reach, and knowledge: This Manilius lived in Augustus Caesar's time, as appeareth by the dedication of his five Books unto him.   

Albius Tibullus.  
ALbius Tibullus was born at Rome, being of Knightly Parentage, whose Wit was facile, and Visage comely, so that he drew many of the Nobles into Affection, and Admiration of him; he was much endeared to Messala Corvinus, whom he calls, Sui studiosum, and whose Praises he celebrates in excellent Verse: he accompanied this his Patron and Friend into the Province of the Phaeacians, where fasting ill, he composed these two Verses, as a testimony of his Faith, and Fortune.  
Hic jacet immiti consumptus morte Tibullus.  
Messalam terra dum sequiturque mari.  
He loved Horace, and Macer, those two admirable Poets very entirely: He was very inclinable, and prone to love, and bodily pleasures, whence that Distich is so common; 
Vsset amatorem Nemesis ●asciva Tibullum,  
In tuta juvit, quem nihil esse ●omo.   
He wrote four Books of Elegies, for which he is reputed one of the chiefest of the Elegiographers. Josephus Scaliger accounts him, Inter tria lumina Poetices Romanae. One of the three Lights of the Roman Poetry; and Julius also thus limnes him; Tibullus omnium cultissimus, nec redundans in elegia. Tibullus of all Poets the most adorned, no way redundant in his Elegy.  
Petrus Crinitus speaking of his Books of Loves, saith thus of them, Facile probatur, quam elegans & candidum sit ejus carmen, ut ejusmodi caloribus describendis latinos omnes videatur superasse, cum affectibus exprimendis, tum elegantia, & suavitate ingenii. It's easily proved how elegant and candid his Verse is, that he seems in describing those heats, to have gone beyond all the Latin Poets, both for expressing the Affections, as also for Elegancy, and sweetness of wit. He died young, to the great grief of his Friend Naso; yet his Poetry will never die, according to that known Distich.  
Donec erunt ignes, arcusque Cupidinis arma:  
Discentur numeri culte Tibulle tui.   

Sextus Aurel. Propertius.  
SExtus Aurel. Propertius an Vmbrian, called himself the Roman Callimachus, because he was a notable Imitator of that Cyrenean Poet: he lost his Father when he was but young, even as it were a Child, whom Caesar Augustus caused to be slain, for his siding with Antonius at Perusia: his Son the Poet upon occasion of this sad Accident repaired unto Rome, and there lived; where he soon procured favour with that noble Hero Maecenas, as also near familiarity with Cornelius Gallus, both honouring him for his Wit and Breeding. Ovid commemorates him as his special Friend in this ensuing Distich.  
Saepe suos solitus recitare Propertius ignes,  
Jure sodalitii qui mihi junctus erat.  
It seems that he had communicated unto him his burning Affections to the Maiden Hostia, which, not so well liking that Name, he would familiarly call Cynthia.  
Hence it is, that Sidonius Apollinaris reckoning up each Poet's Friend, calls Propertius his by the name of Cynthia. Meminisse debes quod saepe versum Corinna cum suo Nasone complevit, Lesbian cum Catullo, Cesenna cum Getulico, Argentaria cum Lucano, Cynthia cum Propertio, Delia cum Tibullo.  
As for his commendations, Justus Lipsius joins him with Catullus, and Tibullus, and then calls them, Amorum Triumviros. Crinitus speaking of Callimachus Mimnernus, and Philetas, those Greek Poets, whom this Author imitated, saith thus; Nam ut illi apud Graecos in elegia consensu omnium longe praestiterunt, ita Propertius apud Latinos eorum imitatione primus videtur quorundam consecutus. For as they among the Greeks by the consent of all men far excelled in Elegy, so Propertius amongst the Latins, by imitating those Greeks in the Judgement of some, hath outstripped many others. Quintilian after that he had highly commended Albius Tibullus, adds this to it, Non deesse tamen qui Propertium malint. That there were not wanting those that prefer Propertius.  
I'll let him pass with that of Barthius. Dulciore erudition & eruditiore dulcedine nemo scriptor est tota antiquitate ante Propertium, quem scriptorem, quo magis rimaberis, eo magis amabis, quae enim primo intuitu abscuriora videbuntur, ea si penetraveris, omnium videbuntur naturali quadam venere gratiosissima. There is no Writer in all Antiquity to be preferred before Propertius for sweet Erudition, and erudite sweetness, which Writer the more narrowly you sift him, and the more deeply you dive into him, the more dearly you will affect him: for indeed those very things which at the first sight seem most obscure if you will throughly search into them, you will in the end perceive them to be most gracious.  
He had the Name of Nauta given to him, and the reason thereof Scaliger in his Castigations tells us: his death, for the manner and time of it, is not certain. There are some that say, he died at the age of one and forty.   

