[15] That is, the first five books. [16] Polybius, the historian, was born at Megalopolis, in Arcadia, in the fourth year of the 143d Olympiad, about 205 years before the Christian æra. Being carried to Rome as an hostage, he became the companion and friend of the younger Scipio Africanus; accompanied him in his campaigns; and is said to have witnessed the destruction of Carthage, in the 158th Olympiad. Having returned to his native country, he died in the 164th Olympiad, 124 years before Christ, in consequence of a fall from his horse. The history of Polybius embraced the space from the first year of the 140th to the first of the 153d Olympiad, being fifty-three years. [17] Nicolo Peretti published a Latin version of the first five books of Polybius, at Rome, in 1473, folio. The first Greek edition appeared in 1530; the second at Basle, in 1549. The last is most esteemed. [18] “Plutarch tells us, that Brutus was thus employed the day before the battle of Pharsalia. ‘It was the middle of summer; the heats were intense, the marshy situation of the camp disagreeable, and his tent-bearers were long in coming. Nevertheless, though extremely harassed and fatigued, he did not anoint himself till noon; and then taking a morsel of bread, while others were at rest, or musing on the event of the ensuing day, he employed himself till the evening in writing an epitome of Polybius.”--MALONE. [19] With a thousand of his countrymen, whom the Romans ordered thither as hostages, after the conquest of Macedonia. [20] A. U. C. 608. [21] A. U. C. 607. [22] The word _and_ renders this passage ungrammatical.--MALONE. [23] Mr Malone justly conjectures, that Dryden here thought of his old master James II., whose economy bordered on penury, and whose claims of prerogative approached to tyranny. [24] Philip de Commines, author of the excellent Memoirs of his own time. He was born in Flanders, and was for several years a distinguished ornament of the court of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, his native sovereign; but was tempted to divert his service for that of Louis XI. by whom he was employed in several negociations. After the death of that monarch, Commines fell into disgrace with his successor, and was long detained in prison: he died in 1509. It was of this historian Catherine de Medicis was wont to say, “that he made as many heretics in the state, as Luther in the Church.” [25] In the year of Rome 568. [26] I believe the most enthusiastic admirers of Livy must tire of these unvaried prodigies. _Et bos locutus_ occurs as often, and is mentioned with as much indifference, as a nomination of sheriffs in Hall, Stowe, or Speed. [27] See Vol. XIII. p. 68. where our author, in his “Essay on Satire,” controverts keenly the position of Casaubon. [28] In his thirty-eight year, forty-three being the legal age.