success attended him when he was a third time consul. He entered Umbria, and struck such terror into the people, that he put an end to a war which they had rashly undertaken against the Romans. Commanding the next year as pro-consul against the Samnites, he gave them a complete defeat, and caused a large body of captives to pass under the yoke. He served the important office of censor B.C. 304, with P. Decius Mus for his colleague. In this station he reformed an abuse introduced by Appius Claudius, who, in order to obtain influence in elections, had distributed a great number of freedmen and persons of the meanest condition among the country tribes. Fabius caused all these to be incorporated into four tribes called the urban, and thus almost destroyed their influence. This act was so acceptable to all the most confiderable citizens, thatit conferred upon Fabius the appellation of Maximus, which was perpetuated in his branch of the family. On a renewal of the Samnite and Etruscan war, Fabius was a fourth time made consul, which honour he accepted only upon the condition of nominating a colleague, who was Decius Mus. He was opposed to the Samnites, over whom he obtained a victory by means of a skilful stratagem. The patrician party were greatly desirous of creating him consul the next year, along with Appius, in order to exclude a plebeian from that dignity; but Fabius, thinking it contrary to the law that he should be chosen at a comitia in which he himself presided, would not agree to the design. In the year following, however, he was elected to a fifth consulate along with his former colleague Decius. The Romans were at that time alarmed with intelligence that the Etruscans, Umbrians, Gauls, and Samnites, had formed a confederacy against them. Fabius was sent to command in Etruria, and his first care was to restore confidence and courage to the Roman army, which had lost its spirit under Appius. The number of foes was so great, that both consuls with their joint forces marched against them. Fabius, by sending a detachment to lay waste Etruria, drew off part of the hostile army, and then brought the Gauls and Samnites to an engagement. It was in this great action that the second Decius Mus (see his article) devoted himself for his country. The battle, after great exertions, terminated in favour of the Romans; and Fabius, on his return, was honoured with a triumph. Three years afterwards, he gave a signal proof how much the love of his country predominated in him over other affections, by opposing, when prince of the senate, the promotion of his own son, Fabius Gurges, to the consulate, for which office he probably thought him not adequately qualified; as, indeed, he had passed his youth in notorious intemperance. Gurges was, however, chosen, and marching against the Samnites, underwent a defeat from them. The veteran father then offered to serve as lieutenant under his son; and proceeding to the army, he gave battle to the elated enemy. By his conduct and valour, he not only rescued his son from imminent danger, but entirely routed the Samnites with great slaughter, and took prisoner their general Pontius Herennius. Farther successes were obtained by the Fabii in this campaign, for which the son, as consul, was decreed a triumph. The joyful father followed the triumphal car on horseback, and was gratified with hearing their joint praises in the acclamations of the people. This was the conclusion of his military exploits. He was a second time nominated dictator, B.C. 287, for the purpose of completing a reconciliation between the plebeians and the patricians. He soon after died, full of glory, and was honoured with a public funeral. Livy. Univers. Hist.-A. FABIUS MAXIMUS, Q. surnamed VERRUCOSUS, and also CUNCTATOR, was either the grandson or the great-grandson of the preceding. He displayed from his infancy the rudiments of that temper which ever characterised him-gravity, patience, mildness, together with a slowness of parts which subjected him to the imputation of stupidity, but which did not preclude his acquisition of sound sense, and civil and military knowledge. He was consul for the first time B.C. 233, when he obtained a triumph for a victory over the Ligurians. We find nothing more related of him, except that he had been a second time consul, when upon the great alarm excited at Rome on account of the victory gained by Hannibal at the lake Thrasymenus, B.C. 217, he was nominated by the senate pro-dictator, the laws not allowing him the full title of dictator, since the nomination of the surviving consul was not waited for. It appears that the character of Fabius for coolness and caution, joined to military skill, was that which especially caused the safety of the state to be committed to him on this dangerous emergence. The people, however, gave him for a master of the horse, Minucius Rufus, a zealous partisan of their own, and a man of a different disposition. Fabius began his administration by assuming those external marks of dignity which might inspire unusual reverence for his high office. Then