Gratius.  
GRatius, a Latin Poet, Contemporary with Albius Tibullus, and Propertius wrote a Book in Hexameters, De venatione, Of hunting, he was so ingenious, and excellent at his Art, that, that incomparable Censor Scaliger acknowledgeth in him the felicity of that age.  
He is esteemed next after Virgil, inferior to none; As for his phrase of speech, Caspar Barthius says of it, that it is Castigata, & erudita, pressaque, & sibi semper aequalis, Corrected and erudite, and pressed, and always equal unto itself.  
Dempsterus gives him this Encomium, That he is, Poeta cultus ac tersus, An adorned and neat Poet. Barthius was the first that vindicated his Cynegeticon ex carcere squaloris, & situs: From the Corruptions and Errors wherewith it was depraved.   

Lucius Annaeus Seneca.  
LVcius Annaeus Seneca the Tragedian, who of all Latin Writers in that kind is only extant; and it is the Opinion of Learned Heinsius, that he only wrote these four following Tragedies, Hercules, Furens, Oedipus, Thyestes, and Agamemnon, and that the Philosopher composed Hippolytus, Troas, and Medea, the rest being written by several distinct persons, it being customary for Critics to deal with Tragic Poets, as with other Writers, that is, to join together divers men's Works, and then to prefix such a Name as they think most convenient.  
This man was by Nation a Spaniard, borne at Corduba, Comtemporary with Pomponius secundus, of whom Quintilian saith, that he affected the same Studies this Poet did, as one that took great delight in composing of Tragedies: That Grammarian hath commended him both for his Sublimeness, and Gravity; In the composure of every Tragedy, he is said to follow those two eminent Ancients, Aeschylus, and Euripides, as it is hinted unto us by Sidonius Apollinaris, in these following Verses: 
Non quod Corduba praepotens alumnis  
Facundam ciet, hic putes legendum;  
Quorum unus colit hispidum Platonae,  
Incassumque suum monet Neronem:  
Orchestram quatit alter Euripidis  
Pictum faecibus Eschylum secutus.   
Scaliger equalleth him for stateliness, and Majesty, with any of the Greeks, and for clearness he prefers him far before Euripides; and Dempster styleth him, Tragaedum purum, & gravem, A Tragedian pure, and grave.   

Aulus Persius Flaccus.  
AVlus Persius Flaccus of Volaterris, a Town in Etruria, was in great esteem when Domitius Nero was Emperor, he was instructed in Grammatical Learning by Rhemmius Palaemon, in Rhetoric by Virginius, and for his proficiency and growth in Philosophical Literature, he most familiarly conversed with Annaeus Coruntus, whom he very gratefully acknowledgeth in one of his Satyrs, as appears by these ensuing Verses.  
Cumque iter ambiguum & vitae nescius error  
Deaucit trepidas ramosa in compita mentes,  
Me tibi supposui, teneros tususcipis annos  
Socratico Cornute sinu.  
He imitated that excellent Satirist Lucilius, who was the most dexterous of all the Poets to inveigh against the Vices of the Romans: some think that this Poets little Work was not absolved, by reason of the Author's sudden death, he living not above the Age of thirty. He was very invective against the naughtiness of Nero, whom under the person of Mi●as he lays open, and obnoxious to derision.  
Quintilian highly advanceth his small Volume, Multum verae gloriae, quamvis uno libro Persius meruit; Although Persius wrote one only Book, yet he hath merited thereby much of true glory. Whence also is that of the Epigrammatist Martial.  
Saepius in libro memoratur Persius uno,  
Quam levis in tota Marsus Amazonide.  
Casaubon saith, that he is, Gravissimus morum Censor, & virtutum praeceptor fidissimus, A most grave Censurer of our Manners, and a most faithful Master of the Virtues. Scaliger in his Poetices tells us, That his stile is Morosus, and that he endeavoured so to write, as that being read, none might be able to understand him, although now he is become sufficiently intelligible.  
Gyraldus saith of him, that he is to be reckoned amongst the laudable Authors, notwithstanding his obscurity and darkness, for though he be very intricate to some, according to that o● Owen.  
Scripta tenebrosi lego, non intelligo Persi  
Lectores nimium negligit ille suos.  
Yet he is well enough apprehended, and understood by those that are more Learned.   

