ed. They made their fhips glitter with gold and filver, the curtains of the cabins were of purple, and the oars filvered over. If they went on fhore, it was to provide fuperb entertainments, which were attended with fymphonies and concerts, and in which they abandoned themfelves to excefs of wine: they feemed to infult over human race, and to glory in the robberies they committed upon thèm. Their ravages and depredations rofe beyond all imagination. Above four hundred cities had been taken by them; and thirteen of the most famous temples in the whole Univerfe had been plundered by them of all their riches. They made it their peculiar employment to infult the Romans; and feemed to take pleasure especially to humble and infeft proud Italy, the miftrefs of all Nations. They even befieged the main-roads, and rifled the country-houses that were not far from the fea. But let us hear Cicero describe, with all the force of his eloquence, the fhameful condition to which the Commonwealth was reduced at that time by wretched Pirates. It is in praifing Pompey in the Affembly of the People, that he repeats all the deplorable and ignominious circumftances of a war, which that General had happily terminated. "During the latter years, fays our Orator, what place throughout the whole extent of the Mediterra nean Quis enim toto mari locus per hofce annos, aut tam firmum habuit præfidium ut tutus effet, aut tam fuit abditus ut lateret? Quis navigavit, qui non fe aut mortis, aut fervitutis periculo committere, quum aut hieme, aut referto prædonum mari navigaret ?--Quam provinciam tenuiftis à prædonibus liberam per hofce annos? quod vectigal vobis tutum fuit? quem focium defendiftis? Cui præfidio, claffibus veftris, fuiftis? Quàm multas exiftimatis infulas esse desertas ? Quam multas aut metu relictas, aut à prædonibus captas urbes effe fociorum? Sed quid ego longinqua commemoro? Fuit hoc quondam, fuit proprium Populi Romani longè à domo bellare, & propugnaculis imperii fociorum fortunas, non fua tecta defendere. Sociis veltris ego mare claufum per hofce annos dicam fuiffe, quum exercitus noftri nunquam, fummâ hieme, Brundifio tranfmiferint? Qui ad vos ab exteris nationibus venirent captos querar, quum nifi legati Populi Romani redempti fint? Mercatoribus tutum mare non fuifle dicam, quum duodecim fecures in poteftatem hoftium pervenerit? Cnidum, aut Colophonem, aut Samum, nobiliffimas urbes, innumerabilesque alias, captas effe commemorem, quum veftros portus, atque eos portus quibus vitam & fpiritum Bb 2 nean found itself either strong enough to defend itselff or fo much out of the way as to escape the fearches of the Pirates? Who put to fea without exposing himfelf either to death, or captivity, as it was neceffary to navigate either in the ftormy feafon, or whilst the seas were covered with Corfairs? What provinces were fafe from their incurfions? What revenues fecure? And what ally have you been able to defend, and whom have your fleets been able to affift? How many inlands do you think have been abandoned, and cities of your allies either deferted through fear, or taken by force by these enemies of mankind? But why do I speak to you now of remote countries? It was, indeed, of old the glory of the Roman People, to carry the war into far diftant parts, and to employ their forces for the defence of the allies of the Commonwealth, and not its own fire-fides. Shall I complain, that the fea has been fhut up to your allies, whilft your armies have never fet out from Brundufium, till the depth of winter? Shall I quote thofe, who, when fent to you by foreign Nations, have been taken on their way, whilft it has even been neceffary to ranfom citizens invested with public characters by the Roman People? Shall I reprefent to you, that navigation was not more free for the Merchants whilft twelve Fafces fell with the Prætors Sextilius and Bellienus into the hands of the Pirates? Or fhall I repeat to you the taking of Cnidos, Colophon, Samos, and fo many other of the moft illuftrious cities, whilft you know, that even your own ports, and the ports upon which your fubfiftence and lives depend, have been in the power of the fame enemies? Do you not know that the port of Gaeta, fo frequented, and at that time full fpiritum ducitis, in prædonum fuiffe poteftatem fciatis? An verò ignoratis, portum Cajeta celeberrimum, atque pleniffimum navium, infpectante prætore, à prædonibus effe direptum? Ex Mifeno autem, ejus ipfius liberos, qui cum prædonibus antea ibi bellum gefferat, à prædonibus effe fublatos? Nam quid ego Oftienfe incommodum, atillam labem atque ignominiam Reipublicæ querar, quum, prope infpectantibus vobis, claflis, ea cui Conful Populi Romani præpofitus effet, à prædonibus capta atque oppreffa eft? Cic. pro Leg. Manil. que 31, 32, 33. of of ships, was plundered by the Pirates before the eyes of a Prætor of the Roman People? That the daughter of that very M. Antonius, who had been appointed to scour the feas of them, was carried off by them from his houfe at Misenum? But by what expreffions ftrong enough could I deplore the fhame and difafter of Oftia, when almost in your fight a Fleet commanded by a Conful has been defeated, taken, and funk by these despicable Robbers?" This detail leaves us nothing more to defire on this head. Only Plutarch fupplies us with a remarkable