having restored tranquillity and confidence to the minds of the public by some extraordinary acts of religion, he marched with a recruited army to meet the On this occasion, whatever honour Minucius dreaded Carthaginian. It was, however, his might lose as a general, he recovered as a man. plan to hazard nothing, but to hover round the At the head of his soldiers he returned Fabius enemy, watching all his motions, cutting off thanks for his deliverance, called him father, his convoys, and perpetually harassing him, declared his own incapacity for the command, while he himself with the main body remained and resigned his authority into the hands of the in posts of safety. In this he steadily perse- dictator. Fabius had too much magnanimity to vered, notwithstanding all the provocations of upbraid him for his temerity, but embraced Hannibal, who became seriously alarmed at a him, and continued him in the post of master mode of warfare which in the end must, he of the horse. When the time of the dictatorforesaw, prove his ruin. Fabius had at one time ship was expired, he left his example and adsurrounded Hannibal in a narrow valley, the vice to the consul Paulus Æmilius, who could only outlet of which he had secured by a body not, however, restrain that rashness of his colof men placed in ambuscade; but that crafty league Terentius Varro, which brought on the general extricated himself by a stratagem, and fatal battle of Cannæ. Æmilius when expiring afterwards poured upon the rich plains of Cam- requested a friend to acquaint Fabius that he had pania, which he ravaged with merciless fury. never ceased to follow his counsel, and was inÎn order, however, to throw suspicion upon nocent of this misfortune. This dreadful overFabius, he carefully spared and protected his throw, as it justified the prudence and caution lands in the general devastation. The Romans of Fabius, so it augmented his authority in now became highly dissatisfied with the dicta- Rome; and all looked to him for direction in tor's conduct, imputing his extreme caution the measures proper to be pursued. He gave either to timidity or bad faith. They recalled an admirable example of that steady fortitude him to Rome on the pretext of a solemn sacri- which belongs to a calm temper, and is not affice; and they refused to ratify a convention fected by changes of fortune. He appeared in for the mutual exchange and ransom of pri- public with a firm and placid countenance, ensoners which he had made with Hannibal. Fa- couraged the desponding, checked the public bius, who was a strict observer of his engage- lamentations, and provided for the safety of the ments, finding himself indebted to the Cartha- city. In the ensuing years of the war, he was ginians for some released captives, sent orders thrice created consul, and once served as lieuto his son to sell his lands in order to raise the tenant under his son when consul. In all his money. On departing from the army he had campaigns he pursued his original policy of deleft peremptory orders with Minucius not to fensive war, and thus contributed to wear out fight; but that officer, as soon as he was gone, the foe, while the more adventurous Marcellus sent out some strong detachments which were kept him in continual alarm, and gained fresuccessful in cutting off a number of the ene- quent advantages over him. The Romans dismy's foragers. The news of this advantage, in- tinguished the respective merits of their two dustriously spread and magnified at Rome, in- great commanders, by calling one their shield, flamed the public discontent against Fabius, and and the other their sword. The most consione of the tribunes in a virulent harangue charg- derable action of Fabius was his recovery of ed him with treachery. The dictator made no Tarentum, which had been betrayed to Hanniother reply than saying with dignity," Fabius bal. "Fabius bal. In this he was assisted by the treachery of cannot be suspected by his country;" and he the Bruttian commander in garrison, who adpublicly declared his intention of punishing the mitted the Romans into the place. The sucmaster of the horse for his disobedience. In cess was sullied by an indiscriminate slaughter order to prevent this, the people passed an un- of the defenders, and by great severity towards precedented order, confirmed by the senate, the inhabitants, who were sold for slaves, after equalling Minucius in the command with Fabius. being stripped of all their wealth. Fabius, who When the latter returned to the camp, Minu- was a Roman of the old stamp, void of knowcius proposed that they should command on al- ledge and taste in the fine arts, while collecting ternate days; but Fabius would not consent with great care all the gold and silver for the thus to put the whole army to the hazard of public treasury, paid no attention to the adrashness, and in consequence they divided the mirable pictures and statues which adorned forces between them. Minucius was soon cir- that Grecian colony. When asked by his quescumvented by the arts of Hannibal, and would tor what should