Caius Pedo Albinovanus.  
CAius Pedo Albinovanus was an Epigrammatist, and flourished in the Reign of Nero, in his youth he studied Oratory, and was accounted no mean Declamator, as may be gathered from some words of Annaeus Seneca concerning him. Ovid reckons this Pedo amongst those Poets, that were notable that way in his time, and Martial relates him to be one of the Authors, he imitated in his witty kind of Poetry.  
Indeed, his Wit was Elegant, and Urbane, and for his dexterity in composing of happy Epigrams, he was had in great account. Quintilian styles him, Sublimem, & Altiloquum poetam. A sublime, and lofty Poet. Ovid, sydereum, starry; and Seneca, Fabulatorem elegantissimum, A most elegant Fabulator. Non indignum cognitione si vacet. Caspar Barthius likens him to the Poet Naso. Quem vulgo Pedonem Albinovanum faciunt, non alius est Nasone ipso. He whom they call Pedo Albinovanus, is no other than Ovid himself.   

Pomponius Secundus.  
POmponius Secundus was of Noble and Illustrious Parentage, numbered amongst those Poets which were Tragical, he flourished when those excellent Orators Porcius Latro, Domitius Afer, and Albusius Silo, were living at Rome. Quintilian writes, that this Author for excelled all those Poets, which in that kind of Verse he had ever seen; so transcendent was his Erudition, and Sublimity in the composure of his Poems, that he was styled by all that read him, The Tragic Pindar.  
Pliny wrote two Books of the Life and Manners of this Tragedian, because he was induced thereunto, by the eminency of his Name, and Virtues. He was much endeared to that renowned worthy Caesar Germanicus, whom he entertained with a sumptuous Supper.  
Pliny calls him, Civem, & vatem clarissimum, Where he speaks of the Monuments of the two Gracchis, Caius, and Tiberius. Maurus Terentianus a worthy Poet, mightily bemoans the loss of this man's Tragedies in a paper of well-composed Verses; of his Death Authors mention nothing.   

Aruntius Stella.  
ARuntius Stella was a Poet of great repute in Vespasians time; he was of Patavium: for Marshal says, that the Region of Apenum was dignified and ennobled with the Births of Livius, Flaccus, and this Stella.  
Papinius mentions him in these his Verses, commending thereby the nobleness of his Descent.  
— Clarus de gente latina  
Est juvenis, quem patriciis majoribus ortum  
Nobilitas gavisa tulit, praesagaque formae  
Protinus e nostro posuit cognomina coelo.  
He loved Violantilla a Neapolitan Maiden, and at length obtained her for his Wife, whom Martial calls janthis, a Greek Name.  
Amongst many Poems which this Poet writ, there were Elegies, and his Work De Asteride, but none so much cried up and had in admiration, as that De Interitu Columbae, of the death of his Dove; which the Epigrammatist prefers before Catullus his Verses of Lesbia's Sparrow, as the Epigram declareth: 
Stellae delicium mei Columba  
Verona licet audiente dicam,  
Vicit maximi passerem Catulli.   
Statius in his Sylvis, acquaints us with the Dignities he was honoured with, who had been created Praetor, and after that Duumvir; only, for his admiral qualifications and Embellishments: whereupon he was so high in that Poet's Affections, that he could find none in Rome so worthy, to whom he might dedicate his Poems, as he.  
This Stella was of intimate acquaintance with Julius Secundus, and the Poet Martial: of his death I read not.   

