3925.

the ensuing Troubles by the unhappy Precedent of his perpetual Dictatorship. Every one in his Turn aimed at Dominion. Sertorius a zealous Partizan of Marius fixed himself in Spain, and entered into a Treaty with Mithridates. It was in vain to think of obpofing Force to a General of his Reputation and 3931. Experience, and Pompey himself could no otherwife mafter him, than by introducing Diffenfions among his Followers. Rome found a yet more formidable Enemy in Spartacus the Gladiator, who brought her to the very Brink of Ruin, and was found invincible till the great Pompey was fent against him. Lucullus in the

3936.

mean time made the Roman Arms to triumph in the Eaft. Mithridates was beaten in every Encounter, and retiring beyond the Euphrates, found himself ftill preffed and pursued by his victorious Enemy. But this General invincible in Battle, found it impoffible to retain the Soldiers in Obedience, and reprefs that Licentioufnefs, which like a Phrenzy seized the whole Roman Army. Mithridates not difcouraged by his many Defeats, was again preparing to make head against his Enemies, and Pompey the laft Hope and Refuge of the Romans, was thought alone capable of terminating this long and deftructive War. It was on this Occafion that his Glory rofe to the higheft; he finally fubdued this valiant and politic Prince, reduced Armenia whither he had

Aed for Refuge; and pursuing his Advantage, add3941. ed Albania, Iberia, Syria, and Judea to the Roman Empire. While Pompey was thus employed in gathering Laurels in the Eaft, Cicero was intent on crushing a dangerous Confpiracy at Home. That renowned Orator, who had laid out fo much of his Time in the Study of Eloquence, found now a glorious Opportunity of exerting it in Defence of his Country, and by it more than by the Arms of his Collegue Antony, were the dark and dangerous Machinations of Catiline defeated. Could Rome have been faved from Slavery, the Eloquence of Cicero, and the Virtue of Cao, thofe intrepid Defenders of Liberty and the Laws, feemed to offer fair for it. But their Efforts availed little to fave a State that was rushing headlong into Ruin; and where Luxury, Ambition, and Avarice, getting univerfal Poffeffion of the Minds of Men, rendered them infenfible to all great and generous Defigns, and wholly ftifled the noble Spirit of Freedom. Pompey reigned without a Rival in the Senate, and his great Authority and

Power

3955.

Power made him abfolute Mafter of all its Deliberations. Ca far by his Victories in Gaul was endeavouring to get him a Name and Intereft that might bring him upon a Level with Pompey and Crafus. These three combining in the Design to opprefs their Country, governed with abfolute Authority, and Cicero whofe Eloquence and Zeal for Liberty gave them Umbrage, was banished that City he had fo lately faved from utter Ruin. In the mean time Craffus being bent upon an Expedition against the Parthians, had the Misfortune to be cut off with his whole Army; a Lofs by fo much the more fatal to the Roman State, as it was chiefly by him that the Rival Factions of Cæfar and Pompey were kept united. His Death was followed by a bloody Civil War, and Rome loft her Liberty for ever in the Plains of Pharfalia. Cæfar victorious, and now Mafter of the Universe, traverfed with incredible Expedition almost all the Countries of the known World. Egypt, Afia, Mauritania, Spain, &c. beheld this mighty Conqueror triumphing over all his Opposers. Brutus and Caffius, animated by a Zeal for Liberty, endeavoured to rescue their Country from Slavery by killing the Ufurper; and the Eloquence of Cicero feconding the glorious Defign, gave at first fome Hopes that Rome might yet fee better Days. But is was the Fate of that unhappy City to fall foon after into the Hands of Antony, Lepidus, and young Olavius, who by their bloody Profcriptions almost totally extirpated the Roman Nobility. Even Cicero, whofe Credit with the Senate had chiefly contributed to the Advancement of Octavius, was abandoned by that ungrateful Monster, to the Refentment of Antony his implacable Enemy. In the Divifion of the Empire, Italy and Rome fell to the Share of Octavius, who affecting to govern with great Clemency and Moderation, endeavoured to throw the Odium of all the late Cruelties upon his Collegues. In fine, Brutus and Caffius the laft Refuge of the Republic, both falling in the Battle of Philippi, Rome after them never made so much as an Effort for the Recovery of her Liberty, but quietly fubmitted to the Dominion of the Conquerors. They did not however remain long united. Antony and Cæfar combining to ruin Lepidus, turned next their Arms one against the other.