be done with them, "Let us have been entirely cut off, had not Fabius de- leave," said he, " to the Tarentines their angry scended from the mountains and rescued him. gods." He carried away, however, a colossal se noted bever, in esca BG you why Tunnel as area senzorking hopina Chum Nota, 116 duttivand a great father of frende trane je puna eh nanowan cination among Ver a caused in these to bvezno sto four toes called the sthan, ating thing alinded destroyed their influence. This MEN HAN SO BELKYtable to all the most conf derable es gees, thats Conderred upon Vabis the appelbation of Maximur, which was perpetuated in his branch of the family. On a renewal of the Bammite and Varuscan war, Fabius was a fourth time made contul, which honour he accepted only upon the condition of nominating a col league, who was Dexius Mus. He was opposed to the Damnites, over whom he obtained a victory by means of a skilful stratagem. The patrician party were greatly desirous of creating hum consul the next year, along with Appius, in order to exclude a plebeian from that dignity; but Fabius, thinking it contrary to the law that he should be chosen at a comitia in which he himself presided, would not agree to the design. In the year following, however, he was elected to a hith consulate along with his former colleague Decius The Romans were at that time alarmed with intelligence that the Etruscans, Umbrians, Gauls, and Samnites, had formed a confederacy against them. Fabius was sent to command in Etruria, and his first care was to restore confidence and courage to the Roman army, which had lost its spirit under Appius. The number of tocs was so great, that both consuls with their joint forces marched against them. Fabius, by sending a detachment to lay waste Etruria, drew of part of the hostile army, and then brought the Gauls and Sannites to an engage ment. It was in this great action that the sccond Decius Mus (see his article) devoted himself for his country. The battle, after great exertions, terminated in favour of the Romans; and Fabius, on his return, was honoured with a triumph. Three years afterwards, he gave a signal proof how much the love of his country predominated in him over other affections, by opposing, when prince of the senate, the pro motion of his own son, Fabius Gurges, to the emulate, for which office he probably thought him not adequately qualified; as, mdeed, he hat passed his much in accorices intemperance. Gris wa, however, chosen, and marching apam the Samnites, underwent a defeat freak hem. The veteran father then cfered to serve a lieutenant under his son; and proceeding to the army, he gave battle to the elated enemy. by ha conduct and valour, he not only rescued he von from imminent danger, but entirely torged the Samnites with great slaughter, and took prisoner their general Pontius Herennius. karier successes were obtained by the Fabii in this campaign, for which the son, as consul, was decreed a triumph. The joyful father followed the triumphal car on horseback, and was grarified with hearing their joint praises in the acclamations of the people. This was the conclusion of his military exploits. He was a second time nominated dictator, B.C. 287, for the purpose of completing a reconciliation between the plebeians and the patricians. He soon after died, full of glory, and was honoured with a public funeral. Livy. Univers. Hist.-A. FABIUS MAXIMUS, Q. surnamed VERRuCosts, and also CUNCTATOR, was either the grandson or the great-grandson of the preceding. He displayed from his infancy the rudiments of that temper which ever characterised him-gravity, patience, mildness, together with a slowness of parts which subjected him to the imputation of stupidity, but which did not preclude his acquisition of sound sense, and civil and military knowledge. He was consul for the first time B.C. 233, when he obtained a triumph for a victory over the Ligurians. We find nothing more related of him, except that he had been a second time consul, when upon the great alarm excited at Rome on account of the victory gained by Hannibal at the lake Thrasymenus, B.C. 217, he was nominated by the senate pro-dictator, the laws not allowing him the full title of dictator, since the nomination of the surviving consul was not waited for. It appears that the character of Fabius for coolness and caution, joined to military skill, was that which especially caused the safety of the state to be committed to him on this dangerous emergence. The people, however, gave him for a master of the horse, Minucius Rufus, a zealous partisan of their own, and a man of a different disposition. Fabius began his administration by assuming those external marks of dignity which might inspire unusual reverence for his high office. Then having restored tran quillity and confidence to the minds of the pub lie by some extraordinary acts of religion, he marched with a recruited army to meet the dreaded Carthaginian. It was, however, his plan to hazard nothing, but to hover round the enemy, watching all his motions, cutting off his convoys, and