Decius Jun. Juvenalis.  
Decius' Jun. Juvenalis a Satirical Poet of Aquinas, flourished in the Reigns of Caesar Domitian, Nerva and Trajan: in these following Verses he congratulates the Emperor Nerva for favouring so much those of his profession.  
Et spes & ratio studiorum in Caesare tantum:  
Solus enim tristes hac tempestate Camaenas  
Respexit;  
Yet there are some, that think they do refer unto Domitian, because he greatly affected Poetry, as Suetonius and Tacitus have jointly testified. He was instructed in Grammatical Learning by Fronto, a Grammarian of great Name then in Rome, though others affirm that his Master was Quintilian a Rhetor of as excellent Endowments and Abilities; his chief Friends were Volusius, and Corvinus, and also Martial, who in this Distich speaks his Intimacy with this Satirist.  
Cum Juvenale meo, quae me committere tentas,  
Quid non audebis per fida lingualoqui.  
He is called by Gifanius, Satyricorum haud dubie princeps, Without doubt the Prince of Satirists, and is preferred by most of the Ancients before Horatius, and Persius, as one that had attained to the Perfections of them all; the salt, and bitterness of Lucilius, the Candour and Elegancy of Horace, and the Gravity of Aulus Persius.  
It's the same Author's commendation of him, Juvenalis Ardet, Instat, Jugulat. Juvenal burns, presseth, stabs. Barthius styles him, Scriptorem eruditissimum, elegantissimum poetam, & censorum morum celeberrimum & acutissimum. A most learned Writer, a most elegant Poet, and a most free and sharp Censurer of men's Manners.  
He is dignified by the Critics, with the Title of Ethicus the Moralist, being indeed compared, and equalled to the most flourishing Philosophers by Sarisburiensis, Alanus, and other Philologues: It's Lipsius his observation of him; In Satyra nemo Idoneor ad mores corrigendos Juvenali: None more fit for correction of men's Manners than Juvenal. And it is also casaubon's, Vbertate inventionis, copia exemplorum, tractandi dexteritate, praestat Juvenalis: Juvenal excels for plenty of Invention, abundance of Examples, and dexterity of handling.   

Caius Valerius Flaccus.  
CAius Valerius Flaccus called Setinus, from the City Setia, in Campania, was an heroic Poet, and Countryman to Titus Livius, and Aruntius Stella. Martial styles him Laris Antenorei alumnum. He wrote eight Books De Argonauticis, which he dedicated to Domitian, or as others will have it, to his Father Vespasian. He had written much more, if sudden death had not prevented. Quintilian speaks as one very sensible of it, in his Books to Marcellus Victorius, wherein he sadly complains of so great a loss.  
Scaliger writes thus of him, Cujus cum esset ingenium felix, judicium magnum, diligentia non vulgaris, immatura morte praeventus acerbum poema suum nobis reliquit. Whose Wit when it was happy, Judgement solid, Diligence extraordinary, being prevented with an immature death, he left us a bitter Poem. The same Critic styles him Omnium duriusculum.  
He expressed Apollonius Rhodius, not only in the Argument of his Work, but also in the phrase and stile of all his Verses; he held friendly compliance and correspondence with those eminent Worthies of that time, namely, Secundus, Maternus, Stella, and Martial. The later of them counselled him to leave his Muses, and to follow the Forum, as it appears by this ensuing Epigram, 
Omihi curarum precium non vile mearum,  
Flacce Antenore● spes & alumne laris  
Pierios differ cantusque chorosque sororum  
Aes dabit ex istis nulla puella tibi.  
Quid tibi cum Cyrrha? quid cum Permessidos unda?  
Romanum propius divitiusque forum est.  
Illic aera sonant.   
I'll let him go with that of Barthius, Poeta nobilissimus & Romanae Musae genuinus: Sonus, spiritus, eruditio, gravitas in eo sunt insignes. A most noble Poet, and genuine to the Roman Muse; Sound, Spirit, Learning, Gravity, are all transcendent in him.   

