History of Rome | Page 6

known to the ancients?

3. How is Italy bounded on the north?
4. What districts were in northern Italy?
5. What was the extent of Liguria, and the character of its inhabitants?
6. How was Cisalpine Gaul divided?
7. By whom was Cisalpine Gaul inhabited?
8. Why was it called Togata?
9. What are the principal rivers in northern Italy?
10. What are the chief cities in Cisalpine Gaul?
11. When did the Romans subdue this district?
12. Did the Venetians resist the Roman power?
13. What are the chief divisions of central Italy?
14. How is Etruria situated?
15. By what people was Etruria colonized?
16. What were the Tuscan cities?
17. How were the cities ruled?
18. What was the general form of Tuscan government?
19. For what were the Tuscans remarkable?
20. What was the geographical situation of Latium?
21. What were the chief towns in Latium?
22. What towns and people were in Campania?

23. For what is the soil of Campania remarkable?
24. What description is given of Umbria?
25. What towns and people were in Picenum?
26. From whom were the Samnites descended?
27. What was the character of this people?
28. How was southern Italy divided?
29. What description is given of Lucania?
30. By what people was Bruttium inhabited?
31. What is the geographical situation of Apulia?
32. What description is given of Calabria?
33. What islands belong to Italy?
FOOTNOTES:
[1] See Pinnock's History of Greece, Chap. I.
[2] See Historical Miscellany,
Part II. Chap. I.
[3] These colonies, sent out by the Sabines, are said to have originated
from the observance of the Ver sacrum (sacred spring.) During certain
years, every thing was vowed to the gods that was born between the
calends (first day) of March and May, whether men or animals. At first
they were sacrificed; but in later ages this cruel custom was laid aside,
and they were sent out as colonists.
[4] The history of these colonies is contained in the Historical

Miscellany,
Part II. Chap. ii.
* * * * *
CHAPTER II.
THE LATIN LANGUAGE AND PEOPLE--CREDIBILITY OF THE
EARLY HISTORY.
Succeeding times did equal folly call. Believing nothing, or believing
all.--_Dryden._
The Latin language contains two primary elements, the first intimately
connected with the Grecian, and the second with the Oscan tongue; to
the former, for the most part, belong all words expressing the arts and
relations of civilized life; to the latter, such terms as express the wants
of men before society has been organized. We are therefore warranted
in conjecturing that the Latin people was a mixed race; that one of its
component parts came from some Grecian stock, and introduced the
first elements of civilization, and that the other was indigenous, and
borrowed refinement from the strangers. The traditions recorded by the
historians sufficiently confirm this opinion; they unanimously assert
that certain bodies of Pelasgi came into the country before the historic
age, and coalesced with the ancient inhabitants. The traditions
respecting these immigrations are so varied, that it is impossible to
discover any of the circumstances; but there is one so connected with
the early history of Rome, that it cannot be passed over without notice.
All the Roman historians declare, that after the destruction of Troy,
Æneas, with a body of the fugitives, arrived in Latium, and having
married the daughter of king Lati'nus, succeeded him on the throne. It
would be easy to show that this narrative is so very improbable, as to
be wholly unworthy of credit; but how are we to account for the
universal credence which it received? To decide this question we must
discuss the credibility of the early Roman history, a subject which has
of late years attracted more than ordinary attention.

The first Roman historian of any authority, was Fa'bius Pic'tor, who
flourished at the close of the second Punic war; that is, about five
centuries and a half after the foundation of the city, and nearly a
thousand years after the destruction of Troy. The materials from which
his narrative was compiled, were the legendary ballads, which are in
every country the first record of warlike exploits; the calendars and
annals kept by the priests, and the documents kept by noble families to
establish their genealogy. Imperfect as these materials must necessarily
have been under any circumstances, we must remember that the city of
Rome was twice captured; once by Porsenna, and a second time by the
Gauls, about a century and a half before Fabius was born. On the latter
occasion the city was burned to the ground, and the capital saved only
by the payment of an immense ransom. By such a calamity it is
manifest that the most valuable documents must have been dispersed or
destroyed, and the part that escaped