perpetually harassing him, while he himself with the main body remained in posts of safety. In this he steadily persevered, notwithstanding all the provocations of Hannibal, who became seriously alarmed at a mode of warfare which in the end must, he foresaw, prove his ruin. Fabius had at one time surrounded Hannibal in a narrow valley, the only outlet of which he had secured by a body of men placed in ambuscade; but that crafty general extricated himself by a stratagem, and afterwards poured upon the rich plains of Campania, which he ravaged with merciless fury. În order, however, to throw suspicion upon Fabius, he carefully spared and protected his lands in the general devastation. The Romans now became highly dissatisfied with the dictator's conduct, imputing his extreme caution either to timidity or bad faith. They recalled him to Rome on the pretext of a solemn sacrifice; and they refused to ratify a convention for the mutual exchange and ransom of prisoners which he had made with Hannibal. Fabius, who was a strict observer of his engagements, finding himself indebted to the Carthaginians for some released captives, sent orders to his son to sell his lands in order to raise the money. On departing from the army he had left peremptory orders with Minucius not to fight; but that officer, as soon as he was gone, sent out some strong detachments which were successful in cutting off a number of the enemy's foragers. The news of this advantage, industriously spread and magnified at Rome, inflamed the public discontent against Fabius, and one of the tribunes in a virulent harangue charged him with treachery. The dictator made no other reply than saying with dignity, "Fabius cannot be suspected by his country;" and he publicly declared his intention of punishing the master of the horse for his disobedience. In order to prevent this, the people passed an unprecedented order, confirmed by the senate, equalling Minucius in the command with Fabius. When the latter returned to the camp, Minucius proposed that they should command on alternate days; but Fabius would not consent thus to put the whole army to the hazard of rashness, and in consequence they divided the forces between them. Minucius was soon circumvented by the arts of Hannibal, and would have been entirely cut off, had not Fabius descended from the mountains and rescued him. On this occasion, whatever honour Minucius might lose as a general, he recovered as a man. At the head of his soldiers he returned Fabius thanks for his deliverance, called him father, declared his own incapacity for the command, and resigned his authority into the hands of the dictator. Fabius had too much magnanimity to upbraid him for his temerity, but embraced him, and continued him in the post of master of the horse. When the time of the dictatorship was expired, he left his example and advice to the consul Paulus Æmilius, who could not, however, restrain that rashness of his colleague Terentius Varro, which brought on the fatal battle of Cannæ. Æmilius when expiring requested a friend to acquaint Fabius that he had never ceased to follow his counsel, and was innocent of this misfortune. This dreadful overthrow, as it justified the prudence and caution of Fabius, so it augmented his authority in Rome; and all looked to him for direction in the measures proper to be pursued. He gave an admirable example of that steady fortitude which belongs to a calm temper, and is not affected by changes of fortune. He appeared in public with a firm and placid countenance, encouraged the desponding, checked the public lamentations, and provided for the safety of the city. In the ensuing years of the war, he was thrice created consul, and once served as lieutenant under his son when consul. In all his campaigns he pursued his original policy of defensive war, and thus contributed to wear out the foe, while the more adventurous Marcellus kept him in continual alarm, and gained frequent advantages over him. quent advantages over him. The Romans distinguished the respective merits of their two great commanders, by calling one their shield, and the other their sword. The most considerable action of Fabius was his recovery of Tarentum, which had been betrayed to Hannibal. In this he was assisted by the treachery of the Bruttian commander in garrison, who admitted the Romans into the place. The success was sullied by an indiscriminate slaughter of the defenders, and by great severity towards the inhabitants, who were sold for. slaves, after being stripped of all their wealth. Fabius, who was a Roman of the old stamp, void of knowledge and taste in the fine arts, while collecting with great care all the gold and silver for the public treasury, paid no attention to the admirable pictures and statues which adorned that Grecian colony. When asked by his questor what should be done with them, "Let us leave," said he, " to the Tarentines their angry gods." He carried away, however, a colossal success attended him when he was a third time consul. He entered Umbria, and struck such terror into the people, that