Silius Italicus.  
SIlius Italicus, was as some have reported, a Spaniard by Birth, called Italicus, from a noble City in Italy, whence the Family first sprang; he was an excellent Orator, endeavouring to express (and from which he fell not much short) the Eloquence of Marcus Cicero: he was under some Cloud of disgrace in Nero's time, having been accused of some notable Crime to that infamous Emperor, but he behaved himself wondrous prudently under Vitellius, and at last he found favour and special grace with Caesar Domitian: Martial reverenceth him with these Verses; 
Augusto pia thura, victimasque  
Pro nostro date Silio Camoenae.   
He imitated heroic Virgil, whose Wit and Majesty he greatly admi●ed: he is called by one Vates Consularis, The Consular Poet. Another says, that he writ Verses with more care, than wit: he would often times recite his Poems publicly, to discover thereby men's Judgements of them. There is a Critic that speaks thus of him. Non Poeta, non Historicus, sed utrumque est, libripunicorum historicum volunt, dicendi character poetam. He is neither a Poet, nor Historian, but both; his Books of the Wars speak him an Historian, and his character of speech a Poet. The same Author says, that he is not unlike to Euripides.  
Martial gives him this great commendation: Castalidum decus sororum, The Grace or Ornament of the Muses. Dempster saith, Quod erat Orator verius, quam poeta, nimius, & interdum ridiculus Virgilii imitator. That he was more truly an Orator, than a Poet, and too much, nay, sometimes a ridiculous Imitator of Virgil. Pliny informs us, that he died for want of necessaries in his Countryhouse at Naples.   

Marcus Annaeus Lucanus.  
MAarcus Annaeus Lucanus of Corduba, was the Nephew of Seneca, the Tragedian, and Son of L. Annaeus Mela, he was instructed in Grammar by Palaemon, in Rhetoric by Virginius. His Condisciples were Saleius Bassus, and Aulus Persius, he was at first much favoured by Nero, but at length put to death by him, as being found guilty of Conspiracy against him. Martial describes his Birthday in these Verses, and is invective against Nero for killing of him.  
Haec est illa dies, quae magni conscia partus  
Lucanum populis & tibi Polla dedit.  
Heu Nero crudelis, nullaque invisior umbra,  
Debuit hoc saltem non licuisse tibi.  
Farnaby that set out his Pharsalia with Notes, speaking of his River of Poetry, saith, that it doth not rush with a great noise (as Pliny hath written of the River Ni●us) but rather seemeth to flow like the calmest stream; his Acuteness is divine, his Spirit ardent, his Muse Masculine, and every expression high, clear, and chaste. Quintilian Characteriseth him thus:  
Lucanus arden's, & concitatus, & sententiis clarissimus, & ut ita dicam quod sentio, magis oratoribus, quam poetis annumerandus. Lucan is ardent, and incensed, and in Sentences most clear, and that I may speak as I think, rather to be registered among the Orators, than the Poets. Boethius also describes him to be Familiaris philosophiae, Familiar with Philosophy. His wife Polla was very learned, if Sidonius Apollinaris, and Papinius Statius may be credited.  
He wrote the Civil War which was between Julius Caesar, and Pompey, but was prevented of finishing it, by an immature and sudden death. Dempster saith of him, that he was not inferior to Virgil, whom indeed he imitated.   

M. Valerius Martialis.  
M. Valerius Martialis was a Spaniard, and a most eminent Epigrammatist: he was borne at Bilbilis, no mean Town of Celtiberia, which he himself is pleased in one of his Epigrams, to mention, Nec me tacebit Bilbilis. In his youth he came to Rome, that he might dedicate himself wholly to his studies, where finding an unfitness in his Genius for the way of the Forum, he applied his Fancy to the composing of Epigrams, wherein indeed he did excel all others in the opinion of the Ancients.  
Pliny gives him the Character of an Ingenious and acute Poet, Qui plurimum in scribendo & salis haberet, & fellis, nec candoris minus, who in his writing discovered much Salt, and Gall, nor less Candour. Elius Verus, who was wondrous gracious with the Emperor Adrian, entertained his witty Jests with much delight, and recreation, being ever now and then heard to call him his Virgilius.  
In the framing of his Epigrams he imitated those three facetious poets, Marsus, Pedo, and Getulicus, and whensoever he was blamed by any for his obsceness, he would excuse himself with this, That he did but that, which others had done before them, meaning those, to whose pattern he had conformed: He highly regarded Licinius Calvus, and Catullus, for their Abilities in his way of poetry.  
Caspar Barthius tells us, that he was called Cocus, because most of his Epigrams are conversant about Meat, Drink, Clothing, good Fellowship, and such like. And Dempster gives him this Encomium. Vnus qui Epigrammatis genium videtur possedisse. Indeed his Genius was ever leading him to the composing of Epigrams: he returned in the end to his own Country, and there died, whose death Pliny doth bewail in an Epistle to Cornelius Priscus.   