3961.

397'3.

The Battle of Altium decided the Empire of the World in favour of Cæfar; for Antony upon that Difafter was abandoned by all his Friends, and even by his beloved Cleopatra, for whofe fake he had brought all

thefe

thefe Misfortunes upon himself. Herod the Idumean, who owed his All to that General, was conftrained to submit to the Conqueror, and thereby confirmed himself in the Poffeffion of the Throne of Judea. Thus did Octavius triumph over all Oppofition: Alexandria opened its Gates to him; Egypt became a Roman Province; Cleopatra difdaining 3977. to adorn the Victor's Triumph, ended her Days by Poison; and Antony fenfible that he could no longer withstand the Power of his Adverfary, by a voluntary Death left Cæfar in the unrival'd Poffeffion of the Roman Empire. This fortunate Prince, under the Name of Auguftus, and with the Title of Emperor, took Poffeffion of the Government. Thus was the Roman Commonwealth, 727 Years after the Foundation of that City by Romulus, converted into an abfolute Monarchy. Auguftus now fet himself to reform the many Abuses that had crept into the State during the Wars, and knowing that the Republican Spirit of the Romans tho' greatly weaken'd, was not yet altogether broken, he endeavoured by the Mildness and Justice of his Government, to reconcile his Countrymen to that Power, which it was in vain for them any longer to oppofe. With this View he introduced among them Learning and the polite Arts, which by the Encouragement they met with from him and Macenas, began to lift up their Heads and flourish. race, Virgil, Ovid and Livy, adorned the Age we are speaking of, and do it more Honour by their inimitable Writings, than all the Victories of the Prince under whom they lived. Eloquence alone, of all the feveral Branches of Literature, lay uncultivated. That expired with Cicero and the free State; nor need we wonder at it, fince Liberty, which had hitherto animated the Orator, ceafing, the Art itself became useless, and was regarded with an Eye of Jealousy by the Men in Power. Auguftus having by this wife and politic Management, fecured the Tranquillity of Italy and Rome, began to look abroad into the Provinces, with a View to check the Enemies of the Roman Name, who taking Advantage of the inteftine Divifions of the Empire, had committed many Outrages. He fubdued the Cantabrians and Afturians bordering upon the Pyrenees: Ethiopia fued for Peace: the Parthians dreading his Power, fent back the Standards taken from Craffus, and all the Roman Prifoners in their Hands: India fought his Alliance: Pannonia fubmitted to his Power: and Germany trembled

3980.

Ho

trembled at the Name of this mighty Conqueror. Victorious every where, both by Land and Sea, 4004. he fhut the Temple of Janus, and gave Peace to

all the Roman Empire. This happened in the 754th Year after the Building of Rome, and the 4714th of the Julian Period, which coincides with the first Year of the Chriftian Era, according to the Computation in use in these Western Parts.

I have now compleated my original Defign, which was to lay before you a fhort View of ancient History from the Creation of the World to the Birth of Christ. I have thrown together all the material Tranfactions of the different Nations of the World, and by referring them as near as poffible to the Years in which they happened, have I hope given you a pretty diftinct Notion of the coincident Periods of History. By keeping this general Plan conftantly in Mind, you will be enabled to read either ancient or modern Writers upon this Subject with all the Advantage to yourself you can defire. For whether they make Choice of a longer or fhorter Portion of Time, within which to limit their Detail of Tranfactions, or in whatever Order different Authors occur to your Study, the Knowledge you have of the general Courfe of Ages, and to what Part of univerfal Hiftory every particular Period belongs, will preserve all your Acquifitions unconfufed, and enable you to digeft your whole Treasure of Reading under those Heads and Divifions to which each Part properly refers. Nor is this an Advantage to be lightly accounted of, inafmuch as Men, according to their different Views and Aims in Life, find it their Interest sometimes to apply themselves more particularly to one Part of Hiftory, and fometimes to another; in which Cafe nothing is more ufeful than fuch a general View of Things, as fhall enable them to connect and tie together those feveral Parts of Knowledge, which Intereft or Neceffity has at different Times added to their Stock of Learning. This is fo evident that I need not enlarge upon it, and therefore having now finished all I intended on this Part, I fhall here conclude the Head of Hiftory and Chronology.

VOL. I.

E e

PART