he put an end to a war which they had rashly undertaken against the Romans. Commanding the next year as pro-consul against the Samnites, he gave them a complete defeat, and caused a large body of captives to pass under the yoke. He served the important office of censor B.C. 304, with P. Decius Mus for his colleague. In this station he reformed an abuse introduced by Appius Claudius, who, in order to obtain influence in elections, had distributed a great number of freed-men and persons of the meanest condition among the country tribes. Fabius caused all these to be incorporated into four tribes called the urban, and thus almost destroyed their influence. This act was so acceptable to all the most confiderable citizens, thatit conferred upon Fabius the appellation of Maximus, which was perpetuated in his branch of the family. On a renewal of the Samnite and Etruscan war, Fabius was a fourth time made consul, which honour he accepted only upon the condition of nominating a colleague, who was Decius Mus. He was opposed to the Samnites, over whom he obtained a victory by means of a skilful stratagem. The patrician party were greatly desirous of creating him consul the next year, along with Appius, in order to exclude a plebeian from that dignity; but Fabius, thinking it contrary to the law that he should be chosen at a comitia in which he himself presided, would not agree to the design. In the year following, however, he was elected to a fifth consulate along with his former colleague Decius. The Romans were at that time alarmed with intelligence that the Etruscans, Umbrians, Gauls, and Samnites, had formed a confederacy against them. Fabius was sent to command in Etruria, and his first care was to restore confidence and courage to the Roman army, which had lost its spirit under Appius. The number of foes was so great, that both consuls with their joint forces marched against them. Fabius, by sending a detachment to lay waste Etruria, drew off part of the hostile army, and then brought the Gauls and Samnites to an engagement. It was in this great action that the second Decius Mus (see his article) devoted himself for his country. The battle, after great exertions, terminated in favour of the Romans; and Fabius, on his return, was honoured with a triumph. Three years afterwards, he gave a signal proof how much the love of his country predominated in him over other affections, by opposing, when prince of the senate, the promotion of his own son, Fabius Gurges, to the consulate, for which office he probably thought him not adequately qualified; as, indeed, he had passed his youth in notorious intemperance. Gurges was, however, chosen, and marching against the Samnites, underwent a defeat from them. The veteran father then offered to serve as lieutenant under his son; and proceeding to the army, he gave battle to the elated enemy. By his conduct and valour, he not only rescued his son from imminent danger, but entirely routed the Samnites with great slaughter, and took prisoner their general Pontius Herennius. Farther successes were obtained by the Fabii in this campaign, for which the son, as consul, was decreed a triumph. The joyful father followed the triumphal car on horseback, and was gratified with hearing their joint praises in the acclamations of the people. This was the conclusion of his military exploits. He was a second time nominated dictator, B.C. 287, for the purpose of completing a reconciliation between the plebeians and the patricians. He soon after died, full of glory, and was honoured with a public funeral. Livy. Univers. Hist.-A. FABIUS MAXIMUS, Q. surnamed VERRUCOSUS, and also CUNCTATOR, was either the grandson or the great-grandson of the preceding. He displayed from his infancy the rudiments of that temper which ever characterised him-gravity, patience, mildness, together with a slowness of parts which subjected him to the imputation of stupidity, but which did not preclude his acquisition of sound sense, and civil and military knowledge. He was consul for the first time B.C. 233, when he obtained a triumph for a victory over the Ligurians. We find nothing more related of him, except that he had been a second time consul, when upon the great alarm excited at Rome on account of the victory gained by Hannibal at the lake Thrasymenus, B.C. 217, he was nominated by the senate pro-dictator, the laws not allowing him the full title of dictator, since the nomination of the surviving consul was not waited for. It appears that the character of Fabius for coolness and caution, joined to military skill, was that which especially caused the safety of the state to be committed to him on this dangerous emergence. The people, however, gave him for a master of the horse, Minucius Rufus, a zealous partisan of their own, and a man of a different disposition. Fabius began his administration by assuming those external marks of dignity which might inspire unusual reverence for his high office. Then having restored tranquillity and confidence to the minds of the public by some extraordinary acts of religion, he |