Jacques Louis David was a French historical painter. He was born in 1748 at Paris and died in 1825. He went to Rome in 1774, and passed several years there painting several important pictures. A second visit produced the Horatii, one of his masterpieces. In 1787 he produced The Death of Socrates, in 1788 Paris and Helen, and in 1789 Brutus. In the revolution he was a violent Jacobin, and wholly devoted to Robespierre. Several of the scenes of the revolution supplied subjects for his brush. What is considered his masterpiece, The Rape of the Sabines, was painted in 1799. He was appointed first painter to Napoleon about 1804; and after the second restoration of Louis XVIII, he was included in the decree which banished all regicides from France, when he retired to Brussels. Research Jacques Louis David
Marcus Porcius Cato (Cato the Censor) was a Roman soldier. He was born in 234 BC at Tusculum and died in 149 BC. He inherited from his father, a plebeian, a small estate in the territory of the Sabines, which he cultivated with his own hands. He served his first campaign, at the age of seventeen, under Fabius Maximus, was present at the siege of Capua in 214 BC; and five years after fought under the same commander at the siege of Tarentum.
After the war was ended he returned to his farm, but by the advice of Valerius Flaccus removed to Rome, where his forensic abilities had free scope. He rose rapidly, accompanied Scipio to Sicily as quaestor in 204 BC, became an aedile in 199, and in 198 was chosen praetor, and appointed to the province of Sardinia. Three years later he gained the consulship, and in 194 for his brilliant campaign in Spain obtained the honour of a triumph. In 191 he served as military tribune against Antiochus, and then, having abundantly proved his soldierly qualities, returned to Rome.
For some years he exercised a practical censorship, scrutinizing the characters of candidates for office, and denouncing false claims, peculations, etc. His election to the censorship in 184 set an official seal to his efforts, the unsparing severity of which has made his name proverbial. From that year until his death, in 149, he held no public office, though zealously continuing his unofficial labours for the state. His hostility to Carthage, the destruction of which he advocated in every speech made by him in the forum, was the most striking feature of his closing years. His incessant Delenda est Carthago (Carthage must be destroyed) did much to further the third Punic war. Of his works his De Re Rusfcica (On Rural Economy) alone survives, though there exist in quotation fragments of his history and speeches.
Marrcus Porcius Cato (Cato of Utica) was a Roman reformer. He was born in 95 BC and died in 46 BC. He formed an intimacy with the StoicAntipater of Tyre, and ever remained true to the principles of the Stoic philosophy. He distinguished himself as a volunteer in the war against Spartacus, served as military tribune in Macedonia in 67 BC, was made quaestor in 65 BC.
His rigorous reforms won him general respect, and in 63 BC he was chosen tribune of the people. During the troubles with CatilineCato gave Marcus Cicero important aid both by his eloquence and sagacity, and at the same time set himself to thwart the ambitious projects of Pompey, Caesar, and Marcus Crassus. Such success as he had, however, was only temporary, and he failed to prevent the formation of the triumvirate. To get rid of him they sent him to take possession of Cyprus, but, having successfully accomplished his mission, he returned, opposed the Tribonian law for conferring extraordinary powers on the triumvirs, and in 54 BC enforced, as praetor, an obnoxious law against bribery.
On the breach between Pompey and Caesar he threw in his lot with Pompey, and guarded the stores at Dyrrhachium, while Pompey pushed on to Pharsalia. After receiving news of Pompey's defeat he sailed to Cyrene and effected a junction with Metellus Scipio at TJtica, in 47 BC. He took command of that city, but its defence appearing hopeless after the defeat of Scipio at Thapsus, he determined on suicide, and after spending some time in the perusal of the Phaedo of Plato, stabbed himself with his sword. His wounds were bound up by his attendants, but he tore off the bandages and died. Research Marcus Cato
The Sabines were an ancient people of central Italy. They had their daughters taken away by the Romans under Romulus, and were finally defeated by Manius Curius Dentatus in 290 BC. Research Sabines
Lucius Tarquinius Priscus was the fifth of the legendary kings of ancient Rome, reputed to have reigned from 616 BC until 578 BC. An exile from Corinth, and married to an Etruscan woman named Tanaquil, he went to Rome where he won the favour of king Ancus Marcius, and changed his original name of Lucumon to Tarquinius. Elected king when Ancus died, he proved himself a vigorous ruler, defeating the Latins and the Sabines. He was murdered by the sons of Ancus Martius. Research Tarquinius Priscus
In Roman mythology, Diana was an ancient Italian goddess, in later times identified with the Greek Artemis, With whom she had various attributes in common, being the virgin goddess of the moon and of the hunt, and as such associated with the crescentmoon, bow, arrows, and quiver. The name is a feminine form of Janus. She seems to have been originally the patron divinity of the Sabines and Latins. She was worshipped especially by women, as presiding over births, no man being allowed to enter her temple. Research Diana
In Roman mythology, Romulus and his twin brother Remus were sons of Mars and RheaSylvia. The brothers and their mother were cast into the river Anio, the mother was turned into a goddess and the two brothers were washed ashore and suckled by a she-wolf. After they had founded Rome,
Romulus killed his brother Remus and made the capital an asylum for homicides and fugitive slaves. Women being few in the city Romulus held sacredgames, inviting to them the Latins and the Sabines. In the middle of the games Roman youths seized the maidens from among the guests and made off with them. The result was a war, ended through the mediation of the Sabine women. The Romans and Sabines subsequently united into one. Romulus reigned jointly with the Sabine king Titus Tatius, until Tatius died and later
Romulus was carried off into heaven in a fiery chariot by his father, Mars. Research Romulus
In Roman legend, Tarpeia was a daughter of the governor of the Capitol, who when the Sabines were besieging the fortress, was bribed by their golden bracelets and collars to open one of the gates to them. On entering they threw their shields on her, killing her. Her name was given to the
Tarpeian rock, a cliff on the Capitol over which malefactors were thrown. Research Tarpeia
Appius Claudius Crassus was one of the Roman decemvirs. He was appointed in 451 BC to draw up a new code of laws. He and his colleagues plotted to retain their power permanently, and at the expiry of their year of office refused to give up their authority. The people were incensed against them, and the following circumstances led to their overthrow. Appius Claudius had conceived an evil passion for Virginia, the daughter of Lucius Virginius, then absent with the army in the war with the AEqui and Sabines. At the instigation of Appius, Marcus Claudius, one of his clients, claimed Virginia as the daughter of one of his own female slaves, and the decemvir, acting as judge, decided that in the meantime she should remain in the custody of the claimant. Virginius, hastily summoned from the army, appeared with his daughter next day in the forum, and appealed to the people; but Appius Claudius again adjudged her to Marcus Claudius. Unable to rescue his daughter, the unhappy father stabbed her to the heart. The decemvirs were deposed by the indignant people in 449 BC, and Appius Claudius died in prison or was strangled. Research Appius Claudius Crassus
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Giovanni Bologna