Publius Statius Papinius.  
PVblius Statitus Papinius was the Son of Papinius, by Birth a Neapolitan: he flourished under the Emperor Domitian, to whom he dedicated his Thebais●, in which Poem of his, he followed the Poet Antimachus, who had managed the like Argument, and therein he had much assistance from his learned Father: next to his Thebais, he composed his Achilleiss, but died ere he could accomplish it, though some others have thought that Poem was perfected before his death, but since in part lost. As for his Sylvae, he was in doubt, whether he should publish those, because they had been hastily, and as it were on a sudden heat compiled by him; yet Sidonius Apollinaris doth greatly praise them in these his Hendecasyllablis.  
Non quod Papinius tuus, meusque  
Inter Labdaicos sonat furores:  
Aut cum forte pedum minore rythmo  
Pingit gemmea prata sylvularum.  
The Emperor Domitian was so well affected towards him, that he entertained him with a magnificent and royal Banquet: his Verse is so lofty, and Style so sublime, that they named him by the name of Aquilinus, so says Barthius.  
Scaliger calls him Equum alatum, The winged or flying Horse, only upon this account of his mounting Language. He is preferred by the same Author before Renowned Homer, and also in these following words compared with heroic Virgil.  
Non ullus veterum ac recentiorum propius ad Virgilianm majestatem accedere valuit, etiam propinquior futuus, si tam prope esse voluisset.  
None of the ancient, or latter Poets, were able to approach so near Virgil's Majesty as he, who indeed, if he would have assented, might have come nearer unto it, than he did.  
Lipsius giveth him these honourable Characters; Sublimis, ac celsus, magnus, & summus poeta. And Dempster does assign unto each Book its deserved praise. Eruditus in Sylvis, Learned in his Woods, Sublimis in Thebaide, Sublime in his Thebais, blandus in Achilleide, Pleasant in his Achilleiss; He lived, until he was very aged.   

Decius Ausonius.  
Decius' Ausonius by Nation a Frenchman, was the Son of Julius Ausonius a Physician, which Julius was of so great account with the Aquitanes, that they would compare him with any of the wise men: They have his saying frequently in their Mouths, Beatum esse, non qui habet, quae cupit, sed qui non cupit, quae non habet. That he is happy, not that hath the things which he desireth, but that desireth not the things which he hath not. This man's Son the Epigrammatist was high in favour with Valentinus and Valentinianus the Emperors, but most familiar with Gratianus Caesar, whom he tuto●●●, by whose Affection and Countenance he was advanced to consular Dignity.  
He was excellently well skilled both in the Greek and Latin Tongues, wherefore he expressed the Greek Epigrams in most elegant and sweet Latin: amongst his special good Friends, he chief placed Tetradius Gallus, Paulinus the Poet, and Hesperius: neither was there less familiarity betwixt him, and Symmachus; who in his Epistles delivers his Judgement of this Author's Poems. Oratio alticis salibus aspersa, & thymo odorata: Barthius would have us believe, that what we read in Ausonius, we may find both in Lucilius, and Ennius, of whose Composures he was a great Admirer, and Peruser.  
His Writings express him to have been a Christian; of his death we have nothing that is certain, some report, that he lived to the Age of ninety, but they mistake him for Julius his Father, who died very aged.   

Oppianus.  
OPpianus a Poet of Cilicia, and of the City Anazarba, wrote five Books of Fisher, which he called Halieutica, and four of Venation, wherein he hath shown both Elegancy of expression, and inoffensiveness, or chastity of Verse: what he wrote of the Nature, and Genius of living Creatures, he dedicated to Antoninus Bassianus Caracalla, with which Present the Emperor being highly pleased, wished him in a way of recompense, to ask any thing, that he could like at his royal hands: The Poet forth with begged his Father's return from banishment, which request of his was with much good will and approbation granted; and besides, or over and above, the Emperor gave him for every Verse, Aureum staterum, whence, from that time forward, his Verses were called Aurea carmina, Golden Verses.  
Julius Scaliger thus writeth of him:  
Musarum alumnus prudentissimus, poeta candidissimus, atque magniloquentissimus, cui Graecorum neminem ausis comparare, cujus unius spiritu Virgiliana divinitas repraesentata.  
The most prudent Scholar of the Muses, a Poet most candid, and magniloquent, to whom thou canst not compare any of the Greeks, one whose Spirit represents the diviness of Virgil.  
And Dempster also honours him with these following Characters; Suavis, Generosus, Incomparabililis Poeta: A Sweet, a Generous, and an Incomparable Poet.   

Claudius' Claudianus.  
Claudius' Claudianus an Egyptian, though some would have him to be a Florentine, was had in great reverence by those two learned Emperors, Arcadius and Honorius, whom they honoured with a Statue, having this Inscription engraved upon it; 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  And now if he had the mind of Virgil, and the Muse of Homer, of how great Fame then must we think that he was in the World? His Genius at first was much propense to Poetry, so that what I read in Crinitus of him, I cannot but assent unto: Ingenio excellenti fuit, maximeque apto ad carmen componendum, nam & assurgit feliciter, variisque figuris, ac sententiis mirifice delectat, ut videatur a natura ipsa instructus ad poeticam facultatem. He was of a most excellent Wit, and very apt to compose Verses, for he happily swelleth, and wondrously delighteth with variety of Figures, and Sentences, so that he seems naturally instructed, and fitted for the Poetical Faculty.  
Barthius hath afforded him two notable Characters: first he saith, that he is, Preceptor, & choragus poetarum panegyricorum, The prime Singer, and Ringleader of the panegyrical Poets: as also, Obeuntis jam eloquentiae supremus Fulgor. The last Lightning of fading Eloquence.  
Dempster tells us, that he is before all the Latins for plenty of matter, and amongst the Greeks only inferior to Homer, for glory of Invention. He wrote four Books of the Rape of Proserpina, but the fourth had not the success, as to come unto our hands. Even S. Austin hath commended the Wit, and Erudition of this Poet. Of his death I read not.   

Aurelius Prudentius.  
AVrelius Prudentius was skilful in the Law, and Consul of Messalia; and that he was honoured with Military Dignities, as well as Civil: his own Verses show it, as they follow.  
Froenis nobilium reximus urbium,  
Jus civile bonis reddidimus, reos  
Tandem terruimus; militiae gradu  
Evectum pietas principis extulit.  
Sidonius Apollinaris no contemptible Author in reading, and observing the ancient Writers, when he comes to speak of this Poet Prudentius, he does not fear to join him with Horace: he acquired much praise especially from that Poem, wherein he commended their patience and constancy, that suffered Martyrdom for the Christian Faith.  
He was by the Ancients named Amaenus, because he surpassed all other Christian Poets in sweetness: Caspar Barthius tells us, Quod nemo divinius de Christianis rebus unquam scripsit, That no man ever wrote more divinely of Christian matters. And saith another of him, Vnius omnium inter poetas christianos, lectores suos pascere sufficiet lautissime, sive pretiosissimas panis coelestis, h. e. verbi divini epulas esurias, sive efficacis eloquen●iae condimenta requiras. He only of all Christian Poets is able to feed his Reader very plentifully, whether thou thirstest after the most precious Dainties of the heavenly Word, or whether thou requirest the well pleasing Sauce of Eloquence.  
Erasmus highly commends him for his Sanctimony, and sacred Learning, of whom he further saith, That he deserveth to be Registered in the Catalogue of the gravest Christian Doctors; he flourished in the year of Christ 380. his Life was written by G. Fabritius.   

