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Article CHARACTER OF REGULUS. ← Page 3 of 3
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Character Of Regulus.
Nicias , and visit those vast caverns and quarries which were the prisons of the captive Athenians ? Regulus , like "Nicias , fell into the hands of his enemies , ( I am sure you remember Pol ybius ' s fine reflections on the mutability of fortune , while speaking on this subject ) , and , notwithstanding his hi gh rank , suffered much 111 treatment during a captivity of several years . There is not indeed any part of history ( answered the eldest of the
young gentlemen ) which more strongly attracts my attention than the unexpected falls of great men , whether civil or military : their violent deaths , or long imprisonments . —But pray proceed in your paper . Fortune again changed , ( said Crito ) , and the Carthaginians also suffered an heavy punishment for their pride and cruelty . In one battle near Panormus they lost no less than one hundred and twenty
elephants , the chief strength of their land-forces . Humbled by this stroke of adversity , they had recourse even to their prisoner Regulus , and sent him to Rome to negotiate their interest . ; But let me not trouble you . ( continued Crito , laying down on the sail-cloth his paper of notes ) with my tedious repetition of so noted a story , as that of the behaviour of this great man when arrived at
Rome . Let us rather employ ourselves in duly reflecting on his ex- ^ ample . He supported , though to his utmost personal danger , the in ^ terest of his country ; and he obeyed , even to death , the strictest laws of honour and justice . How voluntaril y indeed did he resign himself again into his enemies hands ! With what resolution did he take leave of his friends and country for ever i With ivhat composure of mind did he sail along this very coast for Afric , to meet the tortures and death which that cruel nation was preparing for him 1
Sciebat , quse sibi barbarus Tortor pararet . Most cruel indeed and inhuman is generally said to have been that scene ; but yet it may , like all other scenes of that nature , be very instructive and . useful to us . Vix ulia contra dolorem ac mortem fortior discipiina . ' . Let not your youthful minds be disheartened or dismayed at the
severe trials which sometimes ( though seldom ) happen to virtue . Most willingly could I , on this occasion , recommend to your ' use the impenetrable and invincible armour , the celestial and golden panoply of religion : but even an heathen moralist can in some degree comfort and encourage you , by observing , that there seems to be no degree of painwhether of bodor of mindbut what may be
sup-, y , ported or overcome by resolution , when- assisted by habit and example . .. Happy , happy are those young men , who , in preparing themselves for the labours of this short life , have even such an czs triplex as this round their breasts ; who direct this intrepidity to the most " noble purposes , particularlylike Regulus , to tiie service of their country ,
, and the cause of justice ; who , like the contemporary of Regulus ( the youthful Spartan Agis ) , temper their fortitude continually with the mildest humanity , and with the sweetest benevolence even to the last breath .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Character Of Regulus.
Nicias , and visit those vast caverns and quarries which were the prisons of the captive Athenians ? Regulus , like "Nicias , fell into the hands of his enemies , ( I am sure you remember Pol ybius ' s fine reflections on the mutability of fortune , while speaking on this subject ) , and , notwithstanding his hi gh rank , suffered much 111 treatment during a captivity of several years . There is not indeed any part of history ( answered the eldest of the
young gentlemen ) which more strongly attracts my attention than the unexpected falls of great men , whether civil or military : their violent deaths , or long imprisonments . —But pray proceed in your paper . Fortune again changed , ( said Crito ) , and the Carthaginians also suffered an heavy punishment for their pride and cruelty . In one battle near Panormus they lost no less than one hundred and twenty
elephants , the chief strength of their land-forces . Humbled by this stroke of adversity , they had recourse even to their prisoner Regulus , and sent him to Rome to negotiate their interest . ; But let me not trouble you . ( continued Crito , laying down on the sail-cloth his paper of notes ) with my tedious repetition of so noted a story , as that of the behaviour of this great man when arrived at
Rome . Let us rather employ ourselves in duly reflecting on his ex- ^ ample . He supported , though to his utmost personal danger , the in ^ terest of his country ; and he obeyed , even to death , the strictest laws of honour and justice . How voluntaril y indeed did he resign himself again into his enemies hands ! With what resolution did he take leave of his friends and country for ever i With ivhat composure of mind did he sail along this very coast for Afric , to meet the tortures and death which that cruel nation was preparing for him 1
Sciebat , quse sibi barbarus Tortor pararet . Most cruel indeed and inhuman is generally said to have been that scene ; but yet it may , like all other scenes of that nature , be very instructive and . useful to us . Vix ulia contra dolorem ac mortem fortior discipiina . ' . Let not your youthful minds be disheartened or dismayed at the
severe trials which sometimes ( though seldom ) happen to virtue . Most willingly could I , on this occasion , recommend to your ' use the impenetrable and invincible armour , the celestial and golden panoply of religion : but even an heathen moralist can in some degree comfort and encourage you , by observing , that there seems to be no degree of painwhether of bodor of mindbut what may be
sup-, y , ported or overcome by resolution , when- assisted by habit and example . .. Happy , happy are those young men , who , in preparing themselves for the labours of this short life , have even such an czs triplex as this round their breasts ; who direct this intrepidity to the most " noble purposes , particularlylike Regulus , to tiie service of their country ,
, and the cause of justice ; who , like the contemporary of Regulus ( the youthful Spartan Agis ) , temper their fortitude continually with the mildest humanity , and with the sweetest benevolence even to the last breath .