inftance of their infolence in refpect to the Romans. When one, who was taken by them, cried out he was a Roman, they affected to be frightened, and trembling ftruck their thighs, and fell upon their knees to afk him pardon. Then having had obtained that grace, they placed him in the midft of them; put on his fhoes and stockings, dreffed him in his toga, in order, faid they, that they might not be liable to mistake him; and after having made him their sport in this manner a great while, they placed a ladder over the fide of the fhip in the open fea, and exhorted their prifoner to depart, and go where he fhould think fit at entire liberty; and upon his refufal they threw him overboard. M'. ACILIUS GLABRIO. C. CALPURNIUS PISO. Of all the evils which the Pirates did, that which occafioned most complaints at Rome, was undoubtedly the scarcity and dearnefs of provifions; a confideration that always violently affects the People. In confequence the multitude received the Tribune Gabinius's propofal to give Pompey the command of the feas, in order to clear them of that peft, which entirely interrupted trade. The project was useful in itself. But the Tribune who formed it, was not induced to it by his zeal for public good; for he was a bad citizen and a wicked man, as he will appear throughout all Bb 3 the A.R. 685. 67. 372 WAR OF THE PIRATES nean found itself either ftrong enough to drink t or fo much out of the way as to escape the en the Pirates? Who put to fea withour expaing felf either to death, or captivity, as it was in to navigate either in the ftormy feaion, or whit feas were covered with Corfairs? What provinces fafe from their incurfions? What revenues lecz And what ally have you been able to defend, a whom have your fleets been able to afflit? How inlands do you think have been abandoned, and of your allies either deferted through fear, or by force by these enemies of mankind? But why speak to you now of remote countries? It wa deed, of old the glory of the Roman People, wr the war into far diftant parts, and to employ forces for the defence of the allies of the Comm wealth, and not its own fire-fides. Shall I comp that the fea has been fhut up to your allies, w your armies have never fet out from Brundufium, the depth of winter? Shall I quote thofe, who, w fent to you by foreign Nations, have been taken their way, whilft it has even been neceffary to ra citizens invefted with public characters by the Ros People? Shall I represent to you, that navigation not more free for the Merchants whilft twelve Fai fell with the Prætors Sextilius and Bellienus into s hands of the Pirates? Or fhall I repeat to you th taking of Cnidos, Colophon, Samos, and fo mat other of the moft illuftrious cities, whilft you know, that even your own ports, and the ports upon whic your fubfiftence and lives depend, have been in the power of the fame enemies? Do you not know the the port of Gaeta, fo frequented, and at that time full fpiritum ducitis, in prædonum fuiffe poteftatem fciatis? An verò igne ratis, portum Cajeta celeberrimum, atque pleniffimum navium, itfpectante prætore, à prædonibus effe direptum? Ex Mifeno autem ejus ipfius liberos, qui cum prædonibus antea ibi bellum gefferat, pradonibus effe fublatos? Nam quid ego Oftienfe incommodum, sillam labem atque ignominiam Reipublicæ querar, quum, prop infpectantibus vobis, claflis, ea cui Conful Populi Romani præpofitus effet, à prædonibus capta atque oppreffa eft? Cic. pro Leg. Manil que 31, 32, 33. of ships, was plundered by the Pirates before the eyes a Prætor of the Roman People? That the daughof that very M. Antonius, who had been appointed fcour the feas of them, was carried off by them om his house at Misenum? But by what expreffions ong enough could I deplore the fhame and difafter Oftia, when almost in your fight a Fleet command1 by a Conful has been defeated, taken, and funk y these despicable Robbers?" This detail leaves us nothing more to defire on this ead. Only Plutarch fupplies us with a remarkable ftance of their infolence in refpect to the Romans. When one, who was taken by them, cried out he was Roman, they affected to be frightened, and trembing ftruck their thighs, and fell upon their knees to fk him pardon. Then having had obtained that grace, hey placed him in the midst of them; put on his fhoes and ftockings, dreffed him in his toga, in order, said they, that they might not be liable to mistake him; and after having made him their sport in this manner a great while, they placed a ladder over the fide of the fhip in the open fea, and exhorted their prifoner to depart, and go where he fhould think fit at entire liberty; and upon his refufal they threw him overboard. M'. ACILIUS GLABRIO. C. CALPURNIUS PISO. Of all the evils which the Pirates did, that which occafioned most complaints at Rome, was undoubtedly the fcarcity and dearnefs of provifions; a confideration that always violently affects the People. In confequence the multitude received the Tribune Gabinius's propofal to give Pompey the command of the feas, in order to clear them of that peft, which entirely interrupted trade. The project was useful in itself. But the Tribune who formed it, was not induced to it by his zeal for public good; for he was a bad citizen and a wicked man, as he will appear throughout all Bb 3 the A.R. 685. 67. |