Caius Sollius Sidonius Apollinaris.  
CAius Sollius Sidonius Apollinaris was a Frenchman, borne of honest Parents, and of an Illustrious Family: he was instructed in Grammatical Learning by Flavius Nicetius an excellent Retorician, and by his industry and diligence he outstripped in Erudition all that were his Equals. He wrote many things both in Prose, and Verse, particularly nine Books of Epistles, wherein he imitated Plinius Secundus, as he himself hath declared, in which Work of his, there is more of Wit, then of solid Judgement; so that his praise springs rather from his Poems, than his Prose, wherein he hath shown much Ingenuity, and as much Elegancy.  
He had the Name of Modestus for his good and modest carriage, and next unto Claudian he was accounted the best of the Poets. Petrarck speaketh thus of him, Sidonii tarditatem admirari vix sufficio, I am scarce able enough to admire the slowness of Sidonius.  
Caussinus riseth higher in his praises: In Sidonio Ingens, ut apparet ingenii vigor magis ob multas virtutes admirandus, quod praemortua facundia Romana haec scripserit, quam ob temporis vitia accusandus videatur. There appears in Sidonius great vigour of Wit, who is rather to be admired for his many Virtues, that he wrote those things, when the Roman Eloquence failed, then to be accused for the Vices of the times.  
Dempster saith, that he shows himself both in his Epistles, and Poems, Supra modum literatum, Transcendently learned: no wonder then, i●●e be said of his Work; Apollinare opus Musis, & Apolline dignum. He was one of the principal Senators in Gallia, and therefore called by one, Omnium praesulum scholastissimus, the most Scholiasticall of all the Prelates. Gregorius Turonensis affirmeth, that he married the Daughter of the Emperor Avitus.   

Pontius Paulinus.  
POntius Paulinus was of Bordeaux in France, and nobly descended, he flourished when Gratian was Emperor: some thought him to have been the Nephew of Ausonius, because that Poet Complemented him with the Name of Son; he wrote a Poem in Hexameters, of those Kings collected by Suetonius, whence he is commended for that Work by Ausonius in these words:  
Collegisti in Epitomen tres libros Suetonii de regibus tanta elegantia, solus ut videare consecutus, quod contra rerum naturam est, brevitas ut obscura non esset.  
Thou hast Epitomised Suetonius his three Books of Kings so elegantly, that thou seemest alone to have obtained, what is contrary to the nature of things, that brevity might not be obscure,  
Scaliger dignifies him with this Title, Aquitanorum procerum princeps, The chief of the Aquitan Nobles. Another with a better Character, Vir vita, atque scriptis, ut veteres loquebantur, vere Apostolicus. A man for Life, and Writings, as the Ancients were wont to say, truly Apostolical. So Barthius.  
And the same Critic speaketh further of him, to his great credit: Christianorum literis poeticis clarorum neminem Paullino praeponere possis. You cannot prefer any of the famous Christian Poets before this paulinus. Et paulo post, it followeth, Quod si ipsos Dei praecones Apostolos latinis numeris laudes domini pangere voluisse diceres, talibus utique usuros fuisse confitereris. That if you should say that those Preachers of God the Apostles, would set forth the praises of the Lord in Latin Verses, you would acknowledge, that they would use such as these. There was another paulinus besides this, and a Poet also, whom some confound with this Author which hath been treated of, but they differ each from the other, both in profession of life, and elegancy of Verse.   

Dracontius.  
DRacontius a Spaniard, lived in the time of the Emperor Justinianus, being a Poet more commendable for his Sense, and Learning, then for his Eloquence; He composed an Hexameron of the Creation of the World in heroic Verse, set forth at Basill, together with the Works of the old Christian Poets.  
Barthius saith, That he speaks of matters so darkly, that he is thought scarcely to have understood himself. He is likened to Prudentius. Consimiliter ut in Prudentio, sic in eo elegantiarum flosculi, ceu purpurae quaedam infitae interlucent, ac scintillant. In like manner as in Prudentius, so also in him there do shine and sparkle Flowers of Elegancies, like certain in woven Purples.   
FINIS.   

Errata.  
P. 34. l. 6. r. transcendent, p. 37. l. 2. r. Antonines, p. 37. l. 25. r. Antoninus, p. 61. l. 10. r. And his, p. 64. l. 30. r. Lipsius, p. 76. l. 8. r. Sect. p. 93. l. 14. r. literarium, p. 106. l. 27. r. Pari, p. 107. l. 18. r. Pallasses, p. 108. l. 7, 8. r. Josephus Scaliger, p. 116. l. 16. r. mellitum, p. 120. l. 17. r. Thurios, p. 126. l. 4